For years, broken promises and self-serving politics have eroded trust in leadership. While it is easy to blame government leaders, the question we must ask ourselves is, “Why have we allowed this to continue?” What will it take for us to say, “Enough is enough”?

Our culture, traditions and unity have been tarnished by greed and division. Leaders who claim to represent us have abused our trust, leaving Bermudians struggling to make ends meet while parading shallow successes. This isn’t leadership; it’s manipulation.

Leadership is a choice, and with it comes the responsibility to act in the people’s best interest. Instead, we see carefully choreographed distractions, such as strategic election timing and infrastructure projects, which are designed to secure power, not solve Bermuda’s pressing issues.

Recently, Progressive Minds, the Progressive Labour Party’s youth wing, made a comment stating that the majority of its members are over 18 and on island, with only 5 per cent overseas. This reveals a calculated focus on mobilising a specific voting bloc rather than addressing Bermuda’s broader challenges.

One disturbing comment I’ve heard repeatedly, and which disturbs me deeply, is that the PLP has a “stronghold” on Bermuda. As a Christian woman, and with an understanding of what a stronghold truly is, I find this language alarming.

Scripture reminds us: “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

This rhetoric of dominance is not what leadership looks like. Bermuda belongs to all of us, not a select few who have traded integrity for political survival. The time has come for us to reflect, not just on our leaders’ failures, but on how we have allowed this betrayal to persist. Continuing to vote the same way while expecting different results is futile.

This is why I proudly stand with the Free Democratic Movement. The FDM represents accountability, inclusion and genuine leadership. It refuses to play political games and is committed to building a unified future where love and respect triumph over deceit.

Now is the time for Bermudians to rise. Break the chains of manipulation, demand better and fight for a government that serves all Bermudians, not just a privileged few. Together, we can restore unity, pride and prosperity to our island. Bermuda is worth fighting for.

• Shalleya Codrington is the chairwoman of the business group arm of the Free Democratic Movement