Burt: ‘PLP Reiterates Its Call For Full Disclosure’
“MPs still have not received critical financial details,” Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister of Finance David Burt said, as the Airport Project Agreement provided to MPs is “missing Schedule 27, which contains the Financial Model of this ‘Public Private Partnership.”
Mr Burt said, “MPs still have not received critical financial details of the Airport Privatisation, despite public assurances from the Minister of Finance. If there is ‘nothing to hide’ as Minister Richards said on Sunday, he must make good on his pledge to share all financial details with MPs.
“The Project Agreement provided to MPs is missing Schedule 27, which contains the Financial Model of this ‘Public Private Partnership’. The PLP reiterates its call for full disclosure of the contract details to ensure that MPs know what they are voting for.”
Earlier today, Speaker of the House Randolph Horton said the Government, Canadian Commercial Corporation [CCC] and Aecon agreed to release copies of the Draft Project Agreement to all Parliamentarians in advance of the Legislation’s debate in the House of Assembly.
“The business of the House of Assembly will resume, as scheduled, on Friday, 3rd February, 2017. However, debate on the Airport Development Concession Act 2016 and the Bermuda Airport Authority Act 2016 will be deferred to Friday, 10th February, 2017, to allow Members of the House sufficient time to read through and consider the Draft Project Agreement in advance of the debate,” the Speaker said.
One of the shameful 20 , spreading his unprogressiveness and anti equality stance shame shame shame
The thing is, does it matter if they get the full financials or not?
Even if the deal makes sense, he keeps calling it a privatization and that’s what he’ll run with next.
Speaking of never receiving critical financial details! Perhaps blurt should give us the TAX payers the critical financial details on exactly where OUR missing MILLIONS went? And he can at the same time give us the critical financial details on why his plp over spent MILLIONS in cost over runs on all their infrastructure projects they created for Bermuda?
Not sure it was overspending as much as it was “overgifting”.
Or perhaps you would care to fully disclose why the PLP picked ProActive to build Berkeley – a new startup company with no track record at all. a company the disappeared soon after that project was over.
Why exactly was Berkeley $60 million over budget again? No extra buildings were built and school supplies did go up in price that much in two years? Please disclose!
The name might have disappeared but a key player allegedly showed up a few years later to benefit from yet another massive project…
Then lets have a COE when this one is over and OBA are in their second term.
More than one.
And that is why I will never trust the PLP again. And I know its painful but Bermudians must sallow this pill- the PLP hurt there own people. 40 million over budget and there is not enough classroom and the parking is ridiculous.
Actually Pro Active was sacked in 2004 after delays in completing the secondary school which eventually came in three years late and more than $55 million over budget.
In addition the PLP and Dr. Brown let Union Asset Holdings Ltd. off the hook for all of the $6.8 million owed under a bond due when the Berkeley school project failed. That is $62.8 million.
Replies like this are the most nonsensical. Whilst what the PLP did was wrong, how does it help the conversation going forward and what we are talking about now? The PLP is not in power anymore.
Their not in power, but they are also not in the slightest bit transparent about what happened when they were in power. We’ve had zero disclosure from them.
Do as we say not as we did.
But what does that have to do with disclosure on this deal when like I said the PLP are not in power anymore?
Trust deficit, this isn’t about disclosure to the PLP, it’s about opposition to the OBA and anything they try to accomplish. There is more information available about this project, than there ever has been before, the PLP constantly move the goal post and have been at the forefront of the misinformation campaign against this and are now running out of narrative to tell as the information available has quashed everyone of their false claims. This, for the PLP, is about politricks now, pure and simple.
Maybe those missing funds could be recovered and maybe put to use for the Bermudian people like they were meant.
Maybe before your start trying to hold others to account you prove to the people of this island that you have held those within yuor own party to account first.
O.B.A. have lost their credibility after promoting Transparency, Honesty and Openess.
Tic Toc
I agree… We need an effective opposition. To bring up the past everytime the PLP challenges the government doesn’t serve the people of Bermuda. Unfortunately, the PLP’s fiscal damage has been done. We need to move forward. It doesnt make sense to demand an apology from them as we know that it won’t happen. To blurt out demands for an apology for the past makes a certain segment of the OBA’s base sound like petulant children.
We need our politicians to bring together their opposing perspectives and approaches to find the best possible solutions for all our problems. Both parties are guilty of failing to engage constructively with each other.
Because they lost all credibility when they were in control…Don’t you get it? They did a terrible job and exhibited no understanding of finance (to be polite). How can they now tell the OBA how to finance anything? We have no money and that is not the fault of the UBP or the OBA only the PLP can be blamed and there are many who would say it was not all a simple lack of knowledge.
While I believe that because the PLP did X back in the day, it is not a reason for letting the OBA off the hook, we also have to be prepared to (1) NOT draw a false equivalency between the OBA and the PLP (which all too often, a lot of middle-of-the-road voters are prepared to do, and (2) call out the PLP on its BS.
By saying “the PLP is not in power anymore” you are implying that there is no longer any need for them to be accountable – as if the only thing we need to concern ourselves with is what is right in front of us.
It is exactly this sort of thinking that has allowed the Public Accounts Committee to subvert its terms of reference and to fix its sight on things like the Airport, America’s Cup, WEDCO, etc, and to gloss over things like Port Royal, Heritage Wharf, the Court House, and other such projects that came up in recent Aud-Gen reports.
Just prior to when the OBA took power, the PAC were following Aud-Gen reports in the order they were published. So they would have been considering items from the 2006-2008 era. Then Burt took over the committee, said ‘to hell with the PAC’s remit’ and he almost immediately brought its focus to the present, allowing that 2008-2012 period to go almost unexamined.
