Progressive Minds

As I'm sure you've all seen in various news sites, the Bermudian government has agreed to allow the resettlement of 4 Guantanamo Bay prisoners from China. Link here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31237416/

Just reading the quotes from the house this week. For anyone who missed the whole story, read it here:
http://www.theroyalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.js...

Interesting read in today's RG, around the £78m new police/court building. I think it's great that it's being built, but the curious bit is around who is building it. Apparently it is being done by a trust, a trust who don't have to release information about their stakeholders.

If it were a private venture, that would be one thing, however even then if the company were public I'm sure that shareholders could force executives to tell them who was doing the work. However, given that this is paid for by us, I think it is fair to ask who is performing the work, don't you?

To all of the PLP supporters, congrats on another victory. Hopefully we can move forward without any bitterness after what has been a rather bitter election and some of the promises that been made will be realised. I also really hope that this site can get back onto its mandate, which is to encourage discussion on how to get things done, rather than the petty discourse it's featured for the past 2 months. A toast to the new Bermuda government, let us hope in 5 years time we're in a better place than today.

Just browsing through the RG and saw the letter Makai has written in response to Michael Dunkley's attempt to clarify his previous comments. This post isn't to justify or defend or comment on the fact that he made any comments of a political nature, because neither side of the fence can claim to keep politics out of non-political issues, but rather look at his points as to why no one is stepping forward. Because surely this is the most important message, why a killer can remain anonymous (and advoid punishment) in Bermuda today.

Here are the 6 reasons:

So the RG is reporting that the UBP believe August 16th to be a good guess, due to:
1. Perception that UBP voters travel in August
2. Kids are home from school and tend to vote PLP
3. Privy Council won't have had a chance to rule yet, so an fallout from the BHC won't affect the PLP.

I may not be an avid PLP fan, but I’ve always tried to think of what is best for Bermuda in all I’ve said and done in relation to politics. And this is not meant as an attack on the PLP at all, I honestly believe that the parties’ roots are strong and they’ve had some of Bermuda’s very best in their midst. However, the current leadership needs moderating, immediately, for the benefit of all of us. The premier’s comments combined with Senator Burch’s follow up letter represent, quite simply, an attack on our constitution. A sly, back-handed, selfish attack.

So just read that the cabinet have approved a national holiday for the passing of Dame Lois. I would hope that criticism of this idea and massive admiration for the woman are not viewed as mutually exclusive by anyone.

I just cannot fathom how this decision was made. Where is the precedence? Where is the detailed thought behind economic repercussions? This is in 3 business days! What will the cost be to the island? Will this be repeated?

If there’s one thing that the growth of Bermuda politics-inspired web blogs proves, it’s that the Westminster system inherently leads to conflict. Its very nature is fueled by the necessity of confrontation, of challenging and of rebuttal. In some environments, this kind of debate is constructive, and will produce better results. Certainly that is the reason that universities encourage the practice, and indeed most meetings I find myself in generally involve a bit of negotiations to bring parties to a more optimal outcome.