Dear Sir,

Now that the super boxing match between the elected Government of Bermuda and the Opposition has concluded, the judges call it a win for the Opposition by unanimous decision. The normal rules of engagement were flouted when the Opposition’s corner strongmen entered the fray to ensure their side won. Losing this match was not an option and victory had to be accomplished “by any means necessary”.

What a sad commentary when democracy can be beaten to a pulp and violated in such a fashion with extreme prejudice. Pathways to Status had demonstrated popular support in every poll and survey conducted, but was dismissed as irrelevant because 1,500 people could take to the streets, assemble at the House of Assembly and block entry to our Legislature in defiance of the law. The winners are the Opposition by a “lockout”. After all, this is civil disobedience as a right, according to Opposition doctrine. This is the most disgusting display of the country being the victim of extortion by the continual threat of escalation by this musically driven band, completely indifferent to the views and rights of the majority.

There is so much to be said about laws being broken with impunity that it is frightening, blockage of a main thoroughfare and rerouting of traffic by police in a softly, gently approach to law enforcement. The protesters are now emboldened to doing what they deem necessary because they have street dominance, aided and abetted by our “finest”. Intimidation is now the trump card, played with the excellence of a card shark. Remember, their views are the minority, but who cares? The majority that’s who, but we don’t care what they think. Remember, this phrase “we don’t care what they think” was coined by David Burch, who was then unelected but who in his heyday was a powerful minister in the Progressive Labour Party government. That phrase has stuck in the minds of many.

Our most erstwhile Chief Justice says the work stoppages are “probably” illegal, this coming from that lofty office that has given landmark rulings that have necessitated legislation for their implementation. On the workers’ walkout, he seems to be weak in the knees to be as respectful as I’m able on this one. The unions must have been most pleased with the wording that gives carte blanche to any call-out of workers with impunity.

Ministers of the cloth taking extreme positions of one-sided support of a minority and fanning the flames of heated and often irrational bias. The whole idea of “Blessed are the Peacemakers” thrown to the wind when playing to a gallery of itching ears eager to be told they were right. They were and are wrong to force the majority in abeyance to their viewpoint. Democracy was beaten and all but eviscerated: these ministers of the cloth sacrificed fairness on the altar of popular thought of a wrong-headed crowd. This is truly disappointing for the thousands who support Pathways to Status as the right thing to do.

The real leaders and power brokers in this country are not the democratically elected One Bermuda Alliance Government at all; it is another group of the powerful three: the Reverend Nicholas Tweed, Bermuda Industrial Union president Chris Furbert and Bermuda Public Services Union president Jason Hayward.

They can call 1,500 citizens to hold Parliament in the streets any time they so desire and there is no chance whatsoever of any type of censure. They operate at the behest of the PLP as its most powerful satellite. Democracy in our lovely island is now a pawn to use by imitating bullies — and that is all there is to this “our way or no way” chess game of forced capitulation.

The most strident criticism is that the Government was not listening, but this is routinely said of every administration we have elected. For fairness, the complaint may not be without merit, but this endgame is wrong. This country is in a financial hole we are trying to dig out of with a serious declining birthrate and in need of new and younger people to ensure our survival. The chants of “no, no, no” is a race into backward oblivion and no recovery for those needing it most. This same crowd are not listening to that, no matter how loud we yell this undeniable truth.

WAYNE B. SCOTT