Comments on: PLP: Auditor General Should Review Airport Plan

By: hmmm

hmmm — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 18:50:26 +0000

“We will not allow you to sell off our country to foreigners”

The PLP allowed it by eliminating the 60/40 rule…

YOUR PLP SOLD BERMUDA TO FOREIGNERS, then they put us in debt to foreigners to slam us twice, STOP BEING gullible and wake up to the reality …If you truly believe your frustrations, then point them correctly in the direction of the PLP, and stop being gullible and foolish.

By: Terry

Terry — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 16:47:26 +0000

Your not really up to date or read much are you.
Where have you been.

By: aceboy

aceboy — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 16:02:46 +0000

Wrong.

By: Enough

Enough — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 15:58:09 +0000

David Burt is completely out of his depth.

He brings nothing to the table and if the PLP wish to continue with him as their leader then it says an awful lot about their party.

No ideas. No vision. No wisdom.

By: hmmm

hmmm — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 15:41:34 +0000

So you think someone in Bermuda could have raised $250 million to build and manage an airport terminal ?

Who is that then?

By: Too True

Too True — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 15:31:43 +0000

Because it will be built on-time and on-budget, and will be to internationally recognized standards…. It will be a welcome change to have a Government project run properly!!!

By: Terry

Terry — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 15:27:07 +0000

True.
The reasons are so that you can get paid, buses can run and lazy civil servants can get paid and try and pay off some of the debt that 14 years of issues by the PLP and their contractor cronies got us into.

Your bills are being paid and you got food on your table so shut up.

By: aceboy

aceboy — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 15:04:52 +0000

Burt doesn’t seem to know what the role of the Auditor actually is. The AG audits the government accounts when they are presented for an audit. The auditor’s findings are then presented to the PAC.

Burt wants a value for money audit on the airport, however he has done everything in his power to ensure the Port Royal matter was brushed over when the PAC met. The only thing the PAC said about it was that Bermuda got “value for money”….because Zane said so. Yet the COI has already identified “outright fraud” in some of the Port Royal issues.

It boggles the mind how this guy thinks….and he is supposed to be the opposition leader and a former Shadow Finance Minister.

By: stunned...

stunned... — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 14:11:08 +0000

burt is trumps brother by another mother. same tactics. divert, distract and disinform

By: smh

smh — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 13:59:54 +0000

Burt just doesn’t get it does he? NOBODY Mr. Burt who cares about Bda at this time cares how much it costs!!! Bermuda is not a third world country! Stop placing your mind in the gutter so much. Bermuda has to grow. If not now, then when???
Majority of the silent majority couldn’t care if it cost 4 billion dollars. Just build the damn thing and stop talking about it. If they want to build another 7 hotels up in the east end then do it! If they want to build another smaller airport at the west end for private jets then do it!!
It is small thinking like that which would ruin bda!
What would you Mr. Burt bring to the island as big as the Americas Cup? And now we have a new sporting event that could possibly come in 2020. Mr. Burt please just stop…

By: LostinFlatts

LostinFlatts — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 13:34:23 +0000

Not more than doubled by the numbers I can find, but certainly and depressingly close.

BUT

The main reason is because the debt repayments established by the PLP are forcing us to borrow to pay them off. Which as any sane person managing a household can tell you, is the road to ruin.

The only alternatives to the OBA/future government is dramatically increase revenues at a time when that genuinely feels rather difficult and certainly impossible without foreign wealth, or dramatically decrease costs. Which means the civil service.

And if they do the latter, they won’t be in power to actually try and fix things.

It’s a politically brilliant position to be in: cripple the incoming government due to ridiculous management of finances, then blame them for not fixing your previous mistakes – all the while trusting the voting public will have forgotten your 14 years of financial ruin by the time the next election comes about.

We live in a post-truth world, and Burt is a spin-master. By the time the election happens I’m confident that large portions of the population won’t even remember his involvement in creating the problem we’re now suffering through.

By: Toleratate

Toleratate — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 13:33:13 +0000

Johnny…. that statement you just made shows you clearly don’t understand how we got to the juncture we are at, regarding Bermuda’s finances…. If I turn over a business to you that has serious debt, and you are tasked with not only addressing the debt, but also reverse the direction the company is in….. while NOT laying off any of the employees….and being able to continue to pay them at the SAME rate they are currently making… It’s safe to say you will incur further debt before you start to see the light…. You do understand that right…. or is the PLP BS job really working that well…..
Come on Johnny….

