Vexed Bermoothes

Blustery Opinions From Bermuda

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Entries Tagged as 'Accountability'

PATI

March 11th, 2010 · No Comments · Accountability, Transparency

Dr. Brown has again promised that PATI (freedom of information) legislation will be tabled before the House of Assembly this year.
Let’s hope it incorporates the substantial feedback that was provided by both Bermudians and international experts in public access laws.
Meanwhile, the Cayman Islands Information Commissioner has launched a new website on their PATI law at [...]

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Anti-Corruption Update

March 5th, 2010 · 3 Comments · Accountability

The Premier was on the news the other day downplaying accusations of corruption and stating something to the effect that “there is no-one who will ever be able to unearth any corruption that is linked directly to me, and if they do, they put it there.”
What a careful choice of words.  The newscaster dryly compared [...]

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Broken Systems

February 24th, 2010 · No Comments · Accountability, Bermuda Politics

There has been some debate recently on Government’s affection for the negative resolution.  That is, they embed in a law the ability for a Minister to amend the law directly.  The idea is that rather than schedule a full blown debate on amendments by routine, the Minister can table the proposed change in Parliament.  If [...]

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Spending Like a Drunken Sailor

January 27th, 2010 · 2 Comments · Accountability, Bermuda Politics, Economy

The Bermuda Government under the PLP provides a constant circus of conflict, allegations, and political machinations.
That’s bad for Bermuda.
It’s good for the PLP though, because it keeps people focussed on the scandal-du-jour instead of seeing the big picture.
And that big picture is not pretty.
Larry Burchall points out that Bermuda’s Net Public Debt was $198,159,000 [...]

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Reform the House

January 26th, 2010 · No Comments · Accountability, Transparency

Last week, MP John Barritt wrote in the Royal Gazette about some changes proposed to the “standing Orders” of the House of Assembly that have been proposed by he and Deputy Speaker Dame Jennifer Smith.
The MPs have had the draft since the House broke for summer recess last year, and one hopes the House [...]

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Leadership and Budgets

January 22nd, 2010 · No Comments · Accountability, Bermuda Politics

I am sadly amused by the public opinion polls in the Royal Gazette last week: the Premier’s rating is in the basement, while the Minister of Finance receives a solid positive rating from the public.
Sure, Paula Cox is dignified and well-liked … but let’s not confuse that with job performance.  I suspect that her [...]

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Goes Both Ways

January 6th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Accountability, Bermuda Politics

Well that didn’t take long.  Just days into 2010 and we already have a road fatality and an execution style murder.
Not much word from Dr. Brown on Bermuda’s sudden violence, furthering his reputation of only stepping in front of the cameras when there’s good news to spin.
However, Col Burch is finally saying the right things, [...]

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Squelching Accountability

December 14th, 2009 · No Comments · Accountability, Bermuda Politics, Transparency

The PLP pays a lot of lip service to transparency and accountability but, based on their actions, one has to question their actual commitment.
The PLP leadership refuses to allow the Public Accounts Committtee (PAC) of the House of Assembly to meet in public – an abberation among modern democracies.
And, it appears that the PLP members [...]

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PATI Retroactivity

December 4th, 2009 · 1 Comment · Accountability, Transparency

The Premier has taken an about-face on the issue of PATI retroactivity, commenting:

“I wish to advise this honourable House that when I invite Cabinet’s further consideration of the bill it will contain a recommendation that it consider the issue of retroactivity.  Personally, I wish it to be clearly understood that I am in favour of [...]

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Post Office

December 2nd, 2009 · 2 Comments · Accountability

The Bermuda Post Office has been going through an exercise to get householders to properly install mailboxes and use correct addresses.  This, in itself, is entirely logical and needed to be done.
However, the project has ended up being controversial as the Post Office has “returned to sender” large volumes of mail with minor inaccuracies in [...]

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