,., RALLY IN CITY HALL JUST BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION IN 1968. HISTORY OF THE UNITED BERMUDA PARTY In 1959 the Theatre Boycott present Premier John W. Swan. move ment, headed by Dr. Stanley In 1962 Sir Henry Tucke r Ratteray, Mr. Kingsley Tweed and moved for the appointment of a others, spearheaded the desegre­ Joint Select Committee of the gation of Bermuda's theatres. House of Assembly to consider a Previously the black population of new system of voting qualifica­ the Island was required to sit tions. The Committee recom­ downstairs in the theatres. mended that the vote be given to In 1960 the Committee for all Bermudians ove r the age of 25 Universal Adult Suffrage was years and those who owned rea l ex tremely active throughout the property wou Id na ve a second vote. Island and vigorously campaigned It was with this franchise that the for the abolition of the onerous electorate went to the polls in property vote and the installation 1963. Just before the 1963 General of universal adult suffrage for all Election the Progressive Labou r Bermudians twenty-one years of Party pu t forw?rd caJ;ldidates to run age and over. The prime move rs of under the PLPbam;er. Thi s was the this group were Dr . Stanley first time in Bermuda's history that Ratteray, Mr. Arnold Francis, Mr. any group had fought an election Walter Robinson, Mr. Edward under the auspices of a political Dejean, Mr. Roosevelt Brown, and prty 1 I - The result of the 1963 on the 21 st day of August. 1964 election was the election of six PLP the United Bermuda Party was candidates to Parliament. This officially founded. presented a solid and unified A Statement of General voting block to the other thirty Intent, supported by the twenty­ independent members of the four Members of Parliament House of Assembly and the comprising the new United Ber­ prospect of the 1964 Budget not muda Party, was published. The being passed became a reality. statement promised that the This fact, together with the United Bermuda Party would political climate of the day, amalgamate all the finest tradi­ inspired a group of senior mem­ tions of the past with a vigorous bers of the House led by Sir Henry and farsighted programme for the Tucker to meet and try to form future. The new Party was viewed themselves into a political party. by many as having a fresh and The House of Parliament at intelligent approach to the that time consisted of thirty-six problems facing Bermuda as they members. Legislation was intro­ proposed the following areas of duced to the House by the reform:- Executive Council which consisted I. A reduction.of the voting age from 25 to 21 and a commitment to abolish the property vote. 2. The provision of old age pensions, hospital in­ surance and workman's compensation. 3. Extension of the school leaving age to 16, prom­ otion of the integration of all Government aided schools, the bUilding of new schools and impro­ THEHON. OUINTON of the Attorney General. the ving the standard of EDN ESS Colonial Treasurer, the Colonial education for all Ber­ CAPTURES THE YOUTH . Secretary, four appointed mem­ muda's children. bers from the House of Parliament 4. Also included were and the Governor, who acted as provisions for streamlin­ Chairman. ing the Island's Financial matters were economic, financial and controlled by the House of taxation arrangements. Assembly's Finance Committee. This Committee was appointed by the Speaker of the House. It is A draft Party Constitution interesting to note that proposed was made public the same day by legislation did not have to be the Hon. A. D. Spurling. outlining supported by Members of the the Party's goals This provided for House, including those members strict Party discipline in the House of the Executive Counci!' under the Party Whip Sir Henry Tucker, after The following are the several false starts, convinced his twenty-four Members of the House colleagues that the introduction of of Parliament who formed the universal adult suffrage and the United Bermuda Party under the formation of the Progressive leadership of Sir Henry Tucker as Labour Party had created the need the first Government Leader in for a new approach to politics and 1964. 2 At a well attended meeting 0 , Rendell Arton Hamilton of the Pembroke South Branch in Lt, Col.l,C Astwood, O,B,E" E.D, Sandys April. 1965 Sir Henry Tucker E. Harley Barnes Warwick underlined the solid experience in Lionel M. Barnes Paget government, business and finance lames N, Burnett-Herkes Sandys offered by the United Bermuda Gilbert A. Cooper Pembroke Party. He stressed the commit'­ Sir N. Bayard Dill. CB.E. Devonshire ment of the Party to represent all Lawrence P. Gutteridge Smith's Bermudians at all levels of en­ Ra lph 0 . Marshall Southampton deavour. Dr. William H.C Masters, In late April. 