Status row: Another OBA ambush that hurts Bermudians

‘Through political strategy 

They keep us hungry’

— Bob Marley

One year ago, on June 7, 2013, I wrote a column in the Bermuda Sun headlined ‘Ambush in the Night’, forewarning Bermudians of the OBA’s impending plans.

My predictions included that the OBA would: 

• Implement privatization;

• Introduce the Municipalities Act to control the Corporation of Hamilton; 

• Continue to hide government contracts;

• Give PRCs Bermudian status and the right to vote. 

I was labelled as a liar, a racist and a scaremonger by many OBA supporters, Senators and MPs. It is now clear that each point raised can no longer be disputed.

Today, I will present my predictions for phase two of the OBA’s master plan:

1. The Status Vote

In May 2014, the ruling by Chief Justice Kawaley cleared the way for qualifying PRCs to obtain Bermuda status via the discovery of a loophole in legislation. 

The OBA refusal to vote in favour of closing this loophole made thousands of non-Bermudians legally able to apply for Bermudian status. The OBA is banking on this as they need at least 1,000 new supporters to stand any chance of retaining political power. 

So you can expect to see a flood of articles, columns, letters to the editor and perhaps several Facebook pages created to push this false agenda. Perhaps the same bloggers that the OBA flooded Facebook with pre-election, will return.

2. Fire Sales

The OBA is currently in the process of compiling “a property asset management plan” of government properties that they will either lease or sell.

A perfect example is the impending closure of Harrington Sound post office. This property is prime real estate bordering Tucker’s Town with water rights. The OBA will most likely come up with some lame excuse as to why they need to sell the property. Guess who will most likely get to purchase it?

Also on the wish list is: the airport, Tynes Bay, old police station, former Registrar General’s office and prison headquarters 

As the OBA recently changed the law to allow exempt companies to purchase Bermuda properties, we can expect the OBA to sell off various government properties to non-Bermudians.

3. Snap Election

True to UBP form, Premier Dunkley will play the script the same way the UBP played it 30 years ago. Once they see that 1,000-2,000 new PRC holders are now registered to vote, they will call a snap election based on some fictional reason.

This is the reason the OBA will not implement “fixed term elections” after promising this in their campaign.

Don’t believe me? Look at the fictional reasonings behind:

• Suspending term limits;

• Cancelling the referendum;

• Avoiding answering questions re: JetGate; 

• concealing who is collecting $23 million from the Tourism Authority.

The inner circle of the OBA has two driving mantras; control of multi-million dollar government contracts and retaining political power.

At this point in time, they are setting themselves up to do both. It would be nice if I was wrong but hey, just look at their never-ending track record of broken campaign promises. 

My fellow Bermudians, true power lies within each and every one of us to either stand up for ourselves and each other, or lay down and be steamrollered by the OBA. Do not let Premier Dunkley’s smiling face and warm and fuzzy Facebook and Twitter statuses fool you.

Nothing has changed besides the party name and logo. The OBA is the UBP on steroids. 

They are as predictable as a rattlesnake in the desert. Not only do you hear them from a mile away, you know that they will strike when they see fit. 

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These are the big fish

Who always try to eat down the small fish

I tell you what, they would do anything

To materialize their every wish

— Bob Marley, Guiltiness