One Hour Video: PLP Town Hall On Governance
The PLP held a Town Hall Meeting on “Good Governance” this evening [Jan 24] at the Leopards Club, with the speakers including Leader of the Opposition & Shadow Finance Minister David Burt, Shadow Minister of Home Affairs Walton Brown and Shadow Attorney-General Michael Scott.
In announcing the meeting, the PLP said, “Throughout our history the PLP has always pushed for better governance and better government in Bermuda. Almost every progressive democratic reform that has taken place in Bermuda has been due to PLP pressure while in opposition, or by PLP action while in Government.
“Our reform proposals will increase citizens’ participation in our democracy; provide greater oversight which will reduce waste and inefficiency, create an anticorruption watchdog, and will implement campaign finance reform to limit wealthy donor influence.:
The one hour live video replay of Town Hall Meeting is below:
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was three anyone there?
Whose three anyone?
LMFAO
Don’t look like it to me! My word, this is how the PLP organize a town hall meeting?? Soooooo not Government marterial…
Well that all sounds very nice.
I just blew my cocktail out of my nose when I just read read the following!
“In announcing the meeting, the PLP said, “Throughout our history the PLP has always pushed for better governance and better government in Bermuda. Almost every progressive democratic reform that has taken place in Bermuda has been due to PLP pressure while in opposition, or by PLP action while in Government.”
They can’t be serious? If they are, this proves they have NO shame, and should never be elected again! Good grief!!!
We have an anti-corruption watchdog., the Auditor General. Remember – you tried to have him arrested and destroyed all because he did his job and asked questions about questionable bills and other matters.
….and the PAC is tasked with looking into the reports of the Auditor General. But, the last Chairman (speaking in this video)directed the agenda to the airport and the only conclusion they reached on Port Royal (when they stopped talking about the airport for a few hours)was that Bermuda got value for money. This is at odds with the COI’s findings.
Now we have a new Chairman who now wants to discuss the BTA results and spending. The BTA have clean audits for 2014 and 2015.
Why are the PAC looking at the BTA when they are supposed to be reviewing the auditor general’s reports? It couldn’t be that they are trying to sweep it all under the rug again could it?
Good governance? Don’t make me laugh.
We know that you love bashing the PLP – however facts matter.
In the OBA’s term – what can you point to that they have done? All they can say is they implemented PATI (a PLP idea which was well on the way to implementation when they were elected). There is nothing else despite all of the OBA promises before the election.
The PLP does have an impressive record on government reform:
http://bernews.com/2017/01/video-plp-good-governance-initiatives/
“During the party’s time in Government, we made the following changes:
The PLP in 1999 strengthened the Independence of the Office of the Auditor General.
The PLP abolished annual voter registration and introduced single seat constituencies with one man, one vote of equal value.
The PLP created the Office of the Ombudsman.
The PLP created the Internal Audit Department.
The PLP enacted public access to information legislation;
The PLP enacted Good Governance legislation, which introduced the office of project management and procurement to increase transparency & fairness in the tendering process, while also better managing capital projects.
The PLP enacted whistle-blowers legislation to protect public and private sector employees from retribution should they expose illegal activity.
Our record in improving the way our government works speaks for itself.”
“Good Governance” means setting up a budget and sticking to it. The PLP delighted in overspending. They had, with Burt as a minister, no idea how to control their finances. They acted as though money was unlimited. They said and belived that being in debt was a ‘good’ thing’. They revelled in it when Bermuda’s house prices fell, destroying the value of the largest life investment for most Bermudians. They delighted in companies moving their operations away from Bermuda, shrinking our economy.
They have no idea what ‘good governance’ means.
Facts do matter, because while you were busy talking…unethical but not illegal behavior, massive cost overruns, improper financial practices (remember the invoices for heritage wharf) or do we talk about EC, Berkeley, Port Royal, DLB building?
While vilifying foreigners and chasing them away, a climate of hate and fear.
How about the PLP apologise for the mess they left behind before they start attempting to lecture us on governance. Until then STFU.
Were the PLP strengthening the role of the Auditor General when they arrested him?
The PLP immediately redrew electoral boundaries to give themselves an advantage in the next election.
The Ombudsman? Toothless and expensive.
Internal audit? How did that work out? Lots of qualified actual audits.
Public Access to Information? Sure, and when you get that information it is redacted.
Project management? Let’s see….Berkley, Grand Atlantic, TCD, the Wharf, the Court Building….all way over budget and a large part of why we have a Commission of Inquiry going on right now. Good idea but with the PLP’s record you have to wonder why they bothered…or was it just optics?
Whistle Blowers legislation? I can’t think of one instance where this has been needed. I stand to be corrected.
And yet we suffered years of successive qualified audit opinions, hundreds of millions in operating deficits and billions of debt.
Hollow words and pointless lip service.
Yes, the PLP record of incompetency and ineptocracy speaks for itself.
Just off the top of my head as I recall
Huge overspending by the PLP – taking Bermuda from a positive tax revenue to something like 2 billion in debt
Introduced term limits and absurd restrictions on Bermudians owning property if their spouse was non Bermudian
Heritage Wharf, Dame LBE building, Port Royal GC hugely over budget and with no proper controls
Former leader of PLP under investigation
I do however agree with your statement – the PLP’s record “in improving the way our government works speaks for itself.”
The OBA have done a heck of a lot under the hood and brought legislation. They just haven’t told anyone because they’re useless at communication.
The PLP paid lip service to improvement and then presided over the total abandonment of financial control, etc.
All the OBA have done was enact PATI a PLP idea you say. Well that says it all! The OBA did what the PLP said they would do.
I had an idea once that I could extract gold from old circuit boards. However I did nothing with that isea. Someone else did something instead of talking about it. My loss. I cant pat myself on the back because I had tge idea, started the process and the stopped.
Where’s the missing money????? Is that their idea of Good Governance?
The PLP in 1999 strengthened the Independence of the Office of the Auditor General.
THAT IS NOT GOOD GOVERNANCE….THEY HAD THE AG ARRESTED FOR DOING HIS JOB LMFAO!
I just couldn’t resist this…you want to know what the OBA is doing for us? This is just a taste…
I recently received a comment on my facebook page which read, “Can you all concentrate on the present needs instead of always talking about the previous Government on what they did or didn’t do this to me is a distraction for you all for not doing what is needed now.” I responded saying that it has taken us 4 years to get to where we are and to actually be able to see past the dark clouds to the bright future ahead with more jobs, increases in tourism, increases in retail and increases in construction. And I concluded by promising to forge ahead and to not be distracted from what we must do to improve the life of all Bermudians. After I sent that I sat down and turned my mind to what we have done as a government to make life better for all of us. Here are just a few of the initiatives taken and the legislation passed to tackle the financial mess we inherited and to make Bermuda fair, inclusive, safe, and economically strong and to make government accountable and transparent:
• Cut Cabinet Minister’s pay by 10%
• Implemented the Public Access to Information legislation
• Established a Commission of Inquiry to investigate Auditor’s report
• Vastly reduced the usage of GP cars
• Appointed the SAGE Commission to review government operations with public input
• Passed payroll tax exemptions to boost hiring of Bermudians
• Issued new rules to all Gov’t departments to hold their spending to budget allocations
• Established the Micro Loan Programme to assist small business
• Passed key legislation to the Companies Act, Life Insurance Act, Trustee Act to ensure Bermuda’s competitiveness as a jurisdiction of choice for business
• Established the Bermuda Development Agency to attract business to Bermuda
• Succeeded in the bid to host the America’s Cup final this year which will generate an estimated $250mn in local spending and will create jobs
• Negotiated to build a new airport which will be on time and on budget and will create hundreds of jobs without increasing our national debt
• As a result we see Real Estate sales up and the real-estate market stabilized, Retail Sales up month over month for 16 out of the last 17 months, GDP positive growth for the first time since 2008, tourist arrivals up for the first time in over a decade with more air lift and more cruise ship visits
• Formation of an independent Fiscal Responsibility Panel to report on government performance
• We achieved Solvency II designation which ensures that our insurance industry remains competitive
• Extended early retirement to civil servants and thereby reduced the numbers and costs of running government without any job cuts
• Introduced 24/7 ambulance service to the East and West ends of the Island
• Outlawed discrimination on the grounds of mental illness
• Created a court-run Mental Health Progremme for people who commit minor offences due to mental illness
• Established a Mental Health Court
• Eliminated discrimination on the basis of age and sexual orientation
• Passed legislation which reformed the operations of our municipalities
• Passed legislation to crack down on those who abuse the immigration laws and imposed penalties for work permit violations to employees and employers
• Set up an Immigration Appeals Tribunal
• Increased Financial Assistance to more than $50mn more than doubt what it was in 2009 ($22mn)
• Established the SCORE Report and the SCORE Advisory Committee to consider feasibility of school reorganization
• Raised teacher recruitment standards in the core subjects of English, Math and Science
• Established a comprehensive black history curriculum in the Public Schools
• Implemented the Danielson Framework to strengthen teaching skills
• Established the Tourism Authority to renew our tourism product
• Undertook remedial work to Heritage Wharf at Dockyard to welcome the Norwegian Breakaway
• Passed the Pink Beach and Princess Hotels Concessions Acts to strengthen tourism product and to create jobs for Bermudians
• Passed Casino Gaming Bill to attract hotel development and job creation
• As a result $100mn has been invested in Hamilton Princess, Pink Beach rebuild underway, $150mn investment in St Regis Hotel in St George’s about to proceed, Development at Morgan’s Point and Surf Side underway with Ariel Sands and other properties moving forward with their plans to upgrade their properties
• Tendering of Horseshoe Beach concession with renovations underway
• Funded the hiring of 20 new police officers
• Passed the proceeds of Crime Act
• Implemented the Cash Back for Communities
• Initiated Police officer training in gang resistance (GREAT) program
• For the first time the Royal Bermuda Regiment met it’s recruitment needs from volunteers
• Introduced Team Street Safe gang mediation
• Set the stage for cautions to be issued to first time offenders of minor offences
• As a result firearm offences are down 32% and homicides are down 48%
• Implemented protection for vulnerable witnesses
• Implemented a GED and outreach programmes for prison inmates giving them a second chance and thus reducing the risk of recidivism
• Passed the Criminal Jurisdiction and Procedure Act rationalizing the process for criminal cases
• Increased pensions for seniors by 5% for the first time since 2011
• Introduced home care services for seniors and increased specialist visits for wellness support
• Introduced new protections for seniors through the Senior Abuse Register
We have been busy! As you can see from the above, which is not comprehensive and only provides a highlight of the work we have been doing, your government is working for you. In the words of the Premier The Hon. Michael Dunkley ,”Our mission is to make Bermuda fair, inclusive and safe, with a strong economy and a transparent government helping people move forward.”
Have a nice day!
Hey silly if they did all that you claim how did they loose so much money was it lost was it spent was it …. ?
now I see how Donald Trump makes his ridiculous claims
Navin Johnson Donald Trump’s claims are rooted in the same mindset of those who enslaved our ancestors and it is quite obvious if you have the KKK rooting for you, other white supremacist groups and 53% of Euro-American women who voted for him. The things he has said, his cabinet picks and his policies harken back to the Jim Crow era.
How many people were there? Front row looks sparse…
Sandgrownan: You sound childlike it is not a matter of the crowd there is something called the internet.
Wiki definition of a Town Hall: attendees generally present ideas, voice their opinions, ask questions of the public figures, elected officials, or political candidates at the town hall.
Or they sit at home on the internet and watch a video, after the fact.
Basically you are saying that you will just follow along with whatever the leaders say. You don’t need to get involved. Gotcha.
I’m sure the PLP would have no problem for fundraising caps on election spending… they have the BIU and PC to campaign for them as well that wouldn’t be limited. They also grossly misrepresent good government reforms under their watch, this would be easier highlight if the PAC would actually look into the damning reports of the various Auditor Generals over their tenure in administration, rather than spending brief sessions just glossing over them. Doesn’t help that the PAC chairman doesn’t think he should have to recuse himself from their meetings over the financial issues that occurred while he was in the Ministry of Finance. Meanwhile he spend so much press ink demanding documents that aren’t legally available… or even exist, ignoring now the plethora of information that now show what the deal actually is, more information than has ever been available to the public on any deal any government has even conducted before now… including the deals that took place under his watch, and lack of calls for transparency then.
