Progressive Minds

Elitism – A Figment of Some People’s Imagination
by LaVerne Furbert

In my opinion, the talk of the PLP becoming elitist is a figment of some people’s imagination, especially those who have gone public on the subject recently, in particular those people who purpose to be members of the Progressive Labour Party.
If I belonged to a political party that I believed had changed its status from grass roots to elitist, I would do two things, and in the following order. I would first use my voice to influence the leadership of that political party to rethink its direction and change course. If after several appeals, the leadership continued on the same course, I would have no other choice but to have the courage of my convictions and part ways with that political party. I would not, under any circumstances continue as a member of the party, especially if I was benefitting financially from my membership of that party. My conscience would not allow me, month after month, to collect a salary that comes as a result of my membership in that political party, and use it to my personal benefit.
If I were a Member of Parliament and believed that a certain law/policy, such as the “non-collection of court-ordered child maintenance payments” should be changed, I would do two things, I would first use my voice to influence my fellow Members of Parliament to look at the law/policy and encourage them to agree to make the necessary changes so that the mothers in Bermuda who are affected by this law/policy so that they would no longer suffer. If my colleagues did nothing to change this law/policy, I would then take a private members bill to Parliament and advocate for that change, especially when it appeared that I had more in common with those sitting on the opposite side of the House than the Party of which I was a member. Having done nothing to affect what I believe to be a very necessary change in this law/policy, the last thing I would do is share my ineffectiveness as a Member of Parliament with the media.
The newest reporter on the staff of the Bermuda Sun, Tim Smith, wrote recently “In recent weeks, several high profile figures have questioned whether the PLP is doing enough for struggling households in Bermuda”. He then names Craig Simmons, a Bermuda College lecturer as a “high profile figure”. I don’t know how Mr. Smith defines “high profile”, but certainly I would not consider Craig Simmons a “high profile figure” and I would be surprised if Mr. Simmons thought of himself as a “high profile figure”. Knowing Mr. Simmons as I do, who has lectured at Bermuda College for the past several years, I think the reason that he ensconces himself in the hallowed halls of Bermuda’s academia is so that he would not be considered “high profile”. I think he prefers to remain “low profile” but has no problem every now and then, with shedding his mask
The Bermuda Sun reports that Member of Parliament for the Pembroke South East, Ashfield DeVent, has accused the Progressive Labour Party, the Party that he represents in Parliament, as being elitist under the leadership of Dr. Ewart Brown. Mr. DeVent said that “the working poor are convinced that they have been forgotten while Dr. Brown obsesses over glitzy parties and flash cars”. In my opinion, Mr. DeVent should be visiting his constituents to inform them that this is indeed not the case. As I see it he should be informing his constituents and others he comes into contact with of the many programmes that his government has put in place over the past ten years to assist the “working poor”, a term coined by the Opposition Leader, Kim Swan.
As a person who sits in Parliament and should have voted on the many initiatives that the Government has put forward to assist “the working poor”, it is concerning to me that Mr. DeVent is not able to share this information with his constituents. It is concerning to me that Mr. DeVent has not told his constituents who are over the age of 65 that they no longer have to pay land tax, that they no longer have to pay to have their car licensed, that HIP benefits have increased, as well as pension payments.
More concerning to me is the fact that Mr. DeVent has not shared with his constituents, who are not as fortunate as he or Dr. Brown is, how important it is to work hard, save their money, and make sacrifices so that at some point in the future, they can reap the benefits. I am concerned that Mr. DeVent has not shared with his constituents who have complained to him about the Premier’s “glitzy parties and flash cars” that they too can have those things if they choose. Mr. DeVent could have shared with his constituents that if they took advantage of the many educational advantages afforded to Bermudians, that they too could become a doctor, a lawyer, or anything else that they wanted to be so that they could enjoy some of the niceties of life that he and Dr. Brown enjoy.
Certainly Mr. DeVent does not consider himself one of the “working poor” so it should be easy for him to share with his constituents and the other “working poor” people in Bermuda how he has become a part of the “landed gentry” in Bermuda.