This was primarily a session for ministerial statements rather than debates or votes. The most significant announcement was the establishment of Bermuda's first minimum wage at $16.40 per hour, which takes effect June 1, 2023. The government also announced amendments to tourism investment laws that will allow up to 15 years of tax relief for new or refurbished hotels (up from the current 10-year maximum). Ministers provided updates on various initiatives including a new national plan to support adults with intellectual disabilities, transportation improvements with electric buses, and staffing solutions for airport firefighting services.
Minimum wage set at $16.40 per hour starting June 1, 2023Tourism Investment Act amendments to provide greater tax relief for hotel developersNew National Plan for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities (2023-2028)Transportation system preparations for cruise season with new electric busesFire and Rescue Service staffing updates for airport operations
Bills & Motions
No bills were read, debated, or voted on during this session
All agenda items were ministerial statements providing updates on government initiatives and policies
Minutes from March 10 and 13, 2023 were confirmed without amendments
Notable Moments
Recognition of retiring Clerk of Parliament Shernette Wolffe after 20 years of service
Visit from Paget Primary P4 students who were observing parliament in session
Announcement that Mr. Lamb (IT support) was absent due to getting married the previous day
Debate Transcript
577 speeches from 40 speakers
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood morning, Me mbers. T he Hous e is now in session. [Gavel] ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER OR MEMBER PRESIDINGSHAREPOINT UNAVAILABLE
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMembers, before we get started, I would just like to make one announcement before we even get to that stage of Announcements. The SharePoint system is inaccessible right now this morning. And you may, or may not, know that we are mis sing Mr. Lamb here today. Mr. Lamb got …
Members, before we get started, I would just like to make one announcement before we even get to that stage of Announcements. The SharePoint system is inaccessible right now this morning. And you may, or may not, know that we are mis sing Mr. Lamb here today. Mr. Lamb got married y esterday. So, as we would all expect, he is out having a honey moon day. So, we don’t have him here available this morning to resolve the issue. What will be done is we will email ev erything to your email [address] rather than putting it on SharePoint. So, you will find it on email as the day progresses. But we acknowledge the fact that he is not present today and pleasantly ack nowledge the reason why he is not present. [Desk thumping] CONFIRMATION OF MINUT ES [Minutes of March 10 and 23, 2023]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMembers, the Minutes of March 10 and 13 have been circulated. Are there any amendments required? There are none. The Minutes will be confirmed as printed. [Motion carried: Minutes of 10 and 13 March 2023 confirmed.] MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR Th e Speaker: There are none. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SPEAKER …
Members, the Minutes of March 10 and 13 have been circulated. Are there any amendments required? There are none. The Minutes will be confirmed as printed. [Motion carried: Minutes of 10 and 13 March 2023 confirmed.] MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR Th e Speaker: There are none. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SPEAKER OR MEMBER PRESIDING THANK YOU TO MRS. SHERNETTE WOLFFE, CLERK OF PARLIAMENT Th e Speaker: Members, again, another announcement that acknowledges our staff. Many of you know . . . I think most of you in the room, other than myself and a couple of others , came into this building and found Madam Clerk already ahead of you. Madam Clerk has celebrated 20 years in this Chamber serving us as the head of the legislative staff in administration. She marks her 20 years and will be retiring at the end of next month. So me Hon. Members: Oh no! [Desk thumping] Th e Speaker: Today will be her last day in Parliament because her retirement will take place while Parliament is out of session. So we just want to acknowledge her long service, let her know that we have appreciated the ser-vices she has given to the Parliament and to the country, that we wish her well in her retirement and we will miss her presence amongst us here for the valuable service that she has offered not only to the legislative staff but to the assistance she has offered to Members of Parliament and, in fact, both Houses. So, as I acknowledge that, I am sure that you will all join me in acknowledging that at the appropriate time when congratulations come up later this morning. Thank you. APOLOGIES Th e Speaker: And the other announcement this morning, we received notice from MP Caesar and MP Simmons -Wade that they will be absent today. AUDITOR GENERAL’S PUBLIC INTEREST REPORT ON THE GOVERNMENT OF BERMUDA’S 1160 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly RESPONSE TO COVID -19: TRAVEL AUTHORISATION Th e Speaker: And I also have to read out the announce ment from the Auditor General, Auditor General’s Public Interest Report on the Government of Bermuda’s Response to COVID -19: Travel Authorisation. And it reads as follows: I, as Speaker, have received the Auditor General’s [Public] Interest Report on the G overnment of Bermuda’s Response to COVID -19: Travel Authorisation, which has been submitted to me pursuant to sec-tion 13 of the Auditor Act 1990. That’s it for announcements this morning. MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE Th e Speaker: There are none. PAPERS AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TO THE HOUSE Th e Speaker: There are two papers this morning. The first is in the name of the Minister of Transport. Ho n. Wayne L. Furbert: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Th e Speaker: Good morning. MERCHANT SHIPPING (FEES) REGULATIONS 2023 Ho n. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to attach and submit for the consideration of the Honourable House of Assembly Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulations 2023, made by the Minister respon-sible for maritime administration in exercise of the power conferred by section 250 of the Merchant Ship-ping Act 2002. Th e Speaker: Thank you. The second is in the name of the Minister of Health. Minister. Ho n. Kim N. Wilson: Thank you. Good morning, Mr. Speaker. BERMUDA HOSPITALS BOARD ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 Ho n. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to attach and submit for the information of the Honour-able House of Assembly the Bermuda Hospitals Board Annual Report for the year 2018/19. Th e Speaker: Thank you. PETITIONS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerTher e are none. STATEMENTS BY M INISTERS AND JUNIOR M INISTERS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMembers. We have quite a few Statements this morning. The first Statement this morning is in the name of the Minister of Tourism and Cabinet Office, Minister Campbell . AMENDMENTS TO THE T OURISM I NVESTMENT ACT 2 017 Hon. V ance Campbell: Thank y ou, Mr. S peaker. Mr. …
Members. We have quite a few Statements this morning. The first Statement this morning is in the name of the Minister of Tourism and Cabinet Office, Minister Campbell . AMENDMENTS TO THE T OURISM I NVESTMENT ACT 2 017 Hon. V ance Campbell: Thank y ou, Mr. S peaker. Mr. Speaker, it is with considerable pleasure that I rise today to inform this Honourable House that Cabinet recently approved amendments to the Tourism Investment Act 2017. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of these amendments is to permit the Minister responsible for Tourism greater discretion under the Act in the grant of relief to developers and those investing in attractions, restaurants and hotels. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members of this House w ill recall the grant of relief related to the payment of applicable taxes to the developers of the Fairmont Southampton hotel for a period of 15 years and the jurisdictional analysis that accompanied that consideration. I hasten to note, Mr . Speaker, that other competitor jurisdictions provide relief of up to 20 years , and in some cases longer , for developers investing in hotels for both new hotel development, as well as the refurbishment of existing hotel properties. Mr. Speaker, in keeping with this trend and in an effort to secure further investment in Bermuda’s tourism product, I would like to remind this Honourable House of Government’s undertaking in the 2022 Speech from the Throne: “The Government’s role is to provide the legislation that will suppor t a tourism recovery and as such, in this Session, the Legislature will take under consideration amendments to the Tourism Investment Act 2017 to permit the Government greater discretion in the grant of relief under the Act to developers and those investing in attractions, restaurants and hotels.” Mr. Speaker, the Act currently permits a maximum of 10 years of relief in the case of a new hotel and specifies the period of relief to be granted in the case of refurbishment of a hotel, a new or existing restaurant or an attraction. A grant of relief for a longer period requires an Act of the Legislature specifically drafted for that purpose. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform this Honourable House that Cabinet has approved amendments to the Act that will permit the following discretion
Ber muda House of Assembly in the grant of relief , with all other elements under the Scale of Relief unchanged: •a new hotel —up to 15 years; •a refurbished hotel —up to 15 years; •a new restaurant —up to 5 years; •an existing restaurant —up to 3 years; •an attraction—up to 5 years. Mr. Speaker, an additional amendment to the Act will permit the Minister to consider the aggregate value of investment in any property over a period of seven years prior to the instant application for relief. Mr. Speaker, it is my firm belief that these amendments will provide the added incentives for entities to invest in Bermuda’s tourism product and , by extension, provide wide- reaching economic benefits for our country. Mr. Speaker, having acquired Cabinet’s approval of these amendments, I confidently anticipate being able to bring these amendments to this House during the next parliamentary session. It is my fervent hope, Mr . Speaker, given the positive impact they will have on our tourism industry, that these amendments will meet with the resounding approval of Members of this Honourable H ouse. Thank you, Mr . Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank y ou, Minister . The next Statement t his morning i s in the na me of the Minister of Economy and Labour. Minister. Hon. Jaso n Hayward: Good morning, Mr. S peaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood mor ning. SUMMER ST UDENT ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAMME (SSEP) Hon. Jason Hayward: I rise today to provide an update on an initiative spearheaded by the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, which aims to help the Island’s next generation of young, entrepreneurial minds launch and sustain their businesses. The BEDC’s Summer Student …
Good mor ning. SUMMER ST UDENT ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAMME (SSEP) Hon. Jason Hayward: I rise today to provide an update on an initiative spearheaded by the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, which aims to help the Island’s next generation of young, entrepreneurial minds launch and sustain their businesses. The BEDC’s Summer Student Entrepreneur Programme is an essential initiative for Bermuda and young people, as it offers opportunities for students to gain entrepreneurial skills and create businesses that contribute to the local economy. This initiative is directly in alignment with Goal 6 of the G overnment’s Youth Employment Strategy to support and promote youth entrepreneurship. The BEDC is currently promoting the programme and is accepting applications from young people between the ages of 16 and 25. Interested indiv iduals can apply for the Summer Student Entrepreneur Programme online at www.bedc.bm and complete the application form. The initiative is in its sixth year and exposes our young people to business training lessons in areas such as marketing, time management, customer service, business planning, and navigating any legal aspects of running a business, including health, safety, and liabilities. Mr . Speaker, I am excited to say that the programm e has already proven successful, with six years of statistics to show for it. Since its establishment in 2018, forty -seven students have participated in the p rogramme, creating various businesses such as locally made skincare products, custom jewellery, animation services, lawn care services, and graphic design agencies. These young entrepreneurs have generated ap-proximately $27,000 in revenue, demonstrating the programme's positive impact on the local economy. Historically, few programmes have focused on equipping young people with an entrepreneurial mind-set. The specific focus has been preparing our students to take on jobs at various insurance companies, law firms, and other organisations. While these are honour-able professions, we know that only some can excel at working in a corporate environment. The Summer Student Entrepreneurship Programme promotes a culture of enterprise and entrepreneurship as a viable career option for young people, allowing them to tap into skills that help them to identify and make the most of opportunities, overcome and learn from setbacks, and succeed in a variety of settings. The Summer Student Entrepreneurship Programme provides students with a blueprint as they nav-igate the road to financial independence. Mr. Speaker, the eight -week programme provides students with education, startup capital, and mentorship to help them start a business and earn money. To take part, students must complete an application on the BEDC website by April 30 outlining their basic business plan and providing a cash flow forecast and brief SWOT analysis. To be eligible, they must reside in Bermuda and be enrolled in school. The students will be given a working capital advance from the BEDC to help with startup costs, such as materials and equipment needed to execute their business ideas. Once a week [for] the scheme’s duration, the students will meet with the Programme Coordinator, Deshun Simmons, to provide a progress report. The initiative will end with a special award and cer-tificate ceremony. Cash prizes will be presented to the top three business earners who generated the most in-come during the summer months. Mr. Speaker , this Government believes that the spirit of entrepreneurship must be nurtured and encour-aged, especially within our youth. The opportunity to encourage more Bermudians to do for themselves and open doors for themselves and others will go a long way toward reshaping our Island into a better and fairer Bermuda. The Summer Student Entrepreneur Programme will allow our youth to immerse themselves in entrepreneurship and create summer employment. We hope they can also begin a lifelong passion for busi-ness ownership. We see this as an excellent oppor-tunity for any aspiring young Bermudian and are very 1162 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly excited to see the talent and enthusiasm already surrounding the initiative. Mr. Speaker, while the Summer Student Entrepreneur Programme provides some of the students with their first foray into entrepreneurship, once they graduate, they are well on their way to further developing the problem- solving skills required to be successful entrepreneurs and even future leaders of the country. I have had the opportunity to meet with and speak to several of the students in the p rogramme. They give me a sense of hope, knowing that Bermuda's entrepre-neurial future is indeed very bright. I am confident that young people will continue to grow to their full potential if we continue to provide programmes like the Summer Student Entrepreneurship Programme to support them. It is up to us, the people of Bermuda, to rally around them and offer our full support. In conclusion, I am proud of the successes achieved by the Summer Student Entrepreneurship Programme and am committed to supporting its growth and development in the years to come. I encourage all to join me in this vital endeavour, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact our young entrepreneurs will have on our community. This summer, when we are out and about and see these young people selling their products and services, let ’s remember to show an interest, give them an encouraging word, and support them with our hard- earned dollars. I also would like to thank the various government departments and private sector organi sations that make this program me possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Minister, the next Statement is also in your name. Would you like to present that at this time? EMPLOYMENT (MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE) ORDER 2023 Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to inform Members of this Honourable House that today we have made …
Thank you, Minister. Minister, the next Statement is also in your name. Would you like to present that at this time? EMPLOYMENT (MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE) ORDER 2023 Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to inform Members of this Honourable House that today we have made a minimum wage in Bermuda a reality. Our people deserve it. They deserve to enjoy decent work and fair compensation. The Employment (Minimum Hourly Wage) Order 2023 (the Order), which was published y esterday, sets the minimum hourly wage rate for Bermuda at $16.40. The Order is due to take effect on 1 June 2023 and employers of low -wage earners will be required to amend their contracts and/or statements of employ-ment to ensure that they are compliant with the Order by 1 June 2023. Mr. Speaker, as highlighted in the [ 2 020] Speech from the Throne, this Government has made a commitment to the workers of Bermuda to ensure they receive a dignified wage which will allow them to cover their basic needs. This is a promise we have worked diligently and deliberately to implement. It is this Gov-ernment’s desire to provide adequate social protections to all Bermudians, and establishing a comprehensive minimu m wage is fundamental to ensuring that we progress as a just and equitable society. Mr. Speaker, the International Labour Organization (or ILO as it is commonly referred to) defines minimum wage as, “the minimum amount of remunera-tion that an employer is required to pay wage earners for the work performed during a given period, which cannot be reduced by collective agreement or an indi-vidual contract.” Most modern, developed countries have a minimum wage regime. More than 90 per cent of countries designat ed as ILO member states currently have a statutory wage scheme of some sort. Considerable evi-dence- based studies have outlined the many benefits realised by both employers and employees in countries where a minimum wage has been instituted. Minimum wages w ill assist in : •promoting fair compensation for employees; •improving an individual’s quality of life; •preventing the exploitation of workers; and •preventing working families that are below th e pov erty line from receiving what many would consider being unliveable wages. Mr. Speaker, in April 2021 the Wage Commission provided the Minister responsible for Labour with its report which detailed its recommendations for a minimum hourly wage rate in Bermuda. The Wage Com-mission determined that building a wage floor would protect Bermuda’s labour force, especially those within low-paid occupations, such as hospitality, horticulture and domestic work. In August 2022 the Ministry of Economy and Labour published a Position Paper enti-tled Establishing a Minimum Wage in Bermuda, which outlined, among other things, the three recommended options of the Commission, what a minimum wage is, why it is needed in Bermuda and the benefits to estab-lishing a statutory minimum hourly wage rate. Mr. Speaker, the Order provides for a hybrid payment structure for employees who receive commis-sion, gratuities and service charges. These employees will receive a basic wage, set by their employer, to which service charges, gratuities and/or commissions will be added, to guarantee a minimum hourly wage rate of $16.40. Where an employee’s basic wage plus service charges, gratuities and/or commission does not equal the minimum hourly wage rate of $16.40, their employer will be liable to provide the difference. This guarantees that an employee will receive the minimum hourly wage rate for every hour worked. Mr. Speaker, the Employment (Minimum Wage Entitlement) Act 2022 sets out the guidelines for who is entitled to receive a minimum hourly wage and the enforcement provisions regarding adherence to the pay-ment of a minimum hourly wage rate, among other things. Additionally, it gives Labour Inspectors the au-thority to investigate an employee’s complaint against
Ber muda House of Assembly his employer and issue enforcement notices to employers who have failed to correctly remunerate their em-ployee pursuant to this Order. Mr. Speaker, many jurisdictions view minimum wages as a vehicle to take the lowest paid out of pov-erty. Others view minimum wages as a wage floor below which employers are not permitted to pay. Regardless of the approach, this will improve the lives of many workers, especially those within occupations with tradi-tionally low levels of remuneration. Any business cur-rently operating with a business model that is predi-cated on poverty wages should seek to change its business model. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Wage Commission and the team within the Ministry of Economy and Labour for the work executed to make a statutory minimum wage in Bermuda a reality. Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Th e Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Members, the next Statement this morning is in the name of the Minister of Social Development and Seniors. Minister, would you like to present your Statement? Ho n. Tinee Furbert: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Th e Speaker: Go right ahead. BREAKING BARRIERS –BEYOND THE TRAUMA Ho n. Tinee Furbert: Mr. Speaker, March is social work month and the 2023 theme set by the US National As-sociation of Social Workers is “Social Work Breaks Barriers.” This theme highlights and proclaims how social work breaks the barriers that prevent people and com-munities from thriving, using advocacy and services to remove obstacles for persons who are in need. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to share with my honourable colleagues that in recognition of social work month and in keeping with this theme, the Depart-ment of Child and Family Services (DCFS) held a three-day conference this week for their staff which com-menced on Wednesday, March 22 using an adapted theme: Breaking Barriers –Beyond the Trauma . The conference will equip DCFS staff with both instructive and practical tools that will steer their thinking towards becoming more trauma- informed and trauma responsive with the intent of breaking barriers of resistance. Mr. Speaker, I was delighted to officially open t he three- day conference on Wednesday morning, the first o f its kind for the department, and welcome the DCFS staff and invited guests. The conference offered a dynamic line- up of overseas and local presenters who engaged and challenged the DCFS team to work differently as social workers when lending support to children who have endured painful experiences. Staff were encouraged to develop a trauma- informed lens and be positioned to provide the relevant services at every level to support our children who have been trau-matised in any way. Mr. Speaker, our children experience all types of trauma in life. The Bermuda Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study undertaken by the Bermuda Health Council in 2018, revealed that there are 13 ad-verse childhood experiences of both children and adults comprising of trauma and chronic disease. So, what is trauma? A person may experience trauma as a response to any event they find physically or emotionally threatening or harmful. According to the Bermuda ACEs Study, trauma could stem from experiences such as emotional or sexual abuse, road traffic accidents, physical or emotional neglect, racism, poverty, mental health, parental separation, domestic violence, incar-cerated relatives or substance abuse. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, trauma can have long- term effects on children’s well -being in that they may feel overwhelmed, helpless, sad, fearful, shocked, or have difficulty processing their experiences. Mr. Speaker, it is within this context that a high calibre of professional psychologists and social work-ers were invited to the Breaking Barriers –Beyond the Trauma conference this week, to impart their expertise through training and sharing of the impact and effective treatment of some of these traumatic experiences our children go through. Mr. Speaker, the keynote speaker for the conference was Dr. Eboni Webb, a clinical psychologist based in Tennessee, United States. Dr. Webb, a spe-cialist in dialectical behaviour therapy, set the tone for the conference in her opening address by taking partic-ipants through a deep dive into understanding the root of trauma. She shared how trauma is transferred generationally, and if not treated, adults can live out of their trauma and pass it along to their children. Dr. Webb emphasised the importance of breaking barriers early so that patterns in our lives are not repeated. She also shared how trauma is a thief and treatment must be multifaceted to include top -down and bottom- up processing techniques. Mr. Speaker, other overseas guests who presented at the conference were: Ms. Kiva Harper, a Li-censed Clinical Social Worker specialist in trauma- focused psychotherapy, and Assistant Professor in Prac-tice in the School of Social Work at the University of Texas; Mr. Hanif Benjamin, a Clinical Traumatologist and Clinical Therapist; also President of the Tri nidad and Tobago Association of Social Workers. Mr. Speaker, o ur very own Bermuda- raised presenters included: •Dr. Kelly Savery, a Trauma and CounselingPsychologist and a Cognitive Analytical Therapist, who currently practices in the UK; •Dr. Jana Outerbridge, a Counselling Psychologist and the Owner of Mayvera Wellness; 1164 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly •Dr. Terrylynn Tyrell, Coordinator of the Child Development Programme in the Department of Education, and former Senior Director in Gov-ernment Affairs and Policy, Voices for America’s Children; •Dr. Jennifer LeP age-Hamel, Clinical Psychologist at the Child Development Programme inthe Department of Education; and, •Ms. Latoya Bridgewater, Yoga Expert and Owner of Empowered Me Wellness.The presenters offered a cross -section of Trauma Labs covering: •Domestic Violence and Safety; •Working with Trauma- Related Hurt; •The Impact of Prenatal Stress and Postnatal Trauma on Child Development; •Understanding Emotional Disturbances in Youth and Adolescents; •Helping Young People Understand and Regu-late their Survival Responses; •Children Who Experience Trauma; •Caregiving for Residential Care Facilities; and •Self-care in the Workplace. Mr. Speaker, there are just over 100 staff in the Department of Child and Family Services. The majority either are trained social workers, social worker assistants, residential care officers, or officers and adminis-trative staff who work very closely with the social workers. I am pleased that all were able to participate in the three- day conference as the Trauma Labs were offered on a rotational basis each day. Mr. Speaker, I commend our very own Clinical Manager at the Department of Child and Family Services, Dr. Zina Zuill, the visionary for the Breaking Barriers–Beyond the Trauma Conference, and, heartfelt thanks to the Solution Focused Advocacy Committee (SFAC) who worked diligently as a team to bring the vision to life, Maureen Trew, Terri -Lynn Richardson, Annisha Peets, Simone Romaine and Shaydrina Hassell. Well Done Team! I also extend my sincere thanks to the Director of Child and Family Services, Mr. Alfred Maybury and his senior management team for their leadership and for ensuring that all staff were able to participate and glean from the wealth of information presented at the Conference. I believe their toolboxes have been ex-panded with new and improved methods and tech-niques to lend greater effective support to help Ber-muda’s children who are placed under the Director’s care. Mr. Speaker, in closing, allow me to reiterate sentiments I have expressed before in this Honourable House. The staff at the Department of Child and Family Services are hard workers and have a deep commit-ment to the children and families of Bermuda. While it may seem to be the most thankless professional work, the impact each staff member has when assisting those they come in contact with is priceless. I am very much grateful that they do not hold back from functioning in their various gifts and callings. Thank you, Mr . Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerT hank y ou, Minister, f or this Statement. The following Statement i s also yours. ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER HOUSE VI SITORS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerBut before we ask you to present your Statement I just want to acknowledge that in our Gallery we have visitors from Paget Primary P4, Ms. Smith’s class. [Desk t humping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThey are here this morning as part of a follow up to the Black History exhibit that they did in February where they honoured the Speaker as their honouree for their classroom. [Desk t humping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAnd as a follow up they asked if they could come and see us in action here as we sit in one of our sessions. So, they are here today to join us for a little while this morning before they return back to school. We are pleased to have …
And as a follow up they asked if they could come and see us in action here as we sit in one of our sessions. So, they are here today to join us for a little while this morning before they return back to school. We are pleased to have you, Ms. Smith, and to all of your young students, I hope you enjoy your time here with us this morning. And Members, just remember that they are in the House. Minister F urbert. [Statements by H onourable Mi nisters c ontinuing] Hon. T inee F urbert: T hank y ou, Mr . Speaker. NATIONAL P LAN FOR ADULTS W ITH INTELLECTUAL DI SABILITIES AND THEIR F AMILIES 2023- 2028 Hon. Tinee Furbert: Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise this morning to share with my honourable colleagues the Government’s fiv e-year National Plan for Adults with Intellec tual Dis abilities, 2023 to 2028. This is a first for Bermuda. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, this five- year plan has been transposed into an accessible version, a direct reflection of the Government’s plan not just to develop a plan and implement it, but to be inclusive so that persons with intellectual disabilities are involved in the implementation of the National Plan. This is truly exciting work. Mr. Speaker, the month of March is celebrated as Intellectual Developmental Disability Awareness Month in Bermuda. Last week, Friday, March 17, I
B ermuda House of Assembly joined with the students and staff of the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy in a Walk, Ride, Roll annual event held at the National Stadium North Field. To educate Bermuda about Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy School and students, the principal and her team adopted and adapted the US recognition of this month to reflect the unique profile of the students served at the school. The event was satisfying to see our students with disabilities enjoying themselves and engaging in the fun event. Mr. Speaker, also in recognition of the significance of this month, yesterday I held a press conference to announce the launch of the National Plan for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families. In attendance were some of the members of the planning committee for the development of this plan who repre-sented Tomorrow’s Voices, WindReach, Mid- Atlantic Wellness Institute, Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy, Ageing and Disability Services, K. Margaret Carter Centre and the Disability Advisory Council. Mr. Speaker, this five- year plan, also referred to as the National ID Plan for Adults, aims to ensure the well -being of adults with intellectual disabilities and their families through a coordinated approach of activities. Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to give a better understanding of intellectual disabilities. The Special Olympics website states that there are many kinds of intellectual disabilities and many causes. Intellectual disability is the most common developmental disability. According to the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, int ellectual disability is a condition characterised by significant lim-itations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive be-haviour that originates before the age of 22. Intellectual functioning refers to general mental capacity, such as learning, reasoni ng, and problem solving. Generally, an IQ test score of around 70 or as high as 75 indicates a significant limitation in intellectual functioning. Additionally, adaptive behaviour refers to significant limitations in two or more adaptive areas, or skills needed to live, work, and play in the community, such as communications or self -care. And, Mr. Speaker, persons with intellectual disabilities can have a wide range of needs due to cognitive challenges, but they may also have many strengths. It is estimated that there are 500 Bermudians with an intellectual disability with over 400 of these per-sons, or 80 per cent, who are 18 years or older. Therefore, based on this, as our children with intellectual dis-abilities grow and age out of existing services it is essential that as a country we appropriately plan for and support their ability to thrive as adults in the community as they age. The intent of the National ID Plan is to empower adults with intellectual disabilities and their fam-ilies to ensure they live happy healthy lives. Mr. Speaker, at the heart of the National ID Plan and its priorities are adults with intellectual disa-bilities and their families. This means as a community we cannot simply acknowledge and do for this population group, but we must actually listen and do with them. To make this happen, the accessible version of the National ID Plan will be used to enact the principles of rights, independence, choice, and inclusion that it is based upon. Mr. Speaker, to achieve its purpose, the National ID Plan has five key priority areas and objectives. These are: 1)quality support and services to ensure highquality, person- centred supports for adults with disabilities and their families are readily available; 2)training and education for support workers to ensure informal carers and staff who supportadults with disabilities and their families ar e w ell trained and can access specialist advice easily; 3)policy, regulation and accountability to ensurethat legislative framework, policies and govern-ance arrangements are in place to guaranteethe protection of adults with intellectual disabil-ities, monitor the effectiveness of the plan, an d ov ersight of matters that impact their lives; 4)financing to ensure services and public fundsare well managed and public finances are ef-fectively used; that families have access to thefinancial help to which they are entitled and canaccess the services they require, that health insurance benefits are used effectively to fund care, and financial incentives are in place tocare for loved ones at home; 5)advocacy and communication to ensure familycarers and adults with intellectual disabilitiesare empowered to influence how services ar e dev eloped and managed, and to ensure accountability of services to adults with disabili-ties. Mr. Speaker, the next step for the plan is implementation. The Ministry of Social Development and Seniors is establishing a cross -ministry and sector governance steering committee that will oversee the implementation of annual action plans to ensure accountable and coordinated activities by identified working groups that are committed to keep adults with intellectual disa-bilities and their families at the centre. This includes having representation and input from persons with intellectual disabilities and their families at all levels of the implementation and governance process. Mr. Speaker, the creation of the National ID Plan for Adults was spearheaded by Mid- Atlantic Wellness Institute in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development and Seniors. This leadership was supported by a dedicated cross sector planning committee who collaborated their professional and technical skills to develop a comprehensive National ID Plan. I extend my gratitude to the members of the committee for the time invested, the dedication and the passionate energy they displayed to see this Plan fully completed: 1166 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly •Ms. Morrisa Rogers, Mid- Atlantic Wellness Institute; •Ms Keeona Belboda, Ageing and Disability Services; •Ms. Sarah D’Alessio, Ageing and DisabilityServices; •Ms. Jennifer Howard, K. Margaret Carter Centre; •Ms. Veronica Baptista, former Administrator at the K. Margaret Carter Centre; •Ms. Julie Lynn, School Social Worker at HopeAcademy; •Dr. Alick Bush, Clinical Psychologist, Mid -Atlantic Wellness Institute, Intellectual DisabilityServices; •Ms. Tina Nash, WindReach •Ms. Margaret Philips, Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy; •Ms. Thea Furbert, Tomorrows Voices andParent; •Ms. Toni Bridgewater, Community Advocate; and, •Mr. Jose Lopez, Parent and Community Advocate. Also Mr. Speaker, I extend thanks to all stakeholders and the general public who participated in the public consultation and meetings that were held. The input and feedback obtained from them helped to en-sure the Plan was well informed. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I must emphasise that although intellectual and developmental disabilities is recognised in Bermuda during the month of March, as a community we must maintain this focus and aware-ness throughout the year, as there is much work to do to create and become a more inclusive society. The National ID Plan for Adults with Intellectua l Disabilities is one of the key means to help achieve such. The five- year Plan is another step towards advancing the country to better align with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in antici-pation that it will be extended to Bermuda. Mr. Speaker, I encourage our community to become familiar with the National ID Plan for Adults which can be found on the Ministry of Social Development and Seniors homepage website located on www.gov.bm. Bermuda, I look forward to your support of our adults with disabilities by staying engaged with initiatives that will evolve out of the National ID Plan. In this way you can be a part of the change in making Ber-muda more inclusive. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Th e Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Members, the next Statement this morning is in the name of the Minister of Transport. Minister. Hon. W ayne L . Furbert: T hank y ou, Mr . Speaker. The title of t he Statement i s Bermuda’s T ransportation System Ready to Welcome Visitors . BERMUDA’S T RANSPORTATION SYSTEM READY TO W ELCOM E VISITORS Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Speaker, General [Colin] Powell said “there are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” Mr. Speaker, preparation and hard work is what we at the Ministry of Transport, Department of Marine and Ports and Department of Public Transportation have been doing to get us ready for this season. We are prepared for whatever confronts us. We have listened to our stakeholder partners and although we can’t do everything on everyone’s wish list, we will be delivering more traffic enforcement in the East End and Horseshoe Bay Beach, more minibuses, pushing for more on- the-road taxis, and supplemental ferry service around cruise ship arrivals this season. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members will be aware of the original forecast for [ship] arrivals of 224 calls for the 2023 calendar year. Unfortunately, due to weather events this January, February and March, Norwegian Cruise Lines was unable to call into Bermuda on their way south on 10 occasions. One call in April, the Vasco Da Gama, was removed for scheduling purposes, leaving 213 calls on the schedule. Bermuda’s traditional cruise season starts in mid- April and runs through October. Bermuda did receive seven cruise [ship] calls this quarter, and if the weather is agreeable, there are six more calls scheduled in March. Mr. Speaker, it is important to reiterate my previous remarks on the subject of daily passenger arrival numbers. [This year], 2023, will see an increase in calls in April, October, November and December and ships are coming almost seven days a week and this ensures that passenger volume is spread more evenly throughout the week and year. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Transport is working to ensure a viable transportation system. The availability of reliable and efficient public transportation is vital to the economy, our community’s quality of life and the visitor experience demanded of a premier destination. Seamless movement of people is essential for work, school, or leisure activities. The Ministry of Transport is committed to improving the quality of public transportation services across the Island. Our goal is to ensure our transportation system is safe, reliable and environmentally sustainable. Mr. Speaker, one of the most significant achievements and improvements to date in our transportation system is the successful introduction of the first 30 electric buses. The first 10 of those 30 entered service on April 13, 2022.The benefits of electric public buses in Bermuda are numerous. Electric buses produce no harmful emissions, reducing the Island's carbon footprint and improving air quality. They are also
Ber muda House of Assembly quieter and smoother, providing a more comfortable ride for passengers. In addition, electric buses require less maintenance than traditional diesel buses, result-ing in lower operating cos ts and longer lifespans. Mr. Speaker, we in the Ministry eagerly await the landing of the 40 new buses in July 2023. With an electric bus fleet totalling 70 buses and with some of the older, still viable models the fleet will be sufficient to provide for the full bus schedule which requires 88 buses in service. There will be more capacity, and use of the public buses for the school runs [will free] up the services of the minibuses that currently provide the services to the schools. Most importantly, Mr. Speaker, we will also see significantly less bus route cancellations due to a more reliable bus service. Mr. Speaker, in addition to these improvements, the Ministry has been working on several other initiatives to enhance the overall transportation [experience] in Bermuda. The shared ride taxi model operated at the L. F. Wade Airport is not working as efficiently as intended and therefore there will be changes made to the system. Passengers at the airport will have the op-tion of shared ride in advance of selecting their transportation source. This will encourage passengers to use shared ride, which is a less expensive transport op-tion, and when used it creates transport capacity in the system. Mr. Speaker, with the increased cruise passenger foot traffic and the increased demand for public service vehicles, particularly in the Dockyard, Horseshoe Bay Beach and St. George’s areas, the Ministry is ded-icating traffic officers at Horseshoe Bay Beach and St. George’s. Dockyard has its own dedicated officers and system which has worked well over the years. This initiative will ensure a safer, smoother and overall better experience for the visitors to source transportation while on vacation in Bermuda. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, as I set out in the recent budget debate, the Department of Marine and Ports Services has an increased budget of $2.3 million for the 2023/24 fiscal year. The increase represents the Government’s commitment to providing a sustainable transport system. Due to the heavy cruise ship season, we must ensure the ferries, the pilot boats, the line boats and the tug boats, et cetera, are prepared to han-dle the load, plus continue the reliable service to residents. The department has worked diligently to prepare for the busy season and has the funding to de liver on the plans made for the season. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Transport remains committed to improving public transportation services across the Island. We recognise the critical role that public transportation plays in our society. We are determined to provide a safe, reliable, and sustainable transportation system for all. The Ministry will continue to work with stakeholders in the transportation industry and other government agencies to develop and imple-ment new initiatives and programmes aimed at improving public transportation services in Bermuda. Thank y ou, v ery m uch, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank y ou, Minister. Members, t he next S tatement this mor ning is i n the name of the Minister of N ational S ecurity. Minister. Hon. Michael A . Weeks: Thank y ou, Mr . Speaker, and good mor ning to you and colleagues. BERMUDA FIRE AN D …
Thank y ou, Minister. Members, t he next S tatement this mor ning is i n the name of the Minister of N ational S ecurity. Minister. Hon. Michael A . Weeks: Thank y ou, Mr . Speaker, and good mor ning to you and colleagues. BERMUDA FIRE AN D RESCUE S ERVICE UP DATE Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide this Honourable House with an update on the Bermuda Fire and Res cue Service . Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members will recall that this Honourable House passed the Fire Safety Amendment Act 2022, on March 3, 2023. On that occasion I informed Honourable Members that the purpose of the Bill was to amend the Fire Safety Act 2014, to clarify that the National Fire Protection Agency Codes do not apply to airport operations, and that the UK Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Orders and any Overseas Territories Aviation Requirements do apply to airport operations. The Fire Safety Act 2014 was always intended to specifically address building safety and not technical firefighting and rescue operations. The 2022 amendment Bill became necessary to provide clarity on the matter and has supported the aim of the Ministry of National Security and the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service aim of definitively setting the minimum duty strength and resourcing requirements for the Airport Rescue Firefighting Service at the L. F. Wade International Airport. Mr. Speaker, in a Statement made to this Honourable House on July 1, 2022, I advised Honourable Members and the listening public that a February 2022 Skyport Audit of the Airport Rescue Firefighting Service had raised the minimum duty strength requirements . A review of the audit was subsequently commissioned and the agreed minimum strength is now 12 firefighters per shift. This is an increase of seven per shift over the five firefighters that were previously required. With the fire service already understaffed, meeting the new requirements in order to keep the airport open and able to accept flights, put an immediate and significant strain on the fire service. Mr. Speaker, the public has been kept fully informed of the measures taken to secure adequate and qualified firefighters for the airport fire service in order to meet the new minimum strength requirements. Experienced airport rescue firefighters from overseas have been temporarily contracted to bolster the staff numbers at the airport. Simultaneously, the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service recruited 11 new firefighters, 10 of whom have completed training in the United Kingdom and are now certified airport rescue firefighters. 1168 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly These new firefighters have replaced 10 of the overseas contracted firefighters and are now working along-side the remaining contracted and permanent firefight-ers at the airport. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that the 2023/24 budget for the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service includes funding for the recruitment of 24 additional fire fighters. An advertisement seeking applicants for the available positions closed on March 1. The Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service accepted 250 of the 281 applications received. These applicants will be put through a series of written and physical testing, psychological tests, background checks, vetting, and interviews to identify the 24 most suitable candidates. Mr. Speaker, the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service aims to have the new recruits on board by July 1. Following their initial two weeks of onboarding and local training, the new recruits will travel to the United Kingdom to undergo six weeks of training and certification for airport rescue firefighting. It is antici-pated that the training will be completed by the end of August 2023, allowing the newly trained firefighters to relieve the remaining overseas contracted firefighters. Mr. Speaker, I again wish to express my gratitude to the contracted firefighters who answered our call for assistance. Their work with the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service and the Airport Rescue Fire-fighting Service has ensured that the airport remained open and well prepared to provide a fire or rescue response if necessary. Honourable Members and the listening public will recall that the overseas firefighters were contracted at a time when there were no additional trained airport rescue firefighters available lo-cally. The sudden increase in the required minimum duty strength meant that resources needed to be made available immediately. Had the overseas firefighters not answered the call, there was a significant risk of the L.F. Wade losing its Category 9 rating, thereby prohibiting landing of the size of aircraft used by our regularlyscheduled commercial and cargo flights. Mr. Speaker, it should be noted that the overseas contracted firefighters have always been a tem-porary measure. I look forward to welcoming the new recruits to the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, who will provide a long- term solution. I have every confidence that following their training, both locally and overseas, the successful men and women will be aptly prepared to assume the very important work of ensuring that our airport remains open and rated safe to ac-cept all scheduled flights. Adequate and well trained firefighters at the L.F. Wade International Airport are a priority of the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service and the Ministry of Na-tional Security. We are working together to keep Ber-muda safe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Th e Speaker: Thank you, Minister. The next Statement t his morning i s in the na me of the Minister of H ealth. Minister. Hon. Kim N . Wilson: Thank y ou, Mr . Speaker. WHAT I S OUR ROLE I N HEALT H SYSTEM T RANSFORMATION? Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker and Honourable Members, the first strategic principle of the Bermuda Health Strategy 2022- 2027 is, “Promoting healthy living and preventative care.” As we strive for a healthier Bermuda, living a healthy lifestyle and taking steps to prevent the onset of illness are essential actions in our personal journey towards better health and key to improving our population’s health. Mr. Speaker, as I stated in this House last year, health system change is complex, but our goals are clear. It bears repeating that we must achieve better health outcomes, particularly chronic disease management and mental well-being. We must ensure the availability of essential health services residents can be confident they can afford when they need them. We must strive to be efficient and effective in delivering these services and eliminate waste and duplication in the health system. Mr. Speaker, as we continue our multi- year journey to deliver on this Government’s promise to implement universal health coverage for all residents, I want to take this opportunity to focus on our own individual roles in the health system transformation that lies ahead of us. Many of us think of our health system as comprising the treatments we receive from doct ors, dentists, nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists and other allied health professionals, as well as the services provided at hospitals, health centres, clinics and laboratories. We think of our health as a product of these health system services, perhaps with an added measure of genetics. But our individual health is more than that. Arguab ly, our health is largely created through actions outside the health sector. The conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work, and age are fundamentally connected to our physical and mental well -being. While we may not be able to control all of these conditions of life, we can make individual decisions, which, collectively, foster health transformation, at a personal level and at a community level. Mr. Speaker, what is required by the entire Bermuda community, though, is a paradigm shift in our thinking about health and well- being and, especially, our role in the change we want to see. As I announced at the beginning of this month, the Department of Health is focus ed on promoting good health and will be spearheading the Commit to Change campaign this year. The campaign's goal is to encourage residents to make small commitments toward healthy living. Change is tough, and failure can be demoralising. So, we will be asking you to just make one
B ermuda House of Assembly change at a time. These changes do not need to be big, but they do need to be consistent. Small steps help us create valuable habits and good habits create change. Mr. Speaker, we all know a healthy diet and regular exercise are good habits. You do not need me to tell you that. When you do Commit to Change, just drink a glass of water instead of a soda, this is a small step. Park your car or bike three streets away from the shop you plan to visit and walk to it. That is another small step. Other good habits include a good night’s sleep, making time to be mindful, learning something new and having breakfast. Mr. Speaker, when you notice a friend, family member or colleague making one small change, we shouldn’t tease them. Instead, we should support them or, better yet, join them. These small steps matter and they do make a difference. Another adjustment we can make in our lives is to ensure that we get our annual physical and, for women, our yearly mammograms as recommended by our doctors. Be pro- active about our health status. If we can prevent illness and injury in the first place we can reduce costs in the health system. If we cannot prevent illness, at least we may receive treatment early enough to produce a good result and decrease, if not eliminate, complications later in life. Mr. Speaker, a key change in our approach to health and well -being would be our use of the emergency department at KEMH. Many people view the care received from the dedicated staff at the emergency department as free. It is not free. It is paid for through a combination of our tax dollars and a portion of the health insurance premium of every insured per-son. As Honourable Members will be aware, emer-gency department treatment is one of the most expen-sive ways to receive medical care and using it for regular care drives up costs in the health system for us all. The change you can make is to stop and first ask your-self if your GP [general practitioner] can help. Perhaps, you can wait until the next day to see your GP. And if you are a GP, does that patient absolutely require the type of urgent medical care that the emergency team provides? We recognise these can be difficult deci-sions, and particularly for those who are uninsured or underinsured, the emergency department can be viewed as a viable option. A revamp of our healthcare system is necessary to help all residents access care more appropriately and ensure we as a community make the best use of our vital hospital resources and deliver better value care for all of us. Mr. Speaker, change is a developmental process. It occurs on a gradient ranging from incremental improvements to transformation. We all have a role to play in the health system transformation, and each small step matters. Universal health coverage, or UHC, is a vital part of the change we need to see, and this Government remains committed to its implementation. The Ministry of Health, along with key partners in the private and public sectors, have made progress with priority projects which are foundational for UHC. One such project is Bermuda’s first Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (or JSNA). To manage the Island’s healthcare system transformation within our financial constraints, as a starting point, we need to know what our priority health needs are, including both physical and mental health. Honourable Members will recall my Statement last N ovember which spoke to a strategic principle of the Bermuda Health Strategy, namely, understanding our pop-ulation’s health needs. With the vital support and su-perb work of public registrars in training with the UK Health and Safety Agency, along with resources kindly provided by the Department of Statistics, Bermuda’s first JSNA is nearing completion, and I thank them for their incredible efforts. The JSNA will provide a baseline of information on our population’s health. It comprises a review of the following areas: 1)Bermuda’s population profile and the social de-terminants of health; 2)health behaviour and risk factors; 3)causes of ill -health and death; 4)vulnerable groups (including children, the elderly and people with disabilities); and 5)healthcare services. The JSNA’s key findings on Bermuda’s population profile and wider determinants of health indicate the Island’s population looks set to decrease size, in-crease in age, and continue to be characterised by multi socio -economic inequalities. While this may n ot be new information, all these conditions will impact health and healthcare. As stated in the Bermuda Health Strategy, healthcare strengthening has a 10- to-15-year horizon, and it is important to be able to measure our progress. We must know our starting point, as we can only manage what we can measure. We expect completion of the JSNA in early April and look forward to publication shortly thereafter. Mr. Speaker, another strategic principle of the Bermuda Health Strategy is harnessing healthcare techno logy. As noted in that Strategy, technology can help improve access to physical and mental healthcare services. This can also improve how healthcare is de-livered and how outcomes can be measured and mon-itored. In undertaking the [exercise] of developing the Bermuda’s National Digital Health Strategy, a project working group set up in October last year aimed to es-tablish a system- wide vision and integrated digital healthcare strategy. Digital health innovation is more than electronic medical records. This form of health in-novation has the potential to be a key enabler in the transformation of Bermuda’s healthcare system. The working group comprising doctors, insurers, representatives of BHB and the Bermuda Health Council, as well as relevant government depar tments, has met bi -weekly, then weekly, since October. In that time, it has engaged Edinburgh Innovations and Interactive Health and collaborated with KPMG to produce 1170 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly a digital health assessment of the workforce and a digital health assessment of the community, respectively. The aim is to complete the National Digital Health Strat-egy in April, with publication in due course after that. I want to take this opportunity to thank all members of the National Digital Health Strategy working group for their very hard work in getting to this point. In particular, the efforts of Kirsten Beasley, who Chairs the group, and Laure Marshall, Project Manager, have been invaluable in the progress made to date. Mr. Speaker, the JSNA and National Digital Health Strategy are vital, foundational pieces of work that will guide decision- making into the future. I look forward to sharing their full findings and recommendation with this Honourable House. Mr. Speaker, the UHC programme of work also includes an examination of our integrated care path-ways, and this work is underway as well. The purpose is review and understand care needs and care provision so as to identify any potential improvements. With a deep understanding of a patient’s journey along a care pathway, it is possibl e to design a more integrated service model to improve the patient experience, clinical outcomes and operational performance. The initial care pathways being examined are •the First 1,000 Days of Life, with Dr. SylvanusNawab as the clinical lead; •chronic kidney disease; •adult acute mental health, with Dr. Anna Nielson-Williams as the clinical lead. The clinical lead for the kidney disease pathway is still to come. These integrated care pathways reflect another strategic principle of the Bermuda Health Strat-egy, namely, partnerships and collaborative working. As outlined in the strategy, understanding and defining more integrated care pathways between providers and individuals will increase the quality, affordability and ef-ficiency of care. It will also s trengthen the health system by defining standards and promoting and disseminating best practices. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide Honourable Members with an update on the drug formulary. Controlling the cost of pharmaceuticals is a cru-cial p art of our health system’s financial reform. Our high cost of healthcare, an ageing population and an increasing incidence of chronic diseases, such as dia-betes, all contribute to the burden felt by many in the community. Science continues to give us new m edications and treatments for managing our health, but it is clear people are concerned about the price they have to pay for these medicines. Clinically, pharmaceuticals are medications which are the most effective non- behavioural intervention for non- comm unicable disease. Pharmaceutical intervention saves money and inter-rupts the costs and burden of disease progression but doing so with efficiency does require cost control. The Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee is up and running, and advises the Health Council on the drug formulary where prices will be regulated. The purpose is not to control the price of every medication sold in Bermuda. But rather, the Bermuda Drug Formulary will comprise the list of common essential medications along with associated products and devices used in medical treatments, which are intended to be medically appropriate, cost -effective and sold at a regulated price. So far, the Health Council has placed the two COVID -19 antiviral drugs on the formulary and they are priced at $30. Additionally, the committee met this week and approved four diabetes medications to be added to the formulary. The committee will deliberate on two more diabetes medications very shortly. The Health Council anticipates publication of the group of diabetes medications by the end of next week. The next group to be considered is insulin, followed by cardiovascular medications. The public is invited to check the Bermuda Health Council’s website for updates as they happen. Mr. Speaker, as we seek to answer the question, “What does it take to be healthy and stay healthy, not just get healthy?”, we strongly encourage everyone to execute on those small steps and small changes which are within your control and create good habits. This is within our ability, and this is our personal responsibility. The paradigm shift in our thinking about things like our use of hospital resources, frankly, is necessary. Bermuda must revamp its healthcare system, and we all have a role to play. The Ministry’s commitment to providing the support that we can through our public health services is unwavering. This Government’s commitment to healthcare transformation is resolute. Thank you, Mr . Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Members, t he next S tatement this mor ning is in the n ame of the Minister of P ublic W orks. Minister.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood mor ning. BERMUDA HOUSING T RUST AUD ITED FINANCIALS F OR THE Y EAR 2022
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchM r. Speaker, I have today as Minister with responsibility for Housing the pleasure of tabling the most recent audited financial statements for the Bermuda Housing Trust , the statutory body charged with providing seniors in Bermuda with the most affordable rental accommodation possible. I am pleased to note for …
M r. Speaker, I have today as Minister with responsibility for Housing the pleasure of tabling the most recent audited financial statements for the Bermuda Housing Trust , the statutory body charged with providing seniors in Bermuda with the most affordable rental accommodation possible. I am pleased to note for the information of Mem bers that the Trust is current in its annual audits, and that it is another clean, unqualified audit for the Trust, and, further, that the audited statements show
Ber muda House of Assembly that the Trust remains in a relatively strong financial position notwithstanding the challenges it faces. Mr. Speaker, a word about those challenges: Like most organisations in Bermuda, and indeed throughout the world, the Trust had to wrestle with the COVID -19 pandemic and the impact it had on its day - to-day operations. It was at times a struggle for the Trust as it was for so many other charities in the Island. In particular, maintenance of its five properties fell be-hind during this period and the Trust is now having to play catch up. This is critical for ageing properties which serve as home for close to 200 seniors. Some of these properties date back as much as 50 years and maintenance can often involve major work to ensure they are brought up to code. This is not inexpensive, and here the Ministry of Public Works continues to assist where it can when called upon by the Trust. Simply put, Mr. Speaker, and as I have said numerous times before in this Honoura-ble House, maintenance costs have been steadily in-creasing and are not predicted to go down anytime soon. Meanwhile, the Trust continues to stick with its longstanding policy of not raising rents on sitting tenants, which remains a source of comfort and reassur-ance to their senior residents in the times of ever -increasing costs. Mr. Speaker, the Bermuda Housing Trust is for seniors who are capable of independent living, i.e., ca-pable of living on their own. All residents typically go in with that capability. However, we all understand and appreciate that ageing over time brings challenges which makes living independently difficult. We endeav-our to work with our seniors and their families to come up with the solution that meets their needs. That is not as easy as it sounds. The Trust understands and appreciates that seniors want to maintain their independence and dig-nity to the end. Generally we also find that they do not want to be a burden to their families and, if they can, want to avoid ending up in a rest home. In any event, with respect to the latter, there are limited spaces, which presents yet another problem for seniors, their families and Government. Secondly, Members will see that the Trust remains committed to paying off a substantial loan: a $12.5 million loan that was taken out in 2006 with HSBC to construct the Dr. Cann Park in Southampton, five blocks totalling approximately 100 units. The au-dited statements show that this loan now stands at just under $4 million—which is good news —the terms of which require that it be renegotiated this year. The Trust’s hope is that the HSBC bank will do its charitable best to continue to extend favourable terms. Mr. Speaker, I am aware too, that the COVID - 19 experience was also a learning experience for the Trust, again as it was for so many other organisations in Bermuda. It highlighted some of the deficiencies to what is essentially a volunteer charitable organisation, running as it is with but one full -time employee and a couple of part -timers. While that overhead may have been good for the bottom line, it has also made difficult and challenging the Trust mission of serving its client seniors. The Trust responded by re- examining its organisation and its operations, all with a view to minimising, if not eliminating its weaknesses, and maximising its strengths. Some of these involved observations that the Office of the Auditor General has been making in their annual audits of the Trust these past few years. Mr. Speaker, the Bermuda Housing Trust therefore now finds itself in a period of transition and we can all appreciate how difficult that can be at times, for the trustees, for staff, for the volunteers and for residents. But I am confident that they are on the right track here and I am assured that their senior residents will not suffer as the Trust undergoes these internal changes. Indeed, I believe the seniors will in the end be better served which, after all, is the purpose of the Trust in the first place. Mr. Speaker and Honourable Members, what is noteworthy is that the work is overseen and sometimes done by trustees who are essentially volunteers who give of their time freely and for the small stipend they are paid for meetings. The demand on their time also increases as the demand for higher standards increase for better internal governance. I want to thank those who continue to serve. It is most welcomed and appreciated. Here I should like to thank two members in particular who stepped down this past year, one of whom is our colleague here in the House and in Cabinet, the Honourable Vance Campbell, JP, MP who, upon appointment as a Minister, retired after nearly 15 years of service to the Trust and who had been serving as deputy chair. I am informed that his contributions and his talents, especially in the area of maintenance, are sorely missed. The other is Mr. Scott Stewart who stepped down after close to 10 years of service. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank both the Trust’s Chairperson Mr. John Barritt and Deputy Chairperson Mrs. Rochelle Simons whom after 10 years of service, continue to work diligently to guide the Trust’s work. Thank y ou, Mr. S peaker
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank y ou, Minister. Members, t he next S tatement is also in the name of t he Minister of W orks.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, as the Minister with responsibility for the West End Development Corporation more colloquially known as WEDCO, I have the privilege to lay before this Honourable House the Corporation’s Annual Report for the year 2021. 1172 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, …
Mr. Speaker, as the Minister with responsibility for the West End Development Corporation more colloquially known as WEDCO, I have the privilege to lay before this Honourable House the Corporation’s Annual Report for the year 2021. 1172 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, the 2020/21 financial year was unprecedented. COVID -19 was ubiquitous. Protective measures were put in place—lockdowns, shelter -inplace orders, and alphabetical days for groceries —all in the name of protecting not only our healthcare system but our family, friends and neighbours. Though some may say the Government went too far and others may say the Government did not go far enough during this time, what can be said is that each and every one of us was impacted, be it individual or business. An im-pact that WEDCO felt as reflected in this Annual Report that is before Honourable Members today. Mr. Speaker, this 2021 Annual Report deta ils significant financial challenges arising from the global COVID -19 pandemic that began in March of 2020. WEDCO’s business model is heavily reliant on the tour-ism industry, in particular the cruise market, and with the ceasing of visitor arrivals, the pandemic hit the corporation exceptionally hard. As the 2020 calendar year progressed, it became apparent that the impact of the pandemic necessitated budgetary revisions to maintain the bare essentials of the operation. Mr. Speaker, I must pause here to commend WEDCO’s board led by our colleague from constitu-ency 26, [MP] Neville Tyrrell, and management team led by General Manager Andrew Dias, who through these challenging times ushered in pivotal policies and decisions that not only reduced the operating expendi-ture of the corporation but did so while retaining 100 per cent of the staff by working with our union partners to implement a ban on overtime and a 10 per cent reduction in pay for a one- year period to ensure that all employees could retain their jobs while avoiding the need to reduce staff numbers. In addition to this, management renegotiated existing service contracts and worked with service pro-viders to reduce their scope of work. Management also deferred any discretionary plant upgrades and reduced capital expenditure, while only electing to spend on items that were deemed critical to maintaining existing reduced services. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members are reminded that accompanying the primary revenue generated by visitor arrivals, WEDCO also has a secondary income stream through the leasing of residential and commercial properties under its remit. The protective restrictions imposed to curtail the COVID -19 pandemic as mentioned above had a severe impact on the commercial tenants as many were ordered to close be-tween April and May 2020, mainly the restaurants and nightlife. Though a phased approach to reopening began in early June, the lack of air and cruise arrivals compounded by rising inflation rates for products caused unprecedented strain on business owners. Therefore, to alleviate this pressure, management al-lowed a three- month deferral for rent payments. When it became apparent that this would not suffice, WEDCO created a COVID -19 concession policy, overhauled the budget and asked tenants to contact staff for help if required. Many tenants availed themselves of this pro-cess which brought much needed reassurance throughout the uncertain times. Although, Mr. Speaker, these concessions did indeed bring stability to tenants, WEDCO itself was forced to absorb the loss in revenue as reflected in this Report. The fiscal year 2020/21 saw the corporation’s rental revenue reduced by $2.5 mil-lion, dock revenues decreasing by $3 million along with associated revenue shortfalls in sources such as water and sewage. In addition, the corporation’s net receiva-bles were reduced to $1.25 million from $1.6 million. Mr. Speaker, to protect the organisation from insolvency, management reduced expenses by $4 mil-lion while the Government provided an operation grant of $1.25 million. With this taken into account, fortu-nately the corporation was able to decrease its long-term debt by $1.4 million. Again, this is amazing work for such unprecedented times and credit must be given when due. It is evident the corporation had a challeng-ing year in the 2020/21 fiscal year as it sought to main-tain operational solvency while still servicing the needs of tenants and other stakeholders. Through this economic strife WEDCO was able to complete various emergency infrastructure repairs to the Tipnor House, Dockyard Terrace Number 9 and Sail Loft Tank Interior Wall amongst others. The corpo-ration was ever mindful of cost containment as it strived to maintain and increase revenues despite the economic climate. Mr. Speaker at present, efforts remain on target to ensure the West End is Bermuda’s premier destination and entertainment port. WEDCO continues to develop strategic partnerships within both the private and public sectors to ensure the sustainability of the corporation as it moves forward with its development initiatives inclusive of the previously announced amal-gamation with the Bermuda Land Development Com-pany with the ultimate goal of becoming fully self -sufficient again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Th e Speaker: Thank you, Min ister. Members, the next Statement is also in the name of the Minister of Works. Minister. UPDATE O N ISLAND- WIDE RO ADWORKS AND THE B ELCO I NFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, I rise to provide this Honourable House and the people of Bermuda with yet another report on the state of the Island’s roads and the various ongoing trenching projects and a look forward on what to expect. Let me first say that I am well aware of the …
Mr. Speaker, I rise to provide this Honourable House and the people of Bermuda with yet another report on the state of the Island’s roads and the various ongoing trenching projects and a look forward on what to expect. Let me first say that I am well aware of the state of our roads as a daily user of them and a regular receiver of public complaints. I too am quite weary of the work that is being carried out and the time it is taking. I
Ber muda House of Assembly constantly remind myself, though, while sitting at a stoplight that I like having reliable electricity. So I’ll en-dure until the end. Mr. Speaker, colleagues are reminded of my multiple previous statements in February 2020, March and November 2022 in which I advised and updated the Bermuda public on the following: 1)BELCO’s $250 million capital plan, part of which is the major improvements to their un-derground high voltage system that will serveall their customers into the future with more re-liable, safe and cost -effective electricity. This project is expected to last 36 months. 2)The concurrent Ministry of Public Works initia-tive under the Water and Wastewater Master-plan that sees the installing of new water andsewage mains and telecommunication con-duits in Southside, St. David’s and the Town of St. George’s. Now that we are in March of 2023, it is clear that the original timeline which was set in 2020 of 36 months will be exceeded. No one needs to ask why the delay? Mr. Speaker, simply put, [with] what was declared in March 2020— the COVID -19 pandemic —the timeline essentially will be doubled. Government moved immediately to protect our citizens by instituting protective measures to ensure our healthcare system could be maintained. In turn, almost all ongoing and scheduled construction projects were either halted, postponed or cancelled as worldwide the industry began to suffer from supply chain issues while attempting to grapple with the economic fallout resulting from the pandemic. Mr. Speaker as the cost of supplies, materials and equipment have risen and continue to rise in Bermuda, BELCO, the Ministry and industry partners have been experiencing issues in the sourcing of materials and personnel for these two initiatives, therefore slowing progress. Now this does not mean that work is not being completed. For example in my November 2022 Statement in the Honourable House I advised that under these initiatives two of ten projects were completed, four were set to be completed by the end of 2022 — which I am now pleased to say that these have now concluded. As a reminder these four projects were: 1)the parking layby construction at Mullet BayPark in St. George’s; 2)work to the Bailey’s Bay Dock rock cliff em-bankment repairs in Hamilton Pari sh; 3)conduit trench works on North Shore Roadfrom Barkers Hill to Store Hill; and 4)conduit trench works on Palmetto Road lead-ing into the Railway Trail near the Departmentof Public Transport entrance in Devonshire.As six projects have now concluded, four remain and are on schedule to be completed by the end of this year including, but not limited to, trench work on the Middle Road in Southampton from Lighthouse Road to Evans Bay through the roadway and railway trail that will commence in April 2023. Mr. Speaker, it’s worth reminding [everyone of] the magnitude of this project. In the east it began at the Mullet Bay Road Sub Station to Stokes Point Road, across the water to St. David’s Road, along Kindley Field Road to the Airport Sub Station across the water again to Coney Island along the Railway Trail to North Shore Road, up Fractious Street to the Sub Station, then continuing along Fractious to Wilkinson Avenue to Harrington Sound Road Sub Station through Devil’s Hole to Flatts Sub Station, then Middle Road to Store Hill, down to North Shore Road to Palmetto Road, Parsons Lane in Devonshire and to the Frog Lane Sub Sta-tion. And, Mr. Speaker, in the West it began at Belmont Sub Station on Middle Road, Warwick to Camp Hill then Lighthouse Hill, Middle R oad to Jews Bay. That work has not concluded. It has been paused awaiting the delivery of piping and is expected to restart in April. Trenching will continue along Middle Road and the Railway Trail to the Evans Bay Sub Station. The end of the Western trenching is at George’s Bay Road which has already been completed. Mr. Speaker, this trenching works consist of 90,000 feet or 17 miles of trenching. As you can see this is a massive logistical undertaking that has covered virtually the entire Island. The areas that have not been mentioned had their high voltage cables replaced during a previous trenching exercise. In areas that have the trench work completed, all trenches have tempo-rary asphalt reinstated with the exception of the ones that do not require asphalt such as in the shoulders or railway trails. Again, like I have said before in my November 2022 Statement, Mr. Speaker, and I quote: “We acknowledge that these infrastructure projects have contributed to the [road] issues as the temporary as-phalting after trenching work has been uneven. But it is just meant to be that —temporary. It has never been the intention of the Government to leave our roads in this manner.” In certain areas the Ministry of Public Works has commenced with the permanent asphalting of the areas that the trenching works have been carried out, which will ultimately lead to smoother roadways. This work can be seen at the St. David’s entrance, Fractious Street, Wilkinson Avenue and the beginning of Harring-ton Sound Road. However, Mr. Speaker, as the Minis-try continues this work, we have been notified by BELCO that as a part of their electrical infrastructure improvements pull holes will need to be dug every 800 feet which will allow BELCO technicians to access and connect the high voltage cable lines through the newly placed conduits. Simply put, pull holes are 8’ wide by 30’ long holes dug in the road to allow the connection of the cables. This process has already started on Mid-dle Road near the Whitney Institute Middle School and will c ontinue along the Eastern route noted above all 1174 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly the way to the National Sports Centre Sub Station. This cable pulling process will continue until September of this year. Following the conclusion of the eastern cable pulls the process with continue along the western route noted earlier to the Evans Bay Sub Station. What does this mean Mr. Speaker? Unfortunately, this means BELCO will again be required to go into the roadways to excavate pull holes across the Is-land to complete the electrical infrastructure connec-tion. Fortunately, BELCO did complete the pull holes required works for Fractious Street, Harrington Sound Road, North Shore Road Railway Trail, Coney Island and Kindley Field Park. This allowed for the aforementioned permanent asphalting of the areas. However Mr. Speaker, as BELCO is required to complete the re-maining infrastructure works, this delays the Ministry’s permanent asphalting initiative on most of the trenched roadways. The BELCO works are anticipated to occur throughout this year into 2024. Once these works con-clude, including the temporary asphalting for the pull holes, the Ministry would then be able to continue the permanent asphalting initiative for the relevant locations. Although it is important to note that permanent asphalting can only commence approximately 12 months after the ground settling has occurred, this timeframe is ideal as it would allow for smoother layer-ing of the asphalt which ultimately will lead to smoother roadways. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, as BELCO completes its required works area by area, the Ministry will follow with permanent paving of the roads. Now, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to speak to road paving works that will occur this year that will be carried out by our own team as well as contracting some work to East En d Asphalt Company so that we can accelerate the repairs. A number of areas have been identified such as Middle Road Warwick between the former T. N. Tatem Middle School and the Marketplace in South-ampton, in front of Lindo’s Warwick, South Shore Roadnear Henry’s Pantry, Crawl Hill near the Esso Service Station and Collectors Hill to name some of the loca-tions that will be addressed. Other areas can be addedto the list when reported. Mr. Speaker, temporary road paving will occur in these areas to improve the driving experience until permanent paving can be carried out. The permanent paving of Harrington Sound Road will also continue. As noted in this year’s Budget Statement and Ministry de-bate, there has been an increase in funding for road works and as such technical officers are working dili-gently to solidify the 2023/24 paving schedule, although cost increases, supply chain issues and unforeseen project issues continuously hinder accurate planning. Colleagues will note the recent RFP issued for the pro-vision of asphalting aggregate which unfortunately we have to import from overseas. We are looking at op-tions for importing to keep costs down. Mr. Speaker, the immediate pain for the motoring public is well worth it as when completed these initiatives will see the protection of our fresh water supplies, protection of our electrical infrastructure and ensuring sewage is properly disposed of for the next several years. This work safeguards the future not just for us here today, but for our descendants also. A dditionally, since we required every utility to utilise the trenching at the same time the need to dig up the roads in the future should be minimised. Thank you, Mr . Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Members, t he final Statement t his morning i s also in the name of t he Minister w ho is on his f eet. Minister.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI can understand your need to take some water to wet your whistle. Have a drink and then continue. AMALGAMATION BETWEEN T HE BERMUDA LAND DEVELOPMENT CO MPANY AND THE W EST END DE VELOPMENT CORPORATION— UPDATE
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, this Government has a vision, a vision for a more efficient and effective Government especially in relation to the quangos. As such, colleagues may recall in July of last year I stood here in this Honourable House and announced the Cabinet approval for the amalgamation of the West …
Mr. Speaker, this Government has a vision, a vision for a more efficient and effective Government especially in relation to the quangos. As such, colleagues may recall in July of last year I stood here in this Honourable House and announced the Cabinet approval for the amalgamation of the West End Development Corporation (WEDCO) and the Bermuda Land Development Company (BLDC) into one new entity. From a business perspective, this made complete sense since these two quangos share similar objectives, mandates, skills, accounting procedures and staffing levels. Now I know some Members will be keen to know what the new company wi ll be called. That decision has not been made as yet. The Board are having those discussions. As said in my previous statement, this follows recommendations from both the October 2003 Central Policy Unit report entitled “Untangling Bermuda’s Quangos –A rev iew of Quangos in the Bermuda Government” and the subsequent SAGE Commission Report presented a decade later in 2013, and another decade later we are making it a reality. Acting on these recommendations has been a mighty long time in coming to fruition, but I am pleased that we are finally taking this initiative across the finish line. Mr. Speaker, this merger is a move for the future. We view these changes as an opportunity which will effect cost savings by reducing duplication of roles, combining responsibilities and bringing a sharper focus to deliver on the Government’s mandate to control
B ermuda House of Assembly costs and operate more efficiently. As stated in the Ministry’s budget debate we are anticipating a cost savings of $700,000 this year alone. With this being said, I am pleased to provide a further update on the progress thus far. Since the July 2022 announcement, for the last eight months technical officers of WEDCO, BLDC and the Ministry have been working diligently to meet our deadline of January 2024. To date, the teams are •set to commence negotiations with the BIU an d BPSU for new identical Collective Bargaining Agreements for both entities; •begin the Job description reviews and internal policy assessments; •merge the WEDCO and BLDC servers and software essentially running all finance and ITsystems for both entities from a single location; •the Chief Financial Officer at WEDCO is now acting in a dual role for both entities; •compile the asset and liability schedule for bot h ent ities; •establish a marketing and PR joint strategy for the new entity; an d •r elocate key staff to assist with the transition initiative.Mr. Speaker as you can tell, a lot of work has been done already but we still have some way to go. And that is why I am making this statement today, to update colleagues on the transition teams ’ activities relating to the seamless amalgamation. Mr. Speaker as this transition is actively underway, I feel it’s pertinent to provide necessary clarity on the methodology for this process and avoid any confu-sion going forward. Upon prior consultation with relevant stakeholders in this initiative’s infancy, that is prior to the Cabinet approval and subsequent July 2022 announcement, the most efficient route to follow would be that WEDCO absorbs the assets and liab ilities of the BLDC. This means that as a part of this initiative, the Government will be bringing forth legislation to 1)amend the West End Development Corporation Act 1982 to reflect the merger; and 2) repeal the Base Lands Development Act 1996 which enabled the incor-poration of the BLDC. However, we are not at that pointyet in the process. As aforementioned there is still mor e w ork to be done before bringing forth these pieces of legislation. This is the first step, the dissolution of theBLDC. Mr. Sp eaker, the aforementioned Base Lands Development Act 1996 established the BLDC as a lim-ited liability company in accordance with the Bermuda Companies Act 1981. Therefore, to wind- up the BLDC there is a set procedure in the Companies Act that must be follo wed. Before this dissolution procedure can commence, section 8(b) of the Base Lands [Development] Act 1996 provides that unless authorised by the Legis-lature, a member of the Company (that is, the BLDC) shall not procure the dissolution of the company, or its amalgamation with any other person or body. There-fore Mr. Speaker, as a member of the company and with your permission, I will be tabling a motion later to-day seeking approval of the Legislature to begin the le-gal dissolution process for the company in accordance with the 1996 Act. Once the BLDC has been legally dissolved, the Act can be repealed. Further steps will be taken later this year at the Annual General Meeting of the company including the merging of the two Boards. Mr. Speaker, this Government believes in fiscal prudence. This move should not come as a shock to anyone as I have said previously on numerous occasions, it makes no sense that on an Island of only 21 square miles that we have two organisations, two CEOs, two CFOs, and all the attendant offices, machin-ery and staffs carrying out very similar functions for the most part with the full demonstration of unnecessary bureaucracy on display. Mr. Speaker, this does not mean redundancies. To reiterate what I said in July 2022, the Govern-ment does not wish to see redundancies and with the valuable input and assistance from our union partners none are anticipated. While the initial staffing of the new entity will see minimal duplication of roles, reductions will occur over time through natural attrition or retire-ment. The reasoning behind this direction is the benefit of ensuring that any important institutional knowledge is retained into future operations while avoiding sever-ances. Colleagues may have seen the recent job advertisements earlier this month for four additional industrial staff. These jobs are being offered with the full knowledge of an impending amalgamation. Mr. Speaker , I am pleased to state that the phased approach to the merging is moving expedi-tiously. Thanks must be given to the team of technical officers ably led by Mr. Andrew Dias in his dual role as General Manager and CEO of both WEDCO and BLDC respectively. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the BLDC Chairperson Ms. Lovitta Foggo, JP, MP, members of BLDC Board, the WEDCO Chairperson, Mr. Neville Tyrrell, JP, MP, and the Board at WEDCO for their continued service. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to laying the required legislation before this Honourable House later this session which will see this administrati on’s vision for a more efficient and effective Government take another step towards reality. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Members, this brings us to the end of the Statements for this morning. We will now move on. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. QUESTION PERIOD 1176 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Members, with all of those Statements this morning we can expect that there will be questions, and there are many questions this morning. The first question this morning is on the …
There are none. QUESTION PERIOD 1176 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Members, with all of those Statements this morning we can expect that there will be questions, and there are many questions this morning. The first question this morning is on the Statement by the Minister of Tourism. Minister [Campbell] , MP Cannonier would like to put a question to you this morning. MP. QUESTION 1: AMENDMENTS TO THE TOURISM INVESTMENT ACT 2017
Mr. L. Craig CannonierThank you and good morning, Mr. Spe aker, and colleagues. On page 3, under the middle paragraph there, the Minister highlights relief changes, and mentions the first two, [first] for a new hotel, up to 15 years and second being a refurbished hotel, up to 15 years. I am just …
Thank you and good morning, Mr. Spe aker, and colleagues. On page 3, under the middle paragraph there, the Minister highlights relief changes, and mentions the first two, [first] for a new hotel, up to 15 years and second being a refurbished hotel, up to 15 years. I am just wondering if the Minister could give us some thinking behind the giving of the 15 years to both a new hotel and the refurbishment of a hotel. Typically —not always, but typically —a refurbishment would not be as expensive as the building of a new hotel. So I am wondering if he could give us some idea of the thinking behind that.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Vance Campbell: Yes, Mr. Speaker, we are taking into consideration that we can have a very large - scale hotel that is being refurbished versus a boutique style hotel that is being built anew. For instance, one could cost $6 million, as far as the new boutique style …
Minister. Hon. Vance Campbell: Yes, Mr. Speaker, we are taking into consideration that we can have a very large - scale hotel that is being refurbished versus a boutique style hotel that is being built anew. For instance, one could cost $6 million, as far as the new boutique style hotel, and the other could be a $35 million refurbishment for a large hotel , and we are taking into consideration the value, the square footage, the dollar value, the number of rooms, et cetera.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Supplementary? Second question? Go ahe ad. QUESTION 2: AMENDMENTS TO THE TOURISM INVESTMENT ACT 2017
Mr. L. Craig CannonierThank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for that answer. Also further on down, the last bulleted item, I am just curious, an attraction, up to five years. Could the Minister give us an idea of what that might be? What does that encompass, “an attraction”?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, the definition of “an attraction” is contained in the Tourism Investment Act. The Shadow Minister can look there for the exact definition. Mr. L. Craig Cannonier: I did ask for his idea of an attraction.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerHe was trying to get you to give a more personal response. Supplementary or . . . [ Inaudible interjection]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, that was the only question for you this morning. We will move on. The next Statement that has questions this morning is the Statement by the Minister of Economy and Labour in regard to [the] Minimum Wage. Opposition Whip, would you like to put your question to him? QUESTION …
Minister, that was the only question for you this morning. We will move on. The next Statement that has questions this morning is the Statement by the Minister of Economy and Labour in regard to [the] Minimum Wage. Opposition Whip, would you like to put your question to him? QUESTION 1: EMPLOYMENT (MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE) ORDER 2023 Mr . Jarion Richa rdson: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Honourable Minister be able to clarify that the Order, the minimum wage, will be reviewed when the new CPI or household expenditure survey is completed?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jason Hayward: I do not understand the nature of the question. The CPI is produced on a monthly ba-sis.
