Politics of Bermuda
Encyclopedia
Bermuda
is a parliamentary
representative democratic
dependency
. The Premier is the head of government
, and there is a multi-party system
.
Bermuda
is the oldest self-governing British Overseas Territory and has a great degree of internal autonomy. Its parliament held its first session in 1620, making it the third-oldest continuous parliament in the World. The original system of government was created under the Virginia Company, which colonised Bermuda, accidentally in 1609, and deliberately from 1612. The Virginia Company
lost its Royal Charter for North America ("Virginia") in 1622, and the Crown assumed responsibility for the administration of the continental colony. Bermuda, however, passed in 1615 to a new company, The Somers Isles Company (The Somers Isles being the other official name of the colony), formed by the same shareholders. The House of Assembly was created under that company, which continued to appoint Governors until it was dissolved in 1684, with the Crown assuming responsibility for the Colony's administration. The Crown left in place the political system created under the Company. The Colonial Parliament originally consisted only of the lower house. The Privy Council, an appointed body, served in the roles of an upper house and a cabinet. The President of The Council could find himself temporarily acting as Governor when no Governor was present.
Voting was originally restricted to male landowners. When the numbers of non-white landowners began to increase, a minimum value was established for the properties which entitled their owners to vote. In 1960, this was £60. A man could vote in each parish in which he owned sufficiently valuable land - giving the richest whites as many as nine votes each if they so desired.
Its 1968 Constitution
provided the island with formal responsibility for internal self-government, while the British Government retained responsibility for external affairs, defence, and security. The Bermudian Government is always consulted on any international negotiations affecting the territory. Legislative power is vested in both the government
and the Parliament
. The party system is dominated by the Progressive Labour Party
and the One Bermuda Alliance
, while prior to 1998 it had been dominated by the United Bermuda Party
.
The Judiciary
is independent of the executive and the legislature. Military defence is officially the responsibility of the United Kingdom
, but Bermuda maintains its own military force.
Bermuda participates, through British delegations, in the UN
and some of its specialized and related agencies. The United Nations
Committee on Decolonization includes Bermuda on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories
.
Since 1968 Bermuda has had a Constitution that sets out its structure of government.
Queen Elizabeth II
is head of state and is represented in Bermuda by a Governor
, whom she appoints. Internally, Bermuda has a parliamentary system of government.
The British Governor has reserved powers
in three areas which are External Affairs, Internal Security and the Police.
(PLP), was formed in February 1963 with predominantly black and working class adherents. Its leadership quickly became dominated by West Indian Bermudians (the 20th century had seen considerable immigration from the West Indies, resulting in profound social and political changes in Bermuda). In 1965, the two-party system was launched with the formation of the United Bermuda Party
(UBP), which had the support of the majority of white voters and of some blacks. A third party, the Bermuda Democratic Alliance
(BDA), was formed in the summer of 1967 with a splinter group from the PLP as a nucleus; it disbanded in 1970. It was later replaced by the National Liberal Party (NLP) which currently holds no parliamentary seats.
Bermuda's first election held on the basis of universal adult suffrage and equal voting took place on 22 May 1968; previously, the franchise had been limited to property owners and those above the age of 21. Persons who owned land in one or more parishes could vote in each parish. In the 1968 election, the UBP won 30 House of Assembly seats, while the PLP won 10 and the BDP lost the three seats it had previously held. The UBP continued to maintain control of the government, although by decreasing margins in the Assembly, until 1998 when the PLP won the general election for the first time with 54% of the popular vote and a 24-seat majority in the 40-member Assembly. The PLP would succeed gaining a second term in July 2003, although by a reduced majority of 52% margin of the popular vote and 22 seats in a new 36-seat Assembly. A leadership battle followed the election, resulting in the PLP's first Premier, Jennifer M. Smith (now Dame Jennifer) being ousted with William Alexander Scott
chosen as new Party Leader and later Premier. In December 2007, after an October 2006 party leadership change in which Dr. Ewart F. Brown, Jr. became Premier, the PLP gained a third term by maintaining a 52% margin of the popular vote and 22 out of 36 seats in the Assembly. Paula Cox
replaced Brown as leader of the PLP, and therefore the Premier, in October 2010.
