Senate: anger over political mail-out

Published Nov 6, 2019 at 12:00 pm
(Updated Nov 6, 2019 at 12:03 pm)

The Opposition Senate Leader accused the government of “wanton misuse of taxpayer funds” over a political mail-out.

Nick Kempe said correspondence titled Two Years Working for the People had “conveniently arrived in mailboxes at the time of a by-election”.

Mr Kempe told the Senate today: “If people check their mailboxes they will notice what seems to be a thinly veiled political communication that has been funded by the taxpayer and sent out to everyone.

“It is a turn for the worse and I am hoping that we can see a shift towards a more accountable use of political capital and taxpayer funds.”

Mr Kempe said the mail-out aimed to “service a party as opposed to a government and country as a whole” and likened it to the decision by David Burt, the Premier, to replace the Throne Speech with a speech at a Progressive Labour Party delegates’ conference.

He accused Mr Burt of failing to address key PLP platform pledges during his speech, and added: “People should be asking the government to do better.

“Add that to the recent, call it for lack of a better word, Throne Speech, that was diverted into delegates’ conference which was extremely toxic and divisive in nature.

“It seemed to walk entirely away from any sort of a record, fintech was barely given a mention and it felt like, in the lack of results, there has been a stronger push, a ramping up of the rhetoric to divide and therefore divert and deflect attention away from lack of results.

“All contrary voices to the master plan and those who didn’t absolutely assent to the wishes of our glorious leader were deemed enemies.”

Kathy-Lynn Simmons, a PLP senator, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, responded: “To sit here in this chamber and pretend that the government has had no results I would ask him to go back and check his facts.

“We have passed a multitude of legislative initiatives that speak to the government’s work on behalf of the people of Bermuda.”

A government spokeswoman said about the mail-out last night: “Bermudians across the island should expect to receive a mailer providing an update on government activities.

“The two-year review document gives an easy to read bullet-point overview on some highlights from each ministry.

“The flyer cost 19 cents per household ($5,719 in total) to produce.”

Mr Burt said: “As we work to build a better and fairer Bermuda, we will keep the promises we made to the people of Bermuda.

“This document is a summary of how we have delivered for the people for Bermuda over the past two years and acknowledges the continued mission to change the status quo that has failed so many of our fellow Bermudians.”

The flyer can be found at www.gov.bm/year-two-accomplishments.