Government is working with the Island’s banks to help those who are having trouble making mortgage payments, Premier Cannonier said yesterday.The business community is also being engaged in discussions about addressing social needs of the country and Government has already received private sector funds for tackling gang violence.In his second round of media interviews since taking office, Mr Cannonier said that he shared the view, expressed by Michelle St Jane in a lunchtime speech to the Rotary Club, that Bermuda had always been too focused on the bottom-line at the expense of social needs.“I believe that we have not done enough in the past with social programmes, and supporting the clubs and the like. But I also recognise that they work in tandem with business,” he said, adding that social programmes do well if businesses are thriving.Mr Cannonier noted that businesses had cut their funding for social programmes.“That is because businesses are not doing well. This has to be an opportunity. We are out speaking to the businesses about ‘how do we move this country forward, not just economically for the businesses but socially as well. How do we move Bermudians — all of us — along, with opportunity in being able to excel?’.“So I do share in those views and I take her comments to heart. It is our job to ensure that we work with everyone. That there isn’t a precedence one over the other. This is why we have said that proceeds from crime will go to the clubs and social programmes.”The Premier added that he had been in discussions with the private sector and had received funds to support mediation to address gang violence.“Within this first month plus, we’ve been able to get private sector support money to programmes.”He would not say how much funds had been pledged by the private sector.“The business sector needs to know that it has a responsibility to support social programmes and this government will continue to work with the business sector to make that happen.”But he said: “The best social programme is a job and we need to get jobs on the table and that hasn’t been happening. So the economic committee right now is looking to get several projects going.”And banks were being engaged to prevent foreclosures and high interest rates.“They are willing to sit down and discuss how we move forward to ensure that this (foreclosures) doesn’t happen in the future.”He deflected a question about whether he endorsed the controversial claim by his party’s Deputy Chairman Michael Branco’s, that term limits were put in place to pander to “xenophobic views of Bermudians who want Bermuda to be foreigner free”.Mr Cannonier said he hadn’t had a chance to speak with Mr Branco to clarify what he meant.But he said: “We need to get information out there to the country so that they are well informed and that we are not creating fears that are unnecessary because of lack of information.”Eliminating term limits was an easy decision to make because of professional advice that the policy was unnecessary, he added.“We also understand that the business community had grave concerns with it and this is a message to the business community that we’re here ready to get business done.”Mr Cannonier refuted the claim — made by the Opposition Progressive Labour Party — that his administration’s first Throne Speech was primarily a continuation of the policies of the former administration.“The Throne Speech reflects our platform and the promises that we made and the direction we want the country to go in,” he said. “I can also say that regardless of where a good idea comes from, it’s a good idea. But for me, the Throne Speech is certainly not a reflection of the former administration, it’s a reflection of our platform.”He described the legislative agenda as an “aggressive” one.“It’s taken too long to get to the position of decision making and whilst things may be ongoing, I think Bermudians showed on December 17 that decision making was taking too long,” he said.“I hear what the Opposition is saying but this is an agenda which aligns with our platform, and so we will continue to proceed with that.“This is about getting Bermudians back to work. This is about getting locals who have left the country, back.“This is about getting foreign investment back into the country and also residing here, and in addition to that this is about helping and arresting this violent crime that we have.“It is an aggressive Throne Speech but my job is to hold our Ministers accountable. Bermudians have had enough discussions and they now want decision-making to happen.”The Premier revealed that his administration will allocate more resources for education and community and cultural affairs, when asked how social concerns will be reflected in administration’s first budget.He rejected a suggestion that Bermuda was entering a period of “strained” relations between Government and organised labour.“I don’t agree with that at all,” he said. “I have been in one of the meetings with the unions and it was a very successful meeting, a very amicable meeting.“We did come to a consensus and I did lay out before them that this has got to be about the country and moving this forward. So, I’m not sure where this ‘strained relations’ is coming from.”He was referring to a story in this newspaper in which Opposition MP Walton Brown expressed his view — shared by civil service union head Kevin Grant and Bermuda Employers Council President Keith Jensen — that Bermuda could be entering a period of strained labour relations.Mr Brown cited concerns about the quality of Government’s consultation with the unions over eliminating term limits, Government’s decision not to include the Bermuda Industrial Union on the Immigration Board and his view that the One Bermuda Alliance Government is “conservative” and will always prioritise the interests of business and the wealthy.On another topic — legalising gaming on the Island — Mr Cannonier indicated there was a possibility that the issue may not be put to the people in a referendum.“In our platform we said that we believe the way forward would be a referendum,” he said.“It’s always politically safe to say we’ll go to referendum and let the people decide. But is that really in the best interests of the country? So we need to answer that question.“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — this year has to be about decision-making. Bermudians have conversed and talked about and seen white papers and green papers. We’ve seen enough of those. We need to make some decisions that are in the interests of the country itself.”However, the Premier revealed that the Parliamentary Registrar had already been approached to determine his requirements for a referendum.“Nothing’s off the table right now,” he said.