The One Bermuda Alliance’s response to the 2024-25 Budget Statement is predictable. While most Bermudians are hoping for Bermuda’s success and the elevation of conditions for the working and middle class, the Opposition seems determined to promote a “doom and gloom” narrative in hoping for the failure of Bermuda’s economy.

The Progressive Labour Party prefers to take a realistic, albeit positive view of Bermuda and our people:

• Delivering the first balanced budget in 20 years, all without any new taxes or any increases in taxes or government fees

• Delivering the first balanced budget in 20 years while keeping payroll taxes for struggling Bermudians at the lowest rate in history

• Tourism arrivals up

• The highest number of Bermudians working in international business for decades

• The opportunity presented by the new Corporate Income Tax is to pay down the debt and provide greater investment in our people and our infrastructure

• More affordable housing is on the way and the restoration of our roads is in progress

Bermudians recognise that the OBA has a vested interest in wanting to paint a picture that our country is failing, as it knows that its non-existent or reheated failed ideas simply are not enough to convince Bermudians that it has changed.

A Bermuda headed in the right direction, as shown by outside rating agencies, is good for Bermudians. Yet, the OBA knows this is not good for itself. It repeats messages of doom and gloom strictly for its own narrow political purposes.

The irony is the very same CIT that the senator Doug De Couto speaks so negatively of, we can guarantee that under the OBA it would not be put towards affordable housing, seniors programmes or infrastructure.

How do we know? Because the OBA government showed us its priorities in its one term of governance.

Like you, we know that despite Bermuda heading in the right direction, many of us still haven’t felt it in our wallets and in our households. We will continue working harder for you and continue to keep fighting for you.

• Neville Tyrrell is the Government Whip and the MP for Warwick South Central (Constituency 26)