Bermuda must reinvent itself in order to survive, according to Premier Craig Cannonier.

In a national address delivered last night, Mr Cannonier said Government has an “aggressive agenda” to help turn the Island’s economy around, but tough decisions will have to be made.

“Throughout our history, to survive, we’ve had to reinvent ourselves time and time again,” Premier Cannonier said. “Today, we have to do it again and believe me, we will.

“With God’s help, we have always been able to overcome challenges from facing storms at sea and the hurricanes that have crossed our Island to economic adversity during global wars. We now face another challenge.

“How we react to this challenge will define us as a people. These are extraordinary times that will call for extraordinary measures, but I want you to know that I am confident that we are moving in the right direction.

“There are still many more tough decisions to come, but we are on the right path.”

Speaking a year after being elected the Island’s Premier, Mr Cannonier said the Government has faced numerous challenges in the last year -including many he said the party inherited from the previous administration.

He said: “After our extensive ‘look under the hood’, we discovered that our worse fears, paled in comparison to the reality that faced us and continues to face us: A bloated and unsustainable budget, thousands of people out of work, thousands of people who have left our shores, an education system whose core issues were never resolved, unsafe neighbourhoods and an unaffordable Bermuda.

“One of our first actions was to stabilise the economy, seeking out emergency loans because the government was literally running out of money.

“We discovered that our reputation as a place to do business had taken a beating. International business, the mainstay of our economy had been shifting people and jobs overseas.

“This directly impacted Bermudians. We lost jobs. That, coupled with bureaucratic red tape and alienating policies was quickly destroying our economy.”

He said that creating new jobs remains the Government’s top priority, and efforts such as the end of term limits and payroll tax exemptions have contributed to two consecutive quarters of job growth and 420 new jobs for Bermudians between April 1 and September 30.

Mr Cannonier said the Government has tabled more than 45 pieces of legislation in the last year, created a Tourism Authority, worked to lower the cost of food, outlawed discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and age and tabled the SAGE Report, which he said would lead to a more effective government following public consultation and debate.

“We recently started our second year with an increased sense of purpose to restore and renew Bermuda, to make the necessary decisions as tough as they may be with an urgency of now,” Mr Cannonier said. “The times are too serious.

“The stakes are too high. I cannot continue to engage in party politics while people cannot feed their families or pay their bills. As your government, we’ve chosen to put people before politics.

“For example, last week I announced that the government will not proceed with the Gaming Referendum Act and instead take the vote to the House of Assembly. We will communicate directly with you in open and transparent public forums to understand your concerns.

“Last week I also demonstrated that the shared sacrifice needed to move this country in the right direction will start at the top, so I reduced my Cabinet, from 13 to ten — making a leaner and more efficient government and delivering savings to the taxpayer.

“We heard you when you told us that you didn’t want the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Center closed in St George’s, so we found a way to keep it open with the understanding that we will find a workable solution to satisfy all stakeholders.

“The New Year will bring new challenges. As you heard in the Throne Speech we’ve got an aggressive agenda- we’ve got a plan for success.”