The problem, Mr Editor, is that you really only get the one chance to make a good first impression. A second chance is, well, just that, a second chance, and if you are fortunate to get one in life, you try to make the best of it that you can. Make lemonade out of those lemons, urge some.

In so many ways, that is pretty much the position in which the One Bermuda Alliance government finds itself today on the vexatious issue of immigration reform generally and, more specifically, the proposed Pathways to Status.

There is no need to go over what went down last week on and off the Hill, and how an impasse was broken — that is putting it mildly — by way of a brokered agreement that led to the withdrawal of that contentious Bill. Frankly, the Government ended up in the position whence it should have started.

We did not need the resignation of a Cabinet minister to tell us that a serious miscalculation had been made. But only the one? Excuse me, but the path on which the Government embarked was almost certainly a collective decision of the entire Cabinet, backed at some stage by its parliamentary caucus.

In other jurisdictions, those who led the charge are not only called upon to step back but down. It’s the way governments signal change, whether in approach or substance or both.

Bermuda, however, remains another world with its limited numbers and limited choices. The dynamics of internal party politics also come into play of who’s in and who’s out, and who will be out if who knows who is not in. A shuffle maybe?

Surely, no one can argue with a straight face that the turmoil through which the island was put was simply a result of any misunderstanding or miscommunication. It was rather the approach that the Government decided to adopt from the outset. It was bound to go wrong; destined for likely failure right from the start.

Immigration and matters touching on immigration are regarded as the third rail of local politics for good reason.

First, there is our history, period, full stop; and you do not have to dig deep or far to appreciate its significance. Second, there is our continuing racial and political divide, which issues such as status and the vote are likely to exacerbate if not handled sensibly and with some sensitivity. Rocket science, this isn’t.

It never was a question of whether there would be any pushback, but rather a question of when and how and in what form. Whatever the plan was, it didn’t work and at least the OBA had the good sense finally to recognise that.

In politics “do-overs” rarely occur, much less work. People don’t forget. Suspicion persists. It is not possible to pretend what was said, and what was done, never happened. Even harder to just put it behind us.

Nevertheless, “the agreement” presents a window of opportunity. How the promised consultation is structured will speak volumes of any new approach the OBA government proposes to take — and the expectation is that there will be one.

There is now the opportunity to roll out a coherent vision on two important levels:

• A clear demonstration of how consultation should work before any decision being made, with seats at the table being extended to as many key stakeholders as possible, along with the freedom to establish their own procedure, which must include the opportunity as well for submissions from the general public. The wider the cross-section of representatives, the better. The sunshine of public scrutiny will also be critical. The public can participate or watch. The critical difference this time around is that they will have that opportunity. This sort of approach also helps to meet the electoral promise to deliver better governance.

• The Government gets to present its case and plan to the committee and to the public. People may be more receptive now to the full-court press on which their members embarked after they told us a decision had been made. Make it replete with all the necessary stats and facts and court cases. Don’t hold back. Don’t duck potential numbers, either, and the issue of votes and what it could mean to the electorate. That has to be addressed, head on.

Will everyone be happy, and with the outcome? Doubt it. But if done correctly we will get to see where our government wants to take us and to have our say before any final decisions are made. That’s a big change — and a positive one, too.

Back to the late Yogi Berra this week for parting words of down-to-earth, sage advice.

“You can observe a lot by watching,” he once said. The same could be said for listening, Mr Editor.