Updated Sept 28th, 2017
There is a difference between good governance — which deals with integrity, following the law and zero tolerance for corruption — and a good government. The Progressive Labour Party is firmly committed to both, and after the next election Bermudians will have a government that strives to practise the best habits of good government.
The PLP believes that accountability and fiscal responsibility are the key competences of good governance.
ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT AND FISCAL PRUDENCE
Your next PLP Government will:
- Balance Bermuda’s budget by 2019.
Unknown None - Create an Economic Advisory Council to provide sound and independent economic
advice to the government. This council will be chaired by an economist who will be seconded to Bermuda from a global central bank.
Unknown None - Strengthen the role of the Public Accounts Committee and ensure that it has all the resources necessary to identify wasteful spending and hold the government of the day accountable.
Unknown None - Implement the Code of Practice for Project Management and Procurement.
Unknown None - Improve governance, reduce waste and improve efficiency by implementing the SAGE
recommendation to establish three Permanent Parliamentary Oversight Committees.
Unknown None
BETTER GOVERNMENT
Your next PLP Government will:
- Introduce integrity in public office legislation to modernise our laws surrounding voter fraud and other aspects of our electoral and political process that are subject to abuse by those who would seek to use wealth, influence, or intimidation to obtain political power.
Unknown None - Update the Ministerial Code of Conduct to ensure that the Cabinet is held to the highest ethical standards.
Unknown None - Implement a Code of Conduct for members of Parliament. Introduce Campaign Finance Reform that will bring transparency to political donations; set caps on individual donations; oversee political spending by political parties; and examine voter fraud, conflicts of interest and other aspects of our electoral and political process that are subject to abuse by those who would seek to use wealth, influence or intimidation to obtain political or economic power.
Unknown None - Enact anti-corruption legislation which will: designate an independent corruption watchdog; broaden the definition of official corruption; increase the requirements for disclosure of financial interests for politicians and senior civil servants; give the Auditor General the power to “follow the money” with government contracts; and void any contract entered into by the government which has been found to be procured via corrupt practices.
Unknown None - Implement a process where initiatives/petitions that gather a certain threshold of signatures can be placed either before parliament for debate or to the country via referendum.
Unknown None - Ensure that major issues are discussed in public forums and are not just limited to prepared speeches in parliament. Our public discourse does not do enough to enlighten voters about the issues, and government must do better. This will also include debates before general elections.
Unknown None - Implement an interactive Citizens Forum based upon the DemocracyOS platform to engage in constructive discussion on issues and to broaden the base of consultation on matters that affect Bermudians.
Unknown None
GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY
Across-the-board cuts do not tackle inefficiency, which is the core of the problem, and they often reduce productive investment.
Your next PLP Government will make government more efficient by:
- Conducting an extensive review of the technology used within the government and funding investments to make the government more efficient and more responsive to both internal and external users via technology.
Unknown None - Implementing performance-based pay for all civil servants to incentivise and reward workers for increasing department revenues, reducing department expenses, and increasing the performance and efficiency of a government department or ministry.
Unknown None - Reviewing the SAGE Commission’s recommendations regarding the consolidation of government departments and ministries to implement cost savings.
Unknown None - Undergoing a comprehensive review of the Public Service Commission legislation.
Unknown None - Requiring all travel booked with public funds to be recorded under a business frequent flyer plan in the name of the Government of Bermuda. The benefits accumulated from this travel will be used to assist students who are recipients of training awards with the costs for their travel and to help other citizens in need.
Unknown None