PLP Initial Response To 2014 Throne Speech
In their initial response to today’s [Nov 7] Throne Speech, the Progressive Labour Party said that “Bermuda has an OBA government that lacks a bold vision and strategy for transformation that our country so desperately needs.”
A statement from the Party said, “We are sure that Sir John Swan is disappointed as his plea for boldness has plainly fallen on deaf ears. Bermuda has an OBA government that lacks a bold vision and strategy for transformation that our country so desperately needs.
In an apparent reference to today’s rain, the statement said: “Even the heavens are sorrowful at the empty party political defence we heard today. Though there are some small measures, the government seems to think that economic recovery will come from the formation of endless committees to examine issues.
“Bermudians have a strong desire for bold action, and that leadership is lacking from the One Bermuda Alliance, who two years into their term have run out of ideas.
“The PLP will present a bold vision next week as the people of Bermuda need hope that their political leaders not only realise the problems; but have new, bold, and evolved ideas to solve them.”
View our live blog covering the Throne Speech here, and all our 2014 Throne Speech coverage here.
I can hardly wait to hear your reply / recommendation. If you, (P.L.P.) want to help then be a part of the solution and cease attempting to push a stick into the spokes of the wheel of progress
Dummy, thats what the reply is about !!!!!
@ Robert: Yes, I am a loyalist but blind I am not.I have seen more progress being / been made under the present O.B.A. Govt. than I had seen for countless years gone by under the former Progressive Labour Party Govts.
The PLP deceived us. That’s why I left.
Spoken like someone who just got their monthly check from
OBA headquarters!!!!!!
Note the quote: “…than I had seen for countless years gone by under the former Progressive Labour Party Govts.”
Is it?
What is the reply about?
It really doesn’t say anything except that the PLP will respond. So they are talking about how later they will be doing more talking.
Between the lines it says that the PLP can’t come up with any kind of cogent response. A response, and a bold one at that, will be forthcoming after they have had a week to think about it. They don’t want to be too hasty.
In the meantime here are some big empty statements and a metaphor about rain and some pointless banner waving.
Hooray.
Can’t wait ’til next week.
I understand that the PLP should take time to read the current Throne Speech to reply accordingly. My issue is with the statement saying “The PLP will present a bold vision next week as the people of Bermuda need hope that their political leaders not only realize the problems; but have new, bold, and evolved ideas to solve them.”
The Throne Speech was read today? Why do we have to wait until next week? Sounds like they are cheating. Waiting until after the Throne Speech has been submitted, going back and writing their own “bold vision” after hearing it. Notice I DID NOT say respond as i think they should take time to read the Throne Speech thoroughly over before responding; but why do we have to wait a week for their “bold vision?” If indeed you have new ideas to solve anything, would you not already be able to share? Why wait a week AFTER the Throne Speech?
Sounds like their “bold vision” is being created off the Throne Speech?
Now how does that work?
It is normal to take a week as they are looking to respond to the Throne Speech, not just react by throwing out their own per written platform. By responding in context they can both address what the government has pledged and offer alternative opportunities. A week is not a very long time to digest and respond accordingly.
Yes Derek, and as I said twice; take time to “RESPOND” to the Throne Speech. What I was saying to the comment of “present a bold vision” (i.e. not a response) but their actual own work on a document out-line the way forward for Bermuda WITHOUT requiring a template to work from.
Why can’t the PLP plan be presented as their plan and NOT in response. Is that NOT what the Throne Speech is?
Its easy to listen to another persons view on some thing than pick it apart and come back with what you consider your view. After all the topics have either been raise/missed leaving the PLP the simple job of responding from that.
Lets have a document showing the PLP version of their “original views” of the way forward. They continually tell us they have these great ideas.
