HAMILTON, Bermuda, Jul 25, CMC – New Premier David Burt unveiled an 11-strong cabinet on Thursday, two days after his Progressive Labour Party (PLP) stormed to victory in the general election.
The PLP, which had lost the 2012 election to the One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) by 19 seats to 17 after 14 years in power, won by 24 seats to 12 in Tuesday’s landslide after garnering almost 60 per cent of the vote.
Burt, at the age of 38 – the youngest premier in Bermuda’s history, takes the key Finance portfolio.
Burt’s deputy, Walter Roban, heads up the Transport Ministry, while Kathy Simmons, who lost to the OBA’s Jeff Baron in Warwick North East, is one of the PLP’s five senators and will be the new Attorney-General.
New MP Wayne Caines, a big winner on Tuesday, gets the National Security portfolio.
David Burch, a former commanding officer of the Royal Bermuda Regiment who held a cabinet post in the previous PLP administration, is the new Minister of Public Works.
In addition to Roban and Burch, there were also returns to cabinet for Kim Wilson (Health) and Zane DeSilva — the PLP’s only white politician — who all served under the previous PLP administration. DeSilva heads up Social Development and Sport.
Besides new Attorney-General Simmons, four other defeated candidates — Anthony Richardson, Jason Hayward, Vance Campbell and Crystal Caesar, will fill the PLP’s remaining Upper House slots.
In the wake of defeat Michael Dunkley, the former premier, resigned as leader of the OBA,
The OBA has since appointed Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, the daughter of a trade union pioneer, and Sylvan Richards as interim leader and interim deputy leader. Eventually, Gordon-Pamplin has named three defeated election candidates – Nandi Outerbridge, Nick Kempe and Andrew Simons – to the Senate.
The Upper House also features five PLP senators and three independents yet to be named by the Governor.
Outerbridge, former MP for St George’s West, will focus on social development, with Kempe taking on labour and training and Simons dealing with technology.
The House of Assembly will resume in September, two months earlier than normal after the summer recess.
The party’s three senators and shadow cabinet would be announced later. Gordon-Pamplin has named three defeated election candidates – Nandi Outerbridge, Nick Kempe and Andrew Simons – to the Senate.
The Upper House also features five PLP senators and three independents yet to be named by the Governor.
Outerbridge, former MP for St George’s West, will focus on social development, with Kempe taking on labour and training and Simons dealing with technology.
The new PLP cabinet is:
David Burt: Premier and Finance
Walter Roban: Deputy Leader and Transport
Kathy Simmons: Attorney-General and Legal Affairs
Walton Brown: Home Affairs
Kim Wilson: Health
David Burch: Public Works
Wayne Caines: National Security
Zane DeSilva: Social Development and Sport
Diallo Rabain: Education
Jamahl Simmons: Economic Development and Tourism
Lovitta Foggo: Government Reform
The shadow cabinet is as follows:
Sylvan Richards – Deputy Opposition Leader, Planning and Environment
Trevor Moniz – Legal Affairs
Leah Scott – Tourism and Transport
Craig Cannonier – Works and Infrastructure
Jeanne Atherden – Finance
Jeff Baron — National Security
Grant Gibbons – Economic Development
Susan Jackson – Health and Seniors, Opposition Whip
Cole Simons – Education
Ben Smith – Sport and Youth Development
Former premier Michael Dunkley announced his decision to withdraw from the political front line following the One Bermuda Alliance’s (OBA) heavy defeat the general election.
Dunkley, a 59-year-old dairy owner, said he would continue to represent his Smith’s North constituency in the House of Assembly, but he told interim party leader Patricia Gordon-Pamplin that he does not want a shadow portfolio.
He also admitted the OBA had not done enough to support majority black Bermudians, saying race had played a big part in the election, which his party lost to the Progressive Labour Party (PLP by 24 seats to 12.
The OBA had been in power since 2012 when it ended 14 years of PLP rule with a narrow victory, inheriting a national debt of US$1.4 billion, which has worsened.
Asked about criticism that the OBA had not done enough to help black Bermudians, he said it was a “fair assessment”, adding that he would have liked to have done more.
Patricia Gordon-Pamplin was on Wednesday, 26th, sworn in as leader of the main OBA opposition by Governor John Rankin following the party’s crushing defeat in last week’s general election.
outh Development
