The 2024 Throne Speech focuses on a continuous thriving towards economic empowerment for the average Bermudian.
For years, Bermuda has suffered disparities that have stemmed from centuries of unaddressed trauma and malfeasance that has eroded our social and economic structure. In some cases, leaving an indelible mark to impact and cause scars from trauma on the psyche of many, especially black families. What makes this more erroneous is that there is a certain sector of society that refuses to address such issues, or should I say, who conveniently ignore them as though they do not exist.
Just recently, the OBA had a press conference after the 2024 Throne Speech with one of their main points of interest being, and I quote, “The Government said it will do more to address youth violence, but isn’t that what the Gang Violence Prevention Unit was supposed to do? Hundreds of thousands of dollars and a number of deaths later, yet here we are today.
Lawlessness on this island still continues.”
Mr. Richardson, is this not a collective issue? What makes this more convoluted is that I never heard you mention the police who are responsible for curtailing lawlessness and not the Gang Violence Prevention Unit, or is it because you, being an ex-police officer, have created such an alliance to them that you’re blinded from seeing whose responsibility this really is?
Mr. Richardson, if you are truly concerned about this issue of ‘gang violence’, when was the last time you sat down with the “Gang Violence Prevention Unit” as you call it to understand what they really do, or would it be fair to say you never have because it is not a major priority for you unless you’re trying to get political brownie points? Then, on top of that, you began to politicize the youth by saying, “One would think that the Throne Speech would have addressed the youth overall, but sadly not one word.
It is obvious that the government does not value their vote, but our youth are our future. Where was the mention of creating a better tomorrow for them through education and employment opportunities? Is the plan to entice them to remain in Bermuda instead of leaving the island for greener pastures to create a brain drain?”
Mr. Richardson and the OBA party, one thing that you must be cognizant of is that gang violence can not be politicized and that the moment you do, you disqualify yourselves to lead. What I find bewildering is how you speak about peripheral issues and disregard the systemic issues that are responsible for them in the first place.
The predicament we as a country find ourselves in today didn’t start overnight but from centuries of abuse and neglect. We must be reminded that we can not build on a foundation that has never been fixed. This is part and parcel of some of the issues we are facing today.
Mr. Richardson and your OBA party, my question to you is how do you plan to establish new incentives without addressing old ingrained deficiencies that you and your predecessors created and expect the people of Bermuda to trust you to lead? Mr. Richardson, it is quite obvious that based on some of the things you and your party have said, you really do not have a clue about what is going on in Bermuda; or would it be fair to say that you are just another puppet on a string that has been placed in front to advance the agenda of the status quo?
Veritas vincit
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