OBA: ‘PLP Is Taking Credit For Previous Govt’

October 12, 2018

“The PLP will continue to parrot the Trump Administration’s playground antics; taking credit for the previous Government’s achievements while failing to deliver on their own promised outcomes,” newly appointed One Bermuda Alliance Chairperson Simone Barton said today.

PLP Statement

Speaking last week in response to Ms Barton’s statement, PLP Chairman Owen Darrell said, “The new chair of the OBA has begun her tenure with the same old pattern of misinformation that was the hallmark of the ‘old’ OBA. The facts totally disprove the tired and desperate deceit promoted by the OBA.

“Under the PLP: Government Revenues are up. Government spending is down. The deficit is down by 24%. Visitor air arrivals are up. Bermudian employment in the economy is up.

“The ‘new’ OBA wants to bring back the Michael Fahy agenda where non-Bermudian jobs grew while Bermudian jobs vanished and where pathways to status further displaces Bermudians.

“The faces may change in the OBA but the same old tactics of misinformation and anti-Bermudian policies remain unchanged.

“We are making progress, but remain dissatisfied so long as any Bermudian is unemployed, can’t make ends meet no matter how hard they work or see anywhere but Bermuda as a land of opportunity.

“Despite the ongoing misinformation campaign being perpetrated by the OBA, we remain committed to building a fairer, better Bermuda for Bermudians,” Mr Darrell said.

Ms Barton’s Comments

Ms. Barton — who was recently appointed as OBA Chairperson — said, “I want to thank my counterpart in the PLP for giving me an opportunity to highlight some of the achievements the OBA was able to accomplish during its tenure.

“In a statement, the PLP’s Owen Darrell, in an effort to bring attention to the current government’s achievements, noted that ‘Bermudian employment in the economy is up!’.

“Indeed it is, and I want to thank him for his kind acknowledgement of the work done under the OBA government. You see, Mr. Darrell did not quote the source of this good news, which was the 2018 edition of the Bermuda Job Market Employment Briefs.

“This report stated: ‘The number of Bermudian job holders rose from 23,494 in 2016 to 23,667 in 2017, an increase of 173 jobs. This is the first increase in the total number of jobs filled by Bermudians since 2006.’

“There are two very important take-outs from this report. The first is that these findings focused on 2017 – and of course we all know the PLP was elected halfway through that year. We also know that it takes time before Government policies take effect, so it is virtually impossible that this rise in the number of Bermudians employed could be attributed to the PLP.

“In objective reality, it was due to the job-creating policies employed by the OBA, which oversaw huge new investment in the country in the form of hotels, the new airport and, of course, the America’s Cup.

“Second, and I want to repeat part of what the report said: ‘This is the first increase in the total number of jobs filled by Bermudians since 2006.’ That means between 2006 and 2012 – six years of PLP Government – there was no increase in the total number of jobs filled by Bermudians.

“Maybe the PLP should wait for another year to see how their actions are reflected in the jobs total instead of unwittingly confirming what the OBA has said all along – we produced results.

“Mr. Darrell also tries to claim a rise in tourism numbers as a PLP success, which is equally disingenuous. It was an OBA decision to set up the Bermuda Tourism Authority, and it is the Bermuda Tourism Authority which is responsible for the rise in visitor numbers, but Mr. Darrell seems happy to ignore its existence. Once again, Mr. Darrell on behalf of the OBA, you’re welcome.

“The PLP should focus on why employment income is down, why GDP is down, why the volume of retail sales is down, why business confidence is at its lowest, why new taxes that punish Mr. and Mrs. Bermuda have been introduced and why they have broken their promise to lower health care costs [next year’s premiums are really going to hurt us all]. When Mr. Darrell’s party has addressed those issues then perhaps he can begin claiming victory.

“More likely, however, the PLP will continue to parrot the Trump Administration’s playground antics; taking credit for the previous Government’s achievements while failing to deliver on their own promised outcomes. They will cynically keep trying to convince their voters that the OBA is the source of their woes despite overwhelming empirical evidence to the contrary.

“That may continue to work for a while, but the worse things get, the more their supporters will realize that they’ve been misled by the very people they put their trust in. The truth shall always set you free, manipulative populist anger has a very short shelf life when it becomes harder to pay your bills and feed your family.”