By: reddamtibi

reddamtibi — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 13:13:36 +0000

Um um…you byes must be blind! Dem OBA byes already broke land down der in St. Geo…

By: reddamtibi

reddamtibi — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 13:11:55 +0000

Kangoocar back from his hotdog with mustard binge…

By: smh

smh — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 13:10:24 +0000

Burt was Junior Finance Minister, THAT’s where he was…he has ZERO credibility now

By: Just the Tip

Just the Tip — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 12:55:54 +0000

But thats thing, there are people that don’t know or see how badly we need a new airport and will blindly swallow what they are told by the PLP.

A elections now would probably go the way of the PLP and then we were in 4 years ago. Even if the OBA won the election right now it would shut the PLP up, they would still be putting they’re spin on every thing.

By: Unbelievable

Unbelievable — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 11:05:31 +0000

These clowns need to give the airport deal a break. Burton is demonstrating a need to be right when is so very wrong. Concentrate on your weak party. You have NO credibility. Work on that next.

By: Zevon

Zevon — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 10:56:42 +0000

At the time Burt was in the PLP government, keeping his mouth shut.

By: Zevon

Zevon — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 10:54:45 +0000

Er no Johnny they have not ‘doubled the debt’.
In 6 years the PLP took debt from $300m to $1,700m.
Since 2012 the debt has gone to $2,400m.
So the PLP increased debt by nearly 600% in 6 years.
The OBA increased debt by 40% in 4 years.
If the numbers are too complicated for you, just admit it. The lies just make you look stupid.

I’d rather debt were reducing, but we have to pay for all those guaranteed jobs for public employees, with their 14 weeks sick leave and 6 weeks vacation.

By: Onion Juice

Onion Juice — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 10:23:54 +0000

Dont try to sweep this one under de carpet, a witch hunt is spending over $2 Million on Dr. Brown (who I’m no big fan off) and the B.H.B.trying to squeeze de small practitioners out.

By: Rumsoak

Rumsoak — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 10:23:05 +0000

Don”t worry about trying to explain , this was something that was told to Johnny and all he can do is repeat it. No actual thinking for ones self .

By: Onion Juice

Onion Juice — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 10:10:01 +0000

It would be political suicide if they did, they saw what happened in de last bye election and they’re waiting for de next bye election which will confirm their unpopularity.

By: M.C. Beauchamp

M.C. Beauchamp — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 10:05:39 +0000

Pure politics and nothing else. The PLP and these clowns know very well that a tender requires a completely different financing ,adel, and that different financing model is more expensive. What they are saying is they don’t want to business with the Government of Canada. Ok. Noted.

By: Honestly

Honestly — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 09:34:38 +0000

The airport should’ve been put to tender! My only question is why a Canadian company?

By: Jahstice

Jahstice — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 03:36:44 +0000

The PLP wanted to lock up the Auditor General. Stop your nonsense Mr. Burt, no one believes you.

By: jt

jt — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 03:14:43 +0000

I agree. Review it. Please.

Still no qualified audits, by the way.

By: Takbir Karriem Sharrieff

Takbir Karriem Sharrieff — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 03:11:58 +0000

Congratulations to The Honourable Opposition Leader Mr.David Burt,,,,,, for an excellent delivery.The Peoples Liberation Party will spring into action behind the Progressive Labour Party to mobilize the people to protect this matter from ,,,,,going forward.Bermudians first,Bermudians ,last ,Bermudians foremost,We will not allow you to sell off our country to foreigners.,,,,We will not allow you to cripple our future generations of Bermudians….No Peace until this matter is resolved.

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 02:28:47 +0000

If you’ve been pushed off the cliff then it is pretty hard to stop yourself from falling!

By: RBYC member

RBYC member — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 01:46:26 +0000

I think the OBA Government needs to just call the election. Unless they have no faith in the voters to make the right choice!

Then both sides can shut up and move on!

By: Johnny

Johnny — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 00:53:44 +0000

The OBA have actually more than doubled the debt left by the PLP.

By: spoons

spoons — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 00:49:49 +0000

Sensible suggestion. Why not?

By: Not exactly

Not exactly — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 00:23:39 +0000

Burt math again. Clearly his repeated underlining of the fact that the profits will go to a Canadian company is only to stir up resentment of foreigners as has been done time and time again. If this was RFP’d where does he think the money would come from? From away foreign, of course. To whom would we have to pay back the loan and the interest? To foreigners, of course.

Give it a rest Burt, you have proven time and time again that you care nothing for the public purse. Your only interest is in political grandstanding for self-promotion.

By: Warlord

Warlord — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 23:31:41 +0000

Oh Burt it is time to change the record buddy.The new airport is getting built if you like it or not.This to shall pass

By: In the Matrix

In the Matrix — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 23:19:39 +0000

Ignorance is bliss

By: sandgrownan

sandgrownan — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 23:08:56 +0000

Don’t forget….Berkeley, The Emissions Testing Centre….and who could forget the deal the taxpayer got on Ewart’s Flatt’s property. Unethical but not illegal. Where was Burt then?

By: Kangoocar

Kangoocar — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 22:57:03 +0000

Oh puleeeeze!!! The PLP still obviously have no shame?? Does the plp really have to be reminded that the Auditor General already has $800 MILLION worth of jobs to get through FIRST! thanks to the very plp that is spouting this latest nonsense! Sorry Burt, but we all don’t have short memories!

By: Ringmaster

Ringmaster — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 22:44:50 +0000

Based on the various oversights by the UK Government and independent companies such as KPMG the deal looks like value for money compared with:

Grand Atlantic
Port Royal Golf Course
The Dame Lois Browne Evans Building
The Hospital Acute Care Wing (sold to Bermuda as a new hospital)
Kings Wharf
Global Hue

to name a few which had no oversight.

The PLP is not the Government and they have not provided any evidence of corruption or malfeasance by the OBA. Show it and I’ll support the PLP’s position.

By: Derek

Derek — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 22:38:55 +0000

I need a swizzle!

By: hum. hmmmm

hum. hmmmm — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 22:31:25 +0000

WOW… The PLP now want the auditor general to do her job?? Dontt worry she will!!

By: Werry Berry

Werry Berry — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 22:21:34 +0000

Perhaps, but the PLP had their own airport plan which would have cost us more! Furthermore. let us not forget WHY we even have to look at this project as an option.

The reason we even have to entrtain such an offer is because the PLP inherited a healthy economy and in 14 short years put us over a Billion dollars in debt with nothing substantial to show for it. We built or fixed nothing with that money. In addition to that there is the question of where $800 million went? This was the question that the last two AGs were trying to answer.

By: Four

Four — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 22:18:06 +0000

The same way the plp raided the auditor generals office now you want them do something for you… how many sides that sword got..

By: Werry Berry

Werry Berry — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 22:14:20 +0000

They tried to have Larry Dennis thrown in jail when he questioned their practices. I’m not a big fan of this airport project but I would respect the line of questioning if it didn’t come from the same group of individuals that were responsible for the Proactive / Berkeley deal, Port Royal Deal, The Ciuise Ship Pier, TCD / Emissions project and more importantly 800 million unaccounted for dollars.

By: Jus' Askin'

Jus' Askin' — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 22:03:02 +0000

Very Disappointed in the PLP

They are letting the OBA get away with this insane deal.

OBA and it’s members should pay the penalty for cancelling this, as they sat back and allowed this DUMB deal to be allowed

By: LostinFlatts

LostinFlatts — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 22:01:19 +0000

One thing is for sure – the Airport is the PLP’s ‘email server’. Regardless of whether or not it’s actually the most pressing issue of the day, it appears that the PLP has decided to dedicate an inordinate amount of it’s time and resources focusing on it.

It’s pretty amazing to see the transformation of the now PLP leader. I’m not sure where this focus on fiscal responsibility, due-diligence and proper process has come from, but it certainly would have been nice had he demonstrated any of this tenacity when he was actually working within the Ministry of Finance.

A more cynical person would question if this is merely an easy soundbite that resonates well with supporters, rather than the issue that should be receiving this much time and attention. I’ve heard far more from the PLP about the airport than education, policing, tourism or the economy in the past 12 months.

By: John

John — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 21:55:21 +0000

Oh lawd enough of this already Was hoping Mr Burt would just focus on a PLP plan and stop the moaning and his witch hunt and driving for a PLP airport , focus on the people and their needs please

By: Terry

Terry — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 21:48:57 +0000

Wow.
None of them bitched and moaned when the Port Royal was revamped and the new Kings Wharf was built and a new wing to the Hospital and a new……………

Guess they have to eat crow now………..

Irony.