Statement from Opposition Senate Leader Victoria Cunningham
This afternoon in the Senate, we defeated a Bill that would have abolished municipal elections in Bermuda and replaced them with ministerial appointments.
With the support of the Independent Senators, the Senate stood up for a simple principle that local democracy matters.
For more than a century, the people and businesses of Hamilton and St. George’s have chosen their own representatives. This Bill would have ended that by removing the public’s right to vote and replacing accountability to the people with accountability to a Minister.
This wasn’t a minor administrative change. It was a fundamental shift in how local government works in Bermuda. The Bill would have allowed the Minister to appoint the Mayor, appoint four Councillors, appoint the Selection Committee, and ultimately influence the entire composition of the Corporation. That is centralisation, not reform.
Around the world, cities are gaining more autonomy, not less. Strong communities are built on local knowledge, local accountability, and local decision‑making. Bermuda should not move in the opposite direction.
Today’s vote sends a clear message: Democracy is not an inconvenience, and the right to choose who governs your city should not be taken away.
