Minister On ‘Steps To Address Affordability’
“Bermuda has taken concrete steps to address affordability through policy development, collaborative partnerships, and practical action,” Minister of Home Affairs Alexa Lightbourne said as she tabled the ‘Affordable Bermuda Agenda’ report.
Speaking in the House of Assembly on Friday [Nov 7] the Minister said, “The Ministry has analyzed, refined, and tested more than 300 proposals and distilled them into a clear, actionable plan; Phase One is tabled today while additional proposals continue to be assessed for viability ahead of publication. Affordability is a shared responsibility; Government must modernize and legislate fairly, the private sector must evolve in step with the needs of customers, and the public must be empowered through information, education, and participation. This will result in meaningful, impactful and sustainable outcomes.”
The Minister’s full statement follows below:
Mr. Speaker,
I rise today before Honourable Members of the House to table The Affordable Bermuda Agenda, which constitutes Phase One of the Ministry’s journey to address affordability in Bermuda and reflects the Ministry’s mandate to lead cost-of-living action on behalf of the Government.
Mr. Speaker,
Today marks another step forward in our shared work to ensure that every Bermudian can live, build, and thrive here at home. Members will recall that in February 2025, the Ministry received a clear and focused mandate to address the cost of living on our island. This Agenda is proof of our swift action to address lived experiences where residents expressed that the costs are too high. The data gathered from more than 2,200 residents and 270 businesses in March and April indicated that immediate relief was expected but in order for it to be applied successfully, it must be practical and fair.
Mr. Speaker,
Beyond collecting data, we engaged with industry, held focus groups, and tested ideas to ensure policy reflected real experiences and outcomes. In June, over 250 participants attended the Cost of Living Summit, resulting in actionable tasks and stronger connections between the public and policy implementation. Funding for this effort was $57,009.64.
Mr. Speaker, since the Summit the Ministry has analyzed, refined, and tested more than 300 proposals and distilled them into a clear, actionable plan; Phase One is tabled today while additional proposals continue to be assessed for viability ahead of publication. Affordability is a shared responsibility; Government must modernize and legislate fairly, the private sector must evolve in step with the needs of customers, and the public must be empowered through information, education, and participation. This will result in meaningful, impactful and sustainable outcomes.
Mr. Speaker,
The Agenda is anchored by five [5] guiding principles: [i] decisions must be evidence-based; [ii] transparency and public accountability must be the norm; [iii] fairness must reach households and businesses; [iv] reforms must be sustainable over the long term; and finally, [v] responsibility must be shared across Government, industry, and community.
Additionally, Mr. Speaker, Phase One targets three priorities: [i] imports and food security, [ii] utilities, and [iii] housing, with an emphasis on consumer education and protection. Efforts include modernizing import processes, ongoing duty-relief reviews for key produce, and providing resources to help households grow basic foods at home. We will enhance regulatory enforcement timelines within the utilities sector, conduct a thorough review of our energy transition to confirm that renewable adoption is appropriately scaled and cost-effective, and increase price transparency to ensure accountability remains clear and consistent. With regard to housing, Mr. Speaker, we have introduced a contemporary Landlord and Tenant framework for consultation, which encompasses standardized lease agreements, equitable security deposit regulations, clearly defined rights and remedies, and expedited dispute resolution mechanisms. Furthermore, we have initiated industry consultations and commenced public engagement through the Government’s Citizens Forum.
Mr. Speaker, because informed consumers drive fairer markets, the Ministry will launch a Consumer Rights Campaign so that every resident knows their options, understands their protections, and can seek redress with confidence.
Mr. Speaker, in a motion to provide immediate relief while continuing to seek other cost saving initiatives, wholesalers and retailers have been invited to participate in short-term price reductions on selected national brands commonly purchased by families. The reductions will be shared equally—10 percent from wholesalers and 10 percent from retailers—for a nine-month period starting 1 November. This initiative is in addition to weekly in-store discounts and applies to essential categories such as baby formula, rice, dairy, toiletries, and cleaning supplies. Participating entities include BGA, Butterfield & Vallis, Viking Foods, The MarketPlace, Dunkley’s Dairy, and the Lindo’s Group. Additionally, we are pleased to announce that the Garden Market have agreed and will be a participating stakeholder in the coming days. Information of cost saving products will continue to be featured on the Ministry website costofliving.gov.bm.
