Minister On Land Management Corporation
Minister of Public Works David Burch announced the official establishment of the Bermuda Land Management Corporation.
Speaking in the House of Assembly today [Sept 20] the Minister said, “This Honourable House, through the West End Development Corporation Amendment Act 2024, approved the merging of two Government Quangos – the West End Development Corporation [WEDCO] and the Bermuda Land Development Company Ltd. [BLDC] – to create the Bermuda Land Management Corporation [BLMC].
“This only makes sense and should not come as a shock to anyone as I have said previously on numerous occasions, there is no justifiable reason why – on an island of only twenty-one [21] square miles – we have two [2] organizations [2 CEOs and 2 CFOs] and all the attendant offices, machinery, and staffs carrying out very similar functions for the most part – the full demonstration of unnecessary bureaucracy on display.
“On September 1st, 2024, the BLMC began its operations, and I am happy to report that there were no redundancies resulting from this merger. While it is true that the BLMC is seeing minimal duplication of roles, note that reductions will occur over time through natural attrition, such as retirement. The reasoning behind this direction is the benefit of ensuring that any important institutional knowledge is retained into future operations while avoiding severances.”
The Minister’s full statement follows below:
Mr. Speaker, I rise to announce the official establishment of the Bermuda Land Management Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, in July 2002, the then Cabinet decided that the Central Policy Unit should complete a review of 17 Quangos which focused on the following objectives:
- Determine whether Bermuda’s Quangos as currently constructed are meeting Government’s aims and, if not, recommend methods of achieving alignment.
- Determine whether there is accountability to the Government and, if not, recommend an adequate structure to accomplish this; and
- Develop mechanisms for ongoing review.
Mr. Speaker, the scope of the review covered a wide range of topics, including the establishment and governance of each body; its existing relevance, feasibility, effectiveness, levels of accountability to Government, expenditure, income, whether the work could be more effectively [or more efficiently] carried out within Government proper, or by some other means. It sought to determine governance and best practice in other jurisdictions and to develop a mechanism for ongoing review.
All laudable goals which resulted in a report entitled “UNTANGLING BERMUDA’S QUANGOS – A review of Quangos in the Bermuda Government,” presented in October 2003. Mr. Speaker, next month will mark twenty-one [21] years since the original recommendation to merge quangos that share similar objectives, mandates, skills, accounting procedures, and staffing levels… and I am proud to say that this Government has accomplished that goal.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this year this Honourable House, through the West End Development Corporation Amendment Act 2024, approved the merging of two Government Quangos – the West End Development Corporation [WEDCO] and the Bermuda Land Development Company Ltd. [BLDC] – to create the Bermuda Land Management Corporation [BLMC].
This only makes sense and should not come as a shock to anyone as I have said previously on numerous occasions, there is no justifiable reason why – on an island of only twenty-one [21] square miles – we have two [2] organizations [2 CEOs and 2 CFOs] and all the attendant offices, machinery, and staffs carrying out very similar functions for the most part – the full demonstration of unnecessary bureaucracy on display.
Mr. Speaker, on September 1st, 2024, the BLMC began its operations, and I am happy to report that there were no redundancies resulting from this merger. While it is true that the BLMC is seeing minimal duplication of roles, note that reductions will occur over time through natural attrition, such as retirement. The reasoning behind this direction is the benefit of ensuring that any important institutional knowledge is retained into future operations while avoiding severances.
I must again commend the management and staff of both former organizations – many of whom did not believe we would proceed and that their jobs would be in jeopardy if we did. I am particularly pleased to again thank both the Bermuda Industrial Union and the Bermuda Public Services Union for collaborating with us to revise the Collective Bargaining Agreements so that they were ready for the Bermuda Land Management Company.
Mr. Speaker, since the commencement of the West End Development Corporation Amendment Act 2024, the BLDC has now officially ceased its operations, with the company’s windup process being completed fully by the end of the fiscal year in March 2025.
Mr. Speaker, the former BLDC Head Office at Triton House has now been closed, and a new BLMC sub-office has been opened at Commercial Park, 5 Waller’s Point Road, St. George’s – a consolidation of offices and workshops of the former BLDC. This now provides the ability for the BLMC to lease the former BLDC Headquarters to private companies for additional rental income and to encourage economic development in the area – a topic I will soon speak on in another statement.
Regarding the Headquarters for the BLMC, the Head Office is in Dockyard in the Clocktower building, which houses the accounts department for both former entities. The CEO, Business Development department, and HR share their time both in the East and West as demand requires.
Moving forward, Mr. Speaker, over the next few weeks and months, the general public will start to see the transitioning of physical things like signage, vehicle logos, email addresses, and the website to reflect the new BLMC.
Mr. Speaker, there are many positive endeavours on the horizon for the BLMC, and I look forward to Chairman MP Tyrrell, the Board, Mr. Dias, and his team continuing the Government’s commitment to manage and develop this entity to progressively improve the social and economic success of the company.
As I close, I wish to reiterate that the process engaged to effect this amalgamation – minus the 21 years – can certainly be used in the future for further Quango amalgamations.
Thank You, Mr. Speaker!
