HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – The central opposition One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) has elected Robert King as its new political leader, after Jarion Richardson announced in July that he was stepping down as both the OBA leader and Opposition Leader in Parliament.
Richardson is expected to step down as Opposition Leader on Monday, but will remain as the parliamentary representative for Paget West.
The next phase of this party’s growth — execution, energy, endurance — requires new leadership. I leave not in protest, but with peace. My work in public service continues, and I remain committed to governance, accountability, and the people of Paget West,” Richardson said then.
King, the Shadow Minister of National Security, the Cabinet Office, and Digital Innovation, was elected to the position during the party’s annual conference on Saturday night, defeating Ben Smith, the Shadow Minister of Education and Sport.
The OBM has also elected Scott Pearman, the Shadow Minister of Justice, as its deputy leader, defeating Michael Fahy, the Shadow Minister of Home Affairs.
“First and foremost, we have to get our candidates ready for the next election,” King said after being elected, adding that his leadership would bring “a vocal Opposition and government-in-waiting.
“We’re in the election cycle now, there are only 11 of us, so we’re in it now. We’re going to be doing the work from Monday, we’re not going to wait for it,” King said, acknowledging that the leadership race “could have gone either way”.
He told the meeting that he was pleased to have been elected and thanked the voters “because they believe I will be a person who would best be able to advocate for them and get our party ready for the next election”.
King vowed that the Opposition’s team “is going to be formidable,” promising that the party’s communication strategy is “robust and effective to meet the challenges of the Progressive Labour Party’s well-oiled propaganda machine.
“What I’m talking about is this: if the administration says something or does something that’s unparliamentary or untrue or defamatory, I will absolutely speak up for my MPs, for our party, and for the people.”
King said the party would put focus on holding town hall meetings, saying, “to make a difference truly and to have persons in the community connect with us, we need to communicate with them.
“Not just in the election cycle. We need to have permanent connections to the community.” He said he planned to occupy the Opposition leader’s office “Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 — this is my full-time position,” King added.
The PLP controls 25 of the 36 seats in the Parliament, with the OBA having the remainder.
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