The following statement was issued by Progressive Labour Party MP Kim Swan, representative for Constituency #2 – St George’s West…
The OBA recently offered up a multiple choice question in which they attempted to defend the bad airport deal that has cost us $5.8 million and counting. They then spoke about casino gaming but failed to mention that it was the OBA that ushered in gaming whilst, breaking their 2012 election promise to hold a referendum.
In order to move forward, we have had to resolve the issues associated.
They also wanted to speak about the debt. Here’s a fact – during the OBA’s tenure, the global economy was booming and yet they doubled the national debt.
So, we’d like to offer up some multiple choice questions to the OBA. What was the OBA’s priority in office? (choose all that apply)
(a) A boat race for billionaires and celebrities costing taxpayers over $100 million
(b) Failing to clean up mould in our public schools
(c) Granting status for, as former Senator Michael Fahy said, “thousands” of new Bermudians
(d) Selling out our airport for 30 years without a force majeure clause, without a tendering process and without regard for public sentiment
MP Scott Pearman notes the OBA couldn’t predict a pandemic and of course, they couldn’t – nor could we. So with that being said, why blame us for the additional debt taken on to help see Bermudians through these tough times? Would the OBA have let Bermudians suffer during the worst of the pandemic?
And, regarding the airport, they could have included a standard force majeure clause that protects taxpayers from a variety of acts of God, which includes a pandemic. Then, they complained about the size of Cabinet and yet again, remained stoically silent when Craig Cannonier’s cabinet contained the same number of members while at the same time doubling the national debt.
In these difficult times, Bermudians need capable and steady leadership to see us through – not a return to the mindset that: pepper sprayed seniors, bad airport deals, mould in the schools and ignoring deep rooted concerns of Bermudians of adding thousands of new Bermudians.
At the end of the day, whenever the OBA is presented with multiple options, they chose not to put Bermudians first.
