There is a serious message behind puppet ad

FRIDAY, NOV. 23: A certain segment of Bermuda was aghast at an entertaining advert produced by the PLP. What I found most interesting was that the critics of the advert chose not to address the substantive point made in the ad, but, chose to  simply attack the way it was presented.

The advert made a very important point about the One Bermuda Alliance. It made the point that their party is so desperate to win political power that they will literally do and say anything.

This argument was not challenged by the critics - because it’s true. On the one hand, we have an OBA that has advocated deep and radical cuts to government spending. Their pledges on the debt reduction mean public education, jobs, FutureCare, DayCare and much more must be on the chopping block. They say that they will reduce the debt, but, they don’t tell us what they’re going to cut.

The other OBA tells us that they will bring an estimated $500 million in new spending and tax cuts. They do not tell us how they plan to pay for this new spending. However, this new spending adds to the debt.

One OBA is offering us deep and radical cuts and debt reduction. The other OBA is telling us that they will increase debt to the tune of $500 million with new spending and tax cuts. Bermudians need to ask the OBA tough questions about how they expect to do all of this. The bottom line is that they are the “Both Ways OBA” — telling us what they think we want to hear so that they can win power.

OBA supporters may criticise the way that the message was delivered, but, what is telling is that they do not address the real argument in the advert — that the “Both Ways OBA” is telling you what you want to hear so that they can win power.

In their response to the “Both Ways OBA” Ad, they spoke about puppets, but they did not address the fact that on every issue from spending, taxes, EEZ, future care, and debt, their position changes depending on what their polls tell them.

They have gone from opposing PLP policies and promising radical change, to supporting PLP policies and saying that they will not change them. Before Bermudians go to the polls, we need to ask ourselves why the OBA is telling us these fairy tales and voters must question who is the OBA really looking out for?

• Senator David Burt is Junior Minster for Finance and Environment Planning and Infrastructure Strategy Chief of Staff to Premier and the PLP’s candidate in Constituency 18, Pembroke West Central.