Premier: ‘We Will Do A Better Job Of Updating’
“Ministerial travel is hardly a secret and there is absolutely nothing to hide, but we can and will do a better job of keeping the information on the travel website updated,” said Premier David Burt.
The Premier’s comments follow after delays in posting some of the Minister’s travel costs on the Government’s website, which was launched back in October 2014, and provides details of the expenses associated with Cabinet Minister’s travel.
Currently the site lists four trips by Premier Burt, with the last listing for January 2018, and following a report in the newspaper yesterday, the site updated with the cost of nine trips taken by Minister of National Security Wayne Caines from January – June, and the Minister explained the “delay in updating the website was due to an administrative oversight which has been addressed.”
“Moving forward the site will be updated regularly. I believe in complete in transparency and my travel on government business will at all times be available for the public to view,” Minister Caines said yesterday.
The Premier said, “Ministerial travel is hardly a secret and there is absolutely nothing to hide, but we can and will do a better job of keeping the information on the travel website updated.
“Growing and diversifying this economy, creating educational and employment opportunities for Bermudians and reversing four years of OBA neglect of the people has been our priority for almost a year.
“With the hectic pace demanded of this work there have been times that filling out forms and ticking boxes have taken a deserved second place.
Extract from our interview yesterday with OBA Leader Jeanne Atherden discussing the delays in posting
“The people of Bermuda fully understand what we have been doing and what we have had to do to ensure that they have greater opportunities for success in this country,” the Premier continued.
“Transparency is a critical component of good governance and as the Government that introduced Public Access to Information legislation and provided more access to public records than any Bermuda government before or since, we will always provide information for the public.
“One thing is certain: an updated travel website never found a job for a Bermudian; an updated travel website never created expanded educational opportunities for the people of Bermuda and an updated travel website never provided a dignified pension increase for senior citizens.
“While the previous OBA Government was busy feigning openness and transparency the core work of improving the lives of Bermudians was left undone. Our priority has been to devote Government resources to working hard every day making sure that the lives of hardworking Bermudians are positively impacted by our efforts.
“I am certain that the people of Bermuda would rather we prioritise the funding of scholarships and the Bermuda College, introduce roadside sobriety checks to make our roads safer, and create jobs for people desperate to support their families.
“It bears reminding just where we have been and what we have been doing in growing and diversifying this economy,” the Premier concluded, with the statement including the links below.
- BDA Press Releases From Consensus 2018
- Day 1 [PDF] & Day 2 [PDF]
- NASDAQ here
- Bloomberg Radio here
- Forbes here
- Associated Press [AP] here
- BDA Press Release On NYC Media Interviews On Fintech [PDF]
- Coindesk here
- Bloomberg Radio here
- Bloomberg TV here
- Bloomberg News here
- BDA’S Jereme Ramsay Welcome at re-insurance.com Insurtech Forum [PDF]
- AM BestTV here
“With the hectic pace demanded of this work there have been times that filling out forms and ticking boxes have taken a deserved second place.”
When I read that I see “telling Bermudians how I am spending your money takes a deserved second place to my other matters”
Bingo. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
NO BIG DEAL HERE…. THANKS PRIEMER BURT MOVING FORWARD THE ONLY THING IMPORTANT NOW IS TO ENSURE THAT THE SITE IS UPDATED MORE FREQUENTLY….OBAuBP are trying hard to make a mountain out of nothing.
KEEP WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE…..NEXT
NOTHING HERE….THANKS Premier David Burt FOR EXPRESSING THAT IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE MORE FREQUENT UPDATES…NOTHING HERE TO TALK ABOUT
NO REAL ISSUE……STAY ON TRACK AND ALL IS GOOD….
NOTHING HERE TO SEE……MOVE ON …NEXT
OBAers are hungry for something, since they are falling apart… Lets stay focus on PLP agenda and ensure that all is done!!
Who cares about the OBAers. Just be more timely on documenting how you, spend my money. After all, the auditor general can’t do her job properly if you/Gov. don’t. And AG is the taxpayer’s (our) watchdog.
Your the number one OBAer….this matter is a non issue…. Something that does not take much to move forward on..
“..reversing four years of OBA neglect …”
What a disingenuous guy. Does he not remember the absolute chaos that that OBA inherited from the 14 years of terror? He should, every day, be calling Bob Richards to thank him for steadying the ship.
Premier Burt, Bitcoin Dave, is out of his depth and utterly clueless. He is on the brink of destroying Bermuda’s hard fought reputation, and refuses to admonish bigots and the unethical within his own party.
What a failure.
OBA neglect? Anytime the OBA tried to create jobs the PLP/BIU/Peoples Campaign and all the other members of the combined opposition marched and demonstrated (and in one case got pepper sprayed). Fintech will not create jobs for Bermudians. Regrettably if the PLP continue this way it will reduce jobs as existing IB leave. They will have no choice as Bermuda’s ratings will fall.
Filling out forms and ticking boxes is what is required by every business in Bermuda, but it’s a ‘deserved second’ by the elite Government in charge.
Limp excuses.
older readers might recall and younger ones might consider carefully that former Premiers Sir David Gibbons and Dr. David Saul always flew economy on flights between here and North America. Undoubtedly they stayed in perfectly adequate four star establishments too. Such savings of the People’s money are significant, several Government salaries over the space of a single year.
Hopefully frugality will beat pride.
Proverbs 21:17 Indulging expensive appetites leads to poverty
Well stated Mr Premier! Bam! Now Atherden is on her back foot again and Dunks / Fahy are typing up an incoherent response as we speak! Go PLP!
So what was the thousands of dollars spent on “miscellaneous”? I’d hardly call it disclosure the way they’ve been doing it.
Maybe spending thousands on “miscellanous” things is how these elite rich PLP people are used to living when soending taxpayet money. Not like us normal people, who know what we spend our own money on.
I’m puzzled when the OBA chirps about travel cost posting delays when they allowed BTA special dispensation from posting BTA exec’s travel cost. BTA is fully funded directly or indirectly from Government purse and no one questions their expenses.Double standard!
It is called accountability And transparency Burt.
Get it fully updated by end of day please.
Note: A promise to do better is nothing. Just get it done and no excuses..
For transparency please fully disclose what the purchases/expenditure was for in the secretive miscellaneous section. Expenditure totaling above a small dollar amount needs to be disclosed, or are you hiding something Mr C?
Yea….no they won’t.
“Ministerial travel is hardly a secret and there is absolutely nothing to hide, but we can and will do a better job of keeping the information on the travel website updated,” … why not stop there?
“reversing four years of OBA neglect” … by carrying on with existing OBA policies.
“filling out forms and ticking boxes have taken a deserved second place” … tell that to the banks who are following policies and standards pursued and adopted by the PLP.
“It bears reminding just where we have been and what we have been doing in growing and diversifying this economy” … don’t count the fish until it’s in the boat.
My sentiments exactly. Why can’t these guys ever just say “my bad – won’t happen again – we get it. sorry.”
And be done with it! Excuses not needed, just do the job we hired you for or you will be replaced. end of story. period.
Maybe just stay here and fix all the broken stuff and show some frugality with our money.
Really this whole thing is blown out of proportion. Ministers have to travel for various reasons. And there is no way to hide the travel. Atherden, Dunkley or any other MP can ask questions to draw out any information that they would need. Yes the website should be updated regularly. But updating it doesn’t determine whether it is spent or not.
Moving forward, yes the website should be updated, but come on folks, its not that deep. we are getting all bent out of shape over a website being updated?
So you don’t think we should be “watching” then. Changed your tune in the last 11.5 months haven’t you.
So all the screaming for transparency was just screaming for transparency from the OBA? Not the PLP? Because the PLP have such a stellar record of transparency and accountability? Lol. Figures.
Stop wasting our effin money and stop lying about it. There’s a start.
Thank you, abundantly, Mr. Premier.
Why, because he got caught?
Please include all those free trips and benefits paid for by potential Fintech investors.
Would new cars and fuel expenses not come under travel expenses also?
We will comply if OBA comes clean on all the complimentary expenses they got fior JetGate and casino trips.. Heard a good time was had by all!
Exactly, “JetGate 2.0″ PLP version.
Same s**t. Different day from PLP.