Column: Pearman On Politics, Leadership & More
[Opinion column written by Shadow Legal Affairs Minister Scott Pearman]
As the Summer draws to a close, and we enter the autumn season of party political conferences – with the OBA’s party conference in September and the PLP following after in October – here are two questions for you to ponder…
First, are you better off than you were eight years ago? Second, is Bermuda better off than it was in 2017?
2017 was, of course, the year when our current Premier David Burt won his first general election as PLP Leader. Way back in July 2017.
It is true that David Burt had a helping hand in some disastrous decision-making before 2017. Don’t forget that our outgoing Premier was once the Junior Finance Minister under then Premier Paula Cox. That was more than a decade ago in 2013. Yet 2017 was the year when David Burt finally seized the helm of our ship of state by becoming Bermuda’s Premier.
With David Burt’s repeatedly confirming to Parliament that he will step down as Premier in October 2026, how do his past eight years look to you?
Is our Island better off for his leadership? Are you better off?
Beware The Victory Lap
It seems slightly odd that Premier Burt keeps telling us he is leaving, but then – in the very same breath – declares he will remain as the Premier until the PLP Party Conference in October 2026? That’s over a year away.
Students of politics may remember British PM Harold Wilson’s quote: “a week is a long time in politics”. If one week is a long time, doesn’t 14 months seem exceedingly long for a victory lap? What a tight grip David Burt must have on his Progressive Labour Party if he – and he alone – can dictate when he steps down.
Sticking with famous quotes, this next one may inform this circumstance. It was a Hall of Fame baseball pitcher [Christy Mathewson of the old New York Giants, since you asked] who once remarked: “You can learn little from victory. You can learn everything from defeat.” Wise words.
Beware the victory lap Premier Burt. Now that people know you are leaving, some may seek to hasten your departure. And others will naturally have cause to reflect, and to judge a departing Premier by his record.
Take Premier Burt’s record on tourism for example. In the red corner, the OBA’s brief stint as the Bermuda Government saw the major development of new Hamilton Princess Marina and Beach Club. And several splendid new hotels opened, including The Loren, St. Regis, and Azura. Bermudians received an award-winning new airport, built without adding to the people’s debt [the PLP’s plan, if you remember, was to tack on yet another $500 Million to our already sky-high debt]. And under the OBA, the eyes of the World focused on Bermuda with the massive success of the America’s Cup.
What are the PLP’s tourism wins under Premier Burt?
Flora Duffy’s spectacular triathlon victory is certainly one for the record books, although some may rightly feel Dame Flora deserves the credit for that beauty. The nifty renovation of Aunt Nea’s Inn in St. George’s deserves special mention. Beyond that, well, you be the judge…
A Debt Of Gratitude
For those who feel like Bermudians are treading water in a rising tide, there is some positive news coming soon. Don’t let your eyes glaze over, but let’s talk for a moment about the Corporate Income Tax [CIT]. The predicted tax take from our new CIT is due in soon, as my OBA colleague and Shadow Finance Minister Douglas De Couto commented elsewhere.
This is the first year of CIT payments, so the numbers should be healthy, and possibly robust. Yet the promised tax credit system still seems rather late to arrive? With the Tax Reform Commission’s Report having just been published, will Premier Burt deliver what is needed? And we would be wise to remember that those paying the CIT are international businesses: they could easily choose to pay the tax elsewhere.
You can be sure the Premier will be out there seeking to take credit for the taxes paid by our friends in IB. Yet instead of another victory lap, the Premier could and should do the one thing that would actually earn him a place in Bermuda’s history. He should use this singular opportunity to hack away at our stifling public debt, which remains above $3 Billion. Will the Burt Administration make any real progress on the very real issues facing Bermudians today, including our Bermudians employed in the IB sector?
The next generation of Bermudians would then have a fighting chance, in a global rising tide that may not recede anytime soon…
- Scott Pearman is the MP for Paget East [Constituency 22] and OBA Shadow Minister for Legal Affairs. He can be reached at spearman@oba.bm.
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The policies and management of our country are in a much better position than the OBA would have had us, especially the social policies. the OBA had their time in power and did nothing to impact housing or education or anything that would benefit the masses. The PLP are not perfect, no administration is, but they have done a very good job.
The comments about Premier Burt leaving in October 2026 are ridiculous. He has said this over and over. What is wrong with him establishing that he will not run again for Leader in 2026 and thus continue to serve his term until then? PLP Leadership terms are constitutionally for 4 years. He was elected in 2022. There is nothing confusing or sinister about this.
OBA would be better served putting out articles that actually make sense.
“The policies and management of our country are in a much better position than the OBA would have had us”
Our economy is an economic miracle. Retail price inflation in Bermuda has consistently been lower than that of the U.S., U.K., or Canada for most of the past 5 years.
Our roads have been well maintained for the last 20 years, contrary to what Lt. Col. Burt told us.
We are nearly $4 billion in debt on our current account (ignoring unfunded liabilities), but our Government has been paying into the sinking fund and has a plan to get us out of that debt.
As usual your green loyalty is blinding you to reality. When the OBA was voted in this island was on life support and fading quickly. They didn’t have the time or luxury to worry about all those ‘social giveaways’ that PLPers love so much. In their too short time they stemmed the hemorrhaging , but not enough , but that wasn’t popular with people looking for handouts and lies. And here we are again on life support with promises that’ll never come to pass.
Ask all the people who have emigrated to that country they were brainwashed into hating all of their lives.
The OBA is like a comedy show that nobody signed up for-they keep losing members and leaders faster than you can say “next!” Honestly, it’s hard to tell if this group even knows whether the lights are on or off. It’s basically a game of musical chairs… on the Titanic.