We’re Not Just Complaining, We’re Taking Action
“We are not just complaining and talking Bermuda down, we are taking action to provide jobs for our Bermudian young people,” the PLP said in a press statement today.
The full statement follows below:
We are not just complaining and talking Bermuda down, we are taking action to provide jobs for our Bermudian young people. Just today, we announced the extension of the Waiter/Server programme. Those Bermudians that are interested in getting training and a job in hospitality are encouraged to call 297-7714 or 292-3700 to sign up for the programme.
It s not just waiters and servers. We have also trained or are training hundreds of Bermudians in accounting, IT, landscaping, Construction Trades, Telecommunications, and Nail Techs. Further, we are the party that more than doubled the number of college and graduate school scholarships available to Bermudians.
Bermuda’s debt remains among the lowest in the developed world. Even when adjusted for population, our debt is substantially lower than that of the United States, the United Kingdom and virtually every other country in the region or the world The investments that this debt has paid for better the lives of all Bermudians; old Bermudians, young Bermudians, and unborn Bermudians.
Consider what Bermuda might look like without these investments. We would not have a new Lamb Foggo Clinic or a vehicle testing facility in the East End. We wouldn’t have a new wharf thats brings cruise passengers to our shores and provides jobs for our young people. We would not have modern schools for our students to learn in.
We would not have affordable housing at places like Perimeter Lane and HarbourView Village. These investments matter to the people of Bermuda and the PLP remains proud of its record.
What Bermuda cannot afford is an OBA government who has not clearly defined any position on any issue. Bermuda cannot afford to be caught up in soundbites over substance. The Progressive Labour Party has clearly outlined our plan for recovery and growth that includes Job Corps Bermuda and the One Stop Career Centre.
We’re not complainers – we’re taking action to place real Bermudians in real jobs.
Complaining? I’m sure you’re not complaining. As long as you are in the PLP friends and family club, why would you complain?
It’s the rest of us plebs that should be complaining…along with the opposition that is highlighting some basic truths.
Keep shining the light, OBA !
I’m complaining, and I’m taking action, I’m gonna help to vote the PLP clowns out of office on Dec 17th.
When PLP took over in 1998 they inhereted a booming economy with lot’s of “investment”. But there was no debt.
Huh? The OBA aren’t the ruling party, how the hell are they suppossed to do anything, they don’t have control of the government spending. Wow this PLP have really shown that they don’t understand how government works…… Explains alot…Vote them out NOW
More verbal diarrhea…..where is the missing $800 million?
WHat missing 800 Million?
Dear undecided voter don’t believe the UBP/OBA hype. They’ve been doing this for so long they actually believe their own delusions. You can easily go to the PLP website and click on the tab “achievements” to see that the PLP lived up to her promises and brought Bermuda the much needed changes in equality and development which the UBP/OBA could not and would never have delivered. The list is too long for blogs and PLP supporters prefer not to take to the online fantasy world of these maddened elitists who are hellbent on regaining their lost hegemonic oligarchy and everything they type here is the batshit that keeps them coming kamikaze at any and all things standing in-between. They do not reflect the majority opinion which is more grounded in factual analyses. We know why they can’t support this government, and it has less to do politics and more to do with pathology.
Judge Dredd…another PLP drone who has been told to keep using the UBP/OBA refrain…….they gave you bad advice dude its not working and you all look like puppets…go to the PLP website to see their “achievements”? hopefully they would have accomplished something in 14 years with $10 billion in revenue over that time….but there is a lot of money missing and most of what they accomplished as you say is falling apart and cost more than it should…you need to go away for at least 5 years and hopefully most of the stink will blow away…
Judge Dredd I hear where your coming from.
It’s just a few that keep writing trying to make us think that the “Old Boys Association”(OBA) will breathe new life into our island.
Don’t trust them, they’re related to the forty theives. (Remember them?)
Taking action. 3 weeks before the election. Yeah, that’s really great.
Get out if the way and let someone else do it.
So what they are saying is this is for real Bermudians, So the only real Bermudians are unemployed. Nice, how to alienate voters.
Real jobs…..this is a training program, how many attendees from the last program are working as waiters still.?
Not a word from Dr. Brown per sey.
Not a word from Lt. Colonel Burch.
Follow the money.
\
Can I have restitution for the minute of my life I wasted watching that ridiculous puppet show? That’s one minute I’ll never get back.
Arab Spring>
It’s November.
Arab Autemn, it’s here.
December 17th…………………
Update on the 19th.
Oh my goodness, was this a weak press release.
Quite frankly, I wouldn’t be getting too excited about claiming to have a debt lower than the US.
We should all educate ourselves with regard to OUR debt:
In 2011 the island was in a vulnerable position, having to fork out nearly $100 million a year just to service the debt it has taken on. Bermuda’s debt has soared from $176 million in 1998 to almost $1.2 billion in August 2011 – about a 610 percent rise. The legal debt ceiling is $1.25 billion. The Ministry of Finance claims this is OK because Bermuda’s debt-to-GDP ratio is lower than other countries. But the smallness, openness and fragility of the economy makes this a contentious argument. GDP doesn’t pay back debt, the tax payers have to pay back this debt, plus the interest which is budgeted to be $70 million in 2011. Combine that with mandatory contributions to the sinking fund, the Bermuda government debt service is about $95 million per year. This is money that has to be set aside before civil servants’ salaries, financial assistance or any other contractual obligation is paid by Government. This burden of debt severely limits the amount of assistance the Government can provide Bermudians during difficult economic times such as the present. In September 2010 Standard & Poor’s lowered its outlook on Bermuda’s creditworthiness to stable from negative. In its statement, S&P said its decision to affirm the Island’s AA long-term credit reflected “receding economic, fiscal, and banking-sector risks compared with our expectations in mid-2009.” However S&P warned that “the ratings could come under downward pressure if the general Government deficit was to continue at current levels due to weaker-than-expected economic growth or flagging political will to consolidate fiscally.” In April 2012 stated this in similar terms and in June 2012 Fitch Ratings agreed.
We all owe countries like Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, the UK and US approximately $50,000 per every man, woman and child in this country. If you work for the government, your salary will not be paid if we can’t service our debt.
If you don’t want to pay it back, your children and grandchildren will have to pay it back and it is increasing in amount every day.
I think We need to “complaining” and WE need to “take action” in the next election!!!!!
The simple fact is that the USA spends about 6% of government revenue on debt – Bermuda spends 13% – which is on par with Spain.
So in terms of our actual ability to service debt we’re among the most indebted.
Education is a wonderful thing. Thank you Kathy !! I can’t wait until the 17th !
Thanks Kathy, Some time ago i looked into the debt per capita rating for Bermuda compared to various other countries, Spain was the next highest country to Bermuda. The US, contrary to what we have been told, is considerably further down the list. In fact Bermuda made the top 20… Not a race we want to win!!!!
Really? Little too late to decide to take action don’t you think? After how many years and I have not seen things get better with regards to any of the issues. There is no saving this island unless REAL CHANGE is made. All this talk does nothing for me.
Wow, where do I start!?
I guess I’ll just ask, who are “real Bermudians”?
Hogs?
I thought Turkey Day was tomorrow…enough stuffing.
this gombeyment is so full of themselves that they don’t even accept it… so sad.
why would they complain if they’re already stuffed with funds, etc. truth
We get stuffed; they get the gravy.
What the PLP release doesn’t say of course is that we could have had all those things they listed, but only have $500 million of debt, not $1.4 billion, and climbing.
Bermuda’s debt may not be high in their eyes, but how are they going to pay it back? How is the PLP going to stop borrowing an additional $250 million a year. They complain about the OBA increasing debt by $500 million, but just by the PLP’s record, the PLP will be increasing debt by $1.25 billion. How is the PLP going to create jobs for all these hundreds of people they shout about they are training?
What will the PLP do differently if elected, that they haven’t done in the last 8 years when debt has skyrocketed?
And seeing that the OBA has said they will add to the debt, what is your point?
Show me the quote please.
My point quite simply is that the PLP says the OBA’s plans would add $500 million in debt (over 5 years). I’m not agreeing with that number, especially considering how it was and who calculated it, but it is based on many measures to stimulate the economy. The PLP on the other hand hasn’t put anything forward but based on current numbers they will still be borrowing $250 million a year without any stimulus.
The OBA is the onlynparty that has said it will address the debt. The PLP doesn’t even acknowledge the issue exists. But then the PLP doesn’t know about inflation, apparently.
Citation please
Waiters and waitresses you say – aim high! Listen to what IB execs have just said in RG article and act – Bermuda needs revenue. Bermuda needs foreign capital. The debt and unemployment can ony grow as revenue and foreign capital decline.
