Kudos

Three cheers for

• Opposition leader Wayne Furbert, for not supporting the proposed pay hikes for MPs.

• Transport and Tourism Minister Dr. Ewart Brown, for acting quickly to prevent his Ministry's advertising company bringing in a foreign photographer for a local shoot, and for urging the BIU to "progress beyond the march as our first move and meeting at the height of the day as the norm".

• Renee Webb for tabling a private members' bill to ban discrimination against homosexuals.
  

It's gratifying to see some of our politicians doing the right thing, for a change.

Comments

[Combat Banker on 20.03.06 at 03:55]

Politicians making timely and popular decisions? Uh no, I smell Elackshun bye!

[Full Fullish on 20.03.06 at 08:01]

Totally agree with you Phil.....It's nice to see some sensible people in politics making sensible decisions.

And Combat Banker, the real test is when they make such decisions in between elections.

[ken on 20.03.06 at 08:29]

But the question is will Mr. Furbert decline the pay hikes if they are agreed upon, and if the UBP wins the next election, will he decline the new proposed salaries?
We have to remember that this committee was agreed upon by both the PLP and UBP, but I believe that the UBP's condemning of the salary increases is only because they want to make it a public debate and they want to gain public support, not really because they are against it. But we will see as things progress...

[ken on 20.03.06 at 09:05]

In saying that though, it is good to see politicians not always toeing the party line, and standing up for the 'right' thing. Hopefully this starts a precedent.

[observor on 20.03.06 at 09:22]

ken

You know what? it is good to see ken not always toeing the party line by admitting, albeit in the second instance, that our politicians are standing up for the 'right' thing :-)

[b,w&p?? on 20.03.06 at 09:43]

Amen Observer, Amen.
But Ken does raise a good point; should the raise hikes go through, would Wayne Furbert take a pay cut and give back the increase? Or, will he take the PLP approach? Lets not forget that the PLP has not turned back the clock and reverse policies and practices they spoke out against while in opposition.
It is also very refreshing to hear positive comments from Renee...lets just hope they start a trend. As for Ewart, I just don't trust him or his motives. I think he's positioning himself for top spot and he's gonna say and/or do anything that's popular to garnish public support for when he makes his move. If this happens we're all doomed.

[sandgrownan on 20.03.06 at 10:42]

Furbert and Webb are one thing, but Brown? I've never really cared for Webb's politics as a rule, or her style, but she does stick to her principles. Furbert I know less about but feel duty bound to give him the benefit of the doubt, for the moment at least.

However, Brown is a self confessed liar. He's manipulative and is playing for higher stakes. He's playing the game of politics and has no principles other than his own in a highly sceptical light.

[sandgrownan on 20.03.06 at 10:45]

sorry..."and I view his motives in a highly sceptical light."

[SmokingGun on 20.03.06 at 12:00]

Furby - I actually have no problem with increasing salaries for MP's especially if we expect them to give up their day jobs and get down to running Bermuda the way it should be. I hope this doesn't come back to bite him.

Ewby - Putting a stop to the photograher? Big deal. It was a no-brainer decision a six grader could have figured out. As far as his speech to the BIU? About time. His back's up against the wall as he's trying to convince various parties to invest in Bermuda's Condotels and it doesn't look good if the tails wagging the dog.

Renee - I hope she keeps up with her efforts and further more, rallies behind a call for banning discrimination against all peoples. Even the ones that don't look like her.

[SmokingGun on 20.03.06 at 12:14]

Kudos to J Starling for his letter in today's RG.

[Rossini on 20.03.06 at 14:46]

Wayne was out on his own on this pay thing. Several of his members spoke against it saying it was too little an increase, but that's not the headline. Another said..."here's the correct formula...take from the Ministers and give much more to the backbenchers..."; but that's not the headline....even with a friendly media these clowns can't get it right. Long may they remain in Oppostion.

[observor on 20.03.06 at 15:01]

Rossini

Personally I have no problem with the Premier being paid $200k per annum. However, for that kind of money can we at least get some accontability and transparency?

btw - there's a funny (and for Rossini's sake, alleged) quote in today's RG wherein Alex Scott remarked “Believe it or not I am not really in the job for the money, if I was I would be a foolish, foolish man.” ... uhh ... ok ... if its not the money ... then that leaves about another couple hundered explanations for the goofy vacant grin ...

