Let the police probe take its course

FRIDAY, JUNE 17: I am becoming increasingly concerned about the continued rhetoric coming from political leaders of this country that sit in Opposition. We understand fully the role of an Opposition given the 35 years that we spent keeping the former UBP Government in check, and as the Honourable and learned Member John Barritt, JP, MP  has said on many an occasion, "the role of an opposition is to challenge the Government of the day."

Challenge, hold accountable, that is what should be expected of a credible opposition, and we applaud those few members of the opposition that understand their role and do the hard work necessary to offer challenge with substance and alternative solutions. This is not a time for us to play at politics. This is not a time to be negative just to score political points.

The world’s economies continue to struggle in the aftermath of the worse financial crisis in more than 100 years, and we know that we cannot sit here alone in the Atlantic and not be impacted by what is taking place elsewhere in the world.

Mr. Speaker, we must learn to be more positive about our achievements of which there are many. For example:

- Government acted to avert a major banking crisis through Government support when many banks around the world failed and world economies sit today on the brink of debt defaults.

- Government acted to avert massive shocks to the employee base through industry crippling redundancies by introducing more than $50 million in stimulus to the local economy.

- Government enhanced our standing in the global financial services marketplace through negotiating tax treaties (24 and counting) and through enhancing Bermuda’s regulatory framework.

- Government acted to open the doors to foreign investment in our hotel properties.

- Government acted to ease the financial burden on mothers and fathers looking to see their children get higher learning through the Bermuda College.

- Government acted to support both hoteliers and retailers during some very difficult years by providing tax concessions.

- Government acted to champion the building of a top flight hospital to ensure our health care product can be of better quality.

- Government has welcomed the Police and community success in bringing murderers to justice.

These are all positive achievements during extremely challenging conditions. It is completely unacceptable therefore, for this country to risk Hari Kari (an ancient form of ritual suicide that defeated Japanese Samurai would undertake).

The sense of unity that is needed during times of crisis is being suppressed by the partisan rancor that distracts us from shaping good public policy. That is why our young people lose faith. That is why our voters become disaffected. That is how countries self-destruct.

The fervour around the next election is becoming a distraction, and is fostering the political rhetoric that you see playing itself out in the press today. There's too much unbridled emotion and anger.

We need unity. But the emergence of unity is being impeded because petty politics is taking precedence over common sense. Maybe the election needs to be sooner rather than later, so that we can put all of this behind us, and get on with the healing that this country needs.

Mr. Speaker, I will never forget a friend saying that their greatest concern for Bermuda when the PLP won the Government in 1998 was the extent to which an opposition will go in order to wrestle back the power that comes with leading a country.

Our people need the "maximum" effort from all Members of Parliament, Government and Opposition, that sit in both the Upper and Lower Houses of the Legislature.

We must come together as political rhetoric is not without consequence for a community and indeed for a country seeking greatness.

The new Opposition leader commenting on the allegations a few days later than I as Premier and echoing in large part my view that there should be an investigation is fine. It would have been best left at that but his attempt to put a sting in the tail re Government does a disservice to the role that Honourable Members should be doing in setting out best practice for Parliament.

On some issues one has to put country first and resist the temptation to fire cheap political shots. No one, not one person on the Government benches endorses unlawful actions and it is wrong and unconscionable for the Opposition Leader to seek to impugn the integrity of this Government in that way.

It is farcical to tell the Bermuda story on the world stage and then to score own goals in this manner. The police are investigating the allegations arising in the Bolden case- let them get on with doing their job and keep the politics out of it. Once the investigation has concluded then let the chips fall where they may and then whatever needs to be stated or done can be done. However pending the outcome of the investigation I will not remain mute to unconscionable utterances directed at this Government.

We must be models of leadership and therefore we must focus on character, substance and integrity in all that we do and remember that we are elected to serve and also to be honourable and honest brokers in our dealing with the public and each other.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.