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Many St. George's residents still talk about it. One voter called it a Houdini-like manoeuvre that won't soon be forgotten.

It was early in the 2007 election campaign. The Old Town had been without a strong law and order presence since its Police Station was moved to Southside in 2004. Crime had surged to the point where the Canadian Government warned Canadian visitors to steer clear of the town. Residents had been calling for action to save their streets, but nothing happened.

On the morning of November 14, the United Bermuda Party repeated its long-standing platform initiative to immediately re-open and operate the St. George's Police Station 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Election machine

Within hours, the PLP election machine began to scramble. Works and Engineering was ordered to get the station open. Hustle Truck workers were sent to provide a busy backdrop for Public Safety Minister David Burch, who announced to TV cameras that the PLP would reopen the station forthwith.

That was eight months ago. Since then, there have been temporary increases in Police presence while the station remains closed.

The PLP's failure to follow through on such an explicit promise reveals how much it takes the people of St. George's for granted.

Sadly, the Police station saga is not a one-off occurrence for St. George's. The hard reality is that it is part of a PLP pattern of indifference and neglect for the Old Town that is mystifying to me as a resident of St. George's.

There is a saying that "The Good Lord never gives you more than you can handle," but it does not hold true for the people of St. George's. Since the election, PLP government's decisions and policy initiatives have prompted people to ask: "Who are they governing for?"

If you're a resident of the Old Town, you may well answer: "It can't be us."

Consider some other recent moves by the government:

n The education reform plan has targeted the local autonomy of St. George's Prep - a school that works. The plan would "cluster" the school with others in a "self-governing Federation". Parents have told the Education Minister that other schools should first emulate their St. George's model so that any clustering builds on a system that works. But the feeling is widespread that the cluster plan will go ahead regardless of that they think.

n The closure of St. George's Golf Course this summer despite a promise by the Premier that it would not be closed during the renovation of the Port Royal Golf Club now underway. As the only remaining 18-hole public golf course in Bermuda open for business, St. George's stood to pick up a lot of green fees and related purchases from tourists and locals. Instead the club will be shut down and its employees laid-off. The Premier says he is closing the club because it was losing too much money.

n The loss of the Monday holiday in June, in which the Comet races in St. George's Harbour anchored a day of cultural celebration and family fun. The Government is shifting the public holiday to October for National Heroes' Day. We do not agree with the October shift, arguing that the June holiday can be kept for National Heroes Day while preserving the traditional sailing races in St. George's and Somerset. June is also a better time of year because more families are together.

n The out-of-the-blue attempt to shut down the Fort St. Catherine's Beach concession - one of the most popular beaches for local families.

n The impending loss of cruise ship revenues to the Old Town due to the shift to larger ships and a new Dockyard-centred cruise ship policy. The loss of cruise ships dedicated to St. George's constitutes a direct threat to the Old Town, which needs the revenues to rebuild its aging infrastructure, and to the bottom line of many businesses that depend on cruise passenger spending.

All of these decisions and plans work against the interests of St. George's in terms of its culture, its family life and its economic well-being. There does not seem to be any clear-cut reason for them, other than they come from a government that is out of touch and doesn't really care about the east end - except at election time.

The people of St. George's deserve better.

Kim Swan is the United Bermuda Party Leader.[[In-content Ad]]

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