[Rossini on 20.03.06 at 16:35]

and Wayne Furbert has today denied that the Opposition agreed with the pay report for MPs in private but spoke out against it in public......shall I continue ?

[sandgrownan on 20.03.06 at 16:54]

Rossini - so what? do you know otherwise?

[Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 20.03.06 at 17:07]

If the last pay increase was in 1994 (12 years), according to Trevor Moniz, then is it not time for MPs to get a substantial pay increase? No matter which party one favours as government there has to be some incentive for the brighter minds of Bermuda to step forward and give up some business prospects.

Why do people believe that elected officials should work for little compensation? Why do people get so worked up when it comes time for the salary review of MPs? The fact is, MPs should be paid appropriately for the time they handle the country's business.

For those that disagree because of some non-performing MPs see my post regarding the electorate having the ability to recall individual MPs.

[Rossini on 20.03.06 at 17:19]

Ah yeah sandgrownan, I do. Let's be clear.....the Opposition's position on this report about pay was that it wasn't enough, but that they would grudgingly accept it because they had played a part in the development of it. We've seen Dunleavy call this the "government's report" when he knows better.A number of the UBP members wanted to have the whole thing reviewed again to ensure that backbenchers in particular got more. Many of them found out their Party was not in favour of the increases when they read Friday's Paper. Hence the great divergence of speeches on it from their side.But you won't read that anywhere.

[sandgrownan on 20.03.06 at 17:28]

ok - So even if what you say is true, and I'll take your word for the minute, what's so wrong with the leader saying he's against an increase right now? Or is he just politicing?

[christian on 20.03.06 at 18:37]

Generally I don't respond to attacks from anonymous posters, but I'd be interested to see where Rosini came up with the statement above that goes like this :- "We've seen Dunleavy call this the "government's report" when he knows better."

Actually I do know better, which is why I believe the quote you are trying to twist was "the Premier's Committee" not "Government's report".

I do try to be specific when choosing my words, and Lord knows I've typed enough of them in my rants (some I wouldn't mind taking back).

So I'd appreciate if you didn't change them. I stand to be corrected if you can point me to the relevant quote however.

[Shark on 20.03.06 at 21:20]

MP's getting pay increases...sounds ok to me as long as its resonable. The reason? for compensation. Can you imagine what politicions who are MP's have to go through?

Not sure how it is in Bermuda (may be more laxed there due to island size and popolation but in the UK it is a bloodbath. You have every tabloid from the star to the sun going over your every word or action and attacking you, diging up your past not caring what party you belong to (iv seen Labour, The conservatives and even the libral demacrats been attacked by the same papers as it sells.. Not to mention scandels ect........

I mean come on its amazing most politcions dont go into the mental asulum... in fact im surprised Tony Blair isint already in a mental instatution (how anyone who has had to put up with what hes gone through has any sanity left is beyond me). Why are more then 2 terms of office rare? as a third would probaly drive them insane (dictators are exceptions as there mind s already balanced out as they know they have complete and totol control).

[Jan on 20.03.06 at 21:45]

How does rossini get this 'inside' information, he seems to have more knowledge to the fact than the average joe blo but how does he do it?! rossini please tell your secrets...

[Slowhand on 20.03.06 at 22:25]

The issue I have with MPs getting pay hikes is that THEY are the ones who approve it. I think the idea Dunleavy put forward has merit
"Whatever is proposed should not be enacted until after the next general election. MPs should not be changing their compensation during a term. They know what they signed up for and that's what they should get."
If the UBP is against the hikes, so be it, but if they say they are and some say or do otherwise, then why bother making any statement at all. The last thing they need to be seen doing is playing at it again.

The good Dr may very well have solved the issue with the Ad agency and the photographers, so I will leave that one alone, but I'm not sure he deserves kudos for that. The BIU statement is another issue. A 'Do unto a UBP Govt, but don't do unto Us' speech just don't cut it.

Renee tabling this bill looks to be a good thing. I will withold my own thoughts of her motives for now.

(I smell another Bud)

[SmokingGun on 21.03.06 at 10:50]

"Renee tabling this bill looks to be a good thing. I will withold my own thoughts of her motives for now."

Because it's in the best interest of the people of Bermuda. Of which she is one of. Nothing more, nothing less. Unless of course she's looking for support from a certain minority group in her efforts to run for Premier in the next election....