Shadow Finance Minister questions if previous Throne Speech plans may change post-election
Premier & Finance Minister David Burt and Shadow Finance Minister Dr Douglas De Couto. File photos.
Delaying the annual budget until May 2nd is a promise broken, suggests Shadow Finance Minister Dr Douglas De Couto.
He also complained that some One Bermuda Alliance MPs only learned about the new Throne Speech and budget dates in the media. However, Premier David Burt responds that he met with the Opposition Leader before releasing the news publicly, and suggests that communication within the OBA has broken down.
The Premier also accuses the OBA of “sour grapes” in the party’s recent press releases, in which he says they are “trying to explain away their second worst electoral result ever.”
On February 18th, the Progressive Labour Party won the 2025 General Election with 25 seats and 49.64% of the vote, while the OBA claimed 11 seats and 36.86% of the vote. Independents, the Free Democratic Movement and the Emperial Group did not win any seats, and had 9.21%, 3.83% and 0.47% of the vote, respectively.
Dr Douglas De Couto claimed Warwick North East for the OBA, having served as an OBA senator and Shadow Finance Minister.
In a press release today, Dr De Couto said there were concerns prior to the February 18th election that the timing of the vote would delay the annual budget. He continued, “Government stated that it did not expect any. However, that promise is out the window with the new, recently announced schedule delaying things by about two months.”
“…we look forward to seeing Government’s revised funding plans. As they say, “put your money where your mouth is”.”
Dr De Couto also suggests that some of the plans from last November’s Throne Speech and December’s Pre-Budget Report may be subject to change with a new Throne Speech on March 14th and the subsequent budget.
He says the OBA will watch how the Government will contend with a planned increase in Government workers’ pay, how it will fund the hospital and long-term pension provisions, and how it will handle the Corporate Income Tax.
Premier, Finance Minister and PLP Leader David Burt responded to the Shadow Finance Minister’s comments, and particularly took aim at his claim that OBA MPs first learned about the new Parliamentary and Budget dates by “reading about them in the newspaper”.
The Premier responded, “I made it a point to meet with the Leader of the Opposition last Wednesday, before releasing that information publicly. Either there is a serious communication breakdown within the OBA, or they are deliberately misleading the public.”
Premier Burt also advised the OBA to “get your own house in order before you continue to lash out in what is clearly being perceived as sour grapes after being soundly defeated at the polls.”
Full statements below…
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Statement from Shadow Finance Minister, Dr Douglas De Couto:
“Normally at this time of year, the political class and close observers would be analysing the annual Budget Debate. This is when the Government delivers its taxing and spending plans to the legislature for scrutiny and challenge by the Opposition and is an opportunity for the public to learn more about how the Government will spend the peoples’ money. Usually, this is all wrapped up and approved in time for the start of the Government’s financial year on April 1st.
“In early January when the election was called, there was some concern by the public that the election would delay the budget process. However, Government stated that it did not expect any. However, that promise is out the window with the new, recently announced schedule delaying things by about two months. Meanwhile the Premier has shuffled the deck and the new Ministers are busy moving the deck chairs around.
“The Throne Speech was delivered just two short months before the election, and Government’s preview of the budget, the Pre-Budget report, was delivered only in mid-December. Given that, it’s natural to think those plans were promises of what an ongoing PLP Government would do after the election. But the Premier has thrown that all out the window. Perhaps this was motivated by his Government earning less than half of the popular vote, the first time in Bermuda’s modern political history?
“Speaking of promises, the Premier has pledged a new spirit of outreach and collaboration. So it was a surprise for the MPs in the One Bermuda Alliance to learn first of the new Parliamentary and Budget dates by reading about them in the newspaper. Can the Government do that? Sure. Does it set a good basis for mutual respect? Not so much. Of course, there are many groups in Bermuda that are already familiar with this kind of approach from Premier Burt and the PLP Government.
“Returning to the Budget, although it is now two months away, we look forward to seeing Government’s revised funding plans. As they say, “put your money where your mouth is”.
“The Pre-Budget report pledged to keep all department budgets flat, except for a total increase of about 3% earmarked to increase Government workers’ pay. Given the agreement between Government and the unions the day before the election, we will have to see if the 3% is enough to cover what was promised, which we are still waiting to learn.
“Absentee voting is another long-standing hot topic. The OBA prepared draft legislation and allocated funds for this in the 2016 and 2017 budgets. This was then removed from budgets by the PLP, so we will look to see if Government actually backs its election-time pledges on this.
“Obviously funding for healthcare is critical, particularly for the hospital. My colleague Robin Tucker recently shared our thoughts on that, and we hope to see adequate funding returned to the hospital.
“For people working today, the stability of Social Insurance and Government worker pensions remains a concern. The OBA pledged to reform these pensions so they can be relied upon by future retirees, and we are anxious to see what Government plans to do. We need the 2023 Pensions Actuarial reports to better understand the true state of the pensions (our guess: not very good), and are advised by Government we can expect to see these by the end of March.
“And last but not least, we are carefully watching Government’s handling of the Corporate Income Tax (CIT). For example, how will the OECD view our approach, will we be penalized, and will business get the benefits they are looking for so Bermuda remains attractive? These are the sorts of things we will be paying attention to, among many others, in the upcoming Throne Speech and Budget.
“Whatever happens, you should rest assured that the One Bermuda Alliance will continue to advocate for all Bermudians, and getting the best outcomes for our country.”
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Statement in response from Premier, Finance Minister and PLP Leader David Burt (audio below):
“For the last two weeks, the public has been treated to endless statements from the OBA, trying to explain away their second worst electoral result ever. However, no amount of statements or attempt to rewrite history will erase the fact that the OBA was soundly rejected by the voters of this country, and the Progressive Labor Party has earned a clear mandate to deliver on its election platform.”
“It is clear that not all is well within the OBA. Shadow Minister De Couto claims that they first learned of the House of Assembly dates from the press, but that is simply not true. I made it a point to meet with the Leader of the Opposition last Wednesday, before releasing that information publicly. Either there is a serious communication breakdown within the OBA, or they are deliberately misleading the public.”
“It seems that the OBA has not learned the lesson that the voters gave them, that they will not win over the voters of this country by attacking me personally. Voters wants a plan and the OBA has no plan, just attacks.”
“Far be it from me to give political advice to the OBA, but please, for the sake of the country, get your own house in order before you continue to lash out in what is clearly being perceived as sour grapes after being soundly defeated at the polls.”
“Tell the people what you stand for, not just that you are against the PLP.”