“The debt is among the lowest in the developed world.” Depending on how you choose to view the stats this could be correct, but regardless of how you view them one must still determine the potential of the borrower to pay off that debt – what exactly can Bermuda do to accomplish this? PLP either have no clue, or no desire to accept the answer.
We have no gold, no oil, no industry, no agriculture, no export (except internation companies leaving). If you wont change your policies and your mindset to make them stay, we have no chance.
The island of Jamaica was a vibrant country and has far more exports, coffee, fruit, mary J and many more tourist coming in butthey can’t get back on track. Why, ???? Because of the debt incurred after they borrowed money after going independent.
Everyone in Bermuda, especially the PLP need to get a copy of the documentary about JA, Debt and Berrowing Money, called Life & Debt.
And only friends and family pretend to believe them
Something else the PLP always forget to mention, and maybe they don’t understand. When comparing our debt to the USA, UK, Europe etc they of course forget that these countries control their money supply and interest rates. They have central banks and a currency that can be traded worldwide. Bermuda has no control over its fiscal policies and no ability to print money, and its currency is worthless outside Bermuda.
Regarding GDP, it has no influence or bearing on Bermuda’s debt ratio, apart from trying to hoodwink rating agencies. They are starting to see this for themselves.
OMG please stop the noise! What a useless bunch of programs being introduced.
Let’s look at them:
Waiters programs – this is the end of the season and no-one is here so there are not any jobs
Drywall program – no construction jobs – so there are not any jobs.
Oh flip – I forgot the nail program – perfect, right in time for Thanksgiving and Xmas. After that we are all holding the tin cup on the street begging for money.
They should have been taking “Action” many years ago – this is just an Election scam.
Thank the good lord we do not have T. Dill as a broadcaster anymore, at the last election he spewsd out so much miss information and he got away with it, because he is or was the former leaders yes man .
In my opinion Dill, should never have ben allowed his biased opinion but he did.and now we have a certain talk show host who is doing the same thing !!!!! incredible what certain people can get away with….. this so host talks over all callers,count the amount of time this host says “you Know” and ” I am just saying ” “and riddle me this “….thank you Z.B.M. for the replacement of that biased host. and now we have another talk show host that should be monitored and we all how easy this host can be so unpredictable.
Yep. same host reads these comments to the audience but they only choose ones that they feel are talking from the opposition side and not the equally nasty one from the other side of things. I do not condone any nasty comments but please look at the threads and see for youself who instigate things in most not all but most threads tied to politics on these forms………………
LOL
“Bermuda’s debt remains among the lowest in the developed world. Even when adjusted for population, our debt is substantially lower than that of the United States, the United Kingdom and virtually every other country in the region or the world”
Oh how I wish they would stop using this line. When we will realize that we are nothing like the US, UK and ‘virtually every other country in the world” who actually have various industries to provide a source of revenue. Unlike this rocks in the middle of the Atlantic who relies on International Business and Tourism (to an even lesser extent) as our bread and butter. We don’t make anything. We are essentially a service provider.
These delusions of grandeur need to stop.
Our debt should be lower considering we have not been in a war and buying military aircraft, tanks, guns, bombs, aircraft carriers and so on.
However, are we expected to forget all of the travel this government did in the first 8years? Can we get that back. Hmmmmm, then there was the “Faith Based Tourism” that was PUSHED through without propoer procedure? What about the money wasted on the big tourism concert project? Hom may million wasted there. I met the two tourists that came to see it and they said it was just okay. Are we expected to forget that on the first day after your election win you declared a public and paid holiday!!! I believe that move alone cost us 4 million in wages, and that was DAY ONE. That was some of MY money you wasted.
What about the missing miilions of unaccounted for money? Anyone care to aswer in their defence? What about Proactive and the Berkeley School, another 40 or 50 million in overspending? What about the cruise ship terminal arm? That is still costing us money? What about the 100 year Coco Reef Lease? What about the Bermuda College scandal. What did that cost us to settle? How much extra did we bay for TCD project, we may never know? Who is running Bermuda Emissions and did they get that contract fairly? We may never know? How much over budget was the court building project? I believe the cost to educate a child in the public school system is alost 2 x what it cost in the private school system. Are we getting value for money?
I could go on and on and Im sure many of you could add to this list. My question regarding our debt isnt how much have we spent but rather, how much have we WASTED!
