Video: Airport Presentation At OBA Meeting

May 25, 2016

The OBA have posted a 42-minute video of Finance Minister Bob Richards’ presentation on the airport redevelopment project, with the video showing the Minister’s slide presentation delivered to OBA members at a meeting last week.

The meeting was held on May 19th at the Bermuda National Gallery at City Hall, and there were protests outside the venue following a call by the MOVE group for concerned residents to protest outside to show they they “oppose the redevelopment.”

The PLP have objected to the deal between the Government and Canadian Commercial Corporation, saying “there is no open tender, no proof or surety of value for money,” and it “sacrifices this country’s single most important physical asset, transferring it to the control of a Canadian company.”

Minister Richards has previously said “there are substantial advantages to the Government’s course in this re-development project,” as the project “calls for the employment of hundreds of Bermudians” and “for an injection of hundreds of millions of dollars of foreign capital into the Bermuda economy.”

42-minute video of Minister Richards’ presentation on the airport:

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Comments (51)

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  1. Raymond Ray says:

    “Spare the rod you spoil the childs” :-( Bermudians want”change”well here is an opportunity for that change at NO cost to the Govnt…Re-read what is offered to “u’lot”

    • Onion Juice says:

      Ya, and um got a bridge to sell you.
      LMFAO

      • hmmm says:

        No you don’t, the PLP gave away our rights to have repairs and restoration done for a measily $11m, which they gave to cricket…now we have a temporary bridge and a rotting swing bridge.

        14 years of PLP neglect.

  2. Unbelievable says:

    I hope this dispels all the PLP misinformation they are churning out. And I also hope the OBA, in person, take this to people as well.

    • Bill says:

      The OBA should have taken their idea to the people a long time ago, instead of ramming it down our throats!

      • Lois Frederick says:

        I guess you missed the multiple Public Meetings already held on the new Airport. I didn’t.

      • Build a Better Bermuda says:

        They did, from early on, and have been keep us updated as it has been evolving.

        • Bill says:

          Build a better bermuda,

          “They did from early on….”

          Can you please give us the year and month that then Premier Cannonier spoke to the people of Bermuda about this possibility of the airport renovations.

          This talk would be before they entered into discussions and deals with the canadians.

          November 2012? or 2013? maybe 2014?

          Like the game show…you can call a friend,

          ask the audience (your buddies here who comment with you)

          I can do a 50/50 with you.

          That is, I will take out two of the dates above, and leave you with a right and wrong answer.

          Let me know!

          Thanks,

          Bill

      • Unbelievable says:

        @BIll, well they tried to take it to the people and they got shouted down. Are you going to shout them down again if they try to explain what exactly is going to happen? I’m sure you will. Why don’t you watch the above video instead. You might actually learn that this actually good for Bermuda.

  3. Cow polly says:

    Finally Bob Richards can give his presentation without be heckled or subjected to ignorant demonstrators who are not interested in hearing anything other than ‘no airport’

  4. kangoocar says:

    Min richards, just build it already!!! We cannot continue to be held back by the clueless!! We had 14 yrs of that already, enough is enough!!!!

    • Build a Better Bermuda says:

      He is, but unlike previous administrations, he is making sure that all the ‘t’s are crossed and ‘i’s dotted and that takes time. As I have said all the while, it isn’t a tender process that guarantees value for money, it is a well defined construction contract and additionally in this case a well defined PPP agreement too.

    • Wayne says:

      Kangoocar?….or Kangaroo Court!..you had 14 years and we had it since your other Forty Thieves!!
      Denied rights, access, education voting and the list goes on so SHUT UP!!

      • mixitup says:

        And those were the ‘good days’ to them…go figure

  5. Reality Check says:

    It is particularly interesting and intriguing that this CITV record of that BNG meeting shows only the Ministerial presentation.

    This CITV showing means that the Q & A period that followed has been censored, that is elements of the whole evening have been cut away or cut out and not shown. This cutdown version of what happened on Wednesday night does not show the questions asked and gives no indication whatsoever of the ‘pushback’ and critical questioning that came after the Minister had laid out his plan.

    This 42 minute censored presentation reeks of Pravda, TASS, and the current Communist Chinese habit of censoring or blacking out stuff that they do not want their people to see or hear.

    This is shameful.

    • NCM says:

      This wasn’t filmed by CITV. A local videographer filmed the presentation. When you fall at the first hurdle, it’s hard to take the rest of your conspiracy seriously. Seems you need a reality check.

    • ST says:

      For those of us who were there… they’d have to inform us that they were going to make our questions public and they didn’t so they can’t show that part. I don’t want to be on TV thanks very much!!

    • filobedo21 says:

      Remember this was a private OBA members meeting, and there is no need for airing the question an answer period. Well done Minister Bob Richards, and I hope when you go on the road with further meetings to the general public will attend with the intention to learn and understand. Good Luck.

  6. shutthemdown says:

    There may be no cost to the Gov but we the people will have to pay that’s for sure.

    Electricity is free to them??? Belco is feeling good or will we have to pay???

    You UBPoba people are snakes.

    • Raymond Ray says:

      @shutthemdown, are you so stupid or are you just acting? It’s them like you that’ll keep Bermuda / Bermudians in the dark for a very looooong tme :-( Sad yes but true.

    • ST says:

      Actually if you watch the presentation this airport will be powered by solar energy. That is part of the deal.

      • Unbelievable says:

        @ ST, they don’t want to hear common sense. They just want to hear themselves yelling.

      • What?? says:

        The source of the power does not matter. The plan is for a privately developed and operated solar farm. Whichever company gets the concession they are going to want to be paid for the electricity. So whether the energy comes from Belco or the solar farm the taxpayers will be paying.

    • hmmm says:

      @ shutthemdown.

      I can’t believe you are as simple as you pretend. Perhaps the PLP have brainwashed you. Wake up from that already….

      Step 1) admit the PLP have made a fool of you, as they suckered you right in !!!!!!
      Step 2) do your own research including actually listening and understanding without any bias.
      Step 3) Take the PLP to task for their misinformation campaign.

  7. Coffee says:

    Bob is a coward for not opening up this meeting to the wider general public .

    • Lois Frederick says:

      It seems you also missed the multiple Public meetings held over the past year too. I didn’t.

      • Triangle Drifter says:

        Coffee would not have gone even if it were open to all. If Coffee really & truly cared about the termibal & not simply about making political noise he/she would have been happy to to pay the few $ to join the OBA & go to the meeting.

    • Build a Better Bermuda says:

      He’s done that… several times. Seems though lately that people who don’t want information to be distributed have taken it upon themselves to interrupt the meeting so that people who want to be kept informed can’t be.

    • Zevon says:

      I can’t wait for the video of the next PLP members meeting to be given to the public.

    • Its me again says:

      I agree.

      Too soft to take a little bit of heckling

    • wahoo says:

      Perhaps you are the coward. Maybe you hide in crowds and yell dumb s#@” anonymously with the intention of perverting the daily business of the Government for your own selfish reasons. You were not allowed/permitted in this meeting because you would not have let the minister get a word in edge-wise. You are a brainwashed minion of the plp and you do not even realize it.

    • hmmm says:

      Coffee, it is you who are the coward, for not listening properly to what is being said, for not stopping your fellow PLP from shouting over the information given at other meetings, for not telling your fellow PLP party members to quit playing for votes and start working for Bermudians.

  8. Leroy says:

    Good information for all the armchair airport engineers

  9. airportgate says:

    gaged gaged gaged were are the questions? when will he answer me the tax payer he represents, if he does not answer in the house he definitely is not going to answer in public, I see him as one who has made a mistake and is spinning to justify it,

    Will they post the questions and the answers to the questions. Or did they take the position of their silent back benchersee. This was a new low of the presenter.

    I’m ashamed of this matter no openness no open tender no answers to certain questions.

    I’m not a hacker but I do say no to the process he has taken to the airportgate

    • ST says:

      He will answer any questions you have. He answered all of ours and everyone was satisfied. No one can post the questions without those who attended’s consent as we were told that this was a private meeting. He has however answered many questions online and publicly. Watch the presentation. It’s informative and makes sense. Also, there were only a few questions..

    • courses says:

      You’re ashamed no matter the openness? So, whatever he says, you’re ashamed? Odd. Whatever you must have thought while Brown and Cox raped the island is anyone’s guess.

  10. Average Bermudian says:

    fey ?

    ?

  11. bluebird says:

    Well done Mr Richards and the OBA.
    The OBA has One Billion Dollars in “INVESTMENTS IN BERMUDA.
    The PLP has Two Billion Dollars in “DEBT” for Bermuda.
    That is the difference between those who can run a business and those who are “WANABEE” Business people with the TAX-PAYERS Money.
    The OBA.
    two hundred and fifty Million in Hotels
    Two hundred and fifty million in Americas Cup
    Two hundred and Fifty Million in prospective casinos
    Two Hundred and fifty million in a “NEW AIRPORT”
    The Hamilton Princess has already spent $100Million Dollars on renovations.
    We have Cruise ships in Hamilton
    We have Cruse Ships in St George.
    This is all “INVESTMENT” from outside of Bermuda.We need investment in Bermuda for Bermuda to grow and survive.
    Thank you OBA Government.

