Tim Smith asked five political observers how they think Ewart Brown will be remembered in years to come.

A hero, a villain, a latter day Sir John Swan, the Uighur man, an antagonist or more or less forgotten in a couple of decades' time — true to form, nobody seems to agree on how people will look back on the tenure of Premier Ewart Brown.

According to Progressive Labour Party-supporting political observer Jonathan Starling, the Premier has been a "brilliant political strategist" who has personified the party's changing ideology — for good or bad.

PLP elder statesman Reginald Burrows predicts when public irritation over Dr. Brown's leadership style subsides he'll be remembered as one of Bermuda's finer Premiers for steering the Island through a turbulent period.

Brown supporter LaVerne Furbert says she and others will always remember him as a hero, even though some will forever remain convinced he's a villain.

But critic Stuart Hayward argues Dr. Brown's legacy will be the crushing debt he's brought onto Bermuda, and he'll go down in history as the man who fought wars with numerous factions of society.

Political commentator Tom Vesey, on the other hand says, in 20 years' time Dr. Brown will only vaguely be recalled because his administration hasn't produced the kind of permanent reform to render it historic.

Mr. Starling said the Premier has instigated enough political change to ensure in the future he'll be remembered the same way as Sir John Swan is today.

"That doesn't mean that those changes are good or bad," said Mr. Starling. "That, in itself, is open to interpretation, and some people will see them as mostly good, others bad, and still others as a mixed bag.

"My own thinking is that Dr. Brown has been the ultimate personification of the substantial changes to the PLP's ideology over the last few decades."

Mr. Starling said the PLP has shifted from a strong, social democratic 'old Labour' and radical black power ideology into a virtual advocate of neoliberalism.

He said the aim of tackling the white oligarchy has been replaced by a programme of developing a newly empowered black bourgeoisie.

"The black empowerment and greater attention to social issues that we expected has been mostly a narrow one rather than a broad-based one," he said.

Mr. Starling said the Premier — who saw the Opposition United Bermuda Party self-implode following a non-stop barrage of verbal attacks — has expertly exploited the Westminster system for his own political advantage.

As a result, he said, people have recognised the shortcomings of the existing political system and are more ready to accept reform than ever before.

"Will he be remembered as good or bad? For change he has instigated or change he has caused in reaction? Too early to tell," said Mr. Starling.

"I would say he will be remembered more for the change he may have caused to be put in place, as well as changes he has set in motion within the Country on a social level.

"On a political level, I think a lot of the social and political capital that Dr. Brown had when he became leader in 2006 has been wasted. People are tired of politricks. It wasn't supposed to be like this, and that has hurt a lot of people, and bling can only do so much to cover that up."

Mr. Burrows, a former PLP MP and senator, said: "When history is written, I would think that Dr. Brown's hailed as one of our finer Premiers. He's very articulate, not afraid to get a job done and not afraid of challenges.

"I think he's done a good job considering the trying period he was the Premier, with the economic downturn, tourism down, a lot of infrastructure, housing had to be built.

"He's received a lot of criticism, some of it justified, some not; a lot of people didn't like his style as Premier.

"The average Bermudian is very laid-back when it comes to leaders. He had a leadership style a lot different to that, and a lot of people couldn't accept that. He's taken a whole lot of flak from everyone and it's probably time for him to kick back.

"But when you look at what he's accomplished in the last few years, we've probably had more housing in his tenure than any other Premier in Bermuda: Southside, Loughlands, Perimeter Lane.

"For seniors, he's given them free public transportation and allowed us to license our cars free of charge. He has had a very good social conscience. He's probably given away too much. Someone has to pay for it."

Mr. Burrows said Dr. Brown would most likely be remembered for the Uighurs incident, saying: "What happened came as a surprise to everyone. People felt is should have been discussed but, if it had, it probably wouldn't have happened. I would think that anger will subside."

Ms Furbert said: "Some of us will remember Dr. Brown as a hero, while others will still be convinced that he was a villain.

"In order to be remembered, one must be a change agent and Dr. Brown is certainly that. Just like Dr. [E.F.] Gordon, Dr. Brown dared challenge the status quo. Ironically, the same problems that Dr. Gordon encountered 60 years ago, Dr. Brown has encountered in 21st century Bermuda: disrespect from the media."

She said today's Bermuda is better than that of 2006 because of initiatives to help seniors and young families, the Mirrors programme and the opening of the race debate.

Mr. Hayward, a frequent critic of Dr. Brown through his Bermuda Sun columns, pointed to soaring debt, job losses and rising crime, which he said had been exacerbated by the Premier's failure as Tourism Minister, high public spending and hostile relations with international business.

He added: "In nearly all his dealings, Dr. Brown has acted as though he was at war: at war with the white community, at war with blacks if they criticised him or his actions, at war with the international business community, at war with the media, at war with the UK Government, at war with expats, at war with the Civil Service, at war with the Police, at war with environmentalists, social activists, even his own party, backbenchers, Senate and Cabinet appointees.

"His eagerness to overlay an 'us or them' separator in his dealings ought to earn him a title as 'the Great Divider'. His use of intimidation, threats and deceit to get his way should label him 'the Great Manipulator'.

"If there is an upside, his personal and administrative enmity toward some issues, individuals and groups has triggered the rise of new environmental, social and political advocacy bodies.

"Perhaps the most pitiable of his traits is that of social butterfly, of wanting to be seen with and by celebrities. Dr. Brown routinely spent public funds to mix with political and entertainment celebs — either to travel to where they were or bring them here — and seemed to need frequent evidence and reassurance, via photo-ops, of his own status."

Mr. Vesey said: "How will he be remembered in 20 years? Only vaguely. It's nothing personal. It's just that most people forget about you when you're gone. They move forward and you move into the past.

"I don't think we have seen the sweeping, permanent national changes that would mark Dr. Brown's administration as historic. He didn't reform Government or change society. Issues like the Uighurs will seem silly and irrelevant and eminently forgettable after a while.

"If we're lucky, some of the big hotel projects will come to fruition and will work out well for the people of Bermuda. That's still a big 'if'. But even then, who remembers who was the leader when, say, the Southampton Princess was conceived and built? Dr. Brown tried really hard to introduce 'pop and sizzle' to tourism. If we're lucky that will continue and maybe Dr. Brown will be given credit for it.

"If we're unlucky, Dr. Brown's lasting legacy will be more crowded roads, more extravagant and isolated Government, more political partisanship and animosity, and continued unrestricted and unplanned development.

"But people move on. The next generation of political leaders will, I hope, build on the good stuff and politely push the bad stuff aside."