Members
Parliament
Transparency
The Hon E. David Burt, JP, MP

The Hon E. David Burt, JP, MP

952
Speeches
126,382
Words Spoken
99
Sittings Active
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
1,200 words
Shacking lock? A shocking lack of transparency that has been exhibited by the Gover nment in relation to what will be the largest capital pr oject in our history. Before I get into detailed criticism of this scheme, let me share with the public wh at the Minister’s very own Fiscal Responsibility Panel had to say about this project (and …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
11 words
I ask the people of Bermuda, would you sign that contract?
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
115 words
I ask the One Bermuda Alliance backbenchers, would you sign that contract? The answer, I am sure, Mr. Speaker, would be no! However, the Minister of Finance said, This is a great deal. Where do I sign? Our position is simple: Put Bermudians to work immedi ately by renovating the existing structure to extend its useful life by 10 to …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
751 words
Mr. Speaker, the Bermuda Tourism Authority has received bipartisan support. There is agreement on both sides of the aisle that this sec-ond leg of our economy must succeed. The decline in our tourism fortunes has been well documented and the reasons for that decline widely discussed. The BTA heralded a new way of doing business. Its independence was supposedly the …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
556 words
Mr. Speaker, the saying goes, All that glitters i s not gold. The America’s Cup has been presented to the people of Bermuda with much glitter. The concern in this community is that the gold has not yet been seen and that those who have or will see it are few in number. There has been economic impact, Mr. Speaker. …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
263 words
Mr. Speaker, the core measur ement of any society is found in how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. The voiceless must find in its leaders a voice that champions their cause and adv ocates for their needs and their aspirations. More than landfills for yachts and bricks and mortar for a new airport, the children of this country require …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
246 words
Mr. Speaker, in most cultural traditions, elders are revered. They bring wisdom, they connect us with our history, and their golden years enrich the society through their continued contribu-tions. Bermuda’s culture is no different. Every government has the responsibility to ensure that its senior population enjoys a quality of life that reflects the value we place on them as citizens. …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
144 words
Mr. Speaker, as the recent byeelection i n Devonshire North Central demonstrated, Bermudians have grown tired of the One Bermuda Alliance, and it is our responsibility to hold the Government to account; however, we must also present a plan and vision for the future. The public discourse is better served when we compete on ideas. Though the Progressive Labour Party …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
288 words
Mr. Speaker, one of the keys to balancing the budget is to reform government and increase the efficiency of the civil service. Reforming government is not an overnight job —it will requ ire time and patience—but it must be rooted in the aim of identifying efficiencies. The OBA has failed to learn from the PLP’s mistakes in this regard, and …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
75 words
Mr. Speaker, the next PLP Go vernment will complete a comprehensive examination of the social insurance programme, including the i mpact of changing employer and employee contributions from a fixed rate to a percentage of earnings, and the appropriate level cap on social insurance co ntributions. The objective of the review will be to i ncrease the take- home pay …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
108 words
Mr. Speaker, the Minister has ended the payroll tax exemption for new Bermudian hires. The Minister said that this measure would boost Bermudian jobs; however, during his time in charge of the economy, the number of Bermudians employed has continued to fall. The next PLP Government will reintroduce this concession and apply it to Bermudians who plan to relocate to …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
53 words
Mr. Speaker, the next PLP Go vernment will end the discrepancy that makes emplo ying guest labour more [cost -]effective than employing Bermudians. The National Pension Scheme does not Bermuda House of Assembly apply to guest workers; this means that, by compar ison, Bermudians are more expensive to employ than non-Bermudians. Protecting Consumers
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
30 words
Mr. Speaker, since 2013, the PLP has proposed a number of measures to assist consumers from being taken advantage of in our economy. Establish a Cap on Fees at Banks
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
49 words
Certain fees at banks punish and compound distress for those in financial difficulty. The next PLP Government will increase the transparency of fees at banks and implement regulati ons similar to other jurisdictions to end the practice of multiple charges for credit card over -the-limit fees. Debt Collection Reform
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
64 words
Many Bermudians, as a result of losing their jobs, now fear being sent to prison for debt. The next PLP Government will end that practice. We will also reduce the statutory interest rate for judgment debts and update regulations for debt - collection agencies. Finally, we will introduce legisl ation that will enable a unified system of consumer credit repor …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
70 words
Mr. Speaker, as a result of our economic challenges, a new type of company has found a home in Bermuda, and that is the payday lender. Payday lenders in Bermuda are lending money and charging interest at a rate of 260 per cent. These companies prey on the desperate, and the next PLP Government, similar to many jurisdictions, will enact …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
88 words
Mr. Speaker, last year, the Bermuda Progr essive Labour Party unveiled Vision 2025, a long- term economic plan for the transformation of our economy. Vision 2025 is a plan that will increase jobs and transform our workforce and economy to one that is ready for the future and not one that is clinging onto the glory days of the past. …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
171 words
Mr. Speaker, the next PLP Go vernment will create an Economic Diversification Unit. This permanent organisation will consist of a small number of persons with a proven history of developing economies. The mission of this organisation would be to identify new opportunities for economic diversific ation outside of financial services and subject them to structured analysis and research. As a …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
161 words
Mr. Speaker, if we are to create [long -term] economic growth, we need to use all of the tools at our disposal to invest and generate economic activity in Bermuda. There is a high level of inves tment expertise in Bermuda, and the PLP Government will take advantage of this expertise by creating a l ocal sovereign- wealth fund called …
26 Feb 2016 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report
88 words
Mr. Speaker, part and parcel of diversifying our economy is also diversifying our trading partners and our trade links. This means expand-ing from our traditional markets of North America and Europe to those in the Caribbean and Latin America. This is important, as we know that cost of living is the top concern in the minds of our people. New …