June 23, 2003

WE are now more than two weeks into the run-up to a general election, and the Progressive Labour Party have not yet managed to gather a full slate of candidates or release a manifesto for the "New Bermuda - Phase 2".

Normally, the guiding principle behind the governing party's timing of an election is predicated on the likeliest time for a re-election victory, and scrupulously detailed plans would have been made prior to any announcement.

As this principle obviously cannot be applied to the PLP's current inability to produce suitable or even enough candidates, let alone any form of election campaign, it would seem that the choice as to when to call the election was made for entirely different reasons.

Speculation abounds as to what could possibly be so thoroughly damaging among the contents of the Auditor General's report for the financial year 2001/2002 to prompt the PLP Government into calling a snap election rather than allow a public reading.

So far, considering the disorganisation of this party's election machinery, quashing knowledge contained in this document seems to be the motive behind seeking re-election. If this is not so, then the PLP Government should ensure the report is printed and publicised.

There is a particular entitlement to know how the Government relinquishing power has spent public funds when this knowledge will affect the course of voting.

STRAIGHT TALKING

Southampton

@TIMES-18:Slurs on revolution veterans

June 21, 2003

VICIOUS slurs on the backgrounds of some veterans of the Black Power revolution who are now Progressive Labour Party members have been published in your newspaper for the past few weeks under the heading of "Bermuda's Secret Files".

I say, PLP faithful, do not be disheartened. We are heading towards another five years in power which will once and for all stamp on the yoke of the colonial past in Bermuda and bring a new prosperity to the island's TRUE people.

We will no longer tolerate being a lackey to the invading forces of the new colonialists: reinsurance people, etc. The PLP will nationalise those foreign companies in short order so that all of us can benefit from their greedy wealth.

And I say, let's take our inspiration from Cuba and expel the exploiting Bacardi family out of Bermuda and make the Bacardi Building into a new and glorious headquarters for the PLP party so that the parties (sic) presence is well and truly seen in the new financial district of Hamilton.

Take heed all you who try to take the food from our hungry mouths, and our jobs from us.

Our time has come.

PEOPLE POWER

Pembroke

@TIMES-18:Paws of meddling Govt.

June 24, 2003

IN publicising the need to take the control of the Bermuda tourism industry out of the hands of Government and give it to the private sector, Tony Brannon should have made his view more sweeping (Mid-Ocean News, June 20).

There is not a single enterprise in which the muddy muddled paws of our meddling Government have had a hand that could even remotely be called a success.

If they were transmogrified overnight into a private company, in which we were the "shareholders", not only would we take steps to dissolve the company but any competent court of law would ensure that those who had run it into the ground would never again be put in this position of responsibility.

To take just one notorious example, the 65,000 men women and children who constitute the "shareholders" of the Bermuda Company have seen millions of dollars of their money siphoned by the company's representatives from a project intended to put roofs over their own heads.

The Bermuda Housing Corporation scandal is recorded in red ink on the report sheet of a company already well known for its reluctance in issuing any information - let alone anything resembling transparent truth.

It is far from evident that the 65,000 of us find this situation appalling; rather, we seem to be quite content to allow the company to proceed with any type of graft or extortion at our expense.

Instead of acquiescing with a silence that could be construed as acceptance of the status quo, at the very least we should be clamouring our demands for knowledge from the Auditor General's most recent report as to how much further this disreputable company has compromised our financial future by its actions over the past year.

BOOKKEEPER

City of Hamilton

@TIMES-18:Fresh for PLP speeches

June 24, 2003

WHERE'S the UBP on Fresh TV? Whenever I turn on Fresh News, and I use "news" lightly, all I can see and barely hear are long uninterrupted speeches by some Progressive Labour Party Member of Parliament. No questions, no rebuttal, no alternative opinion.

You certainly can't call that journalism. I'd call it a taxpayer delivered pre-election publicity platform. It seems the only media the PLP talk to are the ones that won't ask the tough questions and solicit another view. How very Cuban!

Could it be that when the PLP dumped RF Communications after the '98 election they had to setup their own TV station to get their message out? Fresh TV beware, you could be next.

Surely if the PLP attack dogs threatened the Rotary Club about their guest list (ignoring the minor inconvenience of those PLP invitees) this must qualify for like treatment? Mr. Burch, Ms. Webb, I don't hear you whining for the UBP to be included in Fresh TV.

QUID PRO QUO

Warwick