Jamahl Simmons and the UBP

It’s difficult to know what to make of Jamahl Simmons’ tempestuous split from the UBP yesterday.

All that’s clear is that Mr. Simmons and his supporters were the targets of a protracted campaign by a small group within the Pembroke West branch who wanted Erwin Adderley as the UBP candidate for the constituency. Beyond that, things get muddy.

Mr. Simmons believes that the campaign against him was racially motivated because his opponents were allegedly all white and had said that Mr. Adderley (who is also black) was “more acceptable” to them because he socialised with them. Because of that, he believes that party central should have intervened.

In contrast, Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert seems to believe that Mr. Adderley’s supporters were not racially motivated, and that any threats that may have been made against Mr. Simmons’ supporters were empty. He may also have been loathe to interfere in what he considered an internal branch matter.

It is possible that Mr. Simmons’ opponents were indeed racially motivated and only favoured Mr. Adderley because, as someone they socialised with, they felt they would have more influence over him. Mr. Furbert had a responsibility to determine if this was the case; if he shirked this, then it does raise questions about the UBP’s willingness to root out racism within the party. However, it is equally possible that Mr. Simmons’ assessment of his challengers’ motivation is faulty, and that Mr. Furbert did not investigate the allegations because he considered them baseless.

Regardless, however, some of Mr. Simmons’ comments were unfair. His soundbite “the wolf has finally removed the sheep’s clothing” implied that the whole UBP’s commitment to racial equality was a sham, a statement that was at odds with the more specific points that he was making. After all, he was only accusing “a small, loud, crazy minority” of actually being racist, and essentially only accusing Wayne Furbert of not standing up to them. He was full of praise for his parliamentary colleagues and even acknowledged that former leader Grant Gibbons had moved against the Adderley camp.

Some of his other comments will be easy for the PLP and its supporters to twist. I predict that it won’t be long before his reference to “a bunch of nitwits who still think it’s 1835” will be presented as a criticism of the UBP rather than just the members of the Adderley faction. After all, there are those who still misrepresent Jim Woolridge’s comment “You little white boys don’t mind a black man being in charge as long as you can tell him what to do” as an attack on the UBP. (As Mr. Woolridge explains on page 125 of his book “The House That Jack Built”, he actually made this comment to Royal Gazette journalist Bill Zuill in reference to two white members of the Tourist Board with whom he had a quarrel.)

The other casualty of this sorry episode is Wayne Furbert, who has emerged looking like a weak leader. He should have put an end to the in-fighting months ago. The moist-eyed sentimentality of his final comment in today’s Royal Gazette (“Despite his harsh words, I care deeply about Jamahl, and he knows it. He will always be my friend.”) has only reinforced my fear that he’s simply too nice to be an effective leader. This is a PR disaster for the UBP, and as leader, Mr. Furbert must accept responsibility for that.

There also seems to be some confusion about whether Mr. Simmons has resigned from the UBP or wants to remain part of it until the next election. On the 6pm radio news this evening, Wayne Furbert said that he thought Mr. Simmons should step down and that he may ask for his resignation. Yet in an email to me earlier today, Mr. Simmons said that he has resigned from the party, and will now be sitting in the House as an independent.

The whole situation is a mess, and I’m sorry to see Jamahl go out like this. I like him and I have always thought he articulated himself well. I still respect him for being the only politician to date willing to field questions from readers of this site in a live chat.

Alas, Mr. Simmons’ comments have played straight into the hands of the PLP and their supporters, who must now be rubbing their hands with glee. The UBP’s chances at the next election seem poorer than ever.

Comments

[ken on 09.01.07 at 23:33]

Well, first it was Neville Darrell to announce he won't be running again. Now Jamahl Simmons has announced it, citing racism and infighting within the United Bermuda Party.

I for one am glad that Jamahl realized this but unfortunately he realized it a bit too late. I think that I, and many others could have predicted this outcome. I also wonder how Neville Darrell and Jamahl Simmons' exits from the political landscape will affect the blacks remaining in the UBP. Especially after the accusations made by Jamahl. If I were Gina Spence Farmer, Jon Brunson, Maxwell Burgess, Kim Swan, Wayne Scott, Tillman Darrell, how would I feel about these accusations. Would I feel that I could be the next sacrificial lamb in the UBP camp?

[b,w&p?? on 09.01.07 at 23:34]

I am deeply concerned about Jamahl Simmon's statements in today's paper. Not only because he is in my constituency but more so because of his accusations of racial bias within the UBP. The time for these sorts of tactics and attitudes has past, regardless of the current PLP platform, and the UBP should take a stand as an example to the PLP. I would like to call on Jamahl to publicly 'out' these UBP members and I would like the UBP to publicly oust these members from the party. His charge that there is a small racist faction in Pembroke West is more than disturbing but what's worse is the threat that those who support him would suffer their jobs. I would like to confront each and every one of those in that small faction and challenge them threaten my job...who are these people and what power do they wield in this community if they are not in the Government?

[Lost in Flatts on 10.01.07 at 05:33]

I completely agree, I would expect nothing less than a formal inquiry from the UBP, with the goal of identifying these individuals and then removing them from their various positions. If what Jamahl has said is true then he should be able (and really everyone should know) who there are already.

It seems to me that his comments were made in the heat of the moment, or alternatively he's a brilliant politican and will be moving across the house for the next election, in which case the magnitude of his comments will be diminished slightly imo (as he has clear incentive to make the UBP sound as terrible as possible).

Either way, there's no denying the UBP have been seriously hurt by this outburst, and if it's completely true then they 100% deserve it. I just hope he's not exaggerating out of spite.

[Voyeur on 10.01.07 at 07:25]

As mentioned in the other thread, the silence on this blog has been a far greater comment on whites, honesty and racism, than anything that has happened in Pembroke West. Here you have the UBP's spokesperson on race, indeed one of the advocates of race legislation, calling the UBP a wolf in sheep's clothing. His 1834 comments and others have completely validated Dr. Brown's plantation comments. Whether or not his comments are fair is besides the point at this stage. For something like this, LIB posters would normally be well into the 150th post, now three days later since the press release. Yet hardly anyone has had anything to say until now.

Why would any right-thinking person think that whites on this forum have a genuine interest in dealing with race, when as a collective you play hush-hush over something as incendiary as this? What right-thinking person would look at Wayne Furbert as anything other than a puppet leader who is incapable of sorting out a race issue as simple as this? I'm not one to rub my hands in glee. What might have happened in Pembroke West is tragic, as is Wayne Furbert's impotent leadership over it. But the LIB non-reaction to the issue is what leads me to believe that the UBP at large is a complete farce. Race will only be taken fully on when it involves whites regaining power through the UBP. The non-reaction here speaks louder than words.

[Graeme Outerbridge on 10.01.07 at 08:18]

Little unfair on me Voyeur...as I posted a comment three days ago re Jamahl ..on Blogging for the PLP and Limey did not post it...in fairness to Limey it was off topic. I'll post a more indepth comment later. Being active in the NLP when Jamahl departed for the UBP...by placing a story in the Bermuda Sun and then his wife phoning me and asking me to defect to the UBP also.....I think there are a few matters that can be cleared up regarding his experience in the UBP. The simple reason why Wayne Furbert is so cut up about Jamahl as he was instrumental in getting Jamahl to defect to the UBP after the bye election in Smiths South where despite all my hard work for the NLP...I got hammered by Maxwell Burgess. For the record I would NEVER join the UBP.Not then or Now,for personal family reasons and for the very thing I warned Jamahl about when he defected...."they will use you up and spit you out." Were my departing words.You all draw your own conclusions.....Oh there is more comming too for the UBP to deal with.

