OBA: ‘Mr & Mrs Bermuda Remain Stranded’
“Sadly, Mr & Mrs Bermuda remain stranded, as the DPT does not yet appear to have presented a workable set of bus rosters to the bus operators,” Shadow Tourism and Transport Minister Leah Scott said.
Ms Scott said, “I read with great astonishment, Chris Furbert’s statement, that ‘We are so much closer today than we were 17 years ago….we’re at the finish line; we are right there where we need to be.’
“It is astounding, and indeed downright appalling to me that some 17 years later [and yes the OBA administration also falls within that period], and several hundreds of thousands of dollars later that Chris Furbert can honestly say, with a straight face, that we are right where we need to be!
“It should be equally as appalling to every single taxpayer who has funded this decade and a half long travesty with our tax dollars. Perhaps if Mr Furbert had to utilize and rely on public transportation, he wouldn’t be so cavalier.
“My understanding is that the 1998 bus roster was prepared by former bus operators – you know – the people who actually do the work and understand the routes. It is also my understanding that the Canadian consultant that has been working with the DPT also has an associate working with him on the rosters.
“If one consultant can’t get it done, then I guess two can? How much more money, inconvenience and frustration do Mr & Mrs Bermuda have to endure before this situation is resolved?
“Mr Furbert stated at his press conference that the updated rosters would be presented back to the workers this week – maybe Tuesday, and that there would be a 21 day picking cycle from the time of the posting of the rosters.
“Well folks…it’s Wednesday. Yesterday there were nine bus cancellations for the morning. Five bus runs were cancelled on Monday and a staggering 33 bus runs were cancelled on Friday, February 1.
“We are heading into our tourist season. Thanks to the mammoth efforts of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, our tourism numbers are increasing, not decreasing, and this year looks to be another record year in terms of visitor numbers.
“It is regrettable that our public transportation system is not keeping pace and, disappointingly, it is fast becoming less and less of a viable option for Mr & Mrs Bermuda and the general public. We have spent a ton of money in our efforts to obtain reliable transportation and instead of progress, it continues to regress.
“Although subsidized by public tax dollars, public transportation is not a social welfare programme – it is a vital, essential public utility.
“While Chris Furbert thinks we are at the finish line, and the Government may believe that it’s ok to continue to cancel bus routes daily, the truth of the matter is that public transportation is a lifeline for people who literally have no other way to get around. It’s about time that public transportation was treated as such.
“Mr Furbert – we are nowhere near the finish line….in fact, we haven’t even left the depot.”
De Surrogates are restless.
Ewart Brown wants another $1.2m, make it happen!! Ha ha ha!!
only surrogate is u muppet. You are thee most used voter lmao. Kick u in the gut and u just lick their boot and say thank u.
You most certainly are
Funny thing is OBA didnt give a rats @$$ about Mr. and Mrs. Bermudian during their 5 years of TERROR.
Thats why their @$$€$ got voted out.
To the contrary they were and still are thinking about Mr. and Mrs. Bermudian and thank God they are. Mr. and Mrs. Bermudian are in more trouble than they even know if your ignorant government and it’s satellite groups keep going the way they are. You really shouldn’t be allowed to vote for no other reason than that you are completely void of rational thought.
@ OJ The PLP/BIU don’t give a rats @ss about Mr and Mrs Bermudian and they are the ones most affected. No marches or outcry though as that is stifled. Can’t protest the PLP but OK to put seniors on the front line and get peppered sprayed to protest the airport, even though Bro Furbert now says the BIU wasn’t against it. Can’t make this stuff up.
Terror? You have GOT to be kidding!?!? What planet do you live on?
“…during their 5 years of TERROR.”
Bwahahahahaha!!!
Y’aink serz… shorely?
OMG crazy funny. The oba/UBP will never win with Craig Trump as their leader. You expect the voters you need to win the next election to listen to you. Hell no. You guys aren’t really trying to win the next election haha. Come Correct hahahaha
I hope they don’t win the next election.
I bet most bus riders vote Pee El Pee too. Bermuda for Bermudians!! Hahaha!!
Pee El Pee? What, are you 9?
It’s not that he/she is a 9 year old. The play on words to refer to the PLP was deliberate. It was meant to belittle and humiliate them.
Do you say that when a moron yells “25-11”?
Meanwhile furbert has time to hold meaningless press conferences
And the minister is where?
Pee oww pee….cannot operate a business…a business that is set up and running…for decades.
No…cannot doit.
I think they minimize actual workload then charge the same amount as though it ran full tilt with…with overtime…thereby creating an imagined overhead
Same as trash….picking up 50% less but charging same…
Ok this is hyperbole at its best.
Ms Scott clearly believes she has a talking point and is sticking to it. The truth is that things are closer to a resolution that ever under the OBA government. The more she continues to go on and on, the more ridiculous it sounds.
And while there are challenges, Mr. & Mrs. Bermuda are not stranded.
Her point is that the union and the Minister held a joint press conference to say a deal had been struck. That was then delayed and then delayed again… then Furbert said there would be an announcement .. and, guess what, there has been no announcement.
Isn’t it amazing how this lot at not held accountable for anything they say. They can be as useless and incompetent as they like, and the idiots will twist and turn to try to justify it.
Agreed. the statement makes reference to the OBA – this is about the mutual backslapping that went on with the Minister, the BIU and DPT saying how wonderful they were but that the reality is, well, nothing has happened.
you get what you voted for.
All PLP voters deserve this BUI Government.
Public transportation is not a social welfare programme…apparently it is for it’s members. Why are the bus drivers allowed to veto bus schedules. What planet are we living on where the turkeys get to vote for Christmas. If course they will veto any plan that doesn’t suit their personal needs such as maximum ability to make overtime. Time to finally kick Chris Furbert and the BIU to the kerb and take the running of our country back.
Like Marley said, waiting for a bus that nah come….forget public trans…went out and bought my own. so now I pay twice, taxed to the max for a broken system. Im no fan of Moniz but he was right, buying buses at the cost of a small cottage is insane!
The bus service is very poorly run. 17 years with no schedule update? No route changes? Heck, no consideration even whether we have the right vehicles for the task.
Who cares about buses for the people when they can jet set around the world for “free”!,
Losing votes as each day passes!
Imagine if it was the opposite party, strikes ,marches etc.
The amazing thing is that the sensible PLP voters dont even comment or voice their concerns and WHAT they voted for.
Not entirely true. OJ posts here regularly !
lol.
OBA is no friend of ours! If they were they would still be governing. It is unfortunate that we have no good choices here.
Ms Scott
It seems you have nothing to do but criticize the Government of the day.
Under your OBA Government during the Americas Cup please state how much your party spent on our bus system.
I find it hard to swallow that not ONE bus was purchased during this time but you continue to bash your successor
The next out burst from you should be an apology for your nasty attitude to our People ,Government and DPT workers.
As a young Bermudian its very sickening that the crazy politics that you play will not let me vote for your party.
Hopefully YOUR Leader puts a gag on your writtings as it’s hurting his party
If you can’t understand that the Americas Cup was an investment then I don’t know what to say. Do you think the Cup Match concert put on every year is done at a loss or for free too?! Shame because you are young and are going to vote for many more years. This island is doomed!!
But the PLP playing politics with each and every topic whilst in Opposition somehow attracted your vote? Strange that…
Um I think it hurts your party. Truth hurts don’t it? All you can say is AC and plp minister of finance wishes he had an AC because he knows how much it stimulated our economy. Funny how the plp brainwashed the people into thinking that economic stimulus is a bad thing. Plp are so busy campaigning for an election they already won because campaigning is the only thing they are sort of good at. They need to come up with good ideas to help pay down the debt which they created.
Is that the same AC has the finance minister admitted he wished he had coming this year?
The OBA had to balance the budget and deal with the debt created by the Profligate Labour Party which generations to come to have to pay for.
17 years to produce a bus schedule
Adding $2b to the debt in 5 years
Reducing the working population by 6000
Can’t pick up the trash
Can’t run a bus service
16-20 years in power, and a record unblemished by success.
PLEASE post this on the PLP’s pages! THEY JUST DON’T GET IT!
25-11
You are too stupid for words.
All I can say is Smdh disgraceful !!!
Imagine.. and some Bermudians’ s want our own airline. We cannot run a small bus system. How in the world would we run an airline. Airlines have daily schedule changes.. Some people just need to go.. and let new blood in .Who operates like this in 2019.. I think third world counties do better with transportation
The notorious O.B.A. are excessively nervy.
That “group” sincerely to irradicate government workers.
The hilarious piece is that “they” did absolutely NOTHING to the improvement of the bus fleet.
Just wanted all government workers, GONE!!
A terrifyingly ignorant, meaningless, and useless “GROUP”.
Glad they are GONE.
Else for JETGATE!!
Not one decent comment about that.
What about America Cup?
Where is the money?
Who honestly benefited??
Certainly not BORN BERMUDIANS!!
Born BERMUDIANS… stick together. When it comes to Bermuda politics…all do the same thing….VOTE!!
Do you still suck your thumb?
Racist POS.
*Else (AS) for JETGATE!!
Not one decent comment about that.*
Why should there be ? We’re still waiting for you to address the REAL plp Jetgate. You know , private jet rides to old school buddies and multiple untendered overpriced contracts with poor yield that resulted.
I’m a “Born BERMUDIAN” and I benefitted from the AC through WORKING.
Pee El Pee, Pee El Pee!!! Bermuda for Bermudians!! Hahaha!! Ya right, no ‘born’ Bermudians are better off under this Pee El Pee gov’t!! LMAO!!!
You sound so stupid
I just heard Burch on the radio telling everyone they should take their own trash to the dump. So presumably the bus and ferry operators won’t have a problem if people start using buses carrying trash bags on buses and ferries, as people now have to find a way to deliver their own trash to the dump.
Can’t operate what amounts to a small town bus service but wants jet around the the world like they are something special. Can you imagine what the movers & shakers think of our politicians when they do a little due diligence on their backgrounds & find that they can’t even run a coffee shop. Some can’t be employed at all if not on the Government payroll.
The person responsible for producing the roster is laughing all the way to the bank. Just go to Bermuda tell them how much you want and they’ll give it to you.