Tolerate, unfortunately that’s not how it works. I fully agree that the opposition should have a whole bunch of great ideas at the ready to offer up Bermuda at any given time but the problem is they usually only present them when there’s an election on. As I said earlier the response will be done in context of what the government in power has proffered. It’s more about ceremony than anything else, which these days can instill a lot of frustration with the electorate. I’m sure we would all rather see solid ideas and action rather than back and forth political point scoring.
Thanks, yes you are right with the back and forth political scoring.
I do accept that unfortunately; this is how things are done.
Raymond is a blind loyalist of the OBA. Hence his comments . They can do no wrong. Yet he has never run for office or served on any committees to get things done. another arm chair critic.
Whereas I’m sure you are an MP or Senator.
Ray is not a blind loyalist for the OBA. He is a “paid” mercenary for the OBA.
He was a hustler in a former life and he remains so now.
The only difference now is that he has found a hustle that only requires him to go straight from his bed to his computer in order to get paid.
He does not even have to leave his house! He must be in “hustler heaven”.
OBA has no paid bloggers you fool….if they did there’d be a lot more trust…moron
Ain’t that so true
Quote of the Week:
“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” – George Finlay
We all have a “past” but it’s people like this “Truth Teller” who, (for some reason ) always hides behind some psyeudonym
By the way for the record I don’t get a $ or a cent from the O.B.A. what I get is satisfaction seeing us all are heading in the correct direction…to also benefit people like this, “Truth Talk” character in due time.
He certainly is. He tried to convince Charlie to run in Somerset and they placed a none Born Bermudian, Greek, so unhappy Sir Jay certainly is but they’ve been dissing him – only use him when needed. ha ha
OBA true colours are showing. Another piss poor speech.
You are responding to the PLP article…yes I agree their reaction is piss poor, but expected.
The PLP sold our futures out.
Says the supporter of a party that serves the interests of foreigners and Bermuda’s well-to-dos first and foremost…
Well it’s your party that threw thousands of Bermudians out of work. Forgotten that, have you?
lol.. please explain your ridiculous claim. i take it your oblivious to the fact the OBA/UBP has focused the bulk of their strategy for “turning things around” on CUTTING JOBS!
When the PLP got in, there wad zero unemployment. When they were voted out, there were thousands of Bermudians unemployed. While Paula jetted around accepting women’s vanity awards. Throwing Bermudians out if work.
Rolfe Commissiong confirmed how the PLP had put black Bermudians out of work in his recent Opinion piece. He proudly based this on on official statistics. Maybe he didn’t realize what he had said?
No, Rolfe Commissiong did not say that. What he did say is that while white unemployment has almost disappeared since the OBA took office the gap between black unemployment and that of whites has actually increased over that same period.
Go figure!
Rolfe used statistics from mid 2012, about 6 months after the election. No economy suddenly changes with a change of Government so the stats were based on the years of PLP Government, not 6 months of OBA. White unemployment didn’t almost disappear in those 6 months. You need to understand statistics better and the lag effect, as does Rolfe.
Correction – mid 2013
okay Creamy… time for your meds honey :]
Ohh, an attempt at humour. Jamahl’s trying to fit in again.
Uses the word ‘bold’ repetitively, at least 5 times. Very unimaginative. Don’t let Simmons write these things. Get a new consultant.
Good to know that they will now support the bold decision of civil service reform and mutualization as well as the important new immigration legislation. Thanks PLP for finally seeing the light!
This “bold vision” from the PLP will probably be like this response from the PLP.
Not even a third of a page.
Here’s what I expect to see from the PLP:
Seabed mining
Online gambling
This will be their “bold” vison for Bermuda….mixed in with a bunch of rhetoric about “Real” Bermudians.
don’t forget using money from our underfunded pension plans to set up a job creation fund….a new pool for their highly paid consultants to draw from…now there’s a winner
My OBA friends say it is an dictionary of things to be done . a massive list to confuse the enemy and make Bermudians feel they are doing a lot. Man a speech with 5 appetizers, 20 entrees and 10desserts. Fattening!!!!!!
