Bmda: Brown makes his manima

Transport Minister Ewart Brown said last night the United States Consulate General will have to come to him to get an explanation about his alleged breach of security at the Airport.

The Consulate General issued a strongly worded press statement on Thursday accusing Dr. Brown of a “gross violation” of aviation security when it said he did not go through mandatory security screening procedures.

The statement warned that pre-clearance in Bermuda for flights to the US was dependent on the Airport understanding its responsibilities.

The statement said the Consulate General “looks forward to Dr. Brown's clarifying his intentions in this matter, which we take with the utmost concern”.

When asked yesterday if he had approached or would be approaching the Consulate, Dr. Brown told The Royal Gazette: “Absolutely not.

“I do not respond to press statements. I want to see a face come from behind the letterhead.

“As soon as I know who I am talking with, I would be happy to have a meaningful conversation but it would be inappropriate for me to respond to a press statement as a Minister of Government.”

Dr. Brown, who strongly denies any breach of security, added: “They can come to the Government, not through the media.”

Some ministers of government take being ministers of government very seriously in the Caribbean. In some cases, that means that they think they're above the law. In other cases it means you'd better respect the man's office cuz he represents his people. In the face of the Consular General's ham-handed effort to deal with Brown, one can almost hear Brown saying, "who he think he is? He in my country. He can't tell me what to do in my own country. Besides, if he want to talk to me, let him come talk to me like a man...." Yes, breds, the U.S. Consular General needs to regard not the smallness of the country, but the man's sense of amour propre and deal with it.