Airport Project Agreement Review Released
[Updated] Premier and Minister of Finance David Burt is holding a press conference this afternoon [Feb 23]. We will have additional coverage later on, and in the meantime the live video of Premier Burt’s press conference is below.
Update 1.32pm: We will update with the full information as able, with Premier Burt saying that the Government is releasing the review of the airport deal today. He said the Government would have to pay Aecon a “minimum of $196 million” to terminate the contract today, and the project agreement does not allow changes.
The 14-minute live video replay is below:
Update 3.45pm: Premier Burt said, “True democracy demands transparency and transparency grows trust. The previous government was not transparent, and at every turn, an agenda, other than one for the people of this country, was being pursued.
“The project agreement for the redevelopment of LF Wade International Airport stands as a stain on the relationship between a government and the people it is meant to serve. From start to finish this agreement has been caught up in justifiable concern expressed in homes, clubs and churches across the Island. The People’s Campaign gave voice to the core issues presented by this bad deal and promoted a public awareness of its significance to a generation of our people.
“Central to our election promises to the people of Bermuda was to look carefully and deliberately at the Agreement and to determine how we could reverse what had been done in their name but not on their behalf. The review is now complete and I am today releasing the results of that review to the public. I encourage everyone to read it and digest what has been found.
“The Government carried out a review to determine whether it could: terminate the contract, and if we could not, then could we change the contract so Bermuda has more control of its own Airport. And finally, we wanted to know whether we could make the contract more beneficial for Bermudians; in short, we wanted ‘a better deal’.
“The review was undertaken by the Bermuda Airport Authority and its global infrastructure advisor, LeighFisher. And in the interest of complete transparency, it will be made available to the Bermuda Public today in its entirety, and can be found on the Government portal at www.gov.bm.
“We encourage the Public to read it and decide what is relevant to them; however Leigh Fisher made a few findings that I wish to highlight.
“Firstly, Leigh Fisher found that terminating the contract, while being legally possible, would produce commercial, political and reputational damage that far exceeded any of the benefits of termination. The process of terminating the contract can be found in Section 15[3] of the Project Agreement [which can be found on www.parliament.bm].
“Some Bermudians, especially lawyers may find it interesting that the Agreement does not even have a section that addresses ‘early termination’ on the part of AECON; in other words, while the contract wholeheartedly defends AECON’s interests if the Government terminates the contract, it is woefully silent on Bermuda’s interests.
Summary extracted from the LeighFisher report
“While the financial consideration is the most significant aspect, terminating the contract would also send a worrying message to the world in terms of Bermuda honouring contracts with international companies.
“While it is difficult to give a precise figure on how much it would cost to terminate, I did ask our Technical Officers for an approximate cost if the Government terminated the contract today; the estimate that we have been given is in that the government would have to pay AECON a minimum of $196 million dollars.
“Therefore, unfortunately, as the Minister of Finance, it would be fiscally irresponsible of me to bankrupt the Country, damage our credit rating, and sink our reputation globally by paying a penalty of millions of dollars to terminate the contract; in fact, it would be just as fiscally irresponsible as it was for the former OBA Government to enter into this contract in the first place.
“More importantly, however, I refuse to deprive a child of the necessary investment in their education; I will not preside over an erosion in the benefits we owe our seniors and I cannot betray the taxpayers of this country who rightly expect to receive the services we promised to provide.
“Make no mistake, this review is our initial examination of this agreement. We will not rest until we achieve the best possible outcome from this situation. Why? Because on December 2nd, 2016, citizens in this country who were engaged in a lawful protest, another cornerstone of democracy, were pepper sprayed in scenes that sicken me to this day. Where the people exercise their rights, guaranteed under the Constitution, their government must respect the expression of their views. To paraphrase what I said in the Budget Statement: The people should no longer have to shout to be heard.
