Ben Smith was officially sworn in as Bermuda’s new Leader of the Opposition at Government House this afternoon, vowing to focus on creating a better future for the island’s young people.
Smith replaces Robert King, who was removed from the position following a vote of no confidence that surprised many of his supporters.
Following the ceremony, Scott Pearman, deputy leader of the One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) and Shadow Minister of Justice, outlined the process that led to King’s removal.
“As Members of Parliament, we are elected to serve Bermuda, not any particular party, but to serve Bermuda as a whole,” Pearman said. “Our Bermuda Constitution provides a method whereby MPs elected by the public must have faith in their leaders. And that democratic method was followed … this is democracy in action.”
He noted that over recent months, concerns had grown among MPs regarding King’s leadership style and his ability to unify the party, prompting the vote of no confidence. Pearman added that Smith now has the full confidence of OBA MPs and “it will and has united us so that we can together serve for the better of Bermudians.”
Smith said he accepted the role after being approached by party members. “The step that I now have to take is that I have to make sure that I unite the party, that I make sure the members of the party understand that this was something that had to be done so that we could not only unite this party but then be able to be the party that the country wants to represent them,” he said.
He pledged not to speak poorly of King, who remains a party member, and declined to comment on the internal reasons behind the no-confidence vote, describing it as a private party matter.
Smith also emphasised that the OBA intends to maintain open communication with its membership to explain the change in leadership.
