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Bermuda's 99%

Categories: Caribbean, Bermuda, Citizen Media, Economics & Business, Politics

The economic gap appears to be widening in Bermuda and one blogger has been paying attention. A week ago, after the Bermuda Telephone Company announced [1] that it was considering introducing new – and more expensive – residential high speed broadband internet products and a high-end restaurant launched [2] a $1000 per plate “private dining experience”, BeachLime.com noted [3] that “the disconnect between big-ups and the common man remains steadily high.”

In a follow-up post [4] at the beginning of this week, the blogger suggested that “once again, the less well off have to make up the slack.” He was referring to the government's decision [5] to increase bus and ferry fares in an effort to take a bite out of the national debt, saying that it has “the undesired effect of targeting the people least able to handle further dents to their savings or earnings”:

Yes, on the surface it's probably not a substantial cut; a 5 dollar increase in a book of 15 tickets isn't a killer move, but when it comes to who gets to pay more, think about it. Who catches buses on a regular basis in Bermuda?

According to the blogger, the rate hike will have the greatest impact upon students, the elderly, the disabled and low income earners:

The people who are more likely to be able to afford a small dent in their earnings are the ones less likely to use that service!

Sad situation all around. Meanwhile the politicians continue to find ways to inconvenience Bermudians just a little bit more, every time.