Senator Michael Fahy said the One Bermuda Alliance is continuing work on its “aggressive agenda” to turn around the Island’s economy and the Throne Speech clearly details their plan.

And he praised the PLP for expressing support for several of the initiatives, adding that the Opposition’s Reply to the Throne Speech contained some good ideas that should be considered.

“I’m thankful for some of the stuff in the Throne Speech Reply because it goes to show people are thinking and want to turn things around,” he said.

However, he said there were inconsistencies in the Opposition’s take on the economy, and criticised the inflammatory language used by Opposition Leader Marc Bean, who described the concept of commercial immigration as “modern day wickedness against one’s own people of the highest order” and “political sorcery”.

“That’s not debate. That’s inflammatory,” Sen Fahy said. “I was shocked when I heard it. I was hoping it was a mistake. It’s scare tactics. It’s scaremongering at best. The tone of it does not help. It’s the tone, and I hear it a lot. There are other ways of saying it, and that’s not it.”

Explaining what was meant by the Throne Speech, he said that Bermuda should have a serious conversation about the concept of commercial immigration, through which people could earn status by investing in the Island.

“I’m not going to come with my proposals because I have none right now. I’m proposing to talk about it. That’s what this is about,” he said.

“Some countries say if you make an investment of $1 million in a hotel, we give you citizenship. If you make a donation to our sinking fund of x amount, we will give you citizenship. Maybe it’s not done. Maybe it’s too bitter a pill for us to swallow, but it has to be talked about. Let’s open up that discussion.

“My aim is to bring in someone who is experienced in this field, who does this field every day, and help us get some knowledge and bring it to the community. This isn’t the Minister saying this is what we are going to do.

“You have to show that you are making a contribution to the community,” he said. “This isn’t selling Bermuda out to the highest bidder, in my view. It is saying how can we create jobs. Maybe hotel development.”

He also refuted the suggestion that there was a quid pro quo with the Island’s supermarkets, allowing the stores to sell alcohol on Sundays in exchange for a ten percent discount for shoppers on Wednesdays.

“Lindo’s doesn’t even open on Sundays,” Sen Fahy said. “What did they ask for in return? Nothing. What did they get in return? A thank you.”

PLP Senator Diallo Rabain reiterated that the PLP will “support the supportable” and avoid arguments for argument’s sake, but said some of the Government initiatives presented in the Throne Speech were “curious”, such as allowing the sale of alcohol on Sundays.

He also questioned Government’s commitment to ensuring that “at least 20 percent” of Government contracts go to small business, saying he believed the previous administration awarded small businesses more contracts than that.

Sen Rabain also noted that several items had not been included in the Speech, such as any promises of new hotel developments, an update on PATI legislation, or an update on Government’s commitment to have 20 percent of the Island’s energy needs met through renewable sources by 2026.

Independent Senator James Jardine listed four “critical issues” that he said Government needed to address — creating jobs for Bermudians and economic growth, producing a balanced budget, ensuring that the population is well-educated, and reducing serious crime.

He said statistics showed that the new administration had made some progress in these areas in its first nine months, and that the Throne Speech offered hope for further improvements.

He listed more than a dozen Parliamentary acts and orders that “have done a tremendous amount to create new jobs specifically for Bermudians by bringing people into this Island”.

The Senator approved of new job creation initiatives but added that a “fourth pillar” could be added to the economy through the development of light industry, which could be based at Southside.

Sen Jardine said it was essential for Government to produce a balanced budget, but noted that there were “few new initiatives for cost reduction” apart from debt collection and the recommendations put forward by the SAGE Commission.

And he said that school exam results continued to show that the public education system was failing.

“We have got to get it right — we need to see better results,” he said, referring to this year’s GCSE exam results, in which less than 20 percent of students obtained a C grade or higher in Maths and English.

Government Senator Alexis Swan said she was “very pleased” with the Throne Speech, saying that it showed Government’s “commitment and obligations to Bermuda”.

She defended Government policies to attract more International Business to the Island, claiming the sector provided not only jobs but social stability.

She also applauded plans for absentee balloting, identity checks in bars and nightclubs and the ten percent discount in grocery bills, which she said would help single mothers.

“As a Government and an Opposition we need to have a positive mental attitude and we have to turn disadvantages into advantages and problems into solutions,” she said.

“We are not here to bicker — people are getting tired of it — we have to work together. The people are watching so we need to set examples. I am hopeful that we can have positive dialogue because we are here for the people of Bermuda and they are going through very challenging times.”

Senate Vice President Joan Dillas-Wright applauded the food discount as “a very good idea” and said that average Bermudian recognised the importance of International Business and “realised that we need to welcome them to our shores, and are pleased that Government is introducing incentives to attract them”.

“At the same time I am sure that Government will ensure that Bermudian opportunities and workplace rights are protected,” she added.

Sen Dillas Wright also said she welcomed a debate on cannabis. She said that, when she worked in the health industry, she had “had a very firm view about it” and believed that the young were “interrupting their own lives” by using it.

“But I have been monitoring other jurisdictions and have come to the conclusion that there are some very complex issues surrounding marijuana,” she said.

“We need to view this carefully and come up with the right decision for Bermuda.”

The Opposition’s Renee Ming pointed out that, after almost a year in office, the One Bermuda Alliance now had “a track record” in Government. She said the Throne Speech did not make her feel enthusiastic, although she supported a number of key proposals including plans to abolish conscription and ID checks in bars.

But she questioned if the Government really did have a five-year plan already mapped out.

“A five-year plan suggests that you have something in place already and I am just wondering if we can see what that five-year plan is like and what we can achieve in the next five years,” she said.

Education Minister Nalton Brangman said that Government had already heeded Opposition advice to face up to the Island’s problems.

“Back in February I said that we were going to have a more difficult ride before it got better he said.

“For the first time there are people in the Civil Service now looking at the fact that they may need to line up for financial assistance. We can no longer talk about how only one section of society is hurting.

He refuted Opposition allegations that the Government was pandering to international businesses at the expense of Bermudians, listing initiatives that would create opportunities for Bermudians to be hired.

“I am fully aware of the work being done to create jobs and our Premier has made it clear that our first priority is to create jobs,” he said.

Senator Marc Daniels also questioned if Government had a long-term plan, saying that it had spent the last nine months focusing on International Business, with some attention also paid to Tourism.

“Outside of those two pillars, where is the focus, where is the leadership?” he asked, arguing that International Business had little impact om some sections of society.

“There have been individuals who have come to me and say they feel that this Government wants Bermuda to become the Monte Carlo of the Atlantic, for rich people only and where there is an exodus of the poor.

Focusing on the Public Safety Ministry, Government Senator Jeff Baron closed the debate by listing a raft of acts that the new Government had introduced to address crime.

And he said that the Progressive Labour Party had offered little in the way of “counter solutions” in its Throne Speech Reply, and backed Government on two main issues — a debate on cannabis and the abolition of conscription.

He described conscription as “a relic of the past” that both sides wanted to abolish, and added that a full debate on cannabis was essential before any changes in legislation were introduced.

He pointed out that there could be “unintended consequences” that needed to be studied before changes were made.

“I don’t read anything in here that we’re at odds with — it’s how we get there,” he said, referring to the PLP’s position on decriminalisation.