The opening night of the Progressive Labour Party’s (PLP) Delegates Conference set a tone of deep reflection and renewed purpose as keynote speaker Aaron Critchlow delivered a powerful address on the transformative role of love in leadership and nation-building.
Speaking before party delegates and supporters, Critchlow urged the PLP — and the wider Bermudian community — to embrace love not as an abstract ideal, but as a guiding principle in shaping the island’s future.
“If we are to lead for the next generation,” he declared, “we must build a society not founded on economic wealth or capital, but on love. Every decision — political, cultural, legal — must be grounded in our duty, our love, our empathy for one another.”
Critchlow’s message resonated against the backdrop of economic and social realities that, as he described, reveal a stark contradiction at the heart of Bermuda’s success.
Despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the world per capita — boasting a GDP per person of approximately $140,000 — Bermuda continues to grapple with widespread inequality. Critchlow pointed out that up to 30% of Bermudians live in poverty, 12% remain uninsured, and 23% are underinsured, even as the island serves as a global hub for reinsurance.
“Our roofs and colourful homes give us national pride,” he said, “yet 1,101 of our brothers and sisters suffer the plight of homelessness. Groceries go up, utilities go up, medical bills go up — and wages stay still.”
He warned that the weight of these inequities falls most heavily on Bermuda’s young people, who are growing up in a climate of deep uncertainty and disillusionment.
Critchlow painted a vivid picture of the struggles facing the island’s youth — children arriving at school hungry, families displaced by eviction, and young adults working multiple jobs just to survive.
“What sense of dignity or aspiration can a young person hold on to when life itself feels so unprotected?” he asked. “This is the deep sense of hopelessness that pervades Bermuda today.”
He tied this hopelessness to broader systemic failures — the kind that have eroded trust, discouraged participation, and normalized inequality.
“What becomes normal is what we begin to accept,” Critchlow warned. “And that acceptance is the slow dehumanization of our people.”
Calling for courage and compassion, he urged the PLP to confront the past, heal social wounds, and dismantle systems that perpetuate division and disadvantage.
“We must have the courage to say no more — no more hunger in our schools, no more homelessness, no more poverty, no more hopelessness,” he said.
Throughout his address, Critchlow emphasized that love — not power, status, or wealth — must be the foundation of leadership.
“To be a leader is to have a deep sense of love for people,” he told the audience. “Leadership is not found in positions of power; it’s found in giving power to the people. True leadership is not about how loud you can shout — it’s about how deeply you can serve.”
He concluded with a stirring appeal for action and accountability, reminding delegates that every law, every policy, and every budget passed today will shape the lives of Bermuda’s children tomorrow.
“If leadership is not motivated by love — love for people, love for justice, love for truth — then it’s not leadership at all,” Critchlow said. “It’s merely the management of inequality and oppression.”
As the conference continues, Critchlow’s words have left delegates and citizens alike reflecting on the kind of Bermuda they want to build — one where love is not only preached, but practiced in the service of the people.
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