Unsatisfied aspirations, particularly among young blacks, led to a brief civil disturbance in December 1977, following the execution of two men found guilty of the 1972–73 assassinations of Governor Sir Richard Sharples
and four others. In the 1980s, the increasing prosperity of Bermudians, combined with limited land area, caused severe pressure in housing. Despite a general strike in 1981 and poor economic conditions worldwide during 1981–83, Bermuda's social, political, and economic institutions showed resilience and stability.
Bermuda's positive experience with internal self-government has led to discussions of possible complete independence by both parties. However, an independence referendum called by a sharply divided UBP in the summer of 1995 was resoundingly defeated and resulted in the resignation of the Premier and UBP leader, Sir John Swan. Just over 58% of the electorate voted in the independence referendum, which had to be postponed one day due to disruptions caused by Hurricane Felix
in 1995. Of those voting, over 73% voted against independence, while only 25% voted in favour. The vote may not have been a true test of support for independence, however, as the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) urged its membership and supporters to boycott the referendum. The PLP stated that the unwillingness of the UBP government to put forward a plan of substantive constitutional reform made it impossible for it to support the referendum.
This was despite independence having been one of the PLP's central principles since the party's inception in 1963. In 1968, the PLP election platform stated that, "No government can be either responsible or democratic while under the rule of another country. Colonialism
is a cancer....Therefore we shall return to London
to examine with the British Government what arrangements can be made for our independence."
It was ironic, therefore, that independence was absent from the PLP's general election platform both in 1998, when the PLP first triumphed at the polls, and again in 2003. In fact, Premier Jennifer M. Smith stated that she would not pursue independence during her first term. Again, in 2001, she made the following statement: "As I have stated repeatedly, consistently and unequivocally since assuming the leadership of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party, I shall state once again for the record – independence is not an issue that we will address in our first term and probably not in our second term....We believe that there are a number of areas that need addressing before Bermuda heads down this road."
Under the leadership of Smith, the Government of Bermuda began to systematically address the issues that it believes are fundamental prerequisites for independence. It very quickly enacted legislation providing for the elimination of annual voter registration. In 2001, the government began taking steps to amend Bermuda's constitution in order to abolish the island's system of parish-based, dual-seat constituencies which favored voters in parishes of small, predominantly white populations. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(FCO) prepared an Order in Council empowering the Constituency Boundaries Commission to recommend to the Governor the number and boundaries of single-member constituencies into which Bermuda should be divided. The Commission held meetings with the public and concluded its deliberations. The Governor then submitted the commission's report to the UK's Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, together with the views of the House of Assembly. Finally, the FCO prepared a second Order in Council for presentation to the Privy Council
to effect the proposals made by the commission, including constitutional amendments relating to electoral boundaries and representation.
The possibility of independence has relevance to newly enacted UK legislation entitling citizens of Britain's Overseas Territories, including Bermuda, to British citizenship. The British's Overseas Territories Act, passed in February 2002, provides automatic acquisition of British citizenship, including automatic transmission of citizenship to their children; the right of abode, including the right to live and work in Britain and the European Union
; the right not to exercise or to formally renounce British citizenship; and the right to use the fast track EU/EEA channel at the airport, free of British immigration controls.
A poll conducted by the Bermuda Sun, a local semiweekly newspaper, reveals support for British citizenship—however, that support largely comes from whites and the majority of blacks in the island—that is, Bermuda's majority—are not interested in British citizenship, opting rather to live and study in North America. The March 2002 poll revealed that of the 356 persons surveyed, 66.9% were interested in accepting British citizenship, and only 18% said that they would refuse it. However, the poll has come under much controversy recently, with some saying the data and focus are grossly inaccurate. There are no conditions attached to the granting of British citizenship to the Overseas Territories, a fact of particular importance to Bermuda where the issue of independence lies dormant. The white paper specifically states, "The new grant of British citizenship will not be a barrier, therefore, to those Overseas Territories choosing to become independent of Britain....Our Overseas Territories are British for as long as they wish to remain British. Britain has willingly granted independence where it has been requested; and we will continue to do so where this is an option."
There is a Bermuda Independence Commission http://www.bermudaindependencecommission.bm/, and it has published reports and papers to address issues related to independence. http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:OCmcyAq6L1YJ:www.gov.bm/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_3229_310_-310_43/http%253B/portalcontent.gov.bm%253B7087/publishedcontent/publish/gov_house___possible_bermuda_independence/articles/fco_paper_for_bic__20_may_2005__0.pdf&hl=en
Bermuda electoral politics has been characterized by single-party dominance
: the UBP was the dominant party from 1968 to 1998, winning every election; while the PLP has continuously been in power since 1998. The formation of the opposition One Bermuda Alliance
from a merger of the Bermuda Democratic Alliance
and most members of the UBP was driven by polls showing that the PLP would easily win a fourth straight term if they faced either the UBP or BDA in an election.
The Governor is appointed by the monarch. The Governor invites the leader of largest party in Parliament to form a government as Premier. The Premier is head of government and leader of the majority party in the elected House of Assembly. The Cabinet
is composed of 14 members selected by the Premier from among members of the bicameral parliament consisting of the nominated Senate
and the House of Assembly
.
The Governor appoints a number of senior government positions including the Puisne Judges, Police Commissioner, the Auditor General and the Parliamentary Registrar.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Portfolio
! Minister
|-
| Premier
Minister of Finance
| Paula A Cox
|-
| Deputy Premier
Minister of Public Works
| Derrick Burgess
|-
| Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
| Kim N. Wilson
|-
| Minister of National Security
| Wayne Perinchief
|-
| Minister of Education
| Dame Jennifer Smith
|-
| Minister of Youth, Families, Sports and Community Development
| Glenn Blakeney
|-
| Minister of Public Information Services
| Neletha Butterfield
|-
| Minister of Justice
| Michael Scott
|-
| Minister of Environment
| Walter Roban
|-
| Minister of Health
| Zane DeSilva
|-
| Minister of Transport
| Terry Lister
|-
| Minister without Portfolio
| Michael Weeks
|-
| Minister of Business Development & Tourism
| Patrice Minors
|-
has two chambers
: the House of Assembly
and the Senate
. The House of Assembly was originally composed of 40 members from 20 electoral districts (two representatives from each district) for a term not to exceed 5 years. As the districts, based on the old parish boundaries, contained significantly differing numbers of voters (malapportionment), that body was replaced in 2002 with a 36-member House elected from single-seat electoral districts of roughly equal population for a five year term . The Senate, called the Legislative Council
until 1980, is the revising chamber and serves concurrently with the House of Assembly. There are 11 Senators: five appointed by the Governor in consultation with the Premier; three in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition; and three at the Governor's discretion.
: the city of Hamilton and the town of St. George. There are also nine traditional parishes, but these don't have any administrative or legal role. When Bermuda was first colonised, the territory was divided between eight primary landowners (the shareholders of the Bermuda Company) in equal allotments, and public land (St. George's); these divisions, then called "Tribes", came to be known as "Parishes". Until the late 20th century, the parishes maintained their own community councils responsible for such functions as birth records.
(subbureau), IOC
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
is a parliamentary
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
representative democratic
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
dependency
Dependent territory
A dependent territory, dependent area or dependency is a territory that does not possess full political independence or sovereignty as a State, and remains politically outside of the controlling state's integral area....
. The Premier is the head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
, and there is a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
.
Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
is the oldest self-governing British Overseas Territory and has a great degree of internal autonomy. Its parliament held its first session in 1620, making it the third-oldest continuous parliament in the World. The original system of government was created under the Virginia Company, which colonised Bermuda, accidentally in 1609, and deliberately from 1612. The Virginia Company
London Company
The London Company was an English joint stock company established by royal charter by James I of England on April 10, 1606 with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America.The territory granted to the London Company included the coast of North America from the 34th parallel ...
lost its Royal Charter for North America ("Virginia") in 1622, and the Crown assumed responsibility for the administration of the continental colony. Bermuda, however, passed in 1615 to a new company, The Somers Isles Company (The Somers Isles being the other official name of the colony), formed by the same shareholders. The House of Assembly was created under that company, which continued to appoint Governors until it was dissolved in 1684, with the Crown assuming responsibility for the Colony's administration. The Crown left in place the political system created under the Company. The Colonial Parliament originally consisted only of the lower house. The Privy Council, an appointed body, served in the roles of an upper house and a cabinet. The President of The Council could find himself temporarily acting as Governor when no Governor was present.
Voting was originally restricted to male landowners. When the numbers of non-white landowners began to increase, a minimum value was established for the properties which entitled their owners to vote. In 1960, this was £60. A man could vote in each parish in which he owned sufficiently valuable land - giving the richest whites as many as nine votes each if they so desired.
Its 1968 Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
provided the island with formal responsibility for internal self-government, while the British Government retained responsibility for external affairs, defence, and security. The Bermudian Government is always consulted on any international negotiations affecting the territory. Legislative power is vested in both the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and the Parliament
Parliament of Bermuda
Parliament has two chambers. Originally, there was only one, the House of Assembly, which held its first session in 1620, making Bermuda's Parliament amongst the World's oldest legislatures. An appointed Privy Council originally performed roles similar to that of an upper house, and of a cabinet...
. The party system is dominated by the Progressive Labour Party
Progressive Labour Party (Bermuda)
The Progressive Labour Party is a political party in Bermuda. It has been in power since 1998, winning subsequent elections in 2003 and 2007.- Formation :...
and the One Bermuda Alliance
One Bermuda Alliance
The One Bermuda Alliance is a political party in Bermuda. It is a result of a May 2011 merger of most members of Bermuda's two main opposition parties, the United Bermuda Party and the Bermuda Democratic Alliance. - History :...
, while prior to 1998 it had been dominated by the United Bermuda Party
United Bermuda Party
The United Bermuda Party was a political party in Bermuda. It represented itself as centrist party in favor of a moderate social and fiscal agenda...
.
The Judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
is independent of the executive and the legislature. Military defence is officially the responsibility of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, but Bermuda maintains its own military force.
Bermuda participates, through British delegations, in the UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and some of its specialized and related agencies. The United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Committee on Decolonization includes Bermuda on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories
United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories
The United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories is a list of countries that, according to the United Nations, are non-decolonized. The list was initially prepared in 1946 pursuant to Chapter XI of the United Nations Charter, and has been updated by the General Assembly on recommendation...
.
Since 1968 Bermuda has had a Constitution that sets out its structure of government.
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
is head of state and is represented in Bermuda by a Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
, whom she appoints. Internally, Bermuda has a parliamentary system of government.
The British Governor has reserved powers
Reserved powers
Reserved powers can refer to several powers of a central authority:*Reserved powers, or Reserved matters, are those subjects still dealt with by the United Kingdom Parliament, and not devolved to the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales or the Northern Ireland Assembly*Reserved powers,...
in three areas which are External Affairs, Internal Security and the Police.
Political conditions
Bermuda's first political party, the Progressive Labour PartyProgressive Labour Party (Bermuda)
The Progressive Labour Party is a political party in Bermuda. It has been in power since 1998, winning subsequent elections in 2003 and 2007.- Formation :...
(PLP), was formed in February 1963 with predominantly black and working class adherents. Its leadership quickly became dominated by West Indian Bermudians (the 20th century had seen considerable immigration from the West Indies, resulting in profound social and political changes in Bermuda). In 1965, the two-party system was launched with the formation of the United Bermuda Party
United Bermuda Party
The United Bermuda Party was a political party in Bermuda. It represented itself as centrist party in favor of a moderate social and fiscal agenda...
