Politics of division

I was disappointed, but not at all surprised, by the PLP’s rejection of the UBP’s proposed racial code of conduct for elections.

The current administration shamelessly exploited Bermuda’s racial divisions during the 2003 election, and senior members of the party continue to do so today. Bermuda’s democracy is immature, and it will stay that way while race, not ideas, remains the focus of political debate. By refusing to sign the code of conduct, or propose an alternative, the PLP has squandered an opportunity for progress.

The code of conduct was identical to that proposed by the UK’s Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) in 2001, signed by the leaders of the UK’s main political parties in the run-up to that year’s general election. However, its adoption was not without controversy. A huge row blew up when the CRE subsequently pressed every MP to sign the pledge, and started publishing the names of those who did not on its website.

Most of those who refused to sign were Conservative MPs. The most senior was the then-Shadow Chancellor, Michael Portillo. He explained his refusal by saying that he spoke for himself, and didn’t like signing “bits of paper and questionnaires” thrust in front of him. One Tory backbencher said that the CRE’s action reminded him of the anti-communist witch-hunts in the US in the 1950s. Other Conservatives suggested that it was a Labour conspiracy to embarrass them.

Here, however, Community Affairs Minister Dale Butler didn’t bother trying to justify the PLP’s stance. "There's no reason or anything else, no other statement," he said. "We just decided that that was it, no, we rejected it."

The PLP’s lack of concern about the public perception of their action speaks volumes about the integrity of the party’s current leadership and the apathy of the public. Expect the PLP’s next election campaign to be just as dirty as the last one.

Comments

[sandgrownan on 15.05.06 at 08:30]

The same Dale Butler who said "European women should use more deodorant?"...oh I'm having a flashback..the same Dale Butler who "defended multiculturalism and attacked xenophobia" only the other day?

I suppose if "they" signed the racial code they'd look pretty stupid at election time trying the same old race card crap on the lowest common denominator.

[Roger on 15.05.06 at 08:45]

The racial crap that this incompetent government stirs up makes me sick.

They do not care about the issues as they squander the island's money and look to grant themselves more time to do so.

As a young Bermudian overseas I was wondering... did we have any plantations? I don't remember any mention of them when growing up and this 'plantation question' crap I'm reading about makes no sense to me.

The Portuguese got smart and made something for themselves.... none of us are indigenous but we all have the opportunity to progress.

[lost in flatts on 15.05.06 at 09:56]

Wow, I hadn't heard about this, just in case anyone is too lazy to actually read the article, from what I understand these are the only 5 'rules' of the agreement:
The code set out five principles for parliamentarians to agree to abide by. They were:
– to represent the interests of all constituents regardless of race, sex, colour, religion or any other discriminating factor and promote good race relations;
– to reject all forms of racial violence, racial harassment and unlawful racial discrimination;
– not to publish, or seek to have published by others, or in any way endorse any material, likely to generate hostility or division between people of different racial, national or religious groups;
– to ensure that in any dealings with the public no words or actions are used which may encourage, instruct or put pressure on others to discriminate, or stir up racial or religious hatred, or lead to prejudice on grounds of race, nationality or religion.
– to make sure everyone involved in their party's campaign for election pledges to abide by the principles and to call on all those involved in promoting or reporting political debate, especially the media, to do the same.

How can there be a defence for not agreeing to this? Unless of course you want race to be an issue. I'm stuck here, someone help me out?

[ace on 15.05.06 at 10:18]

"How can there be a defence for not agreeing to this?"

It was proposed by the UBP. End of story.

[loki on 15.05.06 at 11:12]

In fairness to the PLP, the final three of the five principles set out by lost in flatts are entirely contrary to the established PLP playbook during election periods.

[silencedogood on 15.05.06 at 11:40]

Exactly. They do want to win the next election. This would take away their biggest advantage. Esp. with Ewart Brown wanting to be Sultan...er...I mean premiere.

[SmokingGun on 15.05.06 at 11:46]

It's a Catch-22. They cannot sign it. For if they did they know they will not be able to uphold it. They know that as soon as they prove their failure to uphold it they will have it thrown in their faces that they are liars. And yes it will printed in Black & White.

[JJ on 15.05.06 at 12:00]

You can tell by Dales's comments (or lack thereof)that he probably doesn't agree with the decision. Speechless!

[Trebliso on 15.05.06 at 12:31]

From my mole in the Politburo it seemed that Disco Dale and a few of his more enlightened colleagues were all in favour of signing up but P and his sane and rational Minister of Works felt like sticking it to the man.

You go bro's!!!

[Phil on 15.05.06 at 12:34]

Trebliso

Any idea who else was in favour of signing up, apart from Dale?

[Trebliso on 15.05.06 at 12:43]

No names given but I think Ms Cox & Ms Minors felt they could get through an election campaign without resorting to the electoral Tourette's we can expect from some of their colleagues.

[ice_cube on 15.05.06 at 12:43]

A well run country would be divided to the hills I would think! How do we divide a country in order to run it well without bringing up the idea of race among a compatible people? Good question…

People are basically shallow, needy, clingy, fake, frequent liars, full of shit, hypocrites, self seekers, corny, depressed, frustrated mystics that reek of self delusion. Classic text book looking good types that probably rape farm animals when they can get away with it! This island deserves better but, then again does it really? Maybe the island needs to bottom out completely and start over from nothing. It’s not like locals really benefit from the IB sector and all the money that generates from it. It’s not like the hotels are so full that people have too much work to complain. It’s not like white people to actually give a fuck as long as things are as they’ve always been (with them on top).

[sandgrownan on 15.05.06 at 12:47]

ice_cube..not sure what you're getting at..but are you saying we get what we deserve? I don't think any Bermudian deserves this bunch of miscreants although as we are learning there may be some exceptions.

[SmokingGun on 15.05.06 at 13:06]

ice_cube - you just fall out the Spinning Wheel?

[novote on 15.05.06 at 16:22]

"...to represent the interests of all constituents..."

Ignoring the fact that the second half of this sentence requires politicians not to represent on a discriminatory basis, it is unrealistic under the Westminster system to expect politicians seeking re-election to act in the interests of 'all' during their campaign.

Almost by definition politics is about serving interest groups, and during an election politicians will position themselves to around those interest groups that will lend them the most support support: they can't be all things to all people.

Hence, whilst the electorate tolerates discriminatory conduct, the politicans will continue with it.

Don't blame the politicians....blame those that vote for them!

[Ex Limey on 15.05.06 at 16:26]

I expected nothing less from the racist PLP.

[silencedogood on 15.05.06 at 16:43]

Ex Limey,

You raise an interesting issue since it has often been debated on whether the PLP is a racist institution, even if not all members are.

I'd be curious to find out how this decision by the party leadership to reject a code calling for racial tolerance in their conduct affects this discussion. I'm particularly interested in what the usual PLP supporters who post here think.

[sandgrownan on 15.05.06 at 16:47]

b b but the UBP....

[Trebliso on 15.05.06 at 16:54]

I think labelling the crude bigotry of someone like Mahatma Burch as racism gives it too much nuance and political savvy.

[jake on 15.05.06 at 17:28]

I think the policy, while well intentioned is being rejected on the basis of trust. Few PLP leaders trust the UBP on even the most trivial of matters and so they will flee almost anything attached to them. I am not surprised that a Premier who would block reform to human rights on the basis of sexual orientation would find this type of thing frightening.

I must say though, that the knee jerk reaction expressed in some of the comments above is equally distasteful, if not surprising.

[SmokingGun on 15.05.06 at 17:32]

silencedogood - If I may be so bold, I would imagine people like Guilden, Jake, J Starling and even Onion to a degree might be having a hard time getting their heads around why the "core" party leaders in the PLP would not wish to participate and will not comment on or defend the actions taken. Which is a pity because I would hope they would like their party leaders, much like Ms. Cox and Ms. Minors as has been suggested, to know that they may not be acting in the best interest of the total party.

Some of the more extreme PLP posters on the other hand cannot say anything because they only see the possibility of maintaining power through the use of the necessary divisive tactics. Which quite frankly I find rather politically immature and self-destructive.

[Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 15.05.06 at 17:35]

Silence,

"I'm particularly interested in what the usual PLP supporters who post here think."

From my perspective anything that removes race as an issue is a good thing. Based on what I have read this proposed code of conduct could allow our political leaders to set an example for the rest of the country to follow. This is another matter where I believe the PLP leadership has again dropped the ball.

