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By Ayo Johnson. The
Royal Gazette. Barbados, June 9, 2003.
The controversy over Cuba flared up again in the House of Assembly on Friday
as Opposition politicians fired off a few more salvos in the House of Assembly.
Led by Tourism Minister Renee Webb, however, Government politicians were
having none of it.
Ms Webb said it was a "nonsense" to say that Bermuda should not
help another people because of their government's policy.
"We as a Government are pleased to play our part in bringing about
peace and tolerance," the Minister said. "We are proud of the fact
that we are trying where we can to help those who are less fortunate than
ourselves. And wherever we can we will do that."
Buoyed by news of the European Union's (EU) diplomatic sanctions against the
Caribbean nation, the United Bermuda Party (UBP) stepped up their criticism of
Government's moves toward establishing cultural links with Cuba.
"We cannot be seen to be endorsing the repression of the people of
Cuba," said Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons. "The Smith Government
should take this opportunity and cut their losses and quit while they are ahead."
Cuba's execution of three ferry hijackers and a crackdown on its dissidents
has caused worldwide concern. The UBP argues that any formal links with Cuba is
tantamount to endorsing a repressive regime and risking Bermuda's future by
irritating the United States. On Friday they pressed on their attack and said
that as the rest of the world was taking action against Cuba, Government was
wracked by corruption scandals and was willing to ignore Bermuda¹s pressing
issues while cavorting dangerously with Cuba.
"The greatest thing a leader can do is to admit a mistake and change
direction," said Jamahl Simmons (UBP). Responding to hecklers on the
Government side, Mr. Simmons admitted that its party had made a mistake over
apartheid South Africa but that it had changed direction. "With this Cuba
issue we have to ask what is the benefit to this country?" he asked. "When
people don't understand, they don't see the tangible benefit based on the
questions raised by our friend the United States, I think we have to be very
careful and look at how we are perceived around the world. That is the question
the regular people are asking."
Mr. Simmons argued that a Government should be guided by "higher moral
principle".
"It is morally wrong for this Government to get in bed, cozy with,
snuggle with, tiptoe through the tulips with a dictatorship" which
oppressed its people.
Ms Webb quoted extensively from articles in the Bermuda Sun, including her
own, to respond to the criticisms. Ideological differences were no reason not to
have cultural links with Cuba and Bermuda could learn a lot from the Caribbean
nation, she said.
"None of us can defend the human rights record in Cuba. Just like those
of us who are against capital punishment cannot defend the death penalty still
existing in Texas," she said quoting herself. "However, in spite of
the laws that exist in these countries, as human beings we have to seize the
opportunity to promote peace and tolerance. Cultural exchanges are one such way
to promote peace and understanding among people. I am proud of the fact that the
Cubans will be exposed to Bermuda culture and that our lives will be enriched by
the cultural diversity of our largest neighbour to the South."
She argued that Britain, like Bermuda, is a good friend of the US despite
the fact that she has good relations with Cuba. "It is without question
that this Government is a friend and a good neighbour to the US. It is without
question that we are still a British colony. Britain does not support the human
rights record in Cuba. The Bermuda government does not support the human rights
record in Cuba. I do not support having capital punishment in anybody's book
whether that be the US or Russia or Cuba. Having said that, I do not think as a
people we should penalise people personally in all of those countries as a
consequence of the policies of their government."
She challenged the Opposition's position that personal business links were
acceptable while Government's developing cultural links was not. "The two
are not separate. Take a position," the Minister said. "So don't stand
up here and say 'take a moral position' and that you are against Cuba because
you have a problem with the human rights in Cuba and we all do, none of us can
sanction Cuba's human rights record. None of us."
The Opposition's Michael Dunkley explained that his party did not
necessarily support people doing business with Cuba but that in a free
enterprise system it was impossible to control who people did business with.
"We have people living in cars in Bermuda, why can't we help those
people before we go to Cuba?," Mr. Dunkley said. "We have a Salvation
Army shelter that's full every night and people can't get in. Why can't we help
them before we go to Cuba? This doesn¹t make any sense."
Mr. Gibbons said that the Government "just doesn't get it" and
insisted that it was endorsing human rights violations in Cuba.
"Just at a time when there are worse human rights violations than in
any number of years before, our Government decides to get in bed with them,"
he said. It was naïve and "total lunacy" to imagine that a
government can help the people of Cuba without dealing with the Government. "The
problem is with a totalitarian regime you cannot do anything in a country like
Cuba unless the Government gives you permission to do so." But deputy
speaker Walter Lister agreed with Ms Webb who objected to his conclusion that
Government's actions represented an endorsement of Cuba's human rights
violations. "We have never endorsed the human rights record of Cuba,"
Ms Webb said. "And this man wants to be the leader of the country."
Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister John Barritt said no political system
was perfect and the struggle was to reform human nature.
He said if it was not for the Mid-Ocean News story, no one would have known
Government was trying to sign a memorandum of understanding with Cuba on
cultural matters, which sparked a debate in the House of Assembly.
