At first glance of reading a recent column “Bermuda’s Untrustworthy Boyfriend” by OBA spokesperson Toni Daniels, I thought to myself that perhaps this was going to speak to Bermudian women about our common challenges and creative ways we can work to move forward together.

However after reading more into the article, I realised that it was nothing more than a “poorly-crafted” column, to give a semblance of a female’s touch on the current state of affairs. Sadly, it trickled out to be yet another round of the OBA’s “blame it all on the PLP” strategy.

Well it would be remiss on my part as a Bermudian mother, wife and woman of faith not to give a fair and accurate representation of the Bermuda in which I have lived all my life and in which my children were born and raised.

Ms Daniels attempts to paint the PLP as a party that is, as she says, suffers from “a personality disorder.” I shared this with some of the many Bermudian women who sit on the many branches and committees of the PLP.

Women who for generations, have given their heart and soul into raising not only their own families, but their extended families, and by extension every community throughout Bermuda. To say that we were totally insulted would be a massive understatement.

Ms Daniels and the OBA, speak on one hand about collaboration, yet on the other hand refuse to even communicate with the mothers of the East End, to tell us that our children will no longer have medical services in the eastern parishes. Ms. Daniels and the OBA speak of One Bermuda, yet by the tone of many OBA bloggers, they see our Bermudian civil servants as a waste of money, and Bermudian seniors as an unnecessary burden. Meanwhile persons of means are given hefty tax breaks.

There is something unique about carrying a child and giving childbirth that men will never quite understand. As mothers we endure;

n Morning sickness

n Stretch marks

n Weight gain

n Pains of labour

We endure these things because this is OUR child that we are bringing into the world. Our child who we will;

n Breast feed, clothe and shelter

n Spend hours upon hours grooming and disciplining

n Borrow money for, to ensure that they gain a proper education

n Strive to give the opportunity to take a place of honour and where they can make a positive contribution to our home and our people.

We understand all these things as mothers. So as mothers of the future of Bermuda, we do not suffer from “personality disorder.” We are borne from and groomed by Bermudian women of stature such as: Aurelia Burch; Dr. Barbara Ball; Dorothy Thompson; Nelethea Butterfield; Dame Lois Browne Evans; Dame Jennifer Smith; Paula A Cox.

We are your neighbours, your coworkers, your sisters and your friends. For generations we have come together as Bermudians and participated fully in the political process as party members, chairpersons, MPs and Senators and Premiers.

So today, I proudly speak on behalf of all generations of Bermudian women, participating in the political process, to ensure that our Bermudian Children are first and foremost in our country, Bermuda.

While our people are seeking jobs and the means to provide for our families, let us focus less energy on “untrustworthy boyfriends” and more on working together where we can to get Bermudians back to work and feed our children.

We may not always agree and we will never go along with anything that seeks to reduce our people to second class citizenship, but we will continue to push for a Bermuda where our children will be treated fairly, our people are able to earn a living, regardless of which family we belong to, which neighbourhood we grew up in and which political party we choose to support.

Isn’t that a vision we ALL should be fighting FOR rather than fighting over “untrustworthy boyfriends?