“Since we cannot wisely terminate the contract, is there a way to negotiate changes? The Reviewers found that unlike other similar contracts, this project agreement does not allow any changes. Leigh Fisher stated, and I quote: “The Project Agreement does not contain a mechanism to facilitate the introduction of changes or variations to the Project. This is extremely unusual for P3 contracts particularly due to the lengthy term…”
“Therefore, without a clause that sets out how to make changes, and which ones can be made, the Government cannot change the contract at all. This one shameful and degrading failure by the OBA may be the most heinous aspect of the whole Agreement.
“My genuine hope in all of this was to determine the best means by which to get us out of this Agreement. I asked the Deputy Premier – Minister Walter Roban to bring the Agreement to this press conference today and these immense binders before you constitute ‘the Agreement’.
“Here are the reams of paper produced with one apparent objective: to deprive the people of Bermuda of their most significant asset. Let me be clear, we are not discouraged by this sight and these volumes of “legal-ese”. Our commitment to the people of Bermuda remains unwavering. We will work through this bad deal and do all that we can to realize some good for the people.”
The LeighFisher Review of Airport Agreement follows below [PDF here]:
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How can Burt say words like bankrupt and fiscal responsibility with a straight face.Bermuda is another world.
PS looking forward to traveling through Bob Richards international airport.
OBA should be BANNED from practicing politics, gave our airport away for 30 years.
Oh bunion juice. You like many of burts fools have a short memory. Does port royal golf, berkely school & the new court house jog your memory? I guess not.
The best thing that ever happened to Bermuda and the PLP was the OBA. That is the truth.
Ya it showed in de polls.
24-12
Report is proof that all the PLP noise was wrong. They tricked the public to rant and march over nothing, 24 12 was a result of their lies. How does it feel to be taken for a fool by the PLP.
Trust, honesty and fair dealing is the basis for trade. Premier Burt has made it clear to any potential large investor that the PLP Government is not to be trusted and will look to have cancellation and change provisions in any new contracts. That will cut off any prospective investment dead. The world is open for business, but Bermuda wants terms and conditions to suit the PLP.
Wait for it .
‘Mr 24-12′ will soon be back saying ..
“24-12″
Yeah and the same for the PLP for putting us billions of dollars in debt. Remember our books always balanced until the Plp took over
If your gonna blame then blame them all on both sides
And OBA doubled it.
LMAO
*And OBA doubled it.*
By having to keep obligations with long term ramifications carried over from your PLP.
And by not laying off 1/2 of the civil service (something that Barbados did btw)
Back to you Mr 24-12
The PLP increased it by 433% and the OBA increased it by 62%.
The facts have an anti-PLP bias.
Should the PLP be also banned for giving away our hospital revenues ($30mn annually) for 30 years?
You should be banned from voting. The reason why we needed to do anything like this is because Bermuda is broke and that is due to the plp.
Ya we heard that a lot from SpongeBob, then pulled $100 Million out of his @$$ to host a sailboat race for Billionaires.
24-12
Good riddance
Still lying.
I wish we could say good riddance to you. Get out of my country.
So long bye bye
NO!!!!!!!!!!!
LMAO
That’s right 24-12. Has your beloved PLP figured out how to pick up trash yet? LMAO
Can’t believe the PLP wasted more taxpayer money for a report to tell us something we already knew. Burt is going to go down as just an inept Finance Minister just like his mentor, Paula Cox.
Ya like Famous sent yours into retirement.
LMAO
79 million. And I know you saw the report. That 79 million investment will see a return of almost 340 million.
We live in hope.
Does that include the cost of Cross island?
Even including that cost (a lot of which was used to boost our own economy by the way) we still more than doubled our investment.
Actually $64m.
so Shall we host an event for the poor ?
Who cares for 1 and for 2 had the incompetent and irresponsible PLP not squandered our money we perhaps could have afforded this in a capitol procurement versus lease model. Blaming the OBA shows pure ignorance of the root issue that put Bermuda where it is.
But Bermuda can’t afford to build one….
what a waste of a press conference what I want you to hear story Nothing on if it is a good deal or not but only what would happen if they tried to cancel the deal.Why cancel a good project and a great deal for Bermuda. What a croc of SXXT Burt is so bad at this and add to it the plp budget no real substance just dreams and numbers they will blow this budget and that I guarantee…we will be broke by Christmas Again when will they be held to any level of accountability…
I didn’t vote them in
It won’t be long before Burt is taking credit for the jobs this creates and the boost it gives to the economy.
Why not, we are paying for it.
I’m paying for the trash to be picked up but you people can’t do that either.
No, we’re not…idiot.
You keep saying we, well it’s (us) all of us
Oh de spin spin spin – must have written this down at the Spinning Wheel
I’m surprised he didn’t give himself whiplash he was spinning so fast.
The reams and reams of paper? You would prefer a 2 page document? Those two pagers always allow varying levels of “State Capture”
$196 Million!??? Mike and Bob should be ashamed of themselves!
Um Why?
Why? It is costing them over $200mn to build. Funds which they have to borrow. Not a business person I guess.
Didnt Mark Bean state one time that Bermuda portrayed herself like a lady in the night, well we found out now that she was working overtime on her back.
How come the report says different than your analysis?
When did you become an expert on P3 structures?
Report says it was a reasonable deal. Nowhere does the report say otherwise.
PLP and other factions got people to march and vote the OBA out with lies and fearmongering playing on people’s emotions. Makes me sick.
One term party was an embarrassment.
24-12
Good riddance
Every village has one and you are ours!!!
Bless
Or just let them build the damn thing and leave well enough alone
werent you all about fiscal responsibility just yesterday?
It’s a contract. It took Burt 8 months to find out that an agreement is an agreement. That’s what a freakin contract is. It’s an agreement where both sides make a commitment.
We can’t easily get out of it, and the other side also can’t easily get out of it.
That’s because it’s a contract.
If Burt had any business experience whatsoever he would have known this going in. Instead he made promises he had no chance of keeping. Perhaps he is an incompetent idiot.
Um how bout Harbour Front?
Oh ya they legislated a law to overturn that.
24-12
Good riddance
Thank goodness. The guy that deal was handed to allowed 18 million to go missing.
Do you drive on south Road in Warwick? When you pass the Grand Atlantic what are your thoughts?
Chris Famous said you could build an airport for $100m? Why don’t you just do that?
Oh yeah. Because it was another PLP lie.
Hey Burt. Could you be a bit more transparent about the recent award of the Cross Island promotion and event management to Savvy Entertainment. Who are most definitely NOT a global company.
Ya worrying about Cross island after these dreamers tried to prostitute our island away. Either Aecon are master negotiators, or those who made the deal have a vested interest or we got pimped.
Or all of the above.
Kinda like our hospital
We needed a hospital, you spend 2 hours max at an airport.
Duhhh
“We needed a hospital, you spend 2 hours max at an airport.”
We needed an airport that conforms to international security regulations, so that you and your ilk can go to Atlanta on shopping trips twice a year.
What would you do if countries like the US and Canada refuse to accept flights from Bermuda, because Bermuda didn’t build a secure airport facility in the 20 years they were allotted after 9/11?
How would you spin this to blame “people who don’t look like you”?
Refuse to accept flights from Bermuda because ……..
LMAO
Its a shame you are so ignorant.
Bunion juice you need hospital treatment & a long term stay @ MAWI. You will fit in well there. You knob.
Just when I think you cant sink deeper into a pit of stupidity you defy logic and do it.
Well done my brethren. You rock.
Can you go the way of the OBA too?
Report says it is a reasonable deal. Stop making up nonsense Onion Juice. The fact you are here only proves that the PLP have messed up.
FYI genius…foreign investors already own us. And we know who to thank for that.
Hey bettle juice
If what you say is true than your PLP government must be tha biggest pimp..
It wants to sell us out some more with the 60/40 idea..
That, like the hospital, is different. Because.
Wow did you go university to figure that out!!!! Well the ploy at least got you voted in, the circles are starting to collide.