And his justification has come perilously close to what you’re saying: “That was then, this is now, keep the OBA accountable now.” So now, our focus should not simply on “how does it help the conversation going forward and what we are talking about now”. That is precisely what the PLP wants so that we ignore recent history.
Wait a minute, you had you chance to read the document and opted not to, now you are complaining?
How much did the PLP disclose when they allowed an outside part y to construct and operate our hospital. how mush was and has been disclosed?
Never again will I vote Plp never.all in it for them selves
Bye bye.
You know what Burt if you had spent 20% of the effort on 14 years of the PLP mistakes and over runs Bermuda may have been in the position to finance this ourselves. What happened a light switch went on and now you are the guru on sound financial responsibility……… You are getting boring please stop the quack , quack , quacking and call a press conference and apologize for 14 years of disasters and tell the public that you are experts at bad contracts and that is why you are being persistent because you are an expert in bad deals
Simple question
If your wife, husband, partner, sibling child or friend were buying a house or car with you acting as guarantor, would you ask about the amount you are potentially guaranteeing?
Simple question. Have you read the plan?
The plan don’t have all the financial information hence the reason he is requesting it. This isn’t about political points. The plan gives 100 percent of the revenue to Canada for the first 30 years then 50 percent for perpetuity.
Still waiting on the FULL DETAILS as to how Burt and PLP aim to improve Bermuda IF they get back into power.
Still waiting to see any proper CONSTRUCTIVE criticisms come from the opposition. Certainly plenty of criticisms spouting from the mouths of the opposition, but by no means are these criticisms constructive or anywhere close to offering any alternative viable solutions (something an opposition should do) relating to the hole the opposition THEMSELVES put us in as a country.
Still waiting on the FULL DETAILS of the tax records relating to the millions lost under the PLP administration
Still waiting for a half decent opposition…
Still waiting on this airport deal to go through. Get on with it OBA, who really cares what these incompetent people think. Major well respected international economist groups have cited this airport deal as smart, creative and the best option for Bermuda. So just get on with it.
To Burt and friends, could I please see the FULL DETAILS of your resume so that I can understand where you get off disagreeing with economist groups who are for sure more experienced and educated that you are. Or is it just that this deal doesn’t align with your political agenda? Hmmmmmmmm
Lol @ the Oba/Ubp voters that are shaking in their boots!!!
Definitely reason for them to be. No doubt about that.
It is because they are aware how close to bankrupting the island the PLP were. The ones that work in government knew they were not far from receiving a paycheck or being laid off.
Based on what Burt said on the News tonight, he needs to at least take a look at the airport videos online to understand why an airport is needed and why the course taken is the best option. He is questioning whether this is the best use of money, but offers very little as an alternative. Any other plan would involve borrowing more money and throwing it in a black hole trying to patch that airport for how many more years? As it is Aecon are going to do that to keep the old one going for the 3 years, until the new one is finished. That is about as long as practically could be expected, based on its current state.
If the opposition are only starting their reading of the available information, most of which has been publicly accessible for months, they need to burn the candle at both ends to learn up. That’s the least they can do for a robust debate.
I’ll trust the report from the blue ribbon panel. The PLP are well beyond being able to offer any kind of objective opinion regardless of what is or is not supplied.
Burt is now proof positive just another noise box blurting out negative garbage , unprogressive backward stalling drivel blah blah blah blah ,, nothing out of his mouth but static , zero clarity!!! I will never forget the nasty you Burt and the PLP did to Bermuda!
BIU AND PLP have amnesia from the previous administration, how convenient.
Can’t wait to there back in power to run up the national debt again.
SO, other than this schedule you say is missing….what are your thoughts on the rest of the documents Mr. Burt?
it does not matter how much time they have to read the documents or the amount of data they receive as their opinion will be the same…..
Mr. Furbert and Mr. Burt,
During the time of the PLP govt they built quite a few big projects. Just wondering why we don’t hear from the then MPS on the airport, and why they are not backing you etc. Unless I just missed it. I’m sure they can advise of a contractor….
Its not the water outside the boat that sinks you, it whats inside!
It is Always Different when the other party does it
It’s all out there, has been for ages, stop Blurting and start reading.
Lot’s of good economic news out there – just this lone irritant bleating on and on.
I don’t care how much time you give Burt and PLP members, they will not read the documents and if they do I doubt we will see any progressive contribution. The sad thing is leadership under Burt is just not leadership. And when leadership is poor….you have….the PLP.
Lord this man reminds me of a moaning minni……..
Anything to deflect and keep the light on him within hiss following. Have to keep the sheep happy.
Anoth4er Donald.
Donald Burt.
David Burtrump
Happy 1st February
You are the leader of HM Opposition and have gravitas–you should be able to go diretly to the powers that be to obtain the relevant information for you and your colleagues to undertake the people’s business in resepct of the role of the Opposition party.
Why are you using the media and not your own position to secure the relevant information so you can productively deal with the situation?????
This I am afraid make it seem like you are only creating a political sideshow in place of actually doing the peoples work.
SOrry but it is what it is..
We see through this the young voters are watching your actions closely!!!
Pay attention to us!!!
If Mr. Burt doesn’t consider him or the entire PLP party stupid which I am sure he does not and that they are not. Then why can’t he/they disclose how his party managed to blow every last cent this country took in? Is it poor math skills? WHAT WAS IT???? We are all still waiting for an explanation. None of the things the OBS has done even come close to being shady compared to what the PLP did from 2007-2012.
I REITERATE the call for the plp to disclose the millions debacle of their reign of ruin