Dear Sir,

The Bermuda Dream is the dream of all people — a just reward for our work and our creativity.

An egalitarian society believes that all people are equal and are entitled to equal rights and equal opportunities. We should abhor the paternalistic state; paternalism being the policy or practice on the part of people in authority of restricting the freedom and responsibilities of those subordinate to or otherwise dependent on them in their supposed interest.

The Bermuda Dream is more than a belief; it is a tangible outcome — a sufficient economic reward for our work. In an income statement, costs represent the amount that went into the production of revenue for any given period — matching.

Only the Government can ignore the cost portion of an income statement because it has taxing authority. Paternalism should be retained within the Government’s income statement and go no further. In the economic interest of prudent people, it is inadvisable that the Government ignore cost.

In a capitalistic economy, an economy that relies upon private ownership of property, plant and equipment, everyone is seeking gain for the lowest cost. A vibrant economy requires people to make their own economic decisions without paternalistic intervention.

All people are capable of making reasonable economic decisions, if they have freedom of choice. A person will not expend energy if they do not believe they are being justly rewarded for doing so.

The Government has no right to compel private employers to pay a minimum wage in pursuit of its paternalistic agenda. We should not sit idly, as the paternalistic state will not end well; history has proven as much.

Slavery failed because people were denied a just reward for their work. The people who perpetrated slavery were not subject to any cost; in fact, they had the protection of law to steal other people’s labour. The system of slavery failed because it was inefficient, despite claims to the contrary. Even the enslaved are capable of being rational. The enslaved ensured that cost would exceed revenue.

The Bermuda Dream is bolstered by education and the freedom to choose.

It is the job of the Government to protect our lives, our property, and enforcement of voluntary contracts and agreements. Paternalism corrupts the economic process for the benefit of a few.

Bermuda’s economy has grown and attracted American Dreamers because the word was out; there is a just reward for your labour in Bermuda.

Bermudians did not create the third richest group of people per capita in the world because of corporate taxation and the paternalistic state.

There must be an economic cost for threatening our Bermuda Dream; without costs, people will pursue their personal paternalistic agendas.

The cost must exceed the potential personal gain before a change in behaviour will occur.

CRAIG WALLS

St George’s