Mr. Speaker, this Agenda aligns and builds on the tangible evidence this government continues to demonstrate. This includes Budget measures that lower costs across the economy, including a flat 10 percent customs duty on building materials currently above that rate, the elimination of duty on all motor-vehicle parts, and a reduction of the tax on fuel used for electricity generation to 4 cents per litre from 1 July 2025.
Mr. Speaker,
The Cost of Living Commission will oversee implementation and monitoring, ensuring delivery of reforms, recommending regulatory safeguards, and providing quarterly reports with support from the Ministry. Updates on progress will be made available on the Cost of Living website and via official Government channels, as reforms are coordinated among partner ministries and industry stakeholders.
I would like to extend my gratitude to Chairman Ms. Michelle Jackson, and Deputy Chairman Mr. Neville Grant, of the Cost of Living Commission, along with our private-sector partners and public-sector experts, for their dedication and collaboration.
The principles of unity, equity, and measurable outcomes underpin our approach. Phase One transitions from consultation to implementation, introduces savings measures, and establishes a foundation for comprehensive reforms in imports, utilities, and housing.
Mr. Speaker, The Ministry will advance priority legislative initiatives as outlined in the Agenda, reporting to this Honourable House on a quarterly basis.
It is important to note that Bermuda has taken concrete steps to address affordability through policy development, collaborative partnerships, and practical action.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The full Affordable Bermuda Agenda follows below [PDF here]:
“the private sector must evolve in step with the needs of customers”
It does. It is called a free market economy. Please get speech writers who can understand at least the fundamentals of economics
EQUAL PAY FOR QUUAL WORK. : >>> Could it be that the working man or woman is under paid with that which does not keep up with a reasonable the cost of living ?.
How Bermuda is still surviving beats me !
A classic example of that was that a certain bank no longer here had absolutely no regard for it employees. The bank ” Shot it self selves in the foot ” Many executives took afternoon walk with Johnny Walker . Big business here operates here in perpetuity, big business also not only rips off its employees it also rips off their customers also, that is you and I. Please note ! There are no controls, at job applicants many are faced with” Hobson Choice” at job interview the applicant always looses the battle say , if the applicant is desperate from being out of work for months . The minimum wage is a big joke but no body is laughing , why are the working class getting the dirty end of the stick, all i can say is ‘ God bless’ the unions, some wage packages are through the roof no body can work 26 hours a day as it were . Just look at the size or their houses and life stiles , We are living in a two tear economy, been that way for years i can not help thinking that the ministers report was very one sided, i will admit that it was a mammoth task. May i ask, does a report make the problem go away. I doubt it , i am waiting for part two, THE ROCK SOLID RECOMMENDATION !
I have been involved with housing for the major part of my life. I have come to find out there there are more empty bedrooms caused by the younger parts of family wanting to leave home, to be blunt, or not wanting to care for their parents also ir was it for quest of freedom don’t ask ! . The Government has no chance of trying to keep up because of being duped fof the need of a car . Too succeed to day it take more than one income is requiresto carry the load , as the saying goes Bermuda is too expensive or are we living beyond our mens . I do not stand at the exit door at the Airport to count the number of Bermudians heading to Atlanta several tines a year on buying trips or even go to Vagus for fun and gaming . There are also two sides of Bermuda economy for the haves and the have nots . We all can’t live likr Kings and Queens . Every thing in life is controlled reght down to the need for mone,as even the collection plate gets passed around twice. i would have though by now we coild have had a free ride but not so . Inflation hurts most every body, Covid 19 did it to the rest, do ask what is wrong if business is failing as it is passed on from father to son, why did we loose B.E.L.C. and many of the other income earners, was it because our young people did not want the agony, or want the business to own them.