The irresponsible Dr. Brown

Was it really necessary for Tourism Minister Dr. Ewart Brown to stay at the Burj Al Arab, a "seven-star" Dubai hotel, at the Bermuda taxpayers' expense? I think not.

Anticipating the criticism, Dr. Brown said he would not apologise for his choice of accommodation, grumbling that some people expect him to stay at Holiday Inns when he's away.

That's a false dichotomy. A four-star hotel would have been sufficient, and a more responsible use of public money.

» I contacted Dr. Brown to get his side of the story. My email, and his response, can be found here.

Comments

[wyrdsister on 03.05.06 at 13:04]

maybe he can learn what good service should be like and then come home and teach it to the local hotel workers. Only for that reason would it be a good idea, otherwise, maybe he should pay for his own hotel room, lets see where he would stay then.

[lost in flatts on 03.05.06 at 13:12]

Please Limey, if you could do it, and it wouldn't cost you any votes, wouldn't you? I'm working up to one of those 7* experiences, fear I'll be working a looooong time.

[silencedogood on 03.05.06 at 13:29]

Really I think the most important information was left out--how many nights did he stay there. I think one can be justified, two--why not, three--that's pushing it. A week would be ridiculous.

Not knowing that info, it comes down to trusting Ewart. I don't in any case, but really wouldn't trust myself in that situation either!

It is legitimate to check out the hotel, but there is no need to pay $1K a night for an extended stay. Particularly, when there really isn't much Brown can do to improve the state of the hotels here unless a magic lamp comes with the room--that's business' job.

If there is no policy governing the amount you can spend per night, which I'm assuming there isn't, it is scandalous. Billion dollar companies are tighter with their money than this government, which is probably why they are worth that much.

Not to mention the fact that if Minister Brown was really this deal-making guru, he probably could have negotiated a free room in exchange for discussing that company's investment in a Bermuda hotel. Of course that might have interfered with his 11:30 massage.

I'm sure the public is looking forward to your detailed study of the hotel facilities Minister Brown! It will be published soon, yes? Riiiight...

[Greta on 03.05.06 at 13:31]

Sheesh. Wal-Mart (blek!) founder Sam Walton stays at Super 8's and Motel 6's.

Ah, to be in the public sector.
*lights cash on fire*

[Trebliso on 03.05.06 at 13:39]

So glad the minister for airmiles believes that staying in an uber luxurious hotel will improve Bermuda's hotel bed count or quality.
This man's delusions are getting out of hand. Does he really believe that the large hotel groups such as Starwood and Marriott have no idea of how the Burj is appointed?

Does he realize how they manage their margins (clue Ewart, its the cheap labour that you cannot replicate in Bermuda with your
prohibitive work permit policies). Since his diatribe against Virgin and BA it has become apparent that this man has little or no idea
about the global tourist industry.

Also could we drop the nonsensical idea that Brown was responsible for Jet Blue and cheaper flights coming to Bermuda - the only party
responsible for Jet Blue coming to Bermuda is Jet Blue - they determine the price, the schedule and the service.

Well done for Brown for jetting off for an utterly pointless ego puff in Africa while the 2020 classic was on - this event represents a
noticeable and immediate avenue of future tourism for the island at a fixed acquisition cost. Brown treats the tourist ministry as a
personal vehicle for his ambition and curiosity - about 1/10 of his trips are valid the rest are pure boondoggles.

[sandgrownan on 03.05.06 at 13:45]

"They" make me so fucking angry. This is the same bunch who begrudge the Salvation Army funding.

[H Reardon on 03.05.06 at 13:58]

I'm curious where gubment stayed in Hawaii at the recent RIMS conference. I went by the Bermuda party and it looked like there were in excess of 10 Bermuda politicians there. Was that really necessary?

It is good to promote Bermuda at these insurance conferences, and everybody wandering around with a "Bermuda - Insurance Marketplace to the World" bag is good advertising, but it doesn't require 10+ people. And frankly, any risk manager who doesn't know about Bermuda isn't a very good risk manager.

[sandgrownan on 03.05.06 at 14:04]

Reardon - any how many of those politicians and hangers on have knowledge of the insurance industry?

[Cancundreaming on 03.05.06 at 14:15]

Limey, Your post seems to stray away from the real issue. The article indicates that Brown stayed in the hotel for one night to experience this particular hotel, as he believes the experience might help him in his job as Tourism Minister.

Assuming the article's facts are correct, the real issue seems to be whether this is a reasonable goal given the cost of the one night stay and the job description and responsibilities of the Minister of Tourism…

[Adjustah on 03.05.06 at 14:17]

"I'm curious where gubment stayed in Hawaii at the recent RIMS conference. I went by the Bermuda party and it looked like there were in excess of 10 Bermuda politicians there."

Hmmmm, maybe they're planning our next tourism advertising campaign photo-shoot...

[Bill Cook on 03.05.06 at 14:18]

I have noted that politicians and some business execs who travel first class when the tax payer and the company pays the bill but when they have to pay their own way its a whole different ball game !

I travel well and pay my own expenses as I bust my ass and made enough to do so.

I admire anyone who lives well but not just when others pay for my lavish lifestyle, it reveals a lot about the character I feel.

However we may all be a bit chagrined when all those hordes of African tourists start pouring in thanks to the big push with the African Diaspora a big bang for the buck and Docs policies will be vindicated just wait and see.

[Trebliso on 03.05.06 at 14:22]

Unless Brown wants to set himself up as a Bermudian Frommers or act as a consultant for vastly experienced hotel groups wishing to set up in Bermuda then this was an utter waste of time.

Brown needs to spend far more time in Bermuda hosting our tourist partners - something he seems curiously reluctant to do.

[novote on 03.05.06 at 14:50]

The cost of EB staying at a 7* hotel is pretty immaterial in the context of the cost of that trip.

However, I really wonder whether there was any point in him being there at all, other than to massage his ego.

I think that the more significant issue is that he knew what the public perception of him staying there would be...and he still went ahead and did it: this is arogant and disrespectful of the electorate.

Are any of us surprised?!!!!

[Bill Cook on 03.05.06 at 15:00]

Maybe Doc attended that address given to Berkley in California back in 1986 by Ivan Boesky (prior to his incarceration) where he said in his commencement address.

"Greed is all right... Greed is healthy. You can be greedy and feel good about yourself"

Later our own Tyco exec Dennis Kowslowski gave new meaning to living well at the expense of others !

Jack Sharpe with your mobylette where are you ? :) `o~o

[Onion on 03.05.06 at 15:11]

Ok Bill, so you are comparing two convicted criminals with the Doc b/c he stayed in an expensive hotel?

[Tiger Bay on 03.05.06 at 15:17]

This is outrageous. I am sickened.

[SmokingGun on 03.05.06 at 15:27]

"Sheesh. Wal-Mart (blek!) founder Sam Walton stays at Super 8's and Motel 6's."

Greta - correct to a degree. However, last place Sam checked into was a Motel 6 Feet Under. ;)

"Does he realize how they manage their margins (clue Ewart, its the cheap labour that you cannot replicate in Bermuda with your
prohibitive work permit policies)."

Trebliso - so strue. Asians, Indians, Phillipinos etc. all paid the princely sum of $150 per month if they are lucky and forced into servitude. Oh but they get room and board you say......

Ah, Ewart me old mate, checking in at the Seven Star. Go ahead lad, you deserve it. Rest them weary bones and when done, tell us all about your trip. Or at least half of it......

[silencedogood on 03.05.06 at 15:29]

Here is the conference website:

http://www.arabianconference.com/home.asp

I smell a very good caption competition in the making starring "Ewart of Arabia".

[Trebliso on 03.05.06 at 15:36]

Mr Gun - I'm no free market apologist for servitude but I just wanted to make the point about how redundant Browns latest freebie is, that the model of high margin luxury hotels cannotbe replicated in bermuda. It seems that Brown might be the last person to recognize this.

[Onion on 03.05.06 at 15:38]

"Does he realize how they manage their margins (clue Ewart, its the cheap labour that you cannot replicate in Bermuda with your
prohibitive work permit policies)."

Trebliso - so strue. Asians, Indians, Phillipinos etc. all paid the princely sum of $150 per month if they are lucky and forced into servitude. Oh but they get room and board you say......"

Yes, I agree with this. Cheap labour in Dubai is one of the mains reasons the service is so great there.

[wyrdsister on 03.05.06 at 15:48]

"Ok Bill, so you are comparing two convicted criminals with the Doc b/c he stayed in an expensive hotel?

Posted by Onion on 03.05.06 at 15:11 "

looks more like Bill is talking about GREED.

[Onion on 03.05.06 at 15:50]

Wyrdsister, there are degrees of greed.