Mr. Jarion RichardsonDuring the debate we discussed concern over the inflationary pressures. Both sides of the House had raised concerns that inflationary pressure would reduce the purchasing power based on the minimum wage. So my question is since we are redoing the household expenditure survey , which will alter the CPI , …
During the debate we discussed concern over the inflationary pressures. Both sides of the House had raised concerns that inflationary pressure would reduce the purchasing power based on the minimum wage. So my question is since we are redoing the household expenditure survey , which will alter the CPI , will the Minister actually review the $16.40 in the order taking into account inflationary pressures?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jason Hayward: The process for revising the minimum wage will follow the process we used to im-plement it, meaning that the commission will provide the Ministry of Economy and Labour a report and the report will detail how that minimum wage will progress moving forward. B ermuda House …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo right ahead. QUESTION 2: EMPLOYMENT (MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE) ORDER 2023
Mr. Jarion RichardsonMy question is, Does the Honourable Minister know how many employers will have to transition before the 1 June date?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jason Hayward: I do not know the exact number of employers who have employees who fall underneath the minimum wage.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNone? Mr . Jarion Richardson: Oh, [there is] a supplementary, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay, supplementary. MP Jackson. SUPPLEMENTARY
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonYes, good morning, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to ask the Minister, and I don’t know if this applies, and I apologise in advance, but given the employer [is having to inform the] employees about the minimum wage, would this also apply to entrepreneurs and sole proprietors who are earning …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jason Hayward: The Employment Act makes it extremely clear who is an employee, and the minimum wage will apply to all employees as it pertains to the 1 Official Hansard Report, 9 December 2022, page 204 Employment Act. So, an entrepreneur is not an em-ployee as defined in …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary? No? Thank you. MP Pearman, would you like to put your question to the Minister? QUESTION 1: EMPLOYMENT (MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE) ORDER 2023 Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an order drawing from the Act that came before this Honourable House in December 2022. With …
Supplementary? No? Thank you. MP Pearman, would you like to put your question to the Minister? QUESTION 1: EMPLOYMENT (MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE) ORDER 2023 Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an order drawing from the Act that came before this Honourable House in December 2022. With your leave, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to read what was said by the Minister then before posing my ques-tion.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerIt is related to the [Statement]? Mr . Scott Pearman: It is. This is from the Hansard. The Minister said this: 1“The Member” (and that was me) “is [going] to get into the mechanics of the $16.40 and the calculations and what would be de-ducted. This Bill specifically speaks to …
It is related to the [Statement]? Mr . Scott Pearman: It is. This is from the Hansard. The Minister said this: 1“The Member” (and that was me) “is [going] to get into the mechanics of the $16.40 and the calculations and what would be de-ducted. This Bill specifically speaks to two things that will be done: Regulations and an Order.” (And the Order is the order that is before us today. And then the Minister continues.) “In those Regulations and in the Order, it will specifically speak to the deductions which are allowable, the ones that are not, and clarify the in-tention of the particular Act . . . [C]ertainly in the Regulations and in the Order that prescribes the minimum wage, those matters will be clarified.” Minister, now that we have the Order , what is the status of the Regulations, and can you now clarify that $16.40 is gross or net of deductions such as pen-sion, payroll, statutory [social insurance] S . I. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, you can respond . . . oh, you’re responding . Deputy . Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOne second. The students are leaving us this morning. We just want to thank them for joining us this morning and observing the proceedings. Thank you. [ Desk thumping] [ Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr., Deputy Speaker, in the Chair]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerCont inue, Minister. 1178 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. Jason Hayward: The Employment (Minimum [Hourly] Wage Entitlement) Act 2022 will have a set of regulations attached to this particular Act which will clarify the matters of which the Member just asked. The Minimum …
Cont inue, Minister. 1178 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. Jason Hayward: The Employment (Minimum [Hourly] Wage Entitlement) Act 2022 will have a set of regulations attached to this particular Act which will clarify the matters of which the Member just asked. The Minimum Wage Order was solely designed to prescribe the minimum wage rate. The minimum wage rate is a gross rate.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThat was a supplementary? Mr . Scott Pearman: Yes, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Hon. Jason Hayward: After they are approved by this Honourable House, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Scott PearmanThank you, second supplementary. Will that be before the 1 June date when this order takes effect? Hon. Jason Hayward: The aim is to have the regulations set before June 1. Mr . Scott Pearman: No further questions.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerSupplementary? SUPPLEMENTARY Mr . Jarion Richardson: Yes, will the Minister clarify whether the regulations will cover the deductions that will be applied? Hon. Jason Hayward: The order will specify and provide clarity to all of the items that are not clear within the Employment (Minimum [Hourly] Wage Entitlement) Act 2022.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMr. Pearman. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, second question. QUESTION 2: EMPLOYMENT (MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE) ORDER 2023 Mr . Scott Pearman: So, the Minister has now answered that the $16.40 is a gross number. Are we therefore to anticipate that the regulations will provide that the benefits and taxes …
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jason Hayward: Yes. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. No further questions.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerNo further questions for the Minister. The next set of questions is to Minister Tinee Furbert. Opposition Leader, do you have a question? QUESTION 1: BREAKING BARRIERS –BEYOND THE TRAUMA Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. My question is Breaking Barriers –Beyond the Trauma. Can the …
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMinister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I mentioned in the Ministerial Statement on page 4 that we spoke about many of the trauma labs covering many topics. Those were in the area of do-mestic violence and safety, working with Trauma- Related Hurt; the impact of Prenatal Stress …
Minister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I mentioned in the Ministerial Statement on page 4 that we spoke about many of the trauma labs covering many topics. Those were in the area of do-mestic violence and safety, working with Trauma- Related Hurt; the impact of Prenatal Stress and Postnatal Trauma on Child Development . . . I am not going to read them all, but there were many takeaways in all of those topics in regard to trauma. In my opinion, one was that there is just not the intervention of counselling or talking your way through trauma, that there are many aspects within intervention which we have [to utilise] to address trauma. So it is not just counselling or talking, spirituality. It could be taking care of your health . . . there are just many different aspects that we need to be aware of when it relates to trauma.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Minister. Any further questions? Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Supplemental.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Can the Minister confirm whether there were any discussions or advice in regard B ermuda House of Assembly to youth violence and gang violence when it comes to our young people?
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMinister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, there was a topic of domestic violence which when we talk about violence in general, violenc e in general covers many areas, whether it is gang violence, domestic violence. [Under] the topic of violence there are pieces that we could take away within …
Minister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, there was a topic of domestic violence which when we talk about violence in general, violenc e in general covers many areas, whether it is gang violence, domestic violence. [Under] the topic of violence there are pieces that we could take away within this trauma workshops that would definitely help to address gang violence.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerHonourable Opposition Leader Simons . Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Second question. QUESTION 2: BREAKING BARRIERS –BEYOND THE TRAUMA Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: In the Statement, the Minister said Dr. Eboni Webb shared how trauma is transferred generationally, and if not treated, adults can live out of their trauma …
Honourable Opposition Leader Simons . Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Second question. QUESTION 2: BREAKING BARRIERS –BEYOND THE TRAUMA Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: In the Statement, the Minister said Dr. Eboni Webb shared how trauma is transferred generationally, and if not treated, adults can live out of their trauma and pass it along to their children. Do we have any programmes here in Bermuda that can support adults so that we do not have this transferring of generational trauma? Hon. Tinee Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I would just like to remind us that trauma can be with someone across their lifespan, and they definitely have to be in a place of accepting support services in order for them to actually take them on. There are services. There is the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute. There are also private companies that also provide services. There are churches. There are many services out there, Mr. Dep-uty Speaker, that can assist persons when they are ready for intervention.
Mr. Simons.
Hon. N. H. Cole SimonsSupplemental. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Can those persons come to a government agency for guidance and direction in re-gard to eradicating the transfer of generational trauma?
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMinister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you. As this paper speaks to a conference that was held for the staff of the Department of Child and Family Services, if a client is involved with the services of the Department of Child and Family Services, then they can have access to that …
Minister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you. As this paper speaks to a conference that was held for the staff of the Department of Child and Family Services, if a client is involved with the services of the Department of Child and Family Services, then they can have access to that support. The Deputy Speaker: Are there any further questions? Ms. Jackson, do you have a question for the Minister on the National Plans for Adults —
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonYes, on the Statement National Plan for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families 2023– 2028. QUESTION 1: NATIONAL PLAN FOR ADULTS WITH INTELLE CTUAL DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES 2023- 2028
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonOn page 4, it is listed that financing will be something that will be reviewed by the committee , [so] that families [will] have access to the financial help to which they are entitled. I am just curi-ous if the committee will be looking at how accommo-dations might be made …
On page 4, it is listed that financing will be something that will be reviewed by the committee , [so] that families [will] have access to the financial help to which they are entitled. I am just curi-ous if the committee will be looking at how accommo-dations might be made to any financial assistance that is provided to families and members who may have intellectual disabilities. In particular, having to follow the mainstream, which oftentimes means that every year they have to revalidate their disability when it may be that it is a lifelong disability and so the process of having to do that every year can be costly and traumatic. And whether the review will be looking at how Financial Assistance might be able to accommodate a smoother relationship with members and applicants.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMinister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, yes.
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonJust to drill a little further on the Financial Assistance that government might be able to provide to support the families and individuals living with intellectual disabilities. Would the committee also go a step further and also consider bespoke pro-grammes so that when a person with an intellectual dis-ability may …
Just to drill a little further on the Financial Assistance that government might be able to provide to support the families and individuals living with intellectual disabilities. Would the committee also go a step further and also consider bespoke pro-grammes so that when a person with an intellectual dis-ability may be able to work, but maybe not enough to afford things like costly prescriptions, would Financial Assistance consider having relationships that would [provide such] a bespoke programme or bespoke financial assistance for particular members within this community.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMinister Furbert. 1180 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. Tinee Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, the committee does plan on working with Financial Assistance as stakeholders when making recommendations.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you. The next question is for the Minister of Transport. I think it is Ms. Jackson again. QUESTION 1: BERMUDA’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM READY TO WELCOME VISITORS
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonThank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I have a question on Bermuda’s transportation system ready to welcome visitors. I am just curious . . . on the first page the Minister mentioned that there will be more min ibuses. Is the Minister able to say how many more b uses?
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMinister Furbert. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Not exactly, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I can tell you right now that I think I have men-tioned before that there were minibuses that were off the road. So we have been working with minibuses to get them back on the road and the last …
Minister Furbert. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Not exactly, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I can tell you right now that I think I have men-tioned before that there were minibuses that were off the road. So we have been working with minibuses to get them back on the road and the last time there were about 20 some minibuses off the road and I believe about 8 to 10 have come back on. So we are working with them and we will know more about it by the end of April where we stand.
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonWith more minibuses on the road, will there be formal regulations for minibuses? And if there are regulations already , will they be enhanced, given that there will be a greater volume of buses? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Good question, Honourable Member. You may be aware that there are no …
With more minibuses on the road, will there be formal regulations for minibuses? And if there are regulations already , will they be enhanced, given that there will be a greater volume of buses? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Good question, Honourable Member. You may be aware that there are no regulations currently for minibuses. But the technical officers are working on that right now. So we should have something before the season finishes.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMs. Ja ckson, anything further? QUESTION 2: BERMUDA’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM READY TO WELCOME VISITORS Ms. Susan E. Jackson: Yes, thank you, Deputy Speaker. My other question is around the pushing for more on- the-road taxis. Is the Minister able to give us an idea of what the present capacity of …
Ms. Ja ckson, anything further? QUESTION 2: BERMUDA’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM READY TO WELCOME VISITORS Ms. Susan E. Jackson: Yes, thank you, Deputy Speaker. My other question is around the pushing for more on- the-road taxis. Is the Minister able to give us an idea of what the present capacity of taxis on the road is? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: So, there are 600 taxi permits. Again, I thought I had mentioned it to this Honourable House, but we had about 81 taxi drivers who were not licensed —81. Since we have been pushing them, we told them that they have to be in place by I think the end of April. I think 21 to 30 have come back on board. Now, let me clarify two things: Some of them have gone into probate and we cannot touch those probate [areas] because the father or mother left it to the children. You know as a lawyer how the fight takes place. And second of all, there are taxis that have been ordered from overseas, from China or wherever, and we are trying to get [them] on one of those carriers right now an d it is very difficult, so they are working on those things.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMs. Jackson. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Like I said, there are 81 and we currently have about 21 back on [line] now. SUPPLEMENTARY
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonYes, supplemental to that, with the pushing for more on- the-road taxis what exactly is going to be done to sort of organise the ground transportation in Dockyard so that there is a smooth transition of the minibuses, the taxis, and the buses?
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMinister. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, again, for that question. As I mentioned in my Statement, WEDCO has a team up there that is working with the system. My team is, I think, up there right now talking to them about how we can improve and how to do …
Minister. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, again, for that question. As I mentioned in my Statement, WEDCO has a team up there that is working with the system. My team is, I think, up there right now talking to them about how we can improve and how to do different lines out of Dockyard. So that is a challenge. But as I also men-tioned we are having traffic officers at Horseshoe Bay, which was unbelievable, and we also put additional traffic officers out in St. George’s. And where the taxi drivers used to be over by the gas station (I think it’s called [INAUDIBLE] gas station) but the taxis and minibuses and everybody else will now be organised just beyond that. So there has been some improvement as far as organisation.
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonI have a supplemental to the organisation of the ground transportation. B ermuda House of Assembly The Deputy Speaker: You have had two supplementals, do you want to ask another question?
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonOkay, I will ask another question. QUESTION 3: BERMUDA’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM READY TO WELCOME VISITORS
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonThe Minister also mentioned the supplemental ferry service. Can the Minister please give us an update on the regular schedule or any schedule around the Orange Ferry? Hon. Wayne L . Furbert: I don’t have it in my possession, but you can go online and find that.
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonYes, will the Orange Ferry schedule be accommodating some of the concerns raised by the stakeholders in St. George’s around the limitations? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: We had a good meeting at St. George’s with the stakeholders last week or the week before l ast (I am losing track of …
Yes, will the Orange Ferry schedule be accommodating some of the concerns raised by the stakeholders in St. George’s around the limitations? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: We had a good meeting at St. George’s with the stakeholders last week or the week before l ast (I am losing track of what day it is now) and I can tell you right now , [and] you may not be aware, [but] thanks to the Honourable Member Zane De Silva we were able to get additional ferries for the Norwegian cruise line which carries hundreds of passengers. We will be providing additional service ourselves from our regular ferries. Unfortunately, we do have a ferry right now in Boston which is being worked on so we may not be able to do the full list that individuals may want. But we are also looking at other transportation with regard to buses , doing direct routes from the west to the east.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerAny further questions, Ms. Jackson? Mr. Simons, do you have some questions? QUESTION 1: BERMUDA’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM READY TO WELCOME VISITORS Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. In his Statement the Minister of Transport indicated that electric buses will require less maintenance than traditional diesel buses. …
Any further questions, Ms. Jackson? Mr. Simons, do you have some questions? QUESTION 1: BERMUDA’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM READY TO WELCOME VISITORS Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. In his Statement the Minister of Transport indicated that electric buses will require less maintenance than traditional diesel buses. Can the Minister provide details on the preventative and ongoing maintenance of these electric vehicles? Historically in the past the fleet was compromised because we did not have a ro-bust ongoing maintenance or preventative mainte-nance programme. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I cannot tell you at this moment exactly what is going on. I am not a mechanic when it comes to these issues. But if the Honourable Member wants further information, I will try to get it from DPT. But from our historical aspect re-garding the first electric buses that came here last year, April, there is definitely a cost savings to the government when it comes to fuel and everything else.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMr. Sim ons. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Supplemental .
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Given that we have 88 buses and 70 electric buses, we know that in essence these buses are only as good as their batteries when it comes to servicing electric buses. So can the Minister confirm whether or not we will have a …
Yes. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Given that we have 88 buses and 70 electric buses, we know that in essence these buses are only as good as their batteries when it comes to servicing electric buses. So can the Minister confirm whether or not we will have a supply of batteries for these buses so that we can extend their longevity? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I can just say that the DPT, which has the experience, our people have travelled over to China, also to England for train-ing. I am sure they have taken the necessary steps to ensure that we have capacity to move these buses.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMr. Simons. QUESTION 2: BERMUDA’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM READY TO WELCOME VISITORS Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Second question. Likewise, when it comes to the ferry services, can the Minister provide an update on the maintenance programme s and the proactive maintenance programmes for our ferries? They have to be dependable; …
Mr. Simons. QUESTION 2: BERMUDA’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM READY TO WELCOME VISITORS Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Second question. Likewise, when it comes to the ferry services, can the Minister provide an update on the maintenance programme s and the proactive maintenance programmes for our ferries? They have to be dependable; they are aged, and we just have to make sure that they are dependable and [will] not break down. Thank you. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I did mention that we have a ferry, at least right now, in Boston that is [undergoing] maintenance work. Look, I have confidence in the staff at DPT, at Marine and Ports, and these individuals have that experience. I can’t stand here right now and tell you what maintenance is hap-pening, because we were talking about moving individ-uals [and visitors] around the country. But if the Honourable Member wants further information , I will be willing to find out for him. [ Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSec ond s upplementary? No? Okay. 1182 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Okay, Minister, those were the only questions on your Statement this morning. The next Statement that has questions is the Statement by the Minister of National Security. Minister [Weeks] , MP Pearman …
Sec ond s upplementary? No? Okay. 1182 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Okay, Minister, those were the only questions on your Statement this morning. The next Statement that has questions is the Statement by the Minister of National Security. Minister [Weeks] , MP Pearman will put questions to you this morning. QUESTION 1: BERMUDA FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE UPDATE
Mr. Scott PearmanYes, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you Minister for your Statement to this Honourable House this morning. At the second page of your Statement you said that the fire services are already understaffed. Your Statement dealt with the position at the airport. It does not appear from the budget …
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you Minister for your Statement to this Honourable House this morning. At the second page of your Statement you said that the fire services are already understaffed. Your Statement dealt with the position at the airport. It does not appear from the budget that there is any additional funding for staff. So, how are you going to deal with staff shortages at the structural level ? Th e Speaker: Minister. Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In answer to the question, we will be looking at our resources and we will do our best to address the structural needs sometime in the next fiscal year.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary, yes ? SUPPLEMENTARIES
Mr. Scott PearmanYou also said in your Statement that you look forward to welcoming new recruits. Will you be actively recruiting during this financial year?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI think your Statement indicated that. Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Yes, Mr. Speaker, that is our intent. Mr . Scott Pearman: Second supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker; thank you, Minister. Do you anticipate that [there will be], by reason of the shortfall in staff, any service cuts from any of …
I think your Statement indicated that. Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Yes, Mr. Speaker, that is our intent. Mr . Scott Pearman: Second supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker; thank you, Minister. Do you anticipate that [there will be], by reason of the shortfall in staff, any service cuts from any of the three service area providers on the Island in this year? [ Inaudible interjection] Mr . Scott Pearman: Given the shortfall in staff , does the Minister anticipate that there will be any cuts in the service provision from the three service locations during this year? Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Mr. Speaker, all options are on the table. At this point in time there is nothing final-ised. We are trying our best to make sure that every station is serviced. Mr . Scott Pearman: No further questions. Thank you. The Speaker: Thank you. Minister that was the only questi ons for you this morning. We move on . The next Statement that has questions is the Statement by the Minister of Health. Minister of Health, MP Jackson has questions for you. QUESTION 1: WHAT IS OUR ROLE IN HEALTH SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION
Ms.
Susan E. Jac ksonThank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, my question is just simple: When is the universal health care going to be introduced?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you will know that this subject matter with respect to this Ministerial Statement relates specifically to health system transformation. And in that Statement I did refer to the Bermuda Health Strategy that has eight particular points 2022– 2025, [and …
Minister. Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you will know that this subject matter with respect to this Ministerial Statement relates specifically to health system transformation. And in that Statement I did refer to the Bermuda Health Strategy that has eight particular points 2022– 2025, [and all those points] require for us to have systems t ransformations. One of those eight points is the implementa-tion of universal health care. However, there is a complex mechanism that needs to take place with respect to this. Some of the goals to achieve that , as outlined in the strategy as well as in my Statement , relates to having a national digital strategy which we anticipate we will be able to an-nounce in April, having a joint strategic needs assess-ment, again we anticipate the results of that being an-nounced in April which will allow us to have parameters so that we . . . you can’t measure what you do not manage. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. So , that joint strategic needs assessment is critically im-portant as outlined in the Bermuda Health Strategy. All of those components combined are critically important for us to have system- wide transformation which includes moving towards universal health cover-age which, again, is a platform initiative of this Govern-ment.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary? SUPPLEMENTARY
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonYes. I would like to ask the Minister then when we might even see some legislation around universal health coverage being tabled in the House. When does she perceive seeing . . . or we being able to see any kind of legislation.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Yes, Mr. Speaker, notwithstanding that the subject matter of this Ministerial Statement B ermuda House of Assembly does not relate specifically to universal health coverage, but as I have indicated the Bermuda Health Strategy has eight principles that are all required for system-wide transformation. Just …
Minister. Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Yes, Mr. Speaker, notwithstanding that the subject matter of this Ministerial Statement
B ermuda House of Assembly does not relate specifically to universal health coverage, but as I have indicated the Bermuda Health Strategy has eight principles that are all required for system-wide transformation. Just the implementation of univer-sal health coverage is critically important; it is one of eight principles outlined in the Bermuda Health Strategy that will relate to system- wide transformation. So insofar as when legislation would be brought here concerning universal health care, I cannot answer that. We have indicated previously by virtue of my Ministerial Statements that this is a complex initia-tive. It is something that the Government is committed to. However, I need to draw Members’ attention to the fact that the Bermuda Health Strategy outlined eight principles all of them intertwined and relevant and nec-essary for us to move towards universal health cover-age.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSecond question, yes. Go ahead. QUESTION 2: WHAT IS OUR ROLE IN HEALTH SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonThis is around the emergency room which is on page 5. I am just wondering if the Minister has statistics on the number of emergency [room] patients that come into the hospital that could go to a GP. Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, I do not have that information …
This is around the emergency room which is on page 5. I am just wondering if the Minister has statistics on the number of emergency [room] patients that come into the hospital that could go to a GP. Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, I do not have that information in front of me, but I would invite that Honourable Member to perhaps refer to a Ministerial State-ment that I gave about two months ago as it relates to super -users of the hospital. I believe at that time it was over 50 per cent of individuals who actually utilise the hospital quite regularly. If the Honourable Member is unable to find that Ministerial Statement , I can endeavour to provide it to her, but it did indicate what the level of use of the emer-gency department was with respect to that, as well as in the Budget Statement.
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonCertainly, some of the constituents that I listen to consider their medical relationship with the emergency room. And I am just asking the Min-ister whether any initiatives will be put into place to change the culture [to] not wanting to go to the emer-gency room first, as almost a philosophical …
Certainly, some of the constituents that I listen to consider their medical relationship with the emergency room. And I am just asking the Min-ister whether any initiatives will be put into place to change the culture [to] not wanting to go to the emer-gency room first, as almost a philosophical commitment that patients often have with the emergency room ver-sus a GP. Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, the Bermuda Hospitals Board is taking steps to remind the public that the use of the emergency room insofar as to try to minimise that to be the first call of action for individuals that may not require individual emergency services. And like-wise, the nature of this Statement is to help educate and draw the attention of members of the public as well that the emergency room is just that —it is for the use of emergencies and that it should not certainly be our first cours e of action in a non- emergency event.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Minister, that is the end of questions for you this morning. The next Statement that has questions this morning is the Statement by the Minister of Works and your Statement on Bermuda Housing. MP Cannonier, do you have a question for that one?
Mr. L. Craig CannonierYes. QUESTION 1: BERMUDA HOUSING TRUST AUDITED FINANCIALS FOR THE YEAR 2022
Mr. L. Craig CannonierThank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to ask the Minister how well the Housing Trust has done. On page 2, I was looking for the audited financial report but I could not find it online as yet, so I figured the answer is t here. But since I co …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to ask the Minister how well the Housing Trust has done. On page 2, I was looking for the audited financial report but I could not find it online as yet, so I figured the answer is t here. But since I co uld not find it , I will ask the Minister. The third paragraph mentions about the loan and how well they have done as far as meeting their commitments. When does the loan mature? Is he aware of the maturity date of the loan?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, I am not sure when the loan matures, but it was 2006, so I’d say probably 20 years. About $4 million left on it.
Mr. L. Craig CannonierConsi dering that, and I think it is admirable that it is in this position considering the economic times that we are still in. Is it thought , based on the annual report that obviously the Minister has had 1184 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of …
Consi dering that, and I think it is admirable that it is in this position considering the economic times that we are still in. Is it thought , based on the annual report that obviously the Minister has had 1184 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly the opportunity to see . . . is there some consideration—when he says in the last sentence that it is hopeful that the bank will be charitable as it extends its terms. Is the Minister considering possibly extending the [term] of the loan, based on the economic times that we are in?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, I do not have that authority. The Trust operates on their own. But I will say that HSBC have been extremely generous to the Trust, and we are hopeful that they will continue to be so.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAre you done? Okay. MP Jackson, would you still like to put questions to the Minister? QUESTION 1: BERMUDA HOUSING TRUST AUDITED FINANCIALS FOR THE YEAR 2022
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonYes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. It might almost be a supplementary, but I know that for 17 years this loan has been in existence. I was just cu-rious if the Minister knows what the interest rates are and what the length of that loan was from its original date of …
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, no, I do not know what the amounts are. And that is the same question that the Shadow Minister asked. I have no idea how long it was, Mr. Speaker. But what I will say though, Mr. Speaker, is that when colleagues get the statement, and I can …
Mr. Speaker, no, I do not know what the amounts are. And that is the same question that the Shadow Minister asked. I have no idea how long it was, Mr. Speaker. But what I will say though, Mr. Speaker, is that when colleagues get the statement, and I can provide this copy to the Shadow Minister, they will see that their profits have gone up exponentially. But that is kind of a misleading thing because they have not been able to carry out maintenance. So next year they will be down significantly. The Spea ker: Okay. Supplementary? No?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSecond question, go right ahead. QUESTION 2: BERMUDA HOUSING TRUST AUDITED FINANCIALS FOR THE YEAR 2022
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonIt is about the Dr. Cann Park, and the Minister triggered it with the mention of mainte-nance. How exactly does the Ministry provide maintenance support to Dr. Cann Park? Lt. Col. Hon. David A. Burch: Mr. Speaker, we actually do not . . . well, it is ad hoc support …
It is about the Dr. Cann Park, and the Minister triggered it with the mention of mainte-nance. How exactly does the Ministry provide maintenance support to Dr. Cann Park? Lt. Col. Hon. David A. Burch: Mr. Speaker, we actually do not . . . well, it is ad hoc support that the Ministry will provide. The Trust carries out its own maintenance on a regular basis. And they will call on us on occasion. I recall a few years ago , the last time that we interceded, there was a challenge with the trash compactor and they got a new one that could not fit in the space. So we did the construction work to expand the space and provide the electrical input. So, where we have resources in the Ministry that we do not have to contract out to the private sector we will help in any way we can. Additionally, we provided support to the renovation of a unit at Ferguson Park, [converting it] from one unit into two. And all of that management and organisation and planning is-sues and what have you was handled by the project manager of the Housing Corporation at no charge to the Trust.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerFurther question? Supplementary?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary? SUPPLEMENTARY
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonYes. The Dr. Cann Park. That is a . . . the buildings are multi -storey. And as we have an increasing ageing population and people are living longer, is the Ministry working with the Housing Trust at all to investigate and maybe review and come up with any way …
Yes. The Dr. Cann Park. That is a . . . the buildings are multi -storey. And as we have an increasing ageing population and people are living longer, is the Ministry working with the Housing Trust at all to investigate and maybe review and come up with any way that we might accommodate the fact that there are multi -storeys of steps in the Dr. Cann Park and how that is going to work as people get that much older? Are we going to move people out if they cannot navigate the stairs? Has anybody really thought that through?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, let me just first state that Dr. Cann Park is exhibit A as to why we should not do non- traditional builds in Bermuda.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchIt was cheaper, it was quicker, but it does not survive the elements in Ber-muda. So one of the biggest challenges is there are wooden staircases on all five buildings. And there have been significant challenges with the deterioration of them. But in relation to the Honourable Member’s question, there …
It was cheaper, it was quicker, but it does not survive the elements in Ber-muda. So one of the biggest challenges is there are wooden staircases on all five buildings. And there have been significant challenges with the deterioration of them. But in relation to the Honourable Member’s question, there are elevators in each building. So that is a challenge too. There are five elevators that require a fair amount of maintenance and a fair amount of chal-lenges when they don’t . . . are not working. One of the things I also said in my Statement , which is critical to the Trust’s work and care for seniors , is that it is designed for people who can live on their
B ermuda House of Assembly own. And everybody coming in can live on their own, but all of us are headed to a place where we probably won’t be able to live on our own. And it is also a challenge, and a delicate one, to have the conversation with folks that maybe they need to go into a facility that pro-vides medical care, as opposed to living at Dr. Cann Park. But, I would also say that t here have been several discussions with the Trust about building another property, and that is over the last five years or so. There were a number of issues with that, not the least of which is trying to figure out the challenges with maintenance. They have five facilities and some of them are quite old and therefore require a fair amount of maintenance. So the challenge is . . . one of the things I have learned through this job about seniors and senior care is that being in the housing business for seniors is not a profitable entity at all. In fact, it is usually the opposite. You have to subsidise. So, reliance of a Trust is on donations and contributions , and they do a fairly good job of that, but in this climate obviously the numbers have reduced. So whatever resources the Ministry of Public Works has that we can provide assistance to the Trust to achieve their mandate without cost we will continue to do so.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. No further questions?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, your next Statement that has questions this morning is in reference to the WEDCO annual report, was it? MP Cannonier, did you have a question for his report, or on the roadworks ?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOn the roadworks, that’s what I thought. Right. You can put your question now. QUESTION 1: UPDATE ON ISLAND- WIDE ROADWORKS AND THE BELCO INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT
Mr. L. Craig CannonierYes, thank you again, Mr. Speaker, and this is certainly probably the Minister’s fa-vourite subject, the roads. On page 4, second paragraph, I was trying to map out as he was reading along the area that is being covered and these pull holes. I was just curious, and it wasn’t …
Yes, thank you again, Mr. Speaker, and this is certainly probably the Minister’s fa-vourite subject, the roads. On page 4, second paragraph, I was trying to map out as he was reading along the area that is being covered and these pull holes. I was just curious, and it wasn’t quite clear, do we have . . . are there any more pull holes that are needed east of Harrington Sound, Flatts area, going back to St. George’s. St. David’s? Are there any more pull holes there? The Speaker: Minister.
Lt. Col. Hon. Dav id A. BurchMr. Speaker, that’s an easy answer; no. All of Flatts is done. Where they are starting from now , [which is] by the Whitney Institute, everything east of there has been done.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. No supplementaries? No further questions. Members, this brings Question Period to a close for today. We will move on. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. CONGRATULATORY AND/OR OBITUARY SPEECHES
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMP Simmons, you jumped up very quickly at the back there. Would you like to make a contribution at this time? Mr . Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, very much, Mr. Speaker, and good morning.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo right ahead. Mr . Jamahl S. Simmons: I rise on a sad note today upon the passing of one of my schoolteachers, one of great renown in the west end community, Ms. Diana Hunt. A number of my colleagues, including the Prem-ier, wish to be associated with condolences on …
Go right ahead. Mr . Jamahl S. Simmons: I rise on a sad note today upon the passing of one of my schoolteachers, one of great renown in the west end community, Ms. Diana Hunt. A number of my colleagues, including the Prem-ier, wish to be associated with condolences on her passing. She was a remarkable woman on many levels. I can tell you that she is probably the only person who gave me licks more than my mamma. She be-lieved in licks! [ Laughter] Mr . Jamahl S. Simmons: She believed in licks. But I think what I remember her best for is her warrior spirit, because we talk about the West End War-riors, and she had an indomitable warrior spirit. She was a warrior for our children. As firm and strong and disciplinary as she was, she continued to be an advocate for the educational success and achievement up to the day she passed. She was a West End Warrior for Somerset Cricket Club, maintained a history of the or-ganisation at a level that I think no one else has ever been able to achieve. She was a warrior for West End Primary. I think some of my colleagues have seen some of her fire power over the past couple of months and knew how passionate she was about retaining that historic Black school. And she was a warrior for our community. Every community event, community cause, community charity, she was there. And she played a 1186 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly very particular pivotal role in my life as her student because I only served half a year with her. My parents . . . we actually had to go to Jamaica for about six months. But she prepared the lesson plan to make sure that I would not fall behind my classmates. So when I re-turned, with the plan she gave me, I was actually ahead of the game when I came back. So, we in the Sandys community owe her a tremendous debt. We are thank-ful to her family for allowing her to be shared with us, and we hope that they are comforted during this very sad time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Premier, would you like to make a contribution at this time? Hon. E. David Burt: Absolutely, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to be associated with the remarks given by the Honourable Member from constituency 33, Sandys South. As we spoke last night, Mr. Speaker, and I …
Thank you. Premier, would you like to make a contribution at this time? Hon. E. David Burt: Absolutely, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to be associated with the remarks given by the Honourable Member from constituency 33, Sandys South. As we spoke last night, Mr. Speaker, and I heard the news, just you know re-flections, because Ms. Hunt was always as described. And as I shared with you, I keep all of her little books of which she gave. So at Cup Match she wanted to make sure she gave me a book on the history of Somerset Cricket Club, she wanted to make sure she gave me a little book that she put together on West End and other things. She was an amazing woman and I want to make sure that I associate with the remarks and extend con-dolences on behalf of all of us, but certainly all of us here on this side in the Progressive Labour Party of which she was a stalwart supporter and always someone we could count on. Mr. Speaker, I also wish to ask the Honourable House to please send a letter of condolence to the fam-ily of my constituent, Mr. Raymond DeSilva of Mount Hill, who recently passed away at the age of 82. I certainly join in sending heartfelt prayers to his wife Rose, his sons, Ray and Joseph, and to his step- children, grandchildren and, certainly his loved ones. Mr. Speaker, I was not here at the beginning, as I did inform that I had an appointment, but I do want to take this opportunity on behalf of the Government and all of us here assembled (as you stated earlier) to wish a very happy retirement to our departing Clerk to the Legislature, and my cousin, Mrs. Shernette Wolffe. [ Desk thumping] Hon. E. David Burt: This is her last official day of sitting in this Honourable House. She has been here for a while. She is a veritable institution around here, and her expertise, her candour, her feistiness will be missed without question! [ Desk thumping] Hon. E. David Burt: I will certainly miss her fashion advice, but I know that she will go on going forward to provide for many. The work that she has done during her time in the legislature has certainly been invaluable and she has committed to parliamentary reform, some-thing that I will express disappointment having not been able to deliver before she steps down. But I have no doubt that we will make sure it is delivered during this particular legislative session. [ Desk thumping] Hon. E. David Burt: So I am grateful for her service; I am grateful for the time of which she has given to Youth Parliament, the time of which she has given to parlia-mentary committees, the time of which she has given to mentor, and also the time of which she has shared with us . So, I wish her all the best in her retirement, Mr. Speaker. And, Madam Clerk, thank you so much for your work!
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMP Lister, would you like to make your contribution? Mr . Dennis Lister III: Yes, Mr. Speaker. First, I would like to start off following where MP Simmons left off sending condolences to the family of Ms. Diana Hunt, a well -known community member in the Somerset community. In past …
MP Lister, would you like to make your contribution? Mr . Dennis Lister III: Yes, Mr. Speaker. First, I would like to start off following where MP Simmons left off sending condolences to the family of Ms. Diana Hunt, a well -known community member in the Somerset community. In past years I served on the management of Somerset Cricket Club and while Ms. Hunt wasn’t on the management during my time, one of the last things under the new presidency of Mr. Scott, I was tasked with looking at the education history of the Somerset Cricket Club. And I must say that, unfortunately, I was supposed to sit with Ms. Hunt to gather and collect information. I have to say how unfortunate [it was], I wasn’t able to do that before her passing. So it was a big miss, the knowledge, the history that she had, and hopefully there will be someone who will take her place and carry on knowing the history and tradition of Somerset Cricket Club. So, I send condolences to her family and just to the wider Somerset community. On that note, there are a few more condolences I would like to send, Mr. Speaker, to the family of Ms. Ivy DeFontes, a constituent of mine of Burnet House Hill, and a few not relatives, but close people, Mr. Speaker. This week the Island of Bermuda lost Mr. Gerald Simons. He was a member of the Seventh-d ay Adventist Church, like myself, where I know him from. I would like to associate MP Tyrrell . . . I associate the whole House, Mr. Speaker. He was a very bubbly, loving, fun- filled person. Every time you saw him he had a smile on his face, and always had a good laugh. And in his last days you would not have known he had an y sickness because he didn’t carry it with him. He just went on living life to the full. So condolences to his fam-ily. I know his sons very well.
B ermuda House of Assembly Also, Mr. Speaker, [condolences] to the family of I say Uncle John Simmons, a family member of mine from 2 Ratteray Lane, Sandys who passed. So I would like to send condolences and associate MP Jamahl Simmons, I know I associate you, Mr. Speaker, be-cause we are family, and Minister Wilson. That is also family of hers. So condolences to the family of Mr. John Simm ons. And lastly, Mr. Speaker, on some good notes, last week there was the sports awards. I would like to say congratulations to all of the winners, but to highlight the top two overall , the top male and top female of the year, Mr. Jah- Nhai Perinchief, and [Dame] Flora Duffy. Congratulations to them as they continue persevering in their sports. I would also like to send congratulations to the PHC Football Club for winning the football BSA Fi rst Premier Division. Even though I am a Somerset fan and member, I can still send congratulations because they do border my constituency, Mr. Speaker. And also, last but not least, congratulations to one of the members . . . not member, but on his getting married in this House. Congratulations! [ Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Member. Members, it is that time. Mr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move that the Honourable House do adjourn for lunch and retur n at 2:00 pm.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAny objections? There are none. The House now stands adjourned until 2:00 pm. I will indicate that when we return the Deputy Speaker will be in the Chair. I will be next door attend-ing a funeral for Mrs. Flood. Thank you. The House now stands adjourned. [ Gavel] Proceedings suspended …
Any objections? There are none. The House now stands adjourned until 2:00 pm. I will indicate that when we return the Deputy Speaker will be in the Chair. I will be next door attend-ing a funeral for Mrs. Flood. Thank you. The House now stands adjourned. [ Gavel] Proceedings suspended at 12:32 pm Proceedings resumed at 2: 05 pm [ Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr., Deputy Speaker, in the Chair]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerGood afternoon, Members. Hope you have all had a good lunch. Take your seats. [ Gavel]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerWe are on Congrats and Obits. Are there any further speakers? Colonel Burch. CONGRATULATORY AND/OR OBITUARY SPEECHES [ Continuation thereof]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Deputy Speaker, thank you. I first would like to be associated with the congratulations to Mrs. Wolffe on her 20 years of service in the civil service. I fondly remember what I think is one of her favourite comments in Westminster Parliament. It was quite generally to set out …
Mr. Deputy Speaker, thank you. I first would like to be associated with the congratulations to Mrs. Wolffe on her 20 years of service in the civil service. I fondly remember what I think is one of her favourite comments in Westminster Parliament. It was quite generally to set out the standard that we should be adhering to in this Parliament. You haven’t turned the clock on, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchI would also like to be associated with the condolences to Mr. Gerald St. George Simons. He and his late wife were constituents of mine in Hill View. They were also members of our branch, and active members of the branch. He, Mr. Deputy Speaker, was probably one of the …
I would also like to be associated with the condolences to Mr. Gerald St. George Simons. He and his late wife were constituents of mine in Hill View. They were also members of our branch, and active members of the branch. He, Mr. Deputy Speaker, was probably one of the few people that you would know who was the same every day of his life —and that was happy. He always had something pleasant to say or usually a joke to share with you. But he was always pleasant and he spent 40 years in the tourism industry. He was the epitome of a Bermudian who interacts with tourists. He worked at Rosedon [Ho-tel] for 40 years, and so Kirk Kitson, one of the owners, made a tribute at the funeral. Mr. Deputy Speaker, he just was . . . I mean, when you saw him all you would automatically start to smile because you knew it was going to be a pleasant experience. His wife died about 10 years ago, but she had served in the Attorney General’s Chambers (before and after) when Dame Lois was the Attorney General. And she was the gatekeeper at the Attorney General’s Chambers. The other talent that he had, Mr. Deputy Speaker, was that he sang. And he sang everywhere. And if you know anything about the Seventh- day Adventist Church, not just in Bermuda, but around the globe, when they put together a choir, that choir can sing! And he sang individually, he sang in the Warrenaires , he sang in his Southampton Seventh- day Adventist Choir. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, he was most 1188 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly known . . . I have heard him sing this song about 100 times. When the wicked shall cease from troubling. And he made it his own and unique way of delivering that message. So it was a joyous celebration, Mr. Deputy Speaker. He said, I want my funeral to be a concert; not a lot of talking and preaching, but lots of singing. And this certainly was. Everybody sang, Mr. Deputy Speaker. So it was an amazing tribute that he himself, I am certain, would have thoroughly enjoyed because of the singing. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Minister Colonel Burch. The Chair recognises the Honourable Member Scott Pearman. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. You might want to ask people about their sneakers, but I won’t go there. May I be associated please with the Premier’s commendation and thanks to Ms. Wolffe …
Thank you, Minister Colonel Burch. The Chair recognises the Honourable Member Scott Pearman. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. You might want to ask people about their sneakers, but I won’t go there. May I be associated please with the Premier’s commendation and thanks to Ms. Wolffe on behalf of all of our party, and I am sure it is right to associate the whole House with his comments. I must say that I very much enjoyed my limited time in this House, but Ms. Wolffe has been extremely helpful and she knows her onions, so we are going to miss her. She knows what is going on. I would like to turn to some happy news, I hope, one doesn’t want to be premature about these things, but Mr. Deputy Speaker, I had the good fortune to at-tend the launch of a potentially amazing project for our Island. I know that the Honourable and Learned Minis-ter Kim Wilson was also present. This is a trifecta approach to solving one of Bermuda’s most serious and rather poorly attended items, namely, mental health. It is the BHB, it is the Anglican Church and it is Habitat for Humanity who are all coming together to restore St. James’s rectory in the West End to allow it to become a mental health facility for those people who will transition out of Mid- Atlantic [Wellness] Institute and to have a proper home where they can recuperate and live and pursue the degree of normality that is possible for them to pursue in the circumstances of which they face. I think this is an incredibly timely effort. I give absolute praise to Habitat for Humanity who I believe are the driving force amongst the three. Obviously, thanks to the Anglican Church for giving up that property and allowing it to be used and repurposed in such a way. The Bishop last night said that there are quite a few properties belonging to the church around the Island. I don’t know if he was half -joking, but perhaps there are some other good ideas that should be looked at there for conversion of church property if the church would continue to be so kind as they have been in this occasion. As I said, the Minister of Health was there last night and we did hear from BHB (Bermuda Hospi-tals Board) as to what a difference this could and hope-fully will (if it comes to fruition) make for our Island. It is a great shame —and I don’t think Bermuda is any better or worse off than any other communities and jurisdictions —but it is a great shame that mental health for many years has often been sort of swept un-der the carpet and people don’t talk about it and we should, because it is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a problem that many, many families face. And those of us who grow old may also face. So I am really heart-ened to see that this project is being launched. I invite all of those who are listening to consider supporting them financially. They do have a target goal that they will need to raise, not only to convert the facility, but to have a running operating cost. It is a wonderful thing and it is nice to see Bermudians coming together to try to solve some of our problems. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. [ Timer chimes]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you. Thank you. Any further speakers ? The [Chair] recognises the Honourable Member Cannonier.
Mr. L. Craig CannonierYes, thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and good afternoon colleagues. On condolences, I received the unfortunate news this week that Sinclair White, a long- term police officer who joined the Police Service when he was like 20 or 22 years old, he happens to be a very close cousin of …
Yes, thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and good afternoon colleagues. On condolences, I received the unfortunate news this week that Sinclair White, a long- term police officer who joined the Police Service when he was like 20 or 22 years old, he happens to be a very close cousin of my wife. [Mr. White] passed away. He took ill about a year ago, maybe not even quite that. So it was a bit of a sudden . . . to hear that he had passed. So I want to send out condolences to the family. Before he passed he was currently in the position as the director of the FIA [Financial Intelligence Agency] but a well - spoken kind gentleman who had a lot to offer the country. And my fond memories go to the family outings that we have had together. He was a bit of a historian; you wouldn’t know, because he was so quiet, but he could tell you a whole lot about the past. And so I appreciated those conversations. And so, to the family, I send my condolences. I associate the Premier as well with that. Also, as we have heard, I would like to be associated with [condolences to the family of] Gerald Si-mons. I was speaking to my mother this morning about the sending off and rightfully so. As I heard the last part of the Honourable Minister from Public Works saying it was a wonderful session. I know him from the Adventist Church growing up. Of course, he was a bit older than I, but my more intimate relationship with him came from cricket. He was an avid cricke teer. Loved to play. He was one of those players; he was very flashy. He liked to . . . everything was a Kodak moment for him, especially when he batted. He didn’t really ball, but when it came to batting, it was always the case, he used to say
B ermuda House of Assembly to me, Well, either you get me or I’m gonna get you. But if I get you, not only am I gonna get you, but it is going to be pretty. [ Laughter]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierSo, what a loss! I mean, he was quite a personality, a big personality. So, he will be a tremendous loss to the country. To his sons, espe-cially . . . they also followed in suit, playing sports. Our condolences to the family. One other family I would like to …
So, what a loss! I mean, he was quite a personality, a big personality. So, he will be a tremendous loss to the country. To his sons, espe-cially . . . they also followed in suit, playing sports. Our condolences to the family. One other family I would like to send condolences to is the Crockwell family. I just found out this morning that Howard Crockwell, another Adventist, long-time Adventist . . . many Members might not know this here, but he is the father of Shawn Crockwell, a past Member of Parliament. His dad has now passed, leaving the former Honourable Member’s (Shawn Crockwell) mother and his brother — [ Inaudible interjections]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierAnd his sister as well, yes. Yes. Associate the Premier with that as well. A beautiful, beautiful man. I can’t say enough about him and his demeanour. [ Timer chimes]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierAnd congrats to our Clerk. I know my time is up, but again, congrats to her. Thank you.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerAny further speakers? The Chair recognises the Honourable Member Kim Swan.
Mr. Swan.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYes, Mr. Deputy Speaker. It will be a whirlwind three minutes. I will start off with thanking Mrs. Wolffe for her years of service. I certainly enjoyed her tenure here. Indeed, at CPA events that we have attended, if I just write a book there are a cou-ple of chapters …
Yes, Mr. Deputy Speaker. It will be a whirlwind three minutes. I will start off with thanking Mrs. Wolffe for her years of service. I certainly enjoyed her tenure here. Indeed, at CPA events that we have attended, if I just write a book there are a cou-ple of chapters in it that I would certainly have to include . . . we have had some wonderful times representing Bermuda as well. But on a sadder note, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the loss of Muriel Anderson from Granaway Heights in Southampton, a stalwart with Mount Zion AME Church. I was born in the house that she moved into when she got married in 1961. In 1957 I was born there. She was the wife of my dear uncle, Willett “Bill” Anderson. She certainly was our spiritual . . . every family has a matriarch, she was the spiritual matriarch of not only our family but Mount Zion, and anyone connected with Mount Zion. Three or four days later, her sister, Gladys Furbert, passed away. And to Levyette and Malcolm and all the Darrell family because those two ladies were Darrell’s who moved into Rose Hill, [my] deepest con-dolences. It is very difficult losing one signi ficant person in your family but when two go within a short period of time, it is what we call a double whammy. To the family of my constituent, Michel Berkeley, out there in Ferry Reach, our deepest condolences to his children, and their mother. May he rest in peace. It was very sudden and tragic for them to have to be going through this. I want to be associated with the condolences offered to the family of Howard Crockwell. My good friend. He loved golf. His son, Shawn, as the Honourable Member had mentioned, served in this House. But Mr. Crockwell and his contemporaries were very much people who I came in contact with as a young man growing up, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And I want to associate myself with the good remarks given to the transformation of the St. James Vestry up there in Hog Bay area, Somerset Bridge. But for those persons who don’t know, back in the 1930s and so forth, that was actually a boarding school. My uncle Bill told me how the Troubadour used to take Lady Spurling from St. George’s up to that location to be able to go to school up there in Hog Bay Level. So, there is a lot of history in a lot of our old buildings, and Vestry buildings as well. [ Timer chimes]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanThank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The Deputy Speak er: Thank you, Honourable Member. Any other speakers? The [Chair] recognises the Honourable Member MP Tyrrell. Mr . Neville S. Tyrrell: Thank you, very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Good afternoon, colleagues. It would be very remiss of me if I didn’t give …
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The Deputy Speak er: Thank you, Honourable Member. Any other speakers? The [Chair] recognises the Honourable Member MP Tyrrell. Mr . Neville S. Tyrrell: Thank you, very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Good afternoon, colleagues. It would be very remiss of me if I didn’t give my personal thanks to the outgoing Clerk, Ms. Shernette Wolffe. We have had a long -standing relationship going way back. We have mutual friends, so I know her quite well. And certainly I can say that since I have been the Government Whip she has given me some good advice and guided me in certain things. So, I certainly thank her for that and wish her all the best. I also want to be associated with the condolences for Sinclair White who actually was married to a first cousin of mine, so I knew him quite well. And also, Gerald Simons, whose wife actually, Colonel, you may not know, but she worked at Cable and Wireless before she went to the Attorney General’s office. So we were there for quite a while together. Very nice lady, so I certainly give my condolences to the en-tire family. Thank you, very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. 1190 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly The Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Honourable Member. Any other spe akers? The [Chair] recognises the Honourable Cole Simons. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I would like to associate myself with the comments made in regard to Mr. Lamb on his marriage yesterday. I wish him all the best, and to his wife, and his new infant daughter. [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: I would like to associate the whole House with those comments, please.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: I would like to associate myself with the comments made in regard to Tracy Berke-ley becoming the CEO of the Tourism Authority. The first female, she is committed to tourism, she is passionate about tourism, she wants the best for her team, and she …
Mm-hmm. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: I would like to associate myself with the comments made in regard to Tracy Berke-ley becoming the CEO of the Tourism Authority. The first female, she is committed to tourism, she is passionate about tourism, she wants the best for her team, and she is a no- nonsense leader whom I respect greatly . I would also like to associate myself in regard the passing of my friend Sinclair White. He and I have been friends for years and years and years and I was saddened by his departure. As you know, he was a for-mer superintendent of police, and he served in that role admirably and with aplomb. He was also chairman of Berkeley’s Educational Society. He was director of the Financial Intelligence Unit. Again, he did that with passion and diligence. You could not find a kinder person. And he has also had a passion and commitment for de-veloping young people. And that was a big priority to Sinclair. So, in closing, I would like to send my condo-lences to Carol, his wife, and his son and stepson. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you. Are there any further speakers? The Chair recognises the Honourable Member Zane De Silva. Mr. De Silva, you have the floor. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I would like to be associated with the condolences to the family of …
Thank you. Are there any further speakers? The Chair recognises the Honourable Member Zane De Silva. Mr. De Silva, you have the floor. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I would like to be associated with the condolences to the family of Mitchel Berkeley. And in particular, his family. Mitchel used to work with me at Island Construction. He was certainly a special person indeed. And when he left us to s eek other avenues, we remained pretty good friends. So I certainly would like to extend my condolences to all of the family. Mr. Deputy Speaker, whilst I am on my feet I would like to give congratulations to the Department of Planning, in particular to the Director Victoria Pereira . Mr. Deputy Speaker, you would know that the Planning Department comes in for a lot of flak at times. And sometimes deservedly, but a lot of times not. I must say that I have to declare my interest, I guess. I went to go see the Director yesterday and I was very impressed with the time that she took to spend with me and show me some of the things that the Department of Planning actually does on the website. You know yourself, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am not tech guy. But what she showed me is what they have been doing to make things very user -friendly. So I would like to congratulate the department for the work they have been doing in this regard. I know they have challenges; I have talked to a few of the people up there and I know that they tend to be a little short -staffed as many departments are. So people get overworked. But I think they have done a pretty good job with the resources that they have. I look for them, with things like this that they have done, they should go from strength to strength. So I would certainly like to give my congrat-ulations to the entire department, and like I said, in par-ticular to the Director Victoria Pereira .
