Audio | Minister Hayward ‘Show The Hypocrisy’
“There was no praise of the Minister of Finance’s work last year, it was all criticism,” Minister Jason Hayward said, with the Minister quoting some of the OBA’s Budget reply from last year saying he wanted to “show the hypocrisy of what is going on today.”
Speaking in the House of Assembly on Friday, the Labour Minister said, “As I entered Parliament, I was introduced to a term – that term was ‘political theatre’ – and I think what we have seen today from the Opposition is a demonstration of that particular term.”
Minister Hayward quoted some phrases used by the OBA in their Reply to the Budget last year, including “Bermuda’s fiscal management under the PLP Government was seriously lacking,” saying the Budget “is likely the most nonspecific budget statement ever presented” and “the Minister of Finance has failed to deliver either one of these objectives in any kind of robust or detailed fashion.”
“There was no praise of the Minister of Finance’s work last year, it was all criticism,” Minister Hayward said.
“And now, somehow, the Minister of Finance, who presented a budget last year that was inadequate in their eyes, is now the knight in shining armor as it pertains to Bermuda’s economy. That’s not to disparage my colleague, but that is to show the hypocrisy of what is going on today.”
“The mischaracterization today that all of a sudden the economic situation of the entire country is now heading sharply downhill because there is a change in personnel within the PLP Government could not be further from the truth,” he added.
“But the country does want to hear a plan and we have one, we’ve released one, an economic recovery plan that was specifically designed as a response to the urgency of the situation that we have to face,” he said, later adding that there are seven main themes in the Government’s economic plan, and he also talked about the challenges with our ageing population.
The Minister also noted that the former Minister of Finance “did something additional before he left; he released to this country an economic recovery plan. That recovery plan talked about our future trajectory for economic development. It also talked about fiscal policy restraints. This Government has a plan in place to how we’ll move forward.”
The Minister also talked about various programmes designed to provide support during the pandemic, noting that tens of millions were spent on the unemployment benefit programme and payroll tax relief was granted to many industries, with the Minister noting some other countries did not offer that same level of support for people, and the Bermuda Government had a “human centered approach.”
The text above represents only a small portion of Minister Hayward’s comments, for full context please listen to his full 18-minute speech during the Motion to Adjourn on Friday, where multiple MPs spoke, and we will continue posting audio of their comments throughout this week.
How come no one wants to talk about the 1.2 to the gr8 dr. and the 800k to the SAVVY entertainer. Or should it be where it is just swept under the rug.
HYPOCRITES
The above individual has to pay lip service to DB. For it was DB that wanted him to be the candidate in the Bye- Election not the constituents, lest we forget of that said District. Also it was CF who worked that District tirelessly and but was not elevated. So he will say what he thinks DB wants to hear. I’m surprise WR was not moved from Deputy to make way for the above. The same way he did with the BPSU to make the Presidency a full time paying position he will engage in PLP political theatre.
Just a matter of time.
Thank you Minister Hayward for that PLP sponsored political announcement.
Hayward confusing the messenger with the message last year. Sigh, not surprised.
It’s simple. Burt as the Minister of Finance is a downgrade. A massive downgrade. There is no comparison.
The ship is sinking the Burt Circus is in full flow and there are no shortage of Clowns they are a dime a dozen or should i say 2 1/2 dz. We have entered the twilight zone and the zombies will rumble to the polls when Burt plays the pipe. Burt has as much chance at contributing to Tourism and Finance as we have in producing a simple Balanced Budget that actually can be achieved.
Higher taxes boys and girls , hope KY is on sale we are all going to need it
Did you ever hear of the phrase “A paid political announcement” maybe that is the next piece of legislation needed in Bermuda. At least in some jurisdictions they state this after they spew propaganda.
I’ll agree with a former Premier, 3 positions, edging closer to a dictatorship. Imagine 30 PLP MPs and DB has to hold 3 positions. Wow, I ask, isn’t this like a vote of no confidence in all those folks? Well I guess you can’t blame this Minister, would he have a job to go back to if he lost his ministerial position????
“Did you ever hear of the phrase “A paid political announcement””
I contemplated using that, but I did not want to suggest that Bernews was in the same league as certain entertainers, contractors and others in Bermuda and the United States