Comments on: Full Text & Highlights: 2018 Throne Speech

By: Adrienne

Adrienne — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 20:56:52 +0000

BLAH BLAH only saying this because they think this is what they think THEIR people want to hear THEY (PLP ) ARE for themselves and NOT THE PEOPLE and about their POCKETS AND BANK ACCOUNTS

By: Family Man

Family Man — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 20:36:24 +0000

Expats have to wait until they turn 65 then apply to receive a refund of their contributions, which are returned without interest. The right to receive a refund can (and likely will) be revoked at the stroke a pen.

By: What??

What?? — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 19:45:05 +0000

FYI. If you earn $4000/month you pay $35.92/week and your employer pays $35.92/week for SI. If you earn $4000/day you pay $35.92/week and your employer pays $35.92/week for SI.

By: Trufth

Trufth — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 19:39:52 +0000

Yet another nail in the coffin for IB.

By: WarrenB

WarrenB — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 19:33:25 +0000

Government also promise a contributory pension scheme, and then when you sign the contract they tell you that you have to be here for 10 years before the Government’s contribution kicks in. In other words, you never get it, so not contributory at all.

By: John Does

John Does — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 18:42:12 +0000

Remember when the expat leaves they can collect their social security, hence I am unsure what this will fix.

By: kevin

kevin — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 18:13:47 +0000

Just a side note to the reformed tax and how it is collected ….you earn more you pay more would only be fair if they also received more when it became time. How can you claim fairness when those not paying into the system take home the same as an individual who has contributed a lot. I believe that you reduce the salaries of these so called full time ministers by 50% and put them on a performance based pay scale for a bonus that if they did an outstanding job they would earn what they are getting today. I bet we would save a lot of money that could go into the pension bucket Do the Politicians pay payroll tax and healthcare out of their $150,000 pay .

By: just IMO

just IMO — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 17:51:50 +0000

This feels empty. A list of descent ideas but not really a plan or proper agenda.

By: 2 Bermudas

2 Bermudas — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 17:50:17 +0000

That’s right, put another way, you put in $10 and you get $2 out! Only in Bermuda!! Pee el Pee!!

By: Politricks

Politricks — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 17:50:01 +0000

“CEO making $4,000 a day pay the same amount in contributions as a worker making $4,000 a month”

Nonsense. They might pay the same in % terms but the CEO will pay much more nominally.

This is literally a form of income tax.

This Government and their persistent tax increases will simply make Bermuda that much more expensive. You guys keep this up and only very few will have disposable income to put into the real economy as well as the fact that businesses will have to seek cost savings via less labor payouts (ie the largest source of expenses for all local businesses).

The depressing part is that nowhere in the speech did the Government allude to any form of cost reductions related to the public sector. No instead it is renewed attacks on the private sector who keeps this economy afloat.

By: catch it

catch it — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 17:46:45 +0000

income rather than salary is what I find most interesting

By: Truthertz

Truthertz — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 17:43:58 +0000

That Social Insurance contribution change is pure theft IMO.

If i pay X amount into a pension program I expect to get that much back at least when I retire.

PLP is going to kill the middle class of completely in the February 2019 budget.

By: gustav

gustav — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 16:42:33 +0000

yeah that’s the right approach
“Bermuda’s social insurance system will be changed from a fixed-rate contribution to one based on a percentage of income”
in other words : let the evil foreigners pay the social insurance
although they are not entitled to any benefits.
just let them pay in and please the real born Bermudians.
a further step to force them to leave the island .
and if they are gone : the system will collapse , but that’s only in 2 years…….

By: Joe Bloggs

Joe Bloggs — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 16:24:26 +0000

“Bermuda’s tax system will be reformed to establish a fair system based on a citizen’s ability to pay.” Read income tax

“the Ministry of Health will advance a national health plan that will put all persons in Bermuda into either one or two health insurance pools, which will reduce the cost of health insurance.” Ok, so Government is going to introduce universal health care and the insurance companies can get out of the business.

“One specific project being advanced by the Bermuda Housing Corporation is the construction of residences in the City of Hamilton, which will provide affordable studio and one-bedroom apartments for rent or purchase.” Government is getting into the property development business again, like it did with Grand Atlantic.

“The Government will enact legislation to create a blockchain-based national identity system which will streamline access to government services and eliminate the need to provide multiple copies of identity information to local financial institutions.” Which I will not be submitting to. If you want my DNA then bring the Regiment to capture me and contain me when you try to take my DNA against my will.

“During this session, the Legislature will be invited to consider bills that simplify issues surrounding Bermudian status, the status of PRC holders and Bermudian status for mixed-status families” and then do nothing about it for fear of The People’s Campaign