[Pitts Bay on 10.01.07 at 08:58]

Voyeur

Give people a chance to make comments! Phil only posted this last night, and comment moderation is working.

If what Jamahl says is factual, then this is very sad and should be investigated - that old legal expression "justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done" is so applicable to these sorts of issues. However as Phil pointed out (and as Wayne Furbert stated), it could be sour grapes on his part as well. Whether it was racism or whether those people just did not like him or how he worked remains to be seen - but I am sure the PLP supporters will spin it for every cent (whatever the truth of the matter) - but I guess that is politics.

Given the historical (histerical?!) commentary about Jamahl Simons in past threads by PLP supporters, it would be interesting to see whether they now support him and his views now that it is to the PLP's advantage!.

Pitts Bay

[Minioin on 10.01.07 at 09:00]

Voyeur,
with respect, by the time you put up your notice the posting was in fact about 8 hours old. Just check the time signatures. Give us white guys a couple of hours at least.

My comments do risk censure because my feelings are strong and such feelings are not in line with the atnosphere of rhetorical inuendo and implied voilence that have typified racial discussion by either race in Bermuda. I shall be careful to maintain the light touch, the vieled insult, that enflames no one and gets nothing done, and is respectful of our national practice.

Here we go. I have watched the UBP for decades and I would have to say it probably has nothing to do with race. That there was a cliquish clubish conspiracy to get rid of Jamal, I have no doubt. Memebers of the UBP are not given to policy debate. Rather they form power blocks that work for or against others blocks. They can be any race. Black or white, the UBP serves the personalities it represents at the time. There is a constant struggle to be the guy on top without ruining the whole organization in conflict.

And these battles take up everyone's energy. So policy sort of gets forgotten. Which is why policy statements of the UBP look like cold stew. Which is why charges of racism never get addressed by a unified UBP statement. They aren't unifed. Never really were. Accusations of racism by the PLP are sort of a gift to one faction or another inside the UBP and they'll be damned if they will speak together. It has always been so.

Recently the PLP began to understand this. And so they play that card like mad. I'm sure they find thinks like Dr. Brown's fulmination sort of fascinating. Its the opposite of Karma. What they send around just never go around, it never comes back to hit them. The UBP just sits there and takes it. So the PLP does it again. Hey why not? Wouldn't you? Just for the "gee-whiz" quality of the thing?

[Curious on 10.01.07 at 09:09]

Voyeur that's not entirely the case.

It's fair to form an opinion when we see someone do or say something.

But when someone makes an accusation which is then denied by the other side, it isn't fair to start throwing around opinions.

We shouldn't be posting on hearsay.

It would have been easy for Limey to have a post damming racism or calling Simmons a liar, but instead he waded through the facts, and then presented them as part of a well reasoned and more complicated post.

In this case the only immediately clear call, which Limey made, is the extremely weak (and maybe evan fatal) leadership of the UBP.

We all know that there are racists in Bermuda, but honestly I don't think you'll find them posting here.

We're not a supportive audience for their views.

[VB on 10.01.07 at 09:14]

It is a shame when the only card that can be played is the well worn race card. If Jamahl has some real evidence of racist tactics within the UBP lets see some real proof & deal with it. Calling 'race' everytime somebody does not get their way is getting very tiresome. Schoolyard behavior. Running to the teacher every 5 minutes. "He/she looked at me wrong."

If he did not perform & serve the people, for whatever reason, then the only honorable thing for him to do is to step aside.

Non performance has nothing to do with race. Blacks are no smarter or dumber than whites. If your ideas don't fly with the majority of your colleagues, it is not because you are black or white. The majority don't agree with you. Get over it & grow up.

So where does he go now? Most likely across the floor when parliament reconvenes & then he will disappear & become a lost sheep like another who could not make up his mind what he stood for & stands on the sidelines taking pot shots.

[mysticman on 10.01.07 at 09:31]

Pembroke West, primarily a safe UBP constituency, has a few aged white members who are still living in the past. I know who the ringleader may be, with regard to Jahmal, but my inside contact says, “no names.” It’s too bad that fear of reprisal still plays a big role in Bda politics - both within the UBP and the PLP. To be truthful, I am sick and tired of race related issues. Seems like every issue is race related nowadays! Our beloved country is further away from unity today than it has ever been... and that’s a crying shame!!

[Full Fullish on 10.01.07 at 09:33]

"The non-reaction here speaks louder than words."

Don't assume that inactivity on the blog is anything to do with inactivity or apathy on this in general. There are a number of us, myself included, who are working hard to get to the bottom of this to see if there is any credibility to Jamahl's accusations. This is a serious matter and a knee jerk reaction isn't warranted or needed.

[Raptor on 10.01.07 at 09:39]

Well put, Curious. Limey’s post is well reasoned. The UBP needs a formal inquiry into this situation. What's taken them so long? So far, everything about it seems very poorly handled.

[Raptor on 10.01.07 at 09:48]

Check out www.politics.bm for a long posting on this issue today.

[anarchy on 10.01.07 at 10:04]

Its hard to feel sorry for the poor guy. He tried all three parties, didn't seem to fit in to any of them, and ultimatly did himself damage by jumping all over the place like a jack rabbit from hole to hole. As for being used up and spit out, I guess that is the norm, no matter which side of the fence you are on.....you're only useful until you're useless. Just ask Lew and Julian and Manders, they'll tell you.....as for Gina, watch your back darlin......ah the intrigue of small town politics..... Best thing for him to do is to sell all that he has and move off island and forget were he's from. Maybe Sandy Frith-Brown will give him a job on the sheep farm in New Zealand. British Passports Anyone?

[lickinalong on 10.01.07 at 10:18]

This is the beginning of the end for the UBP.

Many of us thought that the UBP would die a quick death after 1998. Grant Gibbons did a brilliant job of rejuvenating the party. He reached out to black Bermudians, healed some of the rifts and dealt with some of the inevitable nonsense that goes on in politics. If his name was not Gibbons there is a good chance that he would be Premier now.

But it now looks like Grant's work has merely delayed the inevitable. There are a group of white Bermudians in the UBP who clearly do not understand the reality of today's politics in Bermuda that black Bermudians are in charge. The swing voters are middle class black Bermudians and it is this group that the UBP needs to attract. To begin with these voters are highly suspicious of the UBP. Politically the worst thing that the UBP could do would be to oust a sitting black member such as Jamahl. This just confirms the worst suspicions of the black swing voters that little has changed in the UBP. The UBP is now dead in the water. There is little that Wayne Furbert or anyone in the UBP can do.

I am sure that the individuals in Pembroke West who initiated this situation had no idea of the impact. That shows you just how out of touch they are. It is a bit like the 1998 election ad concerning Delaey Robinson that guaranteed the PLP's election. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

It would now be a good time for those who dream of a third political party to dust off their plans and begin organizing.

[ABP on 10.01.07 at 10:25]

Can't say I told you so but............ Must be a huge coincidence that what Jamahl ranted about his time at the UBP is what I actually thought about them in the first place. Ironic also that he was their spokesperson on race (wonder who that's gonna be now or if they will even have one). What a way for the UBP to start the new year off by dealing with this PR disaster. I see some of you want an investigation into the matter and I can understand that. But then again, do you really want Jamahl start calling off names? If he does, truth is, we might be in for a few shockers and this matter would be far from over. When I saw his press meeting on the 7pm news on Monday I saw a man who was full of mixed emotions yes but also one who had something to get off his chest for a long time coming. I was disappointed at Wayne Furbert for his poor attempt to either keep this in house or to step up as the "leader" of the UBP and deal with it accordingly.

