September 17, 2025

There are no messages, Madam
President.

The President: Thank you.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
The President: There are none.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

APOLOGIES
The President: Senators, we have apologies from Vice President [Senator ] John Wight and Minister of Education, [Senator the Honourable] Crystal Caesar, who
have indicated they will be absent today.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The President: We move on now to further announcements . And the first set of announcements is in the
name of Senator Lindsay Simmons, Junior Minister of National Security.
Senator Simmons, you have the floor.

NATIONAL VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY
BLUEPRINT

Sen. Lindsay Simmons: Thank you, Madam President.
Madam President, I hereby present for the information of the Senate the National Violence Reduc-tion Strategy Blueprint. Senators may access copies of
the report on their tablet and/ or the Parliament website. The President: Thank you, and I believe you have a
second announcement.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AMENDMENT
REGULATIONS 2025

Sen. Lindsay Simmons: Thank you, Madam President.
Madam President, I hereby present for the information of Senate the Financial Assistance Amendment Regulations 2025, as made by the Minister re-sponsible for Financial Assistance, i n exercise of the
power conferred by section 21 of the Financial Assistance Act 2001. Senators may access copies of the
regulations on their tablet and/ or the Parliament website.
Thank you, Madam President.

The President: Thank you, Senator Lindsay Simmons,
in your capacity as Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors.
The next set of announcements is in the name
of (the first one in any case) Senator Mis cha Fubler, the
Junior Minister of Tourism [and] Transport, Culture and
Sport.
Senator Fubler, you have the floor.

BERMUDA SPORT ANTI -DOPING AUTHORITY
ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR ENDING
31 MARCH 2025

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you, Madam President .
I hereby present for the information of the Senate the Bermuda Sport Anti -Doping Authority, the annual report for the year ending 31 March 2025.

BERMUDA SPORT ANTI -DOPING AUTHORITY
AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2025

Sen. Mischa Fubler: I also have the Bermuda Sport
Anti-Doping Authority's A udited Financial Statements
for the year ending 31 March 2025.

BERMUDA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY
ANNUAL REPORT S FOR YEARS ENDING
31 MARCH 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Sen. Mischa Fubler: And just for brevity, I am going to
omit the date because I have several.
There is also the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority's annual report for the end of the fiscal year. The
Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority's A nnual Report for
years ending 31 March 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2024



Bermuda Senate Sen. Mischa Fubler: