The One Bermuda Alliance has been on the attack lately, with press statements dripping with venom and filled with factual errors. We understand that this is simply a sign of its growing frustration as its policies continue to be viewed as anti-Bermudian, its candidates remain uninspiring, and the prospect of it taking power again is still viewed with horror by many Bermudians.

The OBA’s unswerving dedication to opening the immigration floodgates and slashing government jobs remains a threat to all of us who believe that Bermudians must come first in our own country.

Its record of freezing seniors’ pensions while condescendingly telling them that “money doesn’t grow on trees” rings in the minds of those in their golden years who have benefited from the Progressive Labour Party raising pensions every year.

Its record of mismanagement of the Morgan’s Point project and the hundreds of millions of dollars squandered through its incompetence rings in the minds of those who remember social programmes and scholarships being cut while the OBA diverted millions in tax cuts and benefits to billionaires:

• An economy where Bermudian jobs shrank while non-Bermudian jobs flourished

• A premier resigning in disgrace over the Jetgate scandal

• The pepper-spraying of peacefully protesting seniors.

This is the OBA record. This is who the OBA is.

These are the reasons why the people of Bermuda were right to cast the OBA out of power in a convincing fashion.

In the landscape of Bermudian politics, the winds of change are expected to bring new perspectives, fresh ideas and a commitment to better the lives of our citizens. However, when it comes to the One Bermuda Alliance, it seems that change is a foreign concept. Despite going through seven leaders in just 12 years, the OBA has refused to deviate from its worn-out playbook, leaving the people of Bermuda to wonder: why are they so out of touch?

Like his predecessors, Jarion Richardson, the present leader of the OBA, has never:

• Apologised for any of the deplorable decisions made by the party he leads

• Repudiated its “open the floodgates” approach to immigration

• Deviated from defending business interests over working Bermudians

Since losing power, the OBA has opposed our efforts to build affordable housing, prevent increases in healthcare cost, was critical of our cutting fuel taxes to help address rising Belco costs, and has opposed our cutting payroll taxes for workers to the lowest level in history.

The OBA leadership merry-go-round has not brought about any substantial shifts in policy or vision. Instead, its latest leader has joined in with the continuous rehash of the same, old discredited strategies that have failed Bermuda in the past and have been thoroughly rejected by the electorate.

The OBA’s time in power was marked by decisions and policies that did not serve the best interests of the Bermudian people. Yet, rather than acknowledge its mistakes and seek to make amends, Mr Richardson continues to spew the narrative that it was taking Bermuda in the right direction.

The OBA may have changed the figurehead, but it all adds up to “meet the new boss, same as the old boss”. They might as well have just left Cole Simons there!

The OBA’s reluctance to apologise for its debacles suggests a party led by an individual who is out of touch with the realities of the present, unprepared for the demands of the future, and simply too risky to be trusted to stand up for Bermudians.

Mr Richardson’s insistence on clinging to the same discredited and rejected anti-Bermudian policies and strategies of his predecessors demonstrates a lack of vision and an inability to stand on his own two feet and be his own man.

• Walter Roban is the Deputy Premier of Bermuda, the Minister of Home Affairs and the MP for Pembroke East (Constituency 15)