There's eating all the haagen daz in the fridge and then there's robbing a bank. Let's not get irresponsible with our comparisons.

[SmokingGun on 03.05.06 at 15:54]

Onion - in Bermuda you gotta rob a bank in order to keep haagen daz in the freezer.....;)

[wyrdsister on 03.05.06 at 15:54]

Maybe Ewart should WORK in a GOOD hotel, somewhere else in the world to get a better idea of how Bdians can supply better service. Some lessons in courtesy and humility might also be a good idea.

[TJL on 03.05.06 at 15:57]

In the grand scheme of things, where government ministers stay when on work-related trips is of little to no concern. The cost is a drop in the bucket from a budgetary perspective. I dislike much of what the PLP and its members have done while in Government, but posts like this and the comments which have followed make me that much more appreciative of what nitpickers a lot of you are.

[sandgrownan on 03.05.06 at 16:11]

TJL - you are right taken on its own it's irrelevant, in the overall scheme of things it's a minor waste of our dollars.

When you add it to generally cavalier behaviour of this and the previous PLP government with our money, then it starts to grate. They behave like kids in the candy store.

[SmokingGun on 03.05.06 at 16:13]

"The cost is a drop in the bucket from a budgetary perspective." - TJL

Not for nothing but the bucket you talk about seems to have a few holes in it. I can go into a seven star hotel and have meal, spend a couple of hours at the bar and get a good idea of what the place is all about then head back to my 3 or 4 star hotel and save a chunk of change for the company and get an idea of what 2 levels of hotels are like to stay in.

When we have government paying 100% over-runs on a school with a $9 million penalty to the booted contractor, after having just jailed a government employee for embezzeling $1.2 mill I gues you are right. $1000 a night hotel rooms are just a drop in the bucket. Sorry to nit pick.

[Bill Cook on 03.05.06 at 16:20]

Its interesting to compare how others choose to live

Take for example in run up to last US presidential election comparing say Rev Al Sharpton and Dr Howard Dean.

There is a daily stipend for hotel expenses and I think Sharptons was app $5,700 vs $375 for the Doc, even though he was not running for anything it makes our Doc look like a real bargain !

[silencedogood on 03.05.06 at 16:55]

TLJ,

I can see where you are comming from, but...

First, I don't see how wasting a LOT of money means we have to be content with wasting a relatively little bit on top of the already huge pile. Is that a reward?

Second, A $1,000 a night hotel is important because its a window into Dr. Brown's character. Even by Bermuda standards $1,000 a night for a hotel is decadent.

He feels entitled to it because he is the minister of a small island's government body overseeing a failing industry and no one can tell him what to do, right? What else does he feel entitled to?

How about first class? A search on yahoo travel shows that will run $6300 at a minimum. But hey, the minister is worth it right? It goes on and on in an expense creep and who knows where it ends.

Maybe this is nitpicky to you, but that's a handy proportion of many bermudian's monthly salaries. People who can't afford homes.

But it's all good see. So 1K here, 1K there starts to add up. It's the cumulative effects that are important. How else do you think we get to a situation where people tolerate the big losses? Not to mention the fact he is only spending money that has been taken out of our collective pockets.

If you think this would fly at a company fuggedaboutit. Not the one I work for at least. So why should it in government?

You say nitpicking, I say tip of the iceberg.

[SmokingGun on 03.05.06 at 16:55]

I guess you can add the Burj to the list of smiling people.....

[Statosphere on 03.05.06 at 18:26]

It is good that he stayed at the Burj. At least he can compare it to Bermuda's hotel standards and make a change.

[SmokingGun on 03.05.06 at 18:34]

You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. And if he can't make the purse he can't make change....

[Zoom on 03.05.06 at 18:41]

"At least he can compare it to Bermuda's hotel standards and make a change."

Anyone else feel this statement is absurd?

Please, Ewart is yet another tourism minister tearing the ass out of the public purse.

[Two Cents on 03.05.06 at 19:18]

"At least he can compare it to Bermuda's hotel standards and make a change".

I am not going to even comment (snide, joking or other), although the door has been left wide open, enough so that I could drive a Mack Truck through it !!!

I am guessing that 'Statosphere' is an his/her address and not a blog name.

[Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 03.05.06 at 19:26]

For all you detractors, I happen to agree with what Dr. Brown did. You cannot understand the quality and level of service of a hotel simply by walking into the lobby.

