OBA: “This Was Not A Responsible Budget”
“This was not a responsible Budget. Instead, it felt like a political one — an election budget.” One Bermuda Alliance [OBA] Leader Cole Simons today.
Mr Simons said, “Residents of Bermuda have all been waiting to hear the 2022/2023 Budget with anticipation.
“It’s no secret that many are struggling to make ends meet. It was hoped that this Budget would offer all of us a glimmer of hope for a better tomorrow.
“As the One Bermuda Alliance examines the Budget at first glance, we can’t help but to feel that all Premier Burt’s Government has done is kick the proverbial can down the road.
“This was not a responsible Budget. Instead, it felt like a political one — an election budget.
“Hard decisions have to be taken in order to improve Bermuda’s financial position, and this Budget did not fit the bill.
“It lacks courage. Premier Burt surely played sweet melodies to rock our residents to sleep… but don’t be fooled. A 10% saving in vehicle tax does not compare to the increased inflation rates and cost of living in Bermuda.
“However, we have not been given a realistic view of where we are going to be fiscally in the next year.
“The Government says that it will refund taxes. Our question is…how is this plausible when we are lacking revenue? There are scant details where the revenue is coming from besides stamp duty, customs and tourism.
“How can we provide this with the colossal debt that we have? Once again, the Government is misleading the people.
“The people of Bermuda need tangible and measurable ways to grow our economy, not offer people false hope by creating smoke screens.
“We have to ask…. does Premier Burt’s Government possess any real solutions? Very little was said about the Economic Recovery Plan.
“The Fiscal Responsibility Panel, which was birthed by the former OBA Government, has done an excellent job. However it seems the panel is repeating itself. This is the third year that it has asked for the Tax Reform Commission to be embodied, and still nothing. How do we know that today’s recommendation will not fall on deaf ears yet again? Just do it.
“Although he is stopping short of saying it, Premier Burt is finally admitting that in order for the island to thrive, immigration policies must change. The OBA has been calling for this since it’s inception. We need a minimum of 10,000 new residents to bolster our economy. There is no if ands or buts about it. We need bodies on this island.
“The interest payable per hour is approximately 15,000 an hour for Bermuda’s outstanding debt. 24 hours a day. Seven days a week.
“Each and every one of us in Bermuda is paying it back. This debt service payment is 10 times more costly than what the Government gives our young people and 5 time more than seniors.
“The Government Actuaries have indicated that the public sector pension fund is due to be depleted by 2044. Imagine what that sounds like to a young person at the beginning of their career. This simply cannot happen.
“If we stay on this trajectory, we see even more young Bermudians emigrating. Let’s do everything we can to keep them here and attract talented Bermudians back to the island. But Bermudians need to see and believe that they are returning to something that will offer them real opportunities.
“The Progressive Labour Party cannot keep blaming the OBA for its failures. The PLP have been the Government for over 20 years and the people of Bermuda are tired of this narrative.
“The time has come for the Government to acknowledge that it has played a great hand in where the island is today. It’s time for the Government to create a better future for Bermuda. We need to focus on solutions.”
an Election is coming i guess this year Burt and clowns and co have produced a sweetheart election budget ,,,let me give them a carrot car license reduction means nothing $ 100 to the taxpayer but its a tax reduction so YAY YAY our beloved plp are saving us money ….but how do we intend t deal with our 3 billion debt by the way the plp are responsible for 2 1/5 billion of it thats the truth. BS plp rhetoric is what is “BS” The circus continues a bunch of clowns running our country
I thought the same thing when I looked at the car license carrot but then I looked at the larger car savings – the fat cats and expats that drive the big SUVs are getting a nice chunk of money in savings! Over $1000!! So this begs the question, “is blurt trying to get the ‘fat cat’ vote and appease IB by doing them a solid?” I agree, this means peanuts to the average person but quite a lot of money is being given away to the larger car drivers. Interesting.
‘Fat cats’ .. lol
The next time you’re out on the roads have some fun like I occasionally do and count the oncoming large cars and SUVs and look at who is driving them.(It’s shocking how many large vehicles we have here)
I’m not so sure I’d call them fat cats though , more like people either living beyond their means or trying to unnecessarily impress other people .
How often do we see these super large vehicles full of people or hauling stuff ?
You may need to have your eyes tested. On a Class H, the 10% reduction amounts to about $150. No one is getting savings of $1,000, or anywhere near it.
Who is saving $1000? The reduction is 10%. The largest class is approx $1700, so that would be a $170 savings.
UBPOBA shut up and go change the name again. Also stop blaming black voters for leaving!
This was a weird, uninformed and baseless comment. Please expand on the reasoning for it.
Not exactly a smart or nuanced comment. At all.
Well, I hope the PLP win the next election because they got us in this mess
so they can try to get us out.
The problem is that they can’t, the sooner people realize this the better.
The OBA have been around for what… 11? 12 years? They still haven’t changed their name.
What do you mean by ‘stop blaming black voters for leaving’ ? Confused.
Why do you PLP trolls keep perpetuating the lie that the UBP changed its name to OBA? That is not true.
They can’t change the name or leader anymore the party is a clown training ground. A new party needs to be created with people from all sides of the community white and black. The oba was created to hide the ubp. A racist move to save a political party which failed.
Why is Burt hiding the reason why Curtis Dickenson resigned?
So true!
Everyone has the right to express their opinion in a respectful manner. Your vulgarity is unacceptable and is not helpful. Do Better.
The resignation of Mr. Marcus Jones is one of the best things that could happen at this stage and there is only one thing better that can happen now. Mr. Cole Simons follow in his footsteps and quit while you are ahead and resign, if this is all the Old Bermuda Association has to say, I will reserve the remainder of my comment. Good riddance.
Deflect, avoid the question, obfuscate…. Usual PLP diversionary tactic.
Cole is correct, this is a meaningless budget, high on platitudes, short on detail. No plan, no idea, no clue.
Witless, stupid and incompetent.
“Deflect, avoid the question, obfuscate”
You do the exact same. You are not a good “faith” actor. You help no one with your comments and create barriers to conversation and debate. You sir are just as much a part of the issues we have here.
No. The issue we have here, in Bermuda, is that the population continue to elect incompetent people to positions of power. It really is that simple.
If 20+ years of failure doesn’t demonstrate that fact to you, I suggest you stop eating paste.
Duane, you are either financially rewarded for your allegiance to the PLP and protecting that, or blinkered. Pause, wake up and starting realizing the PLP approach works only to cling onto power and that does not benefit Bermuda, or Bermudians who are struggling each and every day. Everyone needs to check in with themself, remove emotional bias and make decisions that benefit the future. I have done this, and the PLP through evidence of the past 20 years are not the answer. This budget adds to the huge tower of evidence that the PLP are incapable of managing Bermuda. That may not always be the case, but for now it is.
Ah -actually my sentiments exactly.
Duane P. Santucci, I’m a middle aged Bermudian concerned about the future of my pension; and yes, I have thoughts of leaving Bermuda for good. So, clearly your views do not represent the views of every Bermudian.
Don’t get this ridiculous budget. For example, why introduce some beautiful new electric buses and then reduce the car license fees? Can someone please think long term for Bermuda, we can’t survive like this. People of Bermuda, black and white, can I ask you to take a very good look at your current government. As far as I can see, they are paying themselves well and more importantly, setting up their pensions for life.
“an election budget”
With over $1 billion in spending and more money being spent on gifts and donations than is spent on the entire civil service it certainly has that feel. But then the fact that the PLP has been in perpetual election mode for most of the last 25 years is what has kept the PLP in power.
And then there is the 12% of all spending going to debt service costs …
find out why Curtis Dickinson resigned. We as the public have a right to know. PLP say transparency, but transparency is never delivered. This budget is hopeless is is underpinned on a do nothing and hope that things change strategy, while the debt cost to all our pockets keeps bleeding us dry, jobs are few and far between and the pensions funds are failing.
For a start
PLP need to change defined benefits pension plans to defined contribution plans
Open up immigration
Address the OECD minimum tax changes. If the tax revenue is not collected here,
through a tax infrastructure, it will be collected elsewhere and Bermuda will not see those tax dollars.
These are macro events, but the PLP seem only capable of poking at micro events like Southampton Princess and buses or playing propaganda games to desperately cling to power at the long term cost (that long term is becomings more short term each and every day) to every Bermudian.
Burt and the PLP are capable of :
swaying votes from emotions, perpetuating a black and white narrative that seeks to divide a country rather than unite it.
Attacking things that threaten their narrative above, UK saving Bermuda re free tests and vaccines ( PLP gladly accepted and then called ‘trinkets’ and the Americas cup which generated a net positive 300 million dollars for the Bermuda economy.
The reality is the PLP is not good for any Bermudian, except for those that get cuts on contracts. Wake up to the reality. If you are a PLP fan, member or have been swayed by their clever emotional propaganda, start asking yourself some serious questions, as God, hope, and the colour of someone’s skin are not factors that will rescue your, your childrens or your grandchildrens from future poverty.