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Mr. De Silva. Any further speakers? I recognise the Honourable Member Ms. Jackson.
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonGood afternoon and thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am rising to my feet with sadness and I send condolences to the family of Laura Butterfield. She was a lovely, lovely woman and I enjoyed many visits to h er home as well as telephone calls. And I am sending …
Good afternoon and thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am rising to my feet with sadness and I send condolences to the family of Laura Butterfield. She was a lovely, lovely woman and I enjoyed many visits to h er home as well as telephone calls. And I am sending real heartfelt condolences to her daughters, Laura, Katherine and Peg. And I do feel very sorry of their loss, re-ally, genuinely. I would also like to be associated with the [condolences] for Muriel Anderson. And I associate the Opposition Leader. To see the heartfelt sorrow of Mount Zion [AME Church] of her loss, really reflected to me . . . I didn’t know Mrs. Anderson personally, but certainly I could feel the energy of the genuine love and respect for Mrs. Anderson and so I send sincere condolences to [her] family. And I would also like to be associated with Mr. Howard Crockwell. Again, I did not know him person-ally, but I certainly know that his son, Shawn, held him in very high regard and spoke highly of him. And I as-sociate MP De Silva. And surely he passed on his in-tegrity and his strength to his son, and it reflected positively. On a happier note, I would like to send out my appreciation to Mrs. Shernette Wolffe, as Clerk to the House, on her retirement. She showed me the ropes, Mr. Deputy Speaker. She didn’t pull any punches and she didn’t put any cotton over my eyes. She told me how it goes and she taught me well, and I appreciate
B ermuda House of Assembly all that she has done, the committees that we have sat on, the Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentary Asso-ciation. She has been an integral part of keeping me engaged, and she is engaged and really building up that parliamentary committee which is a global Com-monwealth Parliamentary Association Committee. As well as the conferences and other special meetings that we have had to attend and Mrs. Wolffe has always been there to support and to direct us. I will always ap-preciate all of the teachings that she has provided for me. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The Deputy Spea ker: Thank you. Any further . . . the Chair recognises the Honourable Christopher Famous.
Mr. Christopher FamousGood afternoon, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I would like to associate myself with the words of remarks about Mrs. [Muriel] Ande rson (nee Darrell). I didn’t know Mrs. Anderson that much, but I knew some of her sisters very well. Last week, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I went to …
Mr. Christopher Famous—and I was informed of Mrs. Anderson’s passing. And then as I went inside of the service, I sat down, and as fate would have it I was sitting next to Mrs. Anderson’s sister. And I said to her, You have my condolences. And she was like, Thank you. Thank …
—and I was informed of Mrs. Anderson’s passing. And then as I went inside of the service, I sat down, and as fate would have it I was sitting next to Mrs. Anderson’s sister. And I said to her, You have my condolences. And she was like, Thank you. Thank you. [It was] her sister and her niece. To my bewilderment, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I looked in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday or Wednesday and I saw the notice for Mrs. Anderson, then I saw her sister’s name, and it had the late Mrs. . . . so-and-so and so- and-so.
Mr. Christopher FamousI am like, Okay. I got to call the Royal Gazette because there has got to be a mis-take. That lady was in church on Friday. Before I could call the Royal Gazette, I got a WhatsApp from a family member to say, I have to inform you that my …
I am like, Okay. I got to call the Royal Gazette because there has got to be a mis-take. That lady was in church on Friday. Before I could call the Royal Gazette, I got a WhatsApp from a family member to say, I have to inform you that my aunt passed. I said, I know your aunt passed on Thursday. And she said, No, her sister passed . . . my other aunt passed on Tuesday. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the lady is Mrs. Gladys Furbert, mother to Mr. Malcolm Furbert, and Mrs. Levyette (nee Furbert) Robinson. My French teacher. I didn’t know too many French words beyond Bonjour. [ Inaudible interjections] Mr. Christopher Famous: I know French Fry. But Mr. Deputy Speaker, I say that to say that Mrs. Gladys Furbert was my constituent. And I say this without reservation. She was my only melanated constituent in Devonshire Bay. And when I went to visit her she said, Famous, when I first came here they tried to buy me out. And I told them, No way! So if you only got one vote in Devonshire Bay, you know you got it from this House. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I give condolences to the Darrell family, the Anderson family, the Morris fam-ily and the Furbert family. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member. Are there any other speakers? The [Chair] recognises the Deputy Premier, [Minister] Roban. [ Crosstalk]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYou have the floor, sir. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. A few comments for this particular matter of congrats and obits. I certainly wish to be associated with the congratulatory remarks given to our outgoing Clerk to the Legislature, Mrs. Wolffe. I knew Mrs. Wolffe . …
You have the floor, sir. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. A few comments for this particular matter of congrats and obits. I certainly wish to be associated with the congratulatory remarks given to our outgoing Clerk to the Legislature, Mrs. Wolffe. I knew Mrs. Wolffe . . . I am one of the few like yourself who knew Mrs. Wolffe when she came into this post. I knew her before she was in the post. And she was great at her occupation prior to becoming the Clerk and she has continued her high standards as the Clerk. I am sure she will be missed by all of us . She has certainly taken this legislative office to a different place than it was 20 years ago. That is a whole lifetime ago, in some cases, and she has seen it go through a num-ber of interesting steps, and the hope is that the Legislature will continue to adapt and improve whoever takes over from her to meet the needs of the Legislature of the future. There is a lot happening in the Legislature, as you would know, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And certainly the Clerk has contributed to some of that positive change that we have seen, particularly when it comes to tech-nology. We have seen a lot of technology change in the past two decades. Hopefully we will see more changes that will be positive. And I would also like to be associated with the condolences that have been given . . . and I would also like to pass condolences on to someone who I recently heard had passed away, Mrs. Travis [F. Lorene] Gilbert of Sandys. I associate the Premier and I am sure a number of Members, particularly Members from the Sandys Parish with her passing. I believe she was fu-neralised this past weekend, last Friday as I am told. I knew her a long time. I know her children. I know their 1192 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly whole family myself, and hearing about her passing was a shock because she was a great feature at the Somerset Cricket Club and her whole family during Cup Match. I think those of us who attend Cup Match in Somerset regularly know that the presence of the Gil-bert family was always quite prominent. And with that Mr. Deputy Speaker, I will sit down. Thank you, very much,
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you. Are there any further speakers? There appear to be none. I just want to add my remarks to be associated with the remarks concerning Sinclair White, his pass-ing. My condolence to his family. And also [congratulations] to Ms. Wolffe. Ms. Wolffe came to us as a schoolteacher. And …
Thank you. Are there any further speakers? There appear to be none. I just want to add my remarks to be associated with the remarks concerning Sinclair White, his pass-ing. My condolence to his family. And also [congratulations] to Ms. Wolffe. Ms. Wolffe came to us as a schoolteacher. And she carried that persona throughout. And one thing I must say about her, she studied her information that she needed to pass on and she [is] very much connected to the CPA, particularly in the Caribbean. Ms. Wolffe, feisty, like her momma— [ Laughter]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes. [ Inaudible interjections]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes. So I just want to wish her well in her next endeavour, whether it be retirement or something else. Congratulations and thank you to Mrs. Wolffe. The next order of business is . . . MATTERS OF PRIVILEGE The Assistant Clerk: There are none. PERSONA L EXPLANATIONS The Assistant …
Yes. So I just want to wish her well in her next endeavour, whether it be retirement or something else. Congratulations and thank you to Mrs. Wolffe. The next order of business is . . . MATTERS OF PRIVILEGE The Assistant Clerk: There are none. PERSONA L EXPLANATIONS The Assistant Clerk: There are none. NOTICE OF MOTIONS FOR THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE ON MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE The Assistant Clerk: There are none. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS GOVERNMENT BILLS
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMr. Premier. FIRST READING STAMP DUTIES AMENDMENT (NO. 2) ACT 2023 Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am introducing the following Bill which according to section 36(3) of the Bermuda Constitution requires the Governor’s recommendation, the Stamp Duties Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMm-h mm. FIRST READING DIGITAL ASSET BUSINESS AMENDMENT ACT 2023 Hon. E. David Burt: Also, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill for its first reading so that it may be placed on the Order Paper for the next day of meeting, the Digital Asset Business Amendment Act …
Mm-h mm. FIRST READING DIGITAL ASSET BUSINESS AMENDMENT ACT 2023 Hon. E. David Burt: Also, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill for its first reading so that it may be placed on the Order Paper for the next day of meeting, the Digital Asset Business Amendment Act 2023. FIRST READING COMPANIES AMENDMENT ACT 2023 Hon. E. David Burt: And finally, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill for its first reading so that it may be placed on the Order Paper for the next day of meeting, the Companies Amendment Act 2023.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you. OPPOSITION BILLS The Assistant Clerk: There are none. PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILLS The Assistant Clerk: There are none. NOTICE OF MOTIONS DISSOLUTION OF THE BERMUDA LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY (BLDC) TO BE AMALGAMATED WITH THE WEST END DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (WEDCO)
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThere appears to be one from the Honourable Colonel Burch.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchThank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. “BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, in accordance with section 8 of the Base Lands Ber muda House of Assembly Development Act 1996 (“the Act”), approve the dis solution of the Bermuda Land Development Company (BLDC) so that it may be amalgamated with the …
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. “BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, in accordance with section 8 of the Base Lands
Ber muda House of Assembly Development Act 1996 (“the Act”), approve the dis solution of the Bermuda Land Development Company (BLDC) so that it may be amalgamated with the West End Development Corporation (WEDCO).” Th e Deputy Speaker: Any objections? There appear to be none. Approved. ORDERS OF THE DAY
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMr. Premier, the second reading of the Miscellaneous Fees and Penalties Act 2023. Are we doing that today? [Pause] Hon. E . David B urt: Apologies, Mr. D eputy S peaker. The Deput y Speaker: Yes. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move that the Bill entitled the …
Mr. Premier, the second reading of the Miscellaneous Fees and Penalties Act 2023. Are we doing that today? [Pause] Hon. E . David B urt: Apologies, Mr. D eputy S peaker. The Deput y Speaker: Yes. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move that the Bill entitled the Miscellaneous Fees and Penalties Act 2023 b e now read for the second time. The Deput y Speaker: Any obj ections? No objections; continue. BILL SECOND READING MISCELLANEOUS FEES AND PENALTIES ACT 2023 Ho n. E. David Burt: Thank you, very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, this is a very short Bill, unlike a lot of the other matters that we will be dealing with today. Though they are short I am sure they will stimulate qui te a bit of debate. However, Mr. Deputy Speaker, in 2022 the Registrar of Companies under-took to review the department’s corporate fee structure and identified potential fee changes to cover related costs. This review also looked at administrative services provided to the Registrar for which there was no corresponding fee. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the department initially proposed to introduce these fees in October 2020 where following consultation with key stakeholders the proposed fees were reviewed and modified and their introduction was deferred until now. With respect to ex-isting transaction fees, which had not been reviewed or amended in at least the last five years, the Registrar will implement a 5 per cent increase offsetting the increased cost [of the] associated administrative burden. Mr. Deputy Speaker, most of these fee changes were addressed under the Government Fees Amendment Regulations which were recently passed the last time we sat. However, the fee for reserving a name for companies and exempted partnerships, an is-sue or renewal of a licence for local companies is cov-ered underneath this Bill. The aforementioned changes will bring the fees in line with current cost and will come into effect on April [1], 2023. This Bill also establishes a penalty for the late filing of audit reports by real estate brokers. This report , which must be done by an independent and suitably qualified accountant , confirms that client funds received by the broker have been appropriately handled. In addition, the Bill imposes a fee for late filings of licence applications. The licensing process allows for the supervisor to carry out an appropriate assessment of the broker and review the relevant documents in that regard. Therefore, it is another protection [aimed at] ensuring the integrity of operations in the real estate sector. As of course you would understand, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that this can be an area of focus in our risk assessment audit for the laundering of proceeds of crimes. These penalties will also be enforceable as of April 1, 2023. Mr. Deputy Speaker, that concludes my opening comments to the Bill and I welcome any questions or comments from other Members. Th e Deputy Speaker: Are there any further speakers? The Chair recognises the Honourable Member Cole Hedley Simons. Hedley. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Mr. Deputy Speaker, the name is Nelson Hedley Cole. Th e Deputy Speaker: Sorry, Member . Ho n. N. H. Cole Simons: You need to get it right. Thank you. Th e Deputy Speaker: Yes, I got you right, Hedley. [Lau ghter] Ho n. E. David Burt: You want to be Nelson, huh? Not happening. Ho n. N. H. Cole Simons: Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have reviewed the legislation and have no objection. The reserving of names has been a regular pheno menon in the Companies Act and the Partnership Act for a number of years and so we have no issue with that. I am surprised that we didn’t charge a fee for it then, so going forward, we are supportive of the $100 fee. As for the Real Estate Brokers’ Licens ing Act, again, we are supportive of making sure that the brokers’ reports are filed in accordance with the law on a prompt basis. Other than that, Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have no objection to this legislation. Thank you. 1194 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly The Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Honourable Member Hedley “ Burgess ” Simons. [Lau ghter] Th e Deputy Speaker: Any further speakers? The [Chair] recognises the Honourable Jache Adams.
Mr.
Jache AdamsGood afternoon, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Similar to the Premier and the Opposition Leader, I certainly do not expect to be long with this one as I don’t anticipate much debate or any emotive language in relation to miscellaneous fees. As far as I am concerned, this Bill demonstrates the Government …
Good afternoon, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Similar to the Premier and the Opposition Leader, I certainly do not expect to be long with this one as I don’t anticipate much debate or any emotive language in relation to miscellaneous fees. As far as I am concerned, this Bill demonstrates the Government identifying some gaps and simply doing what is necessary to close them. As the Premier mentioned, each of the new transaction fees reflect services offered by the Regis-trar of Companies [ROC] where fees are not currently applied and therefore come at a cost to the Govern-ment. And so these new fees appear to be measures aimed to help offset the associated cost. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am mindful that the scope of the ROC, particularly in this increasingly reg-ulatory environment, is expanding which is evidenced by the increase in projected expenditure within the ROC, as we mentio ned in the budget. And so therefore, I think it is responsible for this Government to look at and continue to look at opportunities to offset these added costs of this said expansion. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am also mindful that this Bill indicates or intr oduces penalty fees, particularly for real estate brokers which, in my opinion, helps to enhance enforcement of their statutory requirements but also helps to ensure the robustness of our regulatory framework. And so finally, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am pleased to hear from the Premier that the Government has engaged and consulted with key stakeholders , and I certainly agree that the decision to implement these fees within the last two years probably would not have been the most appropriate time to do so. And so I sup-port this Bill. I commend Mr. Ken Joaquin and the Reg-istrar of Companies team for their continued hard work as we continue to find ways to expand their revenue base and certainly assist them in seeking ways to operate more efficiently. Thank you. Th e Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Honourable Member Adams. Any further speakers? There appear to be none.
Mr. Premier. Hon. E . David B urtpremierT hank y ou, Mr . Deputy S peaker. I appreciate the comments from the Honourable Member from Pembroke West and also the Honourable Opposition Leader. And wit h that, Mr . Deputy S peaker, I m ove that the Bill be committed. The D eputy S peaker: Honourabl e …
T hank y ou, Mr . Deputy S peaker. I appreciate the comments from the Honourable Member from Pembroke West and also the Honourable Opposition Leader. And wit h that, Mr . Deputy S peaker, I m ove that the Bill be committed. The D eputy S peaker: Honourabl e Member Mr . Famous. House in C ommittee at 2: 39 pm [Mr. C hristopher F amous, Chairman] COMMITTEE O N BILL MISCELLANEOUS FEES AND PENALTIES ACT 2 023 The C hairman: Mr. Premier, pl ease continue. Hon. E . David B urt: T hank y ou, Mr . Chairman. Mr. Chairman, if I may, I would like to move all of the clauses [of the Miscellaneous Fees and Penalties Act 2023]. The C hairman: Please pr oceed. Hon. E . David B urt: Thank y ou very muc h, Mr . Chairman. Clause 1 provides t he titl e of t he Bill. Clause 2 amends t he Companies A ct 1981 by inserting new s ection 6A t o provide the fee for r eserving the nam e of a company an d increasing f ees p ayabl e by a local company w hen issued a licenc e and renewing a licence. Clause 3 amends the Exempted Partnerships Act 1992 by inserting new section 7A to provide the fee for reserving the name of a limited [or] exempted partnership and inserting the fee for reserving the name in the First Schedule. Clause 4 amends section 23 of the Real Estate Brokers’ Licensing Act 2017 to provide a penalty of $200 for the late submission of a brokers’ audit [report]. Clause 5 amends section 5 of the Real Estate Brokers’ Licensing Regulations 2017 to provide a penalty of $200 for failing to renew a licence on or before the prescribed date. Clause 6 provides a related amendment to the Government Fees Regulations 1976 to insert the fee for reserving a company name under the Companies Act 1981. Claus e 7 provides that th e Act comes int o operation on 1 April 2023. The C hairman: Any ot her speakers? Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank y ou, Mr. C hairman.
B ermuda House of Assembly I just have one question for the Minister of Finance. [Clause] 2 [which adds new section 6A(2)(b)] “amends section 114C(1) and (2) by deleting “one thousand dollars” and substituting “$1,050;” Does this fee only apply to the 114B companies, i.e., companies that have Bermuda ownership of less than 60 per cent, or is it general? So if you can provide that clarity it would be appreciated. I.e., does it restrict itself to 114B companies only? The C hairman: Thank you, Member.
Mr. Premier.
Hon. E. David BurtpremierThank you, very much. Mr. Chairman, I do not have the full Bill with me. I can certainly look it up. But the one thing I want to make sure that the Honourable Member is aware of is that 114B is a different section than 114C. And in this instance, …
Thank you, very much. Mr. Chairman, I do not have the full Bill with me. I can certainly look it up. But the one thing I want to make sure that the Honourable Member is aware of is that 114B is a different section than 114C. And in this instance, 114C. So it would be under companies that are applicable to the matters that are related in the 114C. [Section] 114B does cover local companies that can apply for an exemption to exceed the 40 per cent shareholding value for local companies. But that is 114B. Mr. Chairman, 114C is a different section. I don’t have the principal Act with me right now, but I can go ahead and look at the principal Act, if you so need. B ut that just only applies to items that are under 114C.
Mr. Premier.
Hon. E. David BurtpremierThank you, very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that clauses 1 through 7 be approved.
The ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that clauses 1 through 7 be approved. Are there any objections to that motion? No objection; agreed to. [ Motion carried: Clauses 1 through 7 passed.] Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the preamble be approved.
The ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that the preamble be approved. Are there any objections to that motion? No objection; agreed to. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Bill be report ed to the House as printed. The Chairman: It has been …
It has been moved that the preamble be approved. Are there any objections to that motion? No objection; agreed to. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Bill be report ed to the House as printed. The Chairman: It has been moved that the Bill be reported to the House as printed. Are there any objections to that motion? No objection; agreed to. The Bill will be reported to the House as printed. [ Motion carried: The Miscellaneous Fees and Penalties Act 2023 was considered by a Committee of the whole House and passed without amendment.] House resumed at 2:45 pm [ Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr., Deputy Speaker, in the Chair] REPORT OF COMMITTEE MISCELLANEOUS FEES AND PENALTIES ACT 2023
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThe next will be Order No. 3, by the Premier. We will do [Order No.] 2 but we will do [Order No.] 3 next. Mr. Premier. [ Inaudible interjections]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes, Stamp Duties Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And I appreciate your dispensation on this particular matter. I will do Order No. 2 next. Mr. Deputy Speaker, under the provision of Standing Order 23(3) and with the suspension of …
Yes, Stamp Duties Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And I appreciate your dispensation on this particular matter. I will do Order No. 2 next. Mr. Deputy Speaker, under the provision of Standing Order 23(3) and with the suspension of [Standing Order] 29(1), I move that the Bill entitled the Stamp Duties Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023 with the Governor’s recommendation be now read for the sec-ond time.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerContinue. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am grateful certainly to the Opposition for agreeing for us to move this particu-lar matter through all three readings today. It is a rea-sonably technical and moot point as we already did dis-cuss, debate, …
Continue. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am grateful certainly to the Opposition for agreeing for us to move this particu-lar matter through all three readings today. It is a rea-sonably technical and moot point as we already did dis-cuss, debate, approve, and share approval for all of these the last time in which we sat. However, there was a technical issue where the full amendment that was submitted excluded the items of which I am about to cover. So, I will cover them for good order for the Han-sard purposes, but I certainly am not expecting there to be any opposition to this. BILL 1196 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Bermu da House of Assembly SEC OND READ ING STAMP DUT IES AM ENDMENT ( NO. 2 ) ACT 2 023 Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am pleased to pres ent the Bill entitled the Stamp Duties Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023. Mr. Deputy Speaker, this Bill amends the Stamp Duties Act 1976 to provide in the legislation greater clarity on the stamp duty calculations on instruments that are approved for mortgage transfers and the assignment and the refinancing of mortgages which were inadvertently omitted during the Stamp Duties Act that was passed in this House on the 10th of March 2023. As Honourable Members may be aware, the calculation of the stamp duty payable on conveyancing and mortgage financing transactions can be complex. Therefore, we are taking the time to ensure that this is properly reflected in the law. Mr. Deputy Speaker, as I have previously stated, we are transitioning to a marginal application of stamp duty for the first -time homeowner exemption and for the mortgage transfer exemption. In relation to the first-time homeowner exemption, there will no longer be a maximum purchase value of a property to qualify for the exemption. Instead, the first $1 million of the property’s market value will be exempted from stamp duty. Stamp duty on any value above $1 million will be chargeable under the existing applicable rates for conveyances. To clarify, Mr. Deputy Speaker, this means that a first -time homeowner who purchases a property valued in excess of $1 million would not pay stamp duty on the first $1 million but would pay at the rate of 6.3 per cent on the next $500,000 pursuant to Head 14( iv) and 7.35 per cent on any additional amount thereafter. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the stamp duty ex emption on mortgage refinances and transfers will be based on the outstanding amount of the original mortgage being refinanced or transferred up to a maximum value of $1 million. Refinances or transfers of mortgages in excess of the outstanding amount of the original mortgage or in any case in excess of $1 million will be subject to stamp duty in the excess amounts. In such cases, the stamp duty rates reflected under Head 31 will apply as appropriate to the principal sum of the new mortgage that exceeds the exemption amount. As with the first -time homeowner exemption, the applicable stamp duty rate will be based on the new mortgage amount. So, if an existing mortgage with an outstanding balance of $500,000 is refinanced, and the new mortgage amount is increased to $1.5 million then the stamp duty will be charged on the additional $1 million that exceeds the balance of the prior mortgage. Just so we are clear, new homeowners go up to $1 million; transfers are only for the transfer of the balance. So, if you go ahead and make a transfer, whether you transfer and you go to another bank, and you are like, Well, I want to take advantage of a lower mortgage rate, but I want to get an additional $100,000 to do something, those will be charged. So, we are just eliminating the stamp duty on the transfer balances. So, for persons who are transferring mortgages from bank to bank to take advantage of any reduced rates that may be in the market, the last time we spoke of this I spoke of “some banks” who have in-creased their rates significantly. Other banks have left them the same or have had only minor changes, and [this legislation is giving] the ability for persons to be able to move their mortgage without having to worry about an additional bill from the Government on th at. So we are making sure that we reduce that friction in that. And so it is important to note that this applies to the transferring and first time. It does not apply for if you are transferring a loan and then increasing the amount. That will be charged. So it is just for the straight transfer of existing mortgages. Mr. Deputy Speaker, it is important to note that the public understands the impact of these changes with respect to how stamp duty will be calculated on the excess amounts and that the law is updated as needed to reflect this approach and to eliminate any uncer-tainty. Mr. Deputy Speaker, in closing, I would like to thank the technical officers within the Office of the Tax Commissioner, Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General’s Chambers for ensuring that this policy is fully implemented and appropriately reflected in law. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMr. Premier, before you take your seat, isn’t this one for the first, second and third reading? Hon . E. David Burt: Correct.
The
Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerCan you . . . we need to suspend the rules. Hon . E. David Burt: Oh, I did move but I did not actually—
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerDid you do it? Hon . E. David Burt: I did.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerOkay. I — Hon . E. David Burt: No problem. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS 23(3) and 29(1)
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerIs there any objection to suspending the [Standing Orders] so the first, second and third readings can be held today? Ber muda House of Assembly No objections. Thank you, Mr. Premier. [Mot ion carried: Standing Orders 23(3) and 29(1) suspended.] Ho n. E. David Burt: No problem, Mr. Deputy Speaker. …
Is there any objection to suspending the [Standing Orders] so the first, second and third readings can be held today?
Ber muda House of Assembly No objections. Thank you, Mr. Premier. [Mot ion carried: Standing Orders 23(3) and 29(1) suspended.] Ho n. E. David Burt: No problem, Mr. Deputy Speaker. With that, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that is the end of my introduction brief for this Bill on the principals and I am happy to take any questions or comments fr om Honourable Members. Th e Deputy Speaker: Any further speakers? The Chair recognises the Honourable Member Cole Hedley “Burgess” Simons. Ho n. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, as was indicated we have no objections to the legislation given the economic cir-cumstances in which we find ourselves in this spiralling interest rate environment. I noted that the federal re-serve in the UK Bank of England had put up their rates again. We are supportive of the transfer of mortgages one for one, to other institutions where they reduce on no stamp duty cost. So, as I said, as I opened, we have no objection because mortgage owners need all the help they can get at this point in time. Thank you. Th e Deputy Speaker: Any further spe akers? There appear to be none.
Mr. Premier.
Hon. E . David B urtpremierThank you, v ery muc h, Mr . Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, with those introductory comments that I made, I move that the Bill be now committed. The Deput y Speaker: Mr. F amous. House i n Committee a t 2:53 pm [Mr. C hristopher F amous, Chairman] COMMITTEE …
Thank you, v ery muc h, Mr . Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, with those introductory comments that I made, I move that the Bill be now committed. The Deput y Speaker: Mr. F amous. House i n Committee a t 2:53 pm [Mr. C hristopher F amous, Chairman] COMMITTEE O N BILL STAMP DUT IES AM ENDMENT ( NO. 2 ) ACT 2 023 The C hairman: You may p roceed, Premier. Hon. E . David B urt: Oh, t hank y ou, Mr. C hairman. Mr. Chairman, if I may, I would like to move all three clauses of the Stamp Duties Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023. The C hairman: Please pr oceed, Mr . Premier. Ho n. E. David Burt: Thank you, very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, clause 1 provides the citation for the Bill. Clause 2 amends Heads 14 and 31 in the Schedule to the Stamp Duties Act 1976 by providing the stamp duty calculations for approved exemptions on conveyances for first -time homeowner and for the transfer, assignment or re- financing of an existing mortgage. Clause 3 provides that the Bill comes into operation on 1 April 2023. Th e Chairm an: Any other speakers? No. It has been moved that clauses 1 through three be approved. Is there any objection to that motion? No objection; agreed to. [Mot ion carried: Clauses 1 through 3 passed.] Ho n. E. David Burt: So moved, Mr. Chairman, thank you. Mr. Chairman, I move that preamble be approved. Th e Chairman: It has been moved that the preamble be approved. Is there any objection to that motion? No objection — [Inaudible interjection] Th e Chairman: Say that again, please, Honourable Member. Ho n. N. H. Cole Simons: We have no objection. Th e Chairman: Okay. Agreed to. Ho n. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Bill reported to the House as printed. Th e Chairman: It has been moved that the Bill be reported to the House as printed. Is there any objection to that motion? No objection; agreed to. The Bill will be reported to the House as printed. [Mot ion carried: The Stamp Duties Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023 w as co nsidered by a committee of the whole house and passed without amendment.] Ho use resumed at 2: 55 pm 1198 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Bermuda H ouse of Assembly [Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr., Deputy Speaker, i n the Chair] REP ORT OF CO MMITTEE STAMP DUT IES AM ENDMENT (NO. 2) A CT 20 23
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank y ou, M embers. Mr. P remier, do you want t o do t he next Bill? Will y ou do Order N o. 2 now? Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move that the Bill entitled the Gaming Amendment Act 2023 be now read the second …
Thank y ou, M embers. Mr. P remier, do you want t o do t he next Bill? Will y ou do Order N o. 2 now? Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move that the Bill entitled the Gaming Amendment Act 2023 be now read the second time. The Deput y Speaker: Continue. BILL SEC OND READ ING GAMING AM ENDMENT A CT 2 023 Hon. E . David B urt: Thank y ou, Mr . Deputy S peaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Bill before this Honourable Hous e is the Gaming Amendment Act 2023. Mr. Deputy Speaker, diversifying Bermuda’s economy through the growth of new industries remains a key goal of the Economic Recovery Plan. Facilitating casino gaming in Bermuda is a crucial element to the economic recovery and diversification that this Government will deliver. Mr. Deputy Speaker, it is also essential for me to set out the full background to the 2017 and 2021 Amendments to this Act which set the stage for this Amendment Act before the House. Mr. Deputy Speaker, in December of 2020 and following consultation with a local bank and with successful implementation then in sight —and I want to restart that again, Mr. Deputy Speaker, because I think it is important. Mr. Deputy Speaker, in December of 2020 and following consultation with a local bank and with “successful implementation”—a nd quote again, “insight” the Government received written observances for the bank which revisited. And I quote, “the remaining obstacles to enablement” of a banking regime in support of gaming in Bermuda. That 2020 correspondence referred to (and I quote) “the strategic and economic importance of casino gaming to the future of tourism and for job creation in Bermuda.” Mr. D eputy S peaker, t here w ere three conditions outlin ed by ba nks. T hese were: 1.A nee d to address the appearance of conflict of interest with an amendment to Schedule 1 of the Act to make it clear thatmembers of the Legislature are disquali-fied from membership of the Gaming Com-mission. This amendment was made in 2021. 2.An amendment to Schedule 1 of the Act toaddress the perceived independence ofthe commissioners. That amendment was made in 2021. 3.This amendment to the Act was to confer full legislative authority and responsibilityupon the Minister of Finance. That, Mr.Deputy Speaker, is the amendment beforethis Honourable House. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the bank’s position in 2020 was that these amendments, when made, would (and I quote) “effectively align the commission’s gov-ernance framework with that prescribed for the Ber-muda Monetary Authority under the Bermuda Monetary Authority Act 1969.” Mr. Deputy Speaker, in the Statement in Support of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the fiscal year 2023/24, I indicated these final amend-ments would be made, noting that they would include “a revised definition of Minister in the Act to establ ish the Minister of Finance as the minister responsible for gaming, similar to the Bermuda Monetary Authority.” Mr. Deputy Speaker, Members will know that the Act currently defines “Minister” as “the Minister re-sponsible for gaming.” Mr. Deputy Speaker, it is im-portant that Honourable Members note that modern legislative drafting practice has moved away from definitive ministerial titles in legislation recognising that save for the Ministry of Finance, the titles of Ministers generally do not reflect the title in the department or ar-eas for which a Minister may be responsible. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Honourable Members may wonder why this amendment concerning ministerial responsibilities was not made in 2021. There are two reasons, Mr. Deputy Speaker. In the first instance, I refer Honourable Members to the comments of which I have just made regarding modern drafting practice and the Government’s firm belief that this is a preferred style in the current Legis-lative practice. Second, Bermuda’s Constitution makes it clear that ministerial responsibilities are assigned by the Governor on the advice of the Premier. An assign-ment of ministerial responsibility on any other basis is not best practice or good governance; however, this amendment is brought because of the national im-portance of advancing the gaming industry. Moreover, the strict regulation applied for the financial services sector is likewise applicable to the gaming sector, providing the level of comfort required in managing any and all relationships in this area. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the genesis of the principal Act was to facilitate an integrated resort model for gaming in Bermuda, f or free- standing casino operations. The regulatory framework is accordingly designed to manage that large scale model operat ion. In some notable cases potential operators have cited the
B ermuda House of Assembly regulatory framework as inconsistent with the amenity - styled casino proposed for the hotels in Bermuda. Also, as I indicated in last month’s Budget Statement, and I quote, “having the integrated resort model as the only available option for casino operation in Bermuda is a flaw in the inherited regime. “These amendments to the Act empower the commission to modify or vary a regulatory obligation that is or would otherwise be imposed on a casino operator on the ap-plication of that casino operator. I would invite Honour-able Members to take note that such an application would only be made following all necessary due diligence on suitability, adherence to AML/ATF requirements and other aspects of compliance. The criteria to be applied are proposed to form part of the regulations issued under this Act. Mr. Deputy Speaker, as you know, when we introduced this Act there were comments from the Leader of the Opposition that said, Oh, this one won’t be easy. So, let’s get into the politics, if we may. Mr. Deputy Speaker, unusually, I wish to quote a most unfamiliar source in providing the overview of this Bill. Mr. Deputy Speaker, in the One Bermuda Alliance’s Reply to the Throne Speech of 2021, the Opposition Le ader said this, and with your permission and for your accuracy, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I wish to quote him.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerContinue. Hon. E. David Burt: I will be begin: “ Bermuda’s gaming challenges must be settled once and for all, to make gaming a reality in Bermuda. The Opposition under-stands that the Government holds the key to opening this industry, which is vital to the growth of our economy. All …
Continue. Hon. E. David Burt: I will be begin: “ Bermuda’s gaming challenges must be settled once and for all, to make gaming a reality in Bermuda. The Opposition under-stands that the Government holds the key to opening this industry, which is vital to the growth of our economy. All they must do is provide the Bermuda Gaming Commission with the same independence and [auton-omy] that the Bermuda Monetary Authority enjoys. With the stroke of a pen the government can get our local banks’ correspondent banks on board to support this industry if the Minister responsible for the Gaming Commission is shifted from the Premier to the Minister of Finance.” He went on to say: “It is not lost on the Opposition, nor should it be lost on the people of Bermuda, that there is a possible conflict of interest when the Premier, who is also the Minister of Tourism and has gaming as an amenity in the tourism portfolio, is also responsible for the Ministry that regulates gaming. Why is the Premier and Minister of Tourism also responsible for the Bermuda Gaming Commission? Again, the country and the Opposition want and deserve answers to this very important question. I have been advised that if the Gaming Commission is shifted to the Minister of Finance, Bermuda should finally be poised to open the Gaming industry with cashless gaming using cr edit cards only at this time.” Mr. Deputy Speaker, I remember remarking at the time that the Leader of the Opposition seemed in-credibly well informed in his comments on the issues related to the gaming industry. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, with the benefit of hindsight, there is a most revealing (and some may say incredibly clairvoyant) feature to the Leader of the Opposition’s comments in 2021. Honourable Members will note that a conflict of interest apparently existed when I had responsibility for tourism. One would think, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that this conflict was resolved when I shed that responsibility in 2022. Notwithstanding, this Bill provides a level of requested specificity that should now put the matter to rest once and for all, today and into the future. Mr. Deputy Speaker, with the comments of which I have just made, the Bill before this Honourable House appears set for unanimous bipartisan support as it embraces what the bank indicated were, and I quote, “proactive recommendations to move forward.” And mirrors what the Leader of the Opposition claimed in 2021 would cure all that ails gaming in Bermuda. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I wish to raise a matter separate from this Bill but related to gaming which is vital for the information of Honourable Members and members of the public. This matter relates to an issue arising from the 2017 amendment which has regrettably become the rallying cry for those who oppose gam-ing for Bermuda, or maybe not gaming, but at least gaming success underneath this Government. To once again address this matter, I will highlight the position set out by the bank. And again, with your permission, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I wish to quote.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerOkay. Hon. E. David Burt: “We are aware that there has been considerable discussion in the media and by for-mer members of the commission with respect to the ability of the Minister to give general directions to the commission as prescribed in section 8(2) of the then Casino Gaming Act …
Okay. Hon. E. David Burt: “We are aware that there has been considerable discussion in the media and by for-mer members of the commission with respect to the ability of the Minister to give general directions to the commission as prescribed in section 8(2) of the then Casino Gaming Act 2014 by way of the 2017 amendments. Based on the presence of an identical clause in the BMA Act 1969 and in the governing Acts of most of Bermuda’s public authorities and quangos, we do not believe that th is section needs to be amended if the other amendments noted above are enacted.” Mr. Deputy Speaker, in one fell swoop and with words that are not mine, this destroys the argument against the 2017 amendment. As I have said many times in this Honourable House, and as the Minister at the time told this Honourable House, if it is good enough for the Bermuda Monetary Authority, it must be good enough for the Gaming Commission. And therefore, Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope for the betterment of Bermuda’s future that this is the end of this false ar-gument as it is clear that the 2017 change was a non-issue. And so, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I look forward to the Opposition’s support of this Bill today. 1200 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly I commend this Bill to the House and for the consideration of Honourable Members under the basis that this Government will do whatever is necessary and will overcome any obstacle, many of which will be placed in front of us, to ensure that we deliver on our 2020 election pledge to launch a casino industry in Bermuda. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Premier Burt. Any f urther speakers? The Chair recognises the Opposition Leader Simons. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have been clear that we support the gaming industry in this country. We also are clear that this an amenity for …
Thank you, Premier Burt. Any f urther speakers? The Chair recognises the Opposition Leader Simons. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have been clear that we support the gaming industry in this country. We also are clear that this an amenity for the tourism industry. And so, in principle, we welcome the gaming industry in this country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the question is, When will we have gaming in Bermuda? Mr. Deputy Speaker, on more than three occasions last year the Premier said that he expected— not last year, in 2021—he expected to have gaming in 2021. This is 2023 and still no gam-ing, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Let me just remind the Premier that in January 2021 [he said], and I quote, “I am expecting certainly that we’ll have a casino, at least one casino, operating in Bermuda this year.” In May 2021, he said he expected a casino to open during the summer. Mr. Deputy Speaker, and in September 2021, he told HOTELCO the developer of Saint Regis, who had submitted an application for a full casino licence, he said, “It is my hope, dream and expectation that we will have a casino open before the end of the year.” Mr. Deputy Speaker, that was 2021. We are now in 2023 and Bermuda has no casino. Can the Premier tell us, Will we have a casino this year? Based on the history, it seems as though the PLP has not been able to deliver on a casino. And what this has done [is] that it has resulted in a failure to de-liver an amenity to the St. Regis Hotel and the Hamilton Princess hotel who were frustrated by the whole process and withdrew their application. They have in-vested millions of dollars into developing a gaming in-frastructure for their 5- star hotels and unfortunately they were not able to succeed in enhancing their prod-uct offering because we as a country could not get our act together. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have as a country spent over $6 million in loans and grants to the Gaming Commission since its inception. Mr. Deputy Speaker, and what do we have to show for it? Because we surely don’t have a gaming industry yet. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Government has provided three guarantees. In 2018, $500,000; in 2021/22, $2.7 million; [and in] 2023/24 approximately $10 million. And again, no gam-ing. The Government has failed in gaming. Mr. Deputy Speaker, today the Gaming Authority has 11 employees working there. Again, 11 employ-ees with no gaming. The Government has failed the tourism industry when it comes to gaming. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the other issue that I found most interesting . . . in preparing for this debate, I was looking at the commissioners for the Gaming Authority. And, in essence, I saw a number of positions being filled but I was looking for someone on the commission who had experience in developing a gaming industry in their curriculum [vitae] and their careers. And based on who I see on the Gaming Commission, we have no specialists on there who understand the gaming industry to the degree that they should if they are going to provide proper guidance to the country and the Commission. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have two former police officers, we have a CPA, a CMA, and we have a lawyer. But we do not have an expert on the Commis-sion who has a track record of success in delivering gaming to our industries. And one begs the question, Why is that the case? And maybe that is the reason why we are having challenges . . . part of the reason. I am not going to put everything in their lap. But maybe that could be part of the challenge in regard to the lead-ership of delivering a gaming industry, because of the Commission’s position in regard to a lack of expertise at the top level of the Commission. Again, the people, the current Commissioners are doing the best that they can. But as we are devel-oping a new industry, I expect a bit more and I thought it was derelict in duty in not having an expert at the Commissioner level. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the other issue that I would like to speak to is the issue of the guarantee. In the 2023/24 budget, we have a guarantee of $1.98 million. How will this guarantee be used? And how will that [$1.98] million guarantee that we will have our gaming industry up and running this year? Mr. Deputy Speaker, in accordance with [sections] 26(1) and 26(2) of the [Casino] Gaming Act [2014], why hasn’t a copy of the Minister’s annual report been presented to the House? These reports will provide the Minister and the House with the operational details and activities of the Commission for each of the years gone by. Given that we have spent millions and millions of dollars on the Commission, I would have thought there should be some accountability and we would have had these reports presented to the House based on what is in the legislation. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I note that the Minister of Finance has been appointed as the Minister in question to the Gaming Commission. I understand that the Premier is also the Minister of Finance. So, [does that] imply that the Minister of Finance will soon shift from
B ermuda House of Assembly the Premier’s responsibility to a new Minister of Finance? [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Mr. Deputy Speaker, the other issue when it came to correspondent banking . . . and the Premier spoke to it. And I think it is an issue of separation of duties as the Premier said, and govern-ment interference. And it is interesting reading the two pieces of legislation, the BMA and the Gaming Com-mission. Because right now, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Premier/Finance Minister can confirm whether or not the CEO can be appointed by the Minister of Finance. In addition, the Minister of Finance also appoints the directors, or the Commissioners. In addition, any loans or borrowings that are granted to the Gaming Commis-sion, they too have to be approved by the Minister of Finance along with any proposed working plans for the Commission for each year. So, again, the question becomes, this oversight, this overreach, is it right? I know that some of this is already in the BMA and if we are truly looking to be independent, could we revisit these sections of the legislation? Because if the Commission is to be truly, truly independent, then some of the overreach imbedded in the legislation could be rev isited. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have a number of hotels that are in the parking lot. And we could talk about the Elbow Beach Hotel and the Bermudiana Beach Hotel. They are in the parking lot right now. And they are waiting to see what happens with St. Regis. They are waiting to see what happens to Southampton Princess, or Fairmont Southampton. And I think they are going to be looking very closely at what we do here today. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, again, the Premier must get the gaming solution correct for all stakeholders if we are to provide a more refined product offering to our international visitors and our international hotel investors. Mr. Deputy Speaker, when it comes to the legislation to modify the regulatory obligations, we do not have any problems with that at this point. As long as . . . it was made clear that this is exclusive of the powers and recommendations that are prescribed in our anti-money laundering and anti -terrorist financing legislation and regulations. Other than that, the flexib ility and the empowerment given to the Commission is a step in the right direction. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, with those brief remarks, I will take my seat.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Mr. Simons. Any further speakers? The [Chair] recognises the Honourable Member Zane De Silva. You have the floor, Mr. De Silva. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The Opposition Leader confused me today. I expected him to get up and beat his chest …
Thank you, Mr. Simons. Any further speakers? The [Chair] recognises the Honourable Member Zane De Silva. You have the floor, Mr. De Silva. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The Opposition Leader confused me today. I expected him to get up and beat his chest for a little bit of success that his bank —his bank— Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Honourable Member is — Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I didn’t hear a point of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Point of order. The Honourable Member is misleading this House. I do not own a bank and I do not work for a bank. So he must, as usual, stop misleading the House. Thank you. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: The bank that the Honourable Opposition Leader used to work at and presently, I am sure, has a close affiliation to . . . I don’t hear any points -of-order on that one! [ Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Honourable Opposition Leader started by saying that he and his colleagues, in principle, support. What does that mean, that in principle you support these changes? I think the Premier heard, he listened, he heard what the financial institutions had to say, and that is what these amendments are for. Yet, the Opposition Leader went on for a time talking about all sorts of things that I really didn’t think he was going to talk about today. His second question was when can we expect casinos? Which is, again, astounding. If my memory serves me correctly, they had almost five years to do it. But they didn’t get it done.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerWhat is your point of order, sir? POINT OF ORDER
Mr. L. Craig CannonierYes, the Gaming Commission did not come into fruition in 2012 December. It was years after that. He said we had five years; we did not. We literally had less than three years by the time the Commission was put in place. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Well, thank …
Yes, the Gaming Commission did not come into fruition in 2012 December. It was years after that. He said we had five years; we did not. We literally had less than three years by the time the Commission was put in place. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Well, thank you. Thank you for that confirmation. So they had three years. Sorry. I apologise; I said four and a half years.
Mr. L. Craig CannonierNo, you said five years. Hon. Zane J . S. De Silva: So, I said four and a half years, I said five, I said six, pick your number. But you 1202 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly said three. There is no doubt about …
No, you said five years. Hon. Zane J . S. De Silva: So, I said four and a half years, I said five, I said six, pick your number. But you 1202 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly said three. There is no doubt about that. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, what happened in three years then?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNothing! Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Three whole years. [Crosstalk ] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Not a thing in three years!
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerI would like to . . . I am trying to hear the speaker. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Deputy Speaker, he went on to quote our Premier’s statements during 2020/21. Oh, it’s coming. But he did say that the Prem-ier, when he did make an announcement, said …
I would like to . . . I am trying to hear the speaker. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Deputy Speaker, he went on to quote our Premier’s statements during 2020/21. Oh, it’s coming. But he did say that the Prem-ier, when he did make an announcement, said his hope was to have. Maybe if we didn’t get so much opposition, casinos would have been up and running. But certainly, I don’t have to tell the Opposition Leader about making statements and then them not coming true. [ Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I don’t have to remind that Honourable Member, do I? Because sometimes things happ en. We had the OBA announce 2,000 jobs were coming in 2012. How did that work out for them? In fact, we didn’t lose 2,000 . . . we didn’t gain 2,000 jobs, we lost 2[,000]. So they had 4,000 jobs that they said they were going to create. But see, stuff happens. [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Oh, let’s not go there. But the Honourable Opposition Leader said we couldn’t get our act together. Well, I would say since 2017, after we had to use a phrase, after we looked under the hood a little bit and made some adjustments, here we are! With some significant, significant changes. And it is our hope that we see casinos soon. It is our hope that we see them soon. We all know that they are good for Bermuda. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: How long is soon? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Oh, the Honourable Opposition Leader [asks], How long is soon? Well, I would venture to say . . . I will put my head on the chopping block and say it will be less than three years. How about that? Okay? The Honourable Opposition Leader talked about the money spent over the last several years and I think he mentioned $6 million, if I heard him correctly. And he says yes. So, it was $6 million. What is $6 mil-lion into $160 million, for Morgan’s Point? [ Inaudible interjection and laughter]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWe have something to show for it. [ Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Oh! And the Honourable Member says he has something to show for it. Yes, he has something to show for Morgan’s Point and that $160 million. You know what he has to show for it? …
We have something to show for it. [ Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Oh! And the Honourable Member says he has something to show for it. Yes, he has something to show for Morgan’s Point and that $160 million. You know what he has to show for it? He has to show $50 million in interest for it, and legal fees!
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersYes. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: That is what he has to show for it! [ Inaudible interjections]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierWe are talking about gaming. Let’s talk about gaming. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: See, they don’t like when you do a little cross -referencing, do they, Mr. Deputy Speaker? [ Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They hate cross -referencing. [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. …
We are talking about gaming. Let’s talk about gaming. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: See, they don’t like when you do a little cross -referencing, do they, Mr. Deputy Speaker? [ Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They hate cross -referencing. [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, just a little cross- referencing, as the Honourable Opposition Leader did in his little speech. He did some cross -referencing. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the other thing the Honourable Opposition Leader talked about was the Commission and its makeup. But it is funny, because he said, and I will paraphrase, he expects more as we develop. So wait a minute. He complained that there were no experts on the Commission. But then he finished by saying that he expects more as we develop. His words. Well, you would know, Mr. Deputy Speaker, as a businessman, we know that sometimes we can have ideas as businessmen and you start at the early stages, it might be on the back of a cigarette pack, and as you advance those, what do you do? You hire expertise that is needed. So, as we get closer, as things progress, as we make amendments like we are making today, you may find that we have someone who the Opposition Leader is more akin to liking. But for the most part, if you look at the members of the Commission, I think they make a pretty good team.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMm-hmm. B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I am sure the Honourable Opposition Leader didn’t have a problem when Alan Dunch was on that Commission and leading it, along with some of his colleagues. Yes, Richard Shuetz. Now, we aren’t going to talk about his …
Mm-hmm.
B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I am sure the Honourable Opposition Leader didn’t have a problem when Alan Dunch was on that Commission and leading it, along with some of his colleagues. Yes, Richard Shuetz. Now, we aren’t going to talk about his history because we found out a little bit about him, didn’t we? So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I just want to finish off on some of the things that this is going to do. Because I know that this Progressive Labour Party is interested in economic recovery. And this is going to be one of them.
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonWhen oh when? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: And the Honourable Member Susan Jackson, When oh when? It is coming. They know it is coming. It is coming. It sure is coming. See, because what this would do, I believe . . . and I will declare my interest. …
When oh when? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: And the Honourable Member Susan Jackson, When oh when? It is coming. They know it is coming. It is coming. It sure is coming. See, because what this would do, I believe . . . and I will declare my interest. I love a little Blackjack. I love a casino. I think most people know that. I have said it before in this House a hundred times. And, Mr. Dep-uty Speaker, let me just say this. I was sitting off at Hard Rock Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, playing a little Blackjack, and the renovations they have made are outstanding. And guess what? They predicted that a long time ago t oo. It took them a little time to get it done. But they did. Mind you, I would like to have their bankroll. But the thing is, Mr. Deputy Speaker, as I sat playing Blackjack, three guys walked up and joined me. And we got to talking, as you do at a Blackjack table. And these guys, said, Hey, your accent. And I said, Yeah, I’m from Bermuda. Okay, we got to talking. And I said, Where are you guys from? [And they said], Oh, we are from up in New York. [And I said,] Oh, you come down here to play a little golf, I guess. [They said,] Oh, no. We have been down to the Bahamas playing golf because they have a casino. And we always take two days on the way back and we stop here, and we play. And you know what I was asked—well, actually, I was told. They said, Yo u guys don’t have casinos, do you? I said, Not yet! He said, Well, I just wish you would because you guys got some beautiful golf courses in Bermuda. And the minute you open up a casino, we guys are go-ing to be changing our plans. And that is just one group. And I know . . . and do we have any other golf . . . oh, Honourable Member Dunkley is not here. I am sure if he was he would tell you, a lot of golfers — [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Who is that? Oh, who is that? Where . . . oh, Jason! MP Jason Wade. Well, well! That’s right. And actually he is playing quite well. He is probably the best player in the House at the moment, I understand. I have yet to find out for myself. It is coming soon. But, no, what golfers do, Mr. Deputy Speaker, as you will probably know, is they look to do other things outside of playing golf. And so do their spouses, girlfriends, and what have you. So, casinos will be a benefit to the tourism product in this country. It will create jobs for our people. And let me tell you something else, Mr. Deputy Speaker. As someone that does go to casinos all over the world, what I enjoy the most is talking to some of the dealers and croupiers and the people who work in the casinos. Because most times that is where they are from. If you go to Turks and Caicos, you go to any one of the islands, the majority of the staff are local. And I hope that is where we are going to be. I really do. Because you do get talking. Sometimes, Mr. Deputy Speaker, they will stop playing the game to have con-versations. And everybody joins in. So, I think it would be a great economic benefit for Bermuda. And I think that once it does happen, and that first one comes, I think that we are going to find other investors in the world who want to join in too. So, with that, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I certainly support this. I don’t expect anyone else up on the other side—I hope —to get up and follow the footsteps of the Opposition Leader. I really hope they do not. Because I thought when he started . . . I guess I should have known by the we support in principle. Usually it is we support, but. So I really hope that we don’t see much more opposition to this. And we certainly look forward to getting these amendments passed and getting this casino rocking in Bermuda. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member. Are there any further speakers? The Chair recognises the Honourable Member Craig Cannonier. You have the floor, Mr. Cannonier. [ Inaudible interjection]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierThank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I think for this particular Bill and for the industry of gaming in Bermuda, I think we all know the his-tory. We have already heard three Members speak to it. I think if I would put it in a nutshell, I just want to know …
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I think for this particular Bill and for the industry of gaming in Bermuda, I think we all know the his-tory. We have already heard three Members speak to it. I think if I would put it in a nutshell, I just want to know what the plan is going forward. Gaming is an industry that has been around to our Caribbean cousins for quite some time. Had we moved back then before all of these new financial re-strictions had been put in place, we probably would have been well on our way. But that is to no blame to anyone in this particular House, it’s just that we were 1204 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly slow to the idea of having casinos here, maybe because of our conservatism that we are just getting to this point. So, you know, time has gone by. And I know, certainly, we wanted to move quickly to get the gaming done. It had its challenges. And after consultation, quite frankly, with two of the hotels, myself in particular with one . . . well, two, but more so with one, and some of my colleagues and some of the other hotels looking to have gaming, it is apparent and it is very clean that banking was the issue and continues to be an issue. The other issue that was brought forward was that legislation needed to be upgraded, updated be-cause it was felt that the initial legislation was a bit on-erous. And it was thought that the industry was not nec-essarily worth what we said it probably was worth from the get -go. But suffice to say, it was new. It was something that we were looking at and certainly we can complain about who has been on this board or that board and the likes, the facts are that in 2014 we did seek to have a Commission put in place. And in 2017 that re-sponsibility was transferred to our current Government, the PLP. So, you know, five years down the road now, I think we are still facing the same issue. And that is, number one, legislation needed to be upgraded. Num-ber two, the banking issue is still an issue, or a chal-lenge, especially because of . . . not because nec essarily the local banks. But certainly their corresponding banks are having challenges. So with this particular Bill in place I think the question really is, and we are hoping to hear from the Premier, does he actually believe that this is going to move us closer to a casino? So, I go back to what I was asking in the question, What is the plan going forward? Because what we don’t want, at the end of the day, is to have another hotel say, Well, look. I’m frustrated. I am at that point, you know, it has been several years now. And combining those years to both Administrations, that we have invested in this, in the millions of dollars. As I understand from one particular hotel $10 million and counting, having already sought out the equipment and the like sitting in a warehouse, and even some of that equipment could be outdated by now. So the reality for us is, How quickly can we move? And as a legislative body we have seen many times with other particular legislation, Bills, that we can move fairly swiftly if w e understand the variables. So, I want to be clear. And I am sure the Premier will say, Well, yes, he does understand the variables. But based on the correspondence and the consultation that has been had, I get . . . okay, fine, it needed to move from under the guidance of the premiership. It has nothing to do with the person. The premiership, the title, it needs to move away from that. But does this particular Bill then suffice in adding to the concerns that we are hear-ing from the industry stakeholders, like the banks who would be taking care of the money, and the hotels, is this moving them closer by putting it under the Ministry of Finance? And I guess my question, at the end of the day, is . . . Listen, it’s been under the Ministry of Tourism, it has been under the Ministry of Economic Development. It could still be under those, but with this particular Bill we are actually saying, No, it needs to go under the Ministry of Finance. And I believe at the time when that concern was made, if we go back and look at the actual timeframe, that was when we had a different Finance Minister. [ Inaudible interjections]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierSo, I am just trying to understand as we move forward, does this Bill actually fulfil the case and the challenge that we are having? You know, I am not going to sit here and go over other issues with projects and the like. This is im-portant. It is extremely …
So, I am just trying to understand as we move forward, does this Bill actually fulfil the case and the challenge that we are having? You know, I am not going to sit here and go over other issues with projects and the like. This is im-portant. It is extremely important that we get this done. And when we hear from the stakeholders that they would like to see this done as soon as possible, can we realistically expect that this is going to solve the challenge? So I am hoping to hear from the Premier that he will lay out the plan going forward, now that we are going to pass this Bill, as to exactly when the existing licence that is in place will be able to move forward. Be-cause we know they have the infrastructure already in place . . . it’s not in place, sorry. It is sitting, [waiting] to be put in place. And maybe we can get Hamilton Princess back on board and understand some of their chal-lenges and concerns. And if there is to be a third, then certainly whoever that is —I don’t know who that might be, but whoever that is —then we can move even swifter with getting legislation to the table and ensuring that this is done. It really is not about us going back and forth. It is about the stakeholders who have been told that we are going to get this done. And we are going to make sure that we make Bermuda whole. When you look at gaming, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I mean, we are really late to the game. I mean, really, really late to the game. So, the amenities that we have in our tourism product, one of them was gaming. What we do not have existing right now, we don’t even have entertainment. I mean, you come here, you can’t . . . where can you go for entertainment, per se? You know, maybe a hit here and there, but at the end of the day, the entertainment for the industry has been stripped. And listening to the Honourable Member when he was saying, you know, people would love to come to Bermuda to enjoy some of the amenities. Well, quite frankly, right now, we got golf and beaches. And maybe I should add to that, great restaurants. But the consumer is looking for a whole lot more. And I know that we can do better. So my call to the Premier is to lay out to the public what is the plan going forward so we can fill
B ermuda House of Assembly some of these gaps., so the stakeholders can be assured that we are going to move forward, and swiftly move forward, because without a doubt, both the OBA and the PLP —both the PLP and the OBA —do support gaming for Bermuda. Under both of our Administrations we were looking to get this done. We are now in the eighth year, maybe a little more, you know, counting the years, it is now time to move on, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and get this done. So hopefully our Premier will lay out, once this is through, what is the plan. What exactly is the plan to have the first casino open because, you know, our cousin, the Honourable Member De Silva, wants to play Blackjack— Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, I do! [ Laughter]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierAnd so let’s get this thing done so we can enjoy those amenities and his friends can come to Bermuda. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The Depu ty Speaker: Thank you. Are there any further speakers? There appear to be none. Oh, the Honourable —
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy Speaker— Anthony Richardson, you have the floor.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonGood afternoon, Mr. Deputy Speaker, to my colleagues and those in the listen-ing audience. I am going to try, Mr. Deputy Speaker, to set the headline for tomorrow’s RG, and any other publication. The reason why I will do that is because the headline . . . let’s put it …
Good afternoon, Mr. Deputy Speaker, to my colleagues and those in the listen-ing audience. I am going to try, Mr. Deputy Speaker, to set the headline for tomorrow’s RG, and any other publication. The reason why I will do that is because the headline . . . let’s put it this way, Mr. Deputy Speaker. If I was going to write the headline, what I would say is that the Opposition Leader today has proven the point that the Gaming Commission is in fact entirely independent of the Premier and Minister of Finance. That it is already independent. Now why do I say that, Mr. Deputy Speaker? Hon. E. David Burt: Tell us. Tell us why.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonIt is because the Honourable Cole Simons, as the Opposition Leader, has re-peated the fact that the Premier has said on multiple occasions that he hopes that the casinos will come to the fore. We know full well that with the Premier, without any . . . criticism —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberShadow of a doubt. Mr. Anthony Richardson: Shadow of a doubt, thank you. —is a stickler for promise made/promise kept. So we know full well that if it was entirely within his realm to make this happen, it would have happened a long time ago. So, on that basis alone, …
Shadow of a doubt. Mr. Anthony Richardson: Shadow of a doubt, thank you. —is a stickler for promise made/promise kept. So we know full well that if it was entirely within his realm to make this happen, it would have happened a long time ago. So, on that basis alone, we have to conclude that the Gaming Commission is in fact independent. Now, what I will come to now, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is that we all know that one of the things that we like to have in business is actual certainty. And cer-tainty helps us to plan, and the more certainty we have we can plan even further into the future. But, Mr. D eputy Speaker, what I am concerned about today, to be honest, is that obviously I have not been in any way, shape or form a part of these negotiations. But I have been listening to what the Premier said earlier, and it seems as though one of the local entities is constantly changing the goalpost. So, in the one instance you say, Okay, fine. If you do this, we will be okay. Next, Now you got to do this and we will be okay . And then something else, and we will be okay . And so for today, Mr. Deputy Speaker, in terms of the Opposition asking whether or not this will come to the fore and how fast will it come, my plea is this —it is one of the things that I referred to the other day when we were talking about the payroll tax change. And that is for them to get off the fence and give a wholehearted support for what is taking place. Get behind it, with the Premier to make sure that everyone does fully support [it]. Now, clearly, there may be some little, small differ-ences, but I think we need to be much more robust in our support for this to ensure that it can come to the fore. I am actually smiling in my mind, Mr. Deputy Speaker, because if I had it correct, the current public entity that seems to be one of those holdups was actu-ally a recipient of the Government’s assistance a few years ago. And I am told that in the absence of that as-sistance, the entity would not even exist today, by a large measure. And so we have to start being more honest about these things, Mr. Deputy Speaker, in terms of yes, we are here and we are politicians on different sides, the whole nine yards. We got that. How-ever, Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have to also accept the fact that, guess what, Bermuda is bigger than any of us individually. And so let’s all get on board to ensure that we can support what is proposed in terms of the casi-nos.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerWhat is your point of order, Honourable Member? POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] 1206 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Mr. L. Craig Cannonier: I think the Honourable Member is misleading the House. The issue of the particular entity that he is talking about, it is …
What is your point of order, Honourable Member? POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] 1206 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Mr. L. Craig Cannonier: I think the Honourable Member is misleading the House. The issue of the particular entity that he is talking about, it is about regulation. It’s not about whether we bailed them out or anything like that. It has nothing to do with that. [ Inaudible interjections]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierIt is about regulation; nothing to do with whether they were bailed out.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonMr. Deputy Speaker, I have to be very polit e, and I won’t even address what the Honourable Member just said. Because he is actually not correct in the sense that unless we dispute what the Premier is saying, it is that they continuously change the goalpost. So it is …
Mr. Deputy Speaker, I have to be very polit e, and I won’t even address what the Honourable Member just said. Because he is actually not correct in the sense that unless we dispute what the Premier is saying, it is that they continuously change the goalpost. So it is about that in this instance. That is not regulation. The regulation will come through the BMA perspective and that has already been addressed. So I will move on, Mr. Deputy Speaker. What I will say though is that the . . . I must try my best to stay focused and not listen to the interpolation by the Hon-ourable Member and the other one who may attem pt to say something who sometimes does not use honourable language, so I will leave that alone. But, Mr. Deputy Speaker, what I will say is this, in terms of what is also being proposed is that from a business point of view again, we have to understand that when regulations are in place, that you have to be able to scale it. And so the Leader has said, the Premier has said already that part of this is going to ensure that there is some flexibility in terms of what is put in place. And we know that, for exa mple, in one location you may need to have 15 employees. But to achieve the same objective, you can sometimes reduce it to say 5 or 10, depending on what it is. So we have to be practical (this is my business point of view, by the way) in terms of ensuring that these things can be afforded. I will also say, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that we all are in Bermuda. We all have conversations. And we understand what some of these hangups actually [are] in terms of from the operator’s perspective. And so I know that I am speaking factually right now in terms of there is a need to be more flexible and this is allowing that there has to be more flexibility when it comes to operating the proposed casinos. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I guess I will repeat what the Premier has said also in terms of let us be sure that we understand that this is no way reducing the regulation to ensure that we are effective around the whole KYC and anti -money laundering perspective because that is always going to be important for Bermuda’s rep-utation going forward. And so let’s be sure that we understand that. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I will also say that, again, in terms of us being fully transparent, this is obviously going to be a good thing for Bermuda. You spoke, Mr. Deputy Speaker, at the last sess ion in terms of the employment and the importance of the hotel industry and how it is going to provide lots of jobs. This is part of that. And what I will say to everyone here and also in the listening audience, is that there are some very simple things, you know, in terms of the casinos are an amenity, as I was told. And what they meant by that is that you may not come to Bermuda just for the casino, but you will come if you know that this is actually available in terms of before dinner, you are waiting ar ound, after dinner you are waiting around for something, so those are two times you would do it, and also during times of inclement weather. So even if we (in my case, me) do not necessarily (well, not necessarily, I don’t) gamble, in that sense we have to understand the context of what this is for Bermuda. And I do know with a certainty about this, is that to the extent that these licences move forward, then Bermuda will benefit from a very simple perspective of more people coming. Once it happens, how will they get from the airport to other locations? It is going to be by taxi, limousine, minibus. And that is oper-ated by many “regular” Bermudians. And so people will start to benefit. What happens after that, Mr. Deputy Speaker? I am in Bermuda for, let’s say, a week or a weekend. I have got to eat. I have to stay somewhere. And so, again, we are starting to move on. And what we have sometimes, many times actually, is I will serve you and I give good service, I will get a tip. And in this case a cash tip, so I won’t have to worry about paying payroll tax by the way so I can still earn more money. What I am saying, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is that this is going to be very important. I am trying to emphasise the point again for the Opposition to let’s not have this tentative support. Let’s have full support. Let’s really get on board, and, ideally, for the Honourable Cole Simons to say, We support this without reservation. That is how we will start to move forward. Mr. Deputy Speaker, of course, this also ties in to the Economic Recovery Plan. We all know that Bermuda and the world of course went through the whole process in terms of COVID -19 and we are starting now, I believe, to get back to pre- COVID -19 levels of various activities in Bermuda. And this would speak again to the hospitality sector. Mr. Deputy Speaker, if we go back even as someone referred earlier today to the SAGE Commis-sion. The SAGE Commission talks about the fact that to the extent that money is generated, there is a multi-plier effect and so if somebody spends, let’s say, $1,000, the impact on the economy is going to be al-most $2,000 by the time it actually multiplies because I spend $1,000, it impacts the hotel, it impacts the chamber maid, the bus boy, the taxi driver, a whole [lot] of people. So therefore, you do get this tremendous impact if we move forward. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I will just say this one more time. And that is that we need to make sure that
B ermuda House of Assembly while we are in different parties and have different perspectives on things, I honestly believe that we all want the best for Bermuda. And sometimes what has to hap-pen is we have to really get on board in an unreserved manner to ensure that things can move forward. And if we can do this in this instance, I will say it again, get off the fence, and let’s be fully supportive, I think we can move forward a lot faster because even the bank, which I understand is part of this challenge, would move for-ward faster if they knew there was full support. My final comment, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is this. The Honourable Mr. Cannonier, I believe, said that this is not personal. And I accept that it is not personal. But if you look at the . . . what I want to say is some of the recent history, it makes it appear as though it is per-sonal to the Premier, i.e., David Burt in this instance, in terms of what they are trying to get done. And so I just want to say that I really hope that we can see quite clearly that we have now made so many adjustments that have been required that we are at a final stage whereby they understand, they accept that what is cur-rently being proposed is a very similar process as ex-ists for the BMA, in that, yes, the Minister of Finance— no name, the Minister of Finance— will be responsible for the gaming and that should hopefully help us to be able to move forward. And if it doesn’t happen, we are going to have some challenges because we want to make sure that everybody fully supports it. Thank you, Honourable Cannonier, I see you nodding, which means that, yes, he is off the fence and is going to support it. So thank you.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you. The Chair recognises the Honourable Richard [sic] Pearman. Mr. Pearman, you have the floor. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Before I start let me declare an interest. I am obviously affiliated with the law firm that represents some of the hotel resorts that would …
Thank you. The Chair recognises the Honourable Richard [sic] Pearman. Mr. Pearman, you have the floor. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Before I start let me declare an interest. I am obviously affiliated with the law firm that represents some of the hotel resorts that would love to have casinos open in Bermuda. They would love to have casinos open in Bermuda, just like the OBA would love to have casinos open in Bermuda. And it was the OBA, of course, who introduced this whole idea several years ago. So the suggestion from behind me by the last speaker, a backbencher, that this is somehow us getting in the way or sitting on the fence or not getting fully on board—
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerWhat is your point of order? POINT OF ORDER
Mr. Anthony RichardsonI just want a quick one. I thought that we were supposed to refer to each other as Honourable Members, so the idea of this person, backbencher , the innuendo sometimes is just . . . just unnecessary. Thank you.
Mr. Scott PearmanI am grateful for the clarification. The innuendo is perhaps that we may be now talking about the future Finance Minister. We will wait and see. But he is an Honourable Member nonetheless and I believe he is constituency 7, which is actually how we are supposed to refer to …
I am grateful for the clarification. The innuendo is perhaps that we may be now talking about the future Finance Minister. We will wait and see. But he is an Honourable Member nonetheless and I believe he is constituency 7, which is actually how we are supposed to refer to people in here —so the Honourable Member from constituency 7. Mr. Deputy Speaker, let me tell you a little story. It is a story about a bird and an admiral.
Mr. Scott PearmanNow, the bird, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is an ostrich. Now, the ostrich we are all familiar with because he sticks his head in the sand and he cannot see. The suggestion made by the previous speaker, by the Honourable Member, was that because the Government of Bermuda stood behind one …
Now, the bird, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is an ostrich. Now, the ostrich we are all familiar with because he sticks his head in the sand and he cannot see. The suggestion made by the previous speaker, by the Honourable Member, was that because the Government of Bermuda stood behind one of our financial institutions in a previous period of difficulty that this financial institution should now do whatever the Government wishes it does, is a nonsense. It is an — Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Point of order! Point of order!
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerWhat is your point of order, Mr. De Silva? POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: The Honourable Member knows that he is misleading this House, Mr. Deputy Speaker. He needs to withdraw that. Because no . . . he did not say it . . . …
What is your point of order, Mr. De Silva? POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: The Honourable Member knows that he is misleading this House, Mr. Deputy Speaker. He needs to withdraw that. Because no . . . he did not say it . . . the Honourable Member just said that we expect the bank to do whatever we say. We never said [any] such thing. What he said was [that] the bank should be a little bit more amenable to work with this Government. That is what he was saying.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerHonourable Member, clean it up a little bit, please, Mr. Pearman. Mr . Scott Pearman: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I believe what he actually said is that the bank should “get on board.” Those were his precise words. [ Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanI will let the listening audience and you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, determine what “get on board” means. 1208 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Mr. Anthony Richardson: Point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerWhat is your point of order? POINT OF ORDER
Mr. Anthony RichardsonI just want to clarify, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The point I made was that the institution appears to be giving . . . constantly changing the goalpost. And so I am not asking anybody to get on board. What I am saying is to be consistent. So you make a …
I just want to clarify, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The point I made was that the institution appears to be giving . . . constantly changing the goalpost. And so I am not asking anybody to get on board. What I am saying is to be consistent. So you make a statement, we expect these things [to be] done, and we expect the institution to then say, O kay, fine. Once these things have been satisfied, you go forward. I am not asking anybody to get on board. And the insin-uation has to be removed in terms of me expecting that they do whatever we want them to do. That’s actually, not, not, not what I have said. Thank you. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am glad that he has clarified that he is not inviting a particular financial institution to get on board. And he has clarified that. Now the ostrich has taken his head from the sand. But let’s go to the admiral. [ Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonMr. Deputy Speaker, clearly, we are trying to be reasonable. For the Honour-able Member, who I said before sometimes uses dis-honourable language, to refer to me as being an ostrich with my head in the sand, out of the sand, that has got to be withdrawn, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonI will say again, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that my point I simply made is this: That if is the institution wants . . . they have made certain recommendations, or requests, they have now been fulfilled. They cannot constantly move. That is what I am talking about [with] consistency and …
I will say again, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that my point I simply made is this: That if is the institution wants . . . they have made certain recommendations, or requests, they have now been fulfilled. They cannot constantly move. That is what I am talking about [with] consistency and about being changed. And so for the Honourable Member to constantly say that I’m . . . for him to insinuate that I am trying to say that the institution should do what we want to get done, that is not true. They are leading, but they have got to be consistent in what they are asking for. And I really re-quest, directly almost, Mr. Deputy Speaker, for the Honourable Member to be honourable. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy Speaker—that statement about the ostrich, clean it up. Clean it up. Mr . Scott Pearman: Right. So the ostrich— [ Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanYes. Yes. Well, let’s move on from the ostrich to the admiral. Shall we, Mr. Deputy Speaker?
Mr. Scott PearmanWell, kindly direct me as to what you would like me to say.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerWell, the thing is, what you said you basically . . . y ou didn’t say it, because one thing I believe in language is what it says — Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerNot quite what people think it is, right. That why I asked you to clean it up. Mr . Scott Pearman: All right. Okay. Well, I have stated for the record that the Honourable Member behind me, from constituency 7, clarified that he was not inviting a certain financial institution …
Not quite what people think it is, right. That why I asked you to clean it up. Mr . Scott Pearman: All right. Okay. Well, I have stated for the record that the Honourable Member behind me, from constituency 7, clarified that he was not inviting a certain financial institution to get on board. And we were moving on. If you would like me to clarify anything further , I will be directed by you, but —
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerContinue. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerWhat is your point of order, Mr. De Silva? POINT OF ORDER Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Deputy Speaker, to help the Honourable Member out, I have made the mistake from time to time and had to withdraw a certain com-ment. That is what it means by clean …
What is your point of order, Mr. De Silva? POINT OF ORDER Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Deputy Speaker, to help the Honourable Member out, I have made the mistake from time to time and had to withdraw a certain com-ment. That is what it means by clean it up. [ Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: And it takes a big man to do that sometimes.
B ermuda House of Assembly Mr. Sco tt Pearman: Thank you. Well, unfortunately, I am kind of a big man, but you know, I am working on that, around the middle. That was the bird, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And of course, the other bit was the admiral. And the admiral is one of the greatest military heroes of history, a chap called Horatio Nelson. And there is an expression, Mr. Deputy Speaker, called “Nelsonian knowledge.” And what that means is that Admiral Nelson was in the mid-dle of a sea battle. And he was told by the Admiralty to withdraw, and they would send him a signal. And if that signal was given, he must withdraw. So the signal was given. He was told by someone on the ship, I think I see a signal. And he took his spy glass, and he had an eye patch you may recall from history, and he put the spy glass up to his bad eye and he looked out the spy glass over his eye patch, and he said, I see no signal. And so he did not withdraw. And that has generated not only the expression “Nelsonian knowledge” but it is also the expression of “turning a blind eye.” And what it means, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is wilful ignorance; it means a pretence that you don’t actually know what is going on when in fact you do. And the problem with this Bill is very, very clear. It is that a Leader of the Government should not have direct involvement with casino gaming. That is the problem. [ Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanAnd so to be cute and say, Oh, well, you said I should move this to the Finance Minis-ter—who at the time, of course, was not the Premier, it was another gentleman—You said I should move it to the Finance Minister. Now I am the Finance Minister, I am going …
And so to be cute and say, Oh, well, you said I should move this to the Finance Minis-ter—who at the time, of course, was not the Premier, it was another gentleman—You said I should move it to the Finance Minister. Now I am the Finance Minister, I am going to move it to the Finance Minister. Mr. Deputy Speaker, that is Nelsonian knowledge. That is actually turning a blind eye. That is pretending to see what you want to see. The reality is not to amend this Bill because, of course, the Premier has it in his power to appoint what-ever Minister he wants as the Minister for casino gam-ing. So the reason I say this . . . and I heard some chirping behind me that I am being personal. I am not being personal. What I am saying is, this amendment will do no good. It will not solve anything. It will not get casinos open in Bermuda. If . . . if the Premier having passed this legislation decides —and it is his decision —that he is no longer going to be the Finance Minister, and someone else will be, well, we will see. But the idea that the leader of a government, any government, any country, should stay clear from casino gaming is really not very novel or astounding, which takes us back to the ostrich. And what I would say is this: We, in this Opposition, do support the idea of casino gaming in Ber-muda. We do want to see casinos open. But when independent people in this jurisdiction or others, say this isn’t going to fly (ostrich again) because of this problem, we should listen and we should solve the problem. We shouldn’t go through a pretence that we are solving the problem, and then not actually solve it. The problem, quite clearly, is that the Leader of our Government should have nothing to do with c asino gaming. [ Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanAnd who made that clear ? I am being asked from an MP behind me. I don’t know which one. [ Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanAnd the answer to that is, corresponding banks, outside of this jurisdiction. So, again, with regret, Mr. Deputy Speaker, this Bill will solve nothing. And what is worse is that the only games that seem to be played are the games around this room. So I ask this, Are we …
And the answer to that is, corresponding banks, outside of this jurisdiction. So, again, with regret, Mr. Deputy Speaker, this Bill will solve nothing. And what is worse is that the only games that seem to be played are the games around this room. So I ask this, Are we going to just continue with wilful ignorance? Or do we really want casino gaming on our shores? That answer rests with one person, and it rests with the Premier. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you. Are there any further speakers? The Chair recognises the Honourable Jamahl Simmons.
Mr. Simmons.
Mr. Jamahl S. SimmonsThank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. One of the many unfortunate flaws of the Westminster system is that an Opposition is often reduced to capitalising on perceived missteps. And so it is very easy to develop a culture where (not intentionally perhaps) one hopes for failures. One hopes for missteps. One …
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. One of the many unfortunate flaws of the Westminster system is that an Opposition is often reduced to capitalising on perceived missteps. And so it is very easy to develop a culture where (not intentionally perhaps) one hopes for failures. One hopes for missteps. One hopes for delays. And it is unfortunate because that is where you get the prevarication, the playing all sides, the I- hope- this-succeeds -but-it-won’t -succeed and the lack of consistency. But, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am going to go back to something that the Honourable Opposition Leader said in reference to the composition of the board. And he made it very clear that he thought there should be a gaming professional on the board. And there is merit to that, Mr. Deputy Speaker. But the question I would ask is, when the original board was composed in 2014 under the legislation developed by the One Bermuda Al liance Government, with your indulgence, Mr. Deputy Speaker, may I read what this says? “Pursuant to section 7 of the Gaming Act 2014, the Commission shall consist of the following five mem-bers who shall be appointed by the Minister” (we will come back to that in a second) “(a) a chairman who 1210 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly shall be a barrister with not fewer than five years post - qualification experience; four other members including one person who shall be a public account register or deemed to be registered under the Chartered Profes-sional Accountants of Bermuda Act 1973; one person who shall have a background in law enforcement or anti-money laundering or anti -terrorist financing or compliance issues; one person who shall have a background in the tourism or hospitality industry.” Under the law the composition of the Gaming Commission Board is filling the criterion that was laid out by the One Bermuda Alliance. [ Inaudible interjections] Mr . Jamahl S. Simmons: I do not make up the rules. I just read them. So we go back to the beginning where we have talked about now the point that I raised where I said we will get back to about “appointed by the Minister.” So if there was concern about any political entity and wanting full distance from the government, at that point maybe they should have thought about having a different setup. But here is the thing, Mr. Deputy Speaker. This reflects what most jurisdictions are doing just as what we did in 2017 and do today reflects what the BMA Act does to maintain their partiality. Now I am not going to get into too many things. But I was the one who piloted the 2017 Bill. And I can tell you that it was necessary at the time. And there were those in the Gaming Commission on t he board at the time who are aware of why it was necessary at the time. And the courts of Bermuda are aware of why it was necessary at the time. So, you know, I took a lot of abuse then and I take abuse to this day. And the reasons were sound, the reasoning was sound and we found the best legal avenue to do what needed to be done. But when I was the Minister, we had the Goldilocks syndrome when it came to the banks. One was too big, global policy would not allow them to do it. One was too small. One was just right. One. So the process of working with the one bank has been a challenge for successive Ministers. And I am not going to disparage them or talk bad about them. I understand they have shareholders and people they need to be accountable to. But it is key that for this to succeed the one bank has to work with the one Government. And that is a partnership that will be beneficial for the country. (My colleague said, Just not the One Bermuda Alliance. ) But that is what is going to be key. This is the key. So as I mentioned earlier, the Westminster system creates hopes. You live for delays. You live for the ability to be able to say, Well, you said it would be Thursday, and now it’s Friday. Where is it? And I get it. I have been there/done that. But we as a country need to move this forward. And this legislation gets us closer to making it a reality. It has been a long road. And it has been a long road because to be honest, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Bermuda was late to the game long before the Progressive Labour Party took power in 1998 and long before the OBA took power in 2012. It is our late-ness to the game that has caused many of the prob-lems that we are having. And it has made it more diffi-cult for successive governments to move this forward. It is important that this move forward, not because I believe casinos are a panacea and will solve anything and, you know, fill planes with people. We have a product problem, Mr. Deputy Speaker. We have a product problem in Bermuda. And the more amenities . . . I do not gamble. I am not a gambler. I will go watch Zane spend some money. I will go watch some of my friends spend some money, but I just —I am too poor. Maybe it is a rich man’s sport. [ Laughter] Mr . Jamahl S. Simmons: But it is not for me. But I do not have any moral judgments against those who do have it. But there are people who want to be able to have the option. And this is another piece in their arse-nal to get us to have that option. It is an opportunity for Bermudians to get trained and have skill sets that will be usable, not just in Bermuda but around the world. It is an opportunity for us to expand and grow our appeal. Because we have a product problem. And this is a step closer to fixing it. But we also have to now —and I would encourage the Opposition to do what I do, put forward your ideas in terms of enhancing the product. We have many, many of our people in the private sector, restau-rant owners, night club owners, entertainers, who have ideas for broadening and relaxing the legislation that is inhib iting growth. And there is an opportunity there because I think that we—you know, in Bermuda we are very blessed. We were the first. We were the prototype of tourism. And to this day when I travel around the re-gion, everybody says, Bermuda at its best, a B ermudian at his best is the best they have ever experienced with customer service. It is unparalleled because of the level of attention, the individual, the personality. It is something that is inherent with us. But because we were first, along comes Hawaii. Along comes [the] Bahamas. Along comes everyone else! And while we were the first and the prettiest, we kept saying, Well, I don’t do this and I don’t do this. And I don’t do this and I don’t do that. And Hawaii says, Well, you know? I do a little more than you do. And this is the problem, because we cannot compare ourselves to Dubai and Monaco if we are not giving the same ex-perience or comparative experience. And so it is my hope and I would like to see, perhaps in my old age, tourism and education be two of the things that we find a way to have a more elevated conversation about, and one that is less fuelled by the natural adversarial nature of the Westminster system to hope for missteps and delays and failures. This is a step forward, a step forward. But this is something that
B ermuda House of Assembly we will need to go forward together on. This is something the bank will need to go forward with us on. And any other options that arise we need to capitalise on and get moving. So this Bill has my support. I wish the Premier best of luck with gaming. I tell everybody the one happiest thing about no longer being the Minister of Eco-nomic Development and Tourism is I do not have to deal with gaming. [ Laughter] Mr . Jamahl S. Simmons: I do not miss it at all. So, best of wishes to you and all who succeed. Thank you.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you. Thank you, Honourable Member Simmons. The Chair recognises the Honourable Member Christopher Famous. Mr. Famous, you have the floor.
Mr. Christopher FamousGood afternoon, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am going to take lead- off from my honourable colleague from [constituency] 33 where not so much speaking to the specifics of spyglasses and ad-mirals and ostriches and apologies, but more so tor-toise and the hare, Mr. Deputy Speaker. [ Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Christopher FamousH-A-R- E, for avoidance of doubt. Mr. Deputy Speaker, honourable colleague Jamahl Simmons, Jamahl Snaith- Simmons, said it adequately. In the year . . . ironically, we do have to thank someone for our success. A guy named Adolf Hitler. Anybody know about that guy? A bad guy. But not …
H-A-R- E, for avoidance of doubt. Mr. Deputy Speaker, honourable colleague Jamahl Simmons, Jamahl Snaith- Simmons, said it adequately. In the year . . . ironically, we do have to thank someone for our success. A guy named Adolf Hitler. Anybody know about that guy? A bad guy. But not as bad as Horatio Nelson. But anyway, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Adolf Hitler decided, Hey, I want to be like Pinky and the Brain. I want to take over the world. And the Colonial powers said, Hey, this guy, this new kid on the block is about to take our stuff. What shal l we do? What shall we do? I know. Let’s trade destroyers for a base in the Atlantic called Bermuda! So where the honourable colleague of [constituency] 12, but from St. David’s where his people come from (some of his people come from) was taken from them to create an airbase. And that air base served the Allies well. They helped to defeat this guy, Hitler, mean-while a smokescreen for their own atrocities. Because they had this airbase, Bermuda has a head start in tourism, Mr. Speaker. We were one of the first islands in the region, Mid Atlantic, Caribbean re-gion, to have an airbase that could accommodate jet-liners, passenger jets. So our tourism product grew and flourished for decades. Bermudians were able to move out of farming and fishing and into tourism. It did not work out so well for your people, Mr. Deputy Speaker. They took your land.
Mr. Christopher FamousBe that as it may, Mr. Speaker, we became the hare. We were like, We’re better than those other islands! They ’re still down there picking mangoes, cutting sugar cane, fishing for conch. We had US dollars real easy. And subsequent genera-tions were able to build houses, send their children …
Be that as it may, Mr. Speaker, we became the hare. We were like, We’re better than those other islands! They ’re still down there picking mangoes, cutting sugar cane, fishing for conch. We had US dollars real easy. And subsequent genera-tions were able to build houses, send their children to school and so on. But somewhere along the line in the 1980s, some folks in Chancery Lane said, Hey, let’s do something else. Let’s make more money. Let’s give up tourism. Let’s not pay the tourism workers. And the BIU [Bermuda Industrial Union] had to stand up and say, No, no, no, no. You’re going to pay us. Hyperinflation. They do not want to pay the workers to keep up the cost of living. The BIU had to stand up. All the other unions had to stand up. And some people say, Oh, that’s what caused tourism to go down! No, no, no, no, no, no. They already had planned for tourism to go down. But meanwhile our cousins, biological and otherwise, in the south said, Hey, Bermuda’s model is pretty good. Why don’t we build our own big airports, our own big hotels and [capitalise] on that? And that they did, Mr. Speaker. While we were up here with identity crisis —Are we a tourism destination? Are we an international business destination?—our cousins to the south had a clearcut plan: We are going to be a premier tourism destination. We are not going to be ashamed to tell our children to go work at a hotel. We aren’t going to be ashamed to say, have your own taxi services, your own rental cars. This is the year 2023. We do not even have rental car service in this country. So I say, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that when we look at our brothers and sisters to the south of us, Turks and Caicos, [the] Bahamas, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Martin, Suriname, not every island has casinos. But the point is it is an amenity. It is not a catchall. People are not flying there just to go to a casino. They could los e their money in Atlantic City if they wanted. It is in- addition -to. So when we have these Bills, when we have persons in and out of the Gaming Commission trying to move things forward, and we heard the sniping from the side—Oh, this isn’t going to work. Oh, that’s not going to work —let us go back to the 1980s. Who were the ones trying to destroy the tourism industry then? Ask yourself that because it is a pretty parallel course now, right? So I say to the Premier, I say to my colleagues on both sides, we could decide to remain to be the hares. But we have to understand that tortoises have outrun a few. The then- tortoises are now the hares. We are now the tortoises. So it does not help when we have people wilfully saying things in the newspaper, in the medi a that helps to paint a non- true image about a gaming industry that has not got off the ground, yet for little political gain but for economic carnage. 1212 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am going to sit in my seat. All I am going to say to the Premier is, press on, Mr. Premier. Our economic recovery is on the way. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member Famous. Are there any further speakers? There appear to be none. Yes, one, the Deputy Leader of the Government, the Honourable Walter Roban. You have the floor, MP Roban. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to speak on this Bill. …
Thank you, Honourable Member Famous. Are there any further speakers? There appear to be none. Yes, one, the Deputy Leader of the Government, the Honourable Walter Roban. You have the floor, MP Roban. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to speak on this Bill. It has been an interesting discussion. It sort of began following the presentation of the Premier, the Honourabl e Finance Minister, a little strange. And I say that because, certainly , the Opposition Leader’s submission did have a lot to be desired from my standpoint because I would have thought . . . and although a few other speakers in the Opposition did fol low . . . and I do not like to spend too much time talking about the Opposition because, you know, I am here to do the Government’s business —
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes. Hon. Walter H. Roban: —not to get preoccupied with their utterances on matters. But I have to sort of speak about this only because I would think, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that they would be quite, even more, enthusiastic about amendments like this to the gaming regime than we are. …
Yes. Hon. Walter H. Roban: —not to get preoccupied with their utterances on matters. But I have to sort of speak about this only because I would think, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that they would be quite, even more, enthusiastic about amendments like this to the gaming regime than we are. I would think so. But we get a sort of dysfunctional line of ut terances from that side around these matters , maybe because they are trying to create a political opportunity . I do not know. But it defies the logic of it, frankly. And in some cases, I am trying to figure out where their minds are because the foundation legislation, as some of them said, did start with them! So presumably, anything that has answered the success of this finance, fundamental legislation, since there seems to be some debate as to when this all started . . . the legislation says the Gaming Act of 2014. So we know when it was passed, when it came to this House and when it was debated, and under which Government it was. That is not under dispute.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Which is why I find it difficult that they would be critical of this Government’s efforts to try and actually make what they started a reality. Since there seems to be . . . although because of the Opposition Leader ’s comments it seems to …
Yes. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Which is why I find it difficult that they would be critical of this Government’s efforts to try and actually make what they started a reality. Since there seems to be . . . although because of the Opposition Leader ’s comments it seems to be fuzzy as to whether they support these efforts in an unqualified manner. Now, a Member who followed seemed to say, Yes. Somebody in between said, Yes, probably. But seemingly this was primarily new legislation when it was passed in 2014 to bring about something new to this country. Seeing it ultimately be successful because . . . a nd I am not doing this to disparage them. It is just a fact. By July 2017 we had no casinos. But there was an aspiration that we would have them. And that aspi-ration was picked up by this Government. The reason why we did not have casinos then is the same reason now. Is there at least an acceptance of that? There was primarily an issue of the banking question, right? The foundational legislation that we are changing to make it more flexible is their legislation. So the inflexibility, the fact that there was the Minister responsible for gaming terminology was their terminology that they had in there. We are changing this legislation to actually reflect what now we are told, at least by the banks in their language, will make it work. But clearly there were issues back then which we are still working through now, why we did not see a casino between 2014 and 2017. And I say that not to push blame on them. It is a historical fact that we did not have a casino in 2017 like we do not have it now. We do have gaming here, so I think it needs to be changed to say [not] that we have no gaming—we do have gaming. There are other forms of gaming here in Bermuda. Casino gaming and in the models which are devised in this legislation are what we do not have. And this legislation seeks to bring that about. And as we know, the whole gaming framework of the Island has now been consolidated regulatory -wise under this legislation. So here we are. I would hope, as Members have called [for] in this House, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that they want unqualified support of what is happening today because it will make their foundation legislation successful. And there is no one here . . . despite some of the stuff that went on around this legislation, wanting to remove this legislation from the table, we need this legislation. We need f or it to work. We need for the work that is being done by the commission to be successful. And yes, the Honourable Opposition Leader brought at-tention to what the Premier said publicly. But as the Honourable Member for constituency 7 said, it is very clear that there is no interference by the Premier in this process because there are no casinos , despite his aspiration to see it happen. It is obviously governed by processes and circumstances over which the Honourable Premier and the rest of the Gov-ernment have no control , because the commission sits independently in its deliberations and its regulatory op-erations around the gaming industry. And the reasons why some operators have not realised their invest-ments is because of things that have to do around that regulatory framework. And just to reflect on that a bit, Mr. Deputy Speaker. There was something said about this issue of the influence of the Government , or the independence
B ermuda House of Assembly of the operation of the commission, and much commentary in the actual environment about that even coming from the other side. But I heard something said by the Honourable Leader of the Opposition about changing some of the process. Now, as a Minister who actually sits in an area of which I am responsible for , regulatory matters, what I can say from the experience I have had in that space since 2017 is that the provisions that are in the Gaming Act are virtually the same as those in the Regulatory Act of 2011. The Regulatory Authority actually was set up by the OBA, although the legislation that was passed was passed by the PLP. The provisions in that Act as it relates to the Minister’s ability to give direction are the same as in the Gaming [Act]. Also, I as the Minister have the capacity to shape energy policy, telecommunications policy. So are they saying . . . is the Opposition Leader saying that the Minister of Finance should not be able to set finance policy or economic policy that might influence gaming? It is the same thing with the BMA [Bermuda Monetar y Authority] . Not only does the Minister of Finance (who just happens to be the Premier) interact with the CEO and Chairman of the BMA on a regular basis, the Minister is also responsible for economic pol-icy that influences the area of industry that he sit s in. They are not asking for the Finance Minister to change his operation under the BMA structure. So why should the question come up about the gaming? Why should the Minister responsible for Finance, who is responsible for Gaming , not be able to make po licy around that industry? Of course he should! Just as I am responsible as a Minister for regulatory af-fairs in telecommunications and electricity, and in energy generally for the country, I am the Minister responsible for energy policy for Bermuda just as the Minister of Finance should be under the Gaming Act policy. So this is my dilemma with the utterings of the Opposition. They should actually be prepared to sup-port this legislation in an unqualified way. If anything, pressing the Government to do more to get gaming here, to realise, presumably , the very legislation that they offered which they put in place to set up this industry—presumably. But that is not the message that we are getting. It is a fuzzy message, very fuzzy. But I would hope that they get over their fuzziness and see the light and get behind the whole legislation frankly, because this is what it is about.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Coming to this House and almost talking questionably about their own legislation that they passed that they presumably want to take credit for is bizarre to me.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Extremely bizarre. But let me move on, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerPlease. Hon. Walter H. Roban: This effort to realise a casino gaming industry is important to the country’s economic recovery plan, to the economic policy, to the diversification of our economy and to create jobs, to promote inward investment. And there are presumably parties who have already prepared themselves to …
Please. Hon. Walter H. Roban: This effort to realise a casino gaming industry is important to the country’s economic recovery plan, to the economic policy, to the diversification of our economy and to create jobs, to promote inward investment. And there are presumably parties who have already prepared themselves to do that. And we thank them for that preparation. As has been very clear certainly since 2014, one of the big issues has been the banking component to it. Honourable Members have already spoken to that in some detail, the Honourable Member for constitu-ency 7 in particular, about what appears to be . . . and the Honourable Premier in his submission spoke to it about the different conditions that we have seen evolve from particularly . . . and the Honourable Member from constitu ency 33 sort of spoke of the journey that has gone with one particular banking institution. Well, for me this kind of brings up memories of other matters that I think we have to speak to. I think it is very important that the banking industry understands. Other than its role here to carry out what they are licensed to do under the Banking Act [Banks and De-posit Companies Act 1999] and under whatever regu-latory Act that governs their conduct and behaviour in the country, they also, in my view, have to operate in the country’s interest. I think that is important consider-ing the considerable influence they have on the welfare of the country, the health and welfare of the economy, the health and welfare of the many residents who are here. As the Minister who had some responsibility for Consumer Affairs at one point , where I was working with others around banking conduct and ensuring that there were clear rules around how the banks interre-lated with consumers, I know that this was a difficult process because the banks were not always willing to actually come on board wholeheartedly with some of the things that we were proposing. And I look forward to the Honourable Attorney General at some point, along with the Ministry of Finance, bringing about the fullness of how that should operate ultimately , because I believe the banks also have a duty to not only work with the Government , but also to work in the interests of the ordinary citizens of the country and be to their benefit. As we know, the banking industry has not always been a great friend of everyone. And to some people, right now the banks might be the worst industry around because of what we see happening globally and the unsettledness that we find when banks, when they do not operate responsibly, can bring disquiet and fear and concern to the welfare of the average person. Because of what is happening up here by those who 1214 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly seemingly think they are powerless , they are like powerful and do not have any responsibility to the average person. I think banks must understand they have a duty to the public interest, a duty to the welfare of a community in which they operate to ensure that the economic health and welfare of that community is sustainable. And if it means working with the Government to ensure that a new industry evolves and is cultivated, and the necessary capital and the necessary activities within that industry , from a financial standpoint , can be successful and that successful investment and development are encouraged and their roles are crucial , I think they ought to take a little extra effort to work with the Government in this effort, because the health of the bank and the health of the community should be seen as being one. So the health of consumers and the wel-fare of the citizens of that community, the bank should see that they have a responsibility to also participate in that and not be seen as moving the goalposts when there is genuine aspiration to cultivate an industry that is going to bring positive activity to the community in which they operate. I think they should see themselves as being duty-bound, because this is more than just about the bottom line at the end of their financial year. This is about showing that they are contributing to the growth and advancement of the community and operating in the public benefit even as a private institution, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Banks have to remember that they have wider responsibility, as certainly in this community we do not have a central bank where monetary policy and fiscal policy are somewhat . . . or, you know, operate as a lender of last resort. Essentially, the banks operate in that fashion here. So they have great control over the welfare and direction of the economy. And we have seen certainly since 2008 things that have happened within lending and people’s homes and mortgages of which the banks have had a great role in influencing even more than Government has been able to influence. And even as this Government has sought to get their cooperation in some areas, it has been hard going with some areas that are integral to the interests of the public to ensure that families can keep their homes, people can save their businesses, people can see their financial aspirations realised with starting businesses. And it has , in some c ases , required this Government to actually put more ability into the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation to provide that upliftment and that support , because people cannot find it in the private banking industry be-cause some of our banks are holding onto the lending like a vice grip. So I think it is important, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that we remind the financial services industry, the local industry, that you have a duty to support the public in-terest as much as you are supporting your own share-holder interest, your own profit interest and whatever global interest you have because that is also the role you must play. So, as the Government comes with reasonable, healthy economic proposals that are to benefit the country, I would hope that the banks give it good consideration because they have a public interest. And I might say, I say this not trying to be onesided because I know, obviously being a Member of the Government, that we have some healthy financial relationships with the banks in other areas. And they do support —
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerBut this is about the Gaming Amendment. Bring me back to that. Hon. Walter H. Roban: I am talking about the responsibilities the banks should have when (as has been highlighted in this, Mr. Deputy Speaker, about thi s Act and this Act being realised) we know that a chief …
But this is about the Gaming Amendment. Bring me back to that. Hon. Walter H. Roban: I am talking about the responsibilities the banks should have when (as has been highlighted in this, Mr. Deputy Speaker, about thi s Act and this Act being realised) we know that a chief part of this issue has to do with banking. I am talking about banking as a chief component to realise the success of this legislation because some of the measures that we have changed here have been i nfluenced by the bank. That is why I speak about the banks, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And I am coming to a conclusion on my comments. But I thought it was important to make these points. The banks have a responsibility to support the public interest where they can. Because the public in-terests, when they are supported with the Government, realise prosperity, realise opportunity, realise the health and welfare of the country. And that is why we must work together. I look forward to the Opposition’s sup-port for this Bill. I also look forward to other key sectors supporting the changes that we are bringing. And presumably, Mr. Deputy Speaker, as has been spoken about, they will. Presumably the changes that this Bill brings, this is what they want to see. And we wil l see their support going forward, as this Government, along with others, seeks to realise the important realisation of a successful casino/banking industry in Bermuda. I look forward to seeing that, and we all should be working in this House to make sure it happens. Thank you.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member. Are there any further speakers? I recognise the Honourable [Member] Susan Jackson.
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonThank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I have been listening to this debate, and I can imagine that those who are out there in our listening public who are also trying to keep up with this debate must be quite confused at this stage. And I just wanted to get to …
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I have been listening to this debate, and I can imagine that those who are out there in our listening public who are also trying to keep up with this debate must be quite confused at this stage. And I just wanted to get to my feet to give a simple explanation of what I believe is happening here. And that is that we as a country have explored the idea of introducing gaming
B ermuda House of Assembly in Bermuda. We have opened the gates and issued licences to a couple of establishments. So there is a commitment now to do something and we are going to try to move forward with this and make it work. I would like to preface by saying that we are pretty slow out of the gate at this point because gaming, which was once a real favourite, is now an amenity in hotels and such that is waning a little bit. People have gotten used to gaming. It does not have the same flair that it used to. So even if we did get to gaming, I am not absolutely convinced that it is going to have this free-for-all joy and excitement, because everybody does it in many jurisdictions.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberExcept her e.
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonExcept here, as my Honourable Member has just said, is exactly that. We as a country have to accept the fact that in order for us to be able to introduce gaming in Bermuda, we absolutely must leave that commission and the evolution of the gaming propositi on to an …
Except here, as my Honourable Member has just said, is exactly that. We as a country have to accept the fact that in order for us to be able to introduce gaming in Bermuda, we absolutely must leave that commission and the evolution of the gaming propositi on to an independent body. The reason why we are having these goalpost changes is because we are dealing with— Mr . Wayne Caines: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. Point of order, Mr. Speaker. [ Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. Mr . Wayne Caines: Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Mr . Wayne Caines: The Member is misleading the House. The gaming is run by an independent body, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Member, be mindful of the clarification.
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonThank you, Mr. Speaker. My point being that in order for us to actually move gaming forward at this point, we have to acknowledge the fact that we have to play with the banks. And the banks have their own rules of the game. Banks have been put in a …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My point being that in order for us to actually move gaming forward at this point, we have to acknowledge the fact that we have to play with the banks. And the banks have their own rules of the game. Banks have been put in a situation. And they are not necessarily . . . I mean, I do not know if they are particularly happy with it. But they have to play by certain rules as well. And the rule that they have to play by is that they have to make absolutely sure that when they are exchanging funds, when they are dealing with, in particular something like gaming . . . because it does have a historical nuance of attracting undesirable play-ers to the game. So the banks have been put in a pre-carious situation where they are not able to pursue or get involved with the financing around gaming because they have to make absolutely sure all of their i’s are dotted and all of their t’s are crossed. So they are asking Bermuda . . . and I know that the Government very much wants to get this right. And I know that we do not have a lot of people on the Island from whom to pick in order to have real, inde-pendent Government oversight or whatever the minis-terial involvement is in this. But we have to find a way to present a viable model where we are showing that the independent commission is absolutely independent in order for them to get on with the business of allowing gaming to take place and the banking relationships to exist. [ Inaudible interjections]
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonAnd we can sit here and fight and fuss all we want, and try to get the banks to play — Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: The Honourable Member . . . I do not know if she is misleading the House intentionally or not. But when she said we have to make sure the independent commission is really independent. That is [implying] …
Point of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: The Honourable Member . . . I do not know if she is misleading the House intentionally or not. But when she said we have to make sure the independent commission is really independent. That is [implying] something else, you know. And it needs to be withdrawn. Mr . Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order, yes. POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motive]
Mr. Wa yne CainesPoint of order, Mr. Speaker. This Member is imputing improper motive. The thought that whoever in the Government is playing games, Mr. Speaker, I ask that she withdraw those words as well, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMadam, it was raised earlier the fact that the body is an independent body. To go down that road is [implying] that you could be intentionally misleading. So I am mindful of the fact that it was brought to your attention already. So I am going to ask that you …
Madam, it was raised earlier the fact that the body is an independent body. To go down that road is [implying] that you could be intentionally misleading. So I am mindful of the fact that it was brought to your attention already. So I am going to ask that you sway from going down that course of comment and just with-draw the last comment because it was stated after it had already been clarified. 1216 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Ms. Susan E. Jackson: Yes, Mr. Speaker. I withdraw it. So if we can find a way, if we can find a way where we can — [ Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMembers. Members. [ Inaudible interjections]
Ms.
Susan E. Jackson—where we can present a model. And I understand that the Government is frustrated because the choice of ministerial participation in this is causing us to go in circles. And I heard a previous Minister talk about changing goalposts, et cetera. Maybe it is that we have to find a …
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersPoint of order. Point of order, Mr. Speaker!
Ms.
Susan E. Jackson—I didn’t say the commission. — Mr . Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker! Mr. Speaker! Mr. Speaker!
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! Members, take your seat. I am just trying to see what she is trying to say before I take a position, be-cause we have already spoken. I just want to see where . . . I am giving …
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! Members, take your seat. I am just trying to see what she is trying to say before I take a position, be-cause we have already spoken. I just want to see where . . . I am giving a little leeway here to see what point she is trying to raise. Go ahead. I am giving you a little leeway, Member. Now, I just spoke to you about what we clarified. [ Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonSo I know that the Government is not going to listen. And whatever we say they will do the opposite.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThat is not necessarily the case. You just present your position. Present your position.
Ms.
Susan E. JacksonA previous Member did say something that clicked in my mind.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMm-hmm. Ms. Susan E. Jackson: Gaming was a part of the economic recovery. So why could it not be in Economic Development? And then it might be a goalpost that will stay firm and be acceptable to the banks. So that is the solution that I would like to place …
Mm-hmm. Ms. Susan E. Jackson: Gaming was a part of the economic recovery. So why could it not be in Economic Development? And then it might be a goalpost that will stay firm and be acceptable to the banks. So that is the solution that I would like to place on the table because this is a debate and that is what we are looking for. I am not convinced that the legislation as it has been amended is going to be enough. I believe that it may cause further confusion and frustration. And it will continue to slow down the process. So if we rea lly do want to progress gaming, I believe that it would be in our best interests to find a solution that is absolutely going to be a good win for all of the people and the players involved. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Madam MP. I think you were able to guide yourself through that minefield very easily in the end. Would any other Member like to make a contribution? Minister Hayward. Hon. Jason Hayward: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My comments will be extremely brief. Mr. Speaker, the Government received a …
Thank you, Madam MP. I think you were able to guide yourself through that minefield very easily in the end. Would any other Member like to make a contribution? Minister Hayward. Hon. Jason Hayward: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My comments will be extremely brief. Mr. Speaker, the Government received a letter from the bank which set out three conditions that they asked to be met so that we could proceed with gaming. The first two conditions were met. The third condition is a change which was requested, a change of the gaming to be moved from the Ministry of Tourism portfolio to the Ministry of Finance portfolio. That is a change that we are making. So it would be our expectation that once those changes are made, it would satisfy the bank’s conditions. What I am hearing on the floor of the House today is that, notwithstanding we meet the bank’s con-ditions as set out in their letter, that is still not going to be good enough. And the question I have continuously asked Members while they were on the floor is, Why? What information do they know that supersedes the information that the rest of us know in this House? Mr. Speaker, I am now hearing that the challenge is that it is the Premier. The banks did not indicate that they had a challenge with the Premier in their con-ditions. They simply asked for the portfolio to be moved from the Tourism Minister’s portfolio to the Finance Minister’s portfolio. That change has been made. So if there is a question or concern with the Premier overseeing gaming in Bermuda, then the banks should make that explicitly clear. We want to see a successful gaming industry in Bermuda. But if you set out conditions and we meet the conditions, it is the expectation that the next step is that we discuss how we can make gaming in Bermuda a reality. Thank you, Mr. Spe aker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. B ermuda House of Assembly Does any other Member wish to make a contribution at this time? MP Swan.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYes, Mr. Speaker, thank you. From my notes the situation in Bermuda with regard to gaming has to be looked at in context. And the context is that there was real good reason why we are still here at this point. Culturally, it took Bermuda a long time to accept …
Yes, Mr. Speaker, thank you. From my notes the situation in Bermuda with regard to gaming has to be looked at in context. And the context is that there was real good reason why we are still here at this point. Culturally, it took Bermuda a long time to accept that gaming was actually something that we wanted. I remember some 10 years ago, Mr. Speaker, being one who was more of a traditionalist and felt uncomfortable. And I did something. Someone said to me, Look. Why don’t you test how we think? So I took him up on it, and I organised a survey. And I organised this survey in my constituency. And I think I got a sample of a couple of hundred people. And I was going round getting this paper, Are you for gaming or not; and yes, maybe? I thought that I was on a good wicket. I remember someone saying to me this, Listen, Swannie, You cann’t tell me what I like to do with my time and [how I like to] spend my money. And that person was someone who was rather conservative and had a very strong opinion. And 62 per cent of the persons whom I surveyed were in favour of gaming. I said, Wow! Because at best I thought it would come out 50/50. And I thought that it would be maybe a different . . . so I kept going. That is why I had so many samples. You know, I mean, the people who pay you and tell you how people think in the country take a far less sample [size] than what I took in that particular area. And every time I thought I was going somewhere to sort of say, Look. This thing is going way over this way. I must be going to the wrong people. And everywhere I went, I started getting a different . . . So it took a while before we got to that point. But I will never forget there was a time when there was a lot of gaming in Bermuda at various establishments where some particular clubs kept themselves alive because liquor sales were declining. But you would walk through, you would see a few faithful sitting there having their regular toddy, and you went through to another room. And there you had machines. Re-member that, Mr. Speaker? Do you remember those days? And those places were doing a hopping business! And of course, there are some persons who were using up far more of their personal resources on gam-ing than they should have done. And I think the reason for looking into that was sound. And I think those are some of the reasons why when we looked at the legislation for gaming and looked at gaming actually coming to Bermuda, there were some provisions made to make sure that in particular when gaming does come, there needs to be something set aside for the type of side effects that come with it. But in that argument . . . and they always used to speak to me (that former Member of both the Senate, the other place, and the House). A very well -known lawyer, I do not mind calling his name, Mr. Pettingill. I wit-nessed him give two arguments, both compelling, on both sides of the fence from a couple of years. He gave a compelling argument as to why those things needed to go, and then he gave a compelling argument as to why they needed to stay. And I said, Well, look at that. But when that argument was taking place, the one thing that stood out in my mind was this: At that time cruise ships were in greater quantity on Front Street and St. George’s. Now they are in Dockyard, where the Hon-ourable Member Tyrrell presides over WEDCO. Of course a major component of cruise ships is the gaming component. And if you have 3,000 people on a cruise ship, you do not see 3,000 people at the casino. And you see families with children walking through casinos to go to dinner. And you might get one of us who, while we are waiting, might go in there to see if we hit the jackpot there. I will never forget going to Vegas to play golf in the morning. We used to get up at 5:30, have breakfast. My good friend, the late Campbell (his son is in this House), hit the jackpot. He sai d, Kim, the bells are ringing! Stay right here and let me go upstairs and get my passport. Seven days later he passed. (May he rest in peace.) But I am saying that to say this, gaming is an amenity that enhances a product. It helps to facilitate greater entertainment and the like. But in the midst of Bermuda getting to a place where gaming was accepted in this country to the ex-tent where no one is getting up and arguing that it should not be in place (it is the exact opposite), we have financial regulation s coming out the yin- yang because of KYC [Know your customer]. And anybody in compli-ance knows that! And we have, as Honourable Member Richardson said, goalposts being shifted around by banks. Right? Because they are trying maybe to posi-tion themselves, the same people who looked at us cross- eyed when this Government introduced FinTech and came and led the way with regulations. I will finish on this. The one thing that concerns me is the type of narrative that I keep hearing from the Opposition. And I am sure they are getting it from their overseas consultants. It is a narrative that tries to very cleverly throw very targeted darts at the Progressive Labour Party. And no one . . . You know, when this country introduced insurance in a big way, Jardine Matheson came to this country in the early 1980s or maybe 1970s. The Honourable Member Pearman might know the history a little bit better because he works where companies might have regulated them. It was the Finance Minister who was, what? The Premier who presided over that! And insurance is about speculation. Insurance is about hoping that you put up, you pay your premiums and I do not pay out. It is about speculation. And we had persons who held high offices who had bank char-ters. Got them and held premierships in this country. Not -ship, you know, - ships, multiple. And then [they] 1218 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly traded them. You do not hear anybody talking about That’s okay . But let a young Bermudian, a young Blac k man in a country that we are trying to get past a lot of things . . . and we keep hearing this regressive narrative time and time again. We heard it in the Opposition Leader’s speech, which I pointed- of-ordered, and I heard it again today. Stop it! It i s not helpful. Because we all want what is best for Bermuda. I am convinced you do. But you have got to move past the tendencies to act that way. It came from which we fight against in this country! Because I keep hearing it. You know, It has to be a separ ation between Finance Minister and Premier . It was okay for Jack Sharpe, who was Premier from 1976 up until that coup moment in the library when they came back in there and changed. It was okay for Sir David Gibbons, who then took over as Premier when Jack Sharpe was Premier, when Jack Sharpe was . . . it was okay for him to be Premier and Finance Minister. But it is not okay for a young, brilliant man named E. David Burt to do the same? [ Desk thumping]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanCome off of that, Bermuda! We have got to get past that! We cannot stop perpe-trating the type . . . because in this country the boardroom does not look like me!
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberKim, you are cooking with gas!
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanThey do not look like me in this country. And unless and until the Opposition can accept that as a problem and try to help us change it . . . Bob Marley sang a song.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWhich one?
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanThe one that the Honourable Haile Selassie wrote. He put it to words —Until.
An
Hon. Member An
Hon. MemberCome on.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanThe philosophy of one man, right? Until . . . the colour of his eyes . . . s ignificance, Until . Yes, you know the words. [ Laughter]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanI have not got my lyricist hat on right now. I did not write this down. But it is there. Until that day . And that is the problem that we come up against. And we come up against it in Finance. But you know what? When the historians look …
I have not got my lyricist hat on right now. I did not write this down. But it is there. Until that day . And that is the problem that we come up against. And we come up against it in Finance. But you know what? When the historians look back on this pe-riod and they look at where the world has gone wit h regard to regulations, they will say that this Govern-ment —that they were deriding, that they were finding every opportunity to ridicule, to turn people against —presided over the greatest economic boom in this coun-try and used its intuition and forward- thinking and vision to be able to move this country forward. So, Mr. Speaker, I just want to just shed a little light on what needs to be considered as we look at these matters. Thank you. [ Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member. Mr. Premier, you rose before I asked if anyone else wanted to speak. But being you have the floor, you can take the floor. How is that? Hon. E. David Burt: Law and Order 3 at 8, Mr. Speaker. [ Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo ri ght ahead. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker. I know that you were— [ Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThat side conversation needs to tone it down a little bit. Hon. E. David Burt: I know, Mr. Speaker, that you were out at a fitting send- off while I opened this debate so you would have missed the comments and where I started. I started by quoting the Honourable …
That side conversation needs to tone it down a little bit. Hon. E. David Burt: I know, Mr. Speaker, that you were out at a fitting send- off while I opened this debate so you would have missed the comments and where I started. I started by quoting the Honourable Opposition Leader (who is not in the Chamber). And I would have expected his support. But clearly, that is not what we got from his side. But, Mr. Speaker, I am going to go through the various points that were raised. And I will deal with the Leader of the Opposition and Finance Shadow Minister’s comments last. Let me start by saying that I am grateful for the comments from the Honourable Member from constitu-ency 29, MP Zane De Silva, because he mentioned the need for us to make sure we move ahead. There was a common theme about the fact of the deliberate, not - so-deliberate, veiled and not -so-veiled attempts to try to distract and distort and push the Government off of its agenda to delay for political advantage and not for country benefit, which is a challenge, which is what we continue to see. And unlike the Leader of the Opposition, I am also grateful for the comments from the Honourable Member from constituency 12, the former Premier, MP Cannonier, because they were constructive. And at least he knows and recognises that he would like to see and participate in anything that is necessary to make sure that we get this thing going because he knows from his experience how challenging this particular matter is. Very challenging indeed. But I am grateful for
B ermuda House of Assembly his remarks as they were offered in the spirit of bipartisanship. [ Pause] [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. E. David Burt: Be nice! [ Laughter] Hon. E. David Burt: And I am grateful certainly for the comments from the Honourable Member for constitu-ency 7, Hamilton South, MP Anthony Richardson, who certainly gave good input and spoke about this wonder-ful thing. It is almost as though if you cannot win. Be-cause if you promise something that is not your specific responsibility to deliver, so you are therefore held up for the responsibility for the inability to deliver something that you do not have the right control over, but yet you are held up to account for that not happening. But if you were to try to interfere, which you cannot actually do, then you are being told that you are interfering. It just sets it up very well. Because every single time a Member from that side will get up and say that we need to ensure independence, Members over here will get up and say, But there is independence because that is what we have in this country when it comes to regulatory agencies. But the Honourable Member from constituency 7 did a good job because he characteristically baited the MP who came after him, the Honourable Member from con-stituency 22. And who, with no surprise to anyone in this Chamber or in the listening audience, with the typ-ical privilege that his last name espouses, went there again—went there again. See, Mr. Speaker, it is like he cannot help himself. It is like the Honourable Member wakes up in the morning, drinks the nasty juice and says, How nasty can I be today? Mr . Scott Pearman: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motive]
Mr. Scott PearmanThe Honourable Premier is imputing improper motive. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Ostrich himself!
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAh-ah! Thank you. Premier, I was letting you get a little leeway there, and I was hoping you would not step over the line. I know you are more skilful than that. So I remind you to just stay within the right parameters. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I …
Ah-ah! Thank you. Premier, I was letting you get a little leeway there, and I was hoping you would not step over the line. I know you are more skilful than that. So I remind you to just stay within the right parameters. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I will be happy to be skilful. But here is what I will say. Mr. Speaker, you were not here when the Honourable Member w ent low, when the Honourable Member refused to withdraw statements twice, misstating what other persons had said from the Chair, unlike the Honourable Member from constituency — Mr . Scott Pearman: Point of order. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPut your point of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Mr. Scott PearmanThe Honourable Premier is misleading the House. Had I refused to withdraw a state-ment I would have been ejected. I clarified the remarks, and it was acceptable to the [Deputy] Speaker who was in the Chair. Had it not been acceptable to the [Deputy] Speaker and had he not so …
The Honourable Premier is misleading the House. Had I refused to withdraw a state-ment I would have been ejected. I clarified the remarks, and it was acceptable to the [Deputy] Speaker who was in the Chair. Had it not been acceptable to the [Deputy] Speaker and had he not so directed, I would not be here. So let us stick to the facts.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. I am going to ask all Members to be within the boundaries that we should be in regard-less of what may have been said when I was not in the Chair. Hon. E. David Burt: Absolutely, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWhen I was in the Chair, I directed another Member to be more skilful in their delivery. And, Premier, I would ask you to be more skilful as well. Hon. E. David Burt: I have no fear, Mr. Speaker. That I shall do. As I said, whatever juice he had …
When I was in the Chair, I directed another Member to be more skilful in their delivery. And, Premier, I would ask you to be more skilful as well. Hon. E. David Burt: I have no fear, Mr. Speaker. That I shall do. As I said, whatever juice he had this morning, he was on true form—true form. And look at that. So here we go, Mr. Speaker, going back to the introduc-tion. So the banks have said to align with the BMA. The Government says, goes back and forth, says that is not the way that we write legislation nowadays. That is old legislation. Legislation is written like this. We can switch responsibilities, et cetera, all the rest. But this is the way that these things are done. They said no. In order to make sure, we want to make sure that it is aligned with the BMA. So that is what is happening. But it was interesting, Mr. Speaker, to listen to his comments. And do you know what is the most inter-esting thing, Mr. Speaker? How the Honourable Mem-ber from constituency 22 knows more than the Ministry or the Minister of Finance surrounding this situation. Maybe, Mr. Speaker, the correspondent banks are his clients as well, as he started by declaring interest. I am not sure. And I saw that he wanted to make this per-sonal because the Honourable Member from constitu-ency 22— 1220 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Mr. Scott Pearman: Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motive] Mr . Scott Pearman: The Honourable Premier is imputing improper motive. I did not want to make anything personal. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I am not imputing any improper motive. I am going from what he said be-cause his comments were that this is about the Premier of the country. He wants to make it not about the Min-ister, but about me. So let us …
Thank you. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I am not imputing any improper motive. I am going from what he said be-cause his comments were that this is about the Premier of the country. He wants to make it not about the Min-ister, but about me. So let us continue. Mr . Scott Pearman: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Mr. Scott PearmanThe Honourable Premier is misleading the House. My comments in relation to the Premier not involving himself in relation to casino gam-ing are comments in relation to the role of the Premier, as I made very clear in my statements to the House. Whic h is why if there is …
The Honourable Premier is misleading the House. My comments in relation to the Premier not involving himself in relation to casino gam-ing are comments in relation to the role of the Premier, as I made very clear in my statements to the House. Whic h is why if there is going to be a Finance Minister responsible for this, it should not be the Premier him-self. It should be a separate Finance Minister. We also discussed who that might be. Thank you. Hon. E. David Burt: Oh, see? There we go. He has made my point for me. So he can continue to point -oforder if he wants but, Mr. Speaker, I am going to finish because Honourable Members in this Chamber and people listening will get it. Because as the Honourable Member for constituency 2 said, people are not stupid. They can see through what is going on. So as I said, maybe those correspondent banks are his clients as well. I am not entirely sure. But here is what I want to know. And I will happily yield. How does that Honourable Member know more than the Ministry of Finance? I will yield if the Honourable Member wishes to speak. Mr . Scott Pearman: I will treat it as a point of clarification.
Mr. Scott PearmanI invite the Honourable Premier to name one jurisdiction where the person responsible for the Government of that country is also responsible for casino gaming. The answer is none. None. [ Inaudible i nterjections and general uproar ] Hon. Zane J. S. De Si lva: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. …
I invite the Honourable Premier to name one jurisdiction where the person responsible for the Government of that country is also responsible for casino gaming. The answer is none. None. [ Inaudible i nterjections and general uproar ] Hon. Zane J. S. De Si lva: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. Point of order. Mr . Scott Pearman: And if he cannot realise that . . . Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI am trying to find in your response, Honourable Member, I am going to use this word, a legitimate reason why it cannot take place. It may not happen elsewhere; it may happen elsewhere. I have not the time to sit here right now and make that assessment of whether …
I am trying to find in your response, Honourable Member, I am going to use this word, a legitimate reason why it cannot take place. It may not happen elsewhere; it may happen elsewhere. I have not the time to sit here right now and make that assessment of whether it takes place elsewhere. But the issue of a Minister of Finance being the same person as a Premier has happened numerous times inside of this country and other countries. So that is not new to this country. The issue about the casinos, I do not find a guideline under which I can rule you for or against to stand by here. It is a comment — [ Inaudible interjection]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. It is a comment that you have expressed as your viewpoint. And we will take it as being your viewpoint. If it was somewhere within the guide-lines that it stepped across the line, I could then take a position. Right now it is your viewpoint, and you have the …
Yes. It is a comment that you have expressed as your viewpoint. And we will take it as being your viewpoint. If it was somewhere within the guide-lines that it stepped across the line, I could then take a position. Right now it is your viewpoint, and you have the right to express your viewpoint and you expressed it. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Do you need anything else from me, or is that, are we—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThat is fine. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you. Thank you. Hon. E. David Burt: So again, Mr. Speaker, here we go. Very good, wake up in the morning, very good, drinking his juice, very good coming in here t hrowing stones and all the rest. But when asked to …
That is fine. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you. Thank you. Hon. E. David Burt: So again, Mr. Speaker, here we go. Very good, wake up in the morning, very good, drinking his juice, very good coming in here t hrowing stones and all the rest. But when asked to substantiate his comments, could not do so. So we go again. How does that Honourable Member know more than the Ministry of Finance? Because I can say this. That at no point in time has anyone represented to the Government that the issue is who is in charge of gaming. Mr . Scott Pearman: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
B ermuda House of Assembly Mr. Scott Pearman: The Honourable Premier is misleading the House. That representation was made. It was made expressly. It was made four years ago, three and a half years ago, by me in the Parliament. Thank you very much. [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. E. David Burt: So, Mr. Speaker, apparently Mr. Pearman is also the bank. Now the situation becomes a little bit clearer. Mr . Scott Pearman: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motive] Mr . Scott Pearman: Yet again the Premier is imputing an improper motive. I am clearly not the bank. I do not act for the bank. I declared my interest in relation to ca-sino operators earlier. I did what should be done when there are potential conflicts of interest. I have no in-volvement in the bank. I have not spoken to the bank for the purposes of this debate. What I did do three years ago was point out to this Government that correspondent banks are not going to allow casinos to be open in Bermuda if there is perception of Government interference. It is a pretty simple point. Hon. E. David Burt: So there we go!
