A reader writes on the sorry state of Bermuda politics:
I liked this passage: "I think that Wayne could sit as a very credible, reasonably influential Independent. As a PLP MP he would be too beholden to them , having to prove his loyalty and never being truly trusted (although Dr. Brown likes to have people around him who need to stay in his favour rather than people of principle)."Right now we have far too few people of principle in both parties. Most of those deeply involved, I sense, are in it for personal gain: some financial; some status; and some for self-worth. Name for me the people who passionately work for an issue (environment, needy, etc.) or even have a platform of issues. Both parties play at the game with little community involvement and therefore little relevance to most of us folks, other than dolling out the goodies (qlq) or protecting the status quo (ubp). A sorry picture for me. One that breeds desperation, resentment and instability.
I also agree that Wayne should fish or cut bait as they say. I see no hope of the UBP evolving into anything different nor the qlq becoming competent or trustworthy. Like in Quebec, a third party will certainly spice things up.
There are a number of politicians who I believe are in politics for the right reasons.
Sadly, there are far too many that are not; too many conflicts of interests, too much selective outrage and too much 'but they did it' for starters.
Transactional politicians is a term that sums up my view of the current political landscape.
I am becoming both depressed and disgusted with the state of affairs in Bermuda right now; be it the outright lies, the shallowness of political debate, the rampant identity politics, the racialisation of everything, the poorly drafted and hastily crafted legislation, the dominance of short term politics over long term public policy.
I'm genuinely disgusted.
At the risk of sounding like a starry eyed dreamer, Bermuda needs transformational not transactional politics.
Posted by Christian S. Dunleavy