They say hurricanes bring Bermudians together. This time last week, the Minister of Works and Engineering received help from persons who are about to be crushed by the OBA government. In her time of need, government workers were on top of her roof, banging away.

Let’s take a look at how all of this is claimed to have transpired.

Bang One

According to the Minister’s written statement: “On Saturday, following Hurricane Gonzalo, while the Minister was inspecting the Causeway and the Hospital with the Premier, the Permanent Secretary went to her home and after seeing the damage called the Bermuda Fire Service, as would be the case with any other citizen.

“The Fire Service was unable to assist so the Bermuda Regiment was called but could not attend until the next day so the Permanent Secretary asked a team from the Ministry, who had been working with the Regiment, to put some tarpaulin on the roof.”

Interestingly, the public did not and does not have the benefit of access to a W&E team.

On October 18, Lt Col Foster-Brown indicated that: “Soldiers are continuing with a more deliberate clearance of the roads and helping vulnerable groups whose housing has been damaged.”

The question remains why did MP Gordon-Pamplin have her PS take manpower from the vital role of road clearing and helping vulnerable persons in order to attend to her personal needs?

“I asked my PS to assist me with getting tarps on my house” — MP Gordon-Pamplin, Sherri J Show October 27, 2014

Bang two

From the Minister’s statement: “When the rain came a few days later the tarpaulin failed and part of the ceiling collapsed causing extensive damage to the residence and rendering the property a health and safety issue. The Permanent Secretary asked staff from the Ministry to secure the failed tarpaulin. The Minister did not wish for assistance from the Ministry.”

Well, according to the Minister, the PS “defied her boss” and sent government workers and government materials to fix the Minister’s house.

Seems like she is throwing her PS under the bus?

Bang three

The Minister told a different version on the Sherri J show October 27: “I was flooded again on Wednesday, so I spoke to the PS and said, ‘How can I go about getting additional tarps to secure what’s there?’ And she said, ‘I will look at it for you.’ Which she did. This was Thursday evening … so some of the guys …. came to the house to assess it …. They called and got two tarps brought to the house. By that time, it was pitch black. On Friday they came to reinforce ... reinforcing the tarp they put plywood up under the hole.”

Clearly, the Minister once again asked her PS to assist her in a personal matter.

Bang Four

According to the Minister, once she discovered what had transpired she has offered to pay out for the government workers to secure her personal property. Sound fairly straight forward right? Not really.

In 2010 in response to learning of Dr Ewart Brown paying for W&E repairs to a boundary wall: “It makes no difference that Dr Brown says he will pay for the repair work…..”

How is this now different?

Bang five

MP Gordon-Pamplin also had harsh words for the then Premier Cox: “The Premier has once again allowed bad practices to happen under her watch. It is inexcusable … We urge her now to step forward as the Government leader to explain how this unacceptable situation came about.”

One has to wonder if she feels the same about Premier Dunkley’s notable silence on this matter.

Strange Bedfellows

I actually like Minister Gordon-Pamplin.

However, all too often Minister PGP finds herself contradicting her own words and actions. Prime examples “Plate Gate” and the Lamb Foggo fiasco.

The Minister must know asking her PS to attend to her personal property is sketchy at best. Furthermore, she sits silent when most OBA supporters call all government workers lazy and advocate for W&E to be disbanded and privatised.

The constant attacks by the OBA on Bermudians are part and parcel of the public outcry on this issue.

Luckily for the Minister, the workers put aside the fact that the Minister and her friends in the OBA plan to kick them to the curb.

Hurricanes do unite some Bermudians after all.