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo ahead, Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: So there we go, Mr. Speaker. Changing his words again! It goes from this is it to perception of interference. And where does that perception come from? That perception comes from the Combined Opposition, from the Member opposite — Mr . Scott Pearman: …
Mr. Scott PearmanThe Honourable Premier is misleading the House. The perception came from corre-spondent banks. Hon. E. David Burt: So we all note. Again, I will go back to the question. How does the Honourable Mem-ber know more than the Ministry of Finance? Because as I just said, no such correspondence, no …
The Honourable Premier is misleading the House. The perception came from corre-spondent banks. Hon. E. David Burt: So we all note. Again, I will go back to the question. How does the Honourable Mem-ber know more than the Ministry of Finance? Because as I just said, no such correspondence, no such knowledge, no such information or communication has come to the Ministry of Finance. So there we go. I will go back. The perception of interference comes from and is generated by the Combined Oppo-sition. Mr . Scott Pearman: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading, imputing improper motive]
Mr. Scott PearmanThe Honourable Premier is misleading the House again. There is no attempt to gener-ate a perception of interference. It is an observation that is held by a third party. We are not generating a perception. And imputing improper motive as well. [ Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Pearman, before we keep rising up and down on this, the third party is where the conver-sation sort of centres around. On one side your view is that the third party feels that there is an interference or a perception of an interference, when on this side the Ministry …
Mr. Pearman, before we keep rising up and down on this, the third party is where the conver-sation sort of centres around. On one side your view is that the third party feels that there is an interference or a perception of an interference, when on this side the Ministry responsible has a direct interaction with that third party and it has not been expressed to him. So this is where the difference lies. Unless you can state clearly and produce — [ Inaudible interjection]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI was about to say that, Mr. Premier. If you can state clearly and produce something that says that the third party really does have a prob-lem, then it is purely just a viewpoint versus another viewpoint. And you cannot keep getting up and down on viewpoints. Hon. E. David …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMember, Member. Just enjoy that nice ly, Member, please, because I have addressed the matter. Thank you. Ho n. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker , because I did not interrupt the Honourable Member when he spoke. I did not interrupt at all. But clearly I am touching a …
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberTouching the truth! Hon. E. David Burt: Ah, yes; touching the truth.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerJust speak to me. Just speak to me. Speak to me. Hon. E. David Burt: I am with you, Mr. Speaker, because, again, after multiple times and occasions I have asked a very basic and simple question: How does that Honourable Member know more than the Ministry of Fi-nance? How …
Just speak to me. Just speak to me. Speak to me. Hon. E. David Burt: I am with you, Mr. Speaker, because, again, after multiple times and occasions I have asked a very basic and simple question: How does that Honourable Member know more than the Ministry of Fi-nance? How does that Honourable Member know more than the officials there who are in communications with the banking institutions? 1222 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly But let me go on, because before being interrupted again, I was speaking about the Combined Opposition, because the Honourable Member [mentioned] the perceptions of conflicts of interest. And those perceptions of conflicts of interest, Mr. Speaker, come from the Combined Opposition with their statements here, reported in their mouthpiece over there on Bermudiana Road, continuing, continuing, continuing again. (Or is it Par -La-Ville? I cannot . . . Par-La-Ville.)
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPar-La-Ville. Hon. E. David Burt: Par -La-Ville Road. So, Mr. Speaker, let us cast our minds back, because the Honourable Member from constituency 33 spoke very clearly. How many times did that side say, how many times did they say, Oh, the change in direction makes it seem as though …
Par-La-Ville. Hon. E. David Burt: Par -La-Ville Road. So, Mr. Speaker, let us cast our minds back, because the Honourable Member from constituency 33 spoke very clearly. How many times did that side say, how many times did they say, Oh, the change in direction makes it seem as though if there is some type of influence over the commission, and that is going to be a problem, et cetera, all the rest. Making it up. Perceptions of conflict. Mr. Speaker, while you were not here, I read what was said in the letter from the bank because I can only go from official communication. I must not get invited to the same cocktail parties as the Honourable Member from constituency 22. I can only go from official communication. And the official communications that came to this House to the Gaming Commission, Mr. Speaker, said (and I quote, I will read it again for your benefit, Mr. Speaker). It said, “We are aware that there has been considerable discussion in the media by former members of the commission with respect to the ability of the Minister to give general directions to the commission as prescribed in section 8(2) of the then- Casino Gaming Act 2014 by way of a 2017 amendment. Based on the presence of an identical clause in the BMA Act 1969 and in the governing Acts of most of Bermuda’s public Authorities and quangos, we do not believe that this section needs to be amended if the other amendments noted above are enacted.” So again, Mr. Speaker, the perceived conflicts come due to the work of the Combined Opposition. That is where they come from. And here is the chal-lenge— Mr . Scott Pearman: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motive] Mr . Scott Pearman: Yet again the Premier is imputing improper motive. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I am not imputing improper motive. I am just stating the facts. And the facts are that the—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWait, wait, wait — Hon. E. David Burt: The facts are that the press has run numerous stories using unnamed sources s aying that the change in 2017 is the reason why banks will not bank gaming, which has been clearly debunked to-day in this Honourable House. It has been …
Wait, wait, wait — Hon. E. David Burt: The facts are that the press has run numerous stories using unnamed sources s aying that the change in 2017 is the reason why banks will not bank gaming, which has been clearly debunked to-day in this Honourable House. It has been a matter that has been in official replies from that side that has been stated on numerous occasions. So that, Mr. Speaker, is the point that I made inside of my opening remarks. But let me continue. Because let us try to follow the logic of the Honourable Member from constituency 22. Because by his logic, there will never be a Premier/Minister of Finance in any jurisdiction. Something that is common, we all know, in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister’s actual title is First Lord of the Treasury. Mr . Scott Pearman: I am sorry. Point of order, Mr. Speaker. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Mr. Scott PearmanYet again the Premier is misleading the House. I am not saying there cannot be a Prem-ier who is also the Minister of Finance. It is a false ar-gument that is being raised to be knocked down. It is not what we are saying. We are saying the Premier cannot …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou have made your point. Hon. E. David Burt: And there he goes again! There he goes . . . he does not even realise what he is doing! Because his juice is so strong it just comes o ut naturally, Mr. Speaker. Mr . Scott Pearman: Point of order, …
You have made your point. Hon. E. David Burt: And there he goes again! There he goes . . . he does not even realise what he is doing! Because his juice is so strong it just comes o ut naturally, Mr. Speaker. Mr . Scott Pearman: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motive] Mr . Scott Pearman: Yet again the Premier is imputing an improper motive. [ Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerBasically, basically what the Premier . . . and I am going to try and interpret, being that I let it go. He is saying that you are strong on your viewpoint. Ba-sically, he is saying that you are strong on your view-point. No matter what he says, you are …
Basically, basically what the Premier . . . and I am going to try and interpret, being that I let it go. He is saying that you are strong on your viewpoint. Ba-sically, he is saying that you are strong on your view-point. No matter what he says, you are sticking to your guns . . . I take back that term. You are sticking to your position. [ Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou are sticking to your terms, okay? B ermuda House of Assembly And there are two dividing viewpoints. That is what we are getting here. So you are staying where you are, and the Premier is going to present where he is. That is what we are finding ourselves. There …
You are sticking to your terms, okay?
B ermuda House of Assembly And there are two dividing viewpoints. That is what we are getting here. So you are staying where you are, and the Premier is going to present where he is. That is what we are finding ourselves. There is no need for us to keep jumping up and down on viewpoints and calling the points of order on the viewpoints. Because that is all it is. There is no evidence to put on the table that says, This viewpoint is wrong. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that. Because I have shared with this Honourable House what was said to the Government. The Honourable Member has not shared a thing, just his words. So maybe one day he will produce such. Maybe one day he will take the advice of the former Premier, the Honourable Member from constituency 12, and work collaboratively to try to make this a reality. But let me go on, Mr. Speaker, because the point that I was making was, let us follow his logic. Let us follow his logic about the fact that it is because of the Minister of Finance. But here is what is funny about that, and the Honourable Member from constituency 2 touched on it earlier. If the issue is the Minister of Finance being the Premier, if that is an issue for correspondent banks or regulators or other things, when did it start to become an issue? Let us go a little bit further. If it is an issue, doesn’t that mean that maybe insurance companies might have a problem with it or other regu-lated financial industries or other things ? Would you not think so? We have heard from Honourable Members about the fact of where specific Ministers have respon-sibility for regulated bodies. It was not a problem be-fore? Not at all. So here we go. To make it clear, which I think that everyone actually knows and the Honourable Member from constituency 22 just cannot bring himself to say it, even though I know that if he was paid to do so as the Learned Member of which he is, he would represent fully into the opinion the facts. And the facts are that whether it is Bermuda Monetary Authority or the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission, as is set out in law, Ministers are not in-volved in operations, decisions, regulatory items or an-ything else. Their role is spelled out in law, Mr. Speaker. And the role of whatever Minister was assigned gaming or following the passage of this Act, whatever person may be Minister of Finance in this Government or any future Government, it is clear what their role is: to ap-point the board, to approve the budget and to work wit h the commission to make sure to develop any regulation which is necessary. But the law makes it clear. And you know what? The banks know that. That is why they said what they said. I just really wish that we could stop with these games, stop with the un-named sources, stop with the, Oh, I heard this, with no shred of evidence. I mean, the actions are exactly the same as the Royal Gazette, Mr. Speaker. Unnamed sources, Oh, I heard . . . nothing put forward. But let me continue, Mr. Speaker. Let me continue . The impact of this is very simple. The insinuation of interference in the operations of regulatory agencies is damaging for the jurisdiction. And I am not sure if any of those persons have worked with the members of the commission. But I can promise you that anyone who knows the Chair, Ms. Cheryl -Ann Mapp, anyone who knows the former Commissioner of Police, if there was interference from the Minister responsible, they would not be there. So I sincerely hope, as I said in the intro-duction, we can put this matter to bed because it is non-sense, complete nonsense. Now as I move forward, the Honourable Member for constituency 33 stated it well. He joked and said that the one good thing is that he no longer has respon-sibility for gaming. The one bad thing is, even if I wanted to give it to someone else, I now have to keep it myself because I remain the Minister of Finance. And anyone who will be Minister of Finance will know that they will have gaming in the future because that is what was relayed to us as necessary despite the discussion about maybe transferring to whomever. No. They said they wanted it in the legislation. So here it is. So let me go forward, Mr. Speaker, because it is important. I covered the points that the Deputy Prem-ier made, very important points, regulatory authorities, independence. That is the way that you must operate. I have to go again and touch on the points from the Honourable Member from constituency 20, because in her comments she said the exact same thing. It is as though if she has taken so much from the readings of the falsehoods that she could not even accept when I stated here in this brief what had come from the bank. Her comments are that we need to find some independent Minister or something, and all the rest, comes from a place of assumption that our regulatory agencies do not have the power under law to act independently. It is written in black and white! Any directions that any Minister gives have to be in writing and pub-lished. So if we were to do anything, everyone wou ld know. Same as the BMA [Bermuda Monetary Author-ity], same as the Regulatory Authority, same as the Ca-sino Gaming Commission, or the Gaming Commission. So the Honourable Member also said that, acknowledged that fact that we need to play by the rules of the banks. And I will say this: Trust me, I agree. I do want to make one correction that was stated by the Minister of Economy and Labour. When the Minister of Economy and Labour had given his com-ments he said, you know, moved from the Minister of Tourism to the Ministry of Finance, that is not entirely correct. What the bank had said is that, remove the discretion under our Constitution for the Premier to assign gaming to any Minister, whichever Minister there was, and to make sure that it was assigned just like the Ber-muda Monetary Authority directly to the BMA Act. The point of which he made is the same, but I just want to make sure that it is clear. 1224 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Now, Mr. Speaker, as I come to a close, I would like to get to the points and questions that were raised by the Leader of the Opposition because before I got up, the Honourable Member from constituency 2, whom I was not expecting to speak, laid the case out very well. He made it clear to Members of this House and members who are listening exactly what the deal is. And we get it. So the Opposition Leader’s comments when he said, you know, took us to task, took me to task myself and said, Well, the Premier said that we would have gaming in 2021. Yes, I did, Mr. Speaker. I absolutely did. I absolutely did. And I stood by that comment that I made and I stand by it now, as that was my under-standing at the time. It was my understanding at the time of the work of which was [ongoing]. But clearly, that is not the case. And you know why, Mr. Speaker? Because I do not control the Casino Gaming Commission. They have their own mandate, own rules, own regulations. And they make their own decisions. Im-portant to note. And so the Honourable Member, Leader of the Opposition asked whether or not we will have a casino in 2023? And I will respond in the same way. I wish that this was under my control; but it is not. But here is what I will say, Mr. Speaker. I will say that this Government will do everything in our power to deliver on our 2020 election manifesto pledge, which says to launch a casino gaming industry here in Bermuda. The Honourable Opposition Leader asked about the amount of money that the Casino Gaming Commission is spending and spoke about the guaran-tees and all the rest. I can say it is an incredible amount of mon ey. And I agree with the Opposition Leader that it is a challenge. And as the Minister of Finance responsible for gaming, the conversations are about the fact that we must make sure that the money of which we are spending is right and appropriate. But it was really surprising to hear the Leader of the Opposition cast aspersions against the members of the commission, to say, Oh, maybe the reason why we don’t have gaming is because there isn’t anyone on the commission who has gaming experience. Really? That is where we have gone to now? How many people with gaming experience have they appointed to the commission?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNone. Hon. E. David Burt: Come on now! The law states the needs and requirements of the board. They hire a chief executive and the chief executive does the role. But here is what is interesting, Mr. Speaker. It is a wonderful segue because the Honourable Member, Opposition Leader compared …
None. Hon. E. David Burt: Come on now! The law states the needs and requirements of the board. They hire a chief executive and the chief executive does the role. But here is what is interesting, Mr. Speaker. It is a wonderful segue because the Honourable Member, Opposition Leader compared it to the Bermuda Mone-tary Authority Act. And here is the thing. Nobody ques-tions the independence of the Bermuda Monetary Au-thority, Mr. Speaker. Nobody! But here is what is interesting. The Minister of Finance has the ability to appoint the CEO! He does not have that permission underneath the Gaming Act. But this, Mr. Speaker, is what we are face d with, complete doubletalk, complete nonsense, trying to walk back the same inference of which was made before and unable to justify the comments of which they have made. But here is this, Mr. Speaker. I will be honest. Neither of us has done well enough in this area, because if either of us would have, we would not have these challenges now. We are in 2023. We are still talk-ing about casino gaming. I remember, Mr. Speaker, when I was Chairman of the Party way back in 2009, fourteen years ago, writing an opinion about how disappointed I was that members of my party voted against gaming. Back in 2009 when I was a young person. I am not young any-more. Understand? We do not have a whole lot of (I guess I would say) honour in this thing, . But what we can do is commit ourselves to saying we are going to make sure we do what is necessary. But doing what is necessary is not constructing false political arguments, getting per-sonal when it has no basis in reality, fact, law and/or legislation , because we are a country of law. So, Mr. Speaker, as I close there was a question that was raised by the Honourable Leader of the Opposition. And he asked, With this change, does this mean that we will have gaming in Bermuda? Does this mean that we will have banks that are willing to bank proceeds of gaming? I cannot answer that question with a yes, because I do not know. There are lots of things that are happening in the banking sector right now. And gaming is considered a riskier endeavour than others. And risk appetites may change. But here is the commitment that I will give to Honourable Members. If this is not enough, we will find another way. Because if the Honourable Member for constituency 7 did state, I like to be held to the platform that we put in front of this country, in 2020 we said that we would launch a casino gaming industry, and this Government will do what it takes and what is necessary to live up —live up— to the promises of which we made. Governance is never easy, Mr. Speaker. But what I can tell you is a country is not served by an Op-position working in combination with a media arm that will use unnamed stories, unnamed sources, false stories debunked and not even accept when they are wrong. With that, Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill be committed.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Deputy. House in Committee at 5:31 pm [ Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr., Chairman] Ber muda House of Assembly COMMITTEE O N BILL GAMING AM ENDMENT A CT 2 023
The ChairmanChairmanHonourable Members, we are now in Committee of the whole [House] for further c onsideration of the Bill entitled the Gaming Amendment Ac t 2023. Premier an d Financ e Minister Davi d Burt, you have the floor. Hon. E . David B urt: Hello, D eputy S peaker, Mr …
Honourable Members, we are now in Committee of the whole [House] for further c onsideration of the Bill entitled the Gaming Amendment Ac t 2023. Premier an d Financ e Minister Davi d Burt, you have the floor. Hon. E . David B urt: Hello, D eputy S peaker, Mr . Chairman. G ood to see y ou again. The C hairman: Good t o see you too. [Laughter] Hon. E . David B urt: Mr. Somner, y ou got a new j ob. The C hairman: Yes. H e is a good H amilto n Parish r esident. Hon. E . David B urt: Thank y ou very muc h, Mr . Chairman. Mr. C hairman, if y ou would, I woul d like to move all fiv e of t he clauses. The C hairman: Continue, P remier. Hon. E . David B urt: Thank y ou very muc h, Mr . Chairman. Mr. C hairman, c lause 1 i s self-explanatory. Clause 2 amends s ection 2 of t he principal A ct to provi de expressly that “Minister” under th e principal Act me ans t he Minister of F inance. Clause 3 amends section 196 of the principal Act to provide that regulations made under new section 199A are to be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure. Clause 4 inserts new section 199A into the principal Act, which, subject to regulations, empowers the Commission to modify or vary a regulatory obligation that is or would otherwise be imposed on a casino operator on the application of that casino operator. This section defines “regulatory obligation” as any requirement or obligation that is or would otherwise be imposed on a casino operator by or under the principal Act and provides when such power may not be exercised; including in respect of any regulatory [obligation] relating to anti -money laundering and anti -terrorist financing and problem and responsible gaming. Clause 5 provides for amendments consequential to the redefining of “Minister” under section 2 of the Bill. The C hairman: Thank y ou, P remier. Any further speakers? Mr. Richardson, Honourable Member Jarion Richardson, you have the floor. Mr . Jarion Richardson: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise this evening to draw the attention of the Committee to clause 4 of the Gaming Amendment Act 2023, specifically inserting section 199A. Mr. Chair-man, if I may read from the Bill? Th e Chairman: Continue. Mr . Jarion R ichardson: Specifically, under the new section 199A after the number (3) in parentheses, it reads that the Commission may “modify or vary an ob-ligation or requirement that is or would otherwise be im-posed on a casino operator by or under this Act . . .” Further it goes on, Mr. Chairman, to say that this power may only be exercised where “(2)(a) the Commission is satisfied —(i) that . . . the regulatory obligation is or would be unduly burdensome or would not achieve the intended purpose . . .” and “(ii) . . . would not result in any undue risk to persons whose interests the regulatory obligation” may apply. Now the reason I bring this up, Mr. Chairman, is it sounds fairly benign. In practice it looks like the Commission will be able to modify or vary any obl igations imposed on a casino operator. That is after the casino operator applies for that. Now the reason I bring this up is because the Gaming Act itself imposes a number of requirements that were talked about. And these requirements have obviously been drafted, vet-ted through the various consultations with the Attorney General Chambers, et cetera, and then has come be-fore this Honourable House and is in fact passed all the way through this process, legislative process, into law. So these obligations are very much well -considered and enshrined and expected. And this new power looks like the Commission will be able to simply diminish or water down a lot of these obligations. Mr. Chairman, with your permission, I would like to read from the primary Act some of the obligations? Th e Chairman: Yes, you may.
Mr.
Jarion RichardsonFor example, section 134 refers to a statement of accounts. [Section 134(1) says,] “A casino operator shall as soon as practicable after the end of its financial year, prepare financial statements and accounts . . .” Another obligation says [at section 136(1)] that “A casino operator shall ensure that all …
For example, section 134 refers to a statement of accounts. [Section 134(1) says,] “A casino operator shall as soon as practicable after the end of its financial year, prepare financial statements and accounts . . .” Another obligation says [at section 136(1)] that “A casino operator shall ensure that all records relating to the operations of the casino are . . .,” and then there are a number of conditions. Equally there is an obligation in section 137 that “A casino op-erator shall, as soon as practicable after the end of its financial year, cause the books, accounts and financial statements . . . to be audited . . .” So this is an example of three obligations that are actually quite c rucial to the 1226 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly operation of a casino. And were those financial records and processes not adhered to, not just the solvency of the casino would be in question, but certainly the repu-tation of Bermuda. So it is quite a significant thing that we are doing here by saying that the commission will be able to modify or vary those obligations, as example, and obviously under this Act there are going to be dozens and dozens of similar obligations. So we are going to give them the power to reduce the obligations that the Par-liament has imposed on them. So that is problematic. Now, the Act does say that the Minister shall make regulations with respect to this commission’s powers. And given that we do not have those regula-tions in front of us, we do not know how onerous or dif-ficult, how well- controlled this process will be where the commission will again be able to vary or modify any regulatory obligation that has already been imposed on a casino operator as of today. To this end, Mr. Speaker, if we were to draw a parallel to the Bermuda Monetary Authority, when the BMA have the power to act, they are contained within a web of obligations and cross -referencing obligations. So they have to act in a very specific way based on very specific timelines. It is that fairness and transparency that allow for certainty in the financial services industry so they know that, for example, the BMA is not acting either in an arbitrary manner or anything like that. So I rise today to bring to this Honourable House’s attention that this power to modify or vary a regulatory obligation is far more significant than these three paragraphs and could very easily see the com-mission making errors that would result in damning consequences to the casino industry when it does eventually get established. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The ChairmanChairmanThank you. Any further speakers? Mr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Let me try to address the Honourable Member’s comments in point number 4. Let me start by say-ing I understand where he is coming from, but I do be-lieve that he is misinformed. So because …
Thank you. Any further speakers? Mr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Let me try to address the Honourable Member’s comments in point number 4. Let me start by say-ing I understand where he is coming from, but I do be-lieve that he is misinformed. So because this can be seen as wide, that is the reason why it is under affirmative resolution and subject to regulations which will come to this House. But here is what is important. Number one, so everyone knows, this is in regard to a casino operator. Key point. So this is nothing in regard to someone who is making an application to operate a casino. Most important thing to know. So this is not anything about watering down fit and proper. This is not anything about worrying about all those other types of checks and balances that have to happen prior to the operation of a casino, or prior to the licensing of a casino. What it does say is that upon application of the operator, they may choose to vary items of which they may wish to vary. Now let me give an example and the history on this, which I kind of covered in the primary debate. But I will go back to it again. When this Gaming Act was put in place in 2014 underneath the former Government, the view was taken with the integrated re-sort model from a perspective that this would attract big hotel developers who build massive resorts. And the legislation and reference was made to the country of Singapore, which only has two casinos, massive casi-nos (for anyone who has ever been to see). I like to joke that the Marina Bay Sands can hold the entire popula-tion of our country in their casino. That is how big that building is, massive. Probably about 10 times the hotel capacity of the entire country, it is that big. But the regulations, unlike the Bermuda Monetary Authority and unlike the approach that is taken by the Bermuda Monetary Authority, where Bermuda Monetary Authority follows a risk -based and outcomes approach, what has been set out in the [casino] regula-tions is a prescriptive approach. So for example, the prescriptive approach may state that you must have 10 chairs that are there and separated by four inches. They cannot be three diameters wide. I say, Well, I don’t want 10 chairs, I want 8 chairs. I want them this big. And the Casino Gaming Commission has no power right now to say, Okay, you can make it eight. That is the issue. That is what we are trying to resolve. This is not an issue about (which is not going to happen) that, Oh, you know, you don’t have your credit right so you don’t have the financial obligations, the AML [anti-money laundering] items, the credential items or anything else. We are talking about operations of a casino. Because with the prescriptive regulation, that may say . . . And remember when I prefaced this in the general debate and also the Budget Statement we were talking about making sure that we are flexible enough to allow for amenity casinos to exist. The St. Regis Hotel casino is not expected to be a big one. The casino at Hamilton Princess may be far larger. But if you are a casino that is a third or the fourth of the size and the regulations, which are pre-scriptive, would say for example that at every moment you need to have four managers on duty when the ca-sino may not be able to fit four people. If you have four managers, you might not have any tables. Those are the types of things we are talking about. All casinos have to submit operational plans after licensing, and the operational plans, the challenge of which we run into is the operational plans and re-quirements inside of our particular legislation are pre-scriptive, and the commission does not have the power to vary or adjust those, keeping in mind that the protections are still in place. That is the issue that we ran into. So in 2021 where come banking and operational sides when dealing with the matter related to the one casino that we all know is the one that we all want to get opened up first, and putting in place an operational plan that was clearly acceptable in other jurisdictions that are heavily regulated. When it came here it was not,
B ermuda House of Assembly you know, in line with these things even though it would work in just about every other country. And then when it was redone to meet the standard, the view is that this makes no sense. The casino will not make money. Because you are telling me that I need to have (I am just giving an example) four mana gers on duty for a place which may not be bigger than this room for this. And the commission understood that this is a challenge. And that is when the commis-sion comes to the Minister and says, This is a challenge that we need to figure out how we can addr ess. And it is for the Government to consider working in consultation with the Attorney General’s Chambers and others to find out, What are the ways that we can address this from a policy perspective so that we can put the policy in place? So I understand where the Honourable Member is coming from. But where it is is not about watering those things down. And we will have plenty of time to discuss that when the regulations come. But what is im-portant is to maintain future momentum and forward momentum. So this is to recognise and to signal that the Government understands the problem. The Government is working on the problem. We brought it here to the Parliament to make sure that we create the space for those matters to happen so that they know that they can adjust their operational requirements to a financial model that makes sense so that we can advance this matter going forward. So I appreciate the Honourable Member’s questions. They come from a good space. I wanted to make sure I had the opportunity to ex plain that because there are the powers and opportunities and other regu-latory things to vary. And we want to set out parameters for where those variations can happen.
The ChairmanChairmanThank you, Premier. Any further questions? There appear to be none. Minister, do you want to move the five clauses? Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that clauses 1 through 5 be approved.
The ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that clauses 1 through 5 be approved. Are there any objections to that? There appear to be none. Approved. [ Motion carried: Clauses 1 through 5 passed] Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the preamble be approved. …
It has been moved that clauses 1 through 5 be approved. Are there any objections to that? There appear to be none. Approved. [ Motion carried: Clauses 1 through 5 passed] Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the preamble be approved. The Chairman: It has been moved that the preamble be approved. Are there any objections to that? There appear to be none. Approved. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that the Bill be reported to the House as printed.
The ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that the Bill be reported to the House as printed. Are there any objections to that? There appear to be none. The Bill will be reported to the House as printed. [ Motion carried: The Gaming Amendment Act 2023 was considered by a Committee of the …
The ChairmanChairmanMr. Speaker. [ Pause] House resumed at 05:47 pm [ Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair] REPORT OF COMMITTEE GAMING AMENDMENT ACT 2023
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMembers, are there any objections to the Gaming Amendment Act 2023 being reported to the House as printed? There are none. It has been reported as printed. Members, we now move on to the consideration of the Electronic Communications (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 in the name of the …
Members, are there any objections to the Gaming Amendment Act 2023 being reported to the House as printed? There are none. It has been reported as printed. Members, we now move on to the consideration of the Electronic Communications (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 in the name of the Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Af-fairs. Minister. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You were advised that I will be doing these in a more consolidated manner, these measures.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou are going to do both of them? Hon. Walter H. Roban: Yes, because they are essentially—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Mr . Scott Pearman: No objection.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. 1228 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly For the clarity of the House and the clarity of the listening audience, there are two matters in reference to electricity. And the Minister is going to combine the two. The second is the consideration of the …
Okay. 1228 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly For the clarity of the House and the clarity of the listening audience, there are two matters in reference to electricity. And the Minister is going to combine the two. The second is the consideration of the Elec-tricity (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regula-tions 2023. So that will be combined with the Electronic Communications (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023. Ho n. Walter H. Roban: Yes. So I will read the preliminary at the same time, and then I will go through them and they will be debated. Th e Speaker: Yes. Correct. Correct. Ho n. Walter H. Roban: Order No. 4, Mr. Speaker, I move consideration be given to the draft Regulations entitled Electronic Communications (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 to be made by the Minister responsible for telecommunications in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 6 and 11 of the Electronic Communications Act 2011 as read with section 44 of the Regulatory Authority Act 2011. Mr. Speaker, I move that consideration be given to the draft Regulations entitled Electricity (Reg-ulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 made by the Minister responsible for energy for the purposes of establishing Regulatory Authority fees for the electricity sector pursuant to the Electricity Act 2015 in exercise of the power conferred by section 44 of the Regulatory Authority Act 2011. DRAFT REGULATIONS ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS (REGUL ATORY AUTHORITY FEES) AMENDMENT REGULATIONS 2023 ELECTRICITY ( REGULATORY AUT HORITY F EES) AMENDMENT R EGULATIONS 2 023 Hon. Walter H. Roban: Mr. Speak er, I rise today to introduce the Amendment Regulations entitled the Electricity (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 and the Electronic Communications (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023. In both amendments the proposed fees form part of the funding of the Regulatory Authority and are not fees that are paid to the government. Mr. Speaker, beginning with the Electricity (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 I note that the fees of the electricity sector were initially described in the Electricity (Regulatory Authority Fees) Regulations 2017 to fund in part activities related to the regulation of that business sector. In 2021, this Honourable House may recall the increase in fees to fund certain activities including the assessment of offshore wind potential in Bermuda conducted by the Ricardo group and published in August of that year with the conclusion of that work which provided pre- feasibility work to better inform prospective wind developers. The fees can now be reduced to con-tinue funding the day -to-day regulatory activities for the sector as noted in the Regulatory Authority’s work plan, the draft of which was published in September of 2022. The reduction in fees represents a 14.3 per cent decrease in regulatory fees for the electricity sector, as compared with those fees currently in place. Mr . Speaker, the Electronic Communications (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 re- introduces the inspection fee. This fee was previously included in the Regulatory Authority (Service Fees) Regulations 2018 and then revoked by the Elec-tronic Communications (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2021. The fees specific to inspections were not included, and this is an oversight that this amendment seeks to correct. While the impact of this omission is negligible in the previous year, this year the Authority will be reviewing the spectrum allocation, which may in-volve inspections to investigate spectrum efficiency for which there will be costs incurred. In closing, Mr. Speaker, the Electricity (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 reduces the transmission distribution and retail provider fee as it has achieved its purpose to fund extraordinary items which were not included under the regulatory ac-tivity of the regulating of the electricity sector. The reduction will also provide some relief to the end user, which will be welcome in these times of economic re-covery. The Electronic Communications (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 will re-instate an inspection fee to allow the RA [Regulatory Author ity] to fund work that is extraordinary, albeit cyclical, the results of which will inform any spectrum licence renewal in 2024. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Th e Speaker: Thank you, Minister. MP Pearman. Mr . Scott Pearman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Honourable Minister for his concise presen-tation of these two sets of related Regulations, both ap-plying to the Regulatory Authority. I just have a couple of questions on each of them. And as we are not going to go to Committee on this, I hope it is not a problem if I refer specifically to the clause. In relation to the electronic communications, the Minister has explained that this is reinserting a fee that used to exist under the 2018 Regulations and was then removed (by mistake it seems, or oversight) by the 2021 change. The two questions I have on the Elec-tronic Communication Regulations are these: First and foremost, I assume that this comes by reason of a re-quest from the Regulatory Authority and that the Gov-ernment is complying with that request by making this change.
B ermuda House of Assembly And the second question is that it is inserting a new fee in relation to inspection fee network and interference investigation. And I just would ask the Honour-able Minister to clarify what network interference inves-tigation involves (in a very high level). So those are the two questions on the Electronic Communications Regulations. Turning then to the related Electricity Regulations, these are doing three things. One, by clause 2 there is a validation being inserted for the 2017 general determination. Two, by clause 3 there is a change to the kilowatt price in Schedule 1. And third and finally, there is an amendment by clause 4 to Schedule 2 of the primary legislation inserting a series of four new fees. And as the Minister clarified, these are fees that go to the Regulatory Authority rather than to govern-ment. And these, as I understand them, are all new fees rather than an increase in existing fees. If I am wrong about that, perhaps the Honourable Minister can clarify. But it seems like they are new fees that are being intro-duced rather than increase of existing fees. Then again as with the previous Regulations, we assume this is being done at the request of the RA and with the Regulator’s support. And then the final question is in relation to clause 2. And that is that there is a validation of the general determination in 2017, and the question is simply, Why does the 2017 general de-termination need to be validated? And again, that is a very high- level question and hopefully the Minister has a high- level answer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Does any other Member wish to make a comment? MP Famous, yes.
Mr. Chri stopher FamousI will not dwell too far in it because it is a real occasion that the Member from [constituency] 22 actually agrees with what we are putting forward.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWell, we should be rejoicing in it! Rejoice in it!
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNo need. Just rejoice. There you go. Mr. Christopher Famous: What I did want to get into is just, a lot of times persons look at the Minister, the Minister, the Minister. And what we do not recognise enough is (for lack of a better term) the brains of the …
No need. Just rejoice. There you go. Mr. Christopher Famous: What I did want to get into is just, a lot of times persons look at the Minister, the Minister, the Minister. And what we do not recognise enough is (for lack of a better term) the brains of the operation. I would like to take a moment to recognise the brain of the operation when it comes to our energy and other things, Director Jea ne Nikolai, who is in the House, Mr. Speaker. [ Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDoes any other Member wish to make a contribution? Minister, it looks like you have the floor back. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you. As was stated in my brief, one fee is an adjustment with the fee down because when the fees were adjusted up, it was just so …
Does any other Member wish to make a contribution? Minister, it looks like you have the floor back. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you. As was stated in my brief, one fee is an adjustment with the fee down because when the fees were adjusted up, it was just so that the RA could raise the money that went toward the study that went to look at a wind study, an investment -grade wind study that was being done. That money was raised. It no longer needs to be applied. So it was adjusted back to what would be a normal regulatory level, as that money is no longer required. The other fees, as was stated in my brief, are not new. And these would be adjusted to a level that was recommended by the RA. I can get more infor-mation for the Honourable Member as to why they were . . . because these are the electricity fees and they are being adjusted down . . . aren’t they? [ Inaudible interject ion] Hon. Walter H. Roban: Yes, they are being adjusted down. They are not new —i.e., the application of the electricity transmission distribution fee. As I said, that is being adjusted down. I will get some information on other fees. The fees were . . . other fees are existing, not new, and specifically to cover the cost of sectoral regu-lation. So these are kilowatt hour fees and they are be-ing adjusted down. So I can get more specific technical information for the Honourable Member on this. But these fees are being adjusted down because obviously they were being adjusted up, the ones he has referred to. And they were only adjusted up temporarily. Once that money was raised, they get adjusted back to a level that the RA recommends. And I can get more technical specificity for the Honourable Member and pass it on, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Oh, the [Honourable] Member asked about the general determination [GD]. I will have 1230 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly to get some more information on that as to what specifically that general determination was (the 2017 one). And I …
Okay. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Oh, the [Honourable] Member asked about the general determination [GD]. I will have 1230 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly to get some more information on that as to what specifically that general determination was (the 2017 one). And I can get more clarification for the Member about that. I am not certain what the actual GD was, itself. They are always all published, and they are on the RA website. But I will have to go back and check, and I can. Even though they are public, I am happy to get it and give the Honourable Member the information on that. But these are publicly . . . all general determinations are publicly disclosed, so they are on the website. I would just need to go back to find the specific one for 2017 so I can give him the specific information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNot a problem. Mr . Scott Pearman: There is no Committee.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNo Committee. Mr . Scott Pearman: I know.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou can only speak once in the House. Mr . Scott Pearman: Okay. No problem.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDoes any other on your side wish to speak, or anyone who has not spoken? No, no, no. No, no. Actually, the Minister has closed it out already because he got up and spoke. Mr . Scott Pearman: All I was going to say is that there was a question …
Does any other on your side wish to speak, or anyone who has not spoken? No, no, no. No, no. Actually, the Minister has closed it out already because he got up and spoke. Mr . Scott Pearman: All I was going to say is that there was a question that he did not address, which was whether they were done with the RA.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes, the opportunity is lost because the Minister sat down now. So we just close it up now. Hon. Walter H. Roban: I am guided by you, Mr. Speaker. I sat down. I will be guided by you as to making the next step.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWe are in the House. Yes, there is one opportunity. So you can just move. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Fine. No problem, Mr. Speaker. With that done, Mr. Speaker, I move that the said draft Regulations for both measures, the Electricity (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 and the Electronic …
We are in the House. Yes, there is one opportunity. So you can just move. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Fine. No problem, Mr. Speaker. With that done, Mr. Speaker, I move that the said draft Regulations for both measures, the Electricity (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 and the Electronic Communications (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 be approved and that a suitable message be sent to Her Ex-cellency the Governor.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAre there any objections to the matters, the two matters being reported as indicated? There are none. The matters have now been approved and will be reported as indicated. [ Motion carried: The Electricity (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 and the Elec-tronic Communications (Regulatory Authority Fees) Amendment Regulations 2023 …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Members. We now move on to Order No. 6 which is the consideration of Rules of the Supreme Court [Amendment] Rules 2023 in the name of Madam Attorney General. RULES OF THE SUPREME COURT AMENDMENT RULES 2023 [Withdrawn] Hon. Kathy Lynn Simmons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this …
Thank you, Members. We now move on to Order No. 6 which is the consideration of Rules of the Supreme Court [Amendment] Rules 2023 in the name of Madam Attorney General. RULES OF THE SUPREME COURT AMENDMENT RULES 2023 [Withdrawn] Hon. Kathy Lynn Simmons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time I would like to formally withdraw those Rules for re- tabling in May when we reconvene.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOh. You are withdrawing it? Not just carrying it over? Hon. Kathy Lynn Simmons: Correct.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSo you withdraw and re- table? Hon. Kathy Lynn Simmons: Yes. That is correct.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Members, the matter has been withdrawn.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Madam Attorney General. This now moves us on to the second reading of the Vacation Rentals (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023 in the name of the Minister of Tourism. Minister of Tourism, would you like to do your matter now? Hon. Vance Campbell: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. …
Thank you, Madam Attorney General. This now moves us on to the second reading of the Vacation Rentals (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023 in the name of the Minister of Tourism. Minister of Tourism, would you like to do your matter now? Hon. Vance Campbell: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the Governor’s recommendation I move that the Bill entitled the Vacation Rentals (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023 be now read the second time.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAre there any objections? There are none. Continue. BILL SECOND READING VACATION RENTALS (APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION) FEES ACT 2023 Bermu da House of Assembly Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, today I present to this Honourable House the Vacation Rentals (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023. These amendments pertain to the …
Are there any objections? There are none. Continue. BILL SECOND READING VACATION RENTALS (APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION) FEES ACT 2023
Bermu da House of Assembly Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, today I present to this Honourable House the Vacation Rentals (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023. These amendments pertain to the laws and regulations governing the fees for the application and registration of properties that are used as vacation rental units. Specifically, they are the Rent Increases (Domestic Premises) Control Act 1978 and the Bermuda Tourism Authority Act 2013. Mr. Speaker, it is widely accepted in Bermuda that vacation rental units are a significant and valuable component of the accommodation inventory available in Bermuda. These vacation rentals offer an enormous range of accommodation choices for visitors and locals alike and are recognised as a prominent feature of Bermuda’s offerings as a destination. We understand that as this segment of the industry grows it will continue to provide more options for visitors to the Island and ultimately aid in enticing travellers to come here. Mr. Speaker, this Government enacted the Vacation Rentals Act 2018 which established the regulation of vacation rentals in Bermuda. That Act sets out the procedure for vacation rentals certificates and the fees to be paid to the Bermuda Tourism Authority, amongst other minor amendments to the Hotels (Licensing and Control) Act 1969. I hasten to point out, Mr. Speaker, that those fees are charged to the renters of the vacation rental units. The proprietor of a vacation rental unit is required to include on any invoice or receipt delivered to a guest a separate entry for the amount of the vacation rental fee. For t he sake of absolute clarity, t he vacation rental f ee is charged to th e guest. The application and registration fees being implemented for vacation rentals under this Act are a ne w charge for the property owners.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, the Vacation Rentals (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023 is one more step in the evolution of this segment of the tourism industry in Bermuda. As I mentioned earlier, prior to now, owners of vacation rental units have not been charged a fee for …
Okay. Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, the Vacation Rentals (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023 is one more step in the evolution of this segment of the tourism industry in Bermuda. As I mentioned earlier, prior to now, owners of vacation rental units have not been charged a fee for a vacation rental certificate. Mr. Speaker, in implementing these fees, we have developed an equitable fee structure for vacation rental properties. These fees will be determined by the ARV (annual rental value) of the property, with fees being applied in three bands of ARV. Mr. Speaker, the Vacation Rentals Act 2018 is jointly administered by Rent Control, the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitution Reform and the Tourism Regulation and Policy Unit, the Ministry of Tourism and the Cabinet Office. The first of the aforementioned bands, those with an ARV of $22,800 and less, falls under the remit of Rent Control. Properties with an ARV above $22,800 fall under the remit of the Tourism Regulation and Policy Unit. Mr. Speaker, the fee structure as listed in clause 4 of the new Act is as follows: •AR Vs zero dollars to $22,800, there is an annual fee of $1,500; •ARVs $22,801 to $90,000, there is an annual fee of $2,000; and •ARVs $90,001 and up, there is an annual fee of $2,500. Mr. Speaker, to add some context to these fees, I would like to point out that the highest fees paid will be equivalent to $208.33 per month. And the lowest fees will be equivalent to $125.00 per month. Mr. Speaker, we believe that these fees are not exorbitant, nor are they prohibitive. We therefore do not expect these fees to have an adverse impact on the number of vacation rental units on the market. A further point to note, Mr. Speaker, is that as everyone knows, all things are relative. In that vein, these fees are rela-tive to the ARV of each property, which will give an indication of the daily rates charged to visitors and locals for a particular unit. Mr. Speaker, I wish to conclude by saying t hat we are grateful to those property owners who make their properties available for vacation rentals. And with that, I thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution? MP Cannonier, you have the floor.
Mr.
L. Craig CannonierThank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me first start off by saying to the Minister I want to thank him. He did take the time, just prior to our debating this particular Bill, he did come to me and ask me what concerns I had. And I was able to articulate …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me first start off by saying to the Minister I want to thank him. He did take the time, just prior to our debating this particular Bill, he did come to me and ask me what concerns I had. And I was able to articulate at least a few of them that I had concerning this particular Vacation Rentals (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023. So I would like to thank him for that. And an upcoming Bill, we had an opportunity to briefly speak of that as well. And suffice to say I understood exactly some of the answers that he had given to me. But the greater concern that I do have concerning this particular Bill is the timing of it. I do recognise that this is a new fee that is being implemented in the industry of what I would call not just necessarily vaca-tion rentals, but tourism in and of itself. And I recognise that on the grand scheme of things, we are still struggling. Struggling to get to 2019 numbers, and 2019 numbers in my opinion at that particular time were not good at all. So we are trying to progress the challenge of not having enough hotel rooms for Bermuda! And I have already publicly stated that in my opinion we are teetering on collapsing if we do not do more to assist with the to urism industry. And part of that assisting is to acknowledge and recognise that the vacation rentals really have stepped in. When you look at the statistics and when you hear from the Minister and others, when they talk about the number of rooms that we used to 1232 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly have to accommodate our visiting friends, we are woefully inept and behind. This is no [criticism] on the Min-ister in and of itself. This is an industry that has been in dire need of a rethink for quite some time. So as I was looking at it, I took t he time. I did not hear if the Minister actually had consultation with the industry in and of itself. I will say for transparency, after having spoken to several members who have va-cation rentals, they did ask the question, Well, what do we do next because we are not in agreement with this here? I said, Well, you need to go to the Minister as a group. Go to the Minister and speak your concern. If you do not get any headway there, then go to the Prem-ier and speak your mind about the issue because you are in the industry. I simply am here to represent what I believe to be the best way forward for this particular Bill. And I will be very clear. I mean, I thought I was clear in the last Bill that I spoke to, gaming. No, I agree we need to move forward and maybe there is progress. But this particular Bill at this particular time I do not agree with. I believe that by incurring more costs to those who are trying to provide to Bermuda, or for Bermuda I should say, an amenity that is much needed at a time when we are being outpaced by our friends in the Car-ibbean and the likewise, we need to do more and invest more into the product. These are budding entrepre-neurs who have taken on in many cases before the col-lapse of —well, because of the collapse of the economy in 2008 and then continuing to struggle. People were having challenges. And the many of them, and I spoke to many vacation rental owners. Many of them had challenges at the time where their houses were about to be fore-closed on because they were not able to meet the mortgage payments. And they had already been extended and had run out the time of just paying interest where the banks had lent some assistance. Probably in my estimation maybe [the banks] should have offered more. But suffice it to say they were at the end. And Airbnb and Vacation Rentals and the likes, we know that Airbnb is out there, Expedia and some of the other names that are out there, these provided an opportunity for Bermudians, middle- class Bermudians to be able to save their homes. And I was quite sur-prised at some of the stories that had taken place. And they found success, actually found success with vacation rentals, which is a plus for us, a huge plus for us. We know that also we are not in a position and will not be in a position to provide the number of rooms to help with the airlift in Bermuda. And we recognise that the Minister of Transport continues to have challenges in getting new airlines and more planes to Bermuda. This is a real challenge. So to incur a new fee at this time while the industry is trying to solidify itself in my opinion is bad tim-ing. [This is] not the time. And for the approximate amount —I mean, I am averaging it is probably going to be around $500,000 of new revenue. And I recognise also that the Government, in this position that it is in economically, is looking for opportunity to expand on its revenue opportunities. But I do not believe that this is the one. I believe that there are other areas that could render far more revenue than this particular one that is going to exasperate many of those who are in the industry. So we need to find another way. We need to find a means that is going to encourage, and not dis-courage, folks who are in the industry to do even better. Now I must say that one of the recomme ndations when I was looking at the administrative involve-ment when it comes to . . . and I will just use a vacation rental that someone is using, Airbnb for instance. You know, the fees that are involved, I was breaking these fees down. You know, and you h ave got 4.5 per cent (I believe the Minister told me) of occupancy tax. You have got the 3.0 per cent when it comes to the homeowner that an Airbnb, if you are an Airbnb member, will be charged. And then you have got 10 [per cent] to 12 per cent that is charged also to the traveller themselves by the carrying entity of Expedia or Airbnb and the likes. Then in addition to that, the homeowner also has its land tax. And I recognise that this fee is based on an ARV. And I was trying to assess if they are paying land tax and then they are looking at another fee based on an ARV, is there a better way of being able to maybe get an increase in fees, revenue for the government, but at the same time not make this so convoluted? And I thought about the occupancy tax, and it seemed— and I know the Minister is looking at this because I did mention it today with him as we talked. Maybe rather than 4.5 per cent, which we know goes to the BTA [Bermuda Tourism Authority], maybe look at increasing that, that occupancy tax. And we could work out how that is paid. But it would seem less restrictive, less onerous ac-counting- wise and less opportunity for lost revenue per se if people do not (how should I put it?) account for it accurately or willingly, not account for it. And I ju st believe that there should be a better way. And based on occupancy, that is a true reflection of what the vacation rental owner should be paying. Be-cause when it is slow season, and we are talking about those who are in the industry now, it is very slow. Some of them are having difficulties as we speak based on what they have to pay out and the other amenities of Internet, electricity having gone up, someone to clean the rooms. In addition to that, those costs do mount, and many of them do offer a discount. I talked to many of them. Some of them are still, after five years, charg-ing the same rate that they were charging five years ago just to ensure that they are offering something that is competitive because we are losing ground to our neighbours. And i f we would increase the occupancy tax, then it would be based truly on the number of people who come in as opposed to paying a fee that is based on their ARV, which is an annual fee which is not based on the number of people who come into the vacation
B ermuda House of Assembly rental. This would seem to be fairer when they are trying to get back up on their feet and not have an annual fee that is based on a space that you are renting out. Because then, you know, you are paying for it even if no one is there. So I appreciate once again that the Minister was very clear, very clear on how he felt about it. But now is not the time when we want to encourage more people getting here. I heard from the Minister of Transport. We heard that he is attempting to get more flights here. And so we need to be able to have and offer our travellers space and opportunity for them to have a real experience because that vacation rental really is a true Bermudian experience. And as I talked to some of these vacation rentals, some of the things that they do which are far beyond their remit, but simply be-cause they enjoy the industry, they travel around. They support those who come and stay in their homes. They take them around to different [Bermudian sites] and the likes, and they probably, many of them say , Well, sometimes they like to tip, but we don’t charge them. So folks are getting to see the real Bermuda and places that normally vacationers might not even have the opportunity to see. Now, I know that some of my colleagues were going more into the numbers per se. But I need for the Minister to understand that, and I hope that the Minister can tell us whether or not he had consultation with the industry per se. Maybe not just one or two, because we had consultation with several members. I am trying to think now many. I want to say at least six of them. And these were from individual units that are under Rent Control and the larger ones as well. Just trying to get a feel for the industry. [ Inaudible interjection]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierYes. That is not a whole lot. But I am not the Minister. It is incumbent upon the Min-ister to have that consultation with the industry. And of the industry, those six who are involved, which is a cross section, are saying that they did not know of any consultation. …
Yes. That is not a whole lot. But I am not the Minister. It is incumbent upon the Min-ister to have that consultation with the industry. And of the industry, those six who are involved, which is a cross section, are saying that they did not know of any consultation. Then it might have helped in being able to explain exactly why we are putting this in. Now I get it. You know, you are going to get an annual certificate. I get it that this is what they will be able to display, that they are an official part of the vacation rentals for Bermuda. It is certified by the Govern-ment and on and on and on. But at the same time they are struggling. Based on COVID -19 hitting, no one’s fault. Trying to keep things going. And I must admit that even during that period of time, some of thos e in St. George's, they were doing quite well. Even renting their places under the market range, they were able to pay or glean revenue far more than what they would have had they actually put it in the Bermuda rental pool per se and being able to get themselves back on their feet so that they were not in trouble with the bank and were able to save their homes. Now I understand that also we heard arguments, heard from different people saying, Well, it’s taking from the rental pool and the likes. And I was looking at the numbers there. And in fact I just asked the Minister, I asked him and he cordially sent back how many rental units there are. Because I was trying to wrestle with, Is this affecting the local market? It may a little. But quite frankly, there is a massive number of units that are out there that are just sitting empty. And we have got to find a way to also (which is another con-versation) be able to assist and help people with mov-ing into these units that are just sitting basically empty, rental units that are empty. It has nothing to do with vacation units. There are rental units that are just sitting empty. Because I did run into some people saying, Well, look. I heard your comments. I read them in the newspaper. And what about the local market as far as renting out is concerned? And on and on and on. And I must say, I mean I am shocked at some of the rental accommodations within the city. I mean, it is ridiculous some of those numbers. And they are empty! And they are still asking for these high numbers. But suffice to say, Mr. Speaker, based purely on the fact that we need to uplift the industry right now, help it. Now is not the time, and I do not agree with put-ting this Bill through at a time where we are trying to assist the industry. And I can point to a number of other areas where we can gain revenue in much larger quantities than the $500,000 that I think we are going to glean from that, even if we possibly get that. So with those comments in mind, Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to [answers to] some of the ques-tions that I asked of the Minister for him to address those as we did in . . . did speak about it. Thank you,
Mr. Speaker .
The Spea kerThank you. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I showed them, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon, everyone. Mr. Speaker, let me make it very clear. I support this Bill wholeheartedly. And I will declare my inter-est. I have a vacation rental unit. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: The …
Thank you. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I showed them, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon, everyone. Mr. Speaker, let me make it very clear. I support this Bill wholeheartedly. And I will declare my inter-est. I have a vacation rental unit. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: The Honourable Member says he asked for six. He did not come and ask me. And I will explain why I do support it and how those individuals can be helped, right? So here we go. So, Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to stand here this evening, and as I said I support this Bill wholeheart-edly. I was the Junior Minister of Finance, and the Hon-ourable Premier David Burt was the Minister of Finance when we first came forward. When we charged 4.5 per cent, 4.5 per cent at that time for rental units and it was 1234 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly charged to the Airbnb to collect on behalf of the government. It worked out perfectly. And at the time was I concerned? Here my vacation rental is going to be charged at 4.5 per cent? Well, you pass it on as every other business does. The Honourable Member owns a business. You pass on the prices to the individuals who are going to utilise it. It works out. So, I was very happy at the time, knowing at the end of the day the Government was able to raise money. And the vacation rental individuals were able to pass that cost on to individuals. But I will explain that to the Honourable Member in a few minutes in regard to how they still can be helped. This amount, as the Honourable Member said, is collected by the Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA]. Mr. Speaker, that is, the va-cation rental tax is collected by the Bermuda Tourism Author ity. And Airbnb is probably the only one that has signed an agreement . . . as a matter of fact, it is the only one that has signed an agreement. You have got Vrbo [Vacation Rental by Owner], vacation rental Ex-pedia. No other one has signed an agreement w ith the BTA to be able to collect money. Vrbo charges it, but it does not go directly to the BTA. Ah, so that is where certain audits can be done by the department to see whether people are paying their taxes. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furb ert: Being an auditor, a former auditor, I love that type of stuff. But, Mr. Speaker, the challenge is that we can make some things happen. But, Mr. Speaker, no one likes paying taxes. There is not one person in this room who likes paying taxes and goes to the Tax Commissioner saying, Here’s a cheque. I just want to pay some money. Let us call it something, I do not know. Walking on grass. Walking downtown, looking at the sun. Here’s my cheque for something, I just want to do it. Nobody does that. So when Government goes around and collects taxes, it is not unusual that people will get upset whatever you may do. Over the years government has to collect taxes and find a way to make it happen. So that is very clear. But Government has the responsibility to f ind funds to pay for services and capital that Bermudians need and sometimes even want. Sometimes you need certain things, and sometimes individuals just want the service. All right? So technically, Government imposed taxes because they want to improve the living standard of the people in their country. Ideally, a tax is a payment made by the people to their government so that it provides you with necessary goods and services otherwise not provided by private enterprise, giving an example. So why does Government raise taxes? They raise revenue. As we all know we can go through the whole process. A redistribution of income, tax control, to control inflation, pay off debt, et cetera, et cetera. We know why government has to raise revenue. Mr. Speaker, these types of taxes, vacation rental taxes, are charged in every country you can think of. Every country that I am aware of, the United States or in Can-ada. This is in Canada. Guess who took the Airbnb list-ings located in the country of Canada? You will pay the following taxes: between 5 [per cent] and 15 per cent off of the listing price including any cleaning fees for stays 30 nights or shorter. United States charges state taxes, federal taxes and the list goes on and on. So everybody pays a tax when it comes t o Airbnb. So it is not surprising that this happens. And I said I support this particular measure taken by the Minister. So I said that I would look at $2,000 . . . So vacation rentals could charge somewhere between $150, I do not know anyone who charges less than $150 par-ticularly in summer months, up to $2,000 a night. They sure do! Try to follow me on this, Honourable Member. You have got to follow me on this. So collecting $150 to $2,000 or more is not unusual. The BTA collected $400,000 in 2021. That was the last audit I saw from them. And they collected also $600,000 in vacation rentals in 2018. What does that mean, Mr. Speaker? That means that the vacation rental individuals collected in total somewhere between $10 and $15 million— $10 and $15 million in vacation rentals. And what does that also mean, Mr. Speaker? The Honourable Member said that in 2021 during the pandemic it was tough. People were not renting their units as much as usual. And a lot of people stayed in vacation rentals. And also it wa s not able to work well because as you know, flights were not coming in. People were not coming in. So this had an impact on vacation rentals. Either one way or the other it still had an impact. So what I am saying to the Honourable Member is that these fees that are being charged by the gov-ernment are not unusual. It is not unusual for this to be happening in countries. So the Honourable Member said this is timing. So let me give an example of $2,000. And this is timing. An individual, and I will include myself as one of the individuals, would pay $2,000 to the government. I guess it would flow through to the government’s con-solidated fund. What does that mean? That means that the individual is being charged roughly $5.50 per day. Five dollars and fifty cents per day! So how a businessman . . . now I am an accountant so I understand how things can be working. What do you do? You can add it onto your rental fee and collect it. Yes, that is exactly what most people would do. Or in Airbnb it allows you to put it in the expense side, Other Charges. So you charge for people cleaning your house. You can charge the people for walking on your grass. I mean, I am being facetious with that. But you can put it in charges if you want. So why not also include $5.50 in your Other Expenses that they pay? So the user who actually utilises your prop-erty pays, not the vacation [rental] owner. It is based on occupancy.
B ermuda House of Assembly An Hon. Member: No, it’s not. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: It is. It is. It is. And let me just say also, Mr. Speaker, a person who owns a vacation rental place, Airbnb, they charge for the studio roughly $1,500, $1,750 roughly a month. Do you know that as a vacation rental [owner] you are going to collect somewhere between $4,000 and $6,000 a month?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order? POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierI think the Honourable Member, yes, may be misleading the public. This is an annual fee based on ARV, not based on occupancy. You said “occupancy.” Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: The Honourable Member maybe not . . . then I did not explain it properly. I said that $5.50, which …
I think the Honourable Member, yes, may be misleading the public. This is an annual fee based on ARV, not based on occupancy. You said “occupancy.” Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: The Honourable Member maybe not . . . then I did not explain it properly. I said that $5.50, which is what normally the charge, so it is $2,000 divided by 365 days. So if you had every person renting your place for 365 days, it is roughly $5.50. You can pass that cost on to the actual Airbnb expense form.
Mr. L. Craig CannonierSorry. Point of clarification if the Honourable Member will. POINT OF CLARIFICATION
Mr. L. Craig CannonierTypically the units, if you consult with them, I do not think they are renting a unit out 365 days a year. I understand how you are getting to that five dollars. But you are probably at best at 60 per cent occupancy throughout the 365 days, at best. Hon. …
Typically the units, if you consult with them, I do not think they are renting a unit out 365 days a year. I understand how you are getting to that five dollars. But you are probably at best at 60 per cent occupancy throughout the 365 days, at best. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: So the Honourable Member, again, is not understanding. I am saying for a studio apartment it is roughly $1,500. We all agree. But for one month you can collect between $4,000 and $6,000 for a vacation rental for that one month. One month. You say I have a concern for a vacation rental which is col-lecting normally $1,500 for a studio apartment for a normal studio apartment, yes, and collecting $4,000 to $6,000 and paying $5? Or let us divide it and multiply it by 30 days, which is roughly $180 for that month? You cannot be—
Mr. L. Craig CannonierThe Honourable Member is misleading the House and the public. I know he is bas-ing it on a month, but typically you may not be open completely for a month. The average is 60 per cent occupancy. So if you are going to reflect real numbers, reflect it in a …
The Honourable Member is misleading the House and the public. I know he is bas-ing it on a month, but typically you may not be open completely for a month. The average is 60 per cent occupancy. So if you are going to reflect real numbers, reflect it in a realistic way, because people’s reality is 60 per cent at best. [ Inaudible interjection]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierOn average, sorry. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: All right. So the Honourable Member needs his numbers . . . I was giving the ultimate.