    • Wayne Nicholas says:

      Yea yea…blah blah Bluebird…fly away…..now invest in the people who have been without a raise in over FIVE YEARS but have been subjected to the ruthless onslaught of Bob’s taxes…INVEST IN US!!

      • blankman says:

        So tell us where the money is supposed to come from?

        It’s a slow process but people are beginning to invest in Bermuda. Absent that, there can be no progress.

        As for people not getting raises, that decision lies with the employers, not with government.

      • Anbu says:

        Have any of u lost your jobs tho? U know that pesky redundant word being thrown around? Bet i know the answer

  12. Vote for Me says:

    The constant refrain that ‘the airport will not cost the government’ is dishonest at best. If it was true, then why is the government not telling the public (who they say will pay) what is being negotiated on their behalf? When have you ever been part of an agreement where you are responsible for the outcome but not been part of the actual negotiations?

    With respect to energy costs, I have not yet heard how any entity will provide solar power to the airport at zero cost. At a minimum, how will the costs of setting up the solar facility be covered?

    To the posters who argue that the questions from the attendees cannot be posted because the audience did not know the presentation would be made public, such comment is again dishonest.

    If the Minister wants to inform the public about what happened at the private meeting, it should not be done in a piecemeal fashion. The actual identity of the person asking the question could be kept confidential whilst the audio of the question and answers could be included.

    To only show the Minister’s presentation is an obvious skewing of the presentation. Otherwise, the Minister could have been filmed in a sterile manner that is then made public. How does the general public know how his presentation was received by his ‘friendly audience’?

    Note that I accept that any protesters at a public meeting should allow the Minister to answer any questions. This presentation however falls into the narrative that the OBA are doing Bermuda and themselves a disservice by this horrendous PR process for the airport and other ‘projects’ that are clearly in the public interest.

  13. mumbojumbo says:

    We “need ” two bridges!
    Then we need to upkeep them!
    I request and require govt.s excuse as to why zincs were not put regularly on the pilons?
    Do you not know they are necessary?
    You brain is a tool…please utilise this higher function!

  14. mumbojumbo says:

    Sphincteral lower functioning orifices…

  15. obasellouts says:

    wait………..Did the Electricity bills just go up???????

    No way … good thing we are using solar power at the new Airport.

    But, how again does that make up for the LOSS Belco would be taking??

    G.ddamn idiot UBPoba fools.

  16. bluebird says:

    @ mobojumbo,
    You are of course ASKING THE PLP who did no maintance for fourteen years!

  17. bluebird says:

    @ vote for me
    The majority of Bermudians like success and progress

  18. O.M.G says:

    I say all those who are shouting and not listening you need to go for a walk around the airport and see if you would like to work in those conditions. To bad the PLP never thought about the people just themselves. I say we ask brown and cox pay for the new airport. It’s to bad you people weren’t making all this bloody noise when the were taking you of your money and jobs. Good presentation Mr Richards. Keep up the good wok.

  19. Jiminy Cricket says:

    Finally watched this and thought that it was informative and convincing as I had 2 major concerns.
    1/ Do we really need a new airport?( versus upgrading our current or keeping on doing patchwork)

    2/ Is this PPP the best way to go?

    For 1) he gave some good points in reference to the end of life date being passed and the bad positioning in respect to hurricane storm surge. Believe these both give a good support for creating a new airport terminal in a more secure location.

    For 2) , it’s seems to offset the risk that we have seen on many occasions, for some government projects ( i.e. cost overuns). This part has more questions however, such as is the risk just shifted to after the terminal is completed rather than during construction. Also, how are we going to monetize the project to better ensure higher revenues.

    I am actually quite happy to see the electrical guarantee, as that will light a fire (pun intended) under someone to ensure that a solar farm is actually built on the finger.
    Also, I like the profit sharing agreement after the bonds are repaid. That provides some hope that we won’t be without revenue for a whole 30 years.

    If anyone has quality input and objections to the presentation please post. I actually would like to make an informed decision based on the pros and cons.

    Seems that this presentation has me more in favour now that I’ve watched it.