We'll work with the corporation to revitalize St George's

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 5: St. George’s needs a new partner.

After 14 years of broken promises by the national Government, it’s time to restore St. George’s to its former glory.

That’s why I am running for election in Constituency One, St. George’s North, representing the One Bermuda Alliance.

I was born and raised in St. George’s, have served as Mayor since 2009, and before that I served as a Common Councillor and Alderman with the Corporation of St. George for 15 years.

St. George’s is dear to my heart. In fact, I often say that St. George’s runs in my veins. I care deeply about my home town, as all St. Georgians do, and as I know all Bermudians do.

For me, St. George’s is the jewel in Bermuda’s crown.

But the Government has neglected St. George’s. The town’s World Heritage Site status should have prominence in Bermuda’s tourism advertising campaigns, but instead our own Government seems to take that status for granted.

Government promised St. George’s a new hotel, a 24/7 police station, a dedicated cruise ship – all Government promises that were not kept.

They promised to be strong partners with the Corporation of St. George, but then they passed the Municipalities Act and made it more difficult to maintain the town and provide important services to residents and visitors.

St. Georgians are paying a steep price for the neglect and lack of support by Government.

Businesses have closed, jobs have been lost, our infrastructure is crumbling, and critical Government services have been cut back. The lack of a dedicated cruise ship has affected us all, and the former Club Med site is still waiting for the Government to deliver on its long-promised hotel development.

There is a great spirit among St. Georgians. We all remember when the town was thriving, and so we know that we can bring our home town back to life.

My colleagues in the One Bermuda Alliance share my passion for St. George’s. Like me, they know that Bermuda needs an amazing St. George’s.

Hotel developer

A One Bermuda Alliance government will work in partnership with the Corporation of St. George to revitalize the Old Town.

We will partner with a hotel developer to open a new hotel in St. George’s, and we will redevelop the waterfront and create a premier yachting destination. Both projects will create jobs for Bermudians, and drive tourists to St. George’s.

One way or another, we will secure a cruise ship for St. George’s, boosting the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors of the local economy and creating jobs.

We will also work with the Corporation to protect the special historical qualities of the town, implement the Town Heritage Plan, and commit the marketing resources necessary to market St. George’s as a World Heritage site. I believe that if we take advantage of the cultural connections we have with the United States, then we can turn around tourism for St. George’s and for Bermuda.

We will re-open the St. George’s police station on a full-time basis, and implement a fully operational CCTV system in the town to give residents the level of safety and security they deserve.

We will establish an ambulance station to serve St. George’s and St. David’s, re-open the golf course, implement a bus schedule that meets the needs of East End residents, and relocate more Government services to St. George’s to increase economic activity in the town.

Of course, St. Georgians also care about national issues – our rising crime rate, skyrocketing national debt, the unacceptable unemployment rate, and our education system, for example – and I will work with my One Bermuda Alliance colleagues to address those issues, too.

Apprenticeships

It is vital that we create apprenticeship programmes for our young people that lead to good-paying jobs. Providing opportunities for our young people will give them hope for the future, and help steer them away from negative lifestyles. I am living proof of what can be achieved when a person is given an opportunity.

It’s also important that we take care of our seniors, improving their quality of life and showing our appreciation for their role in the building of Bermuda, and that includes St. George’s. It’s time we built on that foundation by revitalizing the Old Town.

But a new hotel development, a re-developed waterfront, a dedicated cruise ship, and improvements to the town’s services and infrastructure, won’t happen under the current Government.

They have shown a lack of appreciation for St. George’s by their neglect, inaction and broken promises.

That is why, on December 17, it’s time to vote for change.

It’s time to vote for the rejuvenation of Bermuda’s first settlement.

St. George’s needs a new partner, and the One Bermuda Alliance will work with the Corporation to bring the Old Town back to life.

• Kenneth ‘Kenny’ Bascome is the One Bermuda Alliance candidate for Constituency 1, St. George’s North.