Mr. L. Cra ig CannonierOkay. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: However, let’s go over your 60 per cent, Honourable Member. And I say you can collect between $4,000 and $6,000 per month at 100 per cent. Let us say 60 per cent, use your numbers. Sixty per cent of [$]6,000 is how much? Thirty -six …
Okay. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: However, let’s go over your 60 per cent, Honourable Member. And I say you can collect between $4,000 and $6,000 per month at 100 per cent. Let us say 60 per cent, use your numbers. Sixty per cent of [$]6,000 is how much? Thirty -six hundred. So do I collect [$]3,600 from vacation rental, or do I collect [$ ]1,500 from a normal rental? So you wouldn’t mind, now, that I pay an additional $200 a month for what the government says it will charge as a fee. They still benefit. They still benefit. That is the point I am trying to say to you. Most of the vacation rentals, I tell them this: If you are going to do vacation rentals, work on a six - month recovery. In other words, if you can base $1,500 per month for a rental for 12 months, you are getting $18,000. If you can get $18,000 in six months for a va-cation rental, you are home free. So if I am collecting (I do not know) $25,000 or $30,000 within six months, is there a problem with paying an additional $200 or $2,000? I do not think there is. The benefit for a vacation rental is still extremely high. And then you can still pass the cost on if you want. You can pass it [on]! I charge for my cleaning services. Yes. That is what they do. I have rented many vacation rentals overseas. I have seen cleaning services at $250. It is extremely high sometimes, particularly in Florida. But that is what the charge is. So let us not try to tell the public that this is a disadvantage for vacation rentals. If they have a prob-lem, come talk to me. I will show them how they can recover some of their money. So if your seven people you are talking about [need advice], I can help them out.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. 1236 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly POINT OF O RDER [Misleading]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierI think the Honourable Member may be misleading the House a little bit. No one is castigating on this side, disparaging this. What we are saying is we had consultation, and that consultation was saying that they are concerned about it. We are just representing what they said, not what …
I think the Honourable Member may be misleading the House a little bit. No one is castigating on this side, disparaging this. What we are saying is we had consultation, and that consultation was saying that they are concerned about it. We are just representing what they said, not what we are saying, and trying to figure out the num-bers. So far the Honourable Member with his numbers is still not getting to the point that it is a struggle for many. I do not know how many vacation rental people he has spoken to. But the ones we are speaking to are having some challenges, even the high- end ones. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: The Honourable Member, and I speak from experience. There are many other people, Mr. Speaker. You can go on Airbnb and look at the vacation rentals and actually see the percentage of utilisation of days per year. Hence why the Honourable Member, he said 60 per cent. I did not. He said that occupancy is roughly 60 per cent. The Honourable Member, at 60 per cent —at 60 per cent you are doing quite well. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: The Honourable Member is asking about mine. I do not need to tell you what is mine. I do not. I do not need to tell you that. But I am working at 60 per cent, and it works out well. If I worked at 50 per cent, it still works out well. If I worked at 40 per cent, I am telling you right now it still works out well , because 40 per cent of $6,000 is $2,400, where normally a studio is $1,500. [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: The Honourable Member is asking me. You can go online and look at mine. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Yes. All I am saying to you at the end of the day is that the vacation rental individuals, based on this —now this is charge. It is a charge for this department to go out and assess, look to make sure that it qualifies, it has got lights, it has got a fire extin-guisher. That is the cost to the government we have never recovered, hence why the Government is putting in this thing as far as recovery. We could have used the percentage based on what you said. Raise it from 4.5 [per cent] to 6.0 per cent or 7.0 per cent, and it would raise more money. But there is still a charge. There is still a charge. It is still a charge. All I am saying is that we can recover it in other ways. So there are some benefits for individuals who have vacation rentals even at that $2,000 a year. Even $2,500, you have people who out there collecting $2,000 a day! A day! [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Well, it is a higher one. Okay. So you have a problem with them paying $200, 2,000 times its occupancy? Use the occupancy at 60 per cent. So the occupancy is of [$]2,000 per day times 30 is what? It is $60,000. Sixty -thousand dollars a month and you are trying to tell me you have a problem paying $200 on a tax that the government charges? I have no sympathy. I have no sympathy for that. But you said 60 per cent. I did not say it. Even at 40 per cent, even at 40 per cent, four sixes, $20,000 a month. So there are some significant benefits. Right, Mr. Speaker? I speak from experience. I speak from experience. I do not need to go knock on anybody’s door and ask them about that. And what is the best say, I am going to tell them all right now. Anyone who is listening to me who has got a vacation rental, the best way to get additional cus-tomers is make sure that you get at least four or five on a review. So you talk to them. You take them down to the gas station. You take them to the marketplace. At the end of the day you are building relationships. Two people just left my place last week. Maximum [review] is five. They gave me a five. That speaks volumes. If you want to increase your people coming into your place, get five [on a review]. If you get one, no one is coming. So you treat them well. You make sure the place is clean. Make sure everything is [working]. You will get the volume. That is why I have no problem with this. And I think most vacation rentals once they understand the concept and how it can work for them, the benefit, they are not going to have any problem with this, even your seven, even your seven. Your seven [owners] that you spoke to, tell them to come see me. I will help them to even recover their costs. So I have no problem, Mr. Speaker, for the Government to charge $2,000 for an Airbnb. To be honest with you, the Minis-ter could have charged a little bit more and still bene-fited from the whole idea of this. Because at the end of the day, the Government is looking for recovery of . . . if you are benefiting from the service of people coming in and flying and seeing Bermuda, the Government is making, seeing the pink sands and everything else, there is no problem with that. So, Mr. Speaker, I just want to say those few remarks. And I hope that I have clarified the concept that at the end of the day the vacation rentals can recover the $2,000, $2,500 or $1,500. They are still making a lot more money. If they want to make some more money, get the fives up. Full -time fives, 5 per cent. Talk to people, take them to the marketplace. Show them [where] to get the groceries. Take them up for a drive down to St. George's, whatever. That is where you
B ermuda House of Assembly build the relationships up, and you are able to get more customers into your vacation rentals. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Does any other Member? MP Pearman, would you like to make a contribution? Mr . Scott Pearman: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Scott PearmanAnd it was a great pleasure to hear from the Minister, the Honourable Member from constituency 6. And I just want to just touch on one point. I think one of the big arguments that the Honourable Minister was making was that it was more lucrative to parti cipate in …
And it was a great pleasure to hear from the Minister, the Honourable Member from constituency 6. And I just want to just touch on one point. I think one of the big arguments that the Honourable Minister was making was that it was more lucrative to parti cipate in the vacation rental market than to participate in the normal rental market. And on that point we entirely agree. But that is not, respectfully, why the Opposition is objecting to the Bill. And the Opposi-tion is against this Bill and will vote against it. The problems we have, firstly, is really the timing as the Honourable Shadow Minister has already said. And for the Honourable Member from constitu-ency 6, I know you and I always love it when I get into numbers as a lawyer. But I am going to do i t easily. I am going to take your numbers, because you said, Anybody can have a rack rate of 150. So let us just go with 150, right, right? And you said 50 per cent occupancy. Right? [ Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Scott PearmanWell, 150 is fine because that is how I already did it. You said 50 per cent still works well. So let us just say 50 per cent occupancy (nice easy number), rack rate of 150 (nice easy number). You had mentioned the tax, the current tax being 4.05 per …
Well, 150 is fine because that is how I already did it. You said 50 per cent still works well. So let us just say 50 per cent occupancy (nice easy number), rack rate of 150 (nice easy number). You had mentioned the tax, the current tax being 4.05 per cent. I think it has gone up to 4.75 per cent. And if that is right , then the annual daily tax on a rack rate of 150 is $10.60. And if you have occupancy for half the year, that is $1,934.50. So for sake of ease, $1,934.00, let us just call it two grand, right? So currently if you have got a rack rate of 150 a day and you have 50 per cent occupancy, which is good, you said it still works well, you are paying about two grand to the Tourism Authority in tax. Either directly at sources, you pointed out, Airbnb does it at source, whereas Expedia and the other ones pass it to you and you pass it on. So you are out two grand at the moment before this legislation arrives. The reason I make that point is that this is introducing on top of that existing tax two more fees . Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: A point of order. I just want to get a clarification from the Honourable Member. Mr . Scott Pearman: Please, sir, please. POINT OF CLARIFICATION Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: You said at 4 per cent, you are out $2,000?
Mr. Scott Pearm anYes. Currently at 4.75 per cent on a rack rate of 150 with a 50 per cent annual occupancy, you are paying tax of $1,934. I am calling that two grand for ease. Are you with me? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I just want to clarify a point of order. …
Yes. Currently at 4.75 per cent on a rack rate of 150 with a 50 per cent annual occupancy, you are paying tax of $1,934. I am calling that two grand for ease. Are you with me? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I just want to clarify a point of order. POINT OF O RDER Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: That is charged to the renter, not the person who is the vacation owner.
Mr. Scott PearmanThat is the tax that ends up coming out of the general rate. You then pay 3 per cent, as I understand it, to the vacation rental company. And they— Hon. Vance Campbell: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. POINT OF ORDER Hon. Vance Campbell: The Honourable Member is incorrect. That …
That is the tax that ends up coming out of the general rate. You then pay 3 per cent, as I understand it, to the vacation rental company. And they— Hon. Vance Campbell: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. POINT OF ORDER Hon. Vance Campbell: The Honourable Member is incorrect. That 4.5 per cent is paid by the renter. It is on top of the rack rate. But that 4.5 per cent is based on the rack rate. So they pay that, not the owner. Mr . Scott Pearman: Right. But it is still the current tax. It is payable to the government, which works out annually at $1,934, and I am calling that two grand. Because what I trying to do — Hon. Vance Campbell : Point of order, Mr. Speaker. POINT OF ORDER Hon. Vance Campbell: It is just not correct. The analysis is not correct because it is not an expense for the owner of the vacation rental. So it is a faulty argument from the beginning. A faulty analysis, I should say, rather than argument.
Mr. Scott PearmanThe point is the government is currently collecting from that person $2,000. Yes? I mean, it is revenue. It is revenue to the government of $2,000. Hon. Vance Campbell: Point of order. POINT OF ORDER 1238 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. Vance Campbell: …
The point is the government is currently collecting from that person $2,000. Yes? I mean, it is revenue. It is revenue to the government of $2,000. Hon. Vance Campbell: Point of order. POINT OF ORDER 1238 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. Vance Campbell: If the Honourable Member is referring to the renter , he is correct. But if he is referring to the owner of the vacation rental, he is not correct.
Mr. Scott PearmanI take that. It is absolutely a fair point. What I am trying to do is I am trying to establish the baseline position on the tax on this transaction. And I am trying to then compare it to what the new position will be by reason of this legislation. …
I take that. It is absolutely a fair point. What I am trying to do is I am trying to establish the baseline position on the tax on this transaction. And I am trying to then compare it to what the new position will be by reason of this legislation. So are you with me? So it used to be two grand on that analysis. It is now going to be an annual application fee of $1,500, right, by reason of clause 4. And it is going to be an annual registration fee of either $2,000 or all the way up to $2,500 for a more expensive property, right? [ Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Scott PearmanNo? So okay. Then maybe I have misunderstood the legislation. I have read clause 4 of the Bill, and it sounds to me as if there is a $1,500 an-nual application fee and then a $2,000 annual registra-tion—if I am wrong, please correct me. Hon. Vance Campbell: Point of clarification.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo ahead. POINT OF CLARIFICATION Hon. Vance Campbell: The use of ARV is not the same way as it would be in the calculation of land tax. So it is not you do “X” per cent at one level and then “X” per cent at the next level until you …
Go ahead. POINT OF CLARIFICATION Hon. Vance Campbell: The use of ARV is not the same way as it would be in the calculation of land tax. So it is not you do “X” per cent at one level and then “X” per cent at the next level until you reach the actual ARV of the house. If a unit falls within that band, they pay that fee and only that fee. So if it falls within the Rent Control bands, it pays $1,500 and $1,500 only. If it falls in the next group of bands that have a rate of $2,000, they only pay the $2,000. They do not pay the $1,500 plus the incremental of the $2,000. They do not.
Mr. Scott PearmanI think we are saying the same thing. But let me just make sure that I have understood you. Your point is not everyone will pay a $1,500 application fee and an annual registration fee. Only some people might pay one, and some people might pay the other. No?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNo. I think what — Hon. Vance Campbell: There is only one fee. There is only one fee. It is either the $1,500 depending on your unit falls in that band; $2,000 or $2,500. It is just the one fee. [ Inaudible interjection] Mr . Scott Pearman: No, no, I …
No. I think what — Hon. Vance Campbell: There is only one fee. There is only one fee. It is either the $1,500 depending on your unit falls in that band; $2,000 or $2,500. It is just the one fee. [ Inaudible interjection] Mr . Scott Pearman: No, no, I am glad for —yes, I got that one. [ Laughter] Mr . Scott Pearman: I am glad for the clarification. No, that is very helpful. Okay. So somewhere between $1,500 and $2,500 is going to be the new fee. And whoever you happen to be, whatever your vacation unit looks like is going to be which fee you pay. I am glad we clarified it. I am grateful to the Minister for the clarity. The second point I was going to ask about, and I think my honourable friend the Shadow Minister has already covered it, which is the number of units that we actually have as vacation rental units on the Island. Is it about 125?
Mr. L. Craig CannonierNo, 320 or so. Mr . Scott Pearman: Okay. So it is considerable. Because I saw in the budget that it was anticipated that this would make revenue of some $500,000. Is that right? Okay. So 320- odd. Okay. I then have a question for the Honourable Minister, Mr. Speaker. …
No, 320 or so. Mr . Scott Pearman: Okay. So it is considerable. Because I saw in the budget that it was anticipated that this would make revenue of some $500,000. Is that right? Okay. So 320- odd. Okay. I then have a question for the Honourable Minister, Mr. Speaker. And that is this: In terms of the ARV that is being charged, is that an ARV on the unit? Or is that an ARV on the premises in which the unit is con-tained? So for example, if the unit does not have a separate assessment number, are you paying the fee on your ARV for the building even if the unit is contained within the building if it does not have a separate assess-ment number? Or what would happen in that circum-stance? I am sure you understand the point. So there is a house. You live in the main house. You rent out your unit, which is attached to the house or contained within it. Maybe it is a basement or second floor. If that unit is not a separate assessment number, are you paying this fee based upon your ARV of your entire building even though it is really supposed to be based on the unit? And then the two other points I would make are really more points for debate. It does seem to me that this is introducing another tax, right? People already pay land tax. They already pay I think it was 4.05 per cent which is being paid to the government. Your point there is it is not being paid by you. It is being paid by the person who comes to Bermuda and stays in the property, and then this is an additional fee. But whether we say it is paid by the renter or the vacation unit person, or whether it is paid by you in the form of a sliding scale, the fact is the cost of this transaction is getting more expensive and it is making us more expensive as a destination, is it not? [ Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Scott PearmanI take it. And actually that is my final point. B ermuda House of Assembly My final point is this: As I said, we are not for this; we are against it. But if you were trying to do this in a way to collect revenue (and this has already …
I take it. And actually that is my final point.
B ermuda House of Assembly My final point is this: As I said, we are not for this; we are against it. But if you were trying to do this in a way to collect revenue (and this has already been fores hadowed by the Shadow Minister), just for ease of use purposes, would it not make a hell of a lot more sense just to take that percentage number and put it up a bit? Because now we are creating a whole load of registration, application, et cetera, et cetera. It does seem awfully complicated, particularly in circum-stances where Airbnb is, as you say and accept and we agree, collecting at source. It is just a suggestion. If you are hell -bent on this, that just seems like a more sensible way to approach it. Anyway, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution? MP Anthony Richardson, it looks like you are rising for a comment? You have the floor.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonMr. Speaker, if you will permit me, I want to first of all recognise that there is a doctor in the House, Dr. Richardson. And that causes me to be on my better behaviour I will say. But I will go from there.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMaybe we need to have him here more often then, eh? [ Laughter]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonAll I will say is this, Mr. Speaker. And I have got to be polite about this or be kind, right? You cannot start on a place —okay, let me back up. The word “ignorance” is often thought of as a negative description. But it really refers to not knowing. …
All I will say is this, Mr. Speaker. And I have got to be polite about this or be kind, right? You cannot start on a place —okay, let me back up. The word “ignorance” is often thought of as a negative description. But it really refers to not knowing. So on the basis of the previous speaker, he has a prem-ise that is actually incorrect. Meaning he did not know, and so we accept that. So what I will try to do is say this, Mr. Speaker. At this point in time, there is actually no fee to me as the homeowner. What is proposed is to put in place a fee which I now have to pay based upon my ARV, and it is going to slide from $1,500 to $2,500 depending upon my ARV. So that is the correct premise that we should be starting from. So now, Mr. Speaker , having said that, I want to maybe pretend to surprise everybody and say that I actually agree with the route that was taken by Honour-able Member Cannonier in terms of civil process. [Desk thumping]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonMy fellow St. Georgian. What I mean by that is this. [ Inaudible interjection] Mr. Anthony Richardson: No, no. [ Laughter]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonBased upon his public commentary, it actually helps us to understand the value of this robust process in Bermuda by which there is a proposal put forth, for example, and the electorate is able to be in contact with the actual legislators to clarify and make changes. So in this …
Based upon his public commentary, it actually helps us to understand the value of this robust process in Bermuda by which there is a proposal put forth, for example, and the electorate is able to be in contact with the actual legislators to clarify and make changes. So in this instance, Mr. Speaker, what has transpired is that the Government through the pre-budget process said we are considering doing these things. Then there was comment in the public, and then we got to the actual budget, and we discussed it some more. And then I will politely, I guess, commend the Honourable Member Cannonier because there w as an article attributed to him in the newspaper, or the press, which caused others to have even more information. And then we got to a stage whereby there were other articles and some people responded. So what I am saying is that based upon this process there was an excellent consultation overall to get us where we are today. And ultimately, I will say that it got to this stage by one of my constituents, who I will call Ms. Karen. I will call her Ms. Karen.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOh, no.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonNo, I will call her Ms. Karen. We had a good conversation, right, and it caused me to do some more research. So you know who Ms. Karen is, right. And so what I will say is that in this process it caused me to go through and understand. Because …
No, I will call her Ms. Karen. We had a good conversation, right, and it caused me to do some more research. So you know who Ms. Karen is, right. And so what I will say is that in this process it caused me to go through and understand. Because we all thought, at least I always thought that I understood the process or the business arrangement for Airbnbs, and I did not. So this is what I have learned, Mr. Speaker. The first thing was that I needed to get clarity in terms of what is the difference between my renting an apart-ment as I would normally do versus an Airbnb or a vacation rental? And through conversation it came down to the reality is that the whole Airbnb business relates to persons who are not normally resident in Bermuda. So if I want to participate in that market, I have to then go through the process and register my property. And then it came to, my goodness, well, why would I do that? Because right now if I do that, I have to pay this actual fee. And I could avoid the fee by just not regis-tering. But therein lies the problem, Mr. Speaker. And so what I want to do is give a clarion call to all of those who are currently in the business to reg-ister your property. Because I understand, as you say, talking to various people, right, that there are actually many people who are in the business who are not registered properly. And they need to register. Why regis-ter? Because, Mr. Speaker, to the extent that people are in the business and not registered, Bermuda— Bermuda —is at risk. Because Anthony comes to Bermuda and rents a property and for whatever reason there is a 1240 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly negative impact —I get robbed, whatever the case may be. So the idea is to make sure that we do register the property. Because as I think the Minister said earlier, one of the processes is that if I am registered, the property does get inspected for some of the basics. Do you have, for example, safe doors? Do you have a fire alarm? Do you have a fire extinguisher? All those kinds of things which add to the circumstance in the event that something goes wrong. So there is a value that is added to persons who are in the market to properly register their property. The second point, Mr. Speaker, is to ensure that there is an appropriate level of expectation to those who do seek to rent the property. And I was a bit sur-prised there, to be honest, but that is a good thing be-cause it means that at least if I go and I rent a property, the property should have some evidence of the fact that it is a registered property. And I want to almost say that people should not rent properties that are not properly recognised because it means that they have not met the standards. So it is a very dangerous thing to do. But, Mr. Speaker, to take the point from what some of the previous speakers spoke about is that if I am not mistaken, they are talking about the timing. Based upon what is proposed in the Bill, the impact is not immediate. Because it is going to come into play once people have to apply for a licence, which again if I checked it correctly is not going to occur until about September when all of the renewals have to take place. So again the comment would be, for all those who are in the market or in the business, to make sure that they have a factual basis upon which they start so they do not, as I said earlier, start or operate from a place of ignorance. And, Mr. Speaker, what I also want to add is that the beauty of this process in terms of ideas pro-posed, the Minister gets involved and there are lots of conversations, is that we are then able to have more information about that. And as part of this process, I want the general public to know that the PLP did go through a process and consider all kinds of things before making this decision in terms of where we are. And like MP Cannonier, I did ask the Minister because I wanted clarification on certain things. And one of those things was of course, What is the structure of the fees? And to comment on what MP Pearman spoke about, it is that the idea is to keep it simple. And that is why we have it based on ARVs with only a few fees in that realm. So if we accept that the idea was to keep it simple, then this does make sense. And clearly, Mr. Speaker, as we all know, there is always the opportunity to change legislation based upon new information or whatever the case may be. So that is what still obtains in terms of, if there is a real need to make some changes, we can make some changes. But it does not mean that we should not start from the ground zero and put this Act into place. Clearly, Mr. Speaker, we all know that as a government overall, there was a need to raise revenue to cover the overall costs. We are just about concluding this session for the whole budget process. And this is part of that, which is, What avenues exist for the Gov-ernment to raise taxes? I think similar to MP Cannonier again, or maybe Minister Furbert, is that based upon this opportunity, the chances are more funds can be raised from this tax than is currently being proposed. Mr. Speaker, you all know that I represent Hamilton South, number 7. And during the past couple of years now the one thing that actually surprised me, because I thought before that a non- Bermudian could not rent their property. But there are many (quote– unquote) “ high- end homes ” that are used in the Airbnb mark et. And I say that because I had opportunity to go to one of these places, and they were renting it to maybe say 10 people. And I am saying, What? How can you rent a house to 10 people? But once I realised the location, it was quite clear that it was more than ad-equate to accommodate that number of people. [ Laughter]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonSo I am saying, Mr. Speaker, that this is one of those issues or one of those areas by which I think a lot of us who are not actually in (quote –unquote) “the market” do not really understand the opportunity that does exist. What is also good, Mr. Speaker …
So I am saying, Mr. Speaker, that this is one of those issues or one of those areas by which I think a lot of us who are not actually in (quote –unquote) “the market” do not really understand the opportunity that does exist. What is also good, Mr. Speaker , is that in this legislation there is still the protection for those who live in what we commonly refer to as Rent Control proper-ties because if I currently have a Rent Control property, I cannot just (quote –unquote) “kick the person out”. To move into th e Airbnb market, I have to actually apply for permission. And I probably would not get it if my only rationale is that I want to go and take the place and put it into the Airbnb market. So there is some protection for those persons who are currently in Rent Control apartments not to worry about being suddenly, you know, terminated in order for the landlord to move into the Airbnb space. Mr. Speaker, also in terms of encouraging persons to register is that there is an indirect impact on airlift because if we know and if the airlines know also what is the true availability of accommodation, this will impact the decision as to whether or not to fly to Bermuda. So there is that significant benefit if everyone who is in the market does in fact properly register. So, Mr. Speaker, I will end where I started. And that is to say that ignorance is sometimes taken in the negative, actually most times the negative, but it is meant with positive in terms of sometimes we just do not know. And I will put it this way so that it is more palatable in that I will say that when this process started for me, I was ignorant of the Airbnb or the vacation rent-als market. I would like to say now though that I am no longer ignorant because I took the time to understand, to research, to talk and all those, ask a lot of questions.
B ermuda House of Assembly So now I have a better understanding of how this process will work. And I would encourage all those who are considering participating in this market to take the time to ask questions, to consult, ask people and to become more knowledgeable. And I also want to ensure that we do not have the inadvertent encouragement for everybody to try to cancel their normal rentals and go into the Airbnb market, because as previous speakers have said, it is not as if your place is going to always be rented. Sometimes it is empty; sometimes it is [rented]. And also what I know or what I have learned is that the one difference between a standard rental and a vacation rental is that for a vacation rental there is much more wear and tear on the property because you are constantly changing tenants. And at least if you have a standard rental, just a person living there, there is also the certainty, as I said earlier. If you need to know for sure that you are going to get “X” amount of money per month, then the standard rental market may be a (quote–unquote) “better choice.” Having said that, though, Bermuda is a place where we believe in capitalism. And it is a matter of, if I think I can make more money in the vacation rental market then I am going to try that. But of course there is—I would not say there is risk. But there is a whole difference because you are not going to get the same money every month. You have to be mindful of the fact that, as the Minister said, you might make $5,000 per month in the summer months. You cannot get used to spending that because in the [off -season] months you are going to get less. And therefore, you have to be very, very careful. So with those comments, Mr. Speaker, I will say thank you to the Minister. I know that there are always lots of questions and pushback. But stay your ground. It is intended to raise the government revenue. And there is, I believe, the ability to make some tweaks if it is deemed to be necessary and to actually raise more money from this than is currently anticipated. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution? None. Minister. Hon. Vance Campbell: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For some there is never a good time to charge a fee. And in this space that we are discussing here today, the one thing that we have not …
Thank you, MP. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution? None. Minister. Hon. Vance Campbell: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For some there is never a good time to charge a fee. And in this space that we are discussing here today, the one thing that we have not heard addressed so far by any of the speakers is individuals who have been participating have had no fee to pay. We are com-ing to the beginning of a new year for the Government at a time when we consider making changes. And with this Government, we have made decisions to lower taxes in many areas, and we have made decisions to raise fees in other areas, in a few areas. It was felt that the fees that we determined that we would apply or put in place for vacation rentals, the amounts that we have spoken of were very reasonable. And if you take into consideration someone paying these fees and using the 60 per cent scenario, at the lower end that would be $6.85 for your 60 per cent days that you are renting. It would be $6.85 for each of those days that you are making several hundred dollars or more, several thousand dollars for that particular day. At the high end it is $11.42. So even for people who have not had to pay a fee for a number of years, depending on when you got in, it could be as many as 10 years or more. It could be you got in two years ago. But for people who have had to pay no fee, it is still not a good time to implement what we consider a very reasonable fee. I have heard that we should have put this fee on top of the 4.5 per cent, raise that percentage. We have learned that when it is done that way, it is more of a disincentive for the visitor when they see, Oh, I have to pay all of these things on top of the rack rate. It is actually somewhat more palatable when it is part of that rack rate. So if in this instance the owner of the unit decides to up their room rate by $6.85 or $11.42 a day, it is actually more palatable than having a 9.0 per cent tax instead of a 4.5 per cent tax. It is about the visual, Mr. Speaker. In our point of clarifications we were able to clarify that this was not an incremental fee based on going through the bands of the ARV. It is one, either the lower end or the upper end. And wherever your unit falls, that is the fee, the one fee and only fee that you would pay. We heard about this being, we can make it easier. It is easier to include it as a fee. Well, the owner of the vacation rental has to file either an annual r egistration if it falls above $22,800, or every two years as it stands. This Bill is amending that. But right now as it stands, every two years if it falls under Rent Control. There is still a process of having to fill out and file an application. All this process is, send your payment in when you file that. Your annual payment, send it in when you send in your application. That is the only ad-ditional process. And I do not know if it is that much more onerous to include a cheque or your credit card details in the envelope that you send it in or if you physically go in to make a payment. We do not see where that is that much more onerous. Just something to clarify. In order for a nonBermudian to rent their unit, they have to get permis-sion from the Minister responsible for the Cabinet Office, and that will not be classified as a vacation rental. And they would have to pay a tax of 7.25 per cent in addition to the 4.5 [per cent]. That is existing law now. Mr. Speaker, even with no fee currently, we have people who have not registered their unit as a vacation rental. There are just some people who do not 1242 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly want to pay. There is no fee currently, and we have almost as many people renting their unit without a certif-icate as we do who have followed the law. So you will hear the Minister say we have 324 vacation rental units. But those are the ones who have followed the law. You may hear other reports saying it is 600 -and-something units. And we intend to correct that, Mr. Speaker. I cannot get into the —I cannot wrap my mind around that, why you would not register your unit when there is not even a charge. But we have had that. And we, as I said, would look to address that as we introduce this fee. The Honourable Member from [constituency] 7 spoke out about, Why is it a good thing to have a li-cence fee? Why is it a good thing for people to license their unit? This allows the inspectors to inspect and make sure that it meets a certain standard. It allows us to make sure that what a potential visitor to the Island sees on a website matches up with what they are going to experience when they arrive on the Island. To do it or not to do it and have that person’s vacation experi-ence ruined and they then convey that through various platforms online or word of mouth to their friends does a lot of harm to our tourism industry. There was mention about these vacation rental owners having to pay land tax. Well, they have to pay land tax whether they have a unit in the vacation rental market or not. I will admit they may have to pay a bit more electricity because they have that person there, and they may have to pay a little bit more for water. But that is what their room rate is for. [Inaudible interjection] Ho n. Vance Campbell: Yes, air -conditioning as well. And I am sure these people who are entering this as a business have recognised that. And that is reflected in the rate that they charge on a nightly basis. It has to be cleaned. Yes, I understand that. If you have a normal tenant and they are local, someone ordinarily resident in Bermuda, then they normally clean it themselves. So again, we as a government felt, coming to this time in the year where we naturally consider reve-nues, that this was a good time. We did not feel that the rates, $6.85 a day at the low end at 60 per cent, $11.42 per day at the high end at 60 per cent occupancy, was unreasonable. We recognise there is great optimism within the industry. The expectation is that we will have a better year in 2023 than we did have in 2022. That is not me. That is those involved in the industry. Mr. Speaker, I could feel their optimism being in the room with them. And the last point that I want to address, we recognise somebody may have a pool house and they are renting that. Someone may have a unit, a bedroom, suite, that they can lock off from the main house with a separate entrance to that of the main house and be able to rent that. But again the Honourable Member from constituency 7 said that the Government’s objective in this was to raise revenue, yes, but also to keep this process fairly simple. And we feel it does not get much simpler. Send your payment in when you send your annual application in. It does not get much simpler than that, you do not have to go through this elaborate calculation to determine where you fit in as far as what your annual payment is. We did ask the authorities around these units that do not have their own separate ARV. And they said they had the ARV of the house that they are attached to. That was the advice given to us. So as it stands now, they would have the ARV, an ARV based on the house, the property that they are attached to. In my brief I talked about this industry evolving. And this is part of that evolution and part of the evolution around law. There may be areas that are revisited in the future. But we have to start somewhere, and with this Bill, this is where are looking to start today, Mr. Speaker. I do appreciate the time that I had with the Opposition Shadow Minister for Tourism to discuss some of these matters. And I am prepared to discuss matters pertaining to tourism as we go forward with my Shadow. And I believe he knows that because we have [had discussions] in the past. So with that, Mr . Speaker, I c onclude my c omments, and I m ove that t he Bill be committed. [Pause] House in C ommittee at 7: 20 pm [Ms. S usan E. J ackson, C hairman] COMMITTEE O N BILL VACATIO N RENTALS ( APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION) FEES ACT 2 023
The ChairmanChairmanMembers, we are in Committee of the whole [Hous e] for the consideration of Vacation Rentals (Applic ation and Registration) Fees Ac t 2023. Minister. Hon. V ance C ampbell: Thank you, Ma dam Chairman. Mada m Chairman, I woul d like to mov e all six clauses. The C …
Members, we are in Committee of the whole [Hous e] for the consideration of Vacation Rentals (Applic ation and Registration) Fees Ac t 2023. Minister. Hon. V ance C ampbell: Thank you, Ma dam Chairman. Mada m Chairman, I woul d like to mov e all six clauses. The C hairman: You may p roceed. Hon. V ance C ampbell: Madam Chairman, c lause 1 is self-explanatory. Clause 2 amends section 6 of the Rent Increases (Domestic Premises) Control Act 1978. Section 6(3) of this Act is deleted and replaced with new procedures for applications for vacation rental certificates under Rent Control. These applications are to be made annually and accompanied by the prescribed fee.
B ermuda House of Assembly Also this clause in 2(b) changes the period that a certificate is valid from 24 months to 12 months, and clause 2(d) reduces the period for subletting from 1 2 months to 6 months and the consecutive period from 24 months to 12 months. Still under clause 2, Madam Chairman, section 6(5) [of the Rent Increases (Domestic Premises) Con-trol Act 1978] is deleted from this Act. And this section [6(5)] reads as follows: “A vacation rental (rent control) certificate may be renewed and the provisions of this section shall apply to the renewal of a certificate as they apply to the issuing of a certificate.” And that would be section 6(5) of the Rent Increases (Domestic Premises) Control Act 1978. Clause 2 also inserts a section that states [at clause 2(8)] that “Regulations made by the Minister un-der this section are subject to the negative resolution procedure.” Clause 3 amends section 15A of the Bermuda Tourism Authority Act 2013 to provide an annual regis-tration fee for a vacation rental certificate. Section 15A(2) is deleted and replaced with a new section which prescribes the registration process. Also under clause 3, section 15B(3) is also deleted. And clause 4 provides a related amendment to the Government Fees Regulations 1976 to provide the fees payable, according to annual rental value bands, for a vacation rental (rent control) certificate and a va-cation rental certificate. Clause 5, the fees will be applied once the Act comes into operation, which means that the fee will not affect the validity of existing valid vacation rent control certificates. Also, any vacation rental Rent Control cer-tificate that has not expired when the Act comes into operation will remain valid until the 31 st of August 2023. And any vacation rental certificate that falls under the Bermuda Tourism Authority Act 2013 that is valid when the Act comes into operation will remain valid until its expiry date. What that means, Madam Chairman, i s if we are talking about the vacation rental (rent control) cer-tificates, the latest expiry date for those that are valid now is August 31, 2023. That is the latest. So all of these certificates, as they expire they will have to reap-ply under this Act onc e it is put in place. But the latest one under the rent control that is in existence now will expire August 31 of this year. And the certificates that are granted or valid under the Tourism Authority Act 2013 will be valid until they expire, and they expir e at various different dates. So once they expire they would be subject to this Act. So I just wanted to clarify that for Members and those in the listening audience. And lastly, clause 6 provides that the Bill comes into operation on publication of a notice by the Minister in the Gazette. With that I will conclude my remarks, Madam Chairman.
The ChairmanChairmanThank you, Minister. Does any Member have any questions on all clauses, clauses 1 through 6, of the Vacation Rental (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023? Member, you have the floor.
Mr. L. Craig CannonierThank you, Honourable Member, Madam Chairman. Yes. Just one question on page 2, clause 4 under Head 8A, the chart, (1) the Annual registration fee for a vacation rental certificate, Bermuda Tourism Au-thority Act 2013. So the bands that are here for the sec-tion 4(1)(i), (ii), (iii) are all $2,000. …
Thank you, Honourable Member, Madam Chairman. Yes. Just one question on page 2, clause 4 under Head 8A, the chart, (1) the Annual registration fee for a vacation rental certificate, Bermuda Tourism Au-thority Act 2013. So the bands that are here for the sec-tion 4(1)(i), (ii), (iii) are all $2,000. These are based on ARVs. And then you look at 4(1)(iv) and (v) of the $90,000 up to over $120,000, same price, $2,500 each. I thought they probably would have been tiered more. So I am just trying to understand why it is $2,000 for three subsections, and then it goes up to $2,500 for the massive, the bigger houses. If the Minister could give us an idea why he put it this way as opposed to incrementally increasing it with each ARV, understand-ing that if your ARV is $120,000 and over, I probably would have put $4,000 there as opposed to $2,500, you know?
The ChairmanChairmanThank you, Member. Are there any other questions on the clauses for the Vacation Rental (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023? Minister. Hon. Vance Campbell: Thank you, Madam Chairman. Madam Chairman, it is simply the Government in introducing this fee for the first time recognising, alt-hough there was great optimism …
Thank you, Member. Are there any other questions on the clauses for the Vacation Rental (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023? Minister. Hon. Vance Campbell: Thank you, Madam Chairman. Madam Chairman, it is simply the Government in introducing this fee for the first time recognising, alt-hough there was great optimism for this tourism season, that we wanted to keep the fees reasonable. And having broader bands as opposed to narrower bands was to keep it simple and also reasonable as well, achieving the objective, the overall goal as to the amount of money that the Government was looking to raise.
The ChairmanChairmanAny other questions? Minister, would you like to move the clauses? Hon. Vance Campbell: Thank you, Madam Chairman. Madam Chairman, I would like to move clauses 1 through 6.
The ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that clauses 1 through 6 be approved. Is there any objection to that motion? [ Motion carried: Clauses 1 through 6 passed.]
The ChairmanChairmanSo would you like to move your Schedule? Hon. Vance Campbell: There are no Schedules. 1244 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Bermu da House of Assembly The Chair man: Preamble? Hon . Vance Campbell: Yes. Madam President, I move that the preamble be approved.
The
ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that the preamble be approved. Is there any objection to that motion? Minister. Hon . Vance Campbell: Madam Chairman, I move that the Bill be reported to the House as printed.
The
ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that the Bill be reported to the House as printed. Is there any objection to that motion? No objection. Agreed to. The Bill will be reported to the House as printed. [Moti on carried: The Vacation Rental (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023 was considered by …
It has been moved that the Bill be reported to the House as printed. Is there any objection to that motion? No objection. Agreed to. The Bill will be reported to the House as printed. [Moti on carried: The Vacation Rental (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023 was considered by a Committee of the whole House and passed without amend-ment.] Hon . Vance Campbell: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
The
ChairmanChairmanThank you, Minister. Hou se resumed at 7:29 pm [Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair] REPORT OF COMMITTEE VACATION RENTAL (APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION) FEES ACT 2023
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMembers, are there any objections to the Vacation Rental (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023 being reported to the House as printed? There are none. The Bill has been reported as printed. Members, we will now move on to the next item on the Order Paper tonight, which is the …
Members, are there any objections to the Vacation Rental (Application and Registration) Fees Act 2023 being reported to the House as printed? There are none. The Bill has been reported as printed. Members, we will now move on to the next item on the Order Paper tonight, which is the second reading of the Fairmont Southampton Hotel Act 2023 in the name of the Minister of Tourism. Minister. Hon . Vance Campbell: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill entitled the Fairmont Southampton Hotel Act 2023 be now read the second time.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAre there any objections? None. Continue. BILL SEC OND READ ING FAIRMONT SOUTHAMPTON HOTEL ACT 2023 Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, the Bill before this Honourable House is the Fairmont Southampton Act 2023 (t he Bill). This Bill, Mr. Speaker, is the result of the detailed advice received in the …
Are there any objections? None. Continue. BILL SEC OND READ ING FAIRMONT SOUTHAMPTON HOTEL ACT 2023 Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, the Bill before this Honourable House is the Fairmont Southampton Act 2023 (t he Bill). This Bill, Mr. Speaker, is the result of the detailed advice received in the course of the ongoing closing process for the redevelopment of the Fairmont Southampton Hotel. Mr. Speaker, the 2022 Act is not in force and would only have come into force once all conditions precedent for closing had been met. Therefore, this Bill will govern the full package of support to be provided to support the project. Mr. Speaker, this Bill is required primarily to adjust the method by which tax and customs duty concessions are granted after reopening of the hotel. They are being restructured as rebates instead of direct relief. Mr. Speaker, rebate versus relief may sound inconsequential. But the change is a critical component of the redevelopment’s financing structure and a key protection for the government and hence the people of Bermuda. In simple terms it means the hotel must first pay the normal taxes or customs duty in accordance with existing law before being entitled to a rebate. In turn, rebate payments will immediately flow back to repay the loan that the government has guaranteed. In this way, the value of any concessions the hotel earns after it reopen s will flow only through accounts that are ringfenced solely for the purpose of reducing the government’s exposure to the guar anteed loan. In other words, this measure will enhance the position and reduce the possibility that the government guarantee will be called. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members will also recall the recent amendments to the Public Treasury (Administration and Payments) Act 1969, the PTA Amendment, which provides the legislative mechanism to permit payment of rebates out of the consolidated fund. The PTA Amendment also requires that any entitlement for a specific person or company to receive rebates, along with the nature of the relevant rebates, must be granted through an Act approved by the Legislature. Mr. Speaker, the approval of the Legislature in relation to rebates to Westend Properties Limited, owner and developer of the Fairmont Southampton Hotel, is th e primary purpose of this Act. Rather than amending the 2022 Act, it is being brought forward as a new Bill for practical reasons in parliamentary drafting. Furthermore, in conjunction with the recent PTA Amendment it will complete all legislative requirements relating to concessions that will enable the agreement of the various financing parties and ultimately the commencement of this nationally important redevelopment project.
B ermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, the modifications this Bill provides with respect to hotel concessions, along with the PTA Amendment that permits payments under the ap-proved rebate structure, strengthens the protections for the Government of Bermuda and hence the people of Bermuda. Mr. Speaker, this Bill here today has nothing to do with special development orders as did the Bill in 2022 have nothing to do with special development or-ders. It is to enhance the protections, allow this very important development for this Island. And as I stated here before and as I know all Members in this House know, nothing in tourism moves significantly without this hotel coming back online. No beds, there is no sig-nificant movement in that. Airlines, our ability to attract more airlift is enhanced. Mr. Speaker, I commend this Bill to the House for consideration, and I look forward to the support of Honourable Members. This has been a long journey, Mr. Speaker, but I am confident that we are nearing a successful completion that will see jobs created, eco-nomic activity generated, tourism revitalised and a sig-nature prop erty restored to prominence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution at this time? MP Cannonier, you have the floor.
Mr. L. Craig CannonierYes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will not be long on this at all. (Yes, the last one was long.) This is something that we agree with. We are happy to see that the clauses that have been put in place to strengthen the government’s position as far as offences …
Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will not be long on this at all. (Yes, the last one was long.) This is something that we agree with. We are happy to see that the clauses that have been put in place to strengthen the government’s position as far as offences and the likes are concerned have been actually put in place. So I understand this. I assume that since 2022 was not ratified that this was the case, that they were strengthening to bring this forward. Again, I would like to thank the Minister. He did pull me aside to discuss beforehand. So he has an-swered the questions that I did have [then]. So I appre-ciate the fact that he has done so. And I did advise that unfortunately many of the public are confusing this with the SDO [special development order] that does not even exist at this point in time. It is still in discussion. So I was happy to hear that the Honourable Minister did bring out the fact and clarify as I suggested that this is solely about the renovations and the concessions for the Southampton Princess and of course how govern-ment safeguards itself toward these here. So really and truly I only had two concerns. And that was concerning the rebate to understand, Exactly how does the rebate work? And the Honourable Minis-ter has provided somewhat of an answer to how that rebate takes place. I guess in more specifics, because we are talking about three different areas, and then in addition to that, customs duty, payroll tax, hotel occupancy tax. Just curious as to, so when they actually pay those monies as they would normally do . . . And so then that rebate, I would assume, the Finance Minister would take that into consideration coming from the con-solidated fund. And then the rebate then would go to-ward the guarantees. Am I correct? Is that what you said? Yes. Okay. Agreed, Mr. Speaker. It makes sense. I now understand the changing of that, how vulnerable it was before. You put in rebate. An exemption certainly is a completely different story. So I understand the efficacy in that. And the only other concern that I really had was (sorry, let me just pull over to it) the 70 years [sic] . And I do not even need to go into Committee on that. I am sorry, the 70 per cent of Bermudians. My concern really was within six years from now, knowing that the indus-try really is struggling right now and hearing from the industry stakeholders, hoteliers who are operating, it is extremely difficult for them to even come close to 70 per cent [Bermudian staff]. And there needs to be a culture shift, qui te frankly, for us going back into the hospitality industry. In talking with the Minister, there were 600- plus maybe employees who were there before. Many of those folks have moved on, retired and the like. So it is going to be a task. So I will be watching closely as the training de-partments and the industry seeks to train Bermudians, get them up to par so that they can take on positions. One of the other parts to that 70 per cent in mentioning the training, we would like to also see man-agement training included in that so that our people are getting into the senior positions. It does not specify that, but it would be good to see that we are also putting training in place toward having [Bermudians in senior positions] running these hotels. So with that in mind, I thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP Cannonier. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution? Opposition Leader, you have the floor. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, we support the legislation. And I just have a couple of minor ques-tions. In regard to …
Thank you, MP Cannonier. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution? Opposition Leader, you have the floor. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, we support the legislation. And I just have a couple of minor ques-tions. In regard to the hotel development itself, obviously a lot has been said about that already. And it is my understanding or our team’s understanding that the hotel will be built before any villas. So the question is, Somehow can we have that condition baked into the legislation that the priority will be building the hotel first and then the villas will follow shortly thereafter? We do not want to have another Palmetto Gardens whereby the devel opers made a commitment to build the hotel, and to this date there is no hotel there. So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister to look into that. [ Inaudible interjections] 1246 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Mr. Speaker, the other issue that the Minister spoke about, he indicated that the 2022 legislation was not enacted. So my question now is, given that we have the 2023 legislation are we going to rescind the 2022 legislation? If he can look into that to see if it is worth rescinding. Because I reviewed it. And most of the issues addressed in this 2022 legislation are in the 2023 legislation. And the last question that I have is, I note that the Schedules have accommodation for Astwood Cove, which is a South Shore Road, and Faraway guesthouse complex, which is on Dunscombe Road in Warwick. Obviously I grew up in these areas. I know them intimately. Can the Minister provide the scale and extent of development that this is going to be in these places for the staff quarters? And what is the value of the development of these staff quarters? And what kind of timeline are we going to have? I know that Faraway has been a staff quarter for the Fairmont Southampton Princess since when I was working at the Fairmont Southampton Princess. That was yesteryear, I will say.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOh, that was certainly a long time ago. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: It was certainly a long time ago. And I, being my nosy neighbourhood cop, I went up there on the weekend to take a look. And the accommodations at the Fairmont needs some tender loving care for …
Oh, that was certainly a long time ago. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: It was certainly a long time ago. And I, being my nosy neighbourhood cop, I went up there on the weekend to take a look. And the accommodations at the Fairmont needs some tender loving care for sure. So I know this is going to be a hefty, hefty development project as well. So if the Min-ister can also provide details on the plans for the staff quarters for Astwood Park and Faraway, so we could have some type of scale and idea as to the value and the type of investments they are going to make availa-ble for their staff quarters, Mr. Speaker? And I think those are the only questions that I had. Oh, I know. Another resident nearby asked the question, What will happen with the water treatment plant at the bottom of Southampton Princess from the North Shore side? Are they going to have renewable sources, or how are they going to deal with it? Because obviously there are issues when it comes to neighbourhood challenges, the smell of the complex and so on and so forth. So I am just looking out for the neighbours of the area. And I have to identify my interest in that my father lives near there. So I am just asking the Minister to provide details on how the water treatment will be addressed going forward. I think that is all I have. And if it is not, I will bring it up in Committee. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDoes any other Member wish to make a contribution? MP Richardson, Anthony Ric hardson. Mr. Anthony Richardson: Yes. Good evening, Mr. Speaker. I will be very brief. I am going to partly run the risk of getting in trouble tonight because I agree with MP Cannonier again in terms of …
An
Hon. Member An
Hon. MemberWhat! [ Laughter] [ Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonNo, he is gone. And I say this because it means I have got to frame this correctly, right? But this piece of legislation, Mr. Speaker, is absolutely brilliant. And I say b rilliant because if you take it at an individual level, right, if you say to me, Anthony, …
No, he is gone. And I say this because it means I have got to frame this correctly, right? But this piece of legislation, Mr. Speaker, is absolutely brilliant. And I say b rilliant because if you take it at an individual level, right, if you say to me, Anthony, you have to pay $1,000 a month (let us say), but it is going to allow you not to pay for two years, I get used to keeping the money. And when it comes time for year number three to start making the payment, guess what? There is a problem. Because suddenly I am used to having that money, spending it on what I want to spend it on and I do not actually have it in order to pay what I am supposed to pay. So what this legis lation effectively does is say to the owners of Fairmont Southampton, Listen. You have to pay your money as you would normally pay it. But government will take the money and pay it on wher-ever it has got to go. And that is a much better plan than saying to Fairmont Southampton, Guess what? We’re going to allow you to be free, make no payments, and then suddenly in year whatever, to start making the payments . So it is not lost on me (obviously I do not know who decided this here), but how brilliant this is because it is a much safer process. And even for us, I will say this, Mr. Speaker, for us individually, if we are at a point in our individual debt service, for example, and there is some way whereby we are saving money is to put the money aside. Keep putting it aside. Because if you do not do it, you get used to actually spending it. And when you need to put it somewhere else, you cannot do it. That is a very small example of how this can help us in our individual lives. But I will say one more time. I do believe that this is actually a brilliant piece of legislation which not only secures Bermuda’s future in terms of the guaran-tee portion of it, but it ensures that the owners of the new Fairmont would not get used to having money that they have to use otherwise. So one more time, MP Cannonier, I am not going to agree with you anymore tonight. But for now, I agree. So thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution at this time? Ber muda House of Assembly None. Minister. Ho n. Vance Campbell: I will just deal with the few questions that were asked, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, sometimes banks when they loan you money, they require …
Thank you, MP. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution at this time?
Ber muda House of Assembly None. Minister. Ho n. Vance Campbell: I will just deal with the few questions that were asked, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, sometimes banks when they loan you money, they require that you open up an account with them. And the only purpose for that account —it is in your name. You can put money into that account, but you cannot take money out. And that money that you put in there is to service that loan. So this, on a much larger scale, when the government receives those taxes that are payable into the consolidated fund, they will be then transferred from that account into an account with the lender, the local lender, in the name of the developer. The developer will not have access to those funds. Those funds will solely be to meet commitments to the lender, the local lender that is, because that is the portion of the financing that the Government has guaranteed. And as I said earlier, the idea is to not have that guarantee called. Hopefully, this provides some clarity for the Honourable Member from [constituency] 12. Now my honourable colleague, the Minister for Economy and Labour for some two to three years now has been providing much training and retraining for the people of Bermuda who find t hemselves in a bad —who have been challenged by the results of the pandemic. So he is doing his best along with the Bermuda Tourism Authority and the Bermuda Hotels Association in training young Bermudians, retraining the older Bermudians who wish to participate in the hospitality industry. I have seen some of the young individuals in the management trainee programmes at a number of the hotels around the Island, and they are doing extremely well. So that will help us a little bit. But we will work with our colleague, the Honourable Minister for Economy and Labour, so that we can get as close as possible to that 70 per cent Bermudian [staff]. And as the people of Bermuda will know, and I will state it again, this party always, currently and has always in the past and will always look out for the people of Bermuda and try to do what is best for our people. The Honourable Member from [constituency] 8 asked if the hotel will be built first. The legislation that we are talking about today that replaces the 2022 l egislation — [Inaudible interjection] Ho n. Vance Campbell: Well, I just will not bring that into operation because the conditions have not been met. And rather, instead I will bring this 2023 Act into operation. So no, it will just not be made operational. Will the hotel be built first? The legislation that we dealt with in 2022 and what we are dealing with to-day came with a three- page renovation scope of work summary. Those are the items that this refers to. And to your third question, at the very top of page 3 is a major refurbishment of the wastewater treatment plant. And I can provide you with a copy of that if you like. Ho n. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you. Ho n. Vance Campbell: So with that, Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill be committed. Th e Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Deputy. House in C ommittee at 7: 52 pm [Hon. Derrick V . Burgess, S r., Chairman] COMMITTEE O N BILL FAIRMONT SOUTHAMPTON HOTEL ACT 2023
The ChairmanChairmanMembers, we are now in Committee of the whole [House] for further c onsideration of the Bill entitled Fairmont Southampton Hotel Act 2023. Minister C ampbell, y ou have the f loor. Hon. V ance Campbell: Thank y ou, Mr. C hairman. Mr . Chairman, clause 1 provides for the …
Members, we are now in Committee of the whole [House] for further c onsideration of the Bill entitled Fairmont Southampton Hotel Act 2023. Minister C ampbell, y ou have the f loor. Hon. V ance Campbell: Thank y ou, Mr. C hairman. Mr . Chairman, clause 1 provides for the title of the Bill. Clause 2—did I move clauses 1 through 7? Sorry. Yes. Th e Chairman: Continue. Ho n. Vance Campbell: Clause 1 provides the title of the Bill. Clause 2 provides the definitions for the purposes of the Bill. Clause 3 sets out the customs duty and tax rebates granted in respect of the hotel redevelopment, as follows: a)a full rebate from customs duty paid in respect of any building materials, furnishings, fixtures and equipment which are necessary for thebuilding, furnishing and equipment of the hotelredevelopment for a period of 15 years, lessany period for which customs duty relief isgranted prior to the hotel’s opening date, after the hotel’s opening date; b)a full rebate in relation to hotel occupancy tax paid in respect of the hotel for a period of 15years after the hotel’s opening date; c)a full rebate in relation to land tax paid in respect of the hotel for a period commencing six years after the hotel’s opening date and endingof the 15 th anniversary of the hotel’s opening date; d)a full rebate in relation to the employer’s shareof the payroll tax paid in respect of persons employed by the hotel for a period of 15 years after the hotel’s opening date. 1248 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Clause 4 sets out the terms and conditions subject to which the rebates are granted. The land tax exemption is subject to confirmation, that is six years through fifteen, year six through fifteen at least 70 per cent of the hotel staff are Bermudian. The payroll tax exemption is subject to the operation of a management training programme at the hotel for Bermudians. Clause 5 relates to relief from customs duty and provides for the giving of certain information to the Collector of Customs in relation to goods necessary for the building, furnishing and equipment of the hotel re-development. Clause 6 relates to the payment of customs duty on the use or disposal of goods which were im-ported duty -free. And clause 6 [sic] creates criminal offences subject to the penalties provided.
The ChairmanChairmanThat is clause 7. Hon. Vance Campbell: Clause 7, sorry.
The ChairmanChairmanYes. Hon. Vance Campbell: [Clause 7] creates criminal offences subject to the penalties provided in clause 8.
The ChairmanChairmanAre there any other speakers to clauses 1 through 7? Go ahead, Cole Simons, the Leader of the Opposition. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to direct the Minister to item 4. The Chairma n: Clause 4 are you talking about? Hon. N. H. …
Are there any other speakers to clauses 1 through 7? Go ahead, Cole Simons, the Leader of the Opposition. Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to direct the Minister to item 4. The Chairma n: Clause 4 are you talking about? Hon. N. H. Cole Simons: Yes. [Clause 4(1)] “To qualify for the rebate in relation to land tax under section 3(1)(c), the hotel developer shall . . . confirm in writing to the Minister that in years six through fifteen at least 70% of the hotel’s staff are Bermudian.” Mr. Speaker , I support this initiative without question. But a number of hoteliers are saying to me that for a project of this scale and the fact that not many people are entering the tour-ism business, it may be very difficult to achieve the 70 per cent requirement as far as Bermudian staff. And I would love to see that. I support it 100 per cent. So my question becomes, What happens if the hotel tries its very best, its utmost best, and it cannot achieve the 70 per cent requirement of Bermudians? I know that they have a robust training programme. I know that the director of human resources is committed to training Bermudians. But what happens if they do not meet the 70 per cent requirement after they have done all they can to get Bermudians to fulfil it? We cannot penalise them. So I would like for the Minister to speak to that clause, please. Thank you. The Chairman: Okay. Any further speakers on clauses 1 through 7? There appear to be none. Minister. Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Chairman, on the Government side, as I stated before, we are 100 per cent behind the employment of Bermudians. We have some things in the works, the Minister for Education has a programme in place, a signature for the hospitality in-dustry. That is long- term, yes. We recognise that. I mentioned about the training in my closing remarks before we moved into Committee, that the training that is going on and will continue to go on. And the whole reason we are here discussing this Bill today is because we want this hotel open. So we will work with the hotel, taking this into consideration. They have five to six years after opening to reach this target. And we will work with them during that time to help them reach that target. It is a target. It makes no sense to think that this Government, after going through all of this effort to get the hotel open, that we will not work with them to reach that target. And if they fall short by a few percentage [points] to say, All bets are off. It makes no sense. No.
The ChairmanChairmanNo. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Vance Campbell: No. I do not just say it. You asked a question, I am answering that question.
The ChairmanChairmanRight. Hon. Vance Campbell: So again, I have my ministerial colleague to my right responsible for Economy and Labour. I have my ministerial colleague in front of me re-sponsible for Education. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Vance Campbell: Yes, a lot of help.
The ChairmanChairmanBut I think you have made your point. It is a target. Hon. Vance Campbell: Yes. Yes.
The ChairmanChairmanAny further speakers? Minister, do you want to move clauses 1 through 7, please, for approval? Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Chairman, I would like to move that clauses 1 through 7 be approved.
The ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that clauses 1 through 7 be approved. Are there any objections to that? B ermuda House of Assembly There appear to be none. Clauses 1 through 7 are approved. [ Motion carried: Clauses 1 through 7 passed.]
The ChairmanChairmanContinue, Minister. Hon. Vance Campbell: Okay. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I would like to move clauses 8 through 15.
The ChairmanChairmanContinue. Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Chairman, clause 8 prescribes penalties and forfeitures. Clause 9 makes provision for offences committed by officers of corporations. Clause 10 gives the Minister the power to amend or repeal provisions of section 3, 4 or 5 of the Act where there has been a breach …
Continue. Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Chairman, clause 8 prescribes penalties and forfeitures. Clause 9 makes provision for offences committed by officers of corporations. Clause 10 gives the Minister the power to amend or repeal provisions of section 3, 4 or 5 of the Act where there has been a breach of any of the given circumstances. Clause 11 gives the Minister the power to issue guidance. Clause 12 gives the Minister the power to make regulations. Clause 13 clarif ies that this Bill does not modify the requirements of the Development and Planning Act 1974 as regards obtaining any planning permission necessary for the hotel redevelopment. Clause 14 provides consequential amendments to the Revenue Act 1898 in furtherance of clause 6. Clause 15 provides for commencement by notice in the Gazette.
The ChairmanChairmanAre there any speakers to the clauses 8 through 15? There appear to be none. Do you want to move the clauses, Minister? Hon. Vance Campbell: Yes. Mr. Chairman, I move that clauses 8 through 15 be approved.
The ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that clauses 8 through 15 be approved. Are there any objections to that? There appear to be none. Clauses 8 through 15 are approved. [ Motion carried: Clauses 8 through 15 passed.] Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Chairman, I move that the preamble be approved.
The ChairmanChairmanThe Schedules first. Hon. Vance Campbell: Sorry. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Schedule be approved. The Chairman: It has been moved that the Schedule be approved. Are there any objections to that? There appear to be none. Approved. [ Motion carried: Schedule passed.] Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Chairman, I …
The ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that the preamble be approved. Are there any objections to that? There appear to be none. Approved. Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Chairman, I move that the Bill be reported to the House as printed.
The ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that the Bill be reported to the House as printed. Are there any objections to that? There appear to be none. The Bill will be reported to the House as printed. Thank you, Minster. Thank you, Mr. Simons. Hon. Vance Campbell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The ChairmanChairmanMr. Speaker. House resumes at 8:02 pm [Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair] REPORT OF COMMITTEE FAIRMONT SOUTHAMPTO N HOTEL ACT 2023
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMembers, are there any objections to the Bill entitled the Fairmont [Southampton Hotel] Act 2023 being reported to the House as printed? There are none. The Bill has been reported. The next item on the Order Paper this even ing is the Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulations 2023 is in the …
Members, are there any objections to the Bill entitled the Fairmont [Southampton Hotel] Act 2023 being reported to the House as printed? There are none. The Bill has been reported. The next item on the Order Paper this even ing is the Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulations 2023 is in the name of the Minister of Transport. Minister. STANDING ORDER 23(3) Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move that the provisions of Standing Order 23(3) be granted so that I may move that consideration be given to draft Regulations entitled Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulations 2023 made by the Minister responsible for maritime administration and exercise of the power conferred by section 250 of the Merchant Shipping Act 2002. 1250 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly The Speaker: Are there any objections? There are none. Continue. [Motion carried: P rovisions of S tanding Order 23( 3) granted.] DRAFT O RDER MERCHANT S HIPPING (FEES) REGULATIONS 2 023 Hon. W ayne L . Furbert: T hank y ou, Mr . Speaker. First of all, let me thank the Opposition Leader and the Shadow Minister and I guess the whole team for agreeing for us to go short on this particular piece of Regulations as we need this through before April 1. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the Regulations before this Honourable House today is to revoke the Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulation 2012 and implement a new set of Regulations to be known as the Merchant Shipping (Fees ) Regulations 2023. The new Regulations will increase the fees for certain services provided by the Bermuda Shipping and Maritime Authority (BSMA) and modernise the scale of charges to align with current industry standards and practice. Mr. Speaker, Bermuda is a member of the Red Ensign Group (REG), Category 1 shipping registries, and is privileged to register ships of any type, age or size. The registry must ensure ships on its register comply with Bermuda’s national obligations. In order to maintain the required standards, the BSMA must undertake regular technical surveys, audits and safety inspections of its registered ships and issue statutory certificates. Shipowners are required to pay a registration fee, annual tonnage and service fees. And additional fees are levied for certain technical services. Mr. Speaker, fees for services provided by the Bermuda Ship Register have not been increased in over a decade, the last uplift in fees taking effect from April 1, 2012. Over the past decade the cost of operating the registry and provisions of service has increased significantly and continue to increase as the registry takes the necessary action to ensure we are fulfilling all our international maritime organisations, and other regulatory responsibilities and obligations. The Bermuda Ship Register has also made capital investments in recent years as part of their ongoing digitisation transition for their current services. In October 2021 the registry launched their new web- based platform commonly known as BOSS, the acronym for the Bermuda Online Shipping Service. This was a very important step in achieving and modernising the provisions of their core services and business functions, namely, ship registration, survey, auditing and issue of statutory documents. This new system enables the provision of electronic certificates with encrypted digital signatures and has vastly improved effi-ciency while also providing an improved client experience with the revision of our services which has been well received. The registry recognises the increasingly prevalent role and use of technology in the maritime sector internationally and it currently intends to con-sider further IT opportunities to assist in the promotion, maintenance and accessibility of the registry. Mr . Speaker, ship registration is a highly competitive international business. And shipowners have many options available when consider ing a jurisdiction to register ships. Therefore, these regulations make marginal raises to specific fees provided for in the Schedule to the Regulations as a significant increase of these fees risks positioning Bermuda as more ex-pensive than other international ship registries. The fees regulations set out two types of fees. The first type of fee is for service provided. These fees are based on either an hourly rate for attendance on board a ship, or a fixed fee for the issue of various documents. These fees can be increased to market rates with no negative impact on the business and will enhance the business revenue stream. The second type is an annual charge based on the ship’s tonnage. These fees are in the form of ton-nage fees payable by each ship regist ration and an initial registration fee payable on registering. These fees are still very comparable with the same fees charged by competing jurisdictions. Mr. Speaker, I will now provide a brief summary on specific fees and changes to the new Regulations. With the inherent nature of the shipping business re-quiring that we provide service to clients, and who op-erate commercial vessels 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, we have introduced a flat hourly rate and have eliminated the double- time hourly rate currently charged for Saturday, Sunday or public holidays in or-der to simplify the invoicing. The new hourly flat rate has been increased taking into consideration the effec-tive decrease in the hourly rate previously charged for Saturday, Sunday or public holidays. Mr. Speaker, we have also introduced new tables of fees in the Schedule to the Regulations. The current Regulations are similar in layout and content of the United Kingdom’s Merchant Shipping Fees Regu-lation that were originally adopted in Bermuda and now are considered to be an antiquated method of setting out the proportionate fees for service provided. The new tables will provide an easily referenced fee regula-tion while also facilitating a simplified process for mak-ing future amendments. Mr. Speaker, other changes to the Regulations include the inclusion of a charge for the review of seafarers, medical examination by medical referee pursuant to Merchant Shipping (Medical Certification of Sea-farers) Regulations 2013 now inserted to Part 1. In ad-dition, waiting time and travel and subsistence have been included as additional charges in Part 2 which have traditionally been levied and accepted by customs
Ber muda House of Assembly and practices, but were not previously included in our fee regulations. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, the new Merchant Shipping Fees Regulations will allow BSMA to continue to provide service to commercial shipping clients with a new fee structure that will allow Bermuda’s shipping registry to continue to be an attractive shipping register to joi n. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Th e Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution? Honourable Member Jackson, you have the floor.
Ms. Susan E. JacksonThank you. I don’t have much to add. Certainly, 10 years since we have had a fee increase for these merchant ships, it certainly is good tim-ing to make an incremental increase and certainly hav-ing a look at the list of the fees I am not seeing a nything that …
Thank you. I don’t have much to add. Certainly, 10 years since we have had a fee increase for these merchant ships, it certainly is good tim-ing to make an incremental increase and certainly hav-ing a look at the list of the fees I am not seeing a nything that is drastically increased. If I were to make any comment or comparison with our fees, I would venture to say that maybe . . . well, they are a little more expensive than some other jurisdictions. But having said that, Mr. Speaker, I also can acknowledge the fact our registry must have a level of integrity. Because as reported in the paper, we seem to have been able to skirt any of the Russian sanctions on any of the ships at the beginning of the Ukraine war, and so that sort of is a testament to the integrity of our registry. And if the reflection of our slightly higher fees determines that, then certainly it would be worthwhile for us to provide quality and integrity over keeping our fees low and possibly attracting an audience and a market that is not suitable for Bermuda. But having said that, if the Minister could maybe give us just a brief update on how the marine shipping registry is doing in Bermuda, whether we are seeing any growth or if we are maintaining the numbers on our registry. And other than that, I would venture to say that there isn’t much to add and I take my seat. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Th e Speaker: Thank you, MP. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution? There are none, Minister. Ho n. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank y ou, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, the Honourable Member. Mr. Speaker, this particular Bermuda Shipping and Maritime Authority (BSMA) has not made any profit since the time it was [changed from being under] the government over to [being] on its own. As a matter of fact, the cost of operating such a facility, shop, unit, has been increased when it left the umbrella of the govern-ment. And as you are all aware, or should be aware, the Government is looking at this particular unit and also the Civil Aviation to e nsure that we find a way to break even with those two groups. You asked me if there have been any additional ships. There have been additional ships but of course we lost some ships also. The director and I — including the BSMA and also the director of the cruise lines—will be traveling, as a matter of fact on Sunday, to Florida to talk to some shipping registry people, and shipping individuals and also the cruise lines, and hopefully we can get a couple additional ships here, particularly on this particular unit. As you are aware, the cruise lines are doing quite well in Bermuda right now. We have increased that significantly. So we have meetings to discuss other things that we can do working together as a Govern-ment and also them providing the cruise lines or ships to come here on Island. This will collect about $300,000 more by doing what we are doing. But it still will not get us to the point of breaking even. We have to find a way to . . . particularly if our units are on their own, they have got to find a way to break even. The Government . . . once you leave my house, I don’t expect my daughter or son to come running, Give me money because I can’t break even. So once you leave, you . . . we have to find a way to make it happen. So that is something we are working on. Hopefully over the next eight weeks we will have a direction in that . . . some direction between BSMA and Bermuda Civil Aviation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Th e Speaker: Thank you, Minister. [Crosstalk] Th e Speaker: Yes, just go ahead and move it now. Ho n. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Speaker, I move that the said draft Regulations be approved and that a suitable message be sent to Her Excellency the Governor. Thank you. Th e Speaker: Any objections? There are none. The appropriate message will be sent. Thank you, Members. Thank you, Minister. [Motion c arried: Draft Regulations entitled the Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulations 2023, were approved.]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThis brings u s to a close of t he items t hat were t o be debated for t oday. Those Ministers w ho have third r eadings, would y ou like t o do your t hird readings now ? 1252 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B …
This brings u s to a close of t he items t hat were t o be debated for t oday. Those Ministers w ho have third r eadings, would y ou like t o do your t hird readings now ? 1252 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER 21 Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I move that Standing Order 21 be suspended to enable me to move the Bill entitled the Miscellaneous Fees and Penalties Act 2023 be now read a third time by its title only.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAre there any objections? T here are none, continue. [Motion carried: Standing Order 21 suspended.] BILL THIRD READING MISCELLANEOUS FEES AND PENALTIES ACT 2023 Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill entitled the Miscellaneous Fees and Penalties Act 2023 be now read …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe Bill has been read a third time by its title only and has now passed. [Motion carried: The Miscellaneous Fees and Penalties Act 2023 was read a third time and passed.] Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER 21 Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. …
The Bill has been read a third time by its title only and has now passed. [Motion carried: The Miscellaneous Fees and Penalties Act 2023 was read a third time and passed.] Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER 21 Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I move that Standing Order 21 be suspended to enable me to move the Bill entitled the Gaming Amendment Act 2023 be now read a third time by its title only. The S peaker: Are there any objections? T here are none, continue. [Motion carried: Standing Order 21 suspended.] BILL THIRD READING GAMING AMENDMENT ACT 2023 Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill [entitled the Gaming Amendment Act 2023] be now read a third time by its title only and passed.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe Bill has been read a third time by its title only and has now passed. [Motion carried: The Gaming Amendment Act 2023 was read a third time and passed.] Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER 21 Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I …
The Bill has been read a third time by its title only and has now passed. [Motion carried: The Gaming Amendment Act 2023 was read a third time and passed.] Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER 21 Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I move that Standing Order 21 be suspended to enable me to move the Bill entitled the Stamp Duties Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023 be now read a third time by its title only.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAre there any objections to that? T here are none. [Motion carried: Standing Order 21 suspended.] BILL THIRD READING STAMP DUTIES AMENDMENT (NO. 2) ACT 2023 Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill entitled the Stamp Duties Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023 …
Are there any objections to that? T here are none. [Motion carried: Standing Order 21 suspended.] BILL THIRD READING STAMP DUTIES AMENDMENT (NO. 2) ACT 2023 Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill entitled the Stamp Duties Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023 be read a third time by its title only and passed.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe Bill has been read a third time by its title only and has now passed. [Motion carried: The Stamp Duties Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023 was read a third time and passed.]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Any other Ministers? SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER 21 Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, I move that Standing Order 21 be suspended to enable me to move the Bill entitled the Vacation Rentals (Application and Registration Fees) Act 2023 be now read a third time by its title only.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAre there any objections? T here are none, continue. [Motion carried: Standing Order 21 suspended.] BILL THIRD READING VACATION RENTALS (APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION FEES) ACT 2023 B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill be now read a third time by its title …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe Bill has been read a third time by its title only and has now passed. [Motion carried: The Vacation Rentals (Application and Registration Fees ) Act 2023 was read a third time and passed.] SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER 21 Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, I move that Standing Order …
The Bill has been read a third time by its title only and has now passed. [Motion carried: The Vacation Rentals (Application and Registration Fees ) Act 2023 was read a third time and passed.] SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER 21 Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, I move that Standing Order 21 be suspended to enable me to move the Bill entitled the Fairmont Southampton Hotel Act 2023 be now read a third time by its title only.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe Bill has been read a third time by its title and is now passed. [Motion carried: Standing Order 21 suspended.] BILL THIRD READING FAIRMONT SOUTHAMPTON HOTEL ACT 2023 Hon. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill be now read a third time by its title only and …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerIt’s been a long day. G o ahead. [Motion carried: The Fairmont Southampton Hotel Act 2023 was read a third time and passed.] Hon. Vance Campbell: All right, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNo problem. A re there any more third readings? T hat’s it? Mr . Premier. ADJOURNMENT Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr . Speaker, at this hour, 8:17, I move that the House do now adjourn until Friday, May 5, [2023], at 10:00 am.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDoes any Member wish to speak to that? MP Lister.
Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerI will set the clock anyhow. Y ou have your time. Begin. SELF -DISCIPLINE AND DRIVING
Mr. Dennis Lister IIIThank you, Mr. Speaker. G ood evening to this Honourable House and to the listening audience. I first want to start, I don’t know if it is a saying, but I picked this up in an article, Mr. Speaker. It starts, A society that is self -discipline d requires less …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. G ood evening to this Honourable House and to the listening audience. I first want to start, I don’t know if it is a saying, but I picked this up in an article, Mr. Speaker. It starts, A society that is self -discipline d requires less policing. That should always be the aim. I say that to say, Mr. Speaker . . . but before I get into the main crux of it, and it’s in regard to road safety, I first want to reflect back to last weekend. Bermuda hosted the Bermuda Sports Awards. Earlier myself and others congratulated the recipients of those awards. But first, Mr. Speaker, any tough athlete whether locally or globally had a start somewhere. Whether they at five years old liked a sport and decided to get into it, some might be a little later on in life, Mr. Speaker, and they like a sport and get into it, but to make it to the top of your sport comes with discipline, self-discipline. You can ask any top athlete in Bermuda and if you are lucky enough to get to talk to any international athlete they would tell you the same: It is hard w ork. Long hours put in whether it is on the running track, the football field, the swimming pool—whatever sport — hard hours of work and training. Coaching, coaching by a coach from a young age up until. But all of that, Mr. Speaker, again, comes with discipline. No matter how much coaching you have, when you get on that field, when you get on the track, if you are not disciplined to take what you have learned and been coached in and put that into action, whether that is in whatever sport that it is, you have to have self -discipline. I say all that to say, Mr. Speaker, when we look at the state of our roads (and, Colonel, not the physical state, but the state of the riders and drivers, when we look at the state of our roads) in Bermuda they are a reflection of society. And that reflection is a lack of respect and a lack of discipline. When we see young men and young women and even older men and women on bikes and cars driving dangerously, speeding at reckless speeds, driving without care, not having any [regard] for whether it be their fellow passenger or other persons on the roads, again, this goes to show a lack of respect and discipline. 1254 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly I say, Mr. Speaker, if you have that self -discipline, whether you are riding or driving a bike, when you want to overtake a car that is going the speed limit but might be too slow for you, or you are just driving and you see a nice open stretch of road and you want to hit the twist or hit the pedal, this is where self -discipline comes in. The self -discipline will always be that [sub- ]conscious voice in your head telling you, Don’t do that. Slow down. Whatever act it is that they are going to do, Mr. Speaker, that voice in your head will be that conscience to guide you. Mr. Speaker, as I said, the roads are a reflection of our society. And sadly discipline has gone out the window and society needs to bring it back. And we ask, Mr. Speaker, why do people speed and [commit] these traffic offences so prevalently and freely? Well, Mr. Speaker, as I said, we grew up in a society in the last two decades (maybe a little more) where discipline has been thrown out the window. I remember the days, and I am not that old, Mr. Speaker —
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersNo! [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Mr. Dennis Lister III—I remember those days in school, Mr. Speaker, when if you did something wrong you got lashed or you got corrected. You know, at my school you got sent . . . well, the teacher could deal with you and then you got sent to the principal’s office and worse—
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYou get home.
Mr. Dennis Lister III—you get home! Mr. Speaker, you got cracked three times. And for me it was worse because my momma was a teacher. So I couldn’t get away from it.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWhat did your daddy do?
Mr. Dennis Lister IIIMr. Speaker, [you] would know this very well. The first day of every school year he told that teacher, If my son is a problem, you crack him, let me know, and I will deal with him at home. B ut, Mr. Speaker, I look back and that made me …
Mr. Speaker, [you] would know this very well. The first day of every school year he told that teacher, If my son is a problem, you crack him, let me know, and I will deal with him at home. B ut, Mr. Speaker, I look back and that made me who I am today. Without those cracks, those . . . that discipline, I don’t know who I would be today. So, Mr. Speaker, as I said, society has come away from that discipline. And, Mr. Speaker, I remember hearing stories and even now you still hear stories from the older generation, how they say, Back in the day, you got in trouble in school (and even without telephones) by the time you got home your momma knew, the whole neighbourhood knew so you got corrected from your teacher, the school, your momma, your neigh[bours]. So as they say, it takes a village to raise a child. A nd as much as those licks hurt back then, and you know, you might feel embarrassed, that was correction. It corrected you for what you were doing wrong. And many older people from a different generation can look back and say, That’s what made . . . I know cousin Derrick, you know, he likes to be young, but I know he can remember those days. [Laughter]
Mr. Dennis Lister IIIBut, Mr. Speaker, as I said, we have lost that sense of discipline in our society. And it is reflected on our roads. When young men, young women get on the roads and they just drive recklessly they have no sense of consequence , because if there is no correction, …
But, Mr. Speaker, as I said, we have lost that sense of discipline in our society. And it is reflected on our roads. When young men, young women get on the roads and they just drive recklessly they have no sense of consequence , because if there is no correction, then there is no teaching of consequence. If you are never wrong, then you get away with everything, so that first time when you do come up against something where you are wrong and you don’t understand consequence, you . . . those people . . . this young generation they do as they please because there is that . . . there is no fear of correction and discipline. A nd so that is why I go back to self -discipline. Even disci pline in general, I don’t want to go too far to say that we have to bring back corporal punishment and things like that, Mr. Speaker, but I will say this. Who knows where we would be today if those things were still in place? But, Mr. Speaker, going back to riders and . . . in 2017, Mr. Speaker, canvassing one day I came across, not a constituent but they were a landowner in my constituency and they were at their property. And we had a brief conversation. And the lady was a taxi driver and she told me that over the years she had picked up young men and things like that and they ended up in her taxi to take them home and she had a conversation with one of them. And the conversation went toward riding and things like that. And he actually explained to the taxi driver that sometimes things were so bad in his life, whether . . . you know, if you are a young man and in this environment you might not have a job, or you might be underemployed. You know, you might have so many stresses on you. You might have issues w ith your girlfriend or things like that. A lot of times when these young men get on bikes, that is an outlet for them. You know, whatever stresses and ills they have going on, when they get on that bike, that is probably the one thing that they can contro l. So it is an outlet, and I’ m just going to speed. And sometimes that is the effect of all that is going on. That is just a release.
B ermuda House of Assembly So it is unfortunate, Mr. Speaker, that young men and women have to resort to our roads to get some sort of outlet and relief. We should be working on directing that to different areas, whether it be a sport or art and things like that. But unfortunately, that is where we are. But this all goes back, Mr. Speaker, again, we have to get back to some discipline, and self -discipline while we are on our roads. Referring back to my opening statement, Mr. Speaker, a society that is self -disciplined requires less policing. If everyone is self -disciplined, if everyone has the mind- set when they are driving or riding that the police are behind them and they drive at 35 kilometres, they drive 12 and 3 on the steering wheel, looking in their rear -view and their side mirrors. If everyone drove like that, you would see a reduction in our collisions, our fatalities, and I even go as far to say that we might even need [fewer] police on our roads because people will be disciplined enough, self -disciplined, to take care and follow the rules that are there to keep us safe. So, Mr. Speaker, as I said, I will just keep this short. As this is th e last session for a while, again, I always put out that call of road safety. That wherever you have to go, try to leave a few minutes early so you don’t have to race, and anything can hold [you] up. It could be road works, it could be anything. Give yours elf enough time that you don’t have to race. And always remember, Mr. Speaker, don’t drink and drive. I cannot drive that home enough, Mr. Speaker. If you plan to go out, plan on how you will get home safely. There are options: minibuses, taxis, a designated driver if you are going out with a bunch of friends. Or, as the last resort, everyone has a relative or a friend that at three o’clock in the morning they would rather get a call to say —Hey, I’m too drunk. I can’t drive. Can you come pick me up?—v ersus a call from the emergency services saying, We need you to come and identify, or come to the hospital to . . . for whatever reason. S o, as always, slow down, don’t drink and drive, and drive with caution. All of these will help to make our roads safer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And to the listening audience, please take heed. Each one of us shares the road. It is not just you on the roads and we all have to do our part to keep the roads safe. And, Mr. Speaker, and just to throw in a little bit more, we talk about tourism. Soon we will be coming to spring and the tourism season will be hitting its heights. And Mr. Speaker, just a little while ago I had to go home and I passed a group of tourists, four bikes, you know, touring. So it is good to see tourists back on our roads, and those numbers will climb. But again, we have to remember that we all have to do our part to keep the roads safe. Good roads are a safe environment for tourists with people coming back, so it is again impacting Bermuda, so drive with care and caution. Slow down and be safe, Bermuda. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP. Does any other Member wish to . . . Minister Furbert. You have your 20 minutes. INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do want to take the opportunity this evening to actually drill down a little bit on …
Thank you, MP. Does any other Member wish to . . . Minister Furbert. You have your 20 minutes. INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do want to take the opportunity this evening to actually drill down a little bit on Intellec-tual and Developmental Disability [Awareness] Month. I also want to speak to the topic of independence, dependence and interdependence. I think every morning when I get up, Mr. Speaker, I open my eyes and I roll over, get out of bed, go take a shower, come out, put on my clothes, eat something and I am able to do all of this on my own by myself. An Hon. M ember: Brush your teeth. [ Laughter] Hon. Tinee Furbert: Brush my teeth. That’s most important. And you know, unless there is a problem with my shower not working, my taps not working, — [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Tinee Furbert: —the electricity not working, these are all part of the things that require me to be interdependent on. And it would affect my actual inde-pendence. But when I think of a person with disability, there are some that you have to wake up or rouse and get up, get them dressed, shower/bathe them, toilet them, change their pads, and people have to assist in this way and that is the dependence piece there. And also you have to entertain them. Right? So imagine someone who has to be totally dependent on someone to be able to do what we call all these activities of daily living. They have to rely on somebody to move them, move them to a different room, put them in a vehicle to take them to go some-where, to give them their prescriptions, maybe . . . like I said, toilet them. Right? It makes someone very dependent. And when you think [about] this, this is what we have to do for our children. We do this for our children when we are helping to raise them and bring them up. But then we also [do this] for persons with disabili-ties. For people who have a disability from birth, we would have to do this for the rest of their life, for some. So I just want to take the time to acknowledge all of those people who are in the caring industry, parents, caregivers, educators, family members, children who help people when they are in a place of dependence. And I want to acknowledge them on this month as we discuss or drill down on Intellectual Developmen-tal Disability [Awareness] Month. 1256 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly But Mr. Speaker, there is a topic that I want to share and if you don’t mind I am going to read something. Colleagues, this is not pretty information but it is information that should be shared because it is infor-mation that [shows] how people think and how people feel. Mr. Speaker, this information that I am going to share, I do have permission to share it. It was a letter written some many years ago from a parent to another parent. And the letter is entitled “Your abusive child.” Mr. Speaker, it goes like this. “We are some of the parents of [BLANK] primary” (and I am going to blank out names for confidentiality purposes) “who want you to know that we are sick and tired of your abusive, schizophrenic child hurting our children and we want you to know that this school year we will be mon-itoring, observing and dealing with that child of yours ourselves. This child over the past school year has hurt so many children and you have done absolutely nothing, not even an apology. We have on separate occasions sat in the classroom and watched this child dis-rupt the class and upset the whole atmosphere of the class. You have made no effort to help to discipline your child. So now we will be taking over and dealing with your child. We do not want your child at” (and let’s repeat this) “We don’t want your child back at . . . it is n ot the proper facility for such an evil, abusive sick child and they should be institutionalised. Before you institu-tionalise them the first place they should be taken is to church where they can be anointed with oil so that the pastor can bind the evil demonic spirits within them and send them back to the pit from whence they came from. If this person does not end up at . . . and abuses any more children, we will be taking legal action against you. You obviously do not care who they hurt. We have seen you walking around the school with your negative attitude, grumbling about what is not being done for . . . . What have you done for your child? He came to this school with severe problems. And these problems were not created at this school. So you need to tak e some steps toward getting rid of them. Run them over with your . . . and that will solve your problems and all the abuse that the students at this school have had to deal with. Your attitude shows that you think that no one likes you. Well, lady, that is the truth. No one likes that little abusive demon. And parents will be there on a daily basis to remove them from the premises if necessary. I suggest you spend more time at this school monitoring your child. If not, check” (I am not going to read that part) “but get some psychiatric help for yourself. From concerned parents whose children have been abused by . . . ” Signed for parents. And the reason I had to share this, Mr. Speaker, because with intellectual and developmental disabilities do come a component of behavioural is-sues. And I do believe . . . as a . . . you know, what would you think if you got this message about your child? I am sure you would feel helpless, hopeless, cru-cified. You would probably feel like crawling under a bush to hide because you probably were a single par-ent who did not have the assistance of many people to assist you with your child. You probably tried your best to set rules and set boundaries and love on them and care for them as best as you could. But there are times when there are behaviours that do become very difficult to be able to handle. You see, Mr. Speaker, humans are very complex creatures. And actually, Mr. Speaker, our brains do not fully develop until we are 25 years old. I bet you all didn’t know that. And there is actually a part in our brain called the prefrontal cortex and that is the part of the brain that is responsible for decision- making, our thoughts, our emotions, our actions. So throughout the years of brain development, until the age of 25, our brain is going through a rewiring exercise where we are having to build upon and learn skills to help us to control our thoughts, our emotions and our actions, which are our behaviours. So if it takes a normal person’s brain to develop at 25 in that capacity, what happens when there is deficit in someone’s brain? Imagine the world around you when you don’t understand it. When you don’t understand the world around you, you don’t understand how to follow directions, how to make decisions in the best interest of yourself, being able to self -regulate, being able to organise, being able to control your impulses, being able to weigh the risks and rewards that occur to you in your life. And these are real situations, Mr. Speaker. It takes a while, you know, as I look around this room and I see how we all self -regulate, people rubbing on their pants. [ Laughter] Hon. Tinee Furbert: People touching on their face. [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Tinee Furbert: People distracted, and you now may be tapping your pen, shaking your leg. These are things that we do to help self -regulate ourselves. [ Laughter] Hon. Tinee Furbert: Somebody asked for a picture spinner. But I just want our community to be aware that these are characteristics that we should be aware of when it does come to populations who have difficulty with behaviour, self -regulation and disabilities. Imagine this parent . . . I mean, I am sure we can find all sorts of acronyms and adjectives to de-scribe this parent who probably wrote this letter. But it was demon (demonic somebody said) . . . but in my opinion it was a call for help. It was a call to say you need help. Your child needs help. And I bet this parent knew this because usually we know this before anyone
B ermuda House of Assembly tells us. We know what is happening in our lives. We know what sort of situations we are having to deal with. But I say all of this to say when I go back to independence, dependence and interdependence our support systems are so vital. They help us to feel safe and secure. We have to be able to trust people. And what might have been really helpful for this group of parents, or this parent, to say to this other parent, really, it is just really simple. How can we help? How can we help? I don’t know if anyone has had the opportunity to watch a P aralympian event, but there is something that Paralympians have when they are in like a triathlon when they have to transition from the water to the bike to the run. At these stages they have the opportunity to have guides, either guides or what they call personal handlers. It really is a beautiful thing to see because it is a great depiction of what support looks like, to help people succeed to a level of independence and a level of support. And I just envision that, Mr. Speaker, that if everyone had the opportunity to have that level of sup-port what a better world this would be. Mr. Speaker, I remember a time when I used to work with a family. The family was blessed to have fi-nances to be able to pay persons in the health care field to be able to help their child. And I just remember that with all the money that they had to be able to pay pro-viders to give support to their child, what a difference it made. It made a huge difference, Mr. Speaker, t o their success and to their independence. So I just want us to remember on this month of Intellectual and Developmental Disability [Awareness] that we must always consider support systems. And while someone may not be ready to embrace a partic-ular support system at that time, it should be offered. Or it should be talked through for consideration. As we go throughout this Easter holiday, Mr. Speaker, I want us to also remember those persons who are in those special populations. And remember our seniors as well, particularly throughout this Easter holiday. We will always have a level of persons in every nation, in every country who will require more support than others. But even us, you know, us as regular folks, we require one another. We require the support systems of our families. You know? I often say for me to be able to do this job, it would not be possible without the support of my family. So support systems, particularly as it relates to persons with disabilities, are vital and are important. And so, again, whatever you can do, whether that is supporting a charity, whether or not that is lending a helping hand with someone, whether that is giving volunteer hours somewhere, everything is helpful. Anything that you can give is helpful. And I will end there, Mr. Speaker. I am just wanting us to remember and to recognise when there are those cries for help, what we should be looking out for and how we should be lending a helping hand. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: Thank you, Minister. I recognise that there are other people who are jumping to their feet right now, but MP De Silva, I am going to recognise you; however, we are going to pause for one second. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I am a good pauser.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou are good pauser? Hon. Zan e J. S. De Silva: I am a good pauser. I N HONOUR OF THE CLERK OF PARLIAMENT MRS. SHERNETTE WOLFFE
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood. I am going to ask you all to join with me and stand and— [ Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe Speaker—acknowledge the flowers for Madam Clerk. We wanted to do that before the evening ended. Madam Clerk, we all stand to say how much we have appreciated the years of service you have given to us. We mentioned words this morning. [ Crosstalk]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAh! Let it flow. For those are [listening] there are waterworks right now. Waterworks. Go ahead. But this morning we gave recognition at the opening of Parliament, but we just wanted to make sure that we put something in your hands so you can smell those roses while you still …
Ah! Let it flow. For those are [listening] there are waterworks right now. Waterworks. Go ahead. But this morning we gave recognition at the opening of Parliament, but we just wanted to make sure that we put something in your hands so you can smell those roses while you still can. So the bouquet of flowers are for you, Madam Clerk, on behalf of all of us, the staff and Members of Parliament who are here this evening to say Well done! for your years of service. [ Clapping and desk thumping] [ Inaudible in terjection and laughter ] The Clerk [Mrs. Shernette Wolffe]: Thank you everyone! [ Crosstalk] The Clerk: I want to say thank you to every one of you for your support and your understanding and for heed-ing my advice at times. I appreciate every one of you. Even though I do know most of you, I always made an effort to treat you professionally and to call you by your titles. I think that is so important and I think that is lack-ing in our society. It is not the person or the personality; it’s the title that is important. And I don’t think Members of Parliament get the respect that is due to them. And I speak that not just from working here but from travelling 1258 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly internationally. I see how Members of Parliament are treated with the utmost respect. I also have to give my thanks and appreciation also to the former Speaker Lowe, who I learned a lot from, and Dame Jennifer and the “red pen.”
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. The Clerk: And I just want to say I appreciate and I love every one of you. My staff . . . I will miss them tremendously. I am one of those managers; I am very flexible. I am not a black and white person; there are shades of …
Yes. The Clerk: And I just want to say I appreciate and I love every one of you. My staff . . . I will miss them tremendously. I am one of those managers; I am very flexible. I am not a black and white person; there are shades of grey. I think it is important for all of us to develop relationships. That is one of the important messages in leadership is in developing relationships. Get to know the people from the bottom up. I think that is so im-portant. And I think my mom would be very, very proud about now. [ Desk thumping] The Clerk: Thank you very much.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Madam Clerk. [ Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNow you know why I had to bring you down a little earlier than you expected to come down this evening. [ Desk thumping and laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. And for those in the listening audience who may have missed this morning, Madam Clerk . . . this is her last day actually in parliament. She will be retiring next month when Parliament is out of session after having given 20 years of service to the House of …
Okay. And for those in the listening audience who may have missed this morning, Madam Clerk . . . this is her last day actually in parliament. She will be retiring next month when Parliament is out of session after having given 20 years of service to the House of Assembly, the Legislature Office. We appreciate the service that she has given and we wish her well in her retirement. Thank you. [ Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMP De Silva, can you follow that? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, sir, I am certainly going to try my best, Mr. Speaker. In fact, before you start the clock, I am going to take liberty — [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, before …
MP De Silva, can you follow that? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, sir, I am certainly going to try my best, Mr. Speaker. In fact, before you start the clock, I am going to take liberty — [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, before you start the clock since . . . since . . . because when you said you were going to pause, all my notes fell down, so if you could just give me a second to gather them back to-gether. The Speaker: Go ahead. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: See what I am saying? I want one of those. [ Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Speaker, before we start the clock I think —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI just started. See that? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I thank you for that. No, no let’s not do that. But Mrs. Wolffe, I would just like to say as I have the floor, it has been a pleasure. I have been here almost 20 years now and …
I just started. See that? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I thank you for that. No, no let’s not do that. But Mrs. Wolffe, I would just like to say as I have the floor, it has been a pleasure. I have been here almost 20 years now and I must say that I think you would have made one of hell of a Speaker. Because I have seen you correct all of them, even the great Mr. Stanley Lowe. [ Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: But some of the looks we get from you sometimes you put us in our place. You don’t have to say a word. You just look at us. But you a consummate professional and I have enjoyed working with you over the l ast almost — The Clerk: It is the schoolteacher in me, see. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: That’s right. The Clerk: I remember Derrick Burgess said that to me. I could tell you were a schoolteacher. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: That’s right. Well, I found that out early. Well, Mr. Speaker —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI’m even giving you a clean clock. There you go. You got your 20 minutes. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate that. [ Crosstalk] MISLEADING MEDIA REPORTS Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Speaker, we have long talked about Combined …
I’m even giving you a clean clock. There you go. You got your 20 minutes. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate that. [ Crosstalk] MISLEADING MEDIA REPORTS Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Speaker, we have long talked about Combined Opposition in this House. We have talked about it in other places too. Mr. Speaker, last week I witnessed Bermuda Broadcasting ZBM follow the very terrible lead of the Royal Gazette. Why do I say that? Mr. Speaker, last week my family’s phones blew up. My phone blew up. And I was wondering what was going on. Everybody asking me if I am okay. My
B ermuda House of Assembly family calling and asking me what is going on. Well, the headline story on ZBM, Mr. Speaker, was a picture, a video, of an Island Construction vehicle with a con-tainer on the back. And the headline was Today some-one was arrested for suspected importation of drugs with a big picture of an Island Construction tractor trailer and a container. The story went on to say as you can see, Island Construction’s container surrounded by police, canines and what have you. The report then went on to say Zane De Silva, Progressive Labour Party MP, CEO of Island Construction, former Tourism Minister, and former Transport Minister. Okay? Then the reporter on ZBM said, Well, the police did not have anything else to say at this particular point in time . Well, think about the narrative. And this is what happens, Mr. Speaker. This is the sort of thing that goes on in this country. And that is why I say Combined Opposition. Right? How long, Mr. Speaker, how long are we in the Progressive Labour Party and members of our party going to have to put up with this type of ignorance, nonsense? As I call it. They paint the pictures —week in, week out and month in, month out. They paint the pictures. It is wrong, Mr. Speaker. It is disgraceful and it must stop. I don’t think it is going to stop because of this statement tonight, but I feel I had to mention it. Because I have family, Mr. Speaker . . . And I can tell you, I’m in politics, I can take a lot of licks. It’s okay. But I have family, I have friends, I have staff, Mr. Speaker. And it is wrong and they continue to do it. I called the Commissioner of Police when this report came out and I said, Sir, you need to make a statement, please, because this is wrong. Because what the public did not know was that Island C onstruction was actually working with the police. And I thank him, because the next day he did come out with a statement to confirm that no one at Island Construction had been arrested or dealt with in connection with any importation of drugs. An Hon. Me mber: But the damage was already done. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Of course, the damage is done! And it has always been like that with us. And it must stop. It is bad reporting. And that is why, like earlier today, the inference from the other side at times, it is not right. Anybody . . . today when we were talking about that and you have a Premier who is the Finance Minister, Oh, we can’t have those two together. Why not? I’ve seen Jack [John] Sharpe from the UBP back in the day was Finance Minister. David Gibbons was Premier and Finance Minister. I didn’t hear anybody talking about, you know, we got to separate these two ministries, or these two positions. Anyway, Mr. Speaker, all I am going to ask, and I know it will fall on deaf ears, is for is to stop. Cut us up as you may. Cut us, slice- and-dice us up. It’s okay. We are tough. We know when we come into this place that this is what we are going to get. But let’s try and think about people’s families, because they have feelings. “ COMBINED OPPOSITION” MEDIA ATTACKS ON BELCO Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Now, Mr. Speaker, I am going to move on to a separate subject. Mr. Speaker, last September I learned (like all of us) that there was a hur-ricane coming. I was concerned for several reasons, as we all are when hurricanes are on the horizon. I have family. I have a wife, a daughter, a son, grandchildren, staff, and I know how outages, when these hurricanes hit us, affect my family, my friends, my colleagues. I have businesses that depend on and have to functi on 365 days a year. So, an impending hurricane is very significant and is worrying to me. We might remember directly after the hurricane last year, Mr. Speaker, that there were (I think) about 30,000 homes out of electricity. And within 48 hours the majori ty of those homes had their energy restored. That was nothing short of amazing. What a huge accom-plishment. Mr. Speaker, BELCO is made up mostly of our people. Yes, BELCO is owned by Canadians. But make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, almost 300 workers, most of them young Bermudians who were trained locally and abroad to serve the people of Bermuda, to serve us, Mr. Speaker. And as Bermuda’s population has grown and our economy has grown, BELCO has to have con-sistently met those needs. And they have done a prett y good job at it. Even under this Canadian ownership they have continued giving back to the community, donating time and money to charities, scholarships, apprenticeships, the list is long. Now, Mr. Speaker, the crux of my talk tonight is about this. I have watched over the last six weeks, with the rest of everybody else in this room, and this country, the Royal Gazette run stories almost daily about BELCO. I have seen the Bermuda Broadcasting Company run more BELCO stories than you can shake a stick at. Mr. Speaker, when we were at our zenith of the gang conflicts in this country, did you see the Royal Gazette taking that kind of interest? [MP Dennis Lister, Jr.] spoke tonight about safe driving. We have lost four people this year already on our roads and have on average (I think), Junior, about 12 or 13 people a year for the last couple of years. I don’t see the Royal Gazette taking an interest in that like they have over BELCO. Mr. Speaker, BELCO, has been in that neighbourhood for 115 years. The neighbours didn’t just start complaining in the last six weeks. Why did the Royal Gazette . . . this is a very important question: Why has the Royal Gazette now started to write stories every week? Full page stories. I think on one paper they had 1260 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly four, five, s ix pages! Why all of a sudden? Why? Everybody knows that about two and a half years ago BELCO was sold for just over $300 million. Prior to the sale to the Canadians, BELCO was owned by approxi-mately 1,400 shareholders. Who were those share-holders? Let’s start connecting some dots. [These] 1,400 shareholders who over many years have received many millions of dollars, many millions. Prior to the sale it would have been the Bermudian Board and the Bermudian shareholders who would have approved the North Power Station. Yes? So, if that is the case, why are all these complaints and all this noise being directed at one particular individual (it seems to me)? Why was the Royal Gazette quiet for the last 20, 30, 40 years? Well, let me tell you why. You know why, Mr. Speaker? It was not in the best interest of the Royal Gazette and their friends, their board of directors and associated companies to go against and criticise BELCO. They are a cash cow, that’s why, because everybody is interconnected. We know that. They didn’t call [them] the Forty Thieves for nothing, Mr. Speaker. But now it is funny. Now that those 1,400 shareholders have ridden off into the sunset, taking the millions of dollars of dividends and the sale of BELCO with them, we have all this rage, every day —Royal Gazette, ZBM, social media. Is it because we have a Black CEO who also happens to be a Progressive Labour Party MP? Let’s talk some real talk. It seems now to me all of a sudden people have the courage to want to stand up and fight and make all this noise. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes! But let’s not be fooled. When you attack BELCO, BELCO, BELCO, BELCO —who is in charge? When the football team struggle and they struggle and they struggle, they talk about the team, what happens? They don’t get rid of the team. They sack the coach. So is there something else at play here? So that courage was nowhere to be seen, nowhere to be seen. Now, let me be clear, Mr. Speaker. I’m not saying we give BELCO a pass here and ignore the issues. Not at all! But what I am saying is this: All the area residents have legitimate complaints. They deserve to have clean drinking water like you and I, Mr. Speaker. They deserve to breathe clean air like us. They deserve to have their concerns aired. No ques-tion. No question! They deserve to have their problems fixed ASAP, as quickly as possible. But the Royal Gazette and the BBC, I think, want to make things so difficult for BELCO that I have no choice but to think that they want them to leave this Island. And what happens if they do? When you destroy BELCO, how long will we get uninterrupted supply of power in this country? How would we attract outside investment in Bermuda if we continue to crush companies in the press without justi-fication that we have evidenced? How? Mr. Speaker, I say, don’t let the media define your perception of the issues. The Royal Gazette is dying on the vine. They need to sell newspapers. They need a David and Goliath story because they want to try to hook the readers. This story, I think, is a perfect opportunity to keep the Royal Gazette relevant and to make it seem like —and I repeat, make it seem like — they have a community consciousness. But they don’t. They are loyal to their board of directors. And they take orders from their board of directors. Mr. Speaker, I am going to talk about accountability for just a second. Accountability. Should BELCO be accountable for the impact on the lives of their neighbours? Hell yes! Yes, they should be accountable for that. Should BELCO continue to paint roofs that they stained? Yes, they should. Should BELCO continue to mitigate any impact to neighbours’ properties? Yes, they should. Should BELCO provide water filtration systems to those whom they impact? Yes! No one is arguing this. But to ask BELCO to drastically change how they operate overnight, while continuing to provide Bermuda with reliable electricity is an unrealistic ask. So what do we want? What are the next steps? BELCO should be asked for a plan of action to out line the steps that they are going to take to resolve these fall-out issues. Then we as a Government, on both sides of this House, both of us, both sides should hold them accountable to that plan and ensure that we continue to have reliable electricity with the absolute mini-mal impact on the country at a price Bermudians can afford. To the neighbours, we will keep advocating on your behalf. I know your area MPs. And they have spoken about it in this House. To the BELCO team, continue to ensure that you put your community first. Make sure that you have a credible plan and make sure that you work diligently to fix problems as a priority. These problems should be a priority and [should] stay as a priority, Mr. Speaker. To my colleague, MP, President, CEO Caines , it is possible, my brother, to be successful in business. It is possible to work on behalf of the community as you do. It is possible to remain a Member of Parliament. All of these at the same time. You have that skill set. Continue to put your community first. Continue to work to be an example for people in our community. Continue to work to resolve these outstanding issues at BELCO. I know you can do it. You are one of the hardest work-ing, caring, thoughtful people that I know. And I say that from my heart. Do not let the Combined Opposition deter you, MP Caines. And Brother Jason Hayward, I am going to say this to you and Caines. Because you came in for a flak a couple of weeks ago for a statement you made. And if someone takes the time and thinks about what you said and what you really meant . . . I understood what you meant. But that is what they do. They will cut and
B ermuda House of Assembly slice and dice. So I will say to both of you who have been in the negative press recently, keep working. You are both hard- working MPs. Don’t let anybody stop you. We will make steps along the way. We will make some mistakes along the way. But the thing is . . . I am going to finish, Mr. Speaker, I think I got about a minute left.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: As I said in the first part of my speech, Mr. Speaker, I asked the Royal Gazette, ZBM, Combined Opposition to stop. And I am asking that again—stop! Be genuine. Remember that people in this place have families. And what Minister Hayward had …
Yes. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: As I said in the first part of my speech, Mr. Speaker, I asked the Royal Gazette, ZBM, Combined Opposition to stop. And I am asking that again—stop! Be genuine. Remember that people in this place have families. And what Minister Hayward had to go through a couple of weeks ago . . . and I have had to watch for the last six weeks someone who is as hard- working and caring as Wayne Caines, because make no mistake about it, BELCO can be all over the headlines, but they are after Wayne Caines. And my thing is: Stop! Thank y ou, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution at this time? MP Swan . . . or the Deputy, were you? Deputy? Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to your son for reminding m e that I’m not much older …
Thank you, MP. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution at this time? MP Swan . . . or the Deputy, were you? Deputy? Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to your son for reminding m e that I’m not much older than he is, Mr. Speaker. [ Laughter] I N HONOUR OF THE CLERK OF PARLIAMENT MRS. SHERNETTE WOLFFE Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Mr. Speaker, before I start I would like to just say to Mrs. Wolffe, her smile certainly comes from her mother. And her feistiness comes from her mother also. FREE HEALTH CLINIC Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: But Mr. Speaker, before I start, I would like to make an announcement that there will be a free [Daily Male] Health Clinic at (the soon- tobe former holders of Cup Match) the Somerset Cricket Club, on April 1. And this is to do with your prostate, blood pressure and I notice that the doctor is Dr. Makanjuola.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDr. Mak. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: But he says call him Dr. Mak. Right?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDr. Mak. Yes. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: He along with . . . I remember I went to it down i n St. George’s, the Hamilton new champions, Dr. Emily Foggo was there volunteer-ing her time and there was another female doctor and some nurses. But it is a …
Dr. Mak. Yes. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: He along with . . . I remember I went to it down i n St. George’s, the Hamilton new champions, Dr. Emily Foggo was there volunteer-ing her time and there was another female doctor and some nurses. But it is a clinic that was very friendly, comfortable and I would encourage anybody . . . it is saying people over 60, I went there because I thought they would take me in. They took me. Not that I was that age, Mr. Speaker. And the PSA test is the prick on the finger.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerFifteen minutes. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Not what most guys are afraid of, or fear it, whatever, Mr. Speaker. NEGATIVE PRESS Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Mr. Speaker, one thing I noticed about the Royal Gazette. They don’t print everything that we say here. If it is a story …
Fifteen minutes. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Not what most guys are afraid of, or fear it, whatever, Mr. Speaker. NEGATIVE PRESS Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Mr. Speaker, one thing I noticed about the Royal Gazette. They don’t print everything that we say here. If it is a story that they can put a spin on, that is what they will do. They will print [that]. And that is what they did to Jason Hayward, the did it to Zane, they did it to Wayne and definitely they will continue to do it to me. Which is fine, Mr. Speaker. If you are saying something [and] they cannot put a spin on, it will not be in the papers. They may do it once a month, once every six weeks. This is what these guys do. They have done it for many, many years and they will continue. I saw them do it to Dr. Brown. And I am going to repeat this one because I think the Editor needs to be reminded of this here every so often, where Dr. Brown, had given some monies to two Black athletes, training for one of the champion[ships], whether it was the Olympics or . . . whatever they have down in athletics — [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: CARIFTA. That is what it was. And when the Editor did an article criticizing Dr. Brown because he didn’t give it to any White folks. Well, Mr. Speaker, some people think I’m angry when I talk about race and stuff. I am not angry. Why should I be after all these years? So never think I’m angry because I’m talking about race. I am giving you the facts and sometimes you have to be reminded. I am not anti - White. Look at me. [ Laughter] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: My complexion comes from my grandmother who was White. So I can’t be anti-White because there is no way I am ever going to dislike my grandmother. Right? So I don’t know why . . . sometimes we always have to qualify what we are say-ing and who we are. 1262 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Mia Mottley, one of the greatest orators of our time. I saw her recently in an interview and the Caucasian interviewer was saying . . . asking her about the Caribbean. And every time they ask about a Black na-tion, it is all about corruption. And she said, Do you re-ally want me to answer that? And she paused; and she said no. She didn’t want to get this answer. And Mia Mottley dressed her off. She talked about the corruption in the UK and Europe, but that’s okay. Because every time in Bermuda you will hear about our MPs, that they are on the take. They must be getting paid. Only be-cause they are Black. They had the Premier being a multi -millionaire. Right? Mr. Speaker, this is what they do to us. Because any Black successful person who is not involved with the OBA is corrupt. They had to have stolen it. And they go into our bank accounts. I can imagine what they say about Jason Hayward. You know, in that spirit, because he has got Immigration. As they said about Dwayne [sic] Caines when he was there.
An
Hon. Member An
Hon. MemberWayne. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Wayne Caines. But they are both identical so I can call them . . . you know. [ Laughter] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: What they say about them, Mr. Speaker. And have said. What they said about Zane De Silva, even though he …
Wayne. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Wayne Caines. But they are both identical so I can call them . . . you know. [ Laughter] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: What they say about them, Mr. Speaker. And have said. What they said about Zane De Silva, even though he is a little darker than me, but because he is in the PLP, he is corrupt. This is what they portrayed, Mr. Speaker. And Mr. Speaker, what they said about Dr. Brown. Now, Mr. Speaker, I want you to guide me here because there was a statement by the DPP [Depart-ment of Public Prosecutions]. And I know there are lim-itations there. Right? But she came into our bailiwick so I feel compelled to respond to that. I will be guided by you. Right?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: If I can read some excerpts from her statement in the paper, the Royal Gazette.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo ahead. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: So she was complaining about the failing technology and the lack of infra-structure made because this Government has not given them funds. And she says, 2“Turning to Bermuda’s politicians, . . . ‘those who seek to criticise the system should know what restricts …
Go ahead. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: So she was complaining about the failing technology and the lack of infra-structure made because this Government has not given them funds. And she says, 2“Turning to Bermuda’s politicians, . . . ‘those who seek to criticise the system should know what restricts the system.’” Then she did one that was even more . . . it was identifying me. She said “the same people passing sly comments from the 2 Royal Gazette 12 F ebruary 2023 safety of the House about innocent people being put in prison and complaining about where our judges park their cars.”
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWow! Wow! Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Mr. Speaker, that is what she said. This person who . . . there was a highranking police officer who contravened the laws of this country during COVID -19 who was seen by another police officer. The file was sent to the DPP. …
Wow! Wow! Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Mr. Speaker, that is what she said. This person who . . . there was a highranking police officer who contravened the laws of this country during COVID -19 who was seen by another police officer. The file was sent to the DPP. And what [did] she say? Oh, the DPP said that this is not in the public interest to prosecute. But they saw that it was in the public’s interest to prosecute Zane De Silva and Zarah De Silva [Harper], his daughter. In fact, they went as far as to not only send the police up to his house, they sent the press with [them] to take pictures. And [it was] the same police officer! But this high- ranking police officer does not get charged because it is not in the public’s interest. I was not interested in what they took Zane up for. [ Laughter] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: None of us were. But they wasted his money taking him to court. [He] spent almost a half a million dollars to defend himself against a charge and then tried to take one of my colleagues as their chief witness. Well, you know they couldn’t do that, not to my good self. I’m a Seventh- day Adventist person who should be home on Sabbath, preparing. But you know, I was there when they had him on the stand, Mr. Speaker. You would not crack Shurnett, Caines’ bye. No you won’t. Becaus e he is a man of truth. And the case should have been thrown out there. There was no case to answer. But this is what they do to us. To try to cast that shadow of doubt on our people. To say okay. And then I spoke about . . . that particular Friday I think it was, about innocent people being locked up. Obviously the DPP does not know the history of this country. They started from Monk in 1898, because he was represent-ing some work . . . Reverend Monk, he was pastor of Vernon Temple . . . no Allen [Temple]. And he did go to the Bible Belt down — [ Crosstalk]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerHe got his foundation up at the West. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: We will take that. But he was representing those workers from Jamaica, from the Caribbean. And what did they do? They trumped up some charges on him and fought Su-preme Court, indictable charges. They put their own …
He got his foundation up at the West. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: We will take that. But he was representing those workers from Jamaica, from the Caribbean. And what did they do? They trumped up some charges on him and fought Su-preme Court, indictable charges. They put their own judge there. And the son was the prosecutor, and an-other in- law. And Monk described them as, “the Father,
B ermuda House of Assembly Son and the Unholy Ghost. ” So he knew he was going to get locked up. So he brought in— and some of you have heard this before. He brought in a judge from Barbados —I think it was Barbados, Barbadian or Jamaican. Spencer[ -Josephs] is his last name, I think. And he had a Caucasian wife, pretty woman. And they . . . the night before the trial he died.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Well, there was no technology, pathology and all that here to find out how he died. But he just finished. Right? But anyhow Monk got locked up. And the lesson that they were trying to establish here is, if any other of you other …
Yes. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Well, there was no technology, pathology and all that here to find out how he died. But he just finished. Right? But anyhow Monk got locked up. And the lesson that they were trying to establish here is, if any other of you other AMEs or preachers get out of hand this is what is going to happen to you. That is the same thing that they are doing to Dr. Brown. There is no other case in the Commonwealth that has gone on this long to persecute Dr. Brown. Do you know what is ironic about that, Mr. Speaker? Again, I want you to guide me because the same DPP —and this was in the paper. And if you have got to stop me, stop me. I don’t have any problem with that. The Governor said (it was a public statement at that time), he said, It is untenable to have Cindy Clarke as the [Director of the] DPP. Yet, a couple of years later, she becomes the [Director of the] DPP. And within three days she had Dr. Brown before the courts. It makes one think, What was the deal? Because when one can say that it is untenable for her to be there . . . and I can understand that. (Yes, sir, I’ve got you covered.) Why, Mr. Speaker? You know, I think the charge is up to probably about $12 million now. And I was at a meeting last year at St. Paul Centennial Hall. I think Brother Weeks’ ministry put it on. And one of the presenters, a panel member, said, We are not governed by Government House. It’s the police. And my ears went up, and some others in the audience [did too], because I was the moderator and they sent me these questions, and they were vexed. But after the meeting, and people voiced their dissatis-faction at that, the facts were not correct. When you look at the Constitut ion, sections 62, 87 and 82 will tell you who is in charge. But she said afterwards, You all got it wrong. The Chief Occupant is not in charge of the police. And the next day I wrote to the Commissioner and said, Hey, you need to read this Constitution. And I pointed out those sections of the law. So I can see why it was said that this person is untenable to be the [Director of] the DPP. Now, Mr. Speaker, after I made those comments a couple of weeks ago, whenever it was, a cou-ple of police officers called me, Mr. Speaker. And they had some charges on certain people, one person in particular, and the file was sent to the DPP, and the DPP adjudicated on this file. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Right. Okay. But what was said in the letter, that this person was in a close relationship with this person, this other person. And they should have recused themselves. But they didn’t. So when they make complaints about us, and the person said, Hey, why would you need technology when you do things like this, you don’t need any technology to do that. But you do make charges against others that . . . and others you let off ( like the police officer that contravened the law during COVID -19 and other things ). And you wonder how many times that thi s has happened. But they expect us to be above board, Mr. Speaker. And then, Mr. Speaker, when I go on to my cousin, Zane, on the side here, he talked about how we are treated, about the corruption is always pointed at us. Mr. Speaker, you remember the T ugwell report back in the 1990s [on] the Bank of Butterfield. And he found out that the chairman of the bank at that time, who was the Finance Minister, and leader of the coun-try, was down there giving his companies at the bank lower rates than other businesses to the tune of millions of dollars. This is what Tugwell said; it is in his report. I have his report at home, Mr. Speaker. [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: No, it isn’t me talking; that is Tugwell. A Canadian guy, obviously, he didn’t last long after that. Right? But he said that, Mr. Speaker. But you know something, Mr. Speaker? The point I am trying to make is, the Royal Gazette didn’t write it up about corruption. But had that been one of us in the PLP, it would have been corruption to no end. Just like they tried to make Jason Hayward something that he is not. And I have faced the same thing at the door that Minister Hayward has, with some. So I under-stood the statement. It is very clear. But they just turned it around. Because they said Jason said, I don’t want your vote. Well, they tell you at the door, I’m not going to vote for you.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes, yes. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: So, what is the difference? It is okay [for] them to say it, but we can’t. So, my response is, Okay. You don’t want me at your door. You are not going to vote for me. I understand that. So, it means that …
Yes, yes. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: So, what is the difference? It is okay [for] them to say it, but we can’t. So, my response is, Okay. You don’t want me at your door. You are not going to vote for me. I understand that. So, it means that I am not going to get your vote. So why would I want it because you are not going to give it to me? So, anybody who has been in his position, and I think all of us on this side has been. I’m not going to vote for you. Why are you coming here for? And the door slammed in my face. Mr. Speaker, do I go back there? No. Why should I? I don’t have their vote. I know they are not going to vote for me. That was what Jason was saying. 1264 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Yes! And you have to canvass, Minister, you have to canvass, and I do that. [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: And some of those on the other side, they don’t have to canvass because 95 per cent of that crowd votes one way, regardless of who it is. So, I understand that. And that is not an in-dictment on the other party. I am only giving you the facts. That is a fact. That is the way it goes, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker . . . yes, I have got about two minutes haven’t I . . . I better finish up. Mr. Speaker, I am just asking that the person who holds the key to whether I am prosecuted or not needs to be careful and be consistent in the duties that she has been appointed to adjudicate. We have got to do it in a fair and . . . I hate to use the word honest because you can tell honest lies. Right? And that is why I say truth. We have got to do it a truthful manner, Mr. Speaker. I just hope that people will understand that we are people. We have children; they feel even though they probably won’t say anything. But our children hear it, particularly our children. And they don’t forget that. They take it in. When you hurt their momma, their daddy, their papa, they feel that. Right. But they don’t care what they write about us because they write about us like we are a piece of furniture. You can just use and abuse us. And so even though you are an Editor at the Royal Gazette (and much darker than I am, probably as dark as my mother was), you have to have your own personality but it has got to come with principle. And you should never be ashamed of what you are and pass on and speak [about] what you have experienced. Because you are not going to tell me, nobody is going to tell me that Black folks have not experienced the negatives of racism. We understand that. That’s . . . that’s . . . if you even look a little Black, you are going to face it. You know? Unfortunately, it is not going to get much better until Jesus comes. And so with that, Mr. Speaker, thank you for the time.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Mr. Swan, before I acknowledge you let me just put it on the record. Deputy, the comments that you made were comments that had been drawn from public knowledge. They were either in the newspaper or were statements that were made. So for those who may have thought …
Thank you. Mr. Swan, before I acknowledge you let me just put it on the record. Deputy, the comments that you made were comments that had been drawn from public knowledge. They were either in the newspaper or were statements that were made. So for those who may have thought that there was a little leeway being allowed, the fact that they came out of public information already [is why] they were allowed. Had you gone somewhere be-yond that and you saw me give a little signal to where you were going, but what you were allowed to say, was stuff that was public knowledge. If it is in public knowledge already, it is acceptable. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Swan, you have your 20 minutes. I N HONOUR OF THE CLERK OF PARLIAMENT MRS. SHERNETTE WOLFFE
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanWith my two minute preamble being acknowledged I want to first start off by saying how appreciative I have been for the 20 years of service of Mrs. Shernette Wolffe. I was in another place for nine years prior to coming to the House and got to know her very …
With my two minute preamble being acknowledged I want to first start off by saying how appreciative I have been for the 20 years of service of Mrs. Shernette Wolffe. I was in another place for nine years prior to coming to the House and got to know her very well. I want to acknowledge some of the things that I certainly recall. Hansard was not in existence when I came to the Legislature in 1998. And when MP Burgess and the late Arthur Hodgson and myself went to the CPA in Trinidad we recognised that Trinidad had its own Hansard Office, and many other types of services to provide support to MPs and Senators in their jurisdiction. And I am very grateful that Mrs. Wolffe, being a teacher by trade, knew that any teacher needs a good mentor. And I know her good friend, Jacquie [Sampson Mieguel], the Clerk of the Legislature who is a lawyer down there in the Trinidad Legislature, has provided much guid-ance and helped shepherd her career to the extent where she has been able to shepherd other young clerks coming into the Legislature, under her tenure. During a time when I was Opposition Leader, I recall when Dr. Brown was there, the Rules of the House were amended, some of it to my chagrin be-cause I used to like that, to be able to filibuster from time to time. But Dame Jennifer [Smith] and John Barritt certainly wanted some time limits on there and they certainly had me in mind when they did it. And they did that and that was a good thing that took place during their tenure, modernising in accordance to the CPA Benchmarks. I actually spoke on that in Uganda and was a panellist and led that debate that we had there. It was something that I know Mrs. Wolffe believed very heartedly in, so do I. And there were things left still undone, like the independence of the Legis lature, which I know she believed very thoroughly in, and so do I, actually, and things that make for greater transparency of a Legislature. Because we always have to be evolving to serve as best . . . and I appreciate when she said that Members are not respected as much as they should [be]. That is by design! Because there was a time when you were a Member of Parliament in this place, when the construct of this place, this country, was put in place that you were a Member of Parliament and well respected. You were the Chairman of the Bank of Butter-field. You were the Chairman of BELCO. You were the chairman of every major company and you didn’t have to come in to caucus here. You caucused at the yacht club or the golf club and you made those decisions long
B ermuda House of Assembly before you got here. And it wasn’t until the representative government came to this country because of the forcefulness of people like the late Dame Lois Browne-Evans and the others who formed a political party and forced the then oligarchy to come together and form a party whilst they were sitting as independents. And we need to tell people about the history because the foundations of the institutional racism still have ramifications in this country today. Because you know people want to get rid of the UBP because the UBP was an institution. Okay? I took that. But I got elected as UBP so I promised my voters I would serve out my time. People wanted to go and run off and form something else and call themselves something else and act the same way. So the remnants of that institu-tion carried itself forward. Because institutions live be-cause people carry what the institution stood for. A lot of young people today do not know that the BBC, Bermuda Broadcasting Company, and the Royal Gazette were owned by the same company, Bermuda Press (Holdings) Limited, when Mr. Smith . . . remember? He looked . . . he eagle look . . . he gave you the eagle eye. He ran things in this country. Todd and . . . Toddings was the Editor of the Royal Gazette and he sat in power, may I dare say.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberMid-Ocean News .
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanMid-Ocean News . But they were joined at the hip as well. And the Bermuda Sun came along, [a] far more liberal newspaper. You look who bought them out. You can’t even google today and find out articles that they wrote . . . because they didn’t keep up the …
Mid-Ocean News . But they were joined at the hip as well. And the Bermuda Sun came along, [a] far more liberal newspaper. You look who bought them out. You can’t even google today and find out articles that they wrote . . . because they didn’t keep up the website. When I was looking today for the article that they had in there, when I ran . . . when I did that poll, that survey, it showed the headline but the ar-ticle doesn’t exist. That is how people rewrite history on you. That is why a Hansard was so important; Mrs. Wolffe brought it to place during her tenure. And I would encourage us, you know, if we need somebody to mentor, don’t go overseas, give them a little consultancy ser-vice and help them modernise. I am being very serious because we need to use the expertise. If not, someone down in the Caribbean would use it. THE TRUTH ABOUT INSTITUTIONAL RACISM
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanThat brings me to my next point. You know, I’ve been to and spent a lot of time in the UK recently so I have become accustomed to the UK news . This week in the United Kingdom, because I came back yesterday for the sitting. This week in the …
That brings me to my next point. You know, I’ve been to and spent a lot of time in the UK recently so I have become accustomed to the UK news . This week in the United Kingdom, because I came back yesterday for the sitting. This week in the United Kingdom the major . . . I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I was there sitting and there is a lady named Dame Louise Casey, Baroness Casey of Black-stock. And in 2021 she was appointed to lead an inde-pendent review of the culture and standards into the Metropolitan Police [Service] of London. Now, for those persons who might not know who the Metropolitan Police [Service] are, they are commonly referred to as Scotland Yard. They are not from Scotland but that was where their base was at one point in time. They are who we look to when we need to do things. They are tied to the Home Office. They are tied to White Hall. They are tied to Government House. Her report has revealed, has found that the Metropoli-tan Police [Service] are institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic. Now this wasn’t a report and . . . I thought . . . I said, Am I hearing right? What’s that? Are they talking about . . . Because sometimes they go down memory lane like I do and talk about history. This report was revealed in March of 2023! And I am saying, Okay, now. Hold it now. If she has charged . . . this organisation that we have had to turn to when we needed to look at when the police pep-per-sprayed people in 2016, if this is the body that is being handled out when we look at how a cousin gets up here and articulates the millions of dollars that has been spent on former Premier Dr. Brown, to what extent does that have [an affect] on this country? And if we still . . . and you know what? I have spent a lot of time . . . and I see big holders of property in the UK today as around the world are looking and examining the past, the foundations of structural racism. Right? As the UK becomes more diverse in its cultural makeup, we even see how it plays out to leaderships and the like. As young people are starting to articulate more openly than maybe [they] would have maybe 40 years ago when I was a 20- year-old profiled every week in a police station somewhere in Europe. Biting my tongue because I was the only one of colour there. Right? Carrying a whole nation, in some respects, on one’s back. Young people are not put in that . . . and we were selective people, me in golf, Yannick Noah in tennis at the time. Looking up to people like Arthur Ashe who had just passed, or had just came before us. But today you look at those sporting organisations and you see greater numbers. But you still don’t see represen-tation at the managerial level in football. But don’t let me get distracted. I only got 10 minutes and 15 seconds left. I urge this country, the institutions whose foundation are from the worst of our past and all those who want to ignore that they are a part of that as well and beneficiaries of it. If they really want a Bermuda to be free and wholesome and all inclusive, they need to em-brace that the only people in this country who have really moved to integrate this country have been the Black people of this country. It has been a one- way street. We even had an honourable cousin here pro-fessing what he was saying and saying, and I know its true, that he loves his white grandmother, as I do my Irish great -grandfather Isaac McKinley Hall. 1266 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly [Inaudible interjection and laughter ]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanAnd I am here to say, but we don’t see that type of wanting to be a One Bermuda. You can call yourself one, but when you deny what you really are, when you are not prepared to embrace what we really have to live in this country, that is …
And I am here to say, but we don’t see that type of wanting to be a One Bermuda. You can call yourself one, but when you deny what you really are, when you are not prepared to embrace what we really have to live in this country, that is keeping us retarded. And I am not saying anything that I didn’t say behind closed doors when I wore the sheep’s clothing of the UBP. I said it then, but I’m saying it now. And it is no different today. And I am here to tell you, Mr. Speaker, that when you had in 2023 in the motherland, not a conservative, not a labourite, a centrist Baroness doing a report, a person with a social background in her train-ing, calling the Metropolitan Police [Service] that we rely on, connected with the hierarchy of our constitu-tional fundamental leadership of this country, racist, misogynistic and homophobic. But yet when the religious groups of this country honestly express how they feel, they will come down on them like a ton of bricks. But I am here to say, I am prepared to say this, no matter where I am . . . I have spoken at Commonwealth Parliamentary Associations as you know, Mr. Speaker. I have had to broker some type of calm and peace when war and big countries are taking at each other. You know what I am talking about, whether or not we come between in the breach of our colleagues in the Commonwealth. But it is time that a country like Bermuda, prepared to punch above its weight in international business, punch above its weight to make this whole world a better place when it comes to institutional racism. Because the foundations of institutional racism . . . I hate every seaport in every major country in Europe, and it was transported to the seaports in the Caribbean and the United States and Canada. With cargo that existed with our people, our ancestors. And like Brother Burgess says, some of us have ancestors on both sides of the divide. And we are committed to build-ing a better world. But you cannot build a better world on lies. You got to deal with truth. And truth does not exist when you turn a blind eye to what persons inherit. Which was wrong! And so, when you are prepared to delve into what gets carried forward, what took place in ’69 or ’68 or ’58 or ’48 or 1848 or . . . You know Charles Roach Ratteray was my great grandmother’s grandfather. That is not that long ago. He helped found the AME churches of this country. He came from a . . . Scot from the Bahamas and sent to two spinsters up in Somerset to raise, comes from Blairgowrie in Scotland. I went there last summer. On purpose! Because I wanted to see what my Scottish cousins look like. And I met a guy named Dowd and he said to me, You know what? You came a year or so too late because my best friend, Ratteray, told us all about those cousins he has down in the Caribbean. And this guy became my friend because we are not afraid to embrace the diversity. You can’t talk about diversity and turn a blind eye to how this country became diverse by forcing some (in some respects, in my case the Borrows and the Halls and the Higginbottom’s was by choice, but not always. Not necessarily with the Gums and Mills down in St. Kitts, my family, close to yours. My granny says, I like those Lister boys. They came to see me, they and Walton and all that, grandson. I might be able to get you one but that is about it. I got to pick one between the two. [ Laughter]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYes. The best I can do. And I got a few prompers and I know where they came from. But I am here to say that in Britain reports are revealing that [those] who we turn to when we have trouble are troubled! And we are turning a blind eye …
Yes. The best I can do. And I got a few prompers and I know where they came from. But I am here to say that in Britain reports are revealing that [those] who we turn to when we have trouble are troubled! And we are turning a blind eye to the troubles that are at the foundation of the troubles that we have in our own country. And there is no secret surprise that when it comes to the hierarchy of this country, that you are least likely to see Black men in boardrooms. Not that we aren’t visionaries. Not that we aren’t . . . because I see how when I travel how greater respect is afforded. But it shouldn’t be singular. Because I also said that when I was that 22year-old when I walked to the . . . it got to a point when I was 22, 23 in Europe, I walked right to the police station. And a guy says, Where are you going, Swan? I said, If I go to the Customs Officer he is going to look at my passport and get them to the police. You see [they] humiliate me every week. Italy, France, Ger-many —but I got hip. I walked right to them. And I got hip when I stood behind a man, Mr. Smith, whose brother was a good golfer, John Swan was t he . . . Sir John Swan now, he wasn’t then. He was the Minister of Immigration at the time. And I stood . . . and I said, Can I see your passport? He had the same passport as me. He went up there . . . and I said, I am home free. He went . . . we were in France, we were in Charles de Gaulle [Airport] going to London. Just leaving the French Open. I said, Okay, who is going through? When I got on . . . I know . . . when I got there, I went to the police station, and almost missed the flight. He said, What happened? I said, Everything that happens every week. He said, You need to go talk with George. You know what happened then? Hong Kong was coming into play in a big way in the early 1980s. And my passport said “Citizen of United Kingdom and Colonies.” That was after I had been escorted out of the Faraway at gunpoint. And the guy sent me back and said, Hey, Swannie . . .
B ermuda House of Assembly I am saying this to say that the foundations of racism go way back. And they are still affecting 22 - year-olds in Britain and in Bermuda today. And other places! Why? Because the system was designed to benefit privilege. People get offended when I talk about White . . . but I am talking honestly. And when they know me they know I am only just being honest. I love all people. Look how diverse my family is. We shouldn’t have to qualify it that way. But we understand that the system was designed to benefit privilege or anybody who turns a blind eye to it. Mr. Speaker, with 41 more seconds I want to wish this whole country a blessed Easter. I am more thankful for the workings of Jesus Christ than I have ever been in my life. There is power in the name of Je-sus. I am here to tell you. [ Inaudible interjections and desk thumping]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanI am here to tell you why. Because I know why. I have lived why. I have lived to point where all I could depend on was prayer over the last three months. And I am praying that in this world we will start looking at truth as it affects …
I am here to tell you why. Because I know why. I have lived why. I have lived to point where all I could depend on was prayer over the last three months. And I am praying that in this world we will start looking at truth as it affects Black people and peo ple of colour in this world and in this country. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s my time. [ Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP. MP Ming, you have your 20 minutes. Mr s. Renee Ming: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think I will be fiery as my colleague, but I believe I have a message tonight.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo right ahead. LAND GRABS Mr s. Renee Ming: I actually rise tonight, Mr. Speaker, on a sad note. And one that may even be unpopular. This Government, my Government, said that seniors are a priority. This Government, my Government, was incensed by years of heartache and strife with land-grabs, …
Go right ahead. LAND GRABS Mr s. Renee Ming: I actually rise tonight, Mr. Speaker, on a sad note. And one that may even be unpopular. This Government, my Government, said that seniors are a priority. This Government, my Government, was incensed by years of heartache and strife with land-grabs, so much so that when we came into power we immediately put a commission in place to address [and] to investigate [ the] land grabs in this country, and what people who look like me and you, Mr. Speaker, have been through. Mr. Speaker, my Government today, this Government, has involved itself in a landlock situation. For those persons who would have seen the news this evening, you would have seen two of my constituents, age 93 and 80 years old, fighting for their land. This isn’t a secret to my colleagues. They would have heard me speak about this before. But can you image land that you would have owned for 60 years, someone is telling you now what to do on your land. What you can and cannot do on your land. My constituents have been trying to work with the Government for the past 18 months. They own two lots of land at a lower level just off of Somner Lane in St. Geor ge’s and the government tenant was allowed to erect a gate that prevents them from accessing their property, so their land is now landlocked. And for those of us who understand what that means, it depreciates your value. It means you may not be able to sel l it because you cannot show the access to the land. So imagine at 93 and 80 years old, Mr. and Mrs. Shirley Gibbons are standing up today to fight for their land. The first time . . . and we can go back with this to October 2021. A gate was erected three months after the initial discussion because they were told by the Government Ministry that they could put up a gate, this government tenant. We later went on to find out that it was illegally erected because there was no Planning permission so it had to be removed. This day has been the bane of existence for the Gibbons’ family be-cause they know that the significance of this gate actu-ally has a serious financial bearing for them and also an accessibility issue for them. They stood there today being intervi ewed in front of stakes because they wanted to protect their property because this government tenant transverses across their property all day in their golf carts. All day, using it commercially. And the Gibbonses are making absolutely nothing off of it. In 1985, and I learned this from my colleague who was the golf pro at that time, the Gibbonses worked with the golf course and gave up their original access and were promised that they would always have access to their land through Somner Lane. Whilst I can appreciate that it is many years later, but doing right and doing the right things we should never, ever get tired of. So today they stood there with their stakes that had been removed—and not by them—to give the Bermuda Broadcasting an interview. Mr. Speaker, it will . . . to say that you are disappointed is one thing, but today it is Gibbons family in St. George’s. Tomorrow it could be you, Mr. Speaker. It could be your friends, your family who just have their land taken and someone telling you what you can and cannot do with the land that you worked your heart out for to pay for. Mr. Speaker, my cousin- in-law, Walton Brown, would turn in his grave today to hear this story. Be-cause we had conversations about land grabs. And that family is mentioned in the Commission of Inquiry. And they know what it is like to lose their seven acres up there in Spring Benny. And that was one of the reasons that Walton Brown, our former colleague, was ex-tremely passionate about this, because his family lived it. And the fact that I stand on my feet today in 2023 and am speaking now of an almost similar situation from my Government actually breaks my heart. I 1268 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report Ber muda House of Assembly encourage each and every one of you to look at the news from tonight and see what 93 years old and 80 years old looks like, having to fight for their land, and have someone not tell them what they can and cannot do on their land. Mr. Speaker, there was . . . I am grateful because the Government does give a lot more access and if you actually go on the Bermuda Planning website there is a map. And it clearly shows that the Gibbonses own their land. But it is amazing that for the last 18 months that has been the question, Well, do they own it? Do you think anybody in Bermuda does not know what land they own, and where those boundaries are? [When] you pay thousands of dollars a month on a mortgage you know where every stake is on [your] property. And at 93 years old, Mr. Gibbons knows where his property is. He knows what crook, cranny, diagonals, everything about his property. The first thing he said to me the other day when he was talking to me was, I am not letting anybody take my land. Mr. Speaker, this cannot be acceptable. The Chamber is quiet now, Mr. Speaker. We have to do better. We have to do bet ter. This w hole situation has e ven cause d me to look up something. I t’s funny, bec ause there is an article, an d it is i n the Royal G azette, Mr. S peaker, s o it is public knowledge. It is from last year January 21, 2022. And the actual heading was “Minister on Harbour Road land dispute: ‘Ask first, build later.’” And the Minister at that t ime was M inister [ Wayne L.] F urbert. And he w ent on to say, “ . . . the Government s hould in future ‘ask first and build later’ after work was held up because of a dispute with a resident.” Another portion of the same article says, Mr. Speaker, “Mr Furbert also gave details about the land dispute that held up work.” “He said: ‘ Unfortunately, across the road there’s some other land and the Government engineer at the time did not know that that property belonged to that resident in that area.’” “We have learnt a lesson – ask first and build later.” This was last year. This landowner was on Harbour Road. [The Minister] actually went on to say “We just went in, did some changes to what we were working o n and we were working on the wall, but there’s no settlement at all.” But they immediately got their issue resolved. I bet you they didn’t have to wait 18 months like my constituents are waiting, or had to endure what my constituents have had to endure. And I also want say for the record that even if these were not my constituents from St. George’s I would still be on my feet today about this, Mr. Speaker. Okay? It could be for anybody’s constituent because it is not right. So, Mr. Speaker, I would hope that tonight people have listened and heard. I know my constituents, and not just the Gibbons family, because St. George’s is a tightknit community, so you can imagine this has grown like wildfire , are not happy. They have known about it for some time. And even the video that is going around, Mr. Speaker, showing some foreign nationals removing the stakes from the Gibbons’ land. And to get onto the property you would have had to have trespassed on it. I would like for this to make some sense, because it makes no sense to us. We have had a number of meetings. We thought we were making progress. The Gibbonses have now had to incur charges out the yin-yang. Who has money nowadays for this kind of stuff? I have just said it, and I’ve said it three or four times, 93 and 80 years old, and they have now had to retain legal services. We have to be serious about the things we do and kind of walk the talk because we can’t say that we would be upset with what a previous administration did in terms of land grabs, and we are doing the same thing. I would challenge any of my colleagues to support these seniors, because at 93 and 80 you can imagine that even their own children are much older and trying to make sense out of this situation. And as their representative it is incumbent on me to do as much as I can to assist. Mr. Speaker, Governments are supposed to protect their people. And I would hope that our Government, my Government, would do that —protect its people. And I would hate to see anyone else in any constituency, senior, young person, anyone, going through this situation because it is stressful, and it’s tiring. We use things like email and stuff like that to communicate. I think you can imagine that at 93 and 80 they are not using that. So even the way that we communicate is well above what they are capable of dealing with. But the reality is that they should not have to be doing it. And they should not be struggling in their minds to understand what their Government is doing to them. We talk about bullying? Imagine how they feel being bullied. Even though Mr. Gibbons is spritely at 93, he is sharp as can be because today he said, NOBODY IS TAKING MY LAND! But he should not have to be saying that, Mr. Speaker. When government’s technical officers go out, they need to be careful what they do. Sometimes the easy solution is to say you made a mistake, and let’s work on fixing it. But what we don’t do is [cause] 18 months of terror to two seniors and their families. Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful that my words have been heard this evening and that we find a reasonable solution, because right now what it feels like to me is my people hurting my people. And for that, it hurts me. If you know me, and you know how I work in my constituency, I make no secret of saying I love each and every one of my constituents. Even those who don’t vote for me. And I have a special relationship with many of them because I am the worst canvasser ever. I canvass. I am supposed to do 15 minutes, and I am well into the hour. But it has allowed me to have relationships with my constituents.
B ermuda House of Assembly And even tonight, Mr. Speaker, they give me their blessing, because they are the ones who put me in this spot and have allowed me to stand here tonight and speak on this, to get up and speak and represent them. Their support and their encouragement is second to none. So I hope that the next time I have to rise to my feet to speak on this matter I hope I am giving you a positive outcome, and that I do not have c onstituents who are upset and [are losing sleep] over what is happening with their land that they have held for 60 years, Mr. Speaker. I have only been a member of one political party, Mr. Speaker. And that would be the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party. And I know my party can do better. And I am sure, and hopeful and prayerful that the next time I rise to my feet on this matter that it is with a positive outcome. But I am not afraid to rise to my feet the next time if it is not and tell you again what my constituents are going through, because when they went to the polls and they voted for me, this is the right that they gave me. And I will do it any time it is necessary for me to get on my feet and do so. Mr. Speaker, thank you for this time, and good evening to you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood evening. Thank you, MP Ming. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDoes any other Member . . . MP Foggo is on her feet behind you there Minister. LAND GRABS
Ms. Lovitta F. FoggoThank you, Mr. Speaker. Quite some time ago when I made my maiden speech, I spoke to my constituents and gave them a promise that I would serve in the capacity of MP for them with the aplomb that having this position deserves and, I believe, warrants. I want to …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Quite some time ago when I made my maiden speech, I spoke to my constituents and gave them a promise that I would serve in the capacity of MP for them with the aplomb that having this position deserves and, I believe, warrants. I want to tell my honourable colleague who just took her seat when you were doing the right thing for the right reasons one never has to stand up in fear or out of concern that it is not the right thing to say. Our job as parliamentarians and MPs is indeed one of service. We are here to serve our people. T hat is what they elected us for. And sometimes in repre-senting our people it causes one to have to be able to stand and speak on those ugly matters that sometimes others might use against us. But this is not a situation where it is a matter that has to be used against us, be-cause we are standing to speak on what is right. I could not allow my colleague to stand and speak on a matter that in my opinion is so egregious without lending a voice as well, because, one, it is my duty. And, in fact, before I speak to that matter I just want to say that I did have a constituent who reached out today, having seen me in the press as well, to say thank you for being her voice when she needed a mat-ter settled that sometimes, because it has to do with a death, takes one, two years to get resolved. But in this situation it was resolved in, I guess in a short four months. Which was still for her an extremely long pe-riod of time when you’re trying to lay matters to rest that concern a loved one that you have just lost. She had nothing but gratitude. And before I speak to the matter that happ ened in St. George’s yesterday (I think it was yesterday), I want to thank, because I reached out to government officers on behalf of this constituent and not just once or twice, but on a continuous basis, and the technical officer responding constantly worked with me to help my constituent. And we were able to get an outcome that at least today she thought she should reach out and say thank you, because for many it was one that was realised much sooner than others had. I did point out the two- year timeframe, one- year timeframe, and she received her results in four months. And I want to thank Mr. Lyndon Raynor for working with me to bring about a speedy result in this situation. But, going back to the issue of the Gibbonses, Mr. Speaker, it is definitely disheartening to have to stand there and watch seniors just totally distraught over something that they ought not to be distraught about when government documents speak clearly in terms of ownership. And the government documents clearly highlight the fact that this is not government property that could be put out on loan or lease to tenants. It is private property. And the Gibbonses have worked in their community and worked with hoteliers, and worked with government to allow those who would have cause to visit our shores and use the golf courses to be able to do that. And they have done it for countless years! This is the first time where you have persons who think that in leasing a property they have the right to prevent property owners from doing what they need to do with their property. I don’t know where we can deny people their legal access to their property. I don’t know that this is even allowable, and I am not going to try to speak like a lawyer, because a lawyer I am not. But I am just questioning about whether in law that is allowable. I don’t know where persons can wilfully de-stroy property on private property that says “No Trespassing,” cut down poles or property that doesn’t belong to them, and that is allowable. I don’t think that I would be able to go on anybody’s property in this room, wilfully destroy their property and be able to walk away free. I am sure that I would have law enforcement knocking on my doors. But this is the situation . . . and it was captured on video. So no one can refute that this happened. I feel dismay. I feel dismay. I believe that on principle, when we are talking about principle, that we stand together on principle. I don’t think anybody in this room on principle would say that this is okay. I don’t think so. I don’t even see how 1270 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly they could. And so, I would think that, as the Member who just took her seat said, all of us recognising our role as parliamentarians never have to stand up and wonder whether or not what they have to say is going to be met with chagrin, opposition, when we are speak-ing on truth and we are speaking to something that is outright unacceptable and, in this case, some behaviours that were unlawful. I don’t think we have any fear of that happening. As parliamentarians, it is acceptable that we sometimes remind each other what our role is. That is our job. You know, they have this book called The Role of the Backbencher. That’s our role; that’s our job. And that is what we are supposed to do. And if we think that people through government vehicles are not exercising their duties as they should, then it is our role to point that out. It is our role to point it out. And if people were unaware before, they are aware now. And I think it is our role to help right any injustice, because it is never, ever acceptable that peo-ple who wilfully operate against law be allowed to just continue to do so. And so, in trying to ensure that justice abounds, we bring the matter to the attention in hopes that the Gibbons family can go back to enjoying their land. The one thing that they have always said is that they are willing to work with their corporate partners and government to bring about a resolution that will make everyone happy, understanding that they will never give up ownership of their property. So, Mr. Speaker, again, I want to say to my colleague that it is never wrong to do the right thing. And I, for one, believe that when the matter is looked at fully that we will arrive at a proper and just outcome. I guess I am calling it into being, Mr. Speaker, because that is the only result that will be an acceptable result. And I do hope that it is not a result that we will have to go to the courts on. I hope it is one where all the players are able to get together and hash this out and allow the Gibbonses to enjoy their property as they should, and allow others through the willingness of the Gibbonses to be able to have an outcome that they can live with as well. What is not tolerable is for anything adverse to arrive at the doorstep of the Gibbonses. And having said that, let me just say this, because that is already the case right now, and having owned property for 60plus years to then have people who come and just wishing to impose their will through the errors of others is not acceptable. Our job is to correct that error. We have it within our power to do so, and we should, be-cause it is the right, the lawful and the just thing to do. That property was never, ever, ever in dispute. It is a property that has been paid for long ago. Long ago. And the Gibbonses themselves, out of the kindness of their hearts, elected to do what they did. I will say this: There is no agreement. There is no consent order, there are no legal documents that give the offending group the right to do what they are doing. I don’t understand why they would behave in that manner. So, I just want to remind all of us that our job is to serve the people who put us here. And again, sometimes we have to get up and speak on untenable issues, or unpleasant issues. But I do this without fear or even favour that my colleagues will be affronted by what I am saying because I am standing up and speaking on what is right. I am pointing no fingers anywhere other than to say that our job is to represent the people, to work on their behalf, and where we can , to help them to arrive at a situation that is in everybody’s best inter-est, when we are talking about potential legal matters such as this. So, Mr. Speaker, on that note, I will take my seat.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP. Minister Burch, you have your 20 minutes. LAND GRABS
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, I won’t need 20 minutes. Let me just say that as the Minister responsible to fix the problem that has been highlighted by the MPs for constituency 1 and 3, I had spoken to both of them before they spoke on the floor tonight, Mr. Speaker. And I …
Mr. Speaker, I won’t need 20 minutes. Let me just say that as the Minister responsible to fix the problem that has been highlighted by the MPs for constituency 1 and 3, I had spoken to both of them before they spoke on the floor tonight, Mr. Speaker. And I will say this: It is a complicated issue; but it is one that I believe can be solved to the satisfac-tion of the Gibbonses and the other parties. It has taken longer than anybody would anticipate or expect. And I agree with the Gibbonses that it has taken too long. So, Mr. Speaker, I will give an undertaking that this Government will be never accused of taking anybody’s land, as long as I have this responsibility, and I believe that this is the belief of everybody who sits on this side. What I have done today, Mr. Speaker, is . . . and obviously I have been in the House, so off and on, being aware of what is going on in St. George’s, I left here this evening after speaking with both MPs and I have spoken with the attorney for the Gibbonses and we are meeting tomorrow. And I expect that what will come out of that meeting will be a resolution that will be acceptable to all parties. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Does any other Member wish to make a comment? MP Simmons.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood evening to you sir. I N HONOUR OF THE CLERK OF PARLIAMENT MRS. SHERNETTE WOLFFE
Mr. Scott SimmonsMr. Speaker, first before I speak to the balance of what I want to say tonight, let me first of all join my colleagues in wishing the Honourable B ermuda House of Assembly Clerk of the Legislature all the very best in her future endeavours. Her time, her 20 years, …
Mr. Speaker, first before I speak to the balance of what I want to say tonight, let me first of all join my colleagues in wishing the Honourable
B ermuda House of Assembly Clerk of the Legislature all the very best in her future endeavours. Her time, her 20 years, has been certainl y sterling and she has provided us with a wonderful ex-ample of what administration of this House is. And she followed in the footsteps and did so both honourably and in a way that we can all be extremely proud. So I wish her well, I wish her the very best. And we are reflecting on that today. Thank you, Madam Clerk. PL P DOING THE PEOPLES BUSINESS
Mr. Scott SimmonsMr. Speaker, I did not want us to finish this session without us pausing just for a few moments realising that when one gets elected into this Honourable House we participate in a primary struc-ture, primary system. We get selected by the branch and we go through our party mechanisms …
Mr. Speaker, I did not want us to finish this session without us pausing just for a few moments realising that when one gets elected into this Honourable House we participate in a primary struc-ture, primary system. We get selected by the branch and we go through our party mechanisms and we get an opportunity to serve, or to be considered as a candidate to serve and then that consideration is put before the people of this country. And they vote. All registered voters in this country get an opportunity to choose their representation of which we see a very good representation of that in this Honourable House. Mr. Speaker, I did not want our session this time before we return in May to [end] without us acknowledging the significance of every voter in this country.When I decided to put myself forward in con-stituency 32, I recognised that I had a responsibility for every voter in that constituency, whether they voted for me or not. Mr. Speaker, being a representative of individuals in this country , my fellow Ber mudians , is not easy. It is never an easy run. But when you decide to put yourself forward in this country ( cannot speak for anywhere else) you take the good with the bad. You take the licks. Sometimes, Mr. Speaker, you pause for a mi-nute and you question why you are here. But I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that there is no more rewarding op-portunity than for you to serve the people of this country. Mr. Speaker, when individuals put their trust in you, you cannot select who you are going to represent. You r epresent every single one. Each and every one of us in this House gets stopped on the hour, every hour of every day of every week of every month, yearly in this country. That is what we signed up for. It is a responsibility that we take very, very, very se riously. Mr. Speaker, the relationship that we develop over time in our constituencies matter to them and it should matter to us. It should not be taken lightly. It is an agreement with them that we will look out for their interests. Mr. Speaker, I recog nise, and I said it earlier, that it is not easy. I recall during COVID -19 when it was lockdown and then it opened up slightly . But throughout this process my colleagues and I were allowed to go out and service the community. We were given special dispensation as a result of the Order to be able to go out and represent each and every one of our constitu-ents and do things . I decided tha t since I had the ability to get out that I would do shopping, that I would run errands for my constituents, something that, with the greatest of respect to my constituents, I live to regret. And I said to them that I would get out in the constituency and t o my seniors especially, Mr. Speaker . I went out and I took them to the grocery store, I took them to the pharmacy, I picked up . . . did all sorts of things. And I also weekly did shopping for a number of them. Mr. Speaker, I cannot express how rewarding, but how time consuming, that was. I loved doing it. And it was fantastic. [ Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Scott SimmonsMr. Speaker, I am going to try to ignore those who would want to interrupt what I am saying. Mr. Speaker, as a result of that, I had the opportunity of servicing my seniors, voters of every description in my constituency. The point I want to make, Mr. Speaker, is …
Mr. Speaker, I am going to try to ignore those who would want to interrupt what I am saying. Mr. Speaker, as a result of that, I had the opportunity of servicing my seniors, voters of every description in my constituency. The point I want to make, Mr. Speaker, is that in doing so I was in MarketPlace and I thought I was doing something good. I simply called the senior whose list I had in my hand, and she had made it clear, Mr. Simmons, you are to stick to every item on that list. And I am going to just digress slightly, the reason was because I had their individual cards. And they said, We have this down to a science. You don’t mess i t up! You stick to the list, no bigger, no smaller, and this is what you buy and you’ll be straight. I learned the hard way. I got to the cashier and found out that it was more and I had to pay. And they told me, Well, Mr. Simmons, it’s your dumbness. And you have to pay for dumbness. At any rate, Mr. Speaker, I am standing in the aisle. On the list it made it clear that I had to find . . . and it wasn’t on the shelf. I simply asked, Mrs. So -andso, I can’t — And she said, You know, you don’t listen to me. She said, Get on your hands and knees. I am in MarketPlace! This is a scene in MarketPlace. I’m on my hands and knees . She said, On your hands and knees. And I got on my hands and knees and I looked down. And she said, Look under the shelf, on the b ottom shelf underneath in the back. And I got on my hands and knees, looked in the back, and there the item was. She said, Exactly. And hung up! [ Laughter]
Mr. Scott SimmonsOn a separate occasion, Mr. Speaker, our voters, our constituents are not easy. Mr. Speaker, on another occasion, I completed the list, all six bags. She is on the third floor of a senior facility. I brought up all six bags. She met me each time 1272 24 March 2023 …
On a separate occasion, Mr. Speaker, our voters, our constituents are not easy. Mr. Speaker, on another occasion, I completed the list, all six bags. She is on the third floor of a senior facility. I brought up all six bags. She met me each time 1272 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly at the door. My goodness; you’re a good boy. And we came through the door. She said, You know, Mr. Simmons, what I am thinking is . . . and then she paused. And I am out of breath. I carried six bags. She said, you know one thing, you young people can’t take a straight message. [ Laughter]
Mr. Scott SimmonsYou young people can’t take a straight message. She said, I thought I told you (and she is holding up the bottle of white alcohol) . And she said, Your dumbness. I told you to get the me green, the EverGreen. Why wouldn’t you get me the EverGreen when I …
You young people can’t take a straight message. She said, I thought I told you (and she is holding up the bottle of white alcohol) . And she said, Your dumbness. I told you to get the me green, the EverGreen. Why wouldn’t you get me the EverGreen when I made it crystal clear. You young people are not paying attention. Mr. Speaker, throughout my experience—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou quickly went and exchanged it for her, right?
Mr. Scott SimmonsYou can bet your boots! I did, Mr. Speaker. The point I want to make is that in this what we call representation, in that we represent Bermudians and we represent our colleagues, and we represent our parties and the things that we do, we have a responsi-bility to acknowledge …
You can bet your boots! I did, Mr. Speaker. The point I want to make is that in this what we call representation, in that we represent Bermudians and we represent our colleagues, and we represent our parties and the things that we do, we have a responsi-bility to acknowledge that everybody in this country has value. The thing that one must understand is that in doing so you have to acknowledge that there will be those who support us and there will be those who don’t. There will be those who want to be a part of what we are doing and those who absolutely voted against us. They benefit from our good governance when we legislate for the entire Bermuda the right way and for the right reasons in this House. And they benefit by default. It is just the luck of the draw. We set an agenda. The Premier makes it clear every single time, makes the point clear, and the Honourable Minister of Works makes it clear as well. And that is that we have a contractual agreement with our electorate through our platform that says we have to do this and we have to do that. We agree to do this, and as a result we are going to move forward. That is the contractual agreement. That contractual agreement gets us through the role of our supporters but we make it inclusive enough that it benefits everybody. But there were specific things in there that speak to our communities, that speak to why communities vote for us where that voter base comes from and who supports us. So it will be very much specific in the platform and in the way that we conduct our affairs. But, Mr. Speaker, we have a responsibility to centre in, yes, on our voter base that gets us over the line. But when we take on the big G, when we take on as Government of this country, we have a responsibility to legislate for all. And we have a responsibility to answer them when they call. I had a policy when I was down at the Cabinet Office, having had the opportunity of working for illus-trious Premiers. And I learned a lot. They taught me a lot. But the one thing that I picked up down there that was vitally important, and I can hand that over to my distinguished colleagues, both those who have been in the House before me, those who came with me, when I came in here in 2017, and those who came afterwards in the illustrious class of 2020. Mr. Speaker, it doesn’t matter who phones me. It doesn’t the level. It doesn’t matter the colour. It doesn’t matter who they are. I give every single telephone call the same energy, the same response and the same reply. I learned that from colleagues of this House. That you assign it all, and you treat them the same. So a constituent, as humble as you like, or as high as you like, you address them, you address their concerns and you give them the respect of citizens of this country and you get cracking. And then you reply, if you wish, in the beginning when you are first talking to them, I can do this, this, this, this and that. And then call them back and say, I was able to achieve this, this, this, this and that. And if you treat them all the same then you get this level of respect back from them and they appreciate you. Mr. Simmons did tell me in the beginning that this ain’t going to work out for me; but he was going to make contact for me. But he told me, I can tell you right now I don’t think it’s going to happen. But this is what we might get. Or, Leave it to me; I’m on it. And then you report back. We can’t pick who our elected are; we can’t say who we are going to govern for. We can’t do it. We have to govern for every single person. But make no mistake. The focus of this Government has to be on the betterment of Bermuda, has to be on moving Bermuda for-ward. In doing so, it means we have to enlist the assis-tance of everybody in Bermuda. Not everybody in Ber-muda is going to want to help out. We learned tonight as we do on most ni ghts that there are those who absolutely are against what we try to do and what we have tried to do as a Government. But we should never be deterred. And also we should never be discouraged. Those before us were n’t discouraged. How did the PLP exist through all of this? They were not discouraged. Our parents were not discouraged. We should not be discouraged. We should be encouraged, because I will tell you what. When my constituency goes quiet, I should be con-cerned. It’s when that phone is ringing that I rejoice. Not them calling and saying, Mr. Simmons, no dumbness up here. This is what we need to be doing. Make sure this gets done, that gets done. That’s progress. But, Mr. Speaker, we have to be big. Suck it up. Take it in. Take the licks. And realise that even . . . I am not saying, I am not going to be specific on any situation. I am saying that we have a responsibility to represent all. I realise you want to be mindful of the
B ermuda House of Assembly past. I realise that there are those amongst us who feel as though we should erase or gloss over the past and we should just simply say that we lived in different and a better time. There are those around us who feel as though we have not moved at all, that we have actually regressed. There are those who feel as though nothing has happened, nothing has moved. But we have a responsibility in this country to ensure that we look out for the people of Bermuda, that we look out for every single one of them, whether —and I repeat this —whether they support us or not. Mr. Speaker, this Government has demonstrated in the last six years, we’ve seen it, we’ve said it, we’ve done it. We promised to do things. We delivered on some of those things and there are other things that are moving targets. And we have a responsibility to ad-dress those issues if not in the time that we said we were going to look into them, we certainly can get them done. That is what this Government is all about. I want to encourage our voters. I want to encourage those who are citizens of this country to continue to encourage your representatives to serve you and to serve you in the right way. And as we highlighted tonight, we do not want to create the atmosphere where it is complain, complain, complain, complain, complain. Our Government is to be applauded for a number of initiatives that have been of absolute substance. We need to be proud of that. We didn’t say that we were perfect. We didn’t say that we would not stumble. And we did not say that we would be the best at what we are doing. But we are doing the job that we, as a Government, can do. And we are trying to achieve the things that we have out-lined that we wish to achieve. But, Mr. Speaker, I do not want the electorate (and I will finish on this note) to feel that we do not care about every single person in this country and that we are looking out for all of their best interests. We may be specific at times, but we realise that we are “the Gov-ernment.” That means (and I have said it before, no surprise to colleagues) that we need to possibly listen more, we need to get out and canvass, we need to get out and talk to our electorate and find out, which is why I continue to canvass. And that is why I will be increas-ing my canvass so that what I reflect in this House, and what I say in this House reflects what my c onstituents want me to say. And I just want to finish on this, Mr. Speaker, when you are hired for a job . . . let’s say you were hired, with all the greatest of respect, to be an assassin.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOh my God.
Mr. Scott SimmonsI apologise for the subject matter. But, Mr. Speaker, that is your job. If you were hired to be a taxi driver, you need to drive the taxi. You need to do your job and fill out your logs and you need to do the job you need to do. …
I apologise for the subject matter. But, Mr. Speaker, that is your job. If you were hired to be a taxi driver, you need to drive the taxi. You need to do your job and fill out your logs and you need to do the job you need to do. The people of Bermuda hired us for a pittance of salary that equates to the assistant to the assistant assisting clerk in the library. That is how we are compensated. And I feel that irrespective of that we have a responsibility to do the job. They hired us to do it. We said we would do it. We don’t like the contract too much numerically but, hey, that is what we signed up for. Ministers signed up for a far larger opportunity. And that is what we need to achieve, Mr. Speaker. But I want us to once again commit, and my colleagues to commit, as I have, to looking out for the best interests of all of our constituents. It is important. It is something that we must do. And it is the right thing to do. I would like to wish all of my constituents . . . and before I take my seat, I did not get the opportunity of offering my absolute condolences to [the family of] Diane Hunt who passed. She will absolutely be missed in constituency 32. She was a stalwart. She stood up for me. She made it clear that there was no one but Scott in the constituency; there was no one else. I appreciated her. Her memory is absolutely etched in our constituency in education, and also in being a person whose party . . . loved her community, served her c ommunity. And the most important part is that her contribution is acknowledged today and that she absolutely and truly was loved by her community. Mr. Speaker, thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP Simmons. Does any other . . . MP Anthony Richardson. PLP DOING THE PEOPLE’S BUSINESS
Mr. Anthony RichardsonYes, good evening, Mr. Speaker. I stand today . . . actually it’s quite interesting that I follow MP Simmons because some time ago MP Simmons told me that there is nothing like being in the House face to face and having a chance to speak. If you recall when …
Yes, good evening, Mr. Speaker. I stand today . . . actually it’s quite interesting that I follow MP Simmons because some time ago MP Simmons told me that there is nothing like being in the House face to face and having a chance to speak. If you recall when we were first elected, I didn’t speak very much. And there was COVID -19 and then we came here more recently. And I will say to you, Mr. Speaker, that MP Simmons was spot on, to put it mildly, in terms of the opportunity and the ability to come to the House and speak. As he just finished saying, we clearly accept the fact that we do not come and speak in and of ourselves, if we are carrying out our role appropriately or correctly we come to speak on behalf of our constituents. And, again, I will say it is quite timely because in this day of modern technology . . . I am not going to go back to it, but we debated the Bill in terms of the vacation payments this afternoon. I was able to in real time interact with one of my constituents. I tell everybody that I call her Madam Karen . It was interesting because I was able to first of all canvass before, but to make sure that I was conveying her sentiments here in the House. So, for that I remain grateful. Mr. Speaker, I will say also, that being part of this process for the past couple of years, and reflecting 1274 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly on myself as a young man and being able to come here and see that this is the real process, that we have a real job to do. We have to make sure that we do things that impact real people and make sure that when we are doing it we have an appropriate context. So my com-ments to night really reflect on the fact that for this time around, I would say that this has been the first time for me that I have been more engaged in this whole pro-cess in terms of taking more time to understand, to ask questions, to read and to do research. And for that I am truly, truly thankful. Some of these sessions, Mr. Speaker, have been very, very exciting. It takes time obviously to pre-pare. But as MP Simmons also said, this is our job. Be-yond the community involvement, beyond what we might think of as time sacrifice, beyond answering tele-phone calls, beyond seeing people in the streets and just doing what we need to do for the people, is to be here and to be present and to be engaged. And for that I am truly thankful. As we went through the various debates I became, again to use the words of MP Simmons, in some sessions, intoxicated. Intoxicated in the sense of really feeling it. Once you may recall that I went through this thing and I talked about imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And that is because of what I saw as being the response from the OBA. In many respects, in my opinion, they were copying what the PLP Government had done. More recently, Mr. Speaker, I was moved in my mind to have a picture of somebody sitting on the fence. And I gave that analogy and explained why I was giving that because sometimes if you can’t make a decision you straddle. And the picture for that, of course, be-came sitting on a fence and with that there are splinters that arise. And don’t worry, Mr. Speaker, I am going somewhere, and I am going to try my best not to en-gage in the interpolation because sometimes there is at least an Honourable Member that doesn’t go the hon-ourable route. But I will leave that alone for now. One of my opportunities was the great they say. And right now, Mr. Speaker, he is saying, I’m not quite sure what he is going to say because they do say, and they take back what they say you never know what they say. But I will leave that alone for now, Mr. Speaker, because that was one of those references. And, Mr. Speaker, don’t worry. I am going to end up on a positive note because, Mr. Speaker, as part of today’s session, you will not believe what came to mind. It was, I guess it’s one of those quotes from Shakespeare. “Et tu, Brute?” Allegedly something that Caesar said when he looked up and found that one of those he thought was his friend, a close confidant, if you will, was part of . . . and it’s interesting, MP Simmons, it was part of the assassination. And he looked up and he was quite surprised. So your words today are, again, quite relevant. Mr. Speaker, during this session, as you know, and I have said it before, and you did correct me at the time, it was said that . . . I am not really sure what was said, but the Honourable Member was referring to the fact that I was lying. But yes, you corrected it. And I won’t go there right now, but it does obviously st ay with me that I would be accused in this Honourable House of lying. I note that the Honourable Member did not go to the extent to say that I am a liar. And I am not going to accuse him of doing that. But he did say that I was lying. But, Mr. Speaker, I am a proud member of the public schools system and they taught me that if the verb is “lying” then the noun would be “liar.” But the Member did not accuse me, so I won’t go there. I will just say that he did say that I was lying at that point. Not that he had a different opinion, Mr. Speaker, but that I was just lying. So, Mr. Speaker, I was concerned. I re-main concerned that the record will show that someone said that I was lying. Mr. Speaker, other persons spoke today about what I refer to as the narrative that is sometimes con-trary to the Progressive Labour Party. Sometimes it goes to the party and sometimes it goes to individuals. Mr. Speaker, I was interested again today because I have to rely on what I believe is public information. And, as you know, there were comments made today that made it seem as though there are some who have ac-cess to other information that they don’t disclose but they use it in any event which makes me somewhat concerned because it means that there may be more information that I should have access to when I don’t. And, therefore, I have to, as I said earlier, operate out of ignorance, which is not a good thing. I don’t like to not know what I believe I should know, especially in this Honourable House, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do know that it is important when the opportunity arises to declare our interests. But I do question when I declare my interests if I then go ahead and use information that is obviously not in the public domain but I use it to advance an argument which is not actually correct. But I will leave that there also, Mr. Speaker, because I am going somewhere. Mr. Speaker, there was a word that came to mind today also. And it is curmudgeon. [ Laughter]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonC–u–r–m–u–d–g–e–o– n. A nd again, Mr. Speaker, thankfully we have access to technology and I said, My goodness, Anthony, why is that on your mind? A curmudgeon? According to the definition I found that is a crusty, ill -tempered, and usually old man; archaic; miser. But, Mr. Speaker, I cannot …
C–u–r–m–u–d–g–e–o– n. A nd again, Mr. Speaker, thankfully we have access to technology and I said, My goodness, Anthony, why is that on your mind? A curmudgeon? According to the definition I found that is a crusty, ill -tempered, and usually old man; archaic; miser. But, Mr. Speaker, I cannot accuse anyone of that, because to do so would be unparliamentary. Mr . Speaker, I believe most who know me would say that I am an optimist because I believe that the glass is always half full. Mr. Speaker, they say that a pessimist is one who sees the glass as half empty.
B ermuda House of Assembly But if we probably combined the pessimist and a curmudgeon, they don’t see the glass as being half empty. They don’t see a glass at all. Mr . Speaker, what also came to mind today is the phrase, The sky is falling. And if we look at that, Mr. Speaker, it gives the essence that there is no good, there is no hope, that we are approaching an end. Someone said to me last week, Anthony, based on what some people are saying, it makes no sense to be in Bermuda. A nd I said, What are you talking about? A nd the response was, Well, Anthony, if you listen to some of the debate and what has been reported in the context of the budget and what is being said about Bermuda, there is no point in us being here. We should all just give up and leave. My response, Mr. Speaker, from the perspective of being an optimist was, What are you talking about? Bermuda is a fine place! It is not perfect. There are things that have to be done. But, Mr. Speaker, I believe we have to start to take charge of our more immediate destiny and stop believing the lie. Mr . Speaker, because I know I am in this Honourable Place and I cannot accuse anyone of lying, I will simply say again that we must choose not to believe the lie. Mr. Speak er, that’s a good one. Don’t be economic with the truth. In that way you would be being untruthful. B ut, Mr. Speaker, what we are doing is the people’s business. It is a very interesting time again. And there is so much positive on the horizon. And I beli eve that we individually and collectively have to prepare ourselves. Earlier today, Mr. Speaker, I said that I twice agreed with MP Cannonier. And I was on the verge of saying that I agreed with him a third time, but I knew that would cause a challenge, so I won’t say that. [ Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Anthony Richardson—that as we look forward . . . as we look forward to the proverbial tomorrow, what we see, what we hope for, Mr. Speaker, is the finalisation of the Fairmont Southampton contract so that it can move forward. We know, Mr. Speaker, that once that gets done, there is …
—that as we look forward . . . as we look forward to the proverbial tomorrow, what we see, what we hope for, Mr. Speaker, is the finalisation of the Fairmont Southampton contract so that it can move forward. We know, Mr. Speaker, that once that gets done, there is going to be an estimated 600 to 800 jobs for the construction phase. We know, Mr. Speaker, that beyond that, once it is up and running, there are going to be jobs for more than 600 people also. We have to prepare ourselves then, Mr. Speaker . And we also have to know, Mr. Speaker, that clearly Bermuda does not have all those people. On that basis, it means that there are lots of jobs going to be available, and we have to collectively prepare ourselves for the job that is best for us. Let us be our best selves. Last week, Mr. Speaker . . . again, this is a beautiful place to be in because I heard the Honourable Derrick Burgess saying that he believes (I think he said) most of the good workers are working. But also, Mr. Speaker, from Minister Hayward who has said to us before that there are more jobs in Bermuda than there are Bermudians, which means again, Mr. Speaker, that if we can get ourselves back to where we should be, there is a bright future. I would say, Mr. Speaker, to all those who are listening that will hear, or be aware of what I am saying tonight, it is to the parents. Let us do our best. And actually I am mindful of the letter that Minister Furbert read earlier. As parents, let us do our best to be our best selves, but also, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of our children because, Mr. Speaker, it is a fact that if I am able to speak and do those things that are positive for my children, they will actually excel more than if I do not do that. If I tell them how good they are, if I do my best to prepare for them, if I do my best to encourage them, if I do my best to be there for them, Mr. Speaker, they will obviously excel. I believe any of any of us who have young children or have children or nieces or nephews and if we have ever been, for example, to a school play, the little, small ones (and MP Adams, you see this), they will get on the stage. And guess what? They will not speak. They will look around. And when they catch your eye, Mommy or Daddy, guess what? They come to life and suddenly know everything. They do better than in practice and preparing for it because it means that you are there. They see you. It is comfort. It is support. And you are their greatest hero. And we, Mr. Speaker, have to do more of that in our community to ensure that we can be the best that we can be for ourselves and for our children. Mr. Speaker, the one comment that I believe— more than I believe, I said it more than once —is that we also have to work collectively to ensure that we are delivering in every aspect value for money. Mr. Speaker, an example I can give right now, I suppose, is the cars that we drive, the clothes we wear, the cell phones, televisions, houses, whatever the case may be, Mr. Speaker. They would obviously be of varying value. They would obviously have a different price point to them. But each of us, Mr. Speaker, would have bought those things based upon what we perceive as being the value. And so, Mr. Speaker, when people say that Bermuda is expensive, guess what? Yes, it is. However, people would not have that same perception if they understood and accepted that they are receiving a good value for what they are doing. If I translate that to what we are doing here in the House, Mr. Speaker, as Members of Parliament, no matter what we do, if it is seen to be of good value, we will be better received in our community and in our constituencies, Mr. Speaker. I believe, Mr. Speaker . . . again, if I pick up on what MP Simmons said just now, it is endearing and 1276 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly enduring. And yes, you made sacrifices. And yes, you walked up those stairs with six bags of groceries. And yes, that was part of your exercise that day. You did not realise it, but that is what it was part of because you maybe should not be out of breath. But let’s get some exercise in there. But in any event, my point really is of course, Mr. Speaker, that it is about delivering value. And so, Mr. Speaker, I want to just say it is really about all of us doing better not for ourselves but for those whom we represent. Tonight we have heard certainly that we do not represent only those that voted for us. We represent everybody. And collectively we have to act on behalf of everybody. Mr. Speaker, I will wrap up by saying this. The glass is more than half full, Mr. Speaker. And in recent commentary —or recent opportunity, rather —I had the opportunity to speak . . . and I want to . . . and I will call this out properly . . . at length to Senator Arianna Hodgson. And I was talking to her in the context of her being a young person. I think she is actually the youngest leg-islator right now. But her perspective was so unique. And toward the end of our conversation, I was asking her about what her motivation is in terms of being a young person understating what is going on in the Island and the whole nine yards. And her response ulti-mately was this. She said, Anthony, what I say to myself and to young people is this. If you have a deep, deep passion that you want to follow, the solution is to become an entrepreneur because that way you are able to do what you want to do when you want to do it, and you are really going to fully achieve your passion. An alternative is if y ou want a job, please ensure that you understand what the needs are, prepare yourself to fulfil that need, and be the best person that you are in fulfilling that need. And that way, you will achieve success. My final comment, Mr. Speaker, is that notwithstanding all the negativeness that has been spoken by Members opposite in this budget session, if you look at the comments from the Chamber of Commerce, business commerce, and other commentary, the Progressive Labour Party Government must be congratulated for an excellent budget for 2023/24, and I for one, Mr. Speaker, look forward to the year coming up to ensure that we do all that we can do to achieve or excel in what was in that budget because it does speak to every individual in this country. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP Richardson. Premier, I believe it is your 20 minutes. Hon. E. David Burt: Good evening, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood evening. I N HONOUR OF THE CLERK OF PARLIAMENT MRS. SHERNETTE WOLFFE Hon. E. Da vid Burt: I am most likely to take all 20. But so I do not get missed, it was lovely to see the flowers on the desk of the Clerk to the Legislature. It …
Good evening. I N HONOUR OF THE CLERK OF PARLIAMENT MRS. SHERNETTE WOLFFE Hon. E. Da vid Burt: I am most likely to take all 20. But so I do not get missed, it was lovely to see the flowers on the desk of the Clerk to the Legislature. It was lovely to see her surprise. And as I said earlier, w e will miss you, cousin. But thank you for all that you have done. And congratulations. THE ONGOING WORK OF GOVERNMENT MINISTERS Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, it has certainly been an interesting day, an interesting session, an interesting time, and an interesting motion to adjourn. And though I was in and out trying to work and finish a few things, I was able to take just a little bit of notes. And certainly I do know that MP Zane De Silva got up and spoke earlier. And MP De Silva, Honourable Member, I remember that incident, and I remember someone had messaged me about this. I was like, Huh? What are you talking about? And I meant to reach out, Zane. I did no t. I am happy that the matter was resolved the next day, but it is disappointing. It is really disappointing that, you know, it is a pattern that people will look to try to find and create controversy where there might not be some. And so, I am happy that the situation got resolved. And I am happy that that Honourable Member had the op-portunity to speak tonight on this particular matter. And I certainly know that we have heard various MPs talk about the work in various constituencies and other matters. [I] even heard people talking about going grocery shopping with cards and all the rest, which is quite funny. And then [there was] a very pas-sionate and, you know, how would I call it? . . . very painful contribution from the Honourable Minister of Social Development and Seniors, who I know has left. But it is great to see the work that she does on behalf of the persons who are not necessarily included to make sure that they are included. And I am grateful for that, Mr. Speaker. We have also heard, of course, about the responsibility of the MPs. One thing, Mr. Speaker, that you know you will never see me engaging in [is] fratri-cide inside of the House of Assembly. But what I will say is that I am certainly grateful for the Minister of Pub-lic Works for his kind work and attention. I know that he has been into the Gibbons’s house before, and I know that he will be there again. And I will just echo his sen-timents because I think that it is clear to say that there will not be any land grabbing under this Government. That is where we stand. He will work through the issues on behalf of the Government, and that will be the space. AUDITOR GENERAL’S PUBLIC INTEREST REPORT ON THE GOVERNMENT OF BERMUDA’S RESPONSE TO COVID -19: TRAVEL AUTHORISATION
B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. E. David Burt: Now, Mr. Speaker, let me get to my main points today. The first point that I want to go to, Mr. Speaker, is [from] earlier today and I think the first order business in the House of Assembly was a tabling of a special . . . Sorry, not a special report, a public interest report by the Office of the Auditor General. And Mr. Speaker, being Premier and Minister of Finance is sometimes difficult because sometimes you want to say things that you cannot say. And that is be-cause of the impact of which they may have on financial markets, the impacts of which they may have on finan-cial stability, the impacts of which they may have on the country’s reputation. So on this, Mr. Speaker, I am going to just read, if you will allow me?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo ahead. Hon. E. David Burt: The comments that went out in my behalf in regard to the press when an inquiry was made saying, Can the Premier and Minister of Finance offer any reactions or response to the report? And my response was this, Mr. Speaker. And I quote: …
Go ahead. Hon. E. David Burt: The comments that went out in my behalf in regard to the press when an inquiry was made saying, Can the Premier and Minister of Finance offer any reactions or response to the report? And my response was this, Mr. Speaker. And I quote: “The Auditor -General plays an important role in our system of government. “It is important that reports published by the Auditor-General are factual and can be relied on by the legislature and the public. “Unfortunately, my initial review of this report shows a number of factual errors and incorrect inferences which could easily been clarified if the Office of the Auditor -General would have reached out for clarification in advance of publication. “Notwithstanding that, now that this report has been published, I will address matters in relation to this report in the House of Assembly through the established channels to ensure that the dignity and the integrity of the important Office of the Auditor -General is respected. “This report discusses actions taken by the Government while addressing a once-a- century pandemic taken to protect the health of residents while try-ing to find ways to address the severe economic and financial challenges. “It is recognised, accepted and has been stated by Cabinet that in some cases, given the urgent need to address critical matters on an often expedited basis, not all of the standard steps were followed. “These matters were subject to review and appropriate corrective action taken.” End of quote, Mr. Speaker. There was a second question from the media, which asks about a particular section of the report that I was mentioning. And my response to that, Mr. Speaker, [is], and I quote, “As has been stated, the Government is currently before the courts on matters related to contracts referred to in this section and there-fore no further information can be provided at this time.” Now, Mr. Speaker, that question number two was in regard to matters related to BPMS, and as I said, those items are sub judice. But I do want to talk about this report very briefly because as I started where I say that it is difficult —a very difficult balance that you have to strike, Mr. Speaker—one should never allow for falsehoods to be written about individuals and not have the opportunity to respond. On page 4 of the Auditor General’s report, the Auditor General’s report says, and I quote, “This report is a factual summary of the Gov-ernment’ s activities related to the travel authorisation administration.” I am going to go to page 10, Mr. Speaker, because we had a lot of conversation about inferences earlier, and one of the things that was stated in here, as you see on page 10, it says, “However, no evidence of any declarations of conflicts of interest disclosure was available for any Minister or Public Officer.” [These are] inferences, Mr. Speaker, when speaking in regard to contracts awarded. But the line below it is something that I wish to quote . . . And the reason why this is here is (because members of the public should know) that with matters related to any contracts, when Cabinet conclusions are done, those matters are sent and shared with the Auditor General. It is surprising, however, to see contents of discussions that took place between Ministers appear inside of an Auditor General’s report. That is what is here. And so it is in the public domain, Mr. Speaker. I will read it. On page 10, and I quote, “On May 24, 2022, the Premier and current Minister of Finance advised Cabinet that he has been falsely accused in public narrative of having an interest in the local vendor res-Partner Limited and of having engineered the original contract award between the Government and the ven-dor. The Premier had sought to clarify that ‘he had'” (and it goes in quotes) “‘in fact only effected an introduction of the Ministry of Health team to the company’s principal in the midst of the pandemic, recognizing the urgent need for IT service and the principal’s skillset in this regard.’” . . . (It goes on,) “The Premier further explained that this introduction came with a recommendation for an alternative solution, which was subsequently not selected by the Ministry of Health team. The Premier stressed that the relationship with the vendor was predominantly residing with the Ministry of Health.” Now, Mr. Speaker, I want to go on to the next portion, which is the final portion that I have highlighted. It goes on to say, “The alternative solution the Premier was referring to was a separate contract that he had signed involving another distinct vendor.” Now here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. As I said, I am not going to get into matters of sub judice , but if we were discussing things in March of 2020— March 2020, pandemic time—and the Auditor General is referring to contracts that may have been signed later in that year, I am not entirely certain how members of the Auditor General’s office can read my mind into figuring out what contract I was referring to in this conversation. And clearly no one contacted me. 1278 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly But Mr. Speaker, I went back and looked for the emails, and unfortunately because they are archived—I wanted to print the actual emails out and ta-ble them—I had to cut and paste images. So, I am go-ing to share them right now. I am not going to call the public officer’s name because I do not think that is right here. But what I will say is that on March 24, 2020, at 2:36 pm I received an email from the teams of the Ministry of Health, and [it] said “Good Day, Premier. Due to the increased demand for COVID -19 testing, we are in urgent need of a more efficient way to book appointments. I would like to propose an online booking system for appointments that will show which time slots are available. This is ur-gently required to reduce the delays in scheduling. When an appointment is booked, it would show not available to the others that are booking appointments. This would be similar to TC’s booking page for car inspections. I look forward to you offering a solution t o this problem regardless.” Now, Mr. Speaker, at the time I was the Minister responsible for Information [and Digital] Technologies [IDT]. In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, what I can state is that all . . . and remember when the pandemic happened, everyone was working together. Everyone was trying to fit in and assist wherever they could. That email that was sent to me was also sent to Mr. Denis Pitcher, who was at the time a full -time consultant with the Government of Bermuda assisting on FinTech matters who had offered to assist in anything that was related to this. And he had assisted with other things that we were dealing with at the time because IDT was over-whelmed, and he was offering assistance. It was also copied to two other persons in the Ministry of Health. A day later, at 10:49 pm, Friday, March 24 . . . I am sorry, that is when I sent this. Let me get the right time. It is not in here so I have to look, Mr. Speaker. As I said, I did not have it. But I did respond to the email. And my response said this, “Denis can you assist? I am guessing something like Calendly. Regards, Premier.” Now Mr. Speaker, technology people know what Calendly is. It is a free online system to book matters. That was the last involvement on that particular issue. Now Mr. Speaker, I bring this up to say that I do not know and understand how I could be accused of recommending something with inferences of conflicts of interest when that information would have been readily available and shared if it would have been asked for . I started my comments by saying that the Office of the Auditor General has an important role in this country. And it is important that the factual items are made clear. So Mr. Speaker, I shall certainly be writing to you in an official capacity. I will be writing to the Chairman of the Audit Committee here in this House because it is important that these things are relied on. I hope that corrects the record, and I sincerely hope that the Office of the Auditor General has heard this. And certainly the Office of the Auditor General will hear from my office directly. I would like to move on, Mr. Speaker, because there is another matter that happened since the last time we were here on the 13 th of March. And that was a matter related to the airport.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMm-hmm. SHARES OF SKYPORT SOLD Hon. E. David Burt: In exactly one week’s time, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport and the Chairman of the Airport Authority will receive a bill from Skyport for a minimum revenue guarantee. To date, the taxpayers of this country have paid over $50 million …
Mm-hmm. SHARES OF SKYPORT SOLD Hon. E. David Burt: In exactly one week’s time, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport and the Chairman of the Airport Authority will receive a bill from Skyport for a minimum revenue guarantee. To date, the taxpayers of this country have paid over $50 million in minimum revenue guarantees. So, imagine the shock. I magine the memories of what took place on December 2, 2016, all the town halls, everything else, the airport that was not going to cost a dime, the airport that was going to be okay, the airport that would return money to the tax-payers —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOh yeah. Hon. E. David Burt: —and allow control from the Government. We find ourselves after a pandemic $50 mil-lion short on taxpayer money and then get an an-nouncement from a company that recorded the value of this asset in its books as $65 million in 2017 and then transferred …
Oh yeah. Hon. E. David Burt: —and allow control from the Government. We find ourselves after a pandemic $50 mil-lion short on taxpayer money and then get an an-nouncement from a company that recorded the value of this asset in its books as $65 million in 2017 and then transferred that asset, Mr. Speaker, or some parts of that particular asset. And what is the asset? The 30 - year privatisation of our airport. It is interesting when people talk to me and say, Oh, the price is so high on the airport. I am like, I am very sorry. Go talk to the OBA. Ain’t a thing that we can do about it. This Government has zero input on what takes place inside of that airport, zero input on what takes place around the leased land. Understand, we moved out of space at the airport because Skyport wanted to charge the Government rent. Imagine that, Mr. Speaker. Give away something. They turn back around and charge you rent higher than what you were paying before. I guess that is what people at the airport have to deal with. Right? But just imagine, Mr. Speaker, $65 million of equity, 2017, six years later that equity is now worth $257 million according to the announcement which they made, Mr. Speaker. One would think that a company would come and at least have a conversation. We get an email a minute before the public announcement is made in the markets that they have cashed out 49.9 per cent of their equity valuing it at $257 million, an increase of $192 million. And guess what, Mr. Speaker , you and I will get a bill next month. [ Inaudible interjection]
B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, not next month. Next week. Mr. Speaker, I am not going to speak to the Government’s next actions, but I want to make it crystal clear to everyone that is listening that this is wrong. This cannot be taken lightly. And the taxpayers of this money deserve better than that level of treatment and slap in the face of persons walking all the way to the bank with a cash out and then will have the temerity to send a bill the following week. PL P ACCOMPLISHMENTS Hon. E. David Burt: Now, Mr. Speaker, I have two minutes left. So, I am going to end on a bright note be-cause there are a lot of things that we have done in this session. Members have spoken about the successful budget: the fact that 86 per cent of the workers of this country are getting a tax cut, the fact that 86 per cent of the businesses of this country are getting a tax cut, the fact that we are continuing to make progress, tabling the minimum wage order today, talking about road paving, talking about the work of which you are doing, talking about the advances of which we are doing, letting people know the progress that is being made on their behalf, Mr. Speaker. There are so many items that the Government continues to work on, and here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. That does not happen by accident. It happens because we have a committed group of leaders who have gone above and beyond to continue to work and deliver day in and day out. Budget session is never easy, Mr. Speaker. But I want to pay homage and thanks to the Ministers of the Cabinet who have been working hard to make sure that we piloted this budget through. I am grateful for their continued work and contributions. Also, Mr. Speaker, I must thank the Panel of Chairs in this House and the Members and the staff because it is a lot of work as well when we are going through those long hours to make sure everything has been done. And I would like to thank all Honourable Members who have been here to make sure that we have had a quorum so that we can carry on the business of this Government and make sure we carry on the business of the peopl e. There has been a lot accomplished, Mr. Speaker, but there is still a lot of work to do. And so, while next week it will be Easter . . . And we are getting ready for the week following. It will be Easter, Good Friday, and Palm Sunday, and all the traditi ons that we have in this country. I would like to wish on behalf of the Government to ask everyone to be safe, have a very merry . . . sorry, happy and blessed — [ Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMerry Christmas. All right. Hon. E. David Burt: —Easter holiday. You like that one, huh? [ Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou woke everybody up. See? You woke them up. You woke them up. Hon. E. David Burt: I am tired too, Mr. Speaker. Trust me. A blessed Easter holiday. And I hope that we are all safe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. SAFETY DURING EASTER SEASON
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. Thank you, Members, for your participation today and through this entire session starting, for our budget, three weeks ago and then concluding here to-day. As has been said, this is the last segment for this session. We are out until May. Members, go out and as …
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Thank you, Members, for your participation today and through this entire session starting, for our budget, three weeks ago and then concluding here to-day. As has been said, this is the last segment for this session. We are out until May. Members, go out and as always rest a little from a long, tiring schedule we have had for the budget. But be safe during this period. Take heed of all the warnings that have been given as to how we should conduct ourselves on our roadways and take that mes-sage to family and friends as they go about this period in the holiday season. Enjoy a merry . . . fruitful Easter season. I almost used the word merry too, but use it very fruitfully, Easter season. Enjoy time with your fam-ily and friends. BERMUDA PARLIAMENTARY PRAYER BR EAKFAST
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAnd let me remind us as well that on Sunday it is the luncheon for former Members at the Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast group is doing. And it would be nice to see many of us there to recognise those who have served before us because one day we will find …
And let me remind us as well that on Sunday it is the luncheon for former Members at the Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast group is doing. And it would be nice to see many of us there to recognise those who have served before us because one day we will find ourselves in that category as former Members from this Honourable Chamber. I N HONOUR OF THE CLERK OF PARLIAMENT MRS. SHERNETTE WOLFFE
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWith that, all, I would end again by congratulations M rs. Wolffe on her long service. [ Cheering and desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe bouquet is just symbolic of what she truly deserves for what she has done for us. With those two remarks, the House stands adjourned. [ Gavel] [ Inaudible interjections] 1280 24 March 2023 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly [Laughing]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere you go. Thank you. And I only think it is fitting that she gets to bang the gavel on her last night. How is that? Good. Okay. [At 11:30 pm, the House stood adjourned until 10:00 am, Friday, 6 May 2023.]