PLP Say OBA Video Ad Is ‘Misleading Voters’
[Updated] “The OBA is so desperate that they will mislead voters about businesses that just opened in St. George’s,” a statement from the PLP said today in reference to the OBA’s video ad “Economic Blues.”
The PLP said the OBA ad shows text that says “more businesses shut down” over a building that, as of August 2012, houses Tamasun’s Japanese House while the second part of the ad shows a business with a “For Rent” sign, which as of August 2012 houses A2Z Shoes and Accessories.
OBA ad:
“We already know that the OBA has offered no ideas and no solutions to the problems facing Bermuda. However, it is an insult to the owners of these small businesses for the OBA to broadcast to all of Bermuda that their locations are empty!,” said Senator David Burt.
PLP video response:
The follows the day after the two parties clashed over the Economic Empowerment Zones [EEZ], with the OBA calling flyers the PLP has been mailing out saying the OBA pledges to end the EEZ for NE Hamilton, Somerset and St. George’s a “bald-faced lie,” while the PLP said transcripts “do not lie,” and criticized Bob Richards for “attacking the EEZ.”
The full statement from the PLP is below:
A recent OBA advert entitled “Economic Blues” that has aired on television and the internet shows what seem to be closed businesses in Bermuda. It was revealed in a grassroots video that two of the buildings house newly opened businesses.
The OBA ad shows text that says “more businesses shut down” over an image of a building that, as of August 2012, houses Tamasun’s Japanese House. This restaurant is located in St. George’s and received assistance through the PLP Government’s EEZ programme.
The second misleading part of the ad shows a business with a “For Rent” sign. We’re pleased to report that the location has been rented and, as of August 2012, now houses A2Z Shoes and Accessories.
This store, like all other retail establishments, receives tax breaks through the PLP Government’s retail tax relief. It is also located in the St. George Economic Empowerment Zone.
“The OBA is so desperate that they will mislead voters about businesses that just opened in St. George’s,” noted David Burt, Junior Minister for Economy Trade and Industry and PLP candidate in Constituency #18.
“There’s still more work to do, but the PLP naming St. George’s as part of the EEZ has created an environment for new entrepreneurs. There are new 4 businesses that have opened in St. George in the last few months.”
“We already know that the OBA has offered no ideas and no solutions to the problems facing Bermuda. However, it is an insult to the owners of these small businesses for the OBA to broadcast to all of Bermuda that their locations are empty! “
“I’m proud of the many small businesses that get off the ground with support from the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, the Economic Empowerment Zones, and PLP Government tax relief for retail and restaurants.
While the OBA complains and attacks, the PLP is standing strong for Bermudians by supporting small business and affirming our support for economic empowerment.“
Update 9.17pm: The OBA issued a response, it follows in full below.
The OBA is delighted that A2Z and Tamasun’s Japanese House have opened for business in St. George’s, bringing life to once-closed spaces. Bermuda needs more of the dreams, faith and courage these entrepreneurs represent. Their work is all together good.
What is not good is the Government’s desperate effort to make politics out of it. Our video presentations of Bermuda’s dire economic situation, including the spaces now occupied by Tamasun’s and A2Z, accurately capture what is happening.
The Government does not know how to turn around the situation. They are out of ideas and out of solutions. Just ask yourself: What is the Government’s economic recovery plan? If it had one, surely you would have heard about it by now.
The biggest question Bermudians will soon face is whether to allow the Government’s failed policies to continue. Policies that have resulted in nearly 3000 Bermudians losing their jobs. Policies that have seen an unprecedented number of Bermudian businesses fail. Policies that have driven our national debt to $1.4 billion and climbing.
It is the reality of these statistics that is affecting everyone in Bermuda – from day-to-day hardship to deep concern about the state of our Island home.
Now, more than ever, it’s time Bermudians had a Government that puts them first, not just around election day but every day. That’s the change Bermudians want and that’s the change the OBA will provide.
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When will both these childish Parties stop the phk’n bullsh!t, stop acting like two kids fighting in the school yard and fix this Island for everyone.
GREAT AD OBA….VERY CONVINCING
We can tell the truth, you all can’t.
It’s convincing because it’s the truth.
Interesting that PLP don’t address the blown up Club Med and its Golf Club. Under PLP St. Georges is going down.
Bermudian’s get your head out of the sand. Bermuda is in deep trouble. St. George’s is a ghost town, with many business continously closing. I know of at least 5 in the last 2 months.
PLP – ran us in the ground!….
People need to understand that if PLP win the election, Col Burch and his mates will take over. Then it is OVER.
Let me get this straight. PLP say that the opening of a shoe store is answer to 3000 unemployed. What!!!!
And PLP had no response to 3000 unemployed. SAD.
WHY THE F#$K ARE YOU PUTTING OUT ADS LIKE THIS. YOUNG BLACK MEN ARE BEING SHOT EVERY MONTH LIKE DOGS AND THIS IS THE BEST YOU CAN SEND OUT. KEEP #HIT REAL A$$ HOLES. TELL ME WHAT THE FCK YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT CRIME. THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THIS ISLAND BERMUDIANS AND FOREIGN WORKERS WANT TO FEEL SAFE. I GUESS YOU WILL NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL ONE OF THE GANG BOYS POINTS A GUN AT YOU. IF YOU DON’T FIX THIS CRAP THE ISLAND WILL BE A MINI WAR ZONE!!! I CAN SEE YOU ALL NOW RUNNING LIKE A BUNCH OF SCARED BIATCCHESSSS!
Classy
Then go tell your “Ace Boys” to tone it down.
P.S. Nobody is going to listen to you when you type with such bad grammar and in an “All-Caps-Rage”
WTF
My thoughts exactly!! PLP and OBA are wasting more time bickering back and forth that we are moving backwards.
Please… give me a break PloP… mislead? whatever… several businesses have closed in St. George due to your mishandling of public funds and lack of investment in St. George. Do not parade the opening of a few shops as some sort of PLP achievement. St. George has been suffering for too long so don’t insult people with your political rhetoric.
Congratulations to the new business owners. Presently having a business in St. George is a real challenge, so be innovative and creative. Do not get discouraged when sales are slow… grow your product and have impeccable customer service. You guys have an important role to play in helping to rebuild business activity in St. George… so with that… I wish you the very best!
You have run the country to the ground. The plp was left with a stable Island and we now have billions of dollars in debt with businesses closing. The plp must take the average voter to be stupid.
We might not be in debt…remember, there are tens of millions of dollars unaccounted for.when they find where they put them- everything will be good again! Tip, when looking for “unaccounted” for money one should check ones back pockets. Often you will find where the padded pockets are, there you will find the money.
Yeah sure. So I guess that the OBA is also misleading voters about all of the business across the island that have gone bust and misleading voters about all of the employees that have been made redundant or let go as a result of their employers going out of business. C’mon son!!
Yes they are lying – it is absolutely NOT true that SAL has made people redundant. It is a PLP candidate run business and knowing full well that he has information from our Premeire that shows our economy is on the rebound why make such a move???!!!! It was all a lie, nobody was laid off or made redundant! If we are rebounding and all these construction projects are taking off, then why get rid off staff.
There were no jobs lost at all in Bermuda……it was all a bad dream…..I see what you are saying. Phew, I was worried for a moment.
Only time will tell whether the PLP will have something to crow about or be eating crow….again. Will these new businesses survive? Not likely.
They have nothing to crow about even if they can turn things around now. They steered this ship the MV Bermuda right into the reef even when the buoys and warning beacons were going off. Talk to the person that lost their house or car because they were laid off LAST YEAR because of the poor economy and ask them if they will feel better if they get a job tomorrow because they fixed things AFTER THEY WERE BROKEN! That person is me, I lost the home I worked for and made payments on for almost 15 years!
….and we should believe David Burt…..yeah, right!
Oh, I don’t think this is a bad ad. They don’t bash anyone. What’s the problem exactly?
The point of the ad is that businesses are closing and Bermudians are losing their jobs. That is not misleading anybody.
Any unemployed Bermudians watching this will wonder why the PLP doesn’t do more about unemployment, rather than whining about an internet ad and perpetually asking what the OBA’s plans are.
No need for the PLP to do more! There is no unemployment amongst the friends and family list! Every PLP candidate has a full time job, and many are collecting two ,or three paychecks paid by us the taxpayer. Meanwhile I sit at home trying to find odd jobs to pay the bills and hope that my health does not deteriorate as I have no insurance.
