While OBA Leader Spreads Misinformation, We Continue The Work

Bermudians want our leaders to work together and collaborate on solutions that will improve our economy and the lives of our people. However, yet again the One Bermuda Alliance has missed the opportunity to acknowledge the significant progress made on economic development initiatives and seems more interested in spreading misinformation, attacks, and negativity.

The facts are The Economic Development Strategy (EDS) launched in June 2023, has five strategic priorities:
• Business Expansion and Retention
• Attracting Investments
• Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development
• Economic Recovery Plan Execution
• Investing in People
When the Opposition Leader implies that meetings have not been held, he is stating an outright falsehood. The truth is that the Economic Development Strategy is overseen by the Economic Development Advisory
Board, chaired by Minister Hayward, with meetings held regularly to track progress.

When he states that there are no key performance Indicators for the Economic Development Strategy, he states yet another outright falsehood. There has been comprehensive work done to ensure progress has been made on initiatives and action items,
including policy changes and new laws passed in the House of Assembly, such as:
• Expansion of the Economic Empowerment Zone to South East Hamilton to create more
construction activity providing jobs for Bermudians
• Increased funding for affordable housing which has seen 70 new affordable units made available
to Bermudian families
• The Mortgage Guarantee program, which has made dozens of Bermudians first-time homeowners
• Revising Bermuda’s family office framework to attract more business to Bermuda
• Creation of a National Workforce Development Advisory Board to ensure Bermudians are skilled
for the jobs of today and tomorrow Just to name a few.

To date many Bermudians are being positively affected by these initiatives and with our continued work we want to ensure that the effect of these initiatives will be felt by all Bermudians
With his ongoing campaign of misinformation, attacks, and negativity Jarion Richardson and the OBA hope that Bermudians will ignore the fact that:
• Unemployment numbers have reached 2.5%, the lowest level in Bermuda since 1980.
• Wages increased by 7.1%, with increases in take-home pay seen across our economy at nearly every level due to the PLP Government’s reduction of taxes for working people.
• Tourism arrivals and spending are up with nearly 10,000 more air visitors during the third quarter of 2023, with increased spending up to $111.5 million from $75.3 million.
• The economy grew by 8.3% in the 3rd quarter of 2023, the fastest pace of growth in the last two
years and the 4th consecutive quarter of economic growth After only four years in office, the people made the OBA Bermuda’s only single-term government. Their record between 2012-2017 is one best remembered for broken promises, deception, serious allegations of
corruption, mismanagement of public funds, aggressively anti-Bermudian policies, and pepper spraying seniors.

Since then, not one of the five leaders they have had over the past seven years, including Jarion Richardson, has ever apologized for their performance. In fact, the OBA and its revolving door of failed leaders have instead arrogantly argued that they have done nothing wrong and that, if given the chance, they would continue on the same path that the people have overwhelmingly rejected twice.
We recognise that while we are making steady progress towards rebuilding our economy after a once-in-a- century pandemic, more work needs to be done. However, the Progressive Labour Party has been unwavering in our support for the workers of Bermuda and their families.
We will not be distracted by the OBA’s attacks and attempts to mislead Bermudian voters, and this PLP Government will continue to fight for a better, fairer Bermuda and continue to make progress for all Bermudians.

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