Good afternoon,
the PLP has accomplished a lot for Bermuda’s young people since the last election, but what is on the minds of most young persons is secure employment during the time of a pandemic. The Minister of Labour has laid out a comprehensive jobs plan, which includes a Youth Employment Strategy, and that will be integral in getting young Bermudians back into work.
If we have the honour of serving as your government again, we will:
● Implement the Youth Employment Strategy that has been tailored to the identified needs of unemployed persons between the ages of 18 and 26. This tailored programme will guide the young unemployed back into work and provide support for Bermudians to train and be developed for jobs currently occupied by guest workers.
● The PLP will task the BEDC with creating 50 new Bermudian small businesses every year. This will mean assisting with startup grants, financing assistance, and business support while supporting the businesses of entrepreneurs through the power of public procurement.
● We will transform Hamilton into a livable city by fostering the development of apartment buildings there that will enable young Bermudians to join the property ladder. First-time homeowners will receive support from the Government to allow them to purchase these apartments with a 5% downpayment.
These apartment buildings will be built by Bermudians, who will be trained through the Youth
Employment Strategy.
● The PLP will complete the regulation and taxation of cannabis and ensure that young Bermudians, who have been negatively impacted by cannabis prohibition, have the first opportunity to access business licenses in this new industry. Revenues from cannabis taxes will be redirected to invest into communities most impacted by cannabis prohibition.
● Over the last 2 years, 60 FinTech jobs have been created in Bermuda, and over the next 5 years, many more will be created. We will provide enhanced FinTech education and training opportunities to allow our young Bermudian entrepreneurs to get connected with this growing global industry at this early stage. Imagine if young Bermudians were at the early stage of the insurance industry 30 years ago.
● The PLP will continue to expand scholarships and apprenticeship opportunities, enabling more young people to upgrade their skills and enter the job market.
● We will complete the work to phase out the middle school system while introducing signature schools at the secondary level.
● We will implement the living wage, which was made possible by the Wage Commission Act passed by the PLP. This living wage will ensure that all our young people can get the wages they need to not only survive but also thrive in our Bermuda.
● The PLP will ensure that our tourism marketing and our tourism product highlight Bermuda art, culture and fashion, promoting our local creatives and thus providing them with a viable path to earn a living locally doing what they love.
We have a track record of delivering for young people. And the vision we have for our youth is a bold one. If you’re looking to create a business or get a job in Bermuda, we have your back. We’re here to help uplift you and we will continue to connect and communicate with you.
As young people, Arianna and I are at the table. We are speaking our truth and we are doing our best to represent you within the PLP. If you are a young person looking to make a positive change in our community, I do encourage you to get off the couch and get involved. Bermuda works best and it works for us when we put a little work in too.
This is your party, young people, and I am inviting you to get involved. We have a young premier, young cabinet ministers, like Minister Jason, young candidates, and a young party executive.
Together, we can keep strong leadership working for us.
Thank you.