Thats what a contract is Burt. What are you not understanding. You are hyping the mundane again.
Well the Premier certainly can read from a paper!
Yes. Burt attended Purvis primary in the last day or so.
To learn to read.
After reading the actual report the Permier’s ‘bad deal’ insinuation doesn’t seem to be aligned with the actual findings by Leigh Fisher. It actually just about states the opposite.
But politicians have to be politicians I guess.
David Burt is a special kind of politician. Not all are like him.
This is the crux:
“-Terms and conditions of the Project Agreement are broadly consistent with other similar contracts;
- The interest rate for the long-term debt is within market range;
- The return on investment for the equity sponsor, Aecon, is within market range;
- The balance of risk/reward is consistent with other similar projects;”
Points 3 and 4 particularly pertinent to the argument that the foreign invaders are taking Bermuda for a ride.
The not so good news:
“-Unlike other similar P3 projects, this Project Agreement doesn’t allow changes; it doesn’t have variation provisions, which is unusual for a 30-year concession agreement. The only way to make substantive changes to its terms and conditions is to terminate the agreement;”
But the Premier pledged that Government would work through the “bad deal and do all that we can to realise some good for the people of whom we serve”.
Mr Burt said that scrapping the plan would cost $196 million.
He said such action would be “fiscally irresponsible”.
Mr Burt added: “If fact, it would be just as fiscally irresponsible as it was for the former OBA government to enter into this contract in the first place.”
A new airport would have unquestionably been the very last of any large government projects on the books .
The bitterness , no , the anger that this is out of the reach of sticky fingers in cookie jars is palpable .
But the spin will be swallowed up by the illiterate , and angry .
So how much did this review cost?? He told us nothing that was not already known before this review…
Wasn’t the PLP looking at $500 million to build a new airport?
Seems to me that Bob Richards got us a really good deal.
Guess this administration is doing what they do best…SPIN.
Not that I am any great fan of the gentleman but Ewart’s was somewhat smaller with no extra bells and whistles like fountains out front at about half the price – and we would have owned and presumably continued to profit from it.
Guess you forgot about the PLP tendency to never have a project come in on budget or on time.
Dame Lois building, Port Royal, King’s Wharf ring a bell?
This is a guaranteed contract. As you know guaranteed on time and budget.
Well done OBA for writing an airtight contract that prevents meddling and protects the people of Bermuda from the previous cost overruns the like of which have never been seen before (or since) in Bermuda.
You are full of crap! Just look at who benefits from the airport project! Do your homework!
Port royal. Fourseasons gate. Grand atlantic. Sacking an independent comissioner. $24m for a $4m swimming pool. Passing laws to restrict rights.
Breaking your promise to balance the budget.
Bunch of liars.
Who benefits?
Oh bunion juice. You like many of burts fools have a short memory. Does port royal golf, berkely school & the new court house jog your memory? I guess not.
The PlTrumps are out.
Rip Bermuda.
Read the report. Burt is making up nonsense. Report is very positive on the deal. Report was asked to look into ways to potentially improve the deal. There was little to nothing of magnitude to do with the deal that the govt departments like immigration don’t already handle as part of their normal ongoing dealings.
Again we are stuck with the legacy of Bob Richard’s arrogance: doubled the debt saying growth would cover it, stuck it to local business with higher taxes (especially payroll) while rolling out the red carpet for some very sleazy foreign operations to wiggle in and operate seasonal businesses in cahoots with the cruise industry. And now a completely awful airport deal for a terminal the likes of which was never needed in the first place – back in the 80s the current one handled twice the traffic it does now. From the outset this was an OBA ego project figuring they could buy off voters by creating a couple hundred temporary construction jobs. Thank God this arrogant, hostile incompetent is gone.
Since you seem to have been in another place from 1998 to 2012 it might help to read Bob Richards’s book.
When you’re left on “the brink” by bad fiscal decisions as the previous PLP bequeathed; your options are severely limited.