“The PLP will present a bold vision next week as the people of Bermuda need hope that their political leaders not only realise the problems; but have new, bold, and evolved ideas to solve them.”
Oh come on PLP – just who do you think you are fooling? Your bold vision wouldn’t be the person running in 33 would it? Cos you got nuthin else!
Thank you for my laugh of the day. Not the UM Um must have returned cos nobody in their right mind could take this seriously.
They probably think they’re fooling the same folks the OBA fooled into believing they’re anything but the UBP. They dumped their surrogate premier, who won the election for them, RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR FACES AS EVERYONE EXPECTED WOULD HAPPEN and you still try to convince yourselves they something other than a well executed socio-political experiment [PROVEN TO HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO WRITTEN REPORT] which was used to fool the small town island vocals…
Shouldn’t you be out campaigning Jamahl? Or sending out today’s tweets?
Being a nut case really doesn’t bother you huh Cream for brains…
So when you type in caps is that you shouting?
The PLP made bermudians slaves to non bermudian lenders! Now thats bold!
The OBA serves the interests of their foreign masters and the well-to-do Bermudians, who have historically chosen them as brethren over their own countrymen.
It’s the PLP who ensured that generations of Bermudians will be struggling to pay back loans to foreign banks.
Nothing like being “BOLD” with other peoples money.
How is that “HUGE” Debt that you left the country in after 14 years.
We are now borrowing money to pay for the money that “YOU” PLP borrowed.
We are paying $160Million in “INTEREST” or $14Million dollars a month.
That could be used to “BE BOLD” instead of going out of Bermuda.
We need borrow another $300Million next year to keep this “EXSPENSIVE” government going.
Or did you mean “BOLD” buy cutting $300Million from the Government borrowing each year,for a “BALANCED BUDGET”that means spending only what is coming in,and paying “OFF” the “HUGE DEBT”
Bold with other peoples money. Are you giving a speech on the BTA?? lol
when u understand that 1 and 1 =11 and 1 +1 is 2, you understand the system O.K., now Bermuda is a well recommended place to do business (int’l business primarily) internationally. Let me say this,one of the reasons Paula Cox was going after the western hemisphere sector in I.B. because the outcome of the next eletion in the U.S might start taxing on company’s from there but registerd here, as we all no but, here in our domain we have what we call old money, the so called 40 thieves, we all no they use to run the island, so when this present OBA gov’t implemented 10% discount in grocerys shops on Wednesdays why didn’t the main importers of food implement a discount on food that they sell to our main groceries that sell to homes of this country, I will stop there till next time….
I won’t hold my breath waiting for the PLP’s “bold vision”. They had 14 years to implement their vision and all they did was fumble through the dark and drive the country into debt.
I would have thought Beany would have liked the ganja items in the speech…
Maybe Sir john swan could share with us his IDEA’s of how to be bold and be bold enough to inform us where the money will come from.
Or did he mean cut the Government “Spending”
Oh quit your b*+****. I know y’all are the opposition but you just keep on dragging the country and its government down.
Yet the OBA can tell you BOLD faced lies on everything from immigration to gaming and they’ll continue to have your unwavering support… wow
And the PLP never lied? I mean, the fact that politicians lie is hardly controversial, isn’t it? So let’s just stop relying on that BS excuse as a justification for ragging on the OBA. Don’t get me wrong, I’m disappointed in the OBA’s performance to date, and I do think the PLP did do some positive things for the island (Mirrors springs to mind) during their tenure. But right now, at this moment, the OBA are the only group on the island making any credible or realistic suggestions! I mean, look at this response from the PLP! It says nothing of substance and takes spiteful verbal jabs at the elected Government of the day, but contributes NOTHING to finding a solution! “But they are coming up with a statement next week,” I hear you say? Yeah, so what? If the PLP had anything of substance to say, certainly if they hope to return to a position of governance, they should be capable of putting those substantive rebuttals into bullet points, and sending that to the press as a short-term response and followup with a more fleshed out statement. But they didn’t. They published the drivel you read above. I’m sorry, but I honestly cannot see how there are still people in this community who defend the PLP in spite of their record of dishonesty in power (“we had to deceive you”, anyone????), and their childish and destructive antics post-defeat. Seriously, think a bit more critically. Our home and all the people who live here will be much better off.
Yet the PLP can tell you BOLD faced lies on everything (and they did for fourteen years) and they’ll continue to have your unwavering support… wow
Perhaps they will articulate a new approach along with some new ideas–
Let’s listen to what is said before the criticism flows.
Their initial response has opened them up to that criticism. Unfortunately their previously bold vision on bleeding Bermuda dry and leaving Bermuda in a whole, is a real big reminder that there are both good and bad bold ideas.
The funny thing is that if Bermuda continued to experience the peak of its prosperity under the PLP post 2k8 people like you would have still voted for the UBP/OBA at the last election. You’re the jokers who actually think you’re capable of being impartial at the polling station… lol
Ian-
What a revealing comment.
You refuse to believe that widespread animosity towards the PLP is based on their disastrous performance as Government. You have to believe it’s something else- otherwise, the PLP would have to take ownership of its record, and the damage it did to Bermuda’s economy.
If the PLP had been a responsible, effective Government, it would have been reelected in 2012, with broad voter support. You can blame its defeat on other factors, if it makes you feel better. But you’ll just be lying to yourself.
EW
Are you saying the OBA/UBP could have steered us clear of the knock effects of a global recession and that we would be in a very different situation if they were in power at the time?
Probably, as the UBP (and you do like to say the OBA is the UBP) did in 2 previous worldwide recessions.
lol… he said “probably”… you sound so convinced buddy…
OK, to make you feel better, the answer is absolutely. They have business acumen. The OBA would not have spent the excess revenue over projected and at the same time borrow more money. You keep going on about the worldwide recession. Three facts applied to Bermuda specifically. Jobs especially in IB were not lost, they went with the expats (and Bermudians) that left for other jurisdictions. Yes, the knock on effect locally is genuine, but not caused by lost jobs, but moved jobs which is why the OBA is trying to encourage jobs back to Bermuda. Secondly the Government borrowed for non Capital investment. The $300m or so gap every year is on wages and expenses, not income generating infrastructure. Like continuing to buy your groceries with more debt. Third, Bermuda Government revenue has not dropped as much as expenses have increased, so the problem is local, not global.
1. Begin with a truthful account of when the “so-called” PLP-induced expat exodus started. Pick a year to go easy on yourself…
2. Take note of how the full momentum of the “exodus” for some strange reason coincided with the momentum of record losses in equity markets, the likes of government bailouts of corporations “too big to fail” and ask yourself if it makes more sense that “exodus” was caused by the PLP hurting peoples feelings with unfriendly rhetoric and payroll tax increases or was it perhaps something more in line with realty; namely the need for the likes of startup [re]insurers, hedge funds, brokerage firms etc to simply shave the fat off of things to offset recent [and unprecedented] damage.
3. Acknowledge the simple fact that typical protocol for “shaving the fat” is redundancies in higher-cost jurisdictions, potentially followed by the creation of jobs in lower-cost jurisdictions. You can in your own time ponder what proportion of those redundancies were actually followed up with the creation of a new job else – speculate away.
4. Think about how quickly that all happened and how many people ACTUALLY SAW IT COMING. Think about the impact it had on reducing government revenues [i.e. IN THE FORM OF PAYROLL TAX INCOME from those who left amongst others]. Ask yourself if its that much of a shocker revenue decreases find themselves outpaced by expense increases pretty quickly. Heck we’re screwed if there were no expense increases!
The hilarious thing is that people like you, who are convinced you have it all figured out, have ironically been history’s biggest suckers for generations. You really think this is the first time folks have blamed politicians, the don’t support in the first place, for the underhanded practices and resulting repercussions of global lending/financial institutions who seem to get away with due to the fact the average person is too stupid to grasp the full gravity of their crimes?
