BermudaFirst is a diverse group of capable, concerned citizens who are united and driven solely by wanting the best for our country.

We must make a radical change in Public Education and have a world class system that produces graduates who can compete in their choice of either academic or vocational careers. This reformed system must be based on accountability for outcomes. If we fail to act decisively now, our passivity will be viewed as the most significant missed opportunity in the history of the Island. In addition, we should introduce bold and relevant job training programmes that allow those persons in the workforce who can acquire new skills to take their earned place. We must be very clear that the opportunity for equal participation comes from each citizen’s willingness to put in the work and earn that place.

These realities ‘make the case’ for our Education recommendation, which is foundational to any long-term sustainable success and includes the creation of an independent authority for public education that is responsible for the performance management of educators and researching and implementing a holistic public education system that is appropriately sized/structured, resulting in a learning environment that facilitates optimum student success.

The Bermuda Government, like many governments, is wrestling with the most complex and challenging issue facing society. What should our health care system provide for our citizens? Bermuda is in a crisis state, with our present circumstances having deteriorated to a point where immediate intervention is required. Further, the fact that our citizens’ own lifestyle choices have made Bermuda one of the least healthy populations in the World, with unacceptable levels of chronic, preventable diseases (i.e. diabetes and heart disease) resulting in overburdening financial impacts, should be a wake-up call for us all.

We believe that Bermuda must have a holistic health care system that prioritises prevention, chronic disease management and health care delivery via primary care, and restructures the health system financing (including Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB)/hospital financing and reformation of the Standard Health Benefit (SHB).The work of our Health Care Working Group is substantive and represents a holistic, thoughtful and thorough response, deserving of careful consideration.

We must reform immigration to enable job creation with appropriate protections.Recent experiences with Economic Substance, Taxation and relationships with Governments and Regulatory Authorities affirm the need for additional expertise to ensure that Bermuda’s interests are effectively represented. The reality is that there are approximately 20-30 critical roles in the Bermuda Government that require the incumbent to have the skills and experience that meet global standards. This is also the case in many large local and international businesses. Given the skills required, we are not likely to initially find all of the solutions at home, therefore requiring the acquisition of globally trained persons. We need to be transparent in filling these positions and utilise the opportunity to train up local talent who, in due course, can be placed overseas for appropriate professional development.

The Government, by leading in this manner, can positively influence the discourse, thereby reducing the emotive element of our usual dialogue about immigration. We applaud the Government’s decision to move forward with the Talent Assessment initiative for senior Civil Servants. We recommend transparency with the public to aid in the shift in mindset that must be achieved so that we attract and retain the global talent required for our success as well as make opportunities available for Bermudians to realise their full potential.