Video: Minister Lightbourne Press Conference
“The newly focused Ministry of Home Affairs has been tasked with one mission, to bring down the cost of living because we know that affordability is the greatest challenge facing Bermudians today,” Minister of Home Affairs Alexa Lightbourne said as she held a press conference this afternoon [March 27] to discuss her Ministry’s Throne Speech initiatives.
Minister Lightbourne’s remarks:
Good afternoon members of the media and to the people of Bermuda.
In our recent Throne Speech, the Government of Bermuda firmly took another step forward. To act on our mission to ease the burden of rising costs in Bermuda.
We know what our people are facing. For too long, the weight of increasing prices for food, housing, electricity, and everyday essentials has strained families, challenged our seniors, and tested small businesses.
The 2025 Throne Speech was clear: this government is focused on people, not politics. And we are delivering a vision built around your daily realities, with policies designed to support Bermudians across every stage of life.
Our priorities are simple but meaningful:
- Ensuring every child receives a quality education.
- Guaranteeing our seniors can age with dignity.
- Expanding access to affordable housing so that every Bermudian has a place to call home.
- Transforming healthcare by making it more accessible, more affordable, and more responsive.
- And, tackling the cost of living by confronting the soaring prices of food, energy, and essential goods head-on.
The newly focused Ministry of Home Affairs has been tasked with one mission: to bring down the cost of living because we know that affordability is the greatest challenge facing Bermudians today.
The cost of food, energy, and essential goods is unsustainable, and the burden these high costs place on our families and businesses is insurmountable.
We recognize that this challenge is complex and broad in scope, yet interconnected, requiring collaboration, innovation, and solutions across multiple Ministries.
We further believe that lasting solutions require the entire Bermuda ecosystem.
We aim to work with ministries, with businesses, community leaders, nonprofit partners and everyday Bermudians.
Because real change happens when we act together.
Addressing the Cost of Living
As we chart our path, the Ministry of Home Affairs will first focus to address the cost of living challenges through the pillars under its direct remit which include:
- Stabilizing Energy Costs and promote our energy transition;
- Addressing the rising cost of essential goods, and
- Advancing the principles and policies that result in consumer protection, and safeguarding these changes through the reform of regulatory oversight.
Energy
Our energy sector is at a crossroads. The Integrated Resource Plan, also known as the IRP, has laid out a transformative path toward sustainable and cost-effective electricity. Since 2019, we’ve been laying the groundwork to reduce fossil fuel dependence and transition to modern energy solutions.
The goals defined in the IRP include:
- Reducing our fossil fuel reliance
- Stabilizing costs
- Infrastructure development
- Outreach and education on energy efficiency and conservation and
- Deploying new energy technologies which will chart our path toward building a sustainable future.
Energy transitions worldwide are being addressed systematically and we endeavor to do the same. This day-one reality means that, while customers may not see major improvements in their bills overnight, they should feel confident knowing that the next phase is designed to stabilize electricity bills through amending the Electricity Act to ensure transparent and efficient operations.
Consumer Protection
We recognise that no Bermudian should feel powerless when prices rise without justification. So, As defined in our Throne Speech, we are moving forward with legislation to ensure stronger consumer rights and oversight in key sectors, because accountability should never be optional.
Cost of Living Summit
Today, I am proud to announce the first-ever Bermuda Cost of Living Summit. This forum will bring together all sectors: government, private industry, unions, nonprofits, and residents to confront the structural drivers of high costs and identify actionable, short and long-term solutions.
In the lead-up to the Summit, the Ministry has launched a two-part national engagement effort:
- Stakeholder Consultations with businesses, a survey which is already underway, engages with service providers, and community leaders to identify barriers, bottlenecks, and solutions from every sector.
- Those findings will support focus group efforts to better drill down on the core drivers of costs in Bermuda.
- We will then launch a Public Survey, in the coming days, which will capture lived experiences and ideas from residents on how affordability challenges are affecting their lives.
The insights gathered will inform a Cost-of-Living Report, and will provide clear recommendations for reform, especially in consumer protection and regulatory oversight.
We know this issue cannot be solved overnight. But what we can pledge is that we will advance our next steps with urgency, transparency, and action. This isn’t just about numbers or a bottom line, it’s about people.