Many tourism competitors have spent time in the Bahamas and have stayed at the Atlantis, the premier resort in the entire Caribbean, in order to truly understand the quality and level of service offered by Atlantis.

If Dr. Brown is to lead a charged to re-establish Bermuda as a prominent tourist destination, one of choice, then he should understand what successful hotels and jurisditions are doing. How else should he do it, by reviewing the property's brochure?

For example, although I live in the Bahamas I have spent numerous nights staying in the Atlantis with my family. There is a huge difference in understanding the quality of the resort by staying there and simply going to dinner. Unless you are staying in the hotel you do not have any access to the many amenities it has to offer, which means to do not get the full experience and without the full experience you would never understand why the hotel operates at 90% plus occupancy. There are things that the Atlantis does that can be done elsewhere and contrary to what someone said above, it is not done with cheap labour, it about giving the guests an experience they are happy to have paid their hard earned money for.

Let's face it, with the cost of vacationing in Bermuda, the experience has to be comparable to resorts with similar and/or significantly higher price tags.

Say what you will about Dr. Brown but he is at least beginning to put Bermuda in a position to re-emerge as a choice tourist destination.

Instead of passing judgement at this time, why not await the outcome? What will be the tone of your comments if under his Ministerial watch he is able to re-establish Bermuda as choice desitination? Will you be as vocal then or will you simply sit back and look for others ways to criticise?

[Rev. Goat on 03.05.06 at 20:12]

"It is good that he stayed at the Burj. At least he can compare it to Bermuda's hotel standards and make a change."

Good point, he can start with firing all the bermudian hotel workers , outlaw the union and have Otiwell Simmons kicked off the island.

I am sure many of you can remember the way the Union and the PLP eroded our tourism with constant greed and labour disputes.

The fact is that the incumbant ministers are having the life of O'Rielly at the taxpayers expense. Pigs at the trough is what I see.

[Yaw Bye! on 03.05.06 at 20:21]

I know! I know! I know!! this is how it went.

Alex: "Hey der Brownsie,ve und maw aceboy Randy and acegirl Paula gonna go play vorld leader next month. Take a holiday or two so you dont feel left out.'

Brown:"Yaw, bye, hook me up, gimme a dolla!"

Paula:"Her you go Brownsie , her's a blank check."
Randy: "Ya, and vile your der book a nudda cricket game, I wanna stay der too vide Gus and ma boys."

[WyrdSister on 03.05.06 at 20:21]

How is staying in a hotel going to help him improve Bda's tourism? That needs some drastic changes in attitude on behalf of Bermudians and finding ways to entice people to come here. Stupid catch pharses are not going to do it. In order to get more people to buy the product lets improve the product.

[Yaw Bye! on 03.05.06 at 20:24]

Wyrdsister :"catch pharses"

Freudian slip?

[WyrdSister on 03.05.06 at 20:25]

"I am sure many of you can remember the way the Union and the PLP eroded our tourism with constant greed and labour disputes."

I remember some of those, I was working in the hotel where the staff went on strike and stormed the main dining room full of guests. Same hotel where the cleaning staff went on strike because they got their pay rise early.

[NCP on 03.05.06 at 20:29]

I always wonder if islanders know anything about protocol. Same problem here in Jamaica....people felt PJ spent too much money on 7 star hotels. Please note that even if Dr. Brown wanted to stay at the Holiday Inn (which I doubt)....the host government would not have allowed it for security reasons. It's just a fact! I think people just need to get over it....it's an operating expense...

[WyrdSister on 03.05.06 at 20:35]

"the host government would not have allowed it for SECURITY REASONS."!!!!!

ha ha ha ha ha. Yeah, I think I would be worried what he might do too if I was them.

We are talking Bda here, not the US, not the UK, not even Canada. Bda, little itty bitty BDA, a case of Bdians needing a little humility.

[NCP on 03.05.06 at 21:07]

It's obvious WyrdSister has no idea of protocol...or thinks very little of Bermuda's delegates. There is a PM in the Caribbean who is a personal friend of mine and his island is just as small as Bermuda.....when he travels he stays in hotels where security is better monitored. For him to get ice down the hall the police has to escort him. Just imagine if something happened to Dr. Brown on his trip.....i guess Bermudians would grouse more.....

[Zoom on 03.05.06 at 21:15]

He needs to stay at the Burj cuz its safer. Right. Sure. Better champagne too. Plus it's got a nifty heliport in case he needs to make a speedy exit when Dr Evil comes to steal his mojo.

