VZCZCXRO2440
RR RUEHHT
DE RUEHHT #0130/01 3101941
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061941Z NOV 09 ZFF4
FM AMCONSUL HAMILTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3915
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0897
RUEHHT/AMCONSUL HAMILTON 2092

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HAMILTON 000130 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE (JOHN MARBURG AND NIMA ABBASZADEH); 
STATE FOR EUR/PPD (LEE MCMANIS AND ALISANDE PIPKIN); 
LONDON (ROB HUBER) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV BD
SUBJECT: UNITED BERMUDA PARTY REELECTS KIM SWAN AS OPPOSITION LEADER 
AS NEW THIRD PARTY OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES 
 
REF: HAMILTON 103 
 
HAMILTON 00000130  001.7 OF 002 
 
 
Summary 
 
 
 
¶1.      (U)  After months of heightened internal dissension, the 
beleaguered opposition United Bermuda Party (UBP) came together 
on November 5 to reelect Kim Swan as Opposition Leader, just in 
time for the reconvening of Parliament on November 6.  UBP 
members had criticized Swan for being too slow to bring about 
change in the party that has lost every election since 1998. 
After amending the party's constitution to open up the 
leadership election process, Swan delivered his vision for 
reform to the 70+ member Central Committee, but publicly he 
stresses that the party must work to become a cohesive unit. 
Meanwhile, UBP defectors chose the same day to launch a third 
party, the Bermuda Democratic Alliance (BDA).  End summary. 
 
 
 
UBP Unites Behind Leader Kim Swan, Strives to Reconnect with the 
People 
 
 
 
¶2.      (U)  On November 5, the opposition United Bermuda Party 
(UBP) reelected Kim Swan as leader in an attempt to resurrect a 
party that has been hemorrhaging members and support since its 
first loss at the polls in 1998.  Having lost three successive 
elections since then, the UBP has experienced growing internal 
agitation for change.  It came to a head on September 14 when 
two sitting members of parliament and one senator, frustrated by 
the seeming inability of the party to  rebrand itself, resigned 
from the UBP to establish a third party. (See REFTEL.)  The 
defection led Swan to initiate amendments to the party's 
constitution to open up the leadership selection process with 
the aim of broadening participation and building party unity. 
The party's Central Council, composed of more than seventy 
members, made its choice for leader via secret ballot between 
former opposition leader Swan (who had resigned in advance of 
the election) and E. T. (Bob) Richards, Shadow Minister of 
Finance, after each presented his vision to move the party 
forward.  Swan said after the vote, "The first thing we must do 
is build a cohesive unit, with the parliamentary group 
contacting with the branches.  We certainly have to consolidate 
our base.  The most important thing for the nine MPs is to show 
the people that we are working together and start getting on 
with the people's business.  We have to multi-task."  Challenger 
Richards vowed to work with Swan, adding that "~the whole 
exercise has been a real galvanizing effort for our party~.Now 
the work begins, together." 
 
 
 
Competing Third Political Party Launched 
 
 
 
¶3.      (U)  Competing for the limelight, the UBP's September 
defectors unveiled their new political party, the Bermuda 
Democratic Alliance (BDA) - also the acronym for Bermuda - on 
the same day as the UBP reelected Kim Swan.  The BDA will not 
announce a leader or ratify a constitution until the New Year, 
after a series of town hall meetings and constituency 
get-togethers.  Meanwhile, its two MPs will sit in Parliament. 
A spokesman for the new 45-member third party claimed that the 
BDA is "representative of the spectrum of Bermuda racially, 
economically and professionally.  That's what's most exciting." 
It cited as its core values:  broad participation by all 
Bermudians; a modern justice system; a society that celebrates 
inclusion, diversity, equal opportunity and human rights; 
government that is fair, transparent and fiscally responsible; 
government that will protect Bermuda's assets for the future; an 
improved education system; and political leadership that acts 
for the greater good of Bermuda both locally and abroad. 
 
 
 
Comment 
 
 
 
¶4.      (SBU)  The reelection of Kim Swan as party leader does 
not mean the end of the UBP's political problems. Swan has much 
work to do to heal intraparty divisions.  He will have to make 
meaningful changes quickly while altering the perception of the 
UBP as a "white party" if he hopes to draw support away from the 
 
HAMILTON 00000130  002.7 OF 002 
 
 
ruling Progressive Labor Party (PLP).  The formation of the BDA, 
which will work towards being more broadly representative of the 
voters than either the UBP or the PLP, adds to the UBP's 
challenges. Without even an announced leader or constitution, it 
is too soon to tell whether the BDA will be able to garner 
enough support to be viable.SHELTON