Airport has been a series of patch jobs for the last 25 years. Seems to me it’s better to get a guaranteed on time on budget contract, than have millions disappear again and have a COI!
how much did this report cost? I am sure it could have bought us a new bus and enough gas to run it or hell even a new trash truck…. boy frig
Big Question is why? Why was this done in this manner, to lock Bermuda from it’s most valuable asset?
Why is it Burt doesn’t know what a contract is?
How much money did this report cost the taxpayer?
Very weird that they decided to distract from the opposition reply to the Budget and the Karron news.
I new this was going be the situation. When they was doing work before the deal was even apporved i knew it was setup so that the airport thing could not be stopped. very sad
This is ridiculous, and yet his base is going to eat it up. Wake up people, he didn’t say anything, and then he wants to make himself out to be some kind of hero for not terminating the contract? Lunacy.
How come getting better deals for taxpayers was not a priority when the plp were in power for 15 years previous? Need I point out Berkley? A start up contractor awarded an $80M contract that they could not finish end result $60M additional cost to BERMUDIANS. Then there is Grand Atlantic, court building, Port Royal, cruise ship terminal, “missing” $800M, etc. I think the OBA saw a matter of urgency in the event that they lost the election. The plp government projected a cost of $500M to build an airport and given their record that price would have soared and been subject to all sorts of speculation of corruption. They p…ed away a surplus and left us in debt $2.5B and we voted them back….?
Wake up Bermuda this lot are electioneering after an election – who does that? Tell them to start working.
It will be a LOOOONNNNGGGG time before OBA get back in, so get used to being a good opposition.
24-12
Good riddance.
Grow up bunion juice. You sound like a broken needle stuck on a record album track
Please, give me a break. Stop complaining about something that clearly by industry standards, is a reasonable deal, and focus your ‘energies’ on going out and finding some Return On Investment for the worst (and ugliest) capital project in Bermuda’s history, your own, empty and aging Grand Atlantic.
Spin Burt spin.
A precedence has been set on how to airtight a contract…
Wait for it ..
Wait for it….
Wait for it……
A plp airtight contract that the people don’t like..
A ‘precedence’ has been set?
Don’t tell me. You’re a civil servants aren’t you.
Burt is only acting dumb, what he is doing is sounding off to deflect the issues and ill`s of Bermuda that his voter base are concerned about. Why arn`t they marching? I wonder what the PLP are going to do to attract an event as big as the AC35 to Bermuda shores. Oh i know,,, nothing.
Sell out of a Bermudian would be asset to the Chinese for 30 years and Bermuda can not do anything to reverse th3e greatest turn over of this OBA monument to their one term aa government. Thank goodness the people of Bermuda had the good sense to liberate their country with the political verdict of July 18.
24-12
One term pathetic party.
Good riddance.
You keep saying good riddance but you keep coming back!
That’s all you’ve got, OJ?
24 -12…means nothing now…but, you don’t get that.
LOL, you’re such a moron, OJ.
One term pathetic party spent the money like drunken sailors. Pun intended.
OJ, you needn’t call the plp pathetic. Yes they only served for one term…..and put Bermuda into the greatest debt ever seen on this island. Why are you so proud of this? Why do you want Bermuda to fail? You have a lot of anger OJ, you should seek help.
Your plp spent like drunken sailors cruising in a park…lol.
What happen OJ Can’t get your hands on de money for the airport contract! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ! Outwit and out smart your dummies all d while!
I guess you are referring to AC and that was a great example of value for money. About $50M spent with $300M generated. Can you give an example of a plp project that did the same or even came close? I cannot but hey I am on the 12 side of 24-12. Oh by the way the AC was a BIG catalyst for getting the Triathlon here.
You are full of it! The 40 Thieves made the money!! Greatest wool over eyes since stealing land in the 40’s!
Your pathetic. Your just harming our country. Get out please.
You’re really not very clever, are you?
