This is the second in a two-part series on Bermuda’s infrastructure

In yesterday’s op-ed, I discussed the infrastructure that Bermudians see and use every day. This second article turns to the infrastructure that is often overlooked until something goes wrong. Although less visible, these assets are equally important to our economy and our quality of life.

Our infrastructure challenges extend underground as well.

Many Bermudians rarely think about water systems, drainage infrastructure, culverts and underground utilities until something goes wrong. But these systems are every bit as important as the roads and bridges above them. As climate change brings more intense rainfall events and storm activity, the resilience of our drainage and water management systems becomes increasingly critical. Failure to invest proactively in these systems means more flooding, more road damage, more disruption and ultimately greater expense.

Perhaps nowhere is the importance of preventive maintenance more apparent than at the Tynes Bay Waste-to-Energy Facility. Most Bermudians do not think about Tynes Bay every day, and that is precisely the point. Critical infrastructure should operate reliably in the background, allowing the public to focus on their daily lives. However, reliability only comes from consistent maintenance, scheduled upgrades and long-term capital planning.

Tynes Bay is one of the most important pieces of infrastructure in Bermuda. It manages our waste, supports environmental protection efforts, and contributes to the overall health and functioning of our island.

Yet, as with many public assets, deferred maintenance carries significant risks. When major equipment is allowed to age without timely replacement or refurbishment, the cost of repair escalates rapidly. What could have been addressed through regular maintenance programmes can eventually require extensive reconstruction, emergency procurement or costly operational workarounds.

This is another example of why this Progressive Labour Party government must move beyond a culture of reacting to infrastructure failures and embrace a culture of prevention. The public deserve confidence that critical facilities such as Tynes Bay are being maintained in a manner that protects both taxpayers and essential public services.

Our parks and beaches have not been spared! Our national parks are a national embarrassment. The neglect by this PLP government is laid bare for everyone, including our visitors, to see! The minister did provide a glimmer of hope in this area in a statement in the House of Assembly on June 26, in which he outlined a few maintenance initiatives that had been completed.

But there was no mention of the important and much needed renovations to the bathrooms on our beaches until the question was asked. The minister then advised that renovation plans were with the Department of Planning to renovate the bathrooms on three beaches. So, about nine to ten months on from the end of last summer, we are awaiting the approval of plans. Not good enough!

There is a common thread connecting every one of these issues: a lack of long-term infrastructure planning by the Government. Good governments do not merely respond to failures. Good governments anticipate them. They conduct regular condition assessments. They establish replacement schedules. They dedicate funding to preventive maintenance. They act before infrastructure reaches a crisis point.

They do not sacrifice the infrastructure of the country so that they can boast about achieving a “balanced budget”.

The Opposition believes Bermuda needs a comprehensive national infrastructure strategy with clear priorities and transparent timelines.

The public should know:

• The condition of our bridges

• The maintenance schedule for our ferry fleet

• The replacement plan for public buses

• The state of government buildings

• The condition of key roads and drainage systems

• The estimated costs of future capital works

• The financial consequences of delaying those investments

Transparency builds confidence. Planning reduces costs. Prevention protects taxpayers.

Every engineer understands a fundamental truth that this PLP government too often ignores. Infrastructure does not improve with age. It deteriorates. The only question is whether we address problems early or pay substantially more later.

Whether it is the Bailey bridges, the Swing Bridge, our ferry fleet, our bus service, our government buildings, our roads, our water systems, our beaches and parks, the asphalt plant or the Tynes Bay facility, the lesson is the same: deferred maintenance is not fiscal responsibility.

It is simply passing larger bills to future taxpayers.

Bermuda cannot afford a government that waits for infrastructure to fail before acting. Bermuda deserves better than governing by emergency. The time for reactive government has passed. We need a government that understands that maintaining infrastructure is not a cost to be avoided; it is an investment in the future prosperity of our country.

We need a government that plans, maintains, invests and protects the assets that the people of this country have already paid for.

• Vance Campbell is the Shadow Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, and One Bermuda Alliance MP for Smith’s West (Constituency 9)