The Ministry of Public Works has been given $5 million to tackle the island’s pothole problem in this year’s Budget — an increase of almost 100 per cent.

The ministry has been given a total budget of $113.2 million, its highest allowance in 15 years, according to David Burt, the Premier.

Despite the financial boost, Mr Burt acknowledged that funding for the ministry was still below global recommendations.

Delivering his Budget in the House of Assembly, Mr Burt explained that developed economies were typically expected to spend between 2 and 4 per cent of GDP on infrastructure improvements.

Bermuda has not hit that target since 2008, and this year’s allocation still represents only 1.3 per cent of GDP.

Mr Burt said: “If we were to budget the amount on capital investment that is recommended by the World Bank, our capital expenditures budget should be $156 million.”

Last year, Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, said that it would cost $100 million to resurface the island’s entire road network at a cost of about $1 million per mile.

Addressing the issue today, Mr Burt said: “The Government acknowledges the community's concern and frustration with the poor state of roads and is committed to restoring them to an acceptable standard.

“To address the widespread issues of public road conditions across the island, the road-paving budget has been more than doubled to $5 million and additional capital funds have been allocated to procure a new asphalt plant and related equipment, as well as training and development for highways personnel to ensure more frequent, efficient and cost-effective roadworks.”

The ministry has also been given funds to funnel into the Bermuda Housing Corporation to increase the island’s stock of affordable housing, and investment in upgrades to the Tynes Bay waste-management facility will also continue.

Additional capital investment is allocated for stabilising major walls and rock faces along highways, developing rooftop solar panels across government buildings to reduce energy costs and expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Cash has been set aside for preliminary work on replacing the Swing Bridge, although Mr Burt said that construction will not begin until next year.

Work is also expected to start on a new Department of Parks maintenance facility.

Other infrastructure improvements will be funded through other ministry budgets. The Ministry of Education has been allocated $6.4 million to complete developments at Francis Patton and Purvis Primary schools, commence the transformation of Elliot Primary School and Harrington Sound Primary School into parish primary schools, and Sandys Secondary Middle School into a signature school for September 2025.

Mr Burt also said that necessary infrastructure repairs are planned for CedarBridge Academy, the Bermuda College and other schools.

The Bermuda Hospitals Board will be given $8.9 million from the Ministry of Health to complete renovation work on the Mangrove Bay Clinic, and upgrade care homes and the Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has been given $500,000 to start the redevelopment of the Agriculture Marketing Centre, which is needed to support increased domestic food production.

More than $2 million of the Ministry of National Security’s budget will be spent on upgrades to police headquarters at Prospect and the Westgate Correctional Facility.

Addressing the historic underinvestment in capital projects, Mr Burt said that cuts had been made in the past to pay off debt.

He said: “It is going to take us a while to catch up, as the infrastructure needs are great.

“As our economy continues to strengthen, the investment strategy of the Government must be to budget a minimum of 2 per cent of GDP on capital expenditure to ensure that we maintain our infrastructure and do not find ourselves in a similar state in 15 years.”