The People aren’t liberated at all. Owned by foreign lenders. And soon to be more under thumb – 40/60. They sold you before the OBA and now it seems you’re just fine with them doing it again. The only thing you seem liberated from is your sense of direction.
Are u joking?!? Lol. Wow you are completely lost arent you?!
Alvin the only sellout in Bermuda’s history is you and the PLP . DO YOUR MATH ACEBOY STARTING IN 1998!!!!
Lets see if it can be put in simple enough terms for even somebody like OJ to understand.
You book a hotel room for 5 nights. You now have a contract for services. After 2 nights of your stay you decide that you don’t want the other 3 nights. You want to break that contract. Do you suppose for one moment that the hotel is going to say “fine, no problem. No charge.” Absolutely no way will that happen. You will get charged for your full 5 nights. The hotel might return a portion if another guest is found to take the room but that is unlikely on short notice.
You made a commitment to be there. The hotel made a commitment to accommodate you. There is no backing out without a penalty.
Great news it’s airtight the PLP money grappling politicians can’t get their hands on any of it , no contracts for friends and family byeeeeee bye now suck it up and thanks bob
Find the f-ing loophole keep looking !!!!!
I had to smile at Burt displaying the closing binders as if the contractual volume is somehow an indictment of the airport deal. It goes to show that he: (a) has never operated in sophisticated commercial environment and (b) is quite out of his depth.
Also, it’s not surprising that this report was dumped on a Friday afternoon press conference. Despite Burt’s desperate spin, LeighFisher confirmed what the (Bermudian) Blue Ribbon Panel already told us: we got a good deal. The PLP is gribble because they can’t award the contracts for Bermuda’s largest ever capital project. Get over it.
if that contract was made transparent do you think it would have been allowed? 30 years with out the ability to be changed. a lot can happen in 30 years.
I wonder if North Korea was able to gain control of this contract would they be allowed to park their air force at the airport location right at the door step of the east of the USA.
Do you OBA people see how foolish this contract is?
Since this contract can not be altered there is nothing Bermuda could do.
Explain to me how this is a bad deal but the hospital is a good deal?
I see how foolish your posting is!
“I wonder if North Korea was able to gain control of this contract …”
“Do you OBA people see how foolish this contract is?”
You’ve proven yourself to be the most stupid person to ever post on the internet.Thank you for revealing your true self.
What are you, about ten years old?
no but it seems you kids need everything everything spelt out for you. we can not change the contract. that land now belongs to the owner of the acon. acon is being sold to a Chinese company.
1. what in the contract says that it can be sold to a Koren company?
2. what is the contract says that the owner of the contract can rent some of the land to some other government to store or deploy jet fighters?
“1. what in the contract says that it can be sold to a Koren company?
2. what is the contract says that the owner of the contract can rent some of the land to some other government to store or deploy jet fighters?”
Here are your answers, munchkin:
1) nothing
2) nothing
you’re an idiot
“The project agreement for the redevelopment of LF Wade International Airport stands as a stain on the relationship between a government and the people it is meant to serve. From start to finish this agreement has been caught up in justifiable concern expressed in homes, clubs and churches across the Island. The People’s Campaign gave voice to the core issues presented by this bad deal and promoted a public awareness of its significance to a generation of our people.”
Are you suggesting that we should have borrowed money to build a new airport? Most people accept that we need a new airport, the existing one leaks when it rains! Would you prefer to take our debt (that we cannot service now) to over $3 billion in order to build a new airport?
“Some Bermudians, especially lawyers may find it interesting that the Agreement does not even have a section that addresses ‘early termination’ on the part of AECON; in other words, while the contract wholeheartedly defends AECON’s interests if the Government terminates the contract, it is woefully silent on Bermuda’s interests.”
Yes, like most contracts. Contracts are written on the basis that they will be honoured, not breached. Why is that a surprise?
“While the financial consideration is the most significant aspect, terminating the contract would also send a worrying message to the world in terms of Bermuda honouring contracts with international companies.”
Agreed, please remember those words.
“I refuse to deprive a child of the necessary investment in their education; I will not preside over an erosion in the benefits we owe our seniors and I cannot betray the taxpayers of this country who rightly expect to receive the services we promised to provide.”
Agreed!
“Because on December 2nd, 2016, citizens in this country who were engaged in a lawful protest, another cornerstone of democracy, were pepper sprayed”
No, that is not what the evidence shows. But I suppose the victors get to rewrite history in their own way.
“Here are the reams of paper produced with one apparent objective: to deprive the people of Bermuda of their most significant asset. Let me be clear, we are not discouraged by this sight and these volumes of “legal-ese”.”
Right, so you hate the contract and you are going to denigrate it at every turn. I am sure that will inspire confidence in “Bermuda honouring contracts with international companies”!
Wow. He had actually been doing well but then he comes out with this absolute pile of nonsense. Its the best thing we ever did and yet the numpty plps feel they have to lie to us about it. What a crock.
The PLP Government could have bought at least one new bus & a trash truck for what this fishing expedition cost the taxpayer. How many times, how many ways do they need to told that, considering the very poor financial position Bermuda is in thanks to the PLP, this was the best possible deal the OBA could get.
What was the cost of lost work by people shutting down the HOA? What was the cost of extra police needed to deal with it? What was the cost of lost business those days? All for no good reason.
We have the best possible deal given the situation we are in.
The juxtaposition of this massive OBA legacy project with the name of a PLP forefather is funny.
New terminal deserves a new name. Definetly not one of a politician, even though Bob Richards would be most deserving.
One party Take the reigns, milks it while F’ing it up…then the next party comes in and fixes it then the cycle repeats itself.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
Get used to it Bermuda. These are the politicians we have.
No, these are the voters that we have. Give them a catchy slogan to chant, tell them what they want to hear never mind if it far from the truth, make promises that you don’t have a hope of fulfilling & you get the vote.
WHERE IS THE PEOPLES CAMPAIGN! WHERE IS THE BIU! NO ONE SPEAKING OUT! NO ONE ORGANIZING A MARCH ON PARLIAMENT! Was that election three against one OBA vs PLP, Peoples Campaign and BIU! OOPs! I forgot they are all the same (smh)!
Totally spot on.
LETTER TO PREMIER
Mr. Premier,
I read with interest that you are NOT cancelling the airport contract.
I note that you say, “It would be just as fiscally irresponsible as it was for the former OBA government to enter into this contract in the first place.”
I have not followed this airport deal that closely. So I take no position without knowing all the inner details. What I do know is way more people actively protested this airport matter than same sex marriage.
That anyone would tell the bold faced lie that the non-binding referendum saw 68% of Bermudians say NO to same-sex marriage, is outrageous. Yet the press, the churches and the politicians all lied about the percentage. Just over 44,000 Bermudians were registered to vote. On the day of the vote just over 14,000 voted NO to same-sex marriage. 56% of the voters stayed home.
Your a university educated man, like myself, so the percentage – 14,000 divided by 44,000 – is 32%.
As you well know, I have taken extreme interest in the matter of Marriage Equality.
The journey for equality for the gay community in Bermuda, like elsewhere, has been resisted with all manner of opposition. Gays have been subjected to horrible treatment in Bermuda.
Gays come in all colors.
I look at the binders and I see over 190 million right there…lawyerscost a Kings ransom.
This is irresponsible governance. David Burt knew going in that it would be too costly to back out of this contract. What does he take us for? And he stands there and and tell us: “..it would be fiscally irresponsible of me to bankrupt the Country…”.
Isn’t it irresponsible to mislead PLP supporters into thinking that they could reverse this contract? Isn’t it irresponsible to initiate a report, that cost taxpayers more than $180K, so that we can be told what was more than evident from the start?
And Burt stands here like he has done something so wonderful! These guys think they can pull the wool over everybody’s eyes. My eyes are wide open and all I see are a bunch of HYPOCRITES!
GIVE ME A BREAK!