When the Cost of Living Commission Amendment (No 2) Bill 2026 was defeated in the Senate, I cautioned the Minister of Home Affairs to take this time to rethink her strategy.

Unfortunately, Alexa Lightbourne regrettably shows that her priorities remain misaligned with the priorities of Bermudians.

Putting energy into continuing the debate on a defeated piece of legislation that cannot return for a year is not going to help Bermudians with the cost-of-living crisis.

The minister has put a lot of political capital into promoting this cost-of-living commission Bill with articles, interviews and social-media videos, yet she remains virtually silent on the outcry from solar users who have received their Belco bill increases.

Our health insurance has become monopolised and there hasn’t been a peep from the minister on who is stewarding the Progressive Labour Party’s “Affordable Bermuda Agenda”.

Is the goal lowering the cost of living for Bermuda or achieving a policy victory at all costs, even when it won’t achieve your stated purpose?

The One Bermuda Alliance is also passionate about lowering the cost of living for Bermudians. The Progressive Labour Party does not have a monopoly on that goal, but our approaches couldn’t be more different.

It was the One Bermuda Alliance parliamentary team who rose to their feet years ago to advocate for the refinement of regulatory oversight on health insurance companies to avoid the exact situation we find ourselves in, which the Premier himself acknowledged and made a commitment to address.

We pressured the Government to move on anti-monopoly/competition laws that have been promised by the PLP but never delivered. We have campaigned for the removal of the sugar tax, foreign currency purchasing tax, and the strengthening of the Regulatory Authority to properly safeguard consumer rights. Despite the PLP continuing to say the OBA has no solutions, it does not mind borrowing a few from us when the going gets tough.

In the spirit of collaboration on this important issue, we have warned the minister about every mistake before she made it. I cautioned her that suspending the Integrated Resource Plan process would not yield good results for Bermudians. She went ahead with it.

Now Bermudians are paying the price with a legal bill of $24,000 and counting, as her decision was appealed in court by the Regulatory Authority and Belco. Not to mention the unknown amount that Bermudians are paying for Belco and the Regulatory Authority’s legal fees as ratepayers. We warned her that her Cost of Living Commission Amendment would harm Bermudian employment, reduce their variety of goods, and stifle small businesses, reducing market competition. The Minister of Home Affairs pushed forward, wasting resources and time that could be used on tangible efforts to lower our cost of living.

We called for a referendum on full membership in Caricom to fully flesh out the tangible economic benefits for Bermudians, and she refused. Now the latest Narrative research poll says 81 per cent of respondents want a referendum and a petition garnering nearly 4,000 signatures is also calling for a referendum, placing the minister and the Government on the wrong side of this issue.

As always, the One Bermuda Alliance reminds the minister that she should:

• Repeal the sugar tax

• Remove the foreign currency purchasing tax

• Pursue competition laws

• Increase the strength of our Regulatory Authority to enforce market fairness along with consumer rights

• Remove the ability for a minister to suspend a finalised Integrated Resource Plan (which has cost the taxpayers $24,000 and counting in government legal expenses along with an unknown amount for Belco and the RA as ratepayers)

• Work with stakeholders on shipping cost reduction

• Engage in actual consultation with industry stakeholders to avoid further missteps

I will caution the Minister of Home Affairs again because she is doubling down on her public criticism of the Upper House.

Publicly undermining the Senate and attacking its credibility because a number of members disagreed with you is a very dangerous road, as the Senate is meant to check the exact attitude the minister is displaying publicly.

It appears she believes the Government’s agenda should pass through our legislature unchecked and unopposed.

The Senate votes with the Government nine times out of ten, but suddenly it’s an obstruction to progress with a few disagreements? Keeping in mind the ruling party has two unelected government ministers holding very important portfolios sitting in the Senate. Surely the minister is not questioning the validity of her colleagues’ ability to serve their island within the Cabinet?

• Dwayne Robinson is Shadow Minister of Home and Community Affairs and the One Bermuda Alliance MP for Southampton East Central