1965 the first M.B" Ch .B. Paget Central Council elected its first John M.s. Patton, G.C Warwick Slate of Officers:- James E. Pearman, CB.E. Pembroke Dr. John D. stubbs chairman Gayous E, Powell Southampton The Hon, George 0 , Ratteray Sandys Dr. E, Stanley 0 , Ratteray Deputy chairman The Hon, Edward T, Richards Warwick Mr. Ronald L. Barnard Deputy ChairmaD S.s. Toddings, O,B,E" J.P , st. George's Mr.I. Christopher Astwood Secretary DeForest Trimingham Paget Dr. Clarence R. Terceira Treasurer Sir Henry I, Tucker. CB,E. Paget J. Brownlow Tucker St. George's John H. Sharpe Warwick The Central Council also The Hon. C Vail Zuill, J,p Smith's suggested that Research Commit­ Sir N, Henry P. Vesey, CB,E, Smith's tees be set up in matters of finance, The Hon , A, Dudley Spurling, taxation, education, social welfare, C B.E..J.P, St. George's trade and industry and public rela­ Ernest W,P, Vesey Hamilton tions, In May, 1965 Mr.lohn Elliott. formerly Government Personnel In the fall of 1964 and winter Officer, was appointed Executive of 1965 Sir Henry took his Party on Officer of the Party, He brought the road, Formative meetings were excellent qualifications with him held in the nine parishes where, as he had also been Parliamentary under the new Constitution, Registrar in charge of the arrange­ Branches had to be established. ments for the General Election of These Branches would have two 1963 , He opened the first Party representatives to the Central office in the Harold Hayes Frith Council which, in turn, would elect Building on Par-la-Ville Road in the Party Executive consisting of the City of Hamilton, five officers and six other non­ This was a time for growth parliamentary members. Two in the Party, New names appeared parliamenrary members were as Bermudians stood up and were appointed by the Government counted as members of the United Leader. Bermuda Party, Mr. Harry Viera The founding members who spoke for the first time at the addressed these meetings stres­ Southampton 8eneficial Hall in sed the need for the Party to being June, 1965 and stated: . truly representative of the Island's population They also reiterated "The UBP will work toward the Party's intention of improving the achievement of a constantly the general prosperity on the expanding economy without Island. They also endorsed a more inflation ThE: UB? is concerned satisfactory arrangement for with planning. It will be a Party of Parliamentary business, advocat­ action ...... a Party with a sound ing that Members of the Legisla­ financial policy, a Party of think­ tive Council be directly responsi­ ing, creative conservatism", ble to the Legislature rather than to the Governor. ( Dr. Clarence "Tessie" Ter- - ceira expounded on the Work­ should be comprised of men's Compensation Act, a members of the House promise made in the original of Parliament from the Statement of General Intent. group y,rhich held the Dr. John Stubbs at a meeting majority. This group in Hamilton in May, 1965 gave a would then be responsi­ clear and concise definition of UBP ble to the House for the policy. He described three areas of operations of all govern­ rapid change here in Bermuda: ment departments, in­ economic progress, race reJations cluding finance. and the expanding spectrum of 2. A proposal that the 10caJ job opportunities. The first Legislative Council have coining of the phrase "Bermudiani­ delaying powers only zation of the workforce" was used and not the right of final at this time. veto. Dr. Stubbs urged a spirit of realism and sophistication in 3. The proposition that the dealing with these questions and Bermuda Board system warned against putting these be subject to a general important matters into the hands control by the Executive CounciL ' In effect the Boards would be advis­ ory to the Member in change of the depart­ ment. On the day of the announce­ ment of the Constitutional Confer­ ence Sir Henry Tucker held a press conference during which he put forward the policies of the United Bermuda Party. These consisted of:- I. The formation of a SIR DAVID Public Service Commis­ GIBBONS of radical and "incompetent do­ CLEANING sion. UP gooders". PEMBROKE WEST. Si r Henry Tucker and the 2. Support of law and order Hon. E.T. Richards tackled the and of the proposition areas of labour relations and the that all members of the constitutional changes required to community are equal provide a more efficient govern­ before the law. ment. A young man named Dr. 3. Expansion of trade and Clarence James gaved a packed development of free audience at City Hall in Hamilton enterprise, enlargement a moving and revealing speech, of the tourist industry, entitled: "Am I Being Used".