Bermuda Opposition promises to “bounce back” despite widespread defection

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC - The United Bermuda Party's (UBP) says it is in the process of rebuilding and will contest the upcoming general elections.



The party’s two remaining legislators - Kim Swan and colleague Charlie Swan- in an open “Letter to the People” say they are in the process of seeking new candidates, as well as sponsors as part of the rebuilding exercise.



The UBP, ousted in 1998 by the Progressive Labour Party (PLP), appeared to fold up six months ago when seven of its 14 legislators elected at the last election in 2007, resigned to help form the One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) in a merger with the short-lived Bermuda Democratic Alliance (BDA).



In their letter the Swans described themselves as “proud MPs of the UBP, a UBP who created free



public education and have watched the PLP destroy any confidence in the public education system; and the UBP who handed over a budget surplus in 1998, only for us to be US$1 billion in debt in 2011.



“We are actively reworking our party, we are meeting with potential donors, and we are speaking with potential candidates, and we will fight the next general election full-on,” they said, adding “the UBP is still here, Charlie and I are still here, we are deeply committed to each and every Bermudian, and we have spent the last six months listening”.



The Swans are also blaming the “near collapse” of the UBP on former UBP members who formed the OBA because they saw it as the only way to get re-elected to parliament.



Following two successive electoral defeat, the UBP needed reform but “some of my former colleagues that are now OBA MPs felt that we only needed to make superficial changes,” said Kim Swan, adding while his agenda was “reform” others wanted “change”.



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