[Lost in Flatts on 10.01.07 at 10:28]

Voyeur - Come on man, I posted like 2 waking hours after Limey put the thread up! Take it easy!

I find Pitt Bay's comments interesting, and possibly relevant. If Alex Scott, Dr. Brown and a few of their political allies form a clique and use this to oust someone they don't like from leadership - that of course cannot be racist, as that leader was Jennifer Smith (was it sexist?). However, if a similar size group of white people in that consituency gang up and oust Jamahl Simmons, does that inherently make it racist?

Many people have posted that years of both blatant and instutionalised racism has left black males in particular feeling inferior. By Jamahl claiming this is purely about race, does this tie into that theory? For me it does, and it's worrying. Because he clearly doesn't believe it could have been clashing personalities, or the fact that (i suppose justifiably, however think of this is a job) he had to take a significant amount of time off, or that the little clique just really didn't like him because of who he was, not what he looked like. No it's about race. And by saying that's all it is, no one has learned anything at all. Not the UBP about being tolerant of new ideas, not Jamahl for his possible failings and certainly not young Bermuda reading about it in the paper.

Don't get me wrong, the UBP handled this terribly, and perhaps this will be the nail in the coffin for the 'United' party. What worries me is that there are some very good people in that party, people with unmatched ability and energy that could greatly aid Bermuda. But if they try to get back into politics, whatever new party they start will be labebelled as simply the UBP part deux. It's a no win, and I do start wondering if there's just no room left in Bermudian politics for those of the paler persuasion. Is that racist?

[silencedogood on 10.01.07 at 10:35]

I also am having a bit of trouble sorting out how I think about this. I think anytime you have a disgruntled employee type of situation you have to take accusations with a grain of salt. That said, you also have to take serious accusations such as racism, well, seriously.

Bottom line, I think the UBP needs to investigate even if it believes the allegations to be baseless and release the results to the public. If these are baseless charges then they need to firmly say so and explain why. If nothing else, it will silence their critics. Not investigating gives critics ammo and implies, at best, laziness on the part of the party and an unwillingness to do their homework, and, at worst, that they have something to hide.

WF did only a passable job on the news last night pointing out some of the inconsistencies of the allegations (i.e. both candidates are black) but he also included emails relating only to his hurt feelings which I think only he and Ms. Furbert care about. Sorry. If untrue, he needed to have had the facts prepared so he could logically take Jamahl apart. The fact he didn’t doesn’t prove Jamahl’s story but does show that WF may not be much of a debater. Maybe he should chime in here from time to time? I think they wasted an opportunity to get out in front of this story last night.

Most troubling are some of the logical inconsistencies of Jamahl’s story:

1) It sounds from media reports as though the premise for Jamahl’s belief that racism is involved is that a) people were trying to oust him, and b) he’s a black man and that race was not overtly cited by anyone. So the real question is can either of these things independently signal a problem?

a. Politicians get ousted all the time however. Look at the PLP where there is not a single white person in leadership yet it has had two high profile oustings in recent times. Ousting a lower ranking member would probably be more frequent than ousting a leader too. So ouster alone can’t prove anything.

b. Second, yes, Jamahl is black. But so is the person slated to replace him. I’m not much for math, but doesn’t having the same constant on both sides of the equation cancel itself out? Whether the supporters of this other guy are better friends seems pretty irrelevant when you are talking about replacing one black male with another. In fact, the fact they are friends with this guy goes along way to proving they aren’t racist doesn’t it? Doesn’t the fact they want a black male in the leadership over any potential white candidates disprove this?

2) Jamahl paints the entire party as racist but later seems to take it back by blaming a vocal minority. Which is it?

3) The ouster is alleged to relate to Jamahls unwillingness to canvass his area. I have no clue as to whether this is valid, nor does anyone else outside that party I imagine. This is where the UBP or Jamahl needs to step up and show that either he was or wasn’t doing his job. I’m talking specifics. There should be a clear record one way or the other. If he was, it gives his argument of racism more credibility. If not, it kicks another leg out from under that argument and makes it look more like sour grapes. You would think one of the two groups involved would have brought out the facts here.

4) Jamahl admits that Grand Gibbons came to his defense in the past but that WF has not. There are a lot of nuggets here:

a. If the UBP was racist then why would Grant Gibbons ever defend him for anything?

b. Why would Wayne Furbert, also a black man, also very interested in being elected by a majority black population, not defend Jamahl if racism was involved in his attempted ouster? If being black would not motivate WF to do so on its own, wouldn’t self interest?

c. Were allegations of poor work ethic unsubstantiated in the first instance but by the time Furbert took over evidence had accrued?

5) Jamahl claims or implies that accusations of poor work ethic were leveled against him because he’s black

a. Have they been leveled at other black leaders in the party? Why or why not?

b. Does his record back him up? How does it compare to other leaders in the party?

c. Have these accusations been leveled at any white leaders in the party? Why or why not?

I could go on, but I digress. Sadly, the Kens and Voyuers as well as some on the other side of the fence will never actually sit down to think about these questions. They are automatically true or untrue.

I must admit that after thinking about this I am skeptical of these accusations, partly due to the logical inconsistencies, partly because there is incentive for Jamahl to use the race card (Think PLP Senator in the next term) and incentive for the UBP to avoid any hint of racial preferences, and partly based on personal experience with many people too eager to throw in the race card to trump an honest debate.

Still, without a proper investigation its impossible to say which does damage to everyone. Find the facts and let the chips fall.

If I were Gina Spence Farmer, Jon Brunson, Maxwell Burgess, Kim Swan, Wayne Scott, Tillman Darrell, how would I feel about these accusations.
Posted by ken on 09.01.07 at 23:33

Ken, it struck me when I noticed your list of black UBP leaders how long it was. Maybe you didn’t think of it, but these high profile supporters make up a significant proportion of the party’s leadership. Maybe you didn’t include others such as Pat Gordon-Pamplin because you got a handcramp from typing such a long list? If you calculate the % in leadership, not to mention the party leader, who are black it seems a pretty integrated bunch. Certainly more so than the other party.

Why automatically assume racism here but not there? And please don’t tell me there have never been allegations of racism in the PLP.

Voyuer,

What are you complaining about? This has only been up since after work yesterday. I check first thing in the morning and I’m sure I’m not alone. Surprise, surprise—I’m posting now. Stop being such a baby and post an opinion already. Sheesh.

[loki on 10.01.07 at 11:03]

I think the best analysis of this situation is that of Christian Dunleavy over at politics.bm.

[Marly on 10.01.07 at 11:58]

Boy!, things are really beginning to heat up in the politcal world. It is very unfortunate what has happened to Jamahl Simmons. This situation in my opinion confirms what has been known by some, and speculated by others to be true.

This also highlights the weakness in the UBP leader Wayne Furbert to deal with it. I also agree that this should be investigated, the perpertrators named and expelled.

It must have taken a lot of courage and guts for Jamahl to say what he said, knowing that his creditablity and character would be put on the line, opening himself up to a lot of backlash.

Yes, it could be said that there is some semblance of sour grapes in his accusations, but i wouldn't dimiss his allegations, epecially after reading in today's Bermuda Sun that David Dunkley, a black UBP member for 28 years has also resigned from the UPB for similar reasons.

I also take what Graeme Outerbridge has to say in the above post, coming from someone who is white to be true. His warning to Jamahl has come to pass.

What doesn't look good for Jamahl is that he has been a member of every politcal party, and is seen as someone who can't make up his mind what he wants. He left the PLP saying it was not diverse enough, he was persuaded to defect from the NLP to the UPB. As a result he is seen not to be trusted.
In my opinion, I believe the constituents didn't want him because he is too outspoken and forthright and not afraid to challenge issues he's against.
He hasn't ruled out crossing the floor when asked, it will be very interesting to see how this situtation pans out.

I found it kind of strange that the Hon. Wayne Furbert was all alone at his press conference, where was Michael Dunkley, Grant Gibbons? considering they had a lot to say after the Premier's racist dog comment.

I'm wating to hear from the other blacks in the UPB their views, would they be bold enough to confirm these allegations if they know it to be true. That being said, this may very well be the final nail in the UPB's coffin, as the saying goes : "The chickens have finally come home to roost for the UBP.

This is just the beginning, "Pandora's Box" is about to be exposed.

[Phil on 10.01.07 at 12:54]

Today's press reports have raised a couple more questions.

First, why is Mr. Simmons now saying that Mr. Furbert "can't muster the testicular fortitude to confront the racism in his own party" when only a month ago he wrote, "Wayne we are cool and I definitely believe you support me"? There seems to be a contradiction here and if Mr. Simmons wants his claims to be taken seriously he must explain it.

Second, why is Mr. Simmons quoted in today's Bermuda Sun as saying that he has been told the UBP plans to kick him out of the party when he told me yesterday that he had already resigned from the party and was now sitting as an independent? Is he still a member of the UBP or isn't he?

If he is, I think his comments have made his position untenable (why would he still want to be associated with a party that he believes is racist?) and he should resign before the UBP have to expel him.

[Tiggy on 10.01.07 at 12:57]

From what I have read publicly in the papers and heard on the news, the reason Mr. Simmons was being encouraged to leave was because he was not performing his constituency duties. He even admitted instances in the newspaper (after the hurricane etc). Regardless of the reasons, to me it comes down to someone not doing their job and has nothing to do with race. It's just unfortunate in today's racial climate, that it reached this point.

[Graeme Outerbridge on 10.01.07 at 13:16]

Tiggy you know that the UBP love to interior decorate with Colour.If the branches would just pick the best candidate for each constituency they would not be in the place they find themselves now. If this was done in a honest manner at each branch without the central committee directing selection the UBP would be in clear sailing. The UBP have selected people on race rather than merit for too long....It is a bitter Harvest.

[thisgrassman on 10.01.07 at 13:29]

didn't anybody expalin to Mr. Simmons that rich white folk are high maintenance?

[ken on 10.01.07 at 13:50]

There is definitely going to be a lot of 'to and fro-ing' on Jamahl's comments. What is true and what isn't? What is racist and what isn't? How can it be racist if both candidates were black? I can tell you that the fact that this persecution as Jamahl calls it was orchestrated by a white faction of the branch brings race into the picture. The fact that Mr. Adderley is black doesn't take race out of the picture necessarily. Mr. Adderley is seen to be more likely to acquiesce or give in to the status quo in the party...hence maybe the white members felt that if he was their representative, then their interests would be given more priority, whereas maybe with Jamahl they felt that he wasn't as easily influenced by their input.
I am not going to defend Jamahl's comments. But I do give them some credence. And the fact that David Dunkley is speaking the same if not similar things adds more support. Does it take all the black members to come forward one by one before it can be accepted as even a possibility of truth. I feel that Wayne Furbert is struggling to deal with this, yet on the news he was standing there solo, trying to recite every cliche he knows, but not really saying anything. This should have been the time for the other black members to join him to decry Jamahl's comments, unless maybe there is some merit to them.
I will be the first to admit that Jamahl has done himself no favors in his switching allegiances every so often, and has probably ruined himself politically, and very possibly professionally. But I don't take glee in it because as a black man, I see another black man who thought he would be included and accepted and fast tracked to the top, and he was deluded.

Silencedogood,
In response to your post, yes Mrs Gordon Pamplin's name was left out accidentally. it was not intentional. But I question your characterization of the names I gave as leaders. They are either candidates or proposed/adopted candidates, not leaders per se. And integration is a lot more than giving a spot to a black person. It is valuing their contribution, assisting in their development, giving them the tools for success, rather than allowing them to sink or swim, and then saying they caused their own fate. Regarding your comment that the UBP is more integrated than the PLP, yes that is true. But the PLP has NEVER denied white or portuguese or any other bermudians the right to membership. It is a known fact, not just politically, that whites and portuguese do not historically join ANYTHING that is predominantly black, be it community clubs, schools, churches, etc.

You also made a comment that I wouldnt sit down to think about your questions. ANd I dont have time right now to go through them one by one. But contrary to your beliefs I do not think the PLP is this deity-like organization that can do no wrong, nor do I believe the UBP has been the ruination of Bermuda. I try to give credit where credit is due. I am a PLP supporter and I make no apologies for that. Their ideologies are what I am aligned with, and I do not believe the UBP are a viable alternative. I believe that the core base of the UBP have exhibited inherently racist practices over the years, and I dont believe these beliefs just faded away as of November 10, 1998. I can accept that IB was courted to Bermuda during the UBP's reign, and our infrastructure was developed under their reign, but I also give credit to the PLP Opposition for holding the then UBP Govt to task and ensuring things were done. While I can give the UBP credit, I can also hold them to task for the ruination of the education system, and systematic decline of tourism and a large portion of the social ills that were never addressed during the 80s and 90s that we are dealing with the ramifications of.
All in all, what we are witnessing seems to be the total destruction of the UBP. It is sad though, because every government needs an effective opposition. And the UBP is proving absolutely ineffective.

[Marly on 10.01.07 at 13:58]

Limey writes:
"Second, why is Mr. Simmons quoted in today's Bermuda Sun as saying that he has been told the UBP plans to kick him out of the party when he told me yesterday that he had already resigned from the party and was now sitting as an independent? Is he still a member of the UBP or isn't he?"

Maybe he resigned after his statement to the newspaper, since the Bermuda Sun is printed on Wednesday, he could have made the comment on Monday or yesterday. However i haven't heard any "official resignation" in the medida unless it is still forthcoming.
I personally can't see him sticking around until the end of his term after what has been said, anyway he did the right thing.

I've also just read Christian Dunleavy's post on politics.bm a very interesting read

[Lost in Flatts on 10.01.07 at 14:05]

Graeme,
"Tiggy you know that the UBP love to interior decorate with Colour.If the branches would just pick the best candidate for each constituency they would not be in the place they find themselves now."

Cleverly, the PLP have eliminated that worry ;)

And I do completely agree with you - the UBP have only themselves to blame for all of this.

[Graeme Outerbridge on 10.01.07 at 14:05]

Thisgrassman my cat is exhibiting the same behaviour.....What should I do? Even fresh milk from the cow will not do. Maybe his momma is from Point Shares ^..^

[ken on 10.01.07 at 14:33]

The non-reaction here speaks louder than words."

Don't assume that inactivity on the blog is anything to do with inactivity or apathy on this in general. There are a number of us, myself included, who are working hard to get to the bottom of this to see if there is any credibility to Jamahl's accusations. This is a serious matter and a knee jerk reaction isn't warranted or needed.