Whatever. Debating with you is like discussing the meaning of life with a dead sheep.
Idiot. The exodus was not linked at all to the stock market. Much bigger losses were incurred in KRW. Not that you would know what I’m referring to. Because you’re a know-nothing lightweight.
Who are these “people like you” you speak of? That wouldn’t be whitey would it? If so, you seriously need to examine your life. And seek truth.
The plp blew it big time as a result of unbridled greed, inexperience in business, and ignorance!… it had nothing to do with a recession! No plp spin will change the truth.
Whenever the PLP were warned in the mid-2000′s about the upcoming financial crisis, they wouldn’t listen. Burt used to love to say the opposition were “making mischief”. “You don’t understand” he said. “Bermuda is different”. Naive, incompetent morons, driving the Ferrari over the edge of the cliff without knowing or caring where the road was.
Ian-
No. That is not at all what I am saying. Not even close.
Re-read your comment, and then re-read mine.
EW
Ian, I think the the real point is that the PLP could just as well have steered Bermuda clear of the knock on effects of the global recession if they’d been wiling to listen and work with others. The biggest problem was the PLP were careless in managing the economy in the run up to the recession by overspending and not putting money away for what everyone sensed was coming. Once the recession had taken hold they continued down the same path instead of being open minded, prudent and clear headed about things. It’s the primary reason they lost the election, they lost people’s trust.
Could they have steered us clear of it? I should believe that with an economy smaller that the holdings of some of its residents which is furthermore propped up on essentially ONE sector, a sector weighted over 85% on a single industry which itself saw massive losses in their investment portfolios post 2k8, haven’t seen a hard market since just post 2k5 and is seeing unprecedented softening as we speak… Bermuda could have gotten steered clear of this with “less careless management”? O… kaaay… Whatever you say mate.
Well you actually verified the one thing that could have been done to save Bermuda from the catastrophic effect of the global recession; work with the 85 percentile of what Bermuda relies on, International Business. Simply put, put egos aside and do whatever it takes to make sure they not only didn’t leave but further invested in Bermuda in order to help us weather the storm.
I own a company, when times get tough I put double the effort into making sure I retain my customers by catering to their needs. That’s how Bermuda has to think when it comes to IB.
Firstly, its the 15th percentile you are referring to. Secondly, if you still believe this is about payroll tax and anti-expat soundbites then your perspective on why we are where we are has NO basis in reality.
If it wasn’t about payroll tax it makes you wonder why Cox rolled it back after a year.
Ian, the payroll tax was just a small part. It was the political stability that was the biggest concern. For sure an innocuous tax increase may have been seen as a test with further taxes being lined up for the future but what if you can’t even hire the right people to do the required jobs? The fact that companies moved to other jurisdictions with similar high costs of living but stable political climates is the tell all of what the real concern is.
You are way off base with that description of IB results since 2008. For most companies the investment losses were an irrelevant blip.
Most??? YOu do realize that (re)insurance constitutes MOST in terms of GDP contribution right. You do no they take their income and invest a large proportion of it to build their capital base right? Or maybe you’ll say something else that, while entertaining, proves your not event qualified to make the case for why you blindly support your party…
Nope. Wrong. Two companies suffered, the rest thrived. Jobs weren’t lost at all; they were moved to Eire, Switzerland, New York, NJ, PA. You know, places where employers are welcomed.
Your’re a delusional nutcase Cream for brains… Its so entertaining the crap you pull out of your hat simply for the sake of arguing…
Economics 101 says that Gov’t should NOT build capital projects while private construction is booming. Which is what the plp illogically did. This created the largest number of tradesmen work permits ever issued by any Gov’t.
The plp should have built their capital projects when the construction market was soft. Thus creating lots of jobs for locals. Is that difficult to understand? Do you even understand “logic?”