Dont ask me to give the PLP another chance to STAND UP FOR BERMUDA. I would rater you just SIT DOWN, step aside and become an effective oppossition. Stop with the blame game, the race cards, the puppet shows. We gave you a chance to “Make it happen”, we gave you a chance to “XPress Yourself”, now Im asking you to “Stand Aside” and let someone else take over. You have had 13 years and our tourism figures are worse than some countries that are at WAR!!!
Stop with the Politrics.
By the way, this is your answer to fixing the employment problem? ……….Just today, we announced the extension of the Waiter/Server programme.
Do us all a favour, next time you do a press release about jobs in Tourism, do it at a hotel. I was at Fairmont Southampton today and the hotel is empty. Considering they dont have to compete with Belmont (GONE), Elbow Beach (MAIN HOTEL CLOSED), Sonesta (DEMOLISHED) Newstead (I THINK THEY’RE ALL CONDOS NOW), Horizons & the place near Modern Mart(RENTED OUT AS APARTMENTS)and many other former hotel properties that are gone in that area. There should be no problem keeping that hotel a 100% capacity or close to it with an effective tourism plan or thriving international business community.
Unfortunately the hotel was a ghost town and would have been last week as well, except for the fact that we are fortunate enough to have had the Rugby Classic which was a pre PLP idea and I believe run independently from the Dept of Tourism.
This government has encouraged me to write a poem,
Government officials
Corrupt individuals
What ever happen to virtue
No more moral excellence
The lack of brilliance
And loss of patience
We all lack common sense
With this
Government dragging us into this abyss
Like this
U won’t get no where if u don’t look like this
Raciasim At it’s best
Or worst
Depending on your side of the fence
Racial equality is no where near equal
There will be no more sequel
F*$k u ppl
You’ll need a puppet to get it across to those that need to hear it.
Real Bermudians?
Being a legal Bermudian will never make you a real Bermudian….but then again, who would want to be – really?
Yeah, I raised my eyebrows at that one! What are they trying to say? The way the PLP words these things is grating.
If the snivelling coward PLP candidate ever bothers to come to my house to ask for votes, I’ll ask him if I count as a ‘real Bermudian’. Should be interesting.
I think the PLP should stop all the press releases and campaign ads because every time they open their mouths their just ticking more and more people off and digging a deeper hole for themselves. They maybe in for a rude awakening come December 17th..
I’m not sure if that is the case, but we’ll see when the time comes
nandi davis is very pretty
she is the only issue this election check her press conference today, first question she looks to Bob the Builder
Nandi for Premier
OOOOkayyyyyyyyyy … Here’s the deal. I don’t give a rats a*ss abt the debt of other countries. The debt issues of other countries has absolutely nothing to do with the debt of Bermuda . If Bermuda had as many engines driving its economy as America or the UK does then things maybe wouldn’t be so bad. However we have only 2 engines … IB and tourism. And thanks to Dr B and and Burch, and your ‘fly by night’ approach to governance, we have almost become what DrB wanted. All of those ‘Plantation questions’ that were never answered have led us all to the brink of a Plantation. The man who will forever have the words ‘House Ni#$€r’ associated to him, who so arrogantly and pompously chased out our bread and butter is now running for office. The Govt has a Party Bus. Our serious issues are reduced to a muppet show. Govt is holding out the promise of jobs thru these great training initiatives and the companies that could potentially employ are on the brink.
Smoke and mirrors PLP. You guys have never understood economics or business. An economy is a business. You gotta think globally and act locally. You gotta have a plan. Ailure to plan is a plan to fail.
For the past 14 years you have thought locally and acted locally and as a result you have neglected and destroyed the reason for Bermuda’s success.
It’s a cryin shame dudes. You could have been great!! Too little too late. I voted with great promise in 98. I split my vote 03 to give you a chance. From that point on you guys lost the plot totally. Especially w Massa Dr B and Burch.
No govt has a divine right to govern. A mature democracy should see political shifts.
Your time is up. Party is over. You were handed a gold mine in 98. Today we have a mine. And we have to dig ourselves out. All the gold is gone.
Without any more candidates for a Premier or a Finance Minister the money is gone and now we don’t know what to do.
IB or PLP?
This is the third or fourth disasterous PLP press release. It almost looks as if they are trying to lose the election. I wouldn’t blame them really. Their time is done. Let’s get ready for Paula’s Leaving Party.
Every is making noise here on this site.
Lets see what happens when the PLP win again on December 17th 2012.
Closet voters.
Irony.
Sadly, you might be right because many in the country are stubborn and do not like change, or whit*(????
