The latest Throne Speech offered little beyond “maintenance of the status quo”, according to Progressive Labour Party head Marc Bean, who said the One Bermuda Alliance had failed to include ordinary citizens in its agenda.

Speaking with The Royal Gazette in the aftermath of yesterday’s speech, Mr Bean repeatedly maintained that a “trust deficit” was undermining the promises of the OBA.

A PLP statement shortly after the speech accused the OBA of suffering from a paucity of ideas, and said the Opposition Reply to the Throne Speech would present a bold vision in the week ahead.

While Mr Bean declined to give a preview of Opposition counterproposals, he said: “It’s our objective to provide an alternative to the policy and legislative agenda of the Government of the day, which we will fulfil by providing alternatives and constructive criticism.”

The Warwick South Central MP continued: “There are a few obvious points. The current Throne Speech, on the surface and without repeating it, is lacking in vision and a real strategy that can indicate to the entire population a direction that they need to go. There is a lack of leadership.

“What little initiative that might have got our attention, many are just continuing on initiatives of the Progressive Labour Party. Nothing has changed. We feel that we have to be responsible and provide an alternative, not necessarily as encouragement for the current Government to take our ideas on board.”

Mr Bean added: “The support and collaboration they speak of does not exist in practice for them. When you remove the OBA from Government, the PLP will be ready to offer an alternative Government that does not leave anyone behind or take from anyone.”

During last year’s Parliamentary session, Government was repeatedly accused by the Opposition of going back on its word.

Mr Bean raised similar language in yesterday’s appraisal of the Throne Speech.

“What they said that might have got peoples’ attention has to be tempered with the reality that in previous Throne Speeches they have broken promises,” he said.

“They have a tremendous trust deficit — we find it ironic that they mention the word ‘trust’. They are the opposite of transparent, but they use that language.”

A referendum on gaming was promised in the previous Throne Speech, Mr Bean pointed out, and then withdrawn from the table.

“Now they’re bringing the legislation for gaming,” he said. “They are not be trusted as they follow their selfish, narrow interests.”

The Opposition Leader was not swayed by the speech’s rhetoric on sustainable economic growth and job creation.

“That’s just a maintenance of the status quo, and it’s the nature of any government — boosting the business we already have, which is international business and tourism,” Mr Bean said.

“The PLP supports continuing economic enhancement, but the fact of the matter is we feel that much more can be done for the people of Bermuda to participate in our economy. Where do the actual Bermudians, the people born and raised in this country, fit in? It didn’t present a coherent plan where people in their own minds can connect the dots and see themselves fitting in with it.

“What they said was just to be expected. They don’t deserve any kudos for continuing the work of the PLP, three years after assuming Government.”

Mr Bean also charged that Government would fail to follow through on its promises.

“Will they be able to deliver? Of course not,” he said.

“We are not going to get excited, when their actions are the complete opposite. There was a lot of reference to committees and having discussions and dialogue. They don’t dialogue, communicate or consult. So be it. The challenge is, can you trust them? And that’s a reflection of the leadership of Premier Michael Dunkley. Everything is style and nothing is substance.”

An Opposition statement suggested that former Premier Sir John Swan would be disappointed, after telling The Royal Gazette on the eve of the Throne Speech that Government would have to “continue to be bold”.

Sir John’s “plea for boldness has plainly fallen on deaf ears”, the statement said, charging that the Throne Speech “lacks a bold vision and strategy for transformation that our country so desperately needs”.

“Though there are some small measures, the Government seems to think that economic recovery will come from the formation of endless committees to examine issues. Bermudians have a strong desire for bold action and that leadership is lacking from the One Bermuda Alliance, who two years into their term have run out of ideas.”

With the House of Assembly back in session — and the Opposition boycott of Parliament now finished — the PLP statement promised leadership from across the aisle “as the people of Bermuda need hope that their political leaders not only realise the problems, but have new, bold, and evolved ideas to solve them”.