Bermuda has quite a lot of racial baggage that it needs to rid itself of if it truly wants to move forward as a country. While I understand why race could be used in an effort to win elections, I do not agree with its use. I believe race has to be addressed but it has to be addressed in a bi-partisan manner and I give the UBP full credit for proposing such a code of conduct, even if is was to score some political points.

[SmokingGun on 15.05.06 at 17:39]

And there you go... as I offer up for Jake, he speaks for himself. Thanks Jake, great timing. :-)

But let me ask. Why is it not surprising that people might be somewhat frightened even angered by the PLP's leadership refusing to come to the table on this obviously extremely important issue where it's so flippantly cast aside? As you say, trust is a big thing.

[SmokingGun on 15.05.06 at 17:44]

And Guilden too!

BTW - Guilden, I agree 100% with you. And taking the high road even if it gives someone else a few points is still the right thing to do.

[Uncle Elvis on 15.05.06 at 18:31]

"I must say though, that the knee jerk reaction expressed in some of the comments above is equally distasteful, if not surprising"

I gotta say I'm with you there, jake...

And, yet again, well said, Guilden.

[tilti on 15.05.06 at 19:14]

""I must say though, that the knee jerk reaction expressed in some of the comments above is equally distasteful, if not surprising"

I gotta say I'm with you there, jake..."

I might disagree with you here. Every private employee has to sign a CURE form detailing that they will not use race, or discriminate on the basis of race. Why should it be any different in the public sector?

[SmokingGun on 15.05.06 at 19:21]

tilti - you are correct, although I think you mean't "employer"? And you raise the point that aside from just politicking there are an awful lot of people who are employed by the government who may not necessarily agree with the PLP's actions.

[Uncle Elvis on 15.05.06 at 19:25]

Tilts, I wasn't, and, though I can't speak for him, I don't think jake was, referring to the reaction to the lack of signing. I think it was more about the overreaction and generalizing about the party.
Yeah, it's fucked up that they didn't sign it and a little hypocritical (see? That's how that word is used!) of them to have a policy for everyone else that they don't have to follow, but some of the comments, while I understand that they come from frustration, are a little over the top.
Oops. I cussed again. Shame on me.

[Emerging Marketer on 15.05.06 at 19:33]

I haven't read the code to really have an opinion on its suitability to Bermuda, but I think it is very disappointing that the PLP hasn't come back with an amended version if they didn't like it. The UBP would obviously like to avoid any discussion on race if they could, because it allows them to play the race game to their advantage without any real comment (eg. getting rid of Grant Gibbons). Any superficial discussion of race in Bermuda is to the UBP's advantage - it always has been. But still, no comment is not good enough from the PLP. I know that they have had a rough period with the leadership coup, but they've had it since 2003. I would have been satisfied if they'd come back with a thoughtful position, and an amended code of their own, or at least a promise to continue looking at it.

[SmokingGun on 15.05.06 at 19:56]

"Any superficial discussion of race in Bermuda is to the UBP's advantage - it always has been."

I guess that's what Jake was talking about. There is just no trust whatsoever. Everyone's got a hidden agenda.

Jeesh - let's just round up all the pols in Bermuda and paint them green.

[sandgrownan on 15.05.06 at 20:32]

Em - can't believe I'm saying this...but I kind of agree - but what sort of ammendments are we talking about? It looked pretty good to me or are you talking about an ammendment to "save face", so it would look as if it was partly their work? it is politics after all....

[SmokingGun on 15.05.06 at 20:54]

Why not just copy CURE? Better still, let's get Jimmy Carter to come down and help us get our act together. EM - I agree with you totally on being disappointed. Heck we can learn better lessons from watching our kids playing together in kindergarten than from seeing how our pols act.

[Slowhand on 15.05.06 at 20:55]

I think we are all familiar with the sensible posters and can separate them from the 'extreme' posters without having to agree with either of them, and they exist on all sides of the issue. Having said that I think for the most part, there is a consensus here that the PLP has missed out on a good opportunity to do something good. Too bad....

[Emerging Marketer on 15.05.06 at 20:57]

I haven't read it yet, Sand. I'm just pointing out that any such proposal should not be allowed to silence any real discussion of race as it is intrinsic to the formation of Bermuda's politics. If the PLP saw this as a problem, which would be directly in the UBP's favour, then they should have propsed alternatives. They've thrown the baby out with the bathwater, which is wrong, wrong, wrong.

[SmokingGun on 15.05.06 at 21:11]

EM - but shouldn't that have been in discussion for years now? Wasn't this proposed before? Shouldn't valid race issues be part of an on-going democratic process?

I totally agree that there will always need to be accomodation of some things regarding race, unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world, but we have to start somewhere.

The UBP are no saints by any means but we all need to start stepping up to the wicket. I think throwing the baby out with the bathwater is a good analogy. I also think there is a tendencies to throw a lot of babies out in Bermuda.

[Emerging Marketer on 15.05.06 at 21:17]

"EM - but shouldn't that have been in discussion for years now? Wasn't this proposed before? Shouldn't valid race issues be part of an on-going democratic process?"

Ideally it should have been discussed by now. But in the context of a party that has only begun to surface from a vicious leadership coup, I can understand why they might not have dealt with it by now. It's not the most important thing on their plate. What I don't excuse is their outright dismissal of it.

[SmokingGun on 15.05.06 at 21:42]

Ironies of all ironies is that if they had devoted more time to this issue then they would have been much further ahead in getting to the other things on their plate.....

[lost in flatts on 16.05.06 at 05:06]

I guess the cynics will point and say the UBP played this card very well: if it gets accepted, then they'll be able to (well try) to hold the PLP members who use racist rhetoric come next election accountable, because they know that cetain members just won't be able to contain themselves. Or if it gets rejected then they've got another card to play in the 'all the PLP do is divide us with racist discussions - and don't want to change' deck.

However, even if its good politiking, its still something that I would expect should be mandatory in a country such as ours. Can you imagine the repercussions of a US or UK minister saying something to the equivalence of 'house n******s' to the minority there? The press would hang them, the party would disown them and they'd be left to rot in political obscurity, their reputation tarnished forever. But in Bermuda they get more air time and a promotion...

[Phil on 16.05.06 at 08:54]

EM

I haven't read the code to really have an opinion on its suitability to Bermuda

The five points of the code were listed in the RG article here, and repeated by lost in flatts above.

[silencedogood on 16.05.06 at 09:33]

Jake, Guilden, EM,

Thanks for responding and I agree. This whole situation makes me think there is a vocal and influential minority within party ranks able to derail these discussions.

The upcomming debates will likely be too partisan to move forward until after the election, but should the PLP win again it would be nice to see some of the more moderate voices in the party could advocate such a policy for the next go-round.

[SmokingGun on 16.05.06 at 11:38]

"its still something that I would expect should be mandatory in a country such as ours." - lost in flatts.

Amen to that to. Maybe this proposal shouldn't even be coming from any political party. Could the Governor, Supreme Court, British Foreign Office, even the Queen mandate such a thing?

[Ali on 16.05.06 at 11:38]

Ace, you are correct. The UBP is a multi racial party, the PLP is not and will not be until they crawl into the 21st century and adopt the 5 principles of CRE. I think some of them would like to have signed up, the internal battles within Government right now must be pretty intense.

[Uncle Elvis on 16.05.06 at 12:27]

I just went and reread ice_cube's post... or tried to.
I was with you up until the bestiality, then lost it.
Wow. Who says education isn't important?
Anyways... I'm with ya. This thing should have been signed in ages ago. It just seems like common sense.
Is there any way to find out why it wasn't, besides conjecture?
I know we're not allowed to email the Government any more, so is there another way?
This is something that people need to hear about, if you ask me.

[Full Fullish on 16.05.06 at 14:30]

Well they couldn't possibly sign it, it would completely undermine their political platform as well as their single defense against the UBP as well as only manipulation advantage. For some (Cough Cough BURCH Cough) it is their only way to argue, the second anyone has a comment they are either a house n****r, slave master, plantation owner, etc. It would be like you or I trying to cut off an arm, we just couldn't do it.

I'm with what Jake, Guilden and I think a few others have said in the past, the PLP need to return to their grass roots. They need to seriouly rethink their leadership and take appropriate action, preferably before this Island tears itself apart.

The fact that they didn't sign it speak volumes to me, and I anticipate that we are going to see a lot more racialy divisiveness as an election draws nearer.

