David Burt, the new Leader of the Progressive Labour Party, delivered a forceful Reply to the Throne Speech yesterday, charging the One Bermuda Alliance with failing in its 2012 electoral pledges, while vowing tighter governance and oversight to a returned Progressive Labour Party administration.

Delivering his maiden public speech since assuming leadership, Mr Burt castigated the OBA’s policies as outdated and catering to elites.

The reply won an enthusiastic reception in the PLP ranks after a trying year for an Opposition split by infighting over leadership.

Standout proposals included a Child Poverty Act, decriminalising cannabis in small quantities, and tougher environmentally friendly regulations.

Telling MPs that the party had learnt during its “humbling” loss of the Government, the Opposition leader also presented familiar policies from the Vision 2025 plan — emphasising economic diversification and dismantling “structural imbalances” that favoured foreign labour over Bermudian workers.

Good governance and oversight were other strong points in a Reply that included campaign finance laws and tackling weak areas that left the political process “subject to abuse by those who seek to use wealth, influence or intimidation to obtain political or economic power”.

Noted that his Reply would likely be the last before a General Election, Mr Burt told the House that the departure of Bermudians unable to afford life on the island stood as a “stinging indictment” of the OBA’s four years.

He savaged the OBA’s electoral pledge to create 2,000 jobs — charging that 2,124 had instead been lost — and attacked the governing party over rising national debt, healthcare and the cost of living.

Pledging to stimulate jobs with a cut in payroll tax, he echoed previous Opposition calls for embracing new technology, with an Economic Diversification Unit to fast-track a new primary industry yielding 5 per cent of GDP, with three new secondary industries giving at least 2 per cent by 2025.

A Bermuda Fund seeded from pension funds would be run to develop local businesses. Again, the Opposition proposes installing a technology incubator at Southside.

Bermudian workers, he said, stood to benefit if employers were required to give occupational pensions to their work-permit staff, while the Opposition echoed previous calls for a condensed and simplified system for entrepreneurs to start businesses. The Reply gave a nod to international business with a call to collaborate with the industry, keeping the island’s products and regulations ahead of competing jurisdictions.

A revenue and government earnings commission was called for, with the implementation of Sage recommendations to target inefficiency.

In education, Mr Burt reiterated PLP calls to phase out middle schools, boost scholarships and grow “signature schools” at the secondary level, catering to different learning styles. A frequent-flyer plan for Government travel would be turned to the benefit of students.

The National Health Plan would be reinstated, with incentives brought to expand competition in local insurance, while medical cannabis and a sugar tax were proposed.

Turning to growth in tourism numbers, Mr Burt took aim at the developments often touted by the Government as proof of economic turnaround, telling the House that the projects had been lured through a “false economy” of concessions and government guarantees.

The Reply also committed to bipartisan immigration reform — which Mr Burt said would include the OBA, to maintain consistent and fair immigration policy.

Social ills inflamed by the long recession also featured highly, particularly tackling the plight of black males. Proposals include prioritising the Job Corps programme, and bringing in Equality Impact Assessments to assist in policy development.

He called for a reform of Financial Assistance so that clients could keep money earned through jobs on the side, instead of forfeiting part of their awards — and said the PLP would look at greater maternity benefits, with an allowance for paternity leave.

The PLP Government proposed a new category of dwelling unit, restricted from car registration, as a modest housing option that could boost construction. Mandatory recycling, plus a charge on single-use plastic bags, were promised, with a pledge to examine a deposit system for beverage containers.

The OBA’s airport deal came up for lengthy critique, in a “segue” into promises heavy on extra governmental scrutiny: oversight committees, a stronger Public Accounts Committee, and legislation toughening integrity in public office — as well as giving Bermuda’s voters the power to initiate referendums.

“Better scrutiny and better oversight will lead to better results and outcomes for the people of Bermuda,” Mr Burt said, closing with a call for disillusioned OBA supporters to find a place in the PLP — and a “new phase in Bermuda politics” that would break from the parliamentary bickering that has wearied voters.

• To read the Reply to the Throne Speech in full, click on the PDF under “Related Media”