The latest Budget was strong on debt-cutting but short on heart when it comes to Bermuda’s people.

This was the verdict from Martha Dismont, executive director of Family Centre, who asked: “How much are we actually investing in our product, which is our people?”

Ms Dismont, who attended the Budget statement in Parliament, commended a “well thought-out” Budget and said she celebrated the small surplus in the current account before debt service.

“But ultimately, we are still dependent on external factors that are risky in terms of being sustainable,” she said.

Noting that Bill Hanbury of the Bermuda Tourism Authority had said Bermuda’s value was in its people, Ms Dismont questioned why more had not been budgeted for employment training. “Our priority must be to invest whatever we can in skill building,” she said.

“Perhaps some of the $5 million that won’t be going into Financial Assistance could be invested that way. “While we’re waiting for the revenue generated to get here, if we don’t invest something in the people who are struggling, materially we are going to have other problems as a result.”

Now that Government has made good on its vow to cap Financial Assistance, Ms Dismont also questioned whether people in genuine need would be turned away.

“If somebody is eligible for Financial Assistance, you can’t withhold it from them,” she said. “This is a conundrum — what is supposed to be done? Do they expect that the people who were going to get that $5 million are going to have found work by then?”