Government is not a business. It has a bottom line that is most truly measured by the public good delivered. Fiscal responsibility is the foundation upon which lasting social progress is built. Bermudians know this.

A system that is inefficient, opaque, or poorly managed does not serve the public — and it is those most reliant on public services who feel that failure first and most acutely.

Responsible governments understand that managing debt is itself an act of social responsibility — one that protects both today’s citizens and future generations. Debt reduction is not an ideological exercise. Every dollar spent on interest is a dollar unavailable for nurses, teachers, seniors, housing and necessary infrastructure.

And it begs the question: Why, despite new and unprecedented revenue from the Corporate Income Tax, do Bermudians continue to be burdened by mounting public debt, strained services, and a housing and affordability crisis that continues to worsen?

Unfortunately, and not surprisingly, a recent government op-ed on the Corporate Income Tax does little to advance that clarity. Instead, it looks backwards, leans into division, and avoids the questions Bermudians are rightly asking today: where is the money going and what results are we seeing?

Revisiting long-past challenges does nothing to address today's issues. And, I call out the obfuscation of mischaracterising the position of the One Bermuda Alliance more broadly. Let’s be clear, when the OBA calls for efficiency and reforms, it is to ensure fiscal responsibility so that there is money to support what is needed most for the public good. The OBA believes debt reduction must never come at the expense of people. Social investment is necessary. And I applaud the tireless efforts of the OBA's Shadow Minister of Finance, Doug DeCouto, for his diligent work on the CIT and all fiscal and financial issues.

What should concern Bermudians is not that there are differing views on priorities — healthy democracies depend on debate — but that legitimate scrutiny is deflected through rhetoric that fuels division. Bermuda's most pressing challenges — housing affordability, access to healthcare, youth opportunity, and public safety — affect families across this island. They do not fall solely along political or racial lines and our solutions should not either.

Bermuda is facing serious choices about its economic future. These choices demand honesty, discipline, and a willingness to bring the country together around shared priorities. They also demand clarity. The OBA believes in targeted, measurable investment: housing that actually gets built, healthcare reform that improves outcomes rather than headlines and youth programmes that lead to real skills and real jobs. Achieving those outcomes requires prioritisation, clear metrics, and honest trade-offs — not slogans. And, we need leadership that unites rather than divides — leadership that speaks to Bermudians as one people with shared challenges and shared aspirations, not as groups set against one another for political advantage.

The Corporate Income Tax is a tool. Whether it becomes a force for lasting progress or another missed opportunity will depend not on rhetoric, but on stewardship. The Opposition stands ready to support policies that genuinely strengthen Bermuda’s future. What we will not support is division, deflection, or a lowering of our national discourse.

Bermudians deserve better — and together, we can do better.

∙ Robert King is Leader of the Opposition