PLP Accuse Bob Richards Of ‘Flip Flopping’

July 30, 2012

[Updated] The PLP have accused Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards of a “flip flop” following his comments about the Cayman Islands decision to implement a special tax on ex-pats.

Cayman Premier McKeeva Bush said he did not want to impose the tax, but he had no choice because the United Kingdom was demanding a sustainable budget. The new tax will see foreign workers earning over $20,000 per year pay 10% taxes on their income.

Premier Paula Cox responded saying: “While Cayman has been forced to consolidate their finances, Bermuda has already taken plans to stabilise our fiscal position over the medium term.”

Mr Richards had said that Bermuda “should take heed of what is happening in Cayman Islands, where its Government is being compelled by the UK to raise taxes because of excessive debt.”

“Bermuda is, of course, a UK Overseas Territory,” said Mr Richards. “We’re not sure if the UK Government is concerned about Bermuda’s debt situation, but the fact that Finance Minister Paula Cox has presided over an 800% increase in Government debt since 2004/05 must concern every Bermudian.

“If the Government’s appetite for more debt continues at its record-setting pace – just in the last month we’ve taken on $180 million more debt – then the risk of external intervention in our financial affairs can only grow,” continued Mr Richards.

A PLP spokesperson said: “Flip! Flop! It was only a few weeks ago that Bob Richards was lauding the Cayman Islands saying how great their economic model is and noting that they were getting everything right. He turned his nose up at Bermuda and Bermudians calling us a banana republic in comparison to how wonderfully strong the governance was in Cayman.

“Of course, Mr. Richards conveniently forgot to say that Cayman’s international business was was quietly closing up shop and moving away from the jurisdiction. Over the last several years, in spite of their term limits policies, the number of guest workers in Cayman has dropped precipitously and their economy is struggling mightily.

“Now, Bob Richards has changed his tune on Cayman. Bermudians need the real Bob Richards to stand up!

“Bob Richards already has stated that the OBA’s main strategy would be to suspend term limits and then figure something out. He and the One Bermuda Alliance have not been able to articulate any concrete strategy for the economy. All that are spoken are criticisms of the current government, and pandering to the Cayman model.

“Bermuda needs an advocate for Bermuda, not a Member of Parliament who seems to have an affinity for our competitor jurisdictions. Mr. & Mrs. Bermuda need to know from one day to the other which Bob Richards they will be dealing with.

“Premier Paula Cox and the Progressive Labour Party have always stood strong for Bermudians and for the Bermuda model. When Bermuda’s reputation was being impugned by the Cayman Leader, it was Premier Cox who rallied to our defense.

“It was Premier Cox who has published her plan for rejuvenating Bermuda’s economy and introducing policies and legislation that makes Bermuda attractive, flexible and the envy of many jurisdictions including Cayman! Conversely, it was Bob Richards who joined the chorus against us,” concluded the statement from the PLP.

Update 10.05am: The Caymanian Compass newspaper has put a photo of Premier Paula Cox on their front page, along with part of her statement in response to Cayman’s recent decision and past statements from the Cayman Premier.

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Comments (40)

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  1. Laughable says:

    PLP saying someone else is flip flopping? That’s rich. But I guess Wayne Furbert has been showing them what a flip flop is for over a year now so maybe they have learned from the best?

    • Facts says:

      @ Laughable

      Wayne works for us now, give it a rest. Who are you working for the UBP or OBA? Every member in the OBA is a flip flopper and yes we have a few 2.

      • Come Correct says:

        Wayne works for us? Us?…really? If thats the case I’m voting Manchester United at the next election, hopefully Rooney is running in my area, in Fergie we trust! This isn’t the BPL, you don’t vote based on allegiance, even a dog bites back when its abused, but a dog doesn’t get to vote who its master will be. Well we as humans do get that vote, and if my masters keep abusing me, well… With that aside, this isn’t kindergarden, so rather than bob calling paula cootie pants and paula jumping up and calling him a poopy face can we just get some real solutions for once? I mean really, do I have to break all your fingers to stop you from pointing them at eachother?

        • Both Parties suck says:

          Lets come correct! The PLP is full of racist blacks and the UBP/OBA is full of racist whites. The UBP/OBA is little smarter as they are using blacks to try and win the next election.

          • Come Correct says:

            ….Basically lol so can we just pass a legislation where racists of any kind can be taken behind the chemical sheds and be…neutralized? Won’t be so wicked to be racist anymore now will it…

    • Joonya says:

      Flip Flop Tally:

      OBA (Bob Richards) – 1
      PLP (Various) – 63

  2. sandgrownan says:

    That’s a pretty weak false equivalence even by their standards.