Their initial response has opened them up to that criticism. Unfortunately their previously bold vision of bleeding Bermuda dry and leaving Bermuda in a hole, is a real big reminder that there are both good and bad bold ideas.
The PLP have been keeping it a secret all this time…yeah right.
Perhaps it is hair tax… be Bald or pay tax to repay the hair raising debt.
Why the secrecy? Why doesn’t the PLP tell us right away? They are the opposition, and we are the electorate. They should tell us immediately what they think would improve the economy. That would be the transparent thing to do. What is so secret that they have to make us all wait? It’s anti-Bermudian.
they have to meet with EBrown and Company
Serengeti…too funny. You’re alluding to all the comments from yesterday about why all the secrecy over the new Senator’s name. Good one
Any party that still support the like of Jamahl has to be a special kind of bold
Do you support Sean Crockwell despite his past “shortcomings”l? Or how about your Premier who was actually caught on tape showing his true colors – F-bombs and all? All he has to do is hug a few babies for the camera and he’s back in your good books… lol
Jamahl why are you not out cavassing in St. Georges…ooops Somerset?
Very insightful response there SMH… You were clearly head of the class in your day… Btw will you and the other lunies have a new conspiracy for us next week or will I still be “Jamahl”??
The PLP were bold to put forth in constituency 33, a man with a past that seems not to be able to make up his mind, and else for his disgusting comments on twitter !!!!! I shudder to think what next will come out of his mouth.
Destroy the economy and then complain the manner in which someone else is trying to fix it. Pathetic.
Should read hole not whole.
Imagine the PLP response if the OBA said “we are going to roll back the size of the civil service to 1998 levels”
Every time the plp has had a “BOLD ” idea, it really has been a “BAD ” idea!!!!!!!!!
“You can not get blood out of a stone.” or roof slate !
You know, I never thought that the PLP didn’t have great ideas for Bermuda. They had a wonderful vision.
Their problem always came with follow through. There was next to none. And I’ve not been seeing any signs that this might have changed.
Yes, I know it’s hard for them to do so as the Opposition, but there are ways to show that they are not just forward thinking, but forward acting.
So…the PLP are gonna present a “bold vision” to fix the problems they created?
PLP,step aside,watch how a govt for the people works!
So far they’ve been a government for the people indeed… Just not the average Bermudian people.
Since the former PLP government gets the blame for creating the world wide economic crisis and as one former chairman of the American Fed called it; the exuberance of the cow boys of wall street; one could expect that the OBA government will take the credit for turning around the world wide economic recovery; After all didn’t it’s finance minister predict it’s demise?
Alvin: I guess you are hoping that if you tell this lie enough times that it will become the truth. I guess its all you’ve got.
The PLP (Pathetic Lying Party) caused Bermuda untold hardship due to their incompetence in money dealings.
One of PLP’s biggest problems is they will never ever admit doing wrong. They need to apologize to every Bermudian for the way they screwed up.
Ain’t holding my breath – in fact I reckon I’ll be hearing your 100% rubbish until one of us dies.
Im sorry… but are you suggesting the island would have been in a better place financially following the earth-shattering global financial collapse if only it had been in the hands of the OBA/UBP?? If so, you sir are clearly delusional… You do realize most of the OBA supporters complaining about the PLPs handling of things were themselves borrowing from banks like crazy pre 2k8, as if there would be no end in sight to the good times? But of course they need SOMEONE to blame…
I think the island would have been in a better place if the government was not in the hands of the PLP BEFORE 2008.
I can’t speak for OBA supporters, but I can let Bob Richards speak for himself:
“Simply put, the Bermuda Government has sat on its hands and let our economy overheat, particularly in the construction sector. This has resulted in, on the one hand, a bonanza in payroll taxes for Government coffers to finance their spending excesses, but, on the other hand, it has had a disastrous impact for the ordinary Bermudian family, the very same people the Government claims to represent.”
That was January 4 2007. History must have an anti-PLP bias.
