Bermuda is struggling with four or more national crises, depending on how you count: education, healthcare, housing and cost of living, and violence and road deaths. But according to the Government, at least the economy is doing well, with international business booming and the Government about to receive corporate income tax money.

So how are things going for most Bermudians?

In the Opposition’s Reply to the Budget, we identified several weaknesses, ranging from how the local economy is doing, to issues with jobs, pay and inflation.

Six months later, we can check in to see if there have been improvements.

While at a high level things might seem good, unfortunately for most Bermudians, the numbers tell a different story. That’s why the One Bermuda Alliance’s Budget Reply, our Reply to the Throne Speech, and our 2025 election platform outlined many initiatives to tackle Bermuda’s crises and stalled economy.

At Budget time, the Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation, was 2.2 per cent in the 12 months from November 2024 to November 2025. The most recent data from March 2025 to March 2026 shows inflation has increased to 2.4 per cent — the highest in 20 months!

Food inflation has increased from 2.5 per cent to 2.9 per cent, and healthcare and personal care from 3.8 per cent to 4.5 per cent. So, while areas such as clothing and fuel and power have decreased — owing to government tax cuts, for example — the overall inflation picture is worse for Bermudian customers than six months ago.

What about employment?

The most recent Labour Force Survey is from November 2025, versus the May 2025 figures available at Budget time. Over this time, total jobs shrank by 612, driven by 372 fewer Bermudian jobs and 240 fewer non-Bermudian jobs.

More Bermudian jobs lost than for non-Bermudians.

Total unemployment has grown from 1.4 per cent to 1.7 per cent, and youth unemployment (16 to 24 years old) has jumped from 1.3 per cent to 2.1 per cent — a 1.6 times increase!

What about pay?

Also from the Labour Force Survey, total median pay that the person in the middle of the range earns has increased 2.4 per cent over the same period. For Bermudians, median pay has actually decreased by 1.3 per cent.

But for non-Bermudians, it has increased 28 per cent. So again, for jobs and pay, the situation is worse for many Bermudians than six months ago.

Other high-level measures show the local economy is pretty much flat at best.

The March Retail Sales index shows that from April 2025 to March 2026, total retail sales were up only 0.1 per cent versus the prior 12 months, after adjusting for inflation. And these sales numbers are still 3 per cent lower than 2022. While there was a retail sales increase in early 2026, this just made up for low sales owing to hurricanes in late 2025.

Under the Progressive Labour Party government, local retail activity has never returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Quarterly Gross Domestic Product, a high-level measure of the economy, shows that the four quarters from 2025 Q2 through 2026 Q1 grew only 1.1 per cent from the same period in the prior year, about half of the 2.1 per cent US GDP growth rate for 2025. And since we know most GDP activity is driven by international business, it must be that IB growth has been offset by poor performance in the local economy.

So in addition to the crises of education, healthcare, housing, cost of living, we can add: inflation increased, jobs down for Bermudians, pay down for Bermudians, and a local economy still stuck in neutral. This is the lasting legacy of the PLP government.

That’s why the OBA presented many policies to tackle these issues, in our election platforms and various replies to the Throne Speech and Budget. Ideas such as cutting the sugar tax to address the cost of food. An independent education authority to improve our children’s future. A Housing Incentive Act to encourage building new apartments. And real accountability in how the Government spends the Bermudian taxpayer’s money, so we get the services and results we rightfully deserve.

This government’s own statistics provide a clear view of its poor track record – the numbers don’t lie.

• Douglas De Couto is the Shadow Minister of Finance and the One Bermuda Alliance MP for Warwick North East