Bermuda’s tourism minister Shawn Crockwell has resigned, saying he has ‘lost confidence’ in the government following five days’ of public protests against planned changes to its immigration laws.
During his three years in the role, Crockwell has addressed the country’s declining visitor numbers by creating the Bermuda Tourism Authority and introducing a law permitting casino gaming in the territory and he is credited with the imminent development of a St Regis hotel in St George’s, the country’s first major new major hotel for decades.
He said he was stepping down as the government had failed to act on warnings about public frustration with the immigration law change and other policies.
"I felt that I could no longer serve under Premier [Michael] Dunkley and the direction in which he is taking this country," he told local newspaper Bermuda Royal Gazette.
He has resigned his cabinet post, but remains a parliament member.
