Progressive Minds

I have wrote on this also on my blog Catch-A-Fire.

I am of the understanding that there are currently some rumours going around insinuating that various businesses have told their staff to attend the demonstration tomorrow, with the implication that failure to do so would have some repercussions for those staff. A further implication is to discredit the demonstrations, both as being artificially inflated and as using intimidation to do this.

At this stage, as far as I am aware, there is no evidence to back up these allegations.

Readers of this forum may have noticed that I put up a poll on this issue, and put forward an argument in the comment section in favour of the no confidence motion. My main points were that Dr. Brown's actions were unconstitutional, and that his actions had compromised our nation, while at the same time an argument could be made that his actions amounted to treason in conspiring with the US.

As a result of the decision to bring the Uighur Gitmo detainees to Bermuda last week there has been a huge public backlash towards this decision. The vast majority of this backlash has been focused on the decision itself and how it was handled by the Premier.

I understand that Bermuda, or rather Dr. Brown, has agreed to allowing four Uighur detainees from the US concentration camp of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to settle in Bermuda.

There are a number of questions that this raises, for one, whether such a decision is even legal, as with our current constitutional arrangement such foreign policy decisions are the remit of the UK Government and not Bermuda.

I've created a new poll concerning the proposed bill to allow cruise ships to operate their casinos while in port. I feel that this issue is one that we definitely need to debate, and so I'll try to get the ball rolling.

I have voted against allowing the cruise ships to operate their casinos to operate while in port.

Well, I don't know Ms. Matthews from Eve, but I think there's no harm in congratulating her appointment as the new Auditor General. Her CV, as reported in the media, makes her an excellent candidate, and I'm sure she'll do an excellent job of keeping the Government on its toes, whether it likes it or not! LOL

But seriously, well done to Ms. Matthews!

*The RG report is here --> http://www.royalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?a...

I've added a new poll to this site, concerning whether this site should be renamed. At first there are those out there who may think I am being facetious, perhaps even malicious, in doing so. Because of this I think it is important that people read my arguments here.

I personally have not had the time to review the 2009 budget as of yet, but I do think it would be a good idea for this site to evaluate it in terms of how the budget effects Bermuda's youth, in particular what the statements concerning education, social services and crime may have for this demographic.

The progressive labour movement in Bermuda, while focused primarily on local Bermudian issues, has historically not shirked its responsibilities to international solidarity against injustice. Perhaps the best example of this was the activism against apartheid South Africa which was strongest in the 1980s and up until the 1994 ANC election victory.

Its been almost a month now since the election returned our Party to Government. In that time, which included three major holidays, the Party and its various organs, including this blog, took a well-deserved rest from the fervour that marked the election campaign. In that time I believe most of us took the time to take stock of the situation and reflect both on how we got here and where we want go.

I think we've had a long enough rest and its time to start a post-mortem, not just on our election campaign itself but on the last nine years of our Party being the government.

I don't think we can avoid the fact that we are slightly overshadowed by our former sister colony now known as the USA. Due to our porximity to them not to mention their country's current status as the sole Superpower (and what one might call global imperialism), its no secret that many of us here on the rock can't really escape the US 2008 Presidential election.

I just thought that is would be a good idea to have a sort of 'suggestions box' concerning this site; you know, how can it be improved.

Of course, there are lots of things we would like, but we won't always be able to realise those, but I'm sure some suggestions can be made to make this site even better.

I have recieved an email advertising a film 'The Colour of Fear 3' showing at the BUEI Thursday, June 7th, starting at 7pm. The film is free, but donations are appreciated in order to cover the costs of renting the theatre and the like. Despite recieving the email I do not know who or what group has arranged for the film, but there is a blurb along with the email:

Details: Lee Mun Wah is an internationally acclaimed facilitator and filmmaker. He has won numerous awards and been featured on Oprah!!!

I have a confession.

I think it was entirely approriate that Aunt Lous had a state funeral, and it was truly terrific to be part of that mass that walked with her coffin (as macabre as that is).

But I couldn't help this little nagging thought that I really didn't like seeing that Union Jack covering her coffin. Perhaps its a pet peeve of mine.

Anyway, I would support a democratic federal republic of either Britain or of the Caribbean, before independence (don't get me wrong, I think we'ld be fine, but we'ld be a lot better in a willingly entered democratic federation).

I went to the funeral service today of our Aunt Lois.

It was hot, especially if you couldn't get a seat inside the Church, and I admit I'm a redder shade of pink as a result, but is was worth it.

Okay, well, I missed the report on the public education system, but I have seen a quick write up in the RG at:

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.js...

Seems to confirm what a lot of us really knew, the system really isn't cutting it.

Okay, I'll admit that in the grand scheme of things (US imperialism, systemic debt problems - vulture funds, ongoing racism, etc.) this is probably not all that important. However it is a major pet peeve of mine, and I think many other people here on the island. I really do not follow the rationale of not being able to purchase alcohol in grocery stores on Sundays and Christian holidays that are also Bermuda Public Holidays (Good Friday and Christmas).

I have often wondered why it is that Portuguese is not taught in our schools while Spanish and French is. I can understand that a knowledge of Spainish can be of benefit for those Bermudians planning to study, work or emigrate to the US, and French is also of some use to those wishing to do the same in Canada. Naturally, both are also of obvious use in visiting countries that are Spanish or French speaking countries.

As many of you will know by now on Friday April 13th many industrial workers, primarily government workers downed tools to attend two meetings at Union HQ and also staged a demonstration of at least 400 workers (according to reporting) outside of the Ministry of Works and Engineering.

Bermuda Network News is reporting that Pauulu Kamarakefago, Dr. Roosevelt Brown, has died. I'm not really sure what to say, as I'm not really very good at these sorts of things. I didn't really know Pauulu very well, I only really got to know him in the last year, although when I first joined the Party in 1998 he was by far the most genuine and nicest person I met, and I remember the first time I met him at Alaska Hall very well. Ideologically he was also very inspirational for me.