OBA: We are transparent; PLP: No you're not

Parliamentary Select Committee Report

Statement from the One Bermuda Alliance, March 11, 2014

Toward the end of the 2012 election campaign, the Progressive Labour Party sought to disqualify two One Bermuda Alliance candidates, Mr. Jeff Sousa and Mr. E.T. (Bob) Richards.

The PLP questioned whether the two candidates had declared any interest in Government contracts that they might have had, as required by law.

The OBA, at the time, confirmed publicly that the candidates had no interests to declare.

The PLP had an opportunity to further pursue their ploy by filing a petition in the Supreme Court within 28 days of the December 18, 2012 election challenging the candidates’ subsequent election, as stipulated in the Legislature (Qualification and Disqualification) Act 1968. They did not.

The work of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Elections has become another example of PLP leaders putting politics before country; distracting from the extremely serious challenges facing the Island.

The Government will keep focused on the people’s business, working for the recovery and renewal of Bermuda.

PLP Press Release, March 12, 2014

Statement by Walton Brown MP

The OBA continues to deflect and distract from the growing evidence that they believe in two Bermudas: One where they can break the rules, bend the truth and break promises without remorse and another Bermuda for the rest of us.

Parliamentary Joint Select Committees are drawn from members of both parties. In this instance it included OBA MPs Jeanne Atherden, Glen Smith and Susan Jackson.

The purpose of Parliamentary Joint Select Committees is to have members work across party lines without fear or favor for the good of the country.  Unfortunately the OBA doesn't believe the rules apply to them.

If the OBA believes that OBA candidates pocketing government contracts don't have to be open and transparent about it, they should just say so. Divisive attempts to deflect from the good work of this committee are a distraction from them getting on with the business of getting Bermudians employed.