With all due respect – the PLP has never once taken any responsibility or apologized for the sorry state that they left this country in. Not once have the current leaders stood up and acknowledged that their former leaders gambled and lost nd we are paying for it . All of us!
The former PLP government actually had some good honest, hard working members. Unfortunately, those members were pushed out, demoted, forced to resign or silenced while a few took over the party, spent frivolously, handed contracts only to those within their circle or those connected to them. They tried to bully the international business community and it backfired. many left. When they started moving or transferring departments to other jurisdictions they panicked. To hide the truth and the fact the unemployment was spiraling out of control, they simply created jobs or hired within government. 1,000 jobs added to the Bermuda Government payroll – all while companies were leaving and the economy was shrinking.
In addition you have aligned yourself with groups like the PC and stood to the side and did nothing to correct the lies being told about Mr. tweeds contract, his inaccurate and incomplete application and claims that he was Bermudian.
Until you the new PLP acknowledge and confront your past leaders and ask where did the money go please don’t preach about good governance.
During their time in power, $800 million was listed as unaccounted for by the Auditor General. The way most people see it they were innocent and incompetent and didn’t know what the heck they were doing or b)”something strange happened to the money! You decide. Either way, can we put you in power when you won’t even talk about this?
Your premier – also the minister of tourism at the time took a ride on the Globalhue jet and then awarded that same company a multi-million dollar contract and you all kept very quiet and still have not acknowledged it.
I can go on and on and talk in length about “we had to deceive you”, the Quigars, Grand Atlantic, Port Royal, the Cruise ship Pier contract, Dame Lois Building contract, TCD contract, Bermuda Emissions, T-Street home – Flatts, Tuckers Point , Vesey Street and many other SDOs, Bda Housing Corp bills.
The sad thing is that almost every one of these controversies involved the same handful of PLP members. They bullied the rest, and silenced the critics within the party and only stepped back on their own terms and let others take the wheel – after the damage was done, and let them go down with the ship. However, until the present leaders and members within tell the country the truth, we can trust your talk of “Good Governance” and be sure you will stop those same people or others from doing the same.
Sorry, once bitten..twice shy.
Davit Burt said a lot of words without saying anything. Nothing new there.
It is unimportant whether the hall was empty or full.I am hearing the message,in my living room ,,,,,,warm and dry ,while it is raining outside.Many others are doing the same thing,thanks to internet and Ber-news.Go forward P.L.P,,,,we hear ya.Peace and victory,,,see you at the polls.
i doubt that it would matter what they are saying..you would still feel the same way..
The PLP cannot go forward when they are constantly looking back.
Dont forget your History and know your Destiny.
You have to know where you come from in order to know where you’re going.
We know its an embarrassing History for some, but sweeping it under de carpet without addressing de root of de problem is like picking a scab from a sore.
That’s why we shouldn’t forget how clueless, inept, self-serving and incompetent the PLP were when they were in power.
Yes oj u said it. Ill agree with you just this once. It is an embarrassing history for “some” as u put it. I for one dont feel guilty for anything as we all shouldnt. Mind u i am only in my mid 30s. Guessing u r at least 50 going by your usual posts. Constantly blaming us only makes most of us care even less. Sorry mate thats just the way it is. I will never accept responsibility for something i never did. Would be stupid if i did. Click away on the dislike if u all wish. Dont change a damn thing. Keep blaming me/us tho. See how far that gets u. Ive said it before, i am a product of my environment. Judge as u wish
Right Turn: When you look back you have a better understanding what is taking place in the present. Because there is nothing new under the sun, there are new tactics, new players but the same game.
Plp give me back my 1 hour.
UBP give me back my 400 years of FREE labour.
Slavery existed from 1620-1834. UBP was founded in 1964. So unless they’re responsible for 214 years of slavery ending 130 years prior to their formation, I’m going to say your numbers are off.
.am Slavery may have existed from 1620-1834 but the racist and unjust policies implemented by those barbarians are still place and those unjust policies and laws were implemented specifically to target those of African descent.
Modern day slavery is taking place in front of our faces everyday and is rooted in economic racism (hiring practices) exploitation, oppression,and unjust policies.
Like Malcom X who stood for justice stated: Slavery ended on paper but not in practice.
And all the other stuff.
I want to know where the petition is for the Airport Development to be debated in Parliament.
The only people being fooled are Bermudians. Everyone else has taken their place in Bermuda. And the locals are being moved around to make room for others .No government or political party believes in good governance .It’s just a “catch word,” being used by their foreign advisors. Name the government that has put the people of Bermuda first ? Crime still grows , and the under the table deals have never stopped. PLP,UBP it’s all the same .The OBA was the creation of something new, different , and pure . What we got with the removal of Craig , was much of the same UBP way of thinking. Mr. Premier , the people of this country want to know that you understand their concerns. You must speak to the black community of Bermuda .Failure to do so , will leave them no other choice , than to look elsewhere for leadership. Good Governance, is taking care of the people of your country first .COMMUNICATION IS EVERYTHING . We don’t know what the government is doing for us , and you just can’t go around communicating with just half of the country. Let’s be Real.
I have heard this being said before but can you tell me more specifically what you mean by saying “you must speak to the black community ” and “you just can’t go around communicating with just half of the country.” I am hearing the government’s message and getting the message from multiple sources. I can speak directly with my parish elected official, who happens to be our Premier, via several methods of communication and always get a response whether I point out something negative or positive. How is the message not being communicated? I ask in all seriousness to understand where the problem lies.
Craig removed himself.
Let’s ask Craig about that .
Rodney get off the fence. You are all over the place. Make a decision on what party you support. I’m tired of your hypocrisy as well. And frankly I quite happy with the OBA communication. The problem is the folks who aren’t hearing what they want to hear or get are the ones who are simply deaf!
I’m prepared to use my real name, what about you ? You sit across from me, but won’t open your BIG mouth in the room. Why is that ?
Can you explain a bit more about “you must speak to the black community of Bermuda” and “you just can’t go around communicating with just half the country.” I have received lots of information from the government on a multiple of social media platforms and in news sources. I can reach out to my parish elected official, who happens to be the Premier, in a variety of ways and have heard back whether I write something negative or positive. I am not asking you to be facetious but to find out more about how you feel the black community is not being spoken to or reached out to. Are there venues that should be considered, other platforms that can be used?
@ rodney smith
While I agree that the OBA can improve their communication skills, you must also accept that a segment of this island are unwilling to listen to what they have to say. Have we forgotten the public meeting where protesters shouted over the speakers robbing the rest of us the ability to listen to what was supposed to be said? Communication requires participation on both sides.
And your the one not listening.
OBA did not win due to “… wealthy donor influence…”
So to “… create an anticorruption watchdog, and… implement campaign finance reform…” is a waste of time
IF YOU WANT TO WIN THE NEXT ELECTION,COME CLEAN and HOLD THOSE IN YOUR PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS
Where are the people?
Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an effect. The common oxymoron phrase is a combination of an adjective proceeded by a noun with contrasting meanings, e.g. “PLP good governance”.
Seriously?
I cannot imagine a party that was more anti good governance than the PLP was during their tenure.
“We don’t care what you think”
“We had to deceive you”
They simply rammed through whatever their agenda was regardless of what the people of Bermuda said.
You cannot whitewash what you did to us during those years.
The first step should be an apology to the people of Bermuda.
I will be waiting patiently I imagine.
Burt can’t be trusted – according to his own party members.
On November 12, six members of Executive resign following Burt becoming leader.
Seems Burt is Bermuda’s Trump.
NCM everyone continues to throw around Trump’s name when it comes to the PLP. The PLP and Trump do not have anything in common when Trump and his Euro-American supporters who voted for him want to take America back to the Jim Crow era. And who also have the same mindset as those who oppressed our ancestors and who are still oppressing us under this unequal and unjust system implemented by those of European descent during slavery.
So it is quite obvious this inhumane system we live under was not implemented for our benefit.
From the mouth of the elusterious Donal J. Trump, or as I call him “Orange Hitler” FAKE NEWS.boys, your spearding fake news.
Good Governence you say. Holy Moly we are over two billion in debt, how the H$@LL did we get there is the PLP PTA rise good governence?
hmmm
You really need to introspect on this one plp…
good governance is not you strong suit…
first things first gotta find where the last public funds went
motto should be “standing weak ,anti equality and unprogressive for Bermudians”