    Am I going to get my land license money back?

    • Swing Voter says:

      Unfortunately not Sandy mi-boy…..you and I finally do have something in common…I guess the 2nd thing we have in common is we’re both voting OBA

      • Sandgrownan says:

        I’d also like my legal fees too, plus a contribution to the loss of equity i have suffered as a direct result of these idiots tinkering in the real estate market.

        They have done this to numerous Bermudians, directly through swamping hte market with condos (many of which remain unsold) and reducing the number of available renters due to their hostility to IB.

        The only silver cloud i can see is that when the BDA dollar gets de-pegged from the US dollar, my mortgage in BDA peso’s will be easy to repay.

        • Shaking the Head says:

          Also remember that the supply of condos has been built using taxpayers money to subsidise cut price housing for sale to the same people that could be buying from the taxpayer who funded the cheaper housing. These same cheaper condos that are dropping the price of condos (and houses) owned by the taxpayers.
          Surprised there hasn’t been any outcry over the blatant use of taxpayers money in such a way.

  3. Hmmmmmmm says:

    Huh, I don’t remember Bob lauding Cayman at all. Hmm, once again the PLP spokesperson misses the point,

    • hmmm says:

      Yeah he most certainly did. Do u not recall him saying that we should be doing x y and z that Cayman was doing because they were supposedly being much more successful than us. I guess Bob now has to change his story. Sigh.

      • Come Correct says:

        I’m pretty sure bob was referring to individual policies, twisting his words to suit a point doesn’t mean he was wrong. To adopt the entire cayman model and say its what Bermuda needs is simply retarded. I could be wrong but I’ll go back and read it when I get a chance.

    • Cold As Ice says:

      Yes, he most certainly did but I suppose he was hoping we’d forgotten about that. The OBA talks out of both sides of their mouth in a desperate bid to win the next election. Instead of tearing the PLP down, how about they tell us what they stand for and what exactly they plan to do for Bermuda.

      The OBA has made it clear already that they are firmly in the corner of the elite and too bad for the little man. Yes, we need to take care of International Business but that’s all they talk about. What about the average man in the street? What’s their view on THAT?

      I still want to know how a new party with ZERO experience expects to carry Bermuda forward…unless they aren’t a ‘new’ party at all but a repackaged version of the UBP and THAT is how they feel so certain they’re up for the job. So, OBA either admit you don’t have the experience to lead Bermuda or admit that you’re the UBP in disguise…which is it???

      • Sandgrownan says:

        The little man is doing just fine right now isn’t he.

      • whatever says:

        The PLP has 14 years of experience and that hasn’t helped them…

      • Finally left! says:

        Hrrm so you dont want a new party and you dont want the old party…. why do you even waste any more words other than saying you dont want any other party than PLP?

      • Finally left! says:

        Is it not clear yet that the PLP do not have the experience to lead bermuda?

  4. Joey-Bag-O'doughnuts says:

    The whole story though is this. The government spends lavishly on themselves to make the representatives look benevolent but those that are paying are the citizens. Wake up people. 800% increase since 2004/2005!!?? Are you kidding me? Less people working, government gets a raise and to hell with the plebes!

  5. YES MATE! says:

    They need the real Bob to stand up? And here i was thinking that we needed Paula Cog to stand up!
    Remember people, Kool-aid rots your bank account, don’t drink the stuff!

  6. Cup Match says:

    Let’s take a break from politics this week — it’s Cup Match!

    Have a safe Cup Match holiday Bermuda!

  7. ahem! says:

    I wanna give Jill her Spill!It is true Bob did laud the Caymans so we do have to be aware of who says what and in which context. Whilst it is true that we have an almost inconceiveable debt to the tune of over 1 billion dollars, we do not want people elected that still don’t have our (Bermuda and Bermudiaans ) best interest at heart, Bob does appear to have flipped flopped on this one…Lets see how this pretzel untwist.

    • Sandgrownan says:

      No he hasn’t.

      He said that we ought to relax our work permit rules to stimulate business As they have in Cayman. If you agree with that or not, it’s a standalone statement.

      He has also said, that unless we are careful, the PLP’s crass handling of the economy, it’s plethora of unethical dealings and it’s inability to keep tight control on the purse strings, could lead to a discriminatory tax of ex-pats further harming our fragile economy, as it will do in Cayman.

      Only brain dead PLP folk could possibly connect the two statements and accuse Bob of flip flopping.

      Can i have my land license money back ( while we are talking about flip flops)?

      No?