Posted by Full Fullish on 10.01.07 at 09:33

Full fullish,
While this might be true, I think it is also true that threads and posts have been made to this site that ridicule and criticize the PLP before the due diligence has been done. It was very interesting that the news broke on this on friday and it took until late tuesday for any real mention of it. Not even a breaking news bulletin saying that Jamahl had in fact made an announcement. It seemed that everyone on here was avoiding dealing with the issue.

[loki on 10.01.07 at 14:39]

Ken,

For the very reason you state, you are correct that the mere fact that Erwin Adderley is black doesn't necessarily mean that there could not have been racist motivations by white party members. However, Jamahl has yet to say anything to give credence to his allegations. Really, he's said nothing substantive on the topic. The content of his emails to Wayne Furbert over the past month certainly do him no favours in the credibility stakes, either. I would me more inclined to believe that racist white party members would prefer Erwin Adderley over Jamahl if Jamahl had some kind of reputation as a pro black-empowerment firebrand, ready to stick it to the white establishment, but he has no such reputation. Indeed, the fact that he has moved between all three political parties over the last eight years suggests a political opportunist, more likely to acquiesce to his party. I would read Christian's insightful analysis of the situation and, in particular, what he has to say regarding his own interactions with the party members in Jamahl's constituency.

[Michael Taylor on 10.01.07 at 14:48]

Ken,

Your post along with Christian Dunleavy's piece are among the most spot-on I have read on this subject. Why ruin it with the following statement, "It is a known fact, not just politically, that whites and portuguese do not historically join ANYTHING that is predominantly black, be it community clubs, schools, churches, etc."

I think many of us understand what you mean when you say that, but what actually comes across is that all whites and Portuguese behave in the same way. People from all races generally take offence to suggestions that they all fit nicely into stereotypes no matter how fitting that stereotype might be.

[silencedogood on 10.01.07 at 14:52]

Ken,
I’m not being a smart-ass here, but can white people do anything without you assuming racism? Seriously.

You are saying that because a group of constituents preferred a black man they perceived as more in tune with their views and interests (i.e. a more representative, representative) and they happen to be white that it’s racism? Are white people not allowed to participate in a democratic selection? Clearly according to you if they vote for a white person its because of race. And if they vote for a black person it's also race. Huh?

You are saying that your listing of black UBP members are high profile enough to be shamed by that membership but not qualified to be considered its leaders despite the fact that many are MP’s or hold other high positions in the party, including party leader?

What do you base your assertion that the UBP doesn’t value its black members on? Clearly they are valued enough to be put in positions. Do you think they can’t then use those positions? What does the PLP do to value and nurture their few white members that the UBP doesn't?

Your willingness to condemn prior to the facts being aired and to assume the worst of one group and the best of another is why I don’t think you will consider those questions.

You’ve already made up your mind that race is a factor. You’ve already made up your mind that the party doesn’t value the people of colour in its ranks. You’ve already made up your mind that any people of colour in the UBP are either unfailingly weak, afraid, or consumed by self interest regarding the supposed goodies the opposition may be able to bestow on them.

With these assumptions no one will ever be able to convince you to accept another viewpoint.

[SmokingGun on 10.01.07 at 15:51]

I'm going to be a lazy Bermudian on this one and just say I'm with Christian Dunleavey and silencedogood on this. They pretty much sum up what I feel about the whole thing.

However I will stress one thing. God forbid anyone should have to go through the stresses and issues that Jamahl had to endure in his personal life. Family comes first and the serious illness of a child goes doubly. Therefore I will say it would have been prudent, infact expected, of him to curtail his political ambitions whilst dealing with such things. Had he shown up on my doorstep campaigning and I had known his kid was up in Children's Hospital, Boston I'd have told him to take a hike - straight to the airport.

In my book he should have taken a leave of absense a long time ago for personal reasons or the party should have demanded it. Kids come first.

OK - now onto some flak attacks on the Glee Club:

"I'm not one to rub my hands in glee." - Voyeur

Good - because with your hands down and seeing as you still have the blinders on I guess you never saw the round house coming from silencedogood. ;-)

"But I don't take glee in it because as a black man, I see another black man who thought he would be included and accepted and fast tracked to the top, and he was deluded." - ken

It's official: White men suck. Black men suck harder. ;-)

[Marly on 10.01.07 at 17:39]

Great post Ken, it is unfortunate that UPB is too ineffective to challenge the PLP. I suppose if the PLP really wants to take advantage of the situation they should call the election very soon.
Graeme you are making a lot sense, keep talking.

[J Starling on 10.01.07 at 18:07]

Silencedogood, I hope you don’t mind if I try my hand at answering your questions. However, I am condensing them into what I see to be the core issues in question.

How can Jahmal’s ousting be called racist if his ‘replacement’ is also Black?

Adderly is essentially viewed as ‘not black’ not in the racial sense of greater melanin as opposed to a ‘White’ but in a social-mental conception. That he ‘socialises’ with the ‘whites’ in question portrays him as ‘one of them’ that is, ‘White.’ There will be many here who will question how legitimate the acceptance of Adderly by these Whites is, and how much it is merely a token, a ‘more White than Black, but still not as good as a White, but better than that other guy who is to Black.’ In other words, people will question how much he is being used by the Whites, and whether he too will be ‘spit out’ like Jahmal should he no longer become palatable to their interests.

How can the entire UBP be called racist if, by Jahmal’s own admission, his ousting and the racists were only a vocal minority?

Should the UBP as a Party have been aware of these accusations, or of the facts of the situation, and failed to either act or acted half-heartedly, then the UBP as a Party is complicit in the racism of the vocal minority. The charge is that because the UBP failed to actively take on this vocal minority and question its power, the Party has at best shown its impotence and at worst shown it is complicit with the ‘vocal minority.’

That WF is Black doesn’t matter. There are those who will question whether he himself is simply a token, a front, a puppet, to the interests of this ‘vocal minority’ and is as easily replaced with a more accommodating person should he act against this minority. Grant Gibbons apparently did move against them, and quite frankly, if the allegations are true, would have had more success in opposing them being White. But we all know that he was deposed in an internal coup. Where the ‘vocal minority’ involved here, did he upset them?

I believe I said on a different thread that I thought Jahmal was one of the best individuals in the UBP, and that I thought he would have been a better leader for that Party than WF. I still stand by that statement, and I am saddened if this truly is his departure from Bermudian politics. I will say however that his tendency to hop from one Party to another has done him no favours, and barring the total self-destruction of the UBP and the creation of a new one a la Khalid Wasi’s idea with him involved, I can’t really see him succeeding, except perhaps as an Independent.

I’ve got to say, this whole case has shown the complete impotency of WF. I think the UBP shot itself in the foot deposing Gibbons, playing into the hands of the PLP in doing so (bringing credence to the idea of the UBP using token Blacks as a front for purely opportunistic reasons). Similarly, the accusations of Jahmal only reinforce this perception. There are many good people on the UBP side who I think are genuine and have a lot to contribute to our peoples’ future. I personally would include John Barritt, Grant Gibbons, Trevor Moniz, David Dodwell and Jahmal (if it still counts to say that) in this group. As much as I am happy to see the UBP disintegrate, I will say that as long as we are shackled to this colonial Westminster parliamentary system, it is always dangerous to not have an effective opposition. No Party, no Cabinet, no Leadership is infallible, and without a credible opposition (of constructive criticism), even within ones Party, one risks making serious mistakes and us all suffering as a result. I do think that even if the UBP is not a totally spent force today, the time is not far away that it will be consigned to the dustbin of Bermudian history. If it recovers, it will take a very long time to do so, or a so far unforeseeable stunning change of political fortune, for it to be a credible force in Bermudian politics for the conceivable future.

