October 18, 2012Dear Sir,I read some, but don’t contribute to the blogs as I prefer to consider what I write. My letters may not be any better than the critical and caustic responses I’ve read online, but at least they are my considered thoughts.Bermuda is hurting. Bermuda’s black and white lower and middle classes are hurting most and those are the people that the PLP were supposed to protect, the people they were voted in by to help them improve their lives. The PLP under Dr Brown seemed to think that by destroying the white wealth of this country the PLP’s core voters would be better off than before.Reality is that those core supporters are all worse off. It was hoped that when Ms Cox took the reigns of power that things would improve, but like her years as Finance Minister under Dr Brown, the debt continues to rise and jobs continue to be lost in the private sector alone. The PLP were borrowing and overspending before the worldwide recession hit. They continued to borrow and overspend when all but the blind could see that conditions were worsening in the world. The PLP are now borrowing to pay salaries and wages and our infrastructure is falling apart from lack of funds to maintain it. The PLP as Government started well but lost their way as the old guard passed away.Of course there will be a flurry of activity in the next several weeks. A hole will be dug at St Catherine’s beach but those who believe that it heralds the start of a privately funded hotel development are deluding themselves. The road side verges, particularly in marginal seats will be cut back and the worst potholes filled. It wouldn’t surprise me if some South Shore condominiums got sold to show the wisdom and foresight of the ruling party to build affordable homes that are unfortunately beyond the financial means of those that they were built for.I support the ending of conscription although many troubled young Bermudian men have ‘found’ themselves within the structured environment of the Regiment. Not sure where the money will come from to pay for a permanent army, I expect the funds will be borrowed. I do hope that our young people, who are the future leaders of Bermuda, that are away at colleges and universities around the world, are not disenfranchised by an election date called during term time as that would be callous. Expect lots of promises that the things the PLP failed to do in the last 14 years will be accomplished next year, but as has been shown in the past two elections, don’t expect them to materialise or if they do they will be temporary, unsustainable or both. Remember if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.Loyalty is commendable and should be rewarded but blind loyalty to a party that is failing its people, as has been demonstrated by some commentators, lacks foresight and critical thinking. The PLP have been in power for 14 years and the country has never been in such poor financial or social circumstances. Other small island nations that prepared for the recession and cut their cloth to match their income have survived virtually unscathed. Their income may now be less than it was but their expenditure was balanced to match.Just as a good home maker will balance their household income and expenditure, so should a good Government. The PLP has borrowed and spent to the point where generations of Bermudian children will be paying off the folly of the last seven years. Do the PLP deserve to continue in Government based upon their record? Do they have any real identifiable plans to balance our budget and solve our deepening social issues, due in part to rampant unemployment? If the PLP come up with sound workable policies and plans to get us out of the mess that they have been a major contributor to, then give them another chance. If they only present more promises and pie-in-the-sky plans and platitudes, then say enough is enough at the ballot box.Return them to opposition and let them come back in four or five years with a manifesto that will knock the socks off anything the OBA can offer. I am deeply concerned that if we as an intelligent electorate return the PLP to power based upon their record since 2007 we will fail as a country. We do need change. Will the OBA be any better, I hope so, but like many concerned Bermudians I am waiting to read and digest both the PLP’s and the OBA’s manifestos. I will use the knowledge of what has occurred over the last 14 years and what occurred in the years preceding that when we voted the UBP out of power because they were failing many of us. I will read between the lines and will vote for the party that I believe is in the best interests of all Bermudians.I wish we didn’t have party politics, they are so divisive and they pitch Bermudian against Bermudian when we should link arms and move forward as one people for the betterment of all. Unfortunately, we have what we have and I doubt any elected politician of any stripe will ever suggest a change to a more inclusive and co-operative government as certain humans will always crave power for power’s sake. Stand Strong or Vote for Change? You have two choices on Election Day. We are in dire straights and the outcome of this election will decide Bermuda’s long term future. Think then vote.At present I will vote for change over standing strong, because the PLP’s legislation, policies and spending have knocked us off of our financial feet and I see nothing strong about what the PLP have done to this country or its people. We need people who understand business requirements so that we can grow our economy and grow jobs for Bermudians so we can start to repair the damage done, if we can.IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGEPembroke