The following is the full text of the speech by the Opposition Leader, Marc Bean of the Progressive Labour Party in response to a speech by Premier Craig Cannonier. The Opposition's Official Response to The Premier’s Address to BermudaGood evening. Tonight, we are going to have real talk, and I am going to tell you something that you haven’t heard in quite some time…the truth.The truth is that, we cannot continue to pretend that our current economic model isn’t broken, or that just removing term limits will stop business closures, job redundancies, and companies leaving Bermuda.We cannot continue to pretend that Bermuda isn’t an expensive place to do business, or that any influx of new companies to Bermuda will not bring the huge numbers of consumers, tenants and taxpayers, that we saw in the past.The business model for IB has changed. There is a growing sense that there will be job cuts in the civil service, regardless of what promises have been made.We are very concerned about this and hope that a more compassionate solution can be achieved. Bermuda’s Unions are to be commended for the way they have conducted themselves throughout the negotiations; Acting in good faith, integrity and in the best interest of Bermuda.They are doing their best to protect jobs and wages, yet if we do not face the fact that the government will likely cut civil service jobs, we will be ill equipped to deal with the consequences of that decision.Many potential investors have privately confessed to being unsure of our government’s stability and direction, citing their inexperience, lack of a plan, and policy decisions that could lead to social unrest.This is troubling. As a people, we must get behind our government, support them where possible … encourage them to produce a plan, and perhaps most importantly, push them to think more carefully about the social and economic consequences of their actionsLet me make myself clear, No government can create jobs. Any politician, regardless of which party they represent, who promises that government can create jobs, is lying to you, and only wants your votes. Governments can only cultivate the conditions where jobs can be created, and that can only happen when we face the truth and take decisive action.It is the private sector, you and your neighbors,that can create jobs. In fact, in order for the optimum conditions for job growth to occur, Government must get out of the way, and depart from the long held notion that politicians and the State can manage an economy.Both government and the opposition know that what I am telling you tonight is true…..the only difference is that the government hasn’t acknowledged this and hasn’t told you this….as I just did. Yet as we address the challenges facing our people, this is not the time for pessimism and surrender…..it is the time for leadership, real shared sacrifice and action.As such, we propose:Ÿ To implement the recently developed Infrastructure Strategy, to identify much needed improvements or repairs to our infrastructure, that will not only enhance our overall quality of life, but create business opportunities for construction companies and jobs for Bermudian construction workers.Ÿ Moving immediately on a referendum for gaming; allowing our people to have their say and to eliminate investor uncertainty in our tourism industryŸ Developing our Exclusive Economic Zone for sea-bed mining (a billion dollar a year industry), Aquaculture, and off-shore fishing, to create new jobs, diversify our economy, and create new revenue streams.Ÿ Implementing The Incentives for Job Makers Act, creating a clear anddirect set of benefits for new businesses to establish in Bermuda, bringing with them new jobs and new opportunitiesŸ Designating a segment of BLDC land as an “Economic FREE Zone.”Targeting global businesses such as high value physical commodity trading and satellite operations, with incentives such as payroll and other tax exemptions.Ÿ Leveraging our Telecommunications reform and IB infrastructure to introduce global online gaming legislation, online gaming being a 35 billion per year industry. Five of these proposals will directly create jobs, and equally important, generate revenue for the public purse that will help offset our deficit, and reduce our debt.In addition, we must create new markets, tap into existing ones, and compete. We must link our people with the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and the Far East, breaking the shackles of the past, and creating new economic paradigms.Even if we make these things a reality, we can no longer look exclusively to the existing business community to solve our problems, provide employment for us, or give us a livelihood. Now is the time for us to adjust our thinking, become innovative, and begin to look at ways to create opportunities for ourselves.We must change the consciousness of our people, from one that says “government must,” “IB must,” and so on, to one that says, “I must, and I will”!Saving and investment are the basis of job creation and wealth, not governments. Saving represents deferred consumption … a real sacrifice that ultimately creates future prosperity and greater financial freedom for you and your family.That saving can then be used to spur entrepreneurial growth, especially for government workers potentially facing being made redundant. How will you spend your redundancy pay?Will you take a trip and just squander it? Will you just let it sit in your bank account, and watch it slowly dwindle away as you look for a job that may never come? Or will you take command of your destiny, use your mind to create, and do for self?Government can help, by putting the same energy and effort for reducing red tape and creating red carpet for local entrepreneurs, as they have for hotels and international business.Removing restrictions that hinder entrepreneurship will expand opportunities for our people to cooperate, compete, contribute to our economy in a meaningful way, and feed their families. Just imagine: being free to sell food, cold drinks, homemade items, souvenirs … or whatever you can create, to the thousands of cruise passengers as they come off the ship, or to the thousands of visitors who enjoy our beaches.Just imagine: Being able to be your own boss, the master of your own destiny, providing for your families, and enhancing our tourism product with new options for our visitors.Just imagine that we the people become the essence of our tourism product! To become a reality, we will have to change our mindset, and the government and other special interest groups will have to stop being an obstacle to this new form of entrepreneurship.If the government is unable or unprepared to help entrepreneurs, then they must refrain from impeding their dreams and efforts to provide for themselves.Whether it is through expanding training opportunities … building support networks to address the various issues that prevent our people from getting the necessary education or qualifications, or through expanding the economic support for entrepreneurs … we must get our people to become self-sufficient.We must educate our children about themselves, giving them knowledge of self, our shared history, culture and heritage.Develop their self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth alongside the instruction in reading, writing and ‘rithmatic. Then, we must begin to cultivate a culture where the desire to be excellent producers, excellent employers, and excellent leaders, is preferred, as opposed to being excellent consumers.We must teach them to be producers of their own employment, or at the very least, being as productive as possible in their employment.It is only through Bermudians learning to cooperate with each other to compete on the global economic scale that we can begin to break down the resentment, powerlessness, dependency, and dysfunction that currently holds many of us back, places a burden on society’s resources, and on our relationships with each other.Today, more and more Bermudians are embracing a mindset of entrepreneurship, self-sufficiency, and wealth accumulation. This is not something to be afraid of. This is not something to be fought or undermined. This is something that must be embraced and supported.And if you cannot support it, do not interfere with it. We can come together as a people. We can have better social relations, and we can have an economy that works for all of us. The work must begin, within ourselves.Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you tonight. To the people who are unemployed, underemployed or financially struggling, please know that you are constantly in my thoughts and in my prayers. It is difficult to wake up every day, with no job to go to, and a continual fight to provide for your family.Please know that we will do everything we can to help you and our country get on its feet again, but I want you renew your minds and use your god given talents to shape you and your family’s destiny. Take the lead, cooperate, and compete.Thank you and God bless the people of Bermuda.