Govt: We Want To Hear Public’s Suggestions
Minister with Responsibility for Communications Jamahl Simmons today introduced “two questions designed to gather ideas, suggestions, and concepts during this Shelter in Place period.”
Minister Simmons stated, “With the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government has taken an all hands on deck approach that encourages Bermudians from all walks of life to do their part to help Bermuda emerge quickly into a post-Covid-19 world.
“The Government recognizes there will be a need for a major recovery effort to get businesses reopened, Bermudians back to work and our economy growing again. We want to hear the public’s suggestions on how to help our country prosper through new opportunities using traditional and out of the box thinking. With everyone’s help, ideas and vision, we can find and put in place solutions to benefit all Bermudians.”
Minister Simmons continued, “The second topic we are seeking suggestions is on Legislative Reform. Over time, laws become outdated, outmoded or simply irrelevant to modern society. We seek to bring Bermuda’s laws into the 21st century while introducing legislation that improves the lives of and opportunities for Bermudians.
“As a country, we will grow stronger by incorporating new ideas and perspectives as we charter a different course in a world that will be vastly different than it was before the Covid-19 global pandemic. I invite individuals and groups to visit forum.gov.bm and share their thoughts.”
As the island and world deals with the Covid-19 pandemic, we are doing our best to provide timely and accurate information, and you can find more information on the links below.
- Live: Our continuously updated live blog here
- All: Our coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic here
- Official: The Bermuda Government website here
- World Stats: Live graph of all cases worldwide here
- Bermuda Stats: Chart of the Bermuda stats here
- Timeline: Visual look at the timeline here
- Comprehensive: Our new Covid-19 website here
Get the web pages up – marine and ports goes down every year at registration time. Clean up the pages – “bermudians urged to register for the 35th Americas Cup…….got IT experts sitting around doing nothing.
1. reduce Ministerial pay.
2. reduce the number of Ministers, starting with Jamahl Simmons and Wayne Furbert.
Wow, it used to be “we don’t care what you think”. When you have a Cabinet of Ministers with little or no experience in the International business world, let alone local, this is what happens. How many reports, committees etc have provided input, suggestions and ideas over the last 20 years, yet they have all been ignored.
ALLOW FATHERS TO SEE THEIR SON / DAUGHTER.
What about mothers? Anyway, I believe this can be done.
If serious the requested webpage to send in information would not be so complicated and coming with Cookies. 2. What are all of the committees so we know what is critical…this request us really 6 weeks late. Give the opposition at least 3 out of 8 committees as chair and ask craig cannonier to be on charge of one. Ask I the national business to buy Betmudas debt at a reduced interest rate and give them a Senate ministerial seat stand status for top people.
In other words, “We have no idea what we are doing, never had any idea of what we are doing and are completely clueless going forward. Please help us”. Deer in headlights comes to mind with the PLP. Now that they are faced with the very real responsibility of having their supporters lives destroyed for possibly generations to come due to complete fiscal ineptitude for many years, it seems like panic mode has set in.
I just tried to post an idea and get a message that “something went wrong try again later” tried again, got the same response.
Lets have some positive remarks and good ideas. No jabs at people one may not like.
Actually, getting rid of the dead weights is a brilliant idea and long overdue.
All MP’s, Senators, Consultants and so on not to take pay increases for 2 years. Put this funds into stimulus package for all small business.
Get rid of jahmal, we need to cut back.
Pay people who have filled out the online form because they have either been laid off or work a job that is closed for this lockdown their $500 a week.
I hear the Government talking about new businesses getting loans etc.. How about policies that are a little more defensive in nature like payroll tax holidays for companies that have been forced to shut so as to help a bigger percentage of them open back up on the back side of the crisis. We need the Government to try and assure as many businesses reopen as possible and keep the inevitable percentage of companies that don’t reopen to a minimum .Duty referrals for six months for companies forced to close their doors so they can reopen and land on their feet before having to pay the duty. Currently they are being pressured to pick up their goods requiring them to pay duty and keep the docks flowing but their sales outlets are closed reeking havoc with cash flows.
Be very open to foreign investors! Stop your nasty divisive politics and a take a big pay cut to symbolize your commitment to regrowth. All those things are very easy to do….even for you.
I believe the country needs to gradually open up at the end of May with restrictions get people back to work.. if we don’t the country will be in a serious survival situation more than the a virus..
Stop wasting millions on same sex marriage
Really? Was hoping the virus would help out in this area! Last thing we need is to focus on gay rights! How about our basic human needs!
What are you suggesting?
I know individuals that applied for exemptions that would have no impact on the community spread of COVID-19. In most instances the request received no response, then there were a few who did actually receive a response but were treated as they were asking for things that were completely unreasonable and trying to get away with something sinister. First, every request needs to be acknowledged. When you set up a system to apply for something, even if it is denied, you need to send a response. There are plenty of civil servants who are being paid and have little or nothing to do from home, assign the task to them. Then evaluate each request with an open mind and think not that someone is trying to get away with something and instead think would this request negatively impact the community in terms of COVID-19, if the answer is no; than consider the request if it would help a fellow Bermudian to survive financially.
There is no law or law u can put into place by taking people’s basic human rights away! NO LAW can override that! So that trick shot Plp are trying to play like you did today in the house is wrong! You Must declare a state of emergency when ever needed before you take away basic human rights! We are not a communist country!
I give a thumbs up to ghd venue. No matter who you are, outside input is always good. It also provides a venue to put otherwise quiet ideas forward.
Thumbs down to the Debbie Downers whom are stuck in a negative rut.
Lets hope some good comes out of it.
Sadly judging by the lack of responses, people have very little faith in the PLP when it comes to listening to public opinion. Past behavior has shown that when they say that they are looking for public input they have already made up their minds & really don’t care what the public thinks
Simple, respirators, well done and thank you private sector and increased specialized facilities to house Covid19 patients, the virus is not going away, nor was it ever going away. The whole shelter in place should have been to buy time to get this organized. place. Problem is , the PLP have not done what is necessary and are too busy playing political spin games rather that being real. We are going to catch it, Many people already have, and have had mild reactions, those people were not tested. We need to open back up, but with the right capacity and facilities in place to handle cases for those who are more at risk. Let’s be fair we all know people who are more at risk, and that includes me. Dishing out monies to deal with fallout from the PLP decision is not tackling the Coronovirus problem. PLP need to wake up and start dealing with the elephant in the house.
How about starting the daily briefings on time? Every single night they have started late displaying little concern for the thousands who have tuned in, hoping to be updated. Let’s not forget these politicians are all on high six figure salaries and are supposed to be serving the public, not the other way round!
Good Evening. Has anyone thought of having a bake sale to raise funds for the unemployment costs?