[Michael Fahy on 10.01.07 at 19:03]

I have thought about the surprise announcement of Jamahal Simmons (¨JS¨) that he would not stand for the United Bermuda Party at the next election and have come to the conclusion that his decision to resign is the wrong decision. I say this since although there may be some branch members of the United Bermuda Party that may have some less than desirable views on race (which no doubt goes for some members of the PLP) this is merely a representation of the wider community. The only way to make a difference and to change the views of those people who hold such backward ideas is to lead by example and demonstrate to those people that such views belong in the past(or 1835 as JS chose to put it). True leaders do not just quit at the first sign of a fight they demonsrate that they are above the fray and lead, not bow out. JS must name and shame those who have allegedly threatened his friends so that they can be dealt with appropriately. JS´s failure to do so casts doubt on his rant and adds to the label of a carpet bagger that some have chosen to use.

As for those people who say this is the death knell for the United Bermuda Party I disagree. What it should be is a wake up call to those members that hold backward views to move aside and allow those with testicular fortitude to lead. The caucus members may not always agree, neither do Cabinet members. However the caucus members do believe in one important goal and that is a United Bermuda, free of unethical practices in government, reasonably priced housing and effective education of our young people - that is the message that needs to be remembered, not nonsense from one disenchanted individual who uses the oldest excuse in the book regarding race when challenged, however inappropriate that challenge may be. I note that JS did not accuse the caucus members of racism and is short on detail of his experiences, which is also important to remember.

Finally, JS has lots to offer the country, but to say that his ideas were not listened to is a falsehood. The United Bermuda Party has put out a platform on many issues to date which was not the work of one person - it was a collective effort, some of which JS may have agreed with and some that he may not agree with - that is politics. Politics is about being part of a team, and is bigger than one man. The United Bermuda Party will continue to put across its message and I hope root out those who try to scupper its success.

[on the fence on 10.01.07 at 19:52]

Could anyone tell me Jahmal's record of attendance in the House?

[ken on 10.01.07 at 20:22]

Michael Taylor,

Thanks and I understand what you are saying. I was just trying to make the point to silencedogood that to blame the PLP for their party not being integrated is not entirely fair. They have had white members but of course their membership is not plentiful of black or portuguese. Of course all dont think the exact way, but in most cases i think it is true.

[loki on 10.01.07 at 20:45]

"It was very interesting that the news broke on this on friday and it took until late tuesday for any real mention of it."

To be fair, Ken, until Jamahl called his press conference on Monday, it wasn't much of a story, frankly, Up until that point, I simply thought that Jamahl had decided not to run in the next election because he realized that he didn't have support in his constituency and wanted to avoid the embarrassment of being rejected. After Monday, everything changed. Now, my personal view is that Jamahl is clutching at straws, trying to justify his rejection in the constituency as part of some white, racist conspiracy, but if Jamahl actually wants to produce something, anything that justifies his serious allegations, I'd like to review that view. I think he was truly embarrassed and shocked by Wayne Furbert's release of the emails that Jamahl had sent to him in recent weeks and, frankly, I'd like to know how Jamahl can reconcile those emails with his recent allegations. For the avoidance of doubt, I think Jamahl's comments with regard to the release of those emails into the public domain are pretty pathetic. Is he so naive to think that he can crucify Wayne Furbert in the press and expect to Wayne to withold information that demonstrates that Jamahl's talking a load of cobblers?

[RB on 10.01.07 at 21:05]

One only has to look at Jamahl Simmons' track record to see a consistant pattern of aproblematic past. He has been in all the political partys with each episode ending in tears. He recently was in the paper about being unemployed as well.

Although he is extremely articulate and a good debator he is still very young and immature in politics. The complaint is he did not service his constituants, the voters have a right to choose who represents them. For someone to make certain representations to obtain office and then not live up to their side of the bargain is asking for trouble.

The people of West Pembroke have spoken, and now Jamal has thrown a tantrum. I think the electorate will see it for what it is.

[SmokingGun on 10.01.07 at 21:31]

Regarding people thinking Wayne Furbert as being too much of a softy - maybe he is a touch. But as to being too much of a nice guy I've got absolutely no problem with that at all. He's one character who recognises that Bermuda is such a small place that we've got to go the extra mile to be inclusive. We've got way too many assasins out there just chomping at the bit to attack others and take care of themselves. The BS factor is getting way too high.

As far as I'm concerned we should all just call a spade a spade. Bermuda has a variety of racial issues and both members of the PLP and the UBP are too blame for allowing them to fester. No one gets off that one. But there's one thing in the UBP's favour - at least when you look around the room it looks a heck lot more inclusive and representative of "all" Bermuda.

[Graeme Outerbridge on 10.01.07 at 21:51]

The Time has come for the Rebel Crusader to put this political story into perspective.First all the answers are in yourself.This being the case Jamahl really knows all the answers to his doubts and questions reside there,regardless of the actions of others.Jamahl and his wife Sherry both worked extremely hard in the long ago by election in Smiths South.The UBP ran Maxwell Burgess who afterlosing in the general election in Hamilton West.He jumped over to Smiths South after Jim Woolridge decided to call it a day. The PLP ran Burch and there was high hopes in the PLP to win a UBP safe seat.The UBP were still in a shambles from losing the election and they saw the little election in Smiths, as vital to their near term political future.The NLP ran a good campaign and in the back ground the UBP were feeling our party out about joining forces. Jamahl was given permission by the NLP executive to talk to the UBP.Meanwhile the election neared the finish line and the UBP really played the fear card to the Smiths South conservative electorate. The electorate retreated back to the safe cover of the UBP. The dyke had held and all that the NLP had done is pull PLP and Independent voters to a our lowest vote tally in Smiths South.We had infact split the vote up to help the UBP. It was not an election for idealist to win. I think shortly after this the sway had started to convince Jamahl that the quickest way to the house was to join the UBP. He had just seen a strong NLP effort get swept to the margins. Staying with the NLP would mean alot of hard work without much support.He made the decision to jump.It was another body blow for a small party to absorb. The details beyond his choice is not important.However I knew that Jamahl would always be seen as an outsider in the UBP after jumping ship from not only the PLP but now the NLP too.The UBP had gained what they so badly wanted another young Black face....I knew his initial advancement would be progressed over other long standing UBP members. Grant was being a Realist....for the UBP rather than grooming grassroot talent from existing areas,political expediency was as usual out pacing principle. Central Committee wanted the right look over the right content. Jamahl was there to be used and it did not take long for things to unravel.We do not have a mature political process where the best idea wins.Instead we have personalities talking and not even doing their basic job of seeing their 1000 voters once a year. They are payed a good wage but really,When was the last time you saw your MP at your house? Where are the Enduring values of the UBP. I guess the UBP party is still in the hall of mirrors at Versailles.It is fast becoming a party of illusions,and dancing shadows of the past.Jamahl is just another version of the Julian Hall story for the UBP.The complete mess that has unfolded around Jamahl has a suffocating impact on the UBP and the Bermudian political process...in short it takes a little bit of our National hope away for our future.

[Uncle Elvis on 10.01.07 at 22:13]

I just want to get this straight.

Are we officially calling Mr. Adderly an Uncle Tom and House Negro, or will we keep on using euphemisms?

[Minioin on 11.01.07 at 07:32]

This tizzy over a nonentity shows clearly one thing: The UBP has never been able to respond effectively to charges of racism. Call it fear, call it what a lot of black people call it - a guilty conscience, call it hubris, call it what I call it - infighting and disrespect for any policy discussion. Call it what you like - the founding question of political debate in Bermuda "Are you are racist?" is one the UBP does not effectively answer. Of course the PLP does not answer the question either but Bermudian political success is based on being the one asking that question not the one answering that question.

