Vexed Bermoothes

Blustery Opinions From Bermuda

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Entries from October 2007

Accurate Voter Records?

October 31st, 2007 · No Comments

The new Voters Rights Association is worried that Bermuda’s register of voters is inaccurate.
How do they know? Simple, they bought a copy of the list and sent a letter to the voters of St Georges. Of the 316 letters sent, 40 were returned by the post office marked deceased, moved, or wrong address.
In other words, […]

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Tags: Bermuda Politics

Scratch My Back

October 30th, 2007 · No Comments

So how did little ole Bermuda get sucked in as a major financial sponsor of the Chinese World Tourism Marketing Summit?
Perhaps because the event’s organisers include The Bradford Group, a US marketing company. The Bradford Group is also the organiser of the Africa Travel Association and the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism. As it […]

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Tags: Bermuda Politics

Anti-Corruption Act

October 29th, 2007 · 1 Comment

In his review of the BHC files in 2004, the acting DPP Kulandra Ratneser said that some of the individuals in the investigation escaped prosecution only because Bermuda’s corruption laws were antiquated and weak.
Referring to Mr. Ratneser’s comments during the hearing today, Lord Justice Hoffman of the Privy Council said: “He’s quoted as saying it’s […]

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Tags: Bermuda Politics

The Public Have A Right To Know

October 29th, 2007 · No Comments

Reports from London indicate that the Privy Council today ruled against the Bermuda Government’s attempt to silence the media from reporting further revelations from the leaked BHC documents.
The Bermuda Sun quotes Lord Justice Hoffman of the Privy Council as saying “The public have the right to know if their politicians behaved unethically.”
Dr. Brown and his […]

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Tags: Bermuda Politics

Support Freedom of Speech

October 29th, 2007 · No Comments

Today the Privy Council meets to consider the Bermuda Government’s gag order placed on the local media concerning the leaked BHC documents. 
At great cost, our Government has repeatedly appealed as the gag order was rejected by local courts.  It is a sad day when our Government is fighting against freedom of speech. 
If the media […]

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Tags: Bermuda Politics

How Convenient

October 26th, 2007 · No Comments

PLP Newswire has announced that Dr. Brown and his delegation have departed to attend the World Tourism Marketing Summit, which the Bermuda Government is sponsoring.
Indeed, you may ask why is Bermuda sponsoring the CHINESE tourism summit in BEIJING when we have closed our marketing offices in most gateway cities to save money?
Simple: the event runs […]

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Tags: Bermuda Politics

Education Reform

October 26th, 2007 · 1 Comment

Like most local parents, I have heard so much official prevarication over the public education system that I profoundly distrust the Ministry of Education. So much money, so many excuses, and so little achieved.
Bermuda’s new education consultant Henry Johnson has earned my attention by cutting through the spin:

He has admitted that it may take years […]

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Tags: Bermuda Politics

Brownie Points

October 25th, 2007 · No Comments

After many years of Government promises that Bermuda would implement a “points” system for driving offenses, today Dr. Brown announced “that the planning stage is complete and the Demerit Point System will take effect November 1.”
That’s great news! The idea has wide support from the general public and the Bermuda Road Safety Council. […]

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Tags: Bermuda Politics

Everybody Gets a Pony

October 24th, 2007 · 2 Comments

Early this summer, there was much speculation that Dr. Brown would call a snap election.  My friend the taxi driver said “Not possible; he’ll give us our fare increase right before he calls it to soothe all the bad blood the drivers have against him”.
Today, right after the PLP announced an election was imminent, Dr. […]

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Tags: Bermuda Politics

The Unreliable Anecdote

October 24th, 2007 · No Comments

Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Wayne Perinchief gave a long interview to the Royal Gazette on the proposed quota law in which he stated several times that the PLP had plenty of anecdotal evidence that the law was needed.
Anecdotes are not a reliable basis for lawmaking! Here’s why. Anecdotal evidence is hearsay, with no objective […]

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Tags: Bermuda Politics