Putting potholes right should be a national priority funded by selling-off Government owned properties, the One Bermuda Alliance has said.

Craig Cannonier, the party’s shadow public works minister, insisted such a move would have the twin benefits of raising funds for road repairs and easing the housing shortage on the island.

Mr Cannonier told a post-Budget press conference: “The complaint is about the roads - pot holes. This has to be fixed.

“We need to raise revenue. This ministry (Public Works) received a $6 million increase in their budget... at least half of that must go to the roads.

“If that is the major complaint that you are receiving - put your money where your mouth is.”

Asked how a major road improvement scheme would be funded by the OBA, Mr Cannonier said: “The Government owns about 700 buildings. When we were in government we thought about it and we said ‘we can’t maintain these buildings, they are literally falling down around us’, well we decided we needed to sell-off some of this.

“We need to sell-off some of these properties, and what the Public Works Department can do to help raise revenue is not raise revenue by increasing fees, but with these properties - sell them.

“There are people, right now who will buy them and come up with a plan so that it also addresses the housing shortage - 12 of those buildings sold at $500,000 is a windfall for this government.

“Their philosophy is to lease them, leasing takes time and Bermudians don’t have time they are downing now - they are not gasping for air they are drowning.”

Mr Cannonier also said staging prestige events like the America’s Cup sailing race would be a way to boost government resources.

He said: “The only solution to it is raising revenues.”

Addressing the Government, Mr Cannonier said: “Where is the PLP’s America’s Cup?

“Your people are drowning and the pace that you are going we going to continue to see the emigration of our people like we have never seen before. People have options and they will take them.”