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I see that Government is going ahead with plans for its own TV station and has budgeted $1 million for the purpose. Surely it would be cheaper to buy airtime on the existing local channels whenever they had something important to say.

Bermudians might watch one or two official broadcasts a year, but if tours by professional football teams have taught us anything it’s that Bermudians bore easily. Once the novelty wears off Bermudians will be more likely to spend the evening watching the Weather Channel than the Government Station. They will certainly be at less risk of getting bad information. And let’s face it, no matter what they do they’ll never be as popular as that “Dockyard Girls Gone Wild” video.

Then they want $12 million for travel! That’s over thirty grand per day! How can that possibly be justified? Where are they going? The Moon? Of course if we could put them all on the airport stop list while they’re away it would be money well spent.

And I was surprised by Paula Cox’s attacks on Grant Gibbons for daring to question Government’s budget. First of all, why on earth was she surprised that he was critical? What did she expect him to do? Congratulate her on a job well done? Was she not paying attention when her father was Shadow Finance Minister? They’re called the Opposition for a reason.

But worst thing was that she made no attempt to comment on the substance of his remarks. She just expressed her disgust at being criticized by someone who doesn’t look like her. Now, from virtually any other member of the PLP these remarks would have been, well, unremarkable — even expected. Scott, Brown, Burch and Webb have all used this tactic in an attempt to deflect inquiring minds from the truth.

But when the normally sane and coherent Finance Minister launches into a racially tainted tirade one is forced to pause and reflect. What brought about the change? Is it simply a case of “if you lay down with dogs you will get up with fleas”? Or has she finally drunk the Kool-Aid and become a fully-fledged member of the Premier’s Cult of race-based politics?

I suppose I can’t blame her really. After all, it’s far easier to mount a hysterical and paranoid attack on anyone who dares to question the Government than to it is to actually present a reasoned defence of the policies. Why confuse the issue with facts?

Like water to a shark

Clearly, despite their claims to the contrary, the PLP is not interested in racial harmony. In fact they go out of their way to perpetuate disharmony. Take Colonel Burch (please). He continues to make “disharmonious” remarks and he hasn’t even been chastised for insensitivity.

Its not like he’s some latter day Harry Viera — a back-bench maverick empowered by the support of constituents who repeatedly elect him and therefore is free to speak his mind beyond the influence of the party whip. As far as I can see, the Colonel has never had enough public support to be elected to anything.

The Premier appointed him to his current position and the Premier can replace him if he steps out of line. Obviously he has yet to commit any transgressions in Mr. Scott’s eyes. The message could not be clearer: Racial conflict is to the PLP as water is to a shark — it is essential to life.

First we had the Premier’s expression of disdain for people who look like Tony and the Colonel’s “whites not welcome” radio show. Then came the Doctor’s “plantation fixation” and now Minister Cox only cares to hear from people who look like her.

We now seem to have a parliamentary version of those three famous monkeys — the PLP will see no whites, hear no whites and will speak to no whites. That’s hardly an attitude conducive to racial harmony and a better Bermuda.[[In-content Ad]]

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