It’s a busy day for Bermuda’s media. Normally the PLP revile and ignore them. But now that the kettle of internal dissent is boiling, everyone is working the phones.
- As predicted, the Premier is brushing off the criticism as personal and not related to the controversies over his leadership.
- The loyalists and FoE’s are saying what a swell guy the Premier is. He’s misunderstood!
- The dissenters are saying, no, we’re not against the Party Leader. And then detailing why they feel that change is required.
The PLP chairman seems to hint that the Party may seek to discipline members that act outside their Constitution. Umm, forgive me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t Dr. Brown part of the similar palace coup that led to Jennifer Smith’s ouster, and eventually paved the way to his becoming Premier?
It is undeniable that there are problems in the conduct of Bermuda’s governance. The fact that these are coming to light, something new every month, are not the result of a cabal of opposition extremists or a media conspiracy. The PLP’s energy would be better directed towards cleaning up those problems, than in consuming its public goodwill trying to hide or “spin” them away or to suppress dissent.
The PLP has a considerable pool of support based on its historical role in the Bermuda community, and the power of identity politics here. But that goodwill is not a bottomless bucket. Sure, they have accomplishments to highlight. But, after 10 years in power, many people are expecting better.
(see comment below)
Jennifer Smith has just made the following announcement. What’s remarkable is that I got it.
While I do not condone or agree with airing internal Party issues in the media, in order to ensure that the young people of Bermuda are in no way given the impression that I, Dame Jennifer Smith, believe that “the end justifies the means” or that “any means necessary” are appropriate strategies to employ when aiming for a goal.
My position should be clear to anyone who knows me. If the method tried in 2002 and again in 2003 against me was wrong then – it is wrong now when employed against Premier Brown. I cannot say that something is wrong when it applies to me and then agree with it when it is turned on someone else.
I amended a motion to discuss the issue of leadership to ensure that it will be just that… a discussion, in keeping with the provision that members of the Party are free to put items on the agenda for discussion.
The Bermuda Progressive Labour Party has, and has always had, constitutional provisions allowing for dissent and for change. Parliamentarians are not superior to any other Party Member; and, in fact, are (or should be) answerable to their Branches and the members and constituents who put them in office.