Jeff Sousa wants the more affluent members of Bermuda to spend the Island’s way out of trouble.The OBA MP for Warwick West, believes the country’s immediate economic woes could be given a boost if ‘people with means’ renovated their kitchens, added a room to their house, or helped a child buy a cottage.Pointing to a lack of construction work on the Island, Mr Sousa believes an injection of wealth in that area could revitalise the economy in the short-term, while he, and his National Training Board colleagues, work on a national plan for Bermuda’s future workforce.“The construction industry is at a point where it’s going to be bottoming out real soon. It’s the worst that we’ve seen in a long time,” he said.“Now is the time to look at rewiring your house, redoing your kitchen, adding on a room to the house, assisting your son with buying a cottage. By doing that you will put work out there to the small contractors.“They in turn will be able to hire our people, Bermudians, and get them back to work. I personally feel that with that spread throughout this island, all 13,440 acres, that will revitalise and stimulate the economy in the short term right now more so than what a hotel would do.”With the Island’s last two major construction projects, Waterloo House and the hospital, due to end soon, Mr Sousa paints a grim vision of the future.“There’s no other major projects at this stage, and there’s very few people building, so again, those renovations and add-ons will stimulate the entire country and benefit us all. We all have to understand that we’re all in this together,” he said.As chairman of the NTB, Mr Sousa is expecting to report back by the end of year on what skills the next generation will need in order to boost the Island’s economy. While hospitality is at the front of the list, hotels and the related careers are more of a long-term goal for Government.“This is not just short-term for employment now, but also for employment for the next year and the next decade,” he said.“The future for Bermuda will be the hospitality industry, certification and qualified people is really key. One of the objectives of the board is to truly find out what positions will need to be filled over the next year or two.”That though is a long-term plan, and even a new hotel, which Mr Sousa said the OBA was ‘working hard to get up and running’, is going to take time to materialise“Yes, a new hotel will really benefit us but that’s going to take time, it’s not going to happen now; it’s going to happen further down the road,” he said.“But, we have lots of people who need work now and the only way contractors in construction, landscaping, tilers and electricians can hire people is if there’s work.“There’s never been a better time for the people who have means to get the best price available now. I wouldn’t say that the people with means are not doing anything, there’s some, but not enough, to keep to boost or stimulate the economy.”