OT 330: Submission from Geoff Parker Sr., President and Co-Chairman of the Voters' Rights Association, Bermuda

 

Security and good governance of the Overseas Territories - Bermuda

 

We humbly take this opportunity to make the submission below for your review and action.

 

On January 29th, 2008 we submitted a major report on the state of Bermuda in which there were 21 categories of concerns. These submissions were as a result of the Foreign Affairs Committee's investigation of the above subject and the open invitation to offer evidence. It was about a year ago that we met briefly with the three UK Members of Parliament sent here to do their due diligence and report back to the overall group that had been vetting all the Overseas Territories. On the 18th of June, 2008, the Seventh Report of Session 2007-08 was ordered to be printed by the House of Commons.

 

A key recommendation for Bermuda on page 134 of that report reads as follows:

 

"We recommend that the Government set out its response to this Report the steps it has taken to ensure that allegations of corruption at the Bermuda Housing Corporation, in the issuing of contracts, and of electoral fraud in Bermuda are properly investigated."

 

The Voters' Rights Association had adjudged that voter irregularities were more than likely going to take place at the last election because of a mass mailing by the VRA that showed high percentages of people registered to vote were living outside of their voting districts. Although we brought this to the attention of Government House in written form, in advance of the last General Election, we never received the courtesy of a response much less any action to correct the procedure to bring about a fair and honest election. We estimated that at least 10% to 13% of the population voted in the wrong districts which severely skewed the result in the Government's favour. In two instances, where the Opposition had basically safe seats, the Government was seen to move people into temporary quarters in those districts in time for the election. In one voting station it was reported to us that legal challenges were denied. The election process in our view is easy to manipulate and an inquiry into the process would bring an end to any speculation and bring about a fair and equitable process to gain the correct results through an Independent Election Commission placed under the Bermuda Constitution.

We see that the UK Government did act in the last week in taking back control of the Turks & Caicos Islands [T&C] because of an inquiry that showed clearly the depth of corruption that was entrenched there. It should be noted, as part of the T&C defense, that they were apparently inspired by the political and personal actions of the Ministers of the Bermuda Government.

 

The Auditor General of Bermuda is about to retire and he has put together a special report on several recent major projects which have seen huge amounts of money unaccounted for. The Opposition Party has requested answers to written questions in the local parliament which the Government refuses to answer. We would suggest that you read the various reports in the Bermuda Newspapers [online] to get a better understanding of the current situation.

 

To make matters worse, the Government is pressing ahead with its legislation to raise the debt ceiling to a Billion dollars. Just a few years ago the debt ceiling was only a few hundred million and our ratings were always excellent by those that regulate. The general population is concerned that this extra available money will be misspent as has many millions unaccounted for over the past years. We cannot continue to mortgage our children's future.

 

Honourable Members of the House of Commons, Bermudians have had enough. We are not a violent people and are easy to forgive and let live when honest mistakes take place. However, Bermudians are now being pushed to their limits with the heavy burden of recession upon them and with Government spending escalating without any serious controls or independent checks and balances we are reaching the end of our rope.

 

We believe that it is incumbent upon you to at least establish a full inquiry into the apparent corruption and electoral fraud issues as recommended in the FAC Report of the House of Commons. We would prefer a full Royal Commission Inquiry, with the widest possible powers, to bring about a new beginning for Bermuda. The 1968 Bermuda Constitution is not workable in the 21st century except by those who wish to use it to remain in power and continue their questionable practices. One only has to read the Auditors Reports of the past five years to clearly understand that there are problems and they will not be addressed by those that are apparently using and abusing the process. The Opposition is powerless to bring anything to a head and we cannot wait another four years for the next election.

 

It's time for action now, not political gamesmanship or hoping that these concerning problems will go away, because they will not. We pray that our small voice of 500 members of the Voters' Rights Association and our many thousands of quiet supporters will stir some interest in Bermuda's plight within your Chambers. We look forward to a call for a Royal Commission as soon as possible. Thank you.

 

 

18 March 2009