Burt makes post-election pledge to fringe groups
The Premier and leader of the Progressive Labour Party has pledged that if his team is triumphant at the polls tomorrow he will reach out to Free Democratic Movement and independent candidates to determine how they may work together.
However, David Burt’s promise of talks in the spirit of collaboration for the benefit of Bermuda did not include the One Bermuda Alliance.
Addressing a packed school assembly hall at the PLP’s Eastern Region Family Reunion, he said: “On Wednesday, there will not be an FDM government or a government of independents.
“The next government will be led by the One Bermuda Alliance or the PLP. And it will be for you, the voters, to decide which party will build the fairer Bermuda you deserve.
“If the PLP wins, I pledge to reach out to FDM candidates and independent candidates to meet with them to discuss their ideas and how we can work together for Bermuda and Bermudians.
“Because, family, this is not just about the PLP, it is about coming together to build a fairer, more stable and more affordable Bermuda for all of us.”
Mr Burt added: “But, family, know this — the government for the next five years will be either an OBA or a PLP government and a vote for the FDM or an independent candidate or staying at home could well result in an OBA government, and that is something you will have to live with for five long years."
Dawn Simmons, the PLP chairwoman, said yesterday: “There are some candidates of goodwill who are running, and there are some good ideas that have been shared, some of which even appear in our platform.
“Following the election, there will be a need to heal the divisions on our island and therefore, we fully support the pledge made by our party leader of unity and inclusion to see if ideas that other candidates have shared can be incorporated.”
Comments made by Mr Burt about national unity were branded “disingenuous and misleading” by the Emperial Group last night.
The organisation, which has fielded one candidate — Eugene Dean in Sandys South (Constituency 33) — said: “While he speaks about bringing people together, his actions tell a different story.
“True unity cannot be achieved when he continues to ignore and exclude the One Bermuda Alliance from any meaningful engagement.
“A leader committed to unity does not pick and choose who is worthy of dialogue, especially not in a democracy where diverse voices should be acknowledged and respected.
“Instead of fostering genuine inclusivity, Premier Burt persists in using race as a political tool to divide the electorate.
“This tactic only serves to deepen societal fractures, undermining the very unity he claims to champion.
“At a time when Bermuda needs collective leadership and solutions, his rhetoric remains stuck in an outdated playbook of division.”
The Emperial Group claimed it was evident that the Premier was trying to "discredit and diminish the role“ of FDM and independent candidates.
It said: “These candidates represent a growing portion of the electorate who are increasingly dissatisfied with the two-party system.
“Their presence on the political landscape is a reflection of the people’s demand for greater accountability, transparency and fresh perspectives.
“Rather than embracing this shift, the Premier seeks to undermine their legitimacy, fearing the threat they pose to the PLP’s traditional stronghold.
“Bermudians deserve better. They deserve a government that unites, not divides; a leadership that engages all voices, not just those who serve its political interests.
“The Emperial Group calls on Premier Burt to back his words with action — by engaging all political entities in good faith, by abandoning divisive tactics and by respecting the evolving will of the electorate.
“Anything less is a betrayal of the unity he so readily claims to support.”
The PLP held its third and final jamboree of the General Election campaign on Saturday night, when candidates urged eastern parish supporters to go to the polls and vote.
It was standing room only in the assembly hall at Francis Patton Primary School, where party faithful packed in to cheer on eight candidates.
In the 2020 General Election, the PLP won six of the seats in constituencies 1 to 8, with its candidates enjoying large majorities.
Yet the party was taking nothing for granted on Saturday.
Renée Ming, the candidate for St George’s North (Constituency 1) said: “This election, perhaps since 1998, is perhaps the most important election of our time.
“We’re at a pivotal time in our political history and I hope that that resonates with everyone.
“This election is so historic it makes me shudder about it. This election is a choice and you need to choose wisely.
“Vote. It’s just that simple. Vote and we win. Trust me, we matter.”
That speech set the tone for the more than three-hour long rally that followed.
St George’s candidates Kim Swan and Tinée Furbert as well as St David’s (Constituency 3) contender Lovitta Foggo delivered passionate speeches that trumpeted the party’s achievements and dismissed their opponents.
Mr Swan, representing St George’s West (Constituency 2), claimed that independent candidates had never represented the working class.
Ms Foggo said: “Our people, and especially our young people, are saying that they’re not going to exercise that privilege [to vote].
“We cannot throw that away. But don’t just vote, make sure you vote PLP. And here’s why.
“Your vote will mean the difference between a government which represents you or a government which, in its very short history, engaged in measures that did anything but put the interests of Bermudians first.”
Wayne Furbert, for Hamilton West (Constituency 6), and Anthony Richardson, running in Hamilton South (Constituency 7), repeated the message.
Mr Richardson said: “We better understand that voting is not only a right but it’s a responsibility.
“Tonight, I stand before you not just as a candidate but as someone who knows that we win together.
“I am a winner. People here are winners. And together we can build the future we deserve and want.”
Leroy Bean, representing the PLP in Hamilton East (Constituency 5), claimed that an army of opposition and independent candidates had been drafted “to sidetrack us from our assignment, which is to shift the trajectory of Bermuda’s future”.
Lauren Hayward Bell, who is contesting Smith’s South (Constituency 8), said it was an honour to represent the party.
“The fight continues. For me, this is personal,” she said.
The evening was brought to a close by Mr Burt, who claimed he had never been more proud of his 35 colleagues running in the election.
The party leader listed a catalogue of achievements under his administrations over the past seven years.
“This election is about more than what we’ve done. It is about what comes next, because we know that you need more,” he added.
“We knock on doors, we hear the stories, we have those conversations and this government hears you.”
Mr Burt took aim at the OBA and “the combined opposition”.
He said: “They cannot attack our plans, they cannot attack our record with facts, so they try, as they always do … they and their friends in the media will try to attack us personally and try to make you question the leadership of the Progressive Labour Party. And they do it because they know that a house divided against itself cannot stand.”
Mr Burt asked supporters to ignore personal attacks on the leadership “and sensationalist headlines that you have seen — or will likely see on Monday”.
He said: “We know their playbook — to distract you — but this party is greater than anything they try to use against us because they are afraid to lose because they are afraid that we will succeed in making Bermuda a fairer place for everyone.”
• UPDATE: this article has been updated with a statement from the Emperial Group
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