OBA: “Misguided And Mischievous Criticism”
The Opposition’s “misguided and mischievous criticism” about the Government’s travel webpage “shows the desperate lengths to which they will go to try and score cheap political points,” OBA Chair Senator Lynne Woolridge said today.
New Web Page
Yesterday, the Cabinet Office advised that a web page on the Government Portal to provide details of Ministerial travel is now available for viewing.
It presently contains one listing showing the cost for the Premier’s travel to New York [$3,228.15], with the Government saying “the page will be updated gradually, as Ministers travel to conduct Government business.”
Opposition’s Comments
Shadow Tourism Minister Zane Desilva, who had earlier questioned the cost for all those that traveled to New York, said: “The government site, which apparently was rushed out in an effort to deflect from legitimate questions, remains incomplete as the full costs of travel still have not been disclosed, nor have the OBA disclosed any details surrounding alleged meetings with investors. The website only shows expense for 2 of the at least 7 people that traveled on the government dime!
“Is concealing information and racing out an unfinished and incomplete website what the OBA means by openness, accountability and transparency? We again call for the release of all of the expenses of the OBA’s junket to New York City. The Premier needs to act to make sure the public have full information,” said Mr. Desilva, who also added that ,”it was over a year ago that former Premier Cannonier promised that the OBA would launch a website to highlight OBA expenditure.”
Senator Woolridge’s Comments
Senator Woolridge said, “The One Bermuda Alliance is committed to transparency and accountability. One of the promises we made was to provide details of Ministerial travel expenses. No Government had ever made this promise, or made any effort to allow public scrutiny of how their tax dollars are spent in this regard.
“The website launched this week shows the Premier’s travel expenses for the recent trip to New York. Other Ministers will soon post the details of their travel expenses to the website. Going forward any official travel taken by any Government Members of Parliament or Senators will be posted as soon as possible after travel has been completed. A promise made, a promise kept.
“The former administration had 14 years to show transparency on their travel expenses but failed to do so. The only way the public knew what their costs were for travel was for Members of Parliament to ask Parliamentary questions.
“Members of the opposition have repeatedly said they support travel to promote Bermuda and attract business to the island. So when Government officials do travel to spur economic growth, why do they complain so vociferously?
“And when travel expenses were posted online for all to see they complained even louder. The recent trip to New York was highly productive and we expect to see tangible results in visitors and businesses coming to Bermuda.
“This Government has demonstrated our commitment to transparency not only on travel, but in other areas such as the tabling and passing of Public Access to Information [PATI] legislation, something the former Government promised for many years, but failed to act on.
“The opposition’s misguided and mischievous criticism on this subject shows the desperate lengths to which they will go to try and score cheap political points. The people of Bermuda have embraced the OBA’s commitment to transparency and are not swayed by these needless attacks as we work to move Bermuda forward,” concluded Senator Woolridge.
Read More About
Comments (26)
Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed
Articles that link to this one:
- New $1472.97 Listing Added To Travel Page - Bernews.com : Bernews.com | November 3, 2014
Yawn.
The fact that we have to even discuss this after a promise was delivered upon shows the level of maturity of Bermuda’s politics.
Y’all should be ashamed.
Get working on solutions that will fix this country instead of wasting time and energy on foolishness!
At last, the OBA grows some balls ….. whether I agree with the expense or not it is nice to see some comeback on PLP press releases. Shows there is some life…..
But …. please do not let this tit for tat get out of control and please do not let it infect the House …..
PLEASE do not use PLP buzzwords like “mischievous”.
The word has completely lost all sense of reality after hearing it time and time again for 14 years.
Funnily enough the word implies a fun playful kind of interference. Evidently Lynne Woolridge views the opposition as childish and amusing, but ultimately a nuisance.
Better adjectives to describe this behavior might be pernicious and unconstructive. Whatever you call it these tactics do more harm than good because they bring nothing new to the debate not to mention the fact that they imply that the PLP regards Bermudians as a very stupid bunch of people.
Zane…………please just go away.
here’s an example of how weak we are …the first ebola patient in the usa has died in dallas texas….so we should stop ALL flights from ANYWHERE, so that we can protect ourselves from this global culling yeah?…then how would YOU survive..?
the last question is what i would like an answer to.
oh w0w!!…i posted this on the wrong story, my apologies.
When will the PLP stop complaining and start thinking of ideas to help Bermuda?
Literally the only thing I can think of that the PLP have done since out of office is complain and try and poke holes in the OBA.
You job is to support Bermuda and provide ideas for Bermuda. You are like that annoying child in the back seat asking “are we there yet”. You will not do any better at the polls if all you do is complain.
I wouldn’t describe the attacks as misguided. I think they are very guided in terms of a long term strategy. The only real defense/offense the OBA has is to produce results. If they are seen to be moving us forward (all of us) they will win the next election. If not, they will lose. The PLP knows this.
Par for the course …. I hope the people are paying attention to the hoodwinking attempt . This government is rotten to the core . They have no compassion , no ideas , they are completely bankrupt of any humanity . They say whatever to the people of Bermuda as a matter of course , it just comes so natural to them it’s frightening .
Anyway I’m off to see the Wizard at Peir Six , I know that the s*** will be deep so I’m wearing my Macintosh and galoshes !
The s*** will only get deep at pier 6 the moment you walk in!!! I can only hope the the rest of the audience is aware of your plans to attend and have prepared themselves??? Secondly, you are mistaken and confused at which government is rotten to the core, as usual I will help/correct you, it was YOUR Plp that was rotten to the core!!! The Plp and you should be hiding your/their faces in shame at the economic/social damage they caused to this island!!! Instead you prove everyday that you are not the least bit remorseful for your carnage caused??? Shame on you and anyone that thinks like you!!!!!
If someone came into your house, took all my food, chased away m your work opportunities and left you in debt to over 40,000, how eould you feel ?
Effectively the PLP did that to each and every Bermudian, whilst blaming it on everything but themselves.
Yet people still support them !!!! SMDH
bankrupt yep thanks to the present opposition
I don’t know why the OBA bothered with the website anyway…. It’s just another means for the opposition (and others) to gripe at them. Just get on with governing and ignore the distractions.
PLP and supporters have asked for transparency and have received it what I would like to request is that when the OBA gives press conferences or interviews – not to mention the PLP at all as to what they did, said or anything else. Remember back in the day “Children should be seen and not heard” well
Only if they spend this much time (both Parties) in fixing our economic future and other social problems, instead of the back and forth on silly trivial issues.
Here is a suggestion to who wants my vote in the future. Concentrate on the future instead of the past. I live for the future, yesterday is gone and I have learned from it.
Embarking on a path which will result in even more Bermudians unemployed to going to create even more mischief; But I doubt that this government will see how misguided their policies are; not until the roof falls on their collective head and drag the rest of us down with it.
So why the 14 weeks “sick leave” Alvin. It’s just ridiculous to all of us with real jobs.
Hey DREAMER do you know how long sick leave has been on de books.
If you had posted that between 2007-2012 it would have been insightful and relevant.
the plp is devoid of any positive ideas or solutions, just look and listen to the squawk boxes rattle their gums at any silly reason just to be NEGATIVE it would seem, about time for some gum slapping from flip flop, swan and the leader again.
the plp are clawing their sticky paws on anything in a desperate hope to influence anyone their can again hoping they can get a vote from them.
the plp are done,finished.
The PLP will not get my vote.
Its Politic’s as usual – when one Political Party does somthing no matter how good it my be there is a lot of Noise made about it.
Ahhhhhhh getting ued to it simply because it’s never going to stop.
That website is ridiculous, including only four points of reference concerning what money was spent on or by the premier. A written document on the site vaugely states that barons accomodation is included in with the premiers hotel costs, did they share a room? Did he fly for free? Or did the premier pack him in his suitcase?
The web site does not include event hosting costs, the remaining ministers expenditure details ie flights, food, etc…
Apparently those ministers will enter their details later…
Whatever the cost for the bta’s entourage will forever remain a mystery, rendering it impossible for anyone to ever know exactly how much money was spent on this trip.
At least the ministers should be able to present all their numbers to the public as one.
Another trip is already planned to england for a rum fest start getting the numbers together from now and present all costs as one. Simple, right?
You would think so, but i won’t be holding my breath. And unfortunately for y’all i won’t be holding my tounge, being polite, or staying quiet.