So what if some of the buildings featured in the video are now occupied by a new business? That’s the point exactly… at some point there were other businesses there that have since closed most likely due to the crippling economy.
With that said, I wish the new business owners (Tamasun’s Japanese House and A2Z Shoes and Accessories) all the best. As some have mentioned above, presently having a business in St. Georges is a real challenge.
However, I have faith and am keeping positive that our island home will recover provided that the right changes are made.
Do we really have time for this? What about controlling our borders? What about keeping young people safe from perverts? What about the UNSOLVED MURDERS???? Stop treating people like they are idiotic PLP! Get rid of GOVERNMENT cars there is NO need for them on this OVERCROWDED island. Become more TRANSPARENT and stop IGNORING the REAL ISSUES!
BERMUDIANS WANT to work, afford mortgages and save their businesses!! PLP you came with a can full of marbles and got SKUNKED – no more loans or hook ups to get you back in the game. GAME OVER!!!!
I like the ad! It is direct, straight to the point and factual. We are in a world of hurt. And, as long as the PLOP keeps holding the election off, the OBA will keep campaigning – would you expect them to stop just because the date hasn’t been set yet? Smarten up people, they have to keep campaigning but just like the rest of us, they are probably getting tired of the BS too.
CALL THE DAM ELECTION ALREADY!!!!!
Best Bermuda ad I have ever seen. Well put together and to the point!!
Don’t know about you, but I’m tired from all my errands today. First I stopped by the Body Shop to pick up some lotion. I was so hungry that I picked up some lunch at Greg’s Steakhouse; I opted to have dessert at 64 degrees as I just love their desserts. Of course I didn’t walk all the way to 64 degrees…I rented a scooter from Wheels. On the way I stopped off at Whites to pick up some toilet paper.
Oh wait, that wasn’t today…that was 5 years ago. We don’t have businesses shutting down today…the PLP says it ain’t so, so it ain’t so! Silly me.
well please madam premier do tell us the actual state of businesses in St.Georges. It didn’t really seem to be many people, or any at all during your visit down the majestic streets of St Georges the other day, unless that is that i’ve gone completely blind!
I’m only 17 and I stand to be corrected but anybody can point out the problems…at the end they emphasize the word “change” but have not even showed or stated what their actions are to change the current unemployment rate. To be honest, if we look at the majority of unemployed most (NOT ALL) have attained nothing higher than a high school diploma and some may have a child or more, so I’m not sure what people expect the government to do, go educate yourself, degrees are needed nowadays! Don’t see many unemployed doctors or nurses around here…..
Bingo! That’s why the PLP should be addressing the problem of our under-achieving students that attend public schools, but they ain’t!
This is what happens when a trash truck driver gets paid more than somebody who has a college degree.
PLP’s feed a man a fish approach doesn’t help anybody.
Bermudians have been spoiled for too long and this is what you get.
All these hand-outs that the Government gives out is putting us further in debt, which was the whole point about the EEZ issue the other day.
It’s time to teach men how to fish so they can provide for themselves and there families.
Let’s face it, everybody and their uncle wants to work for Government.
Why?
Easy paycheck for doing 1/4 of the work.
With benefits like great insurance.
1 month paid vacation.
And a book full of sick days.
Where’s the incentive to go to school when having a high school diploma and working for Government can provide you with everything you need.
Government just throws money at problems. Borrow more to fix that.
It’s like getting a loan for a new car because your old car needs a service with no intent of ever paying off the loan.
The PLP have done a great job….of emptying the store and trashing our economy, the ad may be a little hard for some to watch but it’s all true, we have a fight ahead just to survive thanks to the last decade, those of you who “expressed” yourselves all those years ago have what you wished for and therefor should not be complaining and I’m sure you must be better off now than you were 10 years ago!
Has anyone ever heard a plp politician come up with concrete plans to end this violence, i dont know of any statement,article or video clip seeing this in a while.it’s is very scary the silience they have on violent crime in this country.
Plp has to be voted out that is not really the question here we all know they are done and good riddance. Embarrased I used to support them and E brown at one time. Won’t make the same mistake twice.
Please i hope peole vote these bums out we need a safer country.
The current premier was not voted by the people, she should really take the bold step and say this is too much and i will step down people would respect her for that. And let real ppl fix this country.
She is not leader material no disrespect to her personal character we just need more in these times.
goodbye plp
I think they both mislead the public. Only difference is the PLP do it more blatantly.
When was the OBA video created – as in, what month was it filmed? Because if it was filmed at the beginning (or even in the middle of) the summer then it isn’t trying to be misleading – those businesses were indeed non-existent. I live in St. George’s, I’ve passed those places everyday for two and a half years, and they were indeed abandoned for a while.
BTW, I should like to remind the PLP, that it was THEIR suggestion that all cruise ships should be routed to Dockyard and no longer in St. George’s, which any store owner here can tell you has lead to a severe loss of business and revenue. I’m sure they thank you for that.
But thankfully, we now have new businesses starting up in St. George’s, new retail stores that are charging Bermudians $55 for a pair of shorts. So I am certain the retail sector and our economy will rebound soon.
Were doomed.
Anyone can open a business ….keeping it open is the hard part.
Does the PLP have nothing better to do with their time? Maybe running Bermuda correctly would be nice. OBA is certainly true with their video- what has the PLP government done to get the small businesses running (no not the insurance companies that feeds their debts)?
Who are the PLP trying to fool with all that reggae music.
Yawn*
Wake me up when the election’s over (or perhaps when Paula and Craig come to fisticuffs – now THAT would be more entertaining than this drivel).
Its not just the economy its the crime. The economy that’s leading to increase in theft IE: gold chains. I hope people vote on the lack of action of the PLP and not on the words of continuous broken promises. Witch is what people tend to fall for..Most voters put party before country when they vote no matter how bad it gets. That is not what the process was designed for.
PLP GARBAGE! E BROWN AND DA PLP BUT THIS COUNTRY LIKE THIS! DONT FORGET GROUPS LIKE “BLACK PANTHERS” ARE THE RSULTS OF GANGS! READ BETWEEN DA LINES!
Sad thing is there are still so many coo coos that will believe the PLP hype. The country could be @ 100 percent unemployment, murders everyday, no IB left and this once wealthy Island (thanks to the UBP) turned into a third world country and the coo coos would still think that the PLP stand strong for Bermudians. Change is going to happen when the mentality changes.
What is the new government going to do for us gays?
Pathetic ads on both sides. Where is the ad that has the soft, “hopeful” music in the background and shows images of politicians in hard hats and getting their hands dirty? Where is the rolling list of solutions for putting people back to work, tackling crime and cleaning up beaches, parks and marinas? Nothing but childish actions from unqualified people. Bermuda is doomed.
I am so over these political parties petty acts. Like honestly PLP instead of always criticizing the OBA , where do you find time to fix the problem, reallly you don’t because of the fact you are always hounding and dogging the opposition, as soon you are being challenged that’s all you do when election time comes around. And for the OBA I appreciate the fact that they call PLP out, and for their ads they are very true I’ve lived in St. George’s about 4 years ago, I moved because of the fact it was a slow moving area resources are slim to none, yes businesses may have just opened but what happened all that time. PLP didnt care about St. George’s, all their new developments were solely focused on Hamilton and Southshore areas ie. Grand Atlantic, waste of money!! That couldve gone to the town of St. George’s. I promise today that I will not be voting for PLP,they are power hungry and all they do is critize because of the fact one has more ideas than them, and on top of that they are very childish and shown no solution to the problem themselves. Always trying to pull the race card and accuse OBA of being UBP, get over it. It’s not about race anymore, and they continue to try to divide the country when we all need to come together to survive. Wake up, Bermuda!!
Yes, wake up indeed.
Imagine the PLP accusing the opposition of misleading the public. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
…what’s that about those in the wrong saying the most??? yawwwn – grow up!
Did that PLP ad really just say 3000 unemployed …but a new show store opens? lol HILARIOUS !!
SMH @ Politics. Why dont one of you parties give NEW business a 5 year tax break at 50% off if less than 20 employees for a period of 5 years to contribute towards a steady increase in profits. Taxes are killing the new businesses. Oh and that is ALLL businesses not just in the eez’s.
With the current rents, employee insurance, pensions etc businesses are suffering with chaotic overhead.
It is impossible to hire and retain good staff if overhead is torturing you.
This is cute as hell. This from the same bunch of bies trotting out “WE HAD TO DECEIVE YOU”……..I just spat my coffee all over my screen, I’m laughing THAT hard……..