Statement to the House: Premier Burt on actions that have threatened the safety of those who work for the government
Extracts from full statement by Premier David Burt:
Mr Speaker, the public service is guided by a commitment to enhance the lives of the people of Bermuda and one of its core values is to be customer centric. Notwithstanding, the Government must also ensure that those serving the public can do so without fear for their safety and wellbeing.
Mr Speaker, while the media captures some incidents of high-profile assaults on public officers, many incidents occurring within the Service do not rise to the level of media scrutiny and remain unreported. These matters which generally take the form of stalking, harassment, or threats of physical harm, are typically addressed through internal proceedings.
Mr Speaker, in recent months, the public service leadership team participated in a workplace safety forum to address the growing concerns and gain insights from the Police and Attorney-General’s Chambers on managing safety issues in the workplace. While the deportment of the majority of citizens who interact with Government departments is of a high standard, there exists a small percentage who have acted in ways that have harmed and threatened the safety of dedicated public officers. This is not acceptable.
Both the public and media have the freedom to exercise their rights to criticize the Government, its services, and the decisions made.
These freedoms and rights are protected under the Bermuda Constitution Order. However, when the nature of dialogue associated with these freedoms, either via traditional or social media, rises to the level where individual public officers are being called out, threatened, and intimidated in a manner akin to bullying and harassment – proactive measures must be put in place.
Mr Speaker, allegations against individual public officers shared via traditional media or social media can cause reputational damage and psychological harm to the targeted public officers, their families, and negatively impact the morale of the Public Service.
Full statement is attached:
