Doing a 'Houdini'

The last few days have been full of great disappearing acts in Bermuda. First there's the island itself... a bit worrying. Climate change was the subject of Friday's debate in the House of Assembly. MPs mulled over the contents of a new research report, which claims that without a reduction in global reduction in greenhouse gas, the island's high water mark would go up seven feet. When you're an ickle island, that's heavy news putting 14 per cent of the island and 2,000 buildings at threat. 

When news broke last November that the Premier was attending the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen at a cost of over $100,000, I agreed with the widespread criticism. After all, being a tiny island it is fair to say that Bermuda's contribution to the global issue of climate change is pretty non-existent BUT that said, Bermuda has a lot to learn from a global forum like this. Whilst any small island could never demand a seat at the table along side the superpowers, they can learn a lot from listening and if you put all the islands worldwide together then there's becomes a valuable contribution. 


Bermuda is not the greenest of island homes, I think part of it comes from thinking, oh well what difference do all the little bad habits make when you are out here in the middle of the ocean and there's only 67,000 of us. Unless its residents take better care of the island, then maybe there will be nothing to worry about. When you have such a small land mass and you live on the eighth most densely populated place in the world, you realise how all the little thing build up.


There is very little recycling here from what I can see, the island is almost entirely reliant on fossil fuel and we have higher than average waste creation per capita than other OECD countries. All in all, a bit of a mess. 


One contributor to Friday's debate, had more than one disappearing act to worry about. Environment Minister, Glenn Blakeney, was also concerned with his lost and found son. Jahmel was arrested in New York last week in connection with the attempted murders of two cinema-goers shot as they left a film showing in November 2009. He was arrested at the time but broke his bail and left the island. I'm not sure how that's even possible. There is only one airport here and you'd think that immigration staff would have access to a wanted list... hmmm yeah I repeat you'd think. Also curious about this situation is the fact that the Minister openly talks of being in contact with his son since he left the island in Bermuda Sun. Hang on a minute, a Minister in touch with a fugitive of the law?! Accessory anyone. 


Then there's the two members of Bermudians Against the Draft (BAD) who went AWOL and failed to attend an exemption-from-service tribunal, while a third turned up but failed to get out of military service. BAD has been engaged in legal action since late 2006 to abolish military conscription in Bermuda. Their bid to get the law changed has been defeated in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and the Privy Council, which is the Island's highest Court of Appeal. As mentioned in my previous post, Bermuda is the only British Overseas Territory to have compulsory service.


So if you thought there was no where to hide on an island this small, you'd be wrong!