Nicola Paugh, PhD
In the lead up to the election we heard a commitment from Premier Burt to bring the community together to build a fairer, more stable and more affordable Bermuda should the PLP be re-elected. There was a pledge to collaborate with FDM and independent candidates to hear their ideas and to determine how they can work together for Bermuda and Bermudians. On Tuesday the PLP was re-elected and it is important that the Premier’s pledge for greater unity and inclusion is held to account.
In the Nonprofit Alliance of Bermuda’s pre-election forum on social policy positions, we heard from passionate, informed and committed candidates who would be an asset to Government, including individuals with a background in nonprofit and social sector professions. We encourage the Government to engage these individuals. Broader collaboration with key Third Sector stakeholders is also important as we seek to address Bermuda’s serious socio-economic issues, many of which the nonprofit sector exists to address. Consider this data which is referenced fully in our July 2024 whitepaper, Corporate Income Tax and the Historic Opportunity for Social Investment,
Bermuda’s high cost of living is crushing many families. While we lack current and clear data on poverty rates, Narrative Research through the Omnibus Survey estimates the rates to be between 17% and 33% of the population.[1] Omnibus Survey results also showed that roughly 54% of residents are concerned about being able to afford healthy food, and 21% of residents have cut back on eating fresh fruits and vegetables.[2] Furthermore, analysis on Bermuda’s employment statistics by respected local Economist Craig Simmons finds that there have been two decades of increasing wage inequality between white- and blue-collar workers in Bermuda. [3]
In addition, despite education reform efforts that span political parties, the Government’s education outcomes reporting shows Bermuda’s students are only reaching target learning outcomes an average of 50% of the time in public schools.[4] The 2016 Census shows that only 30% of Bermudians have a university degree (compared to 52% of non-Bermudians), meaning that many Bermudians are less likely to access employment as knowledge workers with the academics needed to participate in an increasingly global economy.[5] This perhaps contributes to racial disparities in employment and earnings evidenced in the Bermuda Employment Briefs, given only 26% of Black residents hold university degrees versus 52% of the White population and the fact that median gross annual income for Black residents is $62,160, compared to $93,404 for White residents.[6] There have been decades of education reform and yet some would say the outcomes and disparities seem to only worsen, and segments of Bermudians feel they need to leave the island for better opportunities.
Bermuda also has the highest costs of healthcare spending globally on a per capita basis, and yet, Bermuda’s health outcomes, including life expectancy, are relatively poorer in comparison to other OECD countries that spend less per capita.[7] We have comparatively high rates of cancer, diabetes, end-stage kidney disease, and obesity relative to other high-income countries. [8] Furthermore, as the population ages, there will be a higher percentage of seniors that will require medical care, including a greater percentage that will need costly in-home care or residential treatment, further adding to health and social care costs.[9] And yet, many of Bermuda’s high disease burdens are diseases that are preventable.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) research in Bermuda showed that 2/3rd of individuals said a parent, guardian or household member slapped, kicked, punched or beat them up some or most of the time; over 1/5th said that a parent, guardian or household member had cut them with an object; 18% saw someone being stabbed or shot as a child; and 28% saw or heard someone being threatened with a knife or gun as a child[10]. Separate research on youth mental health showed that over 30% of adolescents in Bermuda have “moderate to severe” symptoms of depression or anxiety, which is about five or six percentage points higher than post-pandemic global averages. For youth that do not identify as male or female, the anxiety and depression rates are significantly higher, where 73.8% reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression. [11]
These are all serious and complex issues that will require collaboration between the public, private and nonprofit sectors. The Nonprofit Alliance of Bermuda once again welcomes Premier Burt’s stated intention to prioritise inclusion and unity. We look forward to working with the Government and all community leaders to drive positive change that ultimately builds a better Bermuda.
[1] Narrative Research (2024). Omnibus Survey Results: report prepared for Nonprofit Alliance on social metrics.
[2] Narrative Research (2024). Omnibus Survey Results: report prepared for Nonprofit Alliance on social metrics.
[3] Craig Simmons (2024). Personal Communication based on analysis of Bermuda Government Employment Briefs. https://www.gov.bm/bermuda-employment-statistics
[4] Government of Bermuda (2022). Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the Year 2022/2023. https://www.gov.bm/ sites/default/files/Approved-Budget.pdf and Government of Bermuda (2023). Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the Year 2023/2024. https://rgb-prod-public-pdfs.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/bTz4kjGH-Lob63wvzoaHlz4D_U4.pdf
[5] Department of Statistics (2016). Census Data Education Brief. https://www.gov.bm/sites/default/files/2016-Population-and-Housing-Census-Education-Brief.pdf
[6] Department of Statistics (2023). The Bermuda Job Market Employment Brief. https://www.gov.bm/sites/default/ files/2023%20Employment%20Briefs.PDF
[7] Bermuda Government Ministry of Health (2023). Bermuda Joint Strategic Needs Assessment of Health. https://www. gov.bm/articles/joint-strategic-needs-assessment-bermuda; Public Health England (2019). Mental Health Situational Analysis.
[8] Bermuda Cancer and Health Center (2024). Bermuda National Cancer Control Plan 2024 -2030; International Diabetes Federation (2024). IDF Diabetes Atlas. https://diabetesatlas.org/idfawp/resource-files/2021/07/IDF_Atlas_10th_Edition_2021.pdf, Bermuda Diabetes Association (2021). Bermuda Must Tackle Child Obesity. Reported in https://www.royalgazette.com/ health/news/article/20210929/bermuda-must-tackle-child-obesity-experts/, Action Against Alzeimers and Dementia (2024). Personal communication with Erica Fulton., NorthStar (2024). Personal Communication with Marie Fay.
[9] Bermuda Government Ministry of Economy & Labour (2022). Addressing the Challenge of an Aging Population in Bermuda. Policy-Paper-Addressing-Ageing-Population.pdf (bernews.com)
[10]Family Center (2020). Bermuda Adverse Childhood Experiences Study https://tfc.bm/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2018-2020-Bermuda-Adverse-Childhood-Experiences-Study.pdf
[11] Cavangh, D., Hart, L., Basden, S., Lu, S., Reavley, N. (2025 – in press) Prevalence estimates of depression and anxiety symptoms among adolescents in Bermuda, according to age, gender and race, Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology