Column: Taking The OBA’s Multiple Choice Test
[Opinion column written by MP Kim Swan]
The OBA recently offered up a multiple choice question in which they attempted to defend the bad airport deal that has cost us $5.8 million and counting. They then spoke about casino gaming but failed to mention that it was the OBA that ushered in gaming whilst, breaking their 2012 election promise to hold a referendum. In order to move forward, we have had to resolve the issues associated.
They also wanted to speak about the debt. Here’s a fact – during the OBA’s tenure, the global economy was booming and yet they doubled the national debt.
So, we’d like to offer up some multiple choice questions to the OBA. What was the OBA’s priority in office? [choose all that apply]
- [a] A boat race for billionaires and celebrities costing taxpayers over $100 million.
- [b] Failing to clean up mould in our public schools.
- [c] Granting status for, as former Senator Michael Fahy said, “thousands” of new Bermudians.
- [d] Selling out our airport for 30 years without a force majeure clause, without a tendering process and without regard for public sentiment.
MP Scott Pearman notes the OBA couldn’t predict a pandemic and of course, they couldn’t – nor could we. So with that being said, why blame us for the additional debt taken on to help see Bermudians through these tough times? Would the OBA have let Bermudians suffer during the worst of the pandemic?
And, regarding the airport, they could have included a standard force majeure clause that protects taxpayers from a variety of acts of God, which includes a pandemic. Then, they complained about the size of Cabinet and yet again, remained stoically silent when Craig Cannonier’s cabinet contained the same number of members while at the same time doubling the national debt.
In these difficult times, Bermudians need capable and steady leadership to see us through – not a return to the mindset that: pepper sprayed seniors, bad airport deals, mould in the schools and ignoring deep rooted concerns of Bermudians of adding thousands of new Bermudians.
At the end of the day, whenever the OBA is presented with multiple options, they chose not to put Bermudians first.
- PLP MP Kim Swan represents St George’s West
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Give me Scott Pearman over this former UBP leader any day
Mr. Swan. Given the time you had to think up a response, this is your reply.
That yacht race made Bermuda money, and lots of it! Like always you and your government like to let one side of the story. We continue to reap the rewards? Please compare it against something you know well – golf . How much has your governments PGA events (past a present) and Port Royal renovations cost us? I bet it very close to what the PGA events and renovations cost us. Now what has been the return on investment? Who was your target market – the poor? I ask because you seem to have an issue with an event geared to bringing people there that spent lots of money?
You chastise the OBA for failing to clear up mold in the schools? And the PLP did a better job? Your government closed one because you still couldnt get the matter under control. Yet it is deemed safe to rent to others? Hmmmm…really?!
Granting Status for Fahy? Is there a reason other than the fact that is a part of the OBA and white that you don’t think he should have received it? If he qualified for it based on the laws that were in place during the PLPs 14 years in power,, and you saw no need to change them – please explain why not? Are you suggesting that the PLP would reject people because they didn’t like them? What makes him different than the Pastor?
Selling out the airport? The OBA did exactly the same thing the PLP did with the hospital? Explain the difference please? Could you predict COVID-19? If yes why did the PLP recklessly spend billions in their first 14 years in power knowing bad times were coming! Had the PLP not done so we would have had the money to pay for the airport!
For the PLP fan base that say we didnt need the airport may I remind you that the PLP had unveiled their own plans to build a new airport just before the OBA did, they just had no way of financing it.
Mr. Swan with all due respect don’t insult the people by assuming we are stupid or cant remember all that the PLP did wrong. It was under your watch that the PLP closed the St Georges Golf course and it took the OBA to get a hotel built in St George. You have been at Port Royal and have been there while the course was renovated not that long ago? I was there not to long ago and I would be embarrassed to say I was the pro there today. Mr. Swan you have always been a very good person but like many others, politics has changed you. All politicians need to stop the finger pointing and blame game. Just do what you are paid to do! You all need to stop trying to make ourselves look good by making someone else look bad. Govern! By that I mean Bring out the best in each other so that we all (opposition included) step up our game!
Talk about Debt under the PLP flip flop furberts flopping partner to whatever party will take us.
The PLP’s new duet – introducing Flip and Flop, the incredible flip flopping MPs.
Cannot take him (or Furbert) seriously. His handing of the Dec 12 inquiry and his failure to call the Premier to ask about his role in that was scandalous
Hey! concentrate on the things that really matter – the economy, jobs, new business.
What about this: “Government must clarify what is happening with the Island’s unions in regard to the pay cut they are being asked to take now that it has been rejected by the prison officers and the fire service,” Shadow National Security Minister Ben Smith said.
Stop deflecting! Get on and govern and solve the issues!
this guy cant be serious right? not one of his “multiple choice” options has any basis in fact but who cares right? we don’t care because we vote for the plp no matter what they do to our country and how much nonsense they spew. Bermuda truly is another world.
please stop spewing this drivel
This from the last leader of the United Bermuda Party!
We do not have a Government, we have a permanent campaign machine – that should worry everyone as it means the focus is not on fixing the economy, it is on deflecting from the PLP’s appalling record:
* and extra billion dollars in debt
* new and increased taxes that hurt bermudians and small bermudian businesses
* sugar tax that has pushed up prices
* foreign currency purchase tax increase that has pushed up prices
* increased cabinet payroll
* a $1.2m payment to a former PLP premier
* broken promises on a balanced budget
* broken promises on a budget surplus
* giving a US company a deal for the arbitration centre – cutting out Bermudian businesses
* two ministerial resignations
* broken promises on MOUs – this is what Burt said about those in June 2018:
I’m relatively certain that within the next two months you’ll begin to see more companies that will sign leases, that will begin hiring, that will begin setting up, and will begin their philanthropic efforts here in Bermuda.
Where are they?
* broken promises on immigration reform. This is what the Premier said in December 2017, “we will grow this economy and the way we will grow this economy is by having more people living and working in Bermuda.” what happened?
* a slump in retail sales volume with the loss of 200 jobs, pre-covid
* falling GDP, pre-covid
* blacklisting
* 3 years: two finance ministers, 3 people in charge of gaming, three people in charge of tourism, 3 people in charge of immigration. What have we got to show for that?
* increased civil service jobs
* no new bus schedule
* no living wage as promised
* no reduction in the cost of living, as promised
* just 31 fintech jobs in 3 years – how many Bermudians?
Please cut and paste to prove to everyone what the PLP has actually done!
Here we go then:
[a] A boat race for billionaires and celebrities costing taxpayers over $100 million: Cost is irrelevant unless compared to benefit. The Cost Benefit Analysis has been done, but the PLP don’t want to talk about that.
[b] Failing to clean up mould in our public schools: That mould didn’t just appear when the OBA took power. What did the PLP do in this respect under their first tenure?
[c] Granting status for, as former Senator Michael Fahy said, “thousands” of new Bermudians: Sounds like a great way to grow the economy. The PLP have no sensible plans for doing the same.
[d] Selling out our airport for 30 years without a force majeure clause, without a tendering process and without regard for public sentiment: The likely cost for such a clause would have been ridiculous, iF they could have even secured such coverage. What about the KEMH PPP, or don’t you want to talk about that?
Bunch of hypocrites who have, not so slowly, ruined Bermuda. Shame on you for spewing such fake news instead of getting on and repairing our economy.
Multiple choice:
Has the PLP got an economic recovery plan – yes/no
Did the PLP give an untendered contract to a US firm – yes/no
Did the PLP want to build a new airport for $514m – yes/no
Has the Premier promised to release an unredacted contract for the hospital wing PPP – yes/no
Has the PLP got more UBP leaders than the OBA – yes/no
Did the PLP increase Cabinet payroll – yes/no
“. Here’s a fact – during the OBA’s tenure, the global economy was booming and yet they doubled the national debt.“
Not true. I also notice he doesn’t want to talk about the PLP increasing debt by 600% during 2007-2012.
“They also wanted to speak about the debt. Here’s a fact – during the OBA’s tenure, the global economy was booming and yet they doubled the national debt.”
Maybe that is because they inherited an empty purse (had to borrow just to make payroll in early 2013) and annual $400mn+ deficits from your PLP Mr. Swan.
Maybe if your PLP didn’t rack up unsustainable deficits then we wouldn’t be in this situation. Just because you got voted out in 2012 the payment obligations didn’t go out the door with you.
Turns out the PLP couldn’t fix the mold in schools, before and after the OBA. The PLP failed so badly, they shut down the school.
The boat race generated money in the economy for over more than 2 years, It did not cost 100 million it benefited the country to the tune of 300million.
The airport deal was a good deal, this has been proved through investigation by the PLP.since they were in power.
PLP are desperately clamoring to get bums on seats,
I don’t know , Kim, you need to keep up with things….now what are your suggestions, plans, to help the economy. What have you done since you won your seat?
stop deflecting! You are in Government – do something! Your record is cr@p. You are nothing more than an opposition party trying to be a government.
Crikey, what an unbelievably disingenuous comment, even by PLP standards.
Everyone with a functioning synapse knows the airport deal is a good deal – everyone knows that the AC was good for Bermuda and that the PLP squandered that opportunity, everyone knows that the OBA inherited a financial calamity.
And schools? Really? 20 of the 23 years. A PLP government, with full support of unions, churches and the civil service destroyed the economy, mismanaged capital projects and chased away the core of our International Business.
We all know that Immigration Reform is long overdue, immigration is key to a strong economy and we know that the Dept. of Immigration operates like it’s the wild west.
The PLP are the status quo. They are the problem.
Please! After 4 years sitting on the back bench this is how you try to justify yourself?
a, the “boat race” did not cost $100M (even OJ knows that).
b, PLP cannot claim a better job with mold abatement in schools (so leave that alone).
c, WTF?
d, Hospital? The fact that we are $3B in debt? The matter of urgency because the PLP were likely to win next election and if past projects were anything to go by that airport would be 3 years behind schedule and so far over budget your great grand kids would feel it.
Congrats on spelling force majeure correctly please explain what you think it means.
The people want their money back. Please resign and get a friends and family thing at a golf course.
Wow, is this the best and brightest the PLP have to offer? Kim clearly trying to show to the Premier he is relevant and failing miserably.
The billionaire boat race myth is just that, especially as the PLP are now promoting billionaires to bring their super yachts to Bermuda. The “boat race” also brought hundreds of families here for several years, way before the PLP heard about Barbados promoting one year permits for digital workers and copied them.
Way too late for cannabis and fintech, how about the new wonder drug promoted by Trump – oleanders. Bermuda should be sending containers of cuttings to the White House to try. Should be interesting to watch the results.
Looking at #4 is like living in the 5th dimension. The PLP have announced the new Arbitration building will be a PPP at no cost. No tender, no regard for public sentiment. Just like a no tender over budget contract to upgrade Port Royal Golf course. A matter that resulted in a lawsuit but swept under the carpet by the PLP?
What about Morgan’s Point…., pollution pollution n more…PLP knew about it, Derrick Burgess was reported to say thst it would take a long time to clean up. PLP received millions of dollars from US Government for the ending of 99 year contract btwn them and Bermuda, what was that money used/spent/wasted on….. Bermuda Cricket Team and ????? Fill that in Kim.
All of a sudden he’s found his voice, but a couple years ago when his gov’t wanted to take over the corporations he didn’t have anything to say…. Hmmmmmmm……………….
And the dock that the PLP demolished recently in St Georges? Do you have an opinion about that?
This guy still thinks he’s relevant?! LMFAO. Your time is done mate. Cannot believe you are still butthurt abt not being chosen as leader. Of the UBP. We all know what you are mate. Lmao
St. George’s Golf Course is another matter
does he even know what force majeure means?
Thanks Dr. Saul for the pension program that is saving the country and the PLP. Oh right; he was a Bermudian first and a member of the UBP/OBA. If you don’t have tangible ideas on how to help the country please get out of the way.