Government contracts and inefficiencies in the Civil Service will come under the microscope if Rayki Bascome-Emery is elected as an MP in the February 18 General Election.

Speaking to The Royal Gazette, the independent candidate said that he also wanted to decentralise politics, arguing that political parties cannot represent voters as effectively as independent MPs can.

Mr Bascome-Emery, a single father with a nine-year-old son, gave a withering analysis of the PLP’s handling of the island’s purse strings.

He said: “It is imperative to the growth and development of the economy that we get these guys out. It's frightening how bad they've been with running our economy.

“I think many of the things that they've done have been token initiatives that don't amount to much. We gave them our full support by giving them such a majority and they should have been well able to put this country back together.

“Instead, they've continued to create opportunities for the few. For example, [cannabidiol retailer] Uplift was fighting for survival while another local company was importing and distributing the same product. They've been unfair to most people outside of their immediate keys to power and they've fought transparency for the last eight years.

“I don't think a different government could do any worse at the least and clearly much better at best. If we're able to see a government that was strictly beholden to the people, then we'd be in a much better position.”

Mr Bascome-Emery said that if elected he would revisit the Spending and Government Efficiency Commission’s report to see how costs could be cut within government.

The commission was set up by the OBA shortly after it was elected into office in December 2012.

He said: “We have to start looking at ways to make the government smaller. We simply cannot continue on the path we are going and we need to start cutting sooner rather than later.

“I'd look to make a review into all government contracts and make cancellations as necessary so we can put them back out to tender and through proper procurement processes give them to the best offer.

“I would look to cancel the Heron Bay School grocery store project as it is in direct competition with Bermudian-owned businesses.

“The PLP cannot make pledges in their platform about stopping monopolies when it itself is about to own one.

“Heron Bay will not be the last, and before you know it the Bermuda Government is running a chain of grocery stores, operating at a loss, on taxpayer money and dragging us further into the hole.”

Mr Bascome-Emery is running in Paget East (Constituency 22) and will be up against Scott Pearman, of the One Bermuda Alliance, and the Dawn Simmons, of the Progressive Labour Party.

In the 2020 election, Mr Pearman beat Curtis Richardson, of the PLP, by 472 votes to 365.

Asked whether he was confident of winning the seat, Mr Bascome-Emery was candid.

He said: “No, not at all. I've canvassed a lot but I probably won't get on every doorstep. With the PLP supporters it's a bit easier because they don't have any representation here from the PLP so they'll vote for me because I'm from the area.

“But with the OBA supporters, I have to sit in their living rooms and convince them that I'll represent them better, which may not happen at a big-enough scale. I'm happy for all the people who have confirmed they'll vote for me but it's a tough ask to overturn the OBA in this constituency.

“However, stranger things have happened and I think that it’s always an opportunity for an independent because people seem to be tired of party politics.

“In the C36 by-election last October, Ci’re [Bean] came very close to winning and you can see that people are starting to prefer the independent candidates. I expect some independents to pick up both OBA and PLP seats.”

The former chairman of the Free Democratic Movement said: “I'm not completely opposed to the idea of returning to party politics at some point, but right now the people need to be assured that they are being represented properly — and political party candidates cannot promise that.

“My goal is to decentralise politics, taking it down to a local level where each person is heard on an individual basis.

“You’re supposed to be their democratic voice; they should have final say in every action that their representative does in Parliament because that representative is supposed to be an extension of the people.

“The only way we'll see decentralised politics is through independent candidates, but there are some ways that party politics can decentralise by focusing more on their branches and allowing the branches more autonomy. Each branch should vote on policy and no voice should be unheard.

“I genuinely think that we have to explore the idea of more independent MPs because the current political parties are more concerned with regaining or holding power than they are working for the people. That has to stop.”

“The PLP used to say they were given the mandate to lead by the people, but what that leads to is a one-sided relationship with the people. You beg them for votes and promise to help them, but after the election the focus shifts to pushing party agendas instead of representing the people.

“Anyone selected to be a Member of Parliament isn’t being selected to lead the people; they're being selected to represent the people. As an independent MP, my first concern is for the people of Paget East.

“I'm just grateful for the opportunity to represent my community. It’s been a tough race but I hope the person who wins will be the one who offers the best representation to the constituents. I really think that’s me.“

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