Vexed Bermoothes

It is my opinion that Bermuda Premier Dr. Ewart Brown took on his “fast track” plan to adopt 4 Uighur prisoners from the notorious Guantanamo Bay facility in order to create a constitutional crisis between Bermuda and the UK and further his independence agenda.

The idea of independence is currently unpopular in Bermuda … and has declined consistency as the scandals have mounted surrounding Dr. Brown’s leadership.  The Uighur incident allows Dr. Brown to push independence – both literal and de facto – without any public mandate.

The whole affair raises many questions about governance in Bermuda.

Under Bermuda’s Constitution, the UK maintains control over Bermuda’s foreign affairs and external security working in consultation with the Bermuda Government.  Moreover, the UK has control of naturalisation in Bermuda.  The UK was purposefully cut out out of this transfer by both the Bermuda and US Governments.

In short, I believe Dr. Brown did not have the legal right to undertake the commitments he has taken on Bermuda’s – or the UK’s – behalf.  And from the perplexed reaction on the street, he certainly does not have the moral right nor popular support.

1. The Bermuda Government knows the constitutional arrangements.  It speaks VERY BADLY about Bermuda that our own Government will openly defy our constitution.  It says that our Government is run by personal agenda rather than rule of law.
2. From his quotes in the local media, it appears that US Consul General to Bermuda Greg Slayton knew of the Uighur transfer. Mr. Slayton is also well aware of Bermuda’s constitutional arrangements as well as Dr. Brown’s ongoing skirmishes with Government House.  Did he inform the US State Department of this background? If so, it would be clear that the US did actively snub the UK by not engaging them in the discussion.  Moreover, it could be argued that the US abetted the political destabilisation of a neighbouring country in its clamour to solve its Guantanamo problem.
3. Local media alleges that not even the local Cabinet was informed of the transfer.  It’s hard to talk about “collective responsibility” when important decisions like this are made in secrecy.
4. Neither Dr. Brown nor the Attorney General will confirm if the Bermuda Government took legal advice over the transfer.  It is damning if Government did not take the advice of the Attorney General on such a major issue.  It is even more damning if the Attorney General allowed such defiance of the Bermuda Constitution.

This week, Bermuda had a leg up with the good OECD news.  That has been totally destroyed – and then some  – by the folly of Dr. Brown’s Great Uighur Adventure.