Columnist Ronald Bookman compared Premier Ewart Brown to President Barack Obama and called him a "natural born leader." Bookman writes in his EurWeb column:

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said of truly great leaders, "... the time is always right to do what is right."

With the exception of President Barack Obama, perhaps no political leader in the world today better exemplifies that more than Dr. Ewart F. Brown, Premier of Bermuda...

Brown, a renowned medical doctor, the leader of Bermuda’s ruling Progressive Labor Party, and Premier of Bermuda has been thrust onto the world’s media spotlight with his recent humanitarian efforts to resettle four Chinese Muslim Uighur detainees from the now infamous American Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp in Cuba (Gitmo)...

Regardless of the Court declared innocence of the Uighurs, few Countries ventured forward willing to accept the detainees, even on Humanitarian grounds, for fear of reprisals coming from any number of critics. To say the least, it would be an action steeped in controversy...

When Premier Brown ventured forth on strictly Humanitarian grounds to provide a home for the Uighur detainees and news of their arrival in Bermuda surfaced, the critics were inflamed. Some in Bermuda and the United Kingdom decried the decision and jumped on the bandwagon criticizing Brown for having accepted the detainees without having first consulted England prior to his decision. Bermuda is the oldest and most populous remaining U.K. territory.

The United Bermuda Party (UBP), Bermuda’s opposition party, seeing an opportunity to pummel Brown, pounced and called for a vote of ‘no confidence’. Even some in his party were raising eyebrows on the decision. On Friday, June 19th, Brown faced a ‘motion of no confidence’ and on a majority vote, the motion was defeated. It was a show of confidence for Brown and his PLP but not without rancor. According to the Royal Gazette, Bermuda’s largest Newspaper, Brown offered an apology to the people of Bermuda for “…any of my decisions they disapprove of.”

But, Brown did not rescind that decision, as it, in his view, was ‘the right thing to do’ and in a statement said, “it was an immigration case and, thus, an internal matter.”

In a career that has spanned over four decades; the demonstration of strong leadership is nothing new for Dr. Ewart Brown. From his student days at Howard University in the tumultuous riot torn ’60’s, through his successful medical career in Los Angeles and Bermuda, and on to his even more remarkable political progress in Bermuda, he has never shied from making the big decision.

In many ways Brown was born to the leadership mantle and politics. His Mother, Helena Brown, was a member of Bermuda’s United Bermuda Party as was his Aunt, Gloria McPhee. In fact, his Aunt McPhee became Bermuda’s first female Cabinet Member in 1974. And this occurred at a time when few persons of Color anywhere in the United Kingdom, or America for that matter, had ascended to such a prestigious post.

He immediately showed a natural leadership quality when he led a student protest at Howard University in 1968. His incredible student leadership was later highlighted in the award winning PBS television documentary, “Eyes on the Prize”.

Brown excelled at everything he attempted. He graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, lettering in both Football and Track and Field. He earned an M.D. from Howard’s School of Medicine and a Master of Public Health from University of California with an emphasis on Family Medicine.

After establishing the Vermont Medical Clinic in Los Angeles, Brown longed to return to his Bermuda home. He did and in 1993, he immediately assumed his political commitment to Bermuda that had been so successfully demonstrated years earlier by his Mother and Aunt.

In 2006, after having served as a Member of Bermuda’s Parliament and subsequently Minister of Transport and Tourism for Bermuda, he attained the ultimate leadership role as the Premier of Bermuda.

His tenure as Premier hasn’t been without controversy. But, that comes with the territory. Clearly, his decision to accept the Uighur detainees on Humanitarian grounds, in response to the request by the Obama Administration, places Brown in an uncomfortable global spotlight. But, for over four decades, he understood the tenuous demands of leadership. And like many of the challenges he’s faced in the past, Brown made not only a courageous decision, but the right decision, as well.

Premier Brown knew his decision to accept the detainees would be controversial consistent with the ongoing drama involving America’s role at Gitmo. But, at some point he probably recalled the famous assertion by a great political leader of another era, U.S. President Harry Truman who stated, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

Brown, as Premier of the beautiful Bermuda has proved that he can take the heat and for that, he’s a natural born leader.

Early on Saturday morning, Premier Brown took to the floor of Parliament to apologise to his colleagues and the people of Bermuda for any pain the principled decision caused. Premier Brown, as reported in the Bermuda Sun:

I know there is genuine disapproval and dismay at the decision to offer refuge to these four Uighur men on behalf of the Bermuda government. I recognize that actions to assist these four gentlemen have brought great disaffection and turmoil to my colleagues, my party and my people. For that I am sincerely regretful. I meant no harm and I meant no disrespect. I apologise to members of this house and the people of Bermuda for any of my actions that have caused pain [or] confusion...

As Mr. Brockman pointed out, while other countries took the easy path, Premier Brown made the principled and humanitarian decision to welcome these innocent men to our shores. Rev. Al Sharpton agreed:

We must have a world where people rise above politics and give priority to the preservation of human life and dignity.

In that spirit we have other nations that are extending the same conduct. Italy and others are following the tone set in this nation.

If you come out of the ghetto, like I did, you worry afterwards whose mess it was and how it was cleaned up. The main thing is to get the mess cleaned up.

I was never more proud than to see them (Bermuda) take the risk to be right and that should be encouraged by all nations.

We must raise the morality of our actions above and beyond the politics.

It's time for Bermudians to put down their political knives, come together and focus our energies and our passions on solutions to the problems we all face.