By the way, the answer is (no matter what color you daddy was) "yes I of course I am a bit racist. I'm Bermudian and its in my blood. If you have a problem with that, I advise you to wake the (*&^ up."

Thats the answer to the question. One day someone is going to say it and get elected because of it. Politicians will then all proceed to piously exclaim it. And people who don't say it will be called something nasty. I don't know what but we'll think of something.

[Pitts Bay on 11.01.07 at 09:16]

Minioin

I think you are right. That is the correct answer. Everybody has certain a certain bias, and some of that bias will be based upon race - the big question is the extent of that bias. Do we call any bias based upon race racism, or does it have to reach a certain level before it becomes racism?

From a technical point of view, any bias based upon race is racism. However, being called a racist has such a stigma attached to it (particularly for white people) that I think most people would be loath to admit that they are racist, albeit just a tiny bit.

However, I think that you are right that once it has been admitted by a couple of high profile politicians, then it will become de rigour for all politicians to say it - sort of like "my name is Joe. I am running for politcal office and I am a racist, althought not very much of one". At that point the label will lose some of its stigma, but the behaviour of people (of all races) who are more extreme can then possibly be addressed (one hopes!).

Or maybe we will come up with a new word that we can throw around that will make people walk on eggshells!

Pitts Bay

[silencedogood on 11.01.07 at 09:56]

It was very interesting that the news broke on this on friday and it took until late tuesday for any real mention of it. Not even a breaking news bulletin saying that Jamahl had in fact made an announcement. It seemed that everyone on here was avoiding dealing with the issue.
Posted by ken on 10.01.07 at 14:33

For God’s sake Ken. It’s not a conspiracy by us white folk. I didn’t see hide nor hare of this issue beyond knowing that Jamahl was resigning (which includes his allegations of racism) until mid-week when they were in the papers. Limey had this post up within a day or two. If only government worked this fast! The way you guys complain you’d think that you were first in line dealing out kicks to the collective government rump when it came to the delays and cost overruns at Berkeley. Maybe we are all slow on the uptake, but it’s not as though we aren’t discussing the issue or are only doing it because you forced us! Get over the delay and let’s discuss it already. Even my wife is easier to please than you. (aside to wife: kidding honey);)

Jonathan,

Thanks for the thoughtful response. I don’t entirely agree, but you have raised some good points. Let me respond in kind.

Adderly is essentially viewed as ‘not black’ not in the racial sense of greater melanin as opposed to a ‘White’ but in a social-mental conception. That he ‘socialises’ with the ‘whites’ in question portrays him as ‘one of them’ that is, ‘White.’ There will be many here who will question how legitimate the acceptance of Adderly by these Whites is, and how much it is merely a token, a ‘more White than Black, but still not as good as a White, but better than that other guy who is to Black.’ In other words, people will question how much he is being used by the Whites, and whether he too will be ‘spit out’ like Jahmal should he no longer become palatable to their interests.

I agree that some people think in these terms (particularly in the PLP), but certainly not all. Also, if you associate with white people you aren't black? That's pretty warped thinking my friend.

I believe when you start to limit people of one race, gender, ethnicity, etc. to a particular viewpoint it is dangerous and wrong. Is that not stereotyping and a form of racism to say a black person can’t have a different viewpoint? I’ve raised this concern many times in the past. Personally, I don’t believe that we can achieve true equality until a person’s views don’t automatically associate him or her with a colour. As it stands now, I’m probably half Asian-half Portuguese under this method of categorization.  P.S. Thank you Elvis!

Should the UBP as a Party have been aware of these accusations, or of the facts of the situation, and failed to either act or acted half-heartedly, then the UBP as a Party is complicit in the racism of the vocal minority.

True, but you have to be careful not to assume this. It far from confirmed. I haven’t read the emails released and am not aware if they are available online, but it is confirmed by Jamahl that GG responded to attempts to oust him. So that’s one instance where they responded which weakens that argument.

Next you have to read those emails to see if WF was trying to respond within the best of his ability. If he’s a weak leader as you argue, then logically he might have a weaker response.

This is where more facts need to come in.

That WF is Black doesn’t matter. There are those who will question whether he himself is simply a token, a front, a puppet, to the interests of this ‘vocal minority’ and is as easily replaced with a more accommodating person should he act against this minority. Grant Gibbons apparently did move against them, and quite frankly, if the allegations are true, would have had more success in opposing them being White.

Well, you are correct in summarizing that often repeated argument. Of course you are still assuming any black member of the UBP is an Uncle Tom rather than simply a person with a different view. That’s a pretty offensive assumption no?

I do agree that the UBP opened itself up to that criticism, but can’t entirely agree this is an accurate portrayal of events, and you have to keep in mind that the PLP is going to spin any UBP move however they can to win the elections.

I’m not privy to their decision-making, but given what I know of GG (i.e. very smart, but lacking charisma) it’s not unthinkable that a party would want to elect a leader with more charisma.

Dr. Brown wasn’t the Premiere yet, but certainly everyone knew it was his ambition. We also can all admit that, love or loathe him, Dr. Brown is a very charismatic guy.

Saying the UBP only uses Uncle Toms over and over doesn’t make it true. Until I see or hear something different I’ll assume the best, i.e. that the change was done to put more charisma in the office. Personally I’d prefer Michael Dunkley as leader—he fights.

But we all know that he was deposed in an internal coup. Where the ‘vocal minority’ involved here, did he upset them?

Again, see the above. It’s a possibility, but can’t be assumed. I think it’s a particularly unviable possibility given that a minority might be able to control a district but, as a minority, its influence will be limited in the overall party structure. This is also impossibly vague—what did he do to upset them?

Do you have anything to back up this other than general dislike or distrust of your opposing party?

I will say however that his tendency to hop from one Party to another has done him no favours, and barring the total self-destruction of the UBP and the creation of a new one a la Khalid Wasi’s idea with him involved, I can’t really see him succeeding, except perhaps as an Independent.

Couldn’t agree more. Nobody wants a representative who lacks influence with the dominant party, whoever that may be.

I’ve got to say, this whole case has shown the complete impotency of WF.

Maybe, maybe not. I’d say WF could have done much better initially, but this story ain’t over yet so the jury should still be out.

Plus, look at it in context and compare it to similar PR crises the PLP has faced. Wayne actually looks pretty good then. Perhaps Jamahl is a terrorist? Perhaps there is an Oscar Wilde quote which applies? Perhaps he’s just deceiving us for a purpose? ;)

Similarly, the accusations of Jahmal only reinforce this perception.

Can’t argue with that.

As much as I am happy to see the UBP disintegrate, I will say that as long as we are shackled to this colonial Westminster parliamentary system, it is always dangerous to not have an effective opposition. No Party, no Cabinet, no Leadership is infallible, and without a credible opposition (of constructive criticism), even within ones Party, one risks making serious mistakes and us all suffering as a result.

Your feelings about the UBP aside, I agree strongly with your indictment of the Westminster system. I think it’s difficult for the people make their will clear to the government without the ability to vote in a divided government. Otherwise you can be faced with the impossible choice of having an excellent representative in your parish, but strongly disagreeing with the overall decisions of their party. Of course that’s another topic and I’m sure the look of our respective reformations would be quite different. ;)

[Casual Observer on 11.01.07 at 10:51]

Hmmmm... I find it curious that for whatever reason black members of the UBP have not come out and decried Mr. Simmons allegations as 'nonsense'. Could it be that they are under orders not to speak on the issue, or could it be that there is in fact some merit to what he is saying...? Things that make you go hmmm...