However, even if they win – can anyone really celebrate?! Who will it be a victory for ? The new 40 Thieves Club is reopening and moving locations I hear.
amen you know when moses was leading the people to the promise land all they did along the way was complain.no one is perfect but before you all rant and rave here see if you all can pick one good thing the plp has done .i’ll give you one no more inharitance tax.on your homestead.do you think the ubp/oba would have done that hell no.the oba better get used to being the opposition a while longer.
if the PLP WIN DEC 17TH , Bermuda is DOOMED. Then it shows how many stupid ppl live in Bermuda…….
you sound like mitt romney.s crew
Maybe, but is he/she right? Answer the point. Don’t attack the messenger.
Look at what the voters of TCI did. Voted the same corrupt party back in that screwed them over under DR Brown’s mate Missick. Now how smart was that?
Are Bermudians any smarter? They have been suckered by the PLP time & time again. Have they had enough yet?
Hilarity.
Some people think that the majority view is expressed here.
But we’ll see what happens on Dec 17th.
Why won’t the OBA or PLP draft a plan to reduce the debt? I would really like to see it. Forget a press release show me the PLAN!!!
Just how many years has it taken this party to make this move? Time’s up PLP. Take a hike.
the majority view is expressed here….that’s why you have resorted to secret plans and puppet shows…que the plantation comments and other racial issues as we enter the last few weeks….PLP Standing Wrong for Bermudians…now sit down and go away….
Ladies and gentlemen … the train has left the station. — Dr B is the Train driver. —- Burch is the engineer. Cox is the conductor. And the only passengers are the PLP crew. Bermuda has been left at the station.
And we all bought tickets in 98. Some reluctantly.
PLP – please stop saying that our national debt per person is lower than that of the US or the UK so there’s no reason why we should be worried.
The debt for those countries goes to pay for their inflated and expensive armies and navies, social programs, healthcare system (free in the UK), welfare etc. – all programs/institutions that Bermuda does NOT have.
So why are WE so far in debt? Reckless spending that’s why.
It’s time for change.
YOU PLP do NOT have any right to complain! YOU PLP are the damn fools that have put us into the deep dark abyss we are now in! Actually $1.5 billion dollars worth of deep, dark abyss.
S.T.O.P. trying the defend the indefensible (FYI – that which cannot be defended).
Step aside PLP and don’t let the door hit you on the arse as you go!!! You are soooooo NOT WANTED. You are sooooo NOT NEEDED.
TIME FOR CHANGE. TIME FOR THE OBA.
The OBA cannot formulate a specific plan to reduce Bermudas debt. Why? Because the governments accounts are not up to date, and nobody but Paula et al know what legally binding commitments have been made behind closed doors. Such as the agreement with PHC.
The OBA can set out general principles to grow the economy and pay down the country’s debts but unless you know how deep the hole is you are trying to climb out of you cannot make a firm plan.
One thing we do know. The official debt figures produced by the PLP will be the absolute best case scenario.
Personally i don’t know how the finance minister sleeps at night.
In my opinion she sleeps at night because this type of creative accounting has gone on for years and she has always been the one at the finance helm.
Well I am complaining…………I am complaining about the $1.5 BILLION (and growing) DEBT you have put me and my fellow Bermudians in! I am complaining about the $800 MILLION THAT HAS GONE MISSING, totally unaccounted for and REFUSED TOTALLY BY THE PLP to tell us where OUR money has gone.
I am complaining about Education and the Education results………where are they PLP???? why wont you release these results? Because they are so horrible that you dare not before the election?
What amount of daily taxpayers dollars are going overseas DAILY TO PAY INTEREST PAYMENT against the huge debt and monies which is NOT being put into Bermuda and Bermudians??? Complain?? You betcha!! Not only are we gonna complain but I will beg the new GOVERNMENT, the OBA, on December 18th to REMOVE ALL SHREDDERS FROM the PLP and various government offices and let’s REALLY FIND OUT just how bad the Bermuda economy really is………..we have only been told half truths I am sure…….
I will also ask our new Government to commence an IMMEDIATE investigation into the missing $800 million, plus all the overspends, shady back room deals and back handers, and bring those persons who are guilty of stealing from Bermuda to immediate trials and justice to be done against all of those persons that have stolen FROM THE PEOPLE OF BERMUDA.
Complain? You betcha! It has’nt even begun and justice will be served and we will find out just where all this money has gone. JUST TO REITERATE so we are absolutely clear – Money that belongs to the people of Bermuda.