“Given that Curtis Dickinson, the PLP MP with the most experience and expertise, resigned his position because of the bad [Southampton Princess] deal, why do the other PLP MPs think they know better?”
“ We have empty promises from the same David Burt, the Premier, who gave almost $1 million to a con-artist and a $3.6 million in a no-bid contract to his fintech advisor.”
“ Did you know that Bermudians will have three times as much stake in [the Fairmont Princess] as the developer?”
OBA Senator Douglas DeCouto, voiced these concerns and many more in an opinion piece which was sent out to local media.
Former OBA MP and former Deputy Opposition Leader Leah Scott told TNN that the party that she helped to lead asks questions far more often than provides real and concrete solutions to
the island’s problems. In her opinion, voters are looking more for solutions rather than constant questions at this time.
“ I think that the OBA’s approach is too intellectual and that has always been their downfall, instead of connecting and integrating with the community,” Ms. Scott said. “ That’s where they will continue to fail. Whether it’s showmanship or not, the PLP gets involved with the community
and connects with voters . . . People do not want empathy, they want you to understand the pain that they are going through and to understand. Once their pain is fully understood, then something can be done about it.”
Ms. Scott believes that none of the pains and struggles felt by members of the “every day man” in the community are being felt by any of the six Opposition MPs.
“ I understand the embarrassment and shame of not having money to pay your bills, having your lights turned off [as a result] and not being able to buy groceries,” she said. “ There are not
many in the OBA who can say that. Because that is the case, they are distanced and far removed from the community.”
She views the level of violent crime and death in Bermuda as a crisis and believes that it has been a crisis for quite some time. Her own son Tyler Abbott, was locked up in the U.S. since 2012. for a string of violent offenses.
“ I do not know what the answer to this crisis is, but it is something that we need to address,” she said. “ This may be completely far-fetched, but one of the things that I would like to see is
the Government or the Opposition partnering with re/insurance companies. These men who are running these gangs are running businesses, illicit as they might be. Why can we not have a place where they learn to apply those skills in a way that would allow them to have integrity, dignity and a source of income that they can be proud of?”
Ms. Scott does not see any clear direction from anyone in the OBA on a viable way forward and said that the OBA “cannibalizes its members,” who they believe do not line up with the Party’s values. Members of the OBA are unable to separate the value a person brings from any personality differences that may exist. In order to be viable, they must learn to truly be inclusive.
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