David Burt, as Leader of the Opposition in 2016, referred to Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities to present a parallel to his “A Tale of Two Bermudas” in his Reply to the Throne Speech.

He said: “While one Bermuda enjoys wealth, privilege and security, the other Bermuda is living from paycheque to paycheque — if they are fortunate enough even to be collecting a paycheque.

“In one Bermuda, jobs for non-Bermudians are growing, while in the other Bermuda, Bermudian jobs continue to be lost and Bermudian businesses continue to close their doors.

“In one Bermuda, permanent residents enjoy full employment, while in the other Bermuda, Bermudian unemployment continues at unacceptable levels.

“In one Bermuda, the quality of our children’s education is determined by how much money their parents have, while in the other Bermuda, students attend schools without wireless internet and where the infrastructure is substandard.

“In one Bermuda, the elite and the privileged enjoy their golden years, secure in the knowledge that their children’s future is itself secure, while in the other Bermuda, the senior citizen needs to go back to work to help support her children and grandchildren.”

The leader of the Progressive Labour Party was speaking as he unveiled Vision 2025: Our Plan For A Better Bermuda.

Mr Burt said: “These are the facts that confront Bermudians every day — diminishing opportunities, an ever-increasing cost of living and shrinking paycheques.

“This is the Bermuda that has driven so many of our families and friends away and that causes so many of our young people to view anywhere but Bermuda as a land of opportunity.

“This is the Bermuda that most of our voters live in.”

He added: “The One Bermuda Alliance sees only one Bermuda, while we in the PLP see what our people see and experience everyday — two Bermudas, separate and far from equal.

“In the PLP, we seek an end to the two Bermudas and we believe:

• Quality and higher education should not be limited to only those who can pay for it

• When it comes to opportunities, what you know should be more important than who you know

• Seniors should be able to enjoy their golden years in peace and dignity

• Healthcare should be affordable and universal

• We must reduce crime by upholding the law and reducing the key contributing social factors

• We need to develop a tax structure that is fair and just

• An immigration policy that puts Bermudians first, while recognising the legitimate needs of businesses to ensure growth and stability is essential

• It is important to broaden our reach for global investors and actively promote new economic opportunities”

• To review David Burt’s 2016 Reply to the Throne Speech, click on the PDF link under “Related Media”