I do have a question for the PLP supporters here. At what point is enough, enough? I know that some of you have spoken out against it, but when will action be taken? When will you attempt to correct this problem in your party? When are you going to demand that either the racial garbage stop, change the leaders or ultimately either vote for another party or abstain? No I'm not attempting to garner votes for the opposition, however I know that if anyone in the UBP were writing or saying this garbage, I would be one of the first to call them out on it, as I've said to Guilden, I think the betterment of Bermuda is more important than any political party. I'm just wondering how many others feel the same way and when is the breaking point.

[SmokingGun on 16.05.06 at 15:37]

"I think the betterment of Bermuda is more important than any political party." - FullFullish

Unfortunately it's not even the party that's benefitting. It's down to a relative few who hold the reins and manipulate the masses. In the past it could well be said the same about a few wealthy white families that held those reins. It's time the few respect the masses and start accepting the fact that we are all in the same little punt whether we like it or not. We need to row together not row together.

[novote on 16.05.06 at 17:05]

I'll say it again.....

...whilst the electorate tolerates racially divisive propoganda and policy from politicians, it will continue.

The only way to deal with it is for people to vote this behaviour into oblivion!

[SmokingGun on 16.05.06 at 17:10]

I once went into business partnership with a guy who I originally thought had a pretty good idea about good business principles. Stressing the word "good". After a few years it became apparant that his son was pushing him aside in his ambition to take over his father's company. He started by making sure his sisters were not going to get a piece of it by withholding important information so he ended up looking the most competent to take over.

Eventually the father stepped aside and let his son act on behalf of the company and unfortunately I had to start dealing with him. On numerous occasions I would see the son belittle people and purposely try to make their lives miserable. One day I was in a meeting with the father and son and the kid actually admitted that the he felt the best way to get rid off some of the employees was to treat them like @#$& and they'd eventually just get so miserable they'd leave. His father didn't say boo.

Shortly thereafter I dissolved our partnership and have heard their company is on the skids.

When I see and hear the way the core PLP members are acting I get a nauseating feeling of being back in that meeting.

[Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 16.05.06 at 17:19]

Full Fullish,

"I do have a question for the PLP supporters here. At what point is enough, enough? I know that some of you have spoken out against it, but when will action be taken? When will you attempt to correct this problem in your party?"

I think I have made my position on the use of race for political gain or the suppression of opposers in a very public way. I have also addressed it with a fairly senior person within the PLP. I think in order to stop this trend a large percentage of the PLP membership needs to speak up about its distain for it andI think sooner would be better than later.

I would like to see the PLP rise above the issue of race and I think many other supporters would like to see the same thing. The way I look at it is so what if the questions being asked of PLP MPs would not be asked of UBP MPs. If I were in the shoes of Ewart Brown or Alex Scott, I would answer the questions asked by the press without hesitation because even if the press is biased against the PLP at least there could be no complaints regarding the openness of the government. I favour "Government in the Sunshine", that is, all government affairs are open for the public to see and judge.

I think if the PLP did this, any distrust that some people have toward them would disappear and it would simply come down to agreement or disagreement about the way the government is managed.

If, the press is racist then the best way, in my view, is to be more open than need be, freely give them more information than they request on government affiars, this gives them no ammunition to use against you. It also makes it very difficult for the UBP to gain poltical points by casting a shadow over government affairs. But that's just my view.

[SmokingGun on 16.05.06 at 18:24]

Bingo, bango, bongo - Guilden. And I personally have to believe that there are many many more supporters of the PLP who hold the very same view.

[Charles on 16.05.06 at 19:47]

It's time the few respect the masses and start accepting the fact that we are all in the same little punt whether we like it or not.
smokingGun.

The few will never respect the masses until the masses stand up and demand it, as long as the PLP party and everyone else for that matter sits quietly and does nothing what is there to respect? The few have seen that they have total control of this situation and no one seems inclined to make any changes any time soon.

The truly dissapointing issue is that the central committee/ruling clique of the PLP party continues to sit on there hands and watch silently, which the elected officials must believe is a sign to continue business as usual.

Guilden,

You state that you have spoken to people high up in the party about the racial divide issues, what was their response? Were they as concerned about this as you are? Did they say they would take action or did they just nod their head and walk away?

Does the PLP party have what it takes to change the perception that this government has put forward or will they bury their heads on Horseshoe Bay when the going gets tough?

Just curious.