SAGE Commission Submits Final Report

October 31, 2013

Brian Duperreault, Chairman of the Spending and Government Efficiency [SAGE] Commission, today [Oct 31] presented Acting Minister of Finance Michael Dunkley with a copy of the Commission’s final report.

The report represents a review undertaken during a six-month period that began with the Commission’s official gazetting on April 15. The six-member body was established by an Act of Parliament to conduct a review of the Bermuda Government and to make recommendations that would result in greater efficiency and accountability.

“It’s been a privilege to work alongside my fellow Commissioners as well as the dedicated individuals who chaired our four committees and the dozens of volunteers who served as committee members,” said Mr. Duperreault.

“This has been hard work, but it’s been a labour of love: we all want to help restore Bermuda’s financial health. This goal has been uppermost as the Commission grappled with how best to reduce Government’s enormous deficit.

“Throughout the entire process, I was impressed by how many people and organisations in Bermuda were prepared to come together to give freely of their time and resources to assist the Commission in its task. In fact, because we had such a high level of volunteer support, we will be able to return about 25% of the funds we raised at the start of our review.

“It’s also been a pleasure to meet the many employees in the Civil and Public Service who are dedicated to improving the way the Bermuda Government provides programmes and services to the public.

“We were heartened by the volume of submissions we received online and in person, and with the engaged participation of those who attended our public meetings in May and September. From the beginning, a broad, diverse cross-section of the community has been involved in this important initiative.

“Our final report follows an interim one which we submitted on July 23. Both documents are the product of thousands of hours of review, analysis and discussion. They are a true reflection of what the public and private sectors feel should to be done to create a government that Bermuda needs and can afford.

“The recommendations in the report we are presenting today represent some difficult decisions. However, we believe they are fair and measured. We’ve taken care to consider economic as well as social issues.

“We also believe that if these recommendations are adopted, Bermuda has a fighting chance of reversing the downward economic spiral the country has been in for the last four years.

“The SAGE Commission Final Report is almost 150 pages long, and the full appendix runs to more than 10,000 pages. We have printed the report itself; the appendix is on a flash drive that accompanies the document.

“We promised from the outset that we would be transparent and inclusive so we have also created a web site that includes all the material in our final report as well as thousands of documents used as source material. We believe that posting our recommendations online affords the public the best opportunity to view this material in its entirety.

“We are providing the Bermuda Government with relevant details about this site with the request that when the SAGE Commission’s final report is tabled in the House of Assembly, the site will become live.

“We look forward to the discussions that our report will generate in the House and in the community and trust that Bermuda’s future wellbeing, and the greater good, will guide the manner in which our recommendations are considered”.

The members of the SAGE Commission are:

  • Brian Duperreault, Chairman
  • Cathy Duffy
  • Kenneth Dill
  • Peter Hardy
  • Don Mackenzie
  • Kim White

The Chairpersons of the Commission’s four Committees and two Working Groups are:

  • Dame Jennifer Smith – Streamline
  • Martha Dismont – Performance
  • Tom Conyers- Measurement & Metrics
  • Henry Smith – Privatisation & Outsourcing
  • John Burville – Pensions
  • Nathan Kowalski – Economic Analysis

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Comments (16)

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Articles that link to this one:

  1. SAGE Report’s Appendixes Now Posted Online | Bernews.com | December 6, 2013
  1. swing voter says:

    I hope the opening line is ‘DON’T FILL THE PS EDUCATION POST’

  2. paul says:

    I hope the OBA does not shelve the outcome of the SAGE report !!!!!
    Where in the world is our health minister ? we hear more from the shadow minister.. We need a full time minister..for this most important post.

  3. sonso says:

    it will be some very interesting findings in that report, i am sure of it.

  4. Alvin Williams says:

    No the opening line has already been spoken cut government employee wages.
    The next will be cut government services.

    • Double Standards says:

      Your leader just said the other night that people need to stop being so overreliant on Government…

      Don’t you agree?

  5. Overpaid says:

    The Civil Service needs to be trimmed,in the form of lower wages.
    We can no longer afford the high cost of The Civil Service.Those at the top should get a 20% pay cut,and those in the middle a 15% cut?Those at the bottom,maybe no cut or no more than 5% cut.
    It is time the Civil Service comes into the real world. The private sector is taking licks and can no longer bear the burden of higher taxes.Those who have been getting big pay cheques for little accountability,need to acknowledge they have had a wonderful ride.
    The former PLP govt’s complete mismanagement of the people’s money,has led to this..Those struggling will have to struggle more as the incompetence of the former govt comes to bear.
    Let’s hope the new govt can turn the economy around,so we all do not have to suffer for too long!

    • sonso says:

      even though the issue of wages is a big one, what is a bigger issue is the pension liabilities that have not yet come to fruition, some scary schtuff!

  6. San George says:

    Thank you Mr. Duperreault! Bermuda is going to need more seasoned professionals to step forward and help.

  7. Curious says:

    Where can we read the report online? I tried sagecommisson.bm but the site appears to be down.

    • sonso says:

      duh, someone doesnt read before replying. it is kind of like thinking before speaking?

      “We are providing the Bermuda Government with relevant details about this site with the request that when the SAGE Commission’s final report is tabled in the House of Assembly, the site will become live.”

  8. DarkSideofTheMoon says:

    Wow the SAGE Commission website and their Facebook page have been taken down.

  9. Bermyman says:

    Privatise Buses and Ferries. Get that liability off of Government books,

  10. filobedo21 says:

    Once the report has been tabled on the first day the House of A returns, and it is debated, the Public will get access! Soon Come! I can’t wait to read it too!

  11. Triangle Drifter says:

    A very good report I am sure it is, put together by people who have great expertise & care deeply for Bermuda.

    Lets hope it does not go the way of so many reports before it. All shoved to the back of a dusty shelf & forgotten somewhere.

    Who remembers the Competitiveness Commission & the hundreds of people who gave thousands of hours to produce the massive report that one was, only to have it ignored & forgotten?

    Who remembers the Monitor Report, a few years later? Again, many hours put in by many people at no small expense only to be ignored & forgotten.

    And, oh yes, these were during the UBP years. The PLP produced more than their fair share of reports which also showed no action.

    OBA, whatcha gonna do with this one?

  12. Bermuda123 says:

    Congratulations and thanks to all of the volunteers and professionals who gave their time and of those in the Civil Service who were open to them in the spirit of the greater good. There have been few reports which are awaited as keenly as this one. Regardless of the contents and recommendations which will, I am sure, generate a variety of responses, we should all be grateful to those who have put in a huge amount of time, effort, expertise and thought.