Kempe: “Thinly Veiled Political Communication”

November 7, 2019

The recent Government brochure mailed out to households was a “thinly veiled political communication that’s been funded by the tax payer,” OBA Senator Nick Kempe said, with the Senator adding that ”conveniently arrived in everyone’s mailboxes in the time of a by-election.”

Brochure Mailed To Households

Senator Kempe’s comments follow after Government mailed out a “two year review document” to households across the island, with the Premier saying that the “document is a summary of how we have delivered for the people for Bermuda over the past two years and acknowledges the continued mission to change the status quo that has failed so many of our fellow Bermudians.”

The Government said that “the two year review document gives an easy to read bullet-point overview on some highlights from each Ministry. The flier cost 19 cents per household [$5,719 in total] to produce.”

Government Bermuda Nov 6 2019

Senator Kempe’s Comments

Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Senator Kempe said, “I’ve written, I believe, a couple times on some of my concerns about the increase in spending from this Government’s first fiscal year into the subsequent years on the various lines of state-funded communication.

“I think if people check their mailboxes, they’ll notice what seems to be a thinly veiled political communication that’s been funded by the tax payer and sent out to everyone.

“It’s called ‘Two Years Working for the People.’ The timing is curious seeing as two years after the election was back in July; this has conveniently arrived in everyone’s mailboxes in the time of a by-election.”

“I just think that this is the type of, kind of, wanton misuse of tax payer funds to service a party as opposed to the Government and the country as a whole that people should be mindful of, and should be asking the Government to do better on.

“You add that to the recent – we’ll call it, for lack of a better word – the Throne Speech that was diverted into the delegates conference, which was extremely toxic and divisive in nature, it seemed to walk entirely away from any sort of a record.

“Fintech was barely a mention and it felt like we were, in the lack of results, there’s been definitely a stronger push, a ramping up of the rhetoric to divide and therefore divert and deflect the attention away from the lack of results.

“All dissenters or contrary voices to the master plan and those who didn’t absolutely assent to the wishes of our glorious leader were deemed enemies, and this is a certainly a turn for the worse that concerns me, and I’m hoping we can see a shift towards a more accountable use of political capital and tax payer funds.”

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Comments (25)

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  1. watching says:

    This is ridiculous. first the Opposition says they aren’t kept abreast of what is going on, now they are criticizing the manner in which they are kept abreast.
    Like it or not, the PLP is the government. If the Premier had a national address explaining everything the government had done would they complain? They are the government and therefore have the ability and responsibility to let the people know what is going on.
    Kempe is only upset that this document shows the people that contrary to the OBA protestations, the PLP government is actually working hard and achieving much.

    • somuchless says:

      Because the PLP is in power ‘like it or not’ it gives em the right to do whatever they want? No sweetie it doesn’t work like that.

      • Congrats says:

        Silly comment from kempe. Not a word about the real issues affecting Bermuda. No wonder he is not running.

    • Anbu says:

      Ok so being as the plp “are the government”. Could they please get to work. We elected them two years ago. Any idea when theyre gonna actually do something? Anything?

      • watching says:

        Read the mailer, it lays it all for you!

        • Toodle-oo says:

          It was nothing but taxpayer paid PLP populist propaganda. The only thing that surprised me was that it wasn’t printed in green ink.
          It lays nothing out whatsoever. You were had and are oblivious to it.

          • Onion Juice says:

            They are keeping with their election platform, so get over it

            • Politricks says:

              I swear their election platform promised to reduce the cost of living.

              Please explain how they have achieved that via increasing just about every Government tax and fee? I

            • Toodle-oo says:

              ‘Election platform’ haha , that’s hysterical.
              They had to deceive you , yet again.
              No reparations for you . aink no money .. lol
              Get over that !

            • Ringmaster says:

              The Bermuda Government is run by Civil Servants who are supposed to be impartial. They are the same people in Government regardless of who is the elected Party. They don’t change This pamphlet is PLP electioneering paid for by the taxpayer. In a civilized democracy it would be illegal, but not here, where it is merely unethical.

            • question says:

              Oh yeah. Healthcare insurance cost is up by 25% in one year and there are a grand total of 30 new jobs in fintech in two and a half years. Wonderful.

            • Wahoo says:

              Did de platform include raising taxes? Do they discuss how they will tackle the ridiculous debt that now burdens us? Do you think that this economy is booming?

            • kevin says:

              I don’t recall driving the country into depths it cant return from as part of the election promise and that my friend is the only thing the plp can actually say they have accomplished
              but keep on voting for them ” blind leading the blind

            • CHRIS says:

              where? PLEASE SHOW ME! and also, who is supposed to monitor this sort of taxpayer funded propoganda? do we have an electoral committee that has real teeth and oversight?

    • Politricks says:

      We did have a national address in which the Government of the day lays out accomplishments and communicates the upcoming legislative agenda. It was called the Throne Speech.

      The manner in which the PLP and supporters such as yourself wantonly dismiss and support the erosion of our democratic values simply because it your Party that is doing it is truly frightening.

    • The heck says:

      The whole point of no throne speech was to save money. This cost around $5000 not to mention the additional labor costs for the post office to stick this in every mail slot so that’s already debunked. Hate this government and their ways

      • Truth is killin’ me... says:

        BOOM! That right there ^^^Saving money by not saving money. Total and utter BS by this Gov’t!!

    • wa says:

      “Like it or not, the PLP is the government”

      And when the OBA were in government, all you did was whine, complain, be racist, and illegally shut down democracy.
      When it happens to you, again…STFU.

    • burt onomics says:

      working very hard to – put up taxes and create new taxes, ruin the retail sector, to get us blacklisted, to kills business and consumer confidence ….

  2. trufth says:

    I want my 19 cents back.
    Cash only.
    No BS crypto crap.

  3. Joe Bloggs says:

    Thinly veiled? I did not see any veil on that propoganda!

  4. somuchless says:

    So Jhamal spin this one. Save money to spend money.

  5. Oh,l see now says:

    Used it to pick up my dog poo.