Blown tyres, cracked auto-body parts, brake issues — water trucker Norris Burgess has experienced it all in the past four years.

“Damage from potholes and speed bumps, and rerouting, has cost my business upwards of $34,000,” the owner of Cove’s Delight Water Service said. “That has really hit my bottom line.”

In the Throne Speech today, he hopes for a plan to address the poor road conditions, exacerbated by frequent bouts of heavy rain.

“I have my truck at the mechanics every month for inspection,” he said. “It would be a nice gesture to give us a tax-free deduction on all truck parts.”

In the meantime, he keeps plugging away.

“I am trying to make good on a difficult situation,” he said.

Kenny Pemberton, owner of Gear and Gadget on Queen Street in Hamilton, hoped to see policies that support small-business growth, and reduce operational costs. He was specifically looking for tax relief and incentives for sustainable business practices.

“More accessible funding options would make a significant impact,” Mr Pemberton said.

He has struggled to balance the rising cost of doing business in Bermuda with maintaining quality service for his customers.

“Inflation has impacted everything including import fees,” he said.

He also wanted to see the housing crisis addressed, and thought putting a cap on Airbnbs could help.

“We want Bermudians to continue earning from their investments but it is also vital that these investments don’t price locals out of the market,” he said. “With the average one-bedroom now costing between $2,500 and $3,500 a month, we need solutions that protect affordability for residents.”

Joseph Marable, co-owner of the Esso Crawl Hill Gas Station in Hamilton Parish, and OBA candidate for Constituency 6 in the parish, had similar concerns.

“After being closed for over four months this year for renovations, it has been a struggle,” Mr Marable said. “The cost of doing business continues to increase.”

He said when a government is running efficiently, costs generally come down, but that is not happening.

The entrepreneur is alarmed to see the high cost of living forcing out many Bermudians. He is also meeting young people struggling to find a job after university.

“They are having a hard time, and that is disappointing,” he said.

He mentioned one girl who had studied psychology in university.

“She is getting back that she is either underqualified or overqualified for the positions she applies to,” he said. “Her mom worked three jobs to put her through university and now she can’t find a job. They were both in tears, sharing their story with me.”

He believes the community needs to work together more.

Tamara Richardson, chief executive of People’s Pharmacy, was feeling jaded.

“I have become a bit of a cynic after successive Throne Speeches that proved to be heavy on words and short on action,” Ms Richardson said.

Her firm has battled constant red tape in the past year.

“Road blocks and hurdles seem to appear at every turn when trying to do what used to be simple,” she said. “Our work permit applications take considerably longer. Opening our third location in the Hamilton Medical Centre was an arduous and costly exercise.”

She said importing cannabidiol and cannabis products has also become a nightmare. “Unfortunately, all this simply piles on to the cost of doing business which does very little to help alleviate the suffering that all Bermudians feel at the register,” she said.