Dear Sir,

Almost a decade ago, in his reply to the One Bermuda Alliance government Budget of 2014, Progressive Labour Party leader David Burt said:

“This, Mr Speaker, is the vicious cycle in which we are stuck. An island with incredible wealth [re: our Bermuda-based IB/insurers] yet unable to pay its bills; too afraid to ask its international business partners for more out of fear they may find new shores to exploit. Unable to approach Google [$12 billion was paid to its Bermuda subsidiary in 2012] to ask ‘what about us’ because we are wedded to a tax system from the 1800s ... Rather than tap into the incredible wealth surrounding us, we reduce the investments in education, scholarships, training and healthcare that are needed to build our future and take care of our people”

That budget reply was critical of many areas of the former finance minister Bob Richards’s budget, including but not limited to the following:

• Government overspending

• Punitive budget cuts, further stifling economic growth

• Failure of economic diversification and stimulation for job creation

• Failure to negotiate with banks for more favourable lending practices

• Missing: a regulatory environment which imposes a “social conscience” on Belco

• Lack of emphasis on important social programmes (financial assistance, unemployment insurance, seniors care)

• Lack of education reform

• Failure to address cost-of-living issues

• No living/minimum-wage examination

• America’s Cup only a short-term boost in economic recovery

If we combine Mr Burt’s PLP Budget replies to both the 2014 and 2017 OBA budgets, there is a treasure trove of pledges outlined “alternatively”, which included the following lofty initiatives:

• Civil Service efficiency/reform measures = reduction in cost of government

• Creation of an unemployment insurance scheme

• Creation of a Social Enterprises initiative (to ensure that employment is created for those deemed unemployable)

• Creation of a Bermuda Investment Fund (seeded by a percentage of government pension monies)

• Reform and broaden the tax base (tap into IB revenues, and domestic wealth and income)

• Creation of a technology hub in Southside

• Reduce/replace/reform payroll tax (payroll taxes ultimately depress employment)

• Establish government spending disciplines

• A focus on infrastructure (roads, bridges, waste/water facility repair, affordable housing, fish processing plant, green energy fund for solar)

• Growing international business

• Create a regulatory environment which imposes a “social conscience” on Belco

• Phase out tax concessions (too costly to the government in the long run)

• Radical reform of the immigration system (ramifications of a shrinking workforce, ageing population)

• Economic diversification (a tech hub, blue economy, medical tourism, casino industry, vertical farming, space strategy, subsea communications sector)

• Reduction of the cost of healthcare (use a new sugar tax revenue for health education)

• Universal healthcare plan

• Create a lottery for athletics funding

In 2017, his final year as Opposition leader, Mr Burt closed his reply to that budget by saying:

“Mr Speaker, these last 50 months [of the OBA administration] have also seen unprecedented social upheaval that has raised tensions in our country to levels not seen in my lifetime. Our lack of social cohesion is the result of a government that does not consult, is arrogant in its actions, lacks transparency and seems to put the interests of those outside Bermuda ahead of our children. Mr Speaker, through its actions and its inactions, the OBA has proven that it is incapable of uniting this country, and Bermuda will not succeed unless we are united. Bermudians deserve better. They deserve a humble government, free from entrenched interests, that is willing to engage with all stakeholders to advance our common interests. Bermuda needs a government that, through its actions, transparency, openness and honesty, will advance social cohesion, restore stability and bring unity to an island that desperately needs it.”

It has been 72 months since the PLP was returned to government and judging by its own lacklustre policy track record and our Auditor-General reports, which raise as many red flags as those flying in Hamilton at present, I think Mr Burt’s scathing criticism of the previous administration could be very accurately applied to his own government.

He was right about one thing: Bermudians do deserve better. Certainly, his words have not aged well.

BEVERLEY CONNELL

Pembroke