There are moments in the life of a political party when we are called to remember not simply who we support, but what we stand for.
I am deeply concerned by some of what we are seeing and hearing during this leadership campaign. Divisive WhatsApp messages, vitriolic and personal comments, unsubstantiated rumours, hateful language and, most seriously, threats have no place in the Progressive Labour Party. I condemn this behaviour without reservation.
Let me also be absolutely clear: this does not represent me, my campaign, or the values upon which we are asking people to support us.
This leadership campaign is not a licence to tear one another down. Supporting Curtis Dickinson should never require disrespecting Jason Hayward, and supporting Minister Hayward should never require attacking Curtis Dickinson. We are members of the same Party, part of the same movement, and when this process is over, we must still be able to look one another in the eye, work together and move our Party and our country forward.
I am therefore calling on everyone supporting my campaign, and indeed everyone participating in this process, to conduct themselves with dignity, discipline and respect. Challenge ideas. Debate the issues. Advocate passionately for the person you believe should lead. But do not threaten, demean, malign or spread rumours about another person in the name of supporting me.
Our Party was built on solidarity, fairness, dignity and respect for people. Those values matter most when they are tested.
We believe the best days of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party are still ahead of us. But how we conduct ourselves on the journey matters just as much as where we ultimately arrive.
Let us disagree without becoming divided. Let us campaign without becoming cruel. And let us remember that when this leadership process ends, we are still one PLP family