      • Swing Voter says:

        We both have our hand out for the land license but it ain’t gonna happen. Look at it this way, it costs $1500 for me to vote OBA

      • Cash please says:

        I’lL vote for the UBP/OBA, but hey you have to pay me. They did it back in the day when they brought me back to vote, when I was in college. I take cash, no debit or credit please.

  8. street wise says:

    You make me laugh!! The plp are the biggest flip-floppers in the history of this Country!… yet they still have the nerve to call Bob out on, guess what, flip-flopping?! What a sorry lot you are. Hypocrites, nothing more than the kettle calling the pot black!

    The plp have gotta GO-O-O-O-O-O……

  9. Didn’t little Paula fire Pasta Bean for his shenanigans at BLDC and ask him to pay the “consulting” fees back to the people of Bermuda? Then, only a few months later she stands next to Pasta Bean and says he’s a man of integrity and we should let bygones be bygones?

    Flippity floppity.

    Didn’t little Paula ask for, and accept Bud’s resignation over his shenanigans at planning then a few months later, bring him back to cabinet at Minister of Transport?

    Flippity floppity.

    • Serious Though says:

      George will all due respect, i do not care what side your on, BUT RESPECT goes along way, The Premier is NOT “little Paula”

      even OBA will agree with this….

      • smh says:

        Agreed. Let’s not get like America where our representatives are not given due respect.

    • Serious Though says:

      sound like a racial slur!

      • Come Correct says:

        …Definitely wasn’t the time for the race card, sounds more like a kindergarden name as I said above. Let’s be honest “I couldn’t say no to the man” doesn’t really get you respect.

      • Finally left! says:

        please explain?

  10. Concerned for Fture in Smith's says:

    To ALL!

    STOP THIS POLITICAL NONSENSE!

    I am a very concerned Bermudian. $1.5billion in the hole is no laughing matter and seems to be ignored by most of the populous, and particularly the PLP.

    THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHO DID IT!

    I would like the politicians to work together to put a plan in place to FIX IT! I would also like to see legislation that says there must be a 3 years rolling BALANCED BUDGET, to avoid this in the future… Such legislation will need to have 2/3rd majority to change.

    There is a SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISHED FUTURE for our kids as a result of our current financial state. It seems to me that POLITICIANS DON’T CARE! If they did, fixing this would be a MAJOR PRIORITY!

    If I had a magical wand, I would permanently ABOLISH POLITICAL PARTIES! They are the evil in all of this. Politicians no longer support what is right, but merely PARTY LINES; even if the latter is clearly wrong.

    Telling lies too often appears to make them true!

    Concerned for Future in Smith’s

    • street wise says:

      There is no easy solution to Bermuda’s financial problems. We will suffer greatly as a People thanks to Paula and Ewart. Both Parties, whomever gets elected, will have to dramatically cut spending (plp not doing that) and reduce the size of our Civil Service to a sustainable, affordable number (plp not doing that either – they are actually borrowing to PAY the CC! A BIG no-no!).

      So, essentially, there is really no hope for us under the plp – cuz the plp say,”everything’s okay.”

      The plp, taking us ever closer to the Third World. And the IMF.

    • Head up high! says:

      I agree – political PARTIES are our downfall. People will vote for the second best option regarless of whether they trust that individual just because they “support” tat party. We have a country full of second best options running it. And even some of those have been kicked out and replaced by a third option.

  11. St. Davids says:

    Did no one else notice this quote from Paula Cog?

    “While Cayman has been forced to consolidate their finances, Bermuda has already taken plans to stabilise our fiscal position over the medium term.”

    Medium Term? We have a LONG term debt problem and you are talking about MEDIUM TERM? are you that far gone Paula. I wish you actually knew how out of your league you look. You look like an amateur. Sorry but you do.

  12. Irony says:

    Our politicians are all a bunch of jokers and hypocrites. All they seem to do is attack each other. Where are the solutions?

    Bermuda and Bermudians need to work together to salvage what we have left and work towards rebuilding a stronger, united Bermuda. Our politicians should be setting such a tone, but instead they have their own divisive agendas to attend to and as such they use their power to divide rather than build.

    The saying is “United we stand, divided we fall”…..seems like the PLP have it mixed up with “Divided we stand, united we fall”.

    Divide and conquer I guess……

  13. Swing Voter says:

    What a load of BS….chargin me land license tax about the same time they were giving away free bus rides and child care, and voting to raise MP salaries. It costs me $1500 to vote OBA

  14. Michael says:

    “You can’t lead the people if you don’t love the people. You can’t save the people if you won’t serve the people.” I thank Dr. West for those words. I’m still try to apply them in my country.