Note that the Burj was not one of the host hotels for the conference. This was 100 taxpayer sponsored boondoggle.

[Two Cents on 03.05.06 at 21:17]

Guilden,

I couldn't disagree more strongly with your statement
"You cannot understand the quality and level of service of a hotel simply by walking into the lobby".

Come on Guilden, Having worked for many years in the hospitality industry, I know for a fact that all Dr. Brown would have needed to do was have his office call this 7 Star hotel (or their Head Office) and he would have most probably been given a comprehensive "back of house" tour and he would have seen EVERYTHING that he would have needed to see to understand the quality and level of service at the hotel. This is a common practice in hotels.

I once visited the Royal York in Toronto, and after one call from my manager in Bermuda, we were given a tour from top to bottom at the Royal York, by the Assistant Manager (it took hours), I can't think of anything else that I would have needed to see to make similar decisions to what Dr. Brown must make to "compare it to Bermuda's hotel standards and make a change."

JUST A SIDE NOTE:
Rev. Goat

I think the term you were looking for was
"Living the life of Reilly"

Not to be confused with
"having the life of O'Rielly "
I am sure that Mr. O'Rielly's life isn't as good as Mr. Reilly's anyway !!

[Rev. Goat on 03.05.06 at 21:30]

O'Rielly was a golf caddy for 20 years that travelled around the world and wrote a funny book about it. Certainly a slip of the phrase but somehow seemingly applicable.

[WyrdSister on 03.05.06 at 21:42]

has anyone actually had a look at the hotel website? and the type of suites offered (no rooms) http://www.burj-al-arab.com/staying_with_us/ some people live in smaller homes. He needed this for SECURITY!!!Did the butler have to go through a security check each time he came in?

[Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 04.05.06 at 01:14]

WyrdSister,

"We are talking Bda here, not the US, not the UK, not even Canada. Bda, little itty bitty BDA, a case of Bdians needing a little humility."

So because Dr. Brown is a Bermudian dignitary he should not be afforded the same treatment as a dignitary from the U.S., Canada or the U.K.?

When foreign dignitaries visit Bermuda I would hate to think that the way they were treated was based on the size of their country. Protocol is protocol.

Now, Dr. Brown has not said or even intimated that he stayed in the hotel because of protocol. Unless I misread his comments, he seemed to be saying he stay in the hotel for ONE night so that he could experience it and when talk of standards came up he can refer to his experience at the Burj.

Two Cents,

I do not totally disagree with you but you and I both know that if you are on a "tour" of a property you will see the amenities and the level of service is not necessarily true because it is known that you are on a "tour", which is very much different from a paying guest.

It is no different in the workplace, when it is known that the CEO will be making his rounds people will tidy their desks and do what they can to make a great impression so that they can "show" the CEO how wonderful each employee is. If the CEO truly wants to get a feel for the environment he should make his rounds totally unannounced.

[Amin Swan on 04.05.06 at 02:03]

I have been an employee of Marriott Intl. for over 10 years in Management. The CEO of my company Mr. JW Marriott travels extensively throughout the world, although he can stay in the top suites at any Marriott/Ritz/Renaissance/Bulgari (All Marriott branded properties), he chooses to stay at high end Boutique hotels and Big name brands in Asia like Intercontinental, Sofitel, Mandarin Oriental at costs to Marriott. He does this to "understand" the competition, to "understand" what they are doing differently. I ,personaly, have done the same in my position. I've slept at the Hiltons, Sheratons etc. (at the expense of Marriott) and bought back and implemented great ideas. We are talking about the leader of the Second Biggest money maker on this Island. This Minister has streamlined operations in the USA,(Saving the Taxpayer 10's of thousands) Secured over 19,000 airline seats per week to this Island and has energized Tourism more than all previous Minister combined and all we can do is bitch that he stayed in a luxury hotel! If this Island wants to Market itself as the "Premier" Island destination I would hope that the Minister knows what "Premier" looks and feels like.

[ben on 04.05.06 at 03:54]

Amin

Hit that nail harder. You got it!

What I see is the same old bunch of sour grapes.
Like him or not, which really seams to be the issue above, he has accomplished more than any other Minister. Congratulations to him!!

I would guess his stay was comp, and if not I'm sure something good will come from it. We could use a little more invstment from that part of the world. Our two largest hotel properties are owned and controlled by Royal Family Saudi's, Hmmmm....anybody gett'n it yet??