Sorry JD but how exactly do Bobs comments AS AN OPPOSITION MINISTER of the time speak to whether what the OBA/UBP would have done as government of the day and whether Bermuda would be in a better position as a result??? Try to “speak for yourself” this time…
Ian: One of us is delusional for sure, and it ain’t me.
Thanks for the contribution Chris!
Yes, Bermuda would have been in a better place financially under amy government that didn’t waste billions of dollars and sell us into financial slavery for generations.
Thanks for nothing of substance again Cream for brains…
Shouldn’t you be tweeting, Jamahl?
YES…I have no doubt there would have been prudent fiscal management, less spending of capital projects that ran over by millions of dollars. So YES…for that and a host of reasons we would be in a far better position…the PLP are the direct cause of the current situation!
Contrary to your repeated falsehoods, the PLP aren’t being blamed for the recession, they’re beng blamed (rightfully so) for their own piss-poor decisions while in Governemnt. Why is this so hard to understand? Your continual attempts to redefine the narrative (much like your poor choices when commenting on the KFC matter) do nothing but confirm a massive blind spot when it comes to accountability.
Our economy is driven by IB and in particular the insurance and reinsurance sectors which are non-correlated to the financial markets. Either you don’t understand this (and maybe can be forgiven for your overt ignorance) or you do and are just trying to misdirected the electorate. Either way, if you claim to be a journalist dedicated to documenting truths, your public ruminations on the issue of our economy only verify your total misunderstanding of the Bermuda financial paradigm.
Alvin, you and your plp have been told over and over that the IB sector left in droves because of the hostile environment which included their taxes being raised on them by your plp!!! the IB sector was effected very little except for AIG who happens to be still in BDA by the Wall Street nonsense!!! Will you and the plp ever get it????
Kangoocar, I think its safe to say that at this point even your own fellow OBAUBP supporters aren’t drinking THAT glass of Kool Aid… Notice how things on the island from retail to the contraction of key sectors continues despite the absence of the alleged PLP reign of terror [your boogeyman]? And why do you think that is buddy?
ummm..because a $5.6b economy can’t turn on a dime.
I’m curious do you think that increasing payroll tax without consulting with anyone, was a good idea?
Are you really dopey enough to think that in the grander scheme of things what we are experiencing right now is the result of a temporary payroll tax increase?? Please say yes, pleeeease say yes! lol
It was a big part of it. Obviously you’re out of the loop if you don’t know that story.
or maybe you’re just loopy in the head Cream for brains…
Oh, what an intelligent comment. Got any more, Jamahl?
Ian – of course, as you so eloquently point out, you can’t pin the problems we are now facing on one variable or decision, thats not what I was trying to say.
The PLP’s decision to raise payroll tax without consulting with anyone was a slap in the face for international business. It led to increased uncertainty (who’s to say they won’t surprise us again next year), but more importantly it impacted a delicate relationship between the largest pillar of the economy and the government. IB certainly lost a lot of trust in the government. The PLP reversed the decision, but a lot of damage had already been done needlessly. It was a poor decision overall, and I don’t think anyone could argue differently.
Of course globalisation, advances in technology, the financial crisis, etc all need to be taken into account, but this was a lousy decision by the PLP which in my view contributed to getting us where we are now.
JD the joke is that with that last, long comment you still managed to place more weight on a temporary “PLP decision” than you could on the more RELEVANT things YOU JUST MENTIONED – globalization, technology, etc etc etc… It is soooo frickin weird how your guys are programmed to do that!
’cause you can’t stop an out of control charging Hippo on a dime.
lol… you guys are full of ignorant mantras….
I noticed that! I even came up with a name for it: “Suffering in the wake of a catastrophic period of fiscal and ethical negligence that has brought the economy to its knees.”
Ian, why don’t you ask the two people I was visiting in Geneva last month if what I say is true??? They were friends of mine that got transferred out of BDA to Geneva because of the hostile environment and payroll tax increase!!!! Funny though, Geneva, the cost of doing business is not much different than BDA, When I asked them this, their reply was, our company did not know what the next bit of hostility from the plp was going to be??? Are you ever going to get it Ian/paid plp blogger???? Their company is doing just fine and always has!!! If you think the OBA has an easy time with convincing new companies to come here just because the plp for NOW are not in control, you are delusional!!! The damage your party did will take decades to repair!!!!
Ian, don’t think for a second I am fooled by you, you are just another paid plp blogger that is no different than betty, rhonda, John, Jim etc. You all post under simple names because you are all simpletons!!!!
Kangoocar… I don’t think your a fool at all. I think your a nut case! lol
Go back to playing with your Obama dart board mate…
Your refusal to listen and understand dooms you to ignorance.
Our debt is the result of government overspending and poor fiscal management. Please have a look at some facts and figures relating to revenue and expenditure. I expect you will ignore these as they don’t suit your premise or agenda.
Why don’t you elaborate for us jt…
Ian – click link…engage brain…elaborate…and ask yourself this – Why was an island of 65,000 people running a $102m annual deficit in 2006?
http://bermuda.io/dataset/consolidated-fund-audited-financials/resource/aaf7a54f-8e66-421f-a36c-e5a2bc79c444
Looks like it was driven by pension and retirement benefits JD…
Certainly a large part of the problem, but at $153m retirement benefits was just 17% of the overall expenditure of $867m in 2006.
The startling number is actually the overall $502m spent on employee costs in 2006, which includes retirement benefits. To put it in perspective employee costs were $312m in 2003. What caused a 60% increase in government spending on employees in 3 years? Was this sound financial management?
And how much of that increase from $312m to $5o2m ultimately ended up in the hands of landlords, retailers, home sellers, banks, local insurers, BELCO, gas stations owners, etc etc etc… Furthermore in what ways do you think the island would be different if the folks whose employment, that figure represents, spent all of this time unemployed? For starters I know I’d feel a little less at ease walking down the street or sleeping at night, even with doors locked.
So at least you’re admitting it was a conscious choice by the
PLP to spend money and get us into debt.
I know you never get tired of spending other people’s money, Ian. It’s easy to rationalize. “Oh, look how good we felt during those years”. “Oh, look how prosperous we felt”. But it was all being financed by the next two or three generations of Bermudians. It will take us decades to fix the mess you got us in.
You do realize you sound dumb saying that when on the flip of a dime you would turn around and support the BTA spending OUR MONEY as they wish…
All of a sudden the catchword is to be “bold”. Sir John Swan; CADA; the PLP – maybe they all have the same script writer?
Now the PLP wants to be bold having had 14 years to show how bold they should have been. Maybe the PLP want to show they are bold with ideas, rather than stumped for ideas.
The PLP/BIU are BRAZEN.
The OBA are BRAVE.
Bold is a word that will soon evaporate.
DrEB must be kicking stones.
The PLP statement
The End.
More smoke and mirrors !
DREB will certainly show up if there’s something in it for him.
PLP showing a complete lack of intellectual capital as usual. They should have got rid of Marc bean when they had the chance but he will end up undoing himself if latest reports about his behavior at the recent advance Poll proves true (and it sure sounds like one of his typical rants!] even the die hards will have to turn their backs. Once Bean is gone some PLP sensibility may arise but until then they will continue to be a group that can NEVER be the Government…all the business being crated would leave over night with Bean as Premier and Minister of Cannabis Trade, Burch as Minister of Finance and Michael Scott as A-G…the choices for the rest of the Cabinet are very limited!
The PLP do not have a chance in the next election.
Who would vote for the death knell of Bermuda?
I look forward to the reply myself.Ia very opened minded,fact is we inherited a huge debt,OBA did not create it.So look forward to hear what the solution is,perhaps more freebies?
How is the Emissions department working out who is monitoring this department?
How many Govt departments now have some checking in employees on a time sheet?