The way that the UBP have handled this situation thus far is pretty deplorable. Their inability to effectively handle this apparent crisis within their own camp makes them an even less formidable Opposition than previously thought. Weak, weak, and weak. Not Government material by a long shot.

[Canuck In Bermuda on 11.01.07 at 11:01]

"I think he was truly embarrassed and shocked by Wayne Furbert's release of the emails that Jamahl had sent to him in recent weeks and, frankly, I'd like to know how Jamahl can reconcile those emails with his recent allegations."

Loki, I don't think you'll get that chance. That is not a comment on Mr Simmons, it's just the way things work in politics around here. I mean, there are threads on this site where people manage to almost totally contradict themselves yet still get away with "I never said that" when the evidence is a mere scroll-up or search away! At the same time, this island also has one of the longest (yet the details get a bit fuzzy sometimes) memory on the planet! Witness the RG a couple days ago that contained a letter from Sayeed Ramadan who asserts he is not a racist but then finishes his letter with "Mr. Vesey talking about gaining trust. Given your history for the last 400 years it is we who should be watching you to see whether or not you deserve our trust." Now, I do not know Mr. Vesey, but I'm reasonably certain that the man is in fact NOT Methuselah II!

As far as I can tell things work something like this:

PLP - Excellent long term memory, prone to spin. Short term memory gets a little shakier, they immediately forget about any internal inconsistencies, but do a decent job picking up or spinning external ones. They are a political party and they're playing the game, and like it or not they're doing a good job of it. Which leads us to...

UBP - Poor long term memory but it's easy to understand why, nothing shocking here. Short term memory, also dismal. So many missed opportunities to actually be an effective opposition it's kind of stunning. Whether it's because the party structure isn't set up to allow that kind of rapid response, or they're afraid of being called racist and so use their "moves" sparingly, or they just feel there's no point (or something else) I don't know. Which leads us to...

The Public - Excellent long term memory, some of it's true, some of it's false. Short term memory lacking, likely factors include being too busy, too lazy, or just not really caring. There are of course exceptions, but most people don't seem to want to bother with political details day after day. In this respect, the Bermudian electorate pretty much exactly mirrors that of any other mature western democracy. The problem is that here, the population of "exceptions" is too small to make truly effective watchdog.

So all this leads us back to Mr Simmons. I would expect the PLP to use this incident as ammunition at some point, it's just too good to pass up. I expect the UBP to kind of mumble a few things about getting along and being inclusive, but never really get to the bottom of this because they either a) lack the teeth to attack Mr Simmons if he's wrong or attack within the party if he's right (which if done right could actually gain them an enormous amount of that swing vote) or b) are so far into damage control mode they're afraid anything they do will just make things worse.
I expect the public to continue to talk about this for a bit longer, but it will fade away just like many previous issues because the average person doesn't have the time or inclination to play politics all day every day.

[ken on 11.01.07 at 11:40]

Silencedoogood,

I am not saying that everything in Jamahl's accusations are true. But I am not saying that they arent either. I am saying that I do believe there is some truth in it...whether it is exagggerated or not is another question. Just as you don't believe him, I have an opinion which i am entitled to.

"You are saying that because a group of constituents preferred a black man they perceived as more in tune with their views and interests (i.e. a more representative, representative) and they happen to be white that it’s racism? Are white people not allowed to participate in a democratic selection? Clearly according to you if they vote for a white person its because of race. And if they vote for a black person it's also race. Huh?"

Where did I say this? I never said that anything was solely based on race.

It is ironic that the same accusations you levy at me regarding the UBP being bad and PLP being good, can be turned right back around at you. You see nothing good about the PLP and everything good about the UBP. That is fine. I am not going to waste any time in a to and fro with you because it is detracting from real debate.

[silencedogood on 11.01.07 at 14:43]

CO,
Good point. It would be nice to know what’s going on there. If they don’t speak out or sign onto the party line statement before this issue goes quiet that’s not a good signal.

Ken,

I am not saying that everything in Jamahl's accusations are true. But I am not saying that they arent either. I am saying that I do believe there is some truth in it...whether it is exagggerated or not is another question. Just as you don't believe him, I have an opinion which i am entitled to.

First, I’ve never said I don’t believe him. I’ve said two things: a) I have not made up my mind because all the facts aren’t out; and b) listed things in this situation which make me somewhat skeptical. Skepticism doesn’t mean I believe or disbelieve, it merely highlights issues that need to be resolved before a person can believe in something.

Second, your assumptions are well documented in this thread. They don’t seem to leave any room for doubting Jamahl’s account of the dispute:

I for one am glad that Jamahl realized this but unfortunately he realized it a bit too late. I think that I, and many others could have predicted this outcome. Posted by ken on 09.01.07 at 23:33 assumption of racism

Would I feel that I could be the next sacrificial lamb in the UBP camp? Posted by ken on 09.01.07 at 23:33 assumption that blacks aren’t valued

Does it take all the black members to come forward one by one before it can be accepted as even a possibility of truth. Posted by ken on 10.01.07 at 13:50 assumes everyone’s mind is made up despite evidence to the contrary

And integration is a lot more than giving a spot to a black person. It is valuing their contribution, assisting in their development, giving them the tools for success, rather than allowing them to sink or swim, and then saying they caused their own fate. Posted by ken on 10.01.07 at 13:50 assumes the UBP doesn’t value its black members or support them

It is a known fact, not just politically, that whites and portuguese do not historically join ANYTHING that is predominantly black, be it community clubs, schools, churches, etc. Posted by ken on 10.01.07 at 13:50 assumes all whites and portuguese fit your stereotype

While this might be true, I think it is also true that threads and posts have been made to this site that ridicule and criticize the PLP before the due diligence has been done. It was very interesting that the news broke on this on friday and it took until late tuesday for any real mention of it. Not even a breaking news bulletin saying that Jamahl had in fact made an announcement. It seemed that everyone on here was avoiding dealing with the issue. Posted by ken on 10.01.07 at 14:33 assumes everyone fits your stereotype of avoiding this issue (as opposed to your due diligence regarding whether LF made threats?)

How can it be racist if both candidates were black? I can tell you that the fact that this persecution as Jamahl calls it was orchestrated by a white faction of the branch brings race into the picture. The fact that Mr. Adderley is black doesn't take race out of the picture necessarily. Mr. Adderley is seen to be more likely to acquiesce or give in to the status quo in the party...hence maybe the white members felt that if he was their representative, then their interests would be given more priority, whereas maybe with Jamahl they felt that he wasn't as easily influenced by their input. assumes race because whites want someone, even another black man, who agrees with their political positions

Does this mean that if it were blacks who ousted Mr. Simmons in support of another black man whose views were more aligned with theirs you would also assume racism? Do we even know that the people advocating a change in the district were all white?

That is fine. I am not going to waste any time in a to and fro with you because it is detracting from real debate.

What detracts from a real debate is a closed mind. Mine’s wide open my friend. IF Jamahl resolves the inconsistencies of his story which concern me I hope you tune in when I slam the UBP. You will enjoy yourself because allowing that type of nonsense to fester in their party would be just about the stupidest thing they could ever do. Unlike you, I’m not assuming that is the case.

Apologies to everyone else for the long post, and lots of pasting, but refuse to suffer bullshit.