The Ministry of Economy and Labour is entrusted with a crucial mission: economic growth and job creation. After the passing of the 2025-26 Budget, I am proud to highlight the strategic investments and reforms the Progressive Labour Party government is making to support Bermuda’s workers, attract investment and ensure the prosperity of our island for generations to come.

At the centre of this effort is our Economic Development Strategy 2023-2027, which continues to guide our work in stimulating growth. Meaningful progress has been achieved in the training of young Bermudians, modernising systems, and ensuring that opportunity in Bermuda is earned by talent, not just privilege.

The focus on digital transformation across key departments — immigration, workforce development and statistics — is setting the stage for faster service delivery, greater transparency and improved access for all. The Department of Immigration, for instance, is progressing with a full-scale digitalisation of its application systems. This is a game-changer for businesses and residents alike. Streamlined application processing will bolster our economy and improve customer satisfaction.

The Department of Workforce Development is also embracing innovation. From apprenticeship expansion to the digitisation of forms and client tracking, we are removing red tape and replacing it with opportunities. In the last fiscal year alone, we supported more than 230 Bermudians in receiving industry training and certifications, ensuring that our people are not only job-ready, but career-strong.

This year’s Budget enhances funding for hospitality training and apprenticeship programmes, two sectors that are critical to our economic fabric. Young Bermudians are being placed in real-world positions through programmes such as Learn Through Experience, and we are proud to see graduates from these initiatives secure meaningful employment.

The PLP is equally committed to labour justice. The Department of Labour is actively resolving wage and employment disputes while ensuring the minimum wage is enforced. More than 800 labour-related inquiries were handled last year, including terminations, wage issues and parental-leave matters. Importantly, we have strengthened legislation to extend severance protections for long-serving employees, and we continue to review policies to ensure equity and dignity in the workplace.

Meanwhile, the Department of Statistics is leading efforts to bring data to the forefront of public decision-making. With increased funding for staffing and census preparation, we are preparing Bermuda for the 2026 Population and Housing Census — an essential exercise in understanding the social and economic health of our country.

Data does not just tell us where we’ve been; it lights the path ahead. As we move forward, we are also introducing more initiatives, including the development of a national entrepreneurship strategy, an updated Job Board and legislation to support co-operatives and public benefit entities. These are not just policy goals, but are opportunities to build a more inclusive and sustainable economic ecosystem.

The ministry’s vision is reflective of the PLP’s commitment to building a fairer, more stable and affordable Bermuda. With this Budget, we are creating new paths forward — for jobs, for fairness and for the future of Bermuda.

• Lauren Hayward Bell is a government senator and the Junior Minister of Health, Economy and Labour, and Housing and Municipalities