Read More About

Category: All, News, Politics

Comments (44)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Stand For the Truth says:

    The UBP/OBA have mastered the art of deception they project who they are on the PLP. Anyone who is a critical thinker knows the UBP/OBA have the same mindset as the party in USA known as the Republican Party which is the party of 45.

    • aceboy says:

      You have GOT to be kidding, or completely and utterly brainwashed.

      “We had to deceive you”

      Remember those words? Remember who said them?

      That was just one that was actually admitted to.

    • red rose says:

      The PLP/UBP have mastered the art of attacking the messenger and ignoring the message…..

      • Toodle-oo says:

        The PLP has mastered the art of defining anyone or group who is not them , no matter how incorrect.
        So very good at it are they that even intelligent people are buying it.

      • Come on now says:

        This really reveals there is no differences within the OBAubp circles.

        If you are about the people there should at least be an effort to provide some solutions and work inalignment with the PLP to ensure Bermuda success instead of playing your ususal OBAUBP POITICAL SPINMASTER GAME …COME ON GROW UP NOW

        IF THIS is the approach..well looks like 30 to 11 will be next

        Obaubp your falling again….

        • Question says:

          When are you going to ditch your Old Guard OBA people? Furbert Swan and the other?

        • Ringmaster says:

          30 – 11? How is this possible with 36 MP seats? Hint, if you start with 25-11 and add 5 to 25 you have to deduct 5 from 11, so it reads 30 – 6. No need to thank me. I hope you’re not working in the Ministry of Finance.

  2. Who cares says:

    Enough if the pity antics from both sides! Who gives a s*1t anyway? At this stage grow a set of hairy ones and solve our immigration problem so we can get some taxes coming in! That’s it – that’s all – full stop!

    Now get in with it you bunch! We are paying all of you to do this job – now do it!

    Sick and tired of the constant professional politicians telling us who to blame. We squarely blame ALL politicians for the crap we are in!

    Move on

  3. frank says:

    just be quiet

    • Point says:

      You first! I agree with who cares! Enough is truly enough!

  4. TITTY MILK says:

    What are they going on about–Titty Milk is not a OBA/UBP invention.

    ROTFL

    • Come on now says:

      I see that power Dunkey milk is killing you…..titty milk more healthy

      OBAubp are grasping at straws trying to appear different but using same old UBPoba tactics…..lol

      Wake up

      • Question says:

        Wane canes. He will forever be known as the guy who filmed himself sexually harassing a couple of shop girls. What a loser.

        • Johnny says:

          hahaha you are desparately reaching for straws. LMFAO!!!

          • Question says:

            And yet not a single job created by the PLP. Losers.

      • See you drink da dirty milk says:

        Your comment indicates that you condone that behavior. You deflect to make a political point and miss the atrocity of the debasing comment that Captain Titty Milk made to those innocent girls.

        Please reflect on this and treat people fairly regardless of their political affiliation.

  5. watching says:

    Keep talking Simone.
    You will be the death of the OBA.

    • LaVerne Furbert says:

      It’s not Simone talking. It’s the same person who has been writing everything for thr OBA of late, their consultant, Jeremy Deacon. He is on record.

      • Question says:

        Well we all know what wane canes is ‘on record’ for don’t we Lavener.

      • Comfortably numb says:

        Do your ever proofread your waffle, Laverne? It is Simone talking even if Jeremy wrote it. Guess you’d fail that English proficiency test your bosses want to introduce.

  6. Jt says:

    Why would the PLP take offense to misinformation tactics?

    • wahoo says:

      Yeah right?! When the OBA win next election they can just say “we had to deceive you” and everything will be good again, they could even throw in the “well they did it too”.

  7. Hurricane says:

    Gurl, bye!

  8. What says:

    I like her, she has some fire in her breath.

  9. question says:

    And the PLP statement takes credit again for the successes of the OBA government. Hilarious. Did the guy even read the original article?

    In the meantime the PLP are driving the economy into the ditch. As usual.

  10. Kim Smith says:

    Has anyone ever done a cost/benefit analysis of the way we run this country? We spend SO much time with this nonsense back and forth over the past and in so doing we are WASTING the present AND the future.

    Get on with it! And fellow Bermudians we are also indicted in that we participate in the nonsense and do not demand behaviour more befitting leaders of a country, albeit a very small one.

    There are some very successful companies that have more employees than our entire population!

    • Time Shall Tell says:

      This why I don’t like party politics, too much time & effort squabbling over popularity & pettiness instead of progressing the peoples business as a whole.

      • David J. Tavares says:

        I agree 100%! Party politics has ruined our little island home. Bermuda is too small a county to be so bitterly divided on extreme political ideology.

        Instead of the government-of-the-day managing its peoples affairs for the welfare of everyone, and future of our children, it seeks revenge for our forefathers dad deeds.

  11. Friesian says:

    Both parties are culpable from their previous times in Government – the OBA did us no big favours and left a worse situation than they inherited – hard to believe. Apart from a billion more in debt, they never did tackle in any proper way Civil Service productivity, which is probably the single biggest drag on the economy. Yes, AC35 was quite a coup and worth the risk doing,but it flopped in that it did not bring close to the revenue expected. Worse, it’s not coming back after all that infrastructure investment. To their eternal discredit, they gave away one of the departments of Government that is actually a money spinner, the airport. The only reason was to create short term construction jobs with a view to electoral victory by showing off this so called success – it is a totally rotten deal in every sense. I can say with a clear conscience that I observed firsthand Bob Richards at meetings on several occasions and his understanding was often shallow and a lot of the time he was clueless as to the existing legislation let alone the commercial birds and bees. His unwillingness to listen to experienced voices from was ignorant and pretentious, typical of a second rate, insecure mind. Dunkley was frankly even worse with his false smile as he ran around pretending to be of the people – judging by electoral results, nobody was fooled.

    The bottom line is we are an ideal IMF candidate and don’t be surprised to see the economy shortly fall off a cliff – everything is in place thanks to both sets of fools. We should welcome them with open arms as that is likely the only way we will ever get proper structural reforms.

    By the way, has anybody else noticed that the Godfather is back running the country, all his people placed in key Ministries? Definitely IMF time, or whatever the UK Treasury equivalent is.

    • David J. Tavares says:

      Well said! Stay tuned ….. BMA’s due diligence reinforcement on our financial institutions is the pre-requisite. Bermuda’s debt is unsustainable and both political parties are playing political foot-ball, instead of making the difficult choices to correct, or at least, manage the debt in a meaningful way.

  12. Carlton says:

    well at least the put a work out station at the arboretum wow that really helps us all out

  13. Stormy daniels says:

    What has the PLP done. Can someone just name 3 yes just 3 things.

    • Onion Juice says:

      Workers got a raise, seniors got an increase and small business got start ups.

      • Question says:

        Government workers got raises paid for by the rest of us. Seniors got higher taxes, including a tax on food.
        Not one single job has been created by the PLP.

  14. LaVerne Furbert says:

    Like it or not, Simone Barton and Jeremy Deacon (ghost writer for the OBA who has replaced Magnus Henagulph), Donald Trump’s followers love him. Can you say the same thing about Craig Cannonier? Don’t forget, it’s still 25 – 11.

    • Question says:

      Why do you defend immature politicians who sexually harrass girls in shops and the put it on the internet?

      And not one single job has been created by the PLP. Why no comment about that Lavener?

      • Onion Juice says:

        Titty milk is very popular in de UK, can go online and purchase freely.
        Thats played out now like JetGate.
        Hold it is JetGate still under Police investigation?
        LMAO

        • Toodle-oo says:

          Are you again referring to the REAL plp Jetgate ?
          The one that you refuse to acknowledge in which contracts were awarded without tenders after a certain premiere went on the jet belonging to the guy who’s company got the untendered contracts ? And in which we got very little return on the investment ?
          Waiting for your response with bated breath . LMAO

  15. Sister Nancy says:

    Laverne take a break. We all know what you are about. Nothing but rude nasty unkind individual. Do you ever have anything positive to say???

  16. Sister Nancy says:

    Enough of you Laverne sit down and be silent.

  17. Concerned Bermudian says:

    All the PLP have succeeded in is making our Poor Locals Poorer!! That is what PLP stands for.

  18. Triangle Drifter says:

    Nicely done Simone. You obviously stepped on more than a few toes. Unpleasant facts hurt. Too bad that facts don’t mean much to the indoctrinated. Feel good catchy slogans are much more believable.