With a forecast for government revenue to surpass $2 billion, it was no surprise that the Budget was a bit of a sweetheart budget – or more to the point, a great big giveaway budget.
It hit all the right spots – putting money into people’s pockets, addressing cost of living issues, pleasing workers and businesses and putting in fiscal guidelines for the use of corporate income tax revenue to pay off debt over the next three years.
David Burt, the minister of finance and Premier, also committed to paying off more than $600 million in debt, freeing up $25 million in interest payments.
In what was a 2-hour budget speech, Mr Burt outlined a raft of investments – roads, the hospital, health care, infrastructure like Tynes Bay and housing, which, in per centage terms, got one of the largest budget increases, some 42 per cent.
But is there a fly in the ointment? It was a short mention, three paragraphs in a nearly 60 page speech: labour reform and the relaxation of protected job categories.
One short line acknowledged the danger of wage inflation – but there is also the issue of supply. If there is little to no labour supply (because everyone is working) it could also stymy projects.
Next week the One Bermuda Alliance will deliver its Budget reply – what will they find to criticize?
https://youtu.be/NQDzn4zGsvw?si=Jkgi-cVSqIKjbmUS

Budget day is tomorrow and the Finance Minister will have around $600m extra to play with thanks to the corporate income tax revenue.

Cost-of-livingwill be at the forefront and expect to see measures to put more money in ourpockets as well as efforts to include more items in the duty-free bucket.

But what else? What long-term planning will we see – there is money for it – how much of the CIT revenue be used to pay off the debt?

Why are judges talking about their pay? Well, it is about judicial independence, especially as they witness more cases of citizens vs the government in the courts.

They also raise the epidemic of violent crime, insisting that life skills work should start with children aged as young as 5.

· Listening to the Budget tomorrow – let us know your thoughts, email thenewsnavs@gmail.com or Whatsapp 534 2205

Can the One Bermuda Alliance rebuild public trust? Is the UK quietly questioning Bermuda’s governance? And why are more than 1,100 Bermudians still unhoused?In this episode, we break down the growing trust deficit in Bermuda politics, examine renewed scrutiny from the UK House of Lords over the Overseas Territories, and confront the harsh reality of Bermuda’s homelessness crisis amid rising cost-of-living pressures.As temperatures drop and political rhetoric heats up, we ask the uncomfortable but necessary questions about accountability, leadership, and whether real solutions are on the table.If trust is gained in teaspoons and lost in buckets — where does Bermuda stand today? Listen in to another episode of The News Navigators, Bermuda's only current affairs podcast!

As the One Bermuda Alliance caucus backs Ben Smith as leader of the party and leader of the opposition, attention turns to him to perform in the role he coveted. Will he live up to expectations?

What will Robert King do now? He is unlikely to get a good - if any - shadow cabinet role. Will he be faithful to the party or a loose cannon on the backbench?

And still no proper explanation for the coup - how bad is the rebels' messaging? Very bad indeed and it will keep the story running and running .....

There will be more on this, there is no doubt, as shadow cabinet appointments are made, people are frozen out, a new senate team is sworn in and, without a doubt, the Progressive Labour Party will have a field day.

Via a 'palace coup' Robert King was today ousted as the Leader of the Opposition with Ben Smith, who lost the leadership election last year, installed in Mr King's place.But where will this end? Mr King is still the leader of the One Bermuda Alliance and has so far refused to resign his post, which carries significant power.It will come down to a caucus meeting to see if MPs, Senators, candidates, approved candidates and the party's executive agree with the coup. If not, the OBA will be in murky waters.Even if the vote goes in favour of removing Mr King, how will the membership - who voted to elect him - receive this? Will they leave? Will they try a revolt?

It is an unholy mess and one that will have the Progressive Labour Party popping the bubbly corks.

Are you an OBA member, what do you think? Email thenewsnavs@gmail.com

Jeremy Deacon and Jonathan Starling ask: why doesn't Bermuda seem to take road safety seriously despite the awful costs - financially and emotionally - of all the fatalities and survivors of accidents?

It makes no sense, yet there is still a lack of action.

What do you think? Tell us of your ideas for road safety or your near misses on the roads. Email thenewsnavs@gmail.com

Education reform, which started with Plan 2022, released in 2017, is losing its core visions as reform, interrupted by Covid, now seams on the verge of going back to square one, causing confusion and anger among parents, unions - and students.

The News Navigators looks at what has happened in school reform in Bermuda over the last few weeks after a series of meetings caused chaos and forced the Education Minister into having a series of media interviews to try and quell confusion.

But as we discuss, those media rounds appeared to do little to curb concerns and potentially succeeded only in undermining public trust and confidence in the government.

While all the news is focused on Greenland, it has been suggested that such is Donald Trump's unpredictability that Bermuda could even be in his sights. But what use would Bermuda serve? Why would he want it? Is it even remotely likely that Bermuda could be taken over by the USA?