HAMILTON, Bermuda – Sacked Transport Minister Lawrence Scott says he was “surprised, but not bitter” after being dumped from Premier David Burt’s streamlined new cabinet.
Lawrence ScottThe cabinet shake-up also saw the removal of Dr Ernest Peets as Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, who was also the Progressive Labour Party’s (PLP) leader in the Senate.
News of the dismissals came on Thursday ahead of a swearing-in ceremony at Government House overseen by Governor Rena Lalgie as the transport portfolio was handed to Wayne Furbert, a former leader of the now defunct United Bermuda Party (UBP), while Owen Darrell, Burt’s chief of staff, took over Peets’ two roles.
Scott, whose father Alex was premier between 2003 and 2006, told the Royal Gazette newspaper: “I was surprised because I thought I was doing a good job.
“I’m not bitter. It’s politics, not Sunday school.”
Asked if he thought the decision could have been punishment for publicly stating he was thinking of running for the PLP deputy leader’s post in last week’s internal elections, Scott said: “You’d have to ask the Premier that.“
Pressed on whether the move could be related to his father saying that Burt needed to look less “autocratic”, Scott said: “Again, you would need to ask the Premier that.”
Burt denied Scott’s consideration of standing against Walter Roban for the role of deputy premier played a part in his exit from cabinet.
The move comes a week after Burt defeated former Minister of Finance Curtis Dickinson in an acrimonious fight for the PLP leadership by 97 delegates votes to 56.
Regarding his departure from the cabinet, Scott added: “The Premier no longer thinks I’m a good fit for the team and he has put me on the bench — but then [Portugal and Manchester United footballer Cristiano] Ronaldo doesn’t get to play every game.
“I achieved a lot in the role, but now I will put all my efforts into helping my [Warwick South East] constituents and the PLP.”
Asked if his “autocrat” comments about Burt could have factored in the sacking, Scott’s father told the Gazette: ”I would hope not.
“But, I did not see this coming. I’m prejudiced because I am his father, but I thought he was a very effective minister. He ticked all the boxes.”
The reshuffle also saw Furbert’s Cabinet Office ministerial responsibilities given to Vance Campbell, who remains as Minister of Tourism.
At the swearing-in event, Burt said the changes would reduce the size of cabinet from 13 members to 12 and cut costs during a challenging economic time.
Asked if the decision to remove Scott was related to his public statement on running for PLP deputy leader, the Premier said: “Making cabinet changes is very difficult and it’s incredibly difficult when you have the largest parliamentary group in PLP history [30 House of Assembly seats while the One Bermuda Alliance has six].
“That is a challenge, but I don’t view it as anything other than being the captain of a team.
“Sometimes you have to rotate the team and that is the way that we look at it.”
Furbert said he had only recently been told he would be returning to the Ministry of Transport for the third time. He was Transport Minister in the late 1990s when he was an MP for the UBP, which ran the country for 30 years from 1968. He later crossed the floor and joined the PLP and held the portfolio again when Dr Ewart Brown was premier between 2006 and 2010.
He said: “I am quite familiar with the department, so I will talk to the permanent secretary and the staff about things I want to work on and we will go from there.”
Peets was not immediately available for comment on his sacking.
Dickinson’s resignation as Finance Minister came just days before he was due to deliver the Budget in February. Burt publicly denied it was because of a clash over government sweeteners for the owners to reopen the Fairmont Southampton, the island’s largest hotel, which has been closed for more than two years.
Dickinson, who branded Burt a “liar” in the final days of the PLP leadership race, has repeatedly said the bust-up with Burt over the hotel deal was the main reason for his decision to quit the cabinet.
Burt has said he plans to step down as PLP leader in 2026, having led the party to successive general election victories in 2017 and 2020.
