Premier David Burt with the Throne Speech, and OBA Leader Jarion Richardson. File image

In the One Bermuda Alliance’s Reply to the Throne Speech (scroll down to view, or watch HERE), leader Jarion Richardson suggests the PLP Government has failed to effectively promote local economic growth, and address the cost of living.

He says, “Instead of pursuing proven economic strategies that generate growth, the Government has focused on experimental ideas that have not yet delivered tangible benefits to Bermudians.”

Referring to the PLP’s legislative plans laid out last week, Mr Richardson says, “…the suggestion of price controls as a potential solution is alarming… Countries that have attempted price control policies, from Venezuela to Zimbabwe, have seen disastrous consequences.”

“We do not fix the cost-of-living crisis by controlling prices—we fix it by growing the economy.”

“We do not lower costs by over-regulating businesses—we lower costs by fostering true competition, reducing tax burdens, growing our population, and creating an environment where businesses can thrive.”

In their Throne Speech reply, the OBA shares several ideas with the PLP, including expanding the list of essential items with 0% import duty, free annual health check-ups for seniors, and a rent-to-own programme for potential homeowners.

While some ideas are similar, the OBA argues that they would them quicker, better, or both.

Meanwhile, the Opposition claims investors have been deterred by the current Government.

The OBA says it would restore the independence of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, remove political interference from education, and create more accountability in Government.

Here’s a breakdown of the OBA’s ideas, and the six overall themes presented in their reply to the March 2025 Speech from the Throne…

COST OF LIVING, LOCAL ECONOMY

The OBA would:

• Repeal the Sugar Tax
• Increase the number of essential items with 0% import duty
• Promote and investing in local farming
• Introducing fair competition in electricity market, enhance regulatory powers, and invest in renewable energy source
• Cut red tape & streamline the process for starting a business
• Provide payroll tax relief for businesses that hire and retain Bermudian workers
• Expanded access to business loans and grants
• Offer incentives for new IB and Financial Services firms to establish here
• Insist on tangible presence, job creation and economic impact from fintech, blue economy and medical tourism
• Remove politics and politicians from Bermuda Tourism Authority, and outline public performance measurements for an independent BTA
• Implement a “sensible immigration policy” to attract skilled workers while retaining young Bermudians
• Offer incentives programmes to encourage Bermudians to return
• Align education & training with the needs of the job market

EDUCATION

Bermuda’s Education system has “suffered from inconsistent policies, underfunding, and a lack of clear direction”, the OBA states, adding that Government’s reform strategy is unclear, and there is inadequate support for teachers.

The OBA would:

• Establish an Independent Education Authority, removing politics from education and allowing experts and educators to drive improvements.
• Prioritise Literacy and Numeracy, with early screening and foundational programmes
• Work with industry to develop apprenticeships in plumbing, electrical work, hospitality and IT
• Establish ongoing teacher training and reduce administrative burden on teachers
• Better maintain and renovate schools, provide digital learning tools
• Integrate special educational resources into mainstream schools, and ensure tailored support for students with disabilities

HEALTHCARE, SENIORS

The OBA’s reply to the Throne Speech states, “…for far too many, healthcare has become an expensive privilege rather than a guaranteed right… This Government’s approach has not only failed to reduce costs but has also failed to improve efficiency.”

The OBA would:

• Reduce the cost of prescription drugs
• Enhance primary care at GP level to reduce pressure on the hospital’s Emergency Room
• Expand Preventative Care – including free annual health check-ups for seniors
• Expand FutureCare with increased coverage for seniors, work to reduce co-pay
• Create long-term care support fund to help seniors access at-home care
• Invest in public-private partnerships to provide more assisted-living spaces
• Increase funding for mental health services
• Introduce school-based programmes to address youth anxiety, depression and stress
• Expand addiction and rehabilitation programmes
• Introduce incentives to attract and retain healthcare professionals
• Streamline training to develop local nurses and medical staff
• Implement Electronic Health Records (EHRs) accross all facilities

HOUSING NEEDS, SOCIAL CHALLENGES:

Bermuda faces a growing housing crisis, the OBA states, where “rents have surged beyond affordability, homeownership is increasingly out of reach, and homelessness has risen to unprecedented levels.”

The OBA would:

• Convert vacant Government-owned properties into affordable or transitional housing
• Provide incentives for private developers to build affordable housing
• Introduce a rent-to-own programme
• Repurpose existing Government buildings as emergency homeless shelters
• Fund homeless charities to develop transitional housing
• Centralise homelessness services for better management of cases
• Reform the Landlord-Tenant Act
• Implement a Rent Assurance Programme with a limited Gov’t guarantee to Landlords for vetted tenants
• Provide incentives for homeowners to develop rental units
• Fund a Domestic Violence Shelter for victims and their children
• Fast-track the Domestic Violence Court Initiative

PUBLIC SAFETY & ORDER

The OBA says the PLP Government’s National Violence Reduction Strategy “lacks strong enforcement measures, suffers from slow implementation, and fails to adequately address Bermuda’s gang violence problem.”

The Opposition also states that the September 2023 cyber attack on Government highlighted our vulnerability, while road conditions and reckless driving contribute to accidents.

The OBA would:

• Recruit additional Police officers, invest in surveilance technology
• Increase visible community Policing
• Expand gang prevention programmes, incuding mentorship and vocational training
• Set measurable benchmarks for the National Violence Reduction Strategy
• Establish an independent Cyberattack Commission
• Implement strict cybersecurity standards for Government agencies
• Invest in cyber education to develop local expertise
• Launch an emergency road repaving initiative for the worst-affected areas
• Increase traffic policing, with streamlined processing of offenses
• Increase the reliability of public transport
• Expand after-school programmes and mental health support for at-risk youth and families

GOOD GOVERNANCE

OBA Leader Jarion Richardson states, “…this administration has too often been long on talk and short on action… The Government must put aside the pet projects. Instead of a music studio, pave the roads. Instead of traveling to Dubai, fix the bridges… focus on fixing the big ticket, hard issues, like pension and immigration reform.”

The OBA would:

• Institute regular public reporting on plans, with measurable targets and progress updates
• Publish financial statements published on-time, with no unnecessary spending on travel and consultants
• Enforce codes of conduct for Ministers and MPs, remove violators
• Act collaboratively in leadership, engaging with other parties, unions and businesses

OBA Leader Jarion Richardson laments, “Bermuda used to be a model of effective governance. We had balanced budgets in the 1990s, social harmony improving in the 2000s, and even in the early 2010s under an OBA government, we saw return to growth and big projects like America’s Cup that lifted confidence. It saddens me to see how far we have drifted from that… We have an oversized, expensive government struggling to get basic things done, an economy that’s stagnant, and a populace that’s understandably frustrated.”

Concluding, Mr Richardson says, “If the Government today were to implement some of the proposals we’ve laid out – be it cutting the sugar tax, implementing an independent Education Authority, reviving an independent tourism authority, putting vacant and derelict Government properties to assisting homelessness, or investigating our cyber failures – I would applaud them and support those moves, because they would be right for Bermuda…”

“However, if this Government remains unable or unwilling to deliver, then the OBA stands prepared to step in and implement these plans ourselves. We are not seeking power for its own sake, but we will not shy away from the responsibility if it is entrusted to us. Bermuda cannot afford drift and dithering for four more years.”

FULL REPLY TO THE THRONE SPEECH: