For the last few months, we have been hearing how we all should:

— Pull together and make Bermuda the Jewel of the Atlantic

— Put our best foot forward for tourism and the America’s Cup

— Keep the island clean

— Be great hosts to our visitors

During these same months, a pile of trash had been left unmoved for near three months from the side of the road next to the public roundabout at the top of Parsons’ Road leading to CedarBridge Academy. The roundabout itself had been neglected.

In comparison, the northern and southern side roundabouts of Trimingham Hill are given attention at least once a week with mowing, weeding, and rows and rows of colourful flowers.

Both sets of roundabouts are similar in that they are:

— public property

— the responsibility of Works and Engineering

— seen by thousands of Bermudians, guest workers and visitors

So why are certain parts of Bermuda given high priority whilst other areas are neglected?

Recently the Bermuda Union of Teachers (BUT) made a very profound statement.

“If they [OBA] would invest half as much energy and gusto as they are with the America’s Cup, the returns on that would be 100 per cent better than any America’s Cup could bring to Bermuda.” — The Royal Gazette, January 14, 2015.

The Island’s educators note that the OBA has dropped multiple pre-election promises regarding education reform, including:

— Fully implementing the Cambridge curriculum

— Ensuring that all students have early exposure to a technical/vocational foundation

— Establishing a professional development centre for teachers

— Allocating more resources to teacher training, teacher mentoring and support

— Creating local school boards for each school

— Assisting PTAs to become more effective and an integral part of every school support team

— Implementing a fully integrated technical curriculum, starting in the middle schools

— Empowering our teachers by giving them the support and resources they need

— Following through on the Hopkins Report recommendations to ensure real education reform.

By contrast, these are the OBA’s post-election actions:

— Education funds reduced by $6.1 million year-over-year, the second largest cut among all ministries

— Literacy initiative funds cut 50 per cent, from $508k to $254k

— Financing for total scholarship awards fell 25 per cent, from $1.25 million to $1 million, representing a 50 per cent decline between 2011 and 2012

— Further Education Awards cut by 83 per cent, from $240k to $40k

— Paraprofessional funds slashed from $5.8 million to $3.8 million

— Funding for Education standards slashed by 14 per cent in the last budget

— $1.2 million was cut from the Bermuda College

— The debacle surrounding the hiring and subsequent resignation of Dr Heatley

— The merging of the Ministry of Education with the Ministry of Economic Development

— The Ministry of Education had to share its Minister and Permanent Secretary with the Ministry of Economic Development

— Three education ministers in two years

— Three permanent secretaries in two years

— An attempt to backtrack on its promise to implement board-run schools.

— Parents are still awaiting feedback from recommendations made at a consultation meeting held in June regarding parental involvement

In the two Bermudas, one side gains priority for Government properties to be well-manicured weekly. The other side is completely abandoned for months.

In the two Bermudas, America’s Cup gains tens of millions of taxpayer’s dollars. Meanwhile, the education of Bermudian children has been financially slashed and now abandoned by MP Dr Grant Gibbons, who ironically helped introduce the middle school concept to Bermuda 20 years ago.

We cannot expect social unity if all parts of society are not treated equally. “Back-a-town” must get the same treatment as Paget. The America’s Cup will come and go. Yet our children in the public education system are with us forever.

They are our future. They deserve an equal playing field. They are our priority.