(UBP), which had the support of the majority of white voters and of some blacks. A third party, the Bermuda Democratic Alliance
Bermuda Democratic Alliance
The Bermuda Democratic Alliance is a former political party in Bermuda which lasted from its foundation in November 2009 until its merger into the One Bermuda Alliance in May 2011.- History :...
(BDA), was formed in the summer of 1967 with a splinter group from the PLP as a nucleus; it disbanded in 1970. It was later replaced by the National Liberal Party (NLP) which currently holds no parliamentary seats.
Bermuda's first election held on the basis of universal adult suffrage and equal voting took place on 22 May 1968; previously, the franchise had been limited to property owners and those above the age of 21. Persons who owned land in one or more parishes could vote in each parish. In the 1968 election, the UBP won 30 House of Assembly seats, while the PLP won 10 and the BDP lost the three seats it had previously held. The UBP continued to maintain control of the government, although by decreasing margins in the Assembly, until 1998 when the PLP won the general election for the first time with 54% of the popular vote and a 24-seat majority in the 40-member Assembly. The PLP would succeed gaining a second term in July 2003, although by a reduced majority of 52% margin of the popular vote and 22 seats in a new 36-seat Assembly. A leadership battle followed the election, resulting in the PLP's first Premier, Jennifer M. Smith (now Dame Jennifer) being ousted with William Alexander Scott
William Alexander Scott
William Alexander "Alex" Scott JP, MP is a politician in Bermuda who is the MP for the Warwick South East constituency. Between 2003 and 2006 he served as the Premier of Bermuda and leader of the Progressive Labour Party ....
chosen as new Party Leader and later Premier. In December 2007, after an October 2006 party leadership change in which Dr. Ewart F. Brown, Jr. became Premier, the PLP gained a third term by maintaining a 52% margin of the popular vote and 22 out of 36 seats in the Assembly. Paula Cox
Paula Cox
Paula Cox is the current Premier of Bermuda, and leader of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party . The Hon. Paula A. Cox JP, MP was elected as Leader of the Progressive Labour Party on Thursday, 28 October 2010...
replaced Brown as leader of the PLP, and therefore the Premier, in October 2010.
Unsatisfied aspirations, particularly among young blacks, led to a brief civil disturbance in December 1977, following the execution of two men found guilty of the 1972–73 assassinations of Governor Sir Richard Sharples
Richard Sharples
Major Sir Richard Christopher Sharples KCMG OBE MC , St. George, Bermuda) was a British politician and Governor of Bermuda from late 1972 to 10 March 1973 when he was shot dead by assassins linked to the militant Black Beret Cadre, a small Bermudian Black Power group.-Career:Sharples passed out...
and four others. In the 1980s, the increasing prosperity of Bermudians, combined with limited land area, caused severe pressure in housing. Despite a general strike in 1981 and poor economic conditions worldwide during 1981–83, Bermuda's social, political, and economic institutions showed resilience and stability.
Bermuda's positive experience with internal self-government has led to discussions of possible complete independence by both parties. However, an independence referendum called by a sharply divided UBP in the summer of 1995 was resoundingly defeated and resulted in the resignation of the Premier and UBP leader, Sir John Swan. Just over 58% of the electorate voted in the independence referendum, which had to be postponed one day due to disruptions caused by Hurricane Felix
Hurricane Felix (1995)
Hurricane Felix was the sixth named tropical cyclone and the third hurricane of the unusually active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. Though the Cape Verde-type hurricane never made landfall, Felix stalled off the coast of North Carolina, resulting in great uncertainty over its track...
in 1995. Of those voting, over 73% voted against independence, while only 25% voted in favour. The vote may not have been a true test of support for independence, however, as the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) urged its membership and supporters to boycott the referendum. The PLP stated that the unwillingness of the UBP government to put forward a plan of substantive constitutional reform made it impossible for it to support the referendum.
This was despite independence having been one of the PLP's central principles since the party's inception in 1963. In 1968, the PLP election platform stated that, "No government can be either responsible or democratic while under the rule of another country. Colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
is a cancer....Therefore we shall return to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to examine with the British Government what arrangements can be made for our independence."
It was ironic, therefore, that independence was absent from the PLP's general election platform both in 1998, when the PLP first triumphed at the polls, and again in 2003. In fact, Premier Jennifer M. Smith stated that she would not pursue independence during her first term. Again, in 2001, she made the following statement: "As I have stated repeatedly, consistently and unequivocally since assuming the leadership of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party, I shall state once again for the record – independence is not an issue that we will address in our first term and probably not in our second term....We believe that there are a number of areas that need addressing before Bermuda heads down this road."
Under the leadership of Smith, the Government of Bermuda began to systematically address the issues that it believes are fundamental prerequisites for independence. It very quickly enacted legislation providing for the elimination of annual voter registration. In 2001, the government began taking steps to amend Bermuda's constitution in order to abolish the island's system of parish-based, dual-seat constituencies which favored voters in parishes of small, predominantly white populations. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
(FCO) prepared an Order in Council empowering the Constituency Boundaries Commission to recommend to the Governor the number and boundaries of single-member constituencies into which Bermuda should be divided. The Commission held meetings with the public and concluded its deliberations. The Governor then submitted the commission's report to the UK's Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, together with the views of the House of Assembly. Finally, the FCO prepared a second Order in Council for presentation to the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
to effect the proposals made by the commission, including constitutional amendments relating to electoral boundaries and representation.
The possibility of independence has relevance to newly enacted UK legislation entitling citizens of Britain's Overseas Territories, including Bermuda, to British citizenship. The British's Overseas Territories Act, passed in February 2002, provides automatic acquisition of British citizenship, including automatic transmission of citizenship to their children; the right of abode, including the right to live and work in Britain and the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
; the right not to exercise or to formally renounce British citizenship; and the right to use the fast track EU/EEA channel at the airport, free of British immigration controls.
A poll conducted by the Bermuda Sun, a local semiweekly newspaper, reveals support for British citizenship—however, that support largely comes from whites and the majority of blacks in the island—that is, Bermuda's majority—are not interested in British citizenship, opting rather to live and study in North America. The March 2002 poll revealed that of the 356 persons surveyed, 66.9% were interested in accepting British citizenship, and only 18% said that they would refuse it. However, the poll has come under much controversy recently, with some saying the data and focus are grossly inaccurate. There are no conditions attached to the granting of British citizenship to the Overseas Territories, a fact of particular importance to Bermuda where the issue of independence lies dormant. The white paper specifically states, "The new grant of British citizenship will not be a barrier, therefore, to those Overseas Territories choosing to become independent of Britain....Our Overseas Territories are British for as long as they wish to remain British. Britain has willingly granted independence where it has been requested; and we will continue to do so where this is an option."
There is a Bermuda Independence Commission http://www.bermudaindependencecommission.bm/, and it has published reports and papers to address issues related to independence. http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:OCmcyAq6L1YJ:www.gov.bm/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_3229_310_-310_43/http%253B/portalcontent.gov.bm%253B7087/publishedcontent/publish/gov_house___possible_bermuda_independence/articles/fco_paper_for_bic__20_may_2005__0.pdf&hl=en
Bermuda electoral politics has been characterized by single-party dominance
Dominant-party system
A dominant-party system, or one-party dominant system, is a system where there is "a category of parties/political organizations that have successively won election victories and whose future defeat cannot be envisaged or is unlikely for the foreseeable future." A wide range of parties have been...
: the UBP was the dominant party from 1968 to 1998, winning every election; while the PLP has continuously been in power since 1998. The formation of the opposition One Bermuda Alliance
One Bermuda Alliance
The One Bermuda Alliance is a political party in Bermuda. It is a result of a May 2011 merger of most members of Bermuda's two main opposition parties, the United Bermuda Party and the Bermuda Democratic Alliance. - History :...
from a merger of the Bermuda Democratic Alliance
Bermuda Democratic Alliance
The Bermuda Democratic Alliance is a former political party in Bermuda which lasted from its foundation in November 2009 until its merger into the One Bermuda Alliance in May 2011.- History :...
and most members of the UBP was driven by polls showing that the PLP would easily win a fourth straight term if they faced either the UBP or BDA in an election.
Executive branch
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
is composed of 14 members selected by the Premier from among members of the bicameral parliament consisting of the nominated Senate
Senate of Bermuda
The Senate is one of two parts of the Parliament of Bermuda, the other being the House of Assembly. Both are overseen by the Governor. The Senate is the Upper House of the Parliament, and serves as a House of Review....
and the House of Assembly
House of Assembly of Bermuda
The House of Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Bermuda. The house has 36 members, each elected for a five year term in a single seat constituencies....
.
The Governor appoints a number of senior government positions including the Puisne Judges, Police Commissioner, the Auditor General and the Parliamentary Registrar.
| Office | Position | Name | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monarch | Queen | Elizabeth II | 6 February 1952 |
| Queen's Representative | Governor Governor of Bermuda The Governor of Bermuda is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Bermuda. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government... and Commander-in-Chief Commander-in-Chief A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military... |
Sir Richard Gozney Richard Gozney Sir Richard Hugh Turton Gozney KCMG CVO KStJ is a British career diplomat. He has been Governor and Commander in Chief of Bermuda since 12 December 2007.-Background and education:... |
12 December 2007 |
Cabinet
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Portfolio
! Minister
|-
| Premier
Minister of Finance
| Paula A Cox
|-
| Deputy Premier
Minister of Public Works
| Derrick Burgess
|-
| Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
| Kim N. Wilson
|-
| Minister of National Security
| Wayne Perinchief
|-
| Minister of Education
| Dame Jennifer Smith
|-
| Minister of Youth, Families, Sports and Community Development
| Glenn Blakeney
|-
| Minister of Public Information Services
| Neletha Butterfield
|-
| Minister of Justice
| Michael Scott
|-
| Minister of Environment
| Walter Roban
|-
| Minister of Health
| Zane DeSilva
|-
| Minister of Transport
| Terry Lister
|-
| Minister without Portfolio
| Michael Weeks
|-
| Minister of Business Development & Tourism
| Patrice Minors
|-
Legislative branch
The ParliamentParliament of Bermuda
Parliament has two chambers. Originally, there was only one, the House of Assembly, which held its first session in 1620, making Bermuda's Parliament amongst the World's oldest legislatures. An appointed Privy Council originally performed roles similar to that of an upper house, and of a cabinet...
has two chambers
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
: the House of Assembly
House of Assembly of Bermuda
The House of Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Bermuda. The house has 36 members, each elected for a five year term in a single seat constituencies....
and the Senate
Senate of Bermuda
The Senate is one of two parts of the Parliament of Bermuda, the other being the House of Assembly. Both are overseen by the Governor. The Senate is the Upper House of the Parliament, and serves as a House of Review....
. The House of Assembly was originally composed of 40 members from 20 electoral districts (two representatives from each district) for a term not to exceed 5 years. As the districts, based on the old parish boundaries, contained significantly differing numbers of voters (malapportionment), that body was replaced in 2002 with a 36-member House elected from single-seat electoral districts of roughly equal population for a five year term . The Senate, called the Legislative Council
Legislative Council
A Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
until 1980, is the revising chamber and serves concurrently with the House of Assembly. There are 11 Senators: five appointed by the Governor in consultation with the Premier; three in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition; and three at the Governor's discretion.
Political parties and elections
Judicial branch
The judiciary is composed of a Chief Justice and associate Judges appointed by the Governor.Administrative divisions
Bermuda has two municipal subnational entitiesAdministrative division
An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
: the city of Hamilton and the town of St. George. There are also nine traditional parishes, but these don't have any administrative or legal role. When Bermuda was first colonised, the territory was divided between eight primary landowners (the shareholders of the Bermuda Company) in equal allotments, and public land (St. George's); these divisions, then called "Tribes", came to be known as "Parishes". Until the late 20th century, the parishes maintained their own community councils responsible for such functions as birth records.
International organization participation
Caricom (associate), CCC, ICFTU, InterpolInterpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
(subbureau), IOC