A whiter UBP

September 22, 2009

Dear Sir,

For some time now I wanted to do a critique of the Progressive Labour Party but I've been procrastinating. Your recent Editorials on 'A Divided Opposition' and 'A Divided Government' have opened a door and if I may copy you Sir, getting to the Government, let me first take a look at the Opposition.

With all the uncertainties surrounding the United Bermuda Party today, I think it is here to stay. So long as there is a strong white community there will be a UBP. For about the last ten years or so, the UBP has lost its way and today it is just lost. It is like someone driving in an unfamiliar territory, makes a wrong turn then finding oneself in a place where one has no sense of direction — no sense of east from west, north from south — no clue as how to get back where you want to go.

It all started when the Party decided to take the low road of deception to use black candidates as squid or bait to get the black vote. For the last three elections, black candidates have been on the increase with each election. On the other hand Tom Vesey said something to the effect that black UBP MPs use the party to their own advantage.

Mr. Editor, please allow me to put a question to Bermuda and it is this: Is it not true that the time when the UBP used to win elections, was the time when the party had a majority of white candidates? If the answer is 'yes', then contrary to Mr. Shawn Crockwell's doctrine of pushing back and pushing out the whites and pushing forward the blacks, the opposite needs to take place, that is: to push back or push out the blacks and refill the party with white candidates. Is it not true that in recent times, it is the black candidates who have been leaving the party one after the other?

When Mr. Michael Fahy became Chairman of the party, I said to myself that the party was heading in the right direction. Now they need more whites like Mr. John Barritt and company to come forward and take their rightful place in the party.

Just yesterday, Friday June 26, my phone rang. It was one of those 'Poll' calls. I was asked a variety of questions on current affairs in the country. I was asked questions like who should lead the UBP, and on a scale of 1 — 5 how do I rate Kim Swan as Leader of the UBP. I was also asked my opinion on other MPs as well.

Here is one man's opinion: Mr. John Barritt should have succeeded the Honourable Pamela Gordon. I understood that there was a run-off between himself and Dr. Grant Gibbons and that Dr. Grant Gibbons won. When Dr. Grant Gibbons service as Leader wasn't needed anymore, I still felt that according to logic that Mr. Barritt should have been brought in then, but that was not the case and it is still not the case. My question is — What's the problem? They need to tackle that problem.

By the way Mr. Editor, I have a letter on another subject, written since July 1, 2008. It is about a year now and I am still wrestling with publishing the ideas in that letter. However, I am on the threshold now of sending it in, so look for it along with my thoughts on the PLP.

RENDOL JAMES

Sandys