- It’s about parents deciding between groceries and school supplies.
- It’s about Seniors choosing between medicine and electricity.
- It’s about our small businesses fighting to stay afloat.
The Ministry of Home Affairs and its mandate is at the heart of quality of life in Bermuda.
And while we know change takes time, we are taking bold action now to lay the foundation for lasting relief.
Bermuda, we care. We have listened and We have heard you.
We remain unwavering in our commitment to advance a fairer and more affordable Bermuda for all.
Thank you.
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All great political election sound bites, but unrealistic mainly because most of the PLP MPs have no business experience, let alone common sense. They go on and on about how duty has been cut but not passed on. How can they know when wholesale prices vary almost daily? How can, say, strawberries be $12.99 one week but $6.99 the next? Because the wholesale price has changed and the saving passed on, and vice versa. Hint to save money, buy when cheaper.
Governments are the worst people to try and control prices. Instead they will drive up prices even higher.
The oba is full of racism and lacks any common sense to realize it’s OVER! Now enjoy being the forever party that keeps losing. The score is 0-3 and climbing.
I do not accept the fact that we, that is the government and tax payers have to work together when we have being paying taxes on every that comes into this island for decades and the Governmrent spends the money on fancy transportation for it legislators.
and the budget is a fairy tale being ignored.
The burden on the general public is two fold is taxation and lnflation which has infected the entire island’s economy by exorbitant taxation and no emergency fund your only recourse the to eliminate and reduce taxes which see more money in the tax payers pockets please dont tell us what the problems are deal with it .
you have been tol that we can not change our overseas whole sale cost
DOPUBLE DIP TAXATION
Virtually every thing we import is taxable which escalates by doubling the price on the retailers shelf .
Government gets payrol tax that is income tax on the working class.,that is not fair, in fact none of it is fair.
It hurts even those who suport the goverment at the pols and those who also get social assistance.
Our masive taxation burden taxation keep the government we can not afford
It is a known fact tha most countries cancet by wit 1% inflation up od dow. but 10 % in flat will break every body.
The double dip taxation here is one of many examples i do no have to make a list which Is the difference between cake an bread on the table
Food is being used as the prime example who we all kno that the escalation in the cost of livin effect every thing.
A CAR
Input duty on a car plus licence fee untill the car goes to the dump, there is the double dip !
What apears to be going on here is the creation of a debate over the balance of two part payments inflation and tacxation .
the Government services plan will need to reduced or revises or eliminated.
Why should we pay money to educate some body else child . of pay for an army when there is no war or buy vehicles galore .
inflation and taxation payments that is non negotiable.
Ask the question why did so many people did not show up to the polls ?
“This government is focused on people, not politics.”
We, the people, beg to differ LOL
Curious to see how Ms. Lightbourne and the rest of the PLP plan fix Bermuda being a small, isolated country reliant on imports from elsewhere, with a shrinking population and a monopoly on energy.
Spoiler alert: they can’t fix this and this is just a load of word salad to try and trick you into thinking they will take action, when we all know they won’t.
You and the OBA, beg to differ LMAO.
Your vote didn’t make a difference past, present or future.
Sad that your entire life is obsessed with the OBA. It’s the PLP Government who is destroying Bermuda but you are too blind to see. You should be focused on how to survive when internal and external influences cripple the economy.
So true, but your wasting your words and time with these lot .
When will you realize that not a voter accept you and a few other clowns are concerned about the obaUBP? Now run along and troll them out of the sewer for the next election, which they’ve already loss.
So if you are worried, why did your people get a raise they should give the raise to US people who really need help
Just Saying
This is the best of Burt. Nothing but fluff.
The statement you made with a relationship to afordable housing is incorrect being that which can no longer be realized to day as it could have been a politicians un achieved an election ploy .
I have been in the cnsrustion business for 40 years .
Young lady ,have been give a hard nut to crack, and hope the you may become some body else” escape goat” .
Contractors Plumber Masons and Eletricions do not works for peanuts and will no longer to be convinced to do so.
Am I right in thinking that you could take up to a year to gather information and facts which by that time will be old rope to tackle this urgent inflation problem . The answer is at the end of you finger tips. Taxation ! So sorry madam you got 10 minutes to figure it out !