"We found out from the Premier that there were negotiations going on on
the memorandum. Through bringing it out in the House, we've had an extraction of
some of the details. We've started to get it each week when members have started
to speak."
Referring to Tourism Minister Renee Webb, who interjected, "It's none
of your business," he said "Can you imagine a Minister saying that
what the Bermudian government is doing is none of our business?"
Later in the debate Ms Webb said: "Sometimes what Government is doing
is nothing to do with the Opposition. All governments don't reveal all
information because it is not in the interests to reveal everything (at once)."
Mr. Barritt added Bermuda could not survive on its own and had to rely on
the US and "it is difficult to do that if you enter into relationships with
governments like Cuba".
Bermuda had come under pressure in Washington over corporate inversions, and
Mr. Barritt wondered if the US would turn its attention to insurance and
reinsurance companies.
To cries from the Opposition that he was scare-mongering, he replied: "Don't
you read the newspapers? I'm not the only one saying this."
PLP MP Ashfield DeVent launched a scathing attack on the Mid-Ocean News,
which he called a "rag" and said the Opposition still used "bogeymen"
tactics to scare Bermudians.
There was a "new mindset" since the PLP won power and threats of
losing jobs or mortgages would no longer work.
"In November,1998, there was a new mindset and those days are over.
When the election is finally called and we form another government, we will
finally lay that to rest," he said.
"We will see people realise that they have the right to express
themselves. Despite these types of newspapers, it is an opportunity for us to
move on."
Shadow Telecommunications Minister Allan Marshall said while the PLP kept on
about bogeymen, but he listed a series of PLP failures which he said haunt the
current government.
They included the Berkeley School project, the Bermuda Football Association
fiasco, the civil service moves, $30 million under-funding for the hospital,
false photographs in tourism advertising, corruption at Bermuda Housing
Corporation, $20 million spent on consultants, prison problems, and taxi and
labour disputes.
"Government talks about a 30 year bogeyman, but we've got bogeymen
right here," he said.
"Where is the value system this government is trying to portray? It is
a value system that doesn't care about the issues here and would rather be
travelling the world having closer relationships with repressive regimes. The
priority is taking care of self as opposed to the challenges of the community."
Deputy Speaker Walter Lister said he had visited Cuba on a number of
occasions and it hadn't persuaded him to become a communist. Some 600,000 US
citizens also visited the island each year.
Accusing The Royal Gazette of supporting the UBP, he said the Cuba issue was
all media spin.
If a Senator from Iowa was delivering wheat to Cuba, he asked what was wrong
with sending old buses to the island.
"It's a double standard. Under the old UBP, scrape it and you will see
the old UBP alive and well," he said.
Shadow Tourism Minister David Dodwell said complaints that the House had "just
a bunch of children is to some extent is true". He questioned how Mr.
Lister could claim there had been no change of policy over Cuba. "What is
the memo of understanding? That didn't exist before and we had to drag it out of
Government," he said.
It was wrong to suggest because individuals visited Cuba that it was fine
for Government to establish closer formal links.
Referring to the media, he said the PLP continued to "shoot the
messenger". If MP's didn't like the papers they could "shut them down,
although hopefully that won't happen".
He said the PLP continued to blame the UBP for many problems and it seemed
incapable of understanding that it was now in power, not in opposition.
"The bogeyman is over there," he said referring to the Government
benches. "This country has seen 50 years of bogeyman tactics in five years."
Outlining how Bermuda's closer links to Cuba unfolded over the months, Mr.
Dodwell blamed it on Government secrecy. Despite the EU sanctions against Cuba
announced on Thursday, the fact the Foreign Office should be issuing information
about the implications, and the US Consul General expressing his concern, there
was no official statement from Government in the House.
"Government will only let you know when they want to let you know and
we'll do what we want to do," said Mr. Dodwell.
"While everyone else is holding back (from Cuba) we are going full
steam ahead," he said.
Mr. Dodwell suggested giving the old buses to a friendly country such as St.
Kitts and Nevis.
The UBP when in power had lobbied the Senate and House because the US "can
make or break Bermuda, and we've got to understand that".
PLP backbencher Dale Butler said he would take democracy over other systems
despite its weaknesses. Of the US, he said: "We have to remember who
spreads the marmalade. We don't have the bread or the butter or the knife or the
marmalade."
Majority against closer ties with communist Cuba
June 12. 2003 8:30AM
The vast majority of respondents to a Royal Gazette online poll are opposed
to Bermuda having closer ties with Cuba.
Of the 720 people who responded to the unscientific poll, 71.4 percent said
they were opposed when asked: "Should Bermuda have closer ties with Cuba?"
Just 24.2 percent said "yes" while 4.4 percent said they did not
know.
Government has come under fire for planning to send old buses and ferries to
Cuba and for getting approval from the British government to negotiate a
memorandum of understanding on cultural exchanges with the country.
Cuba has come under heavy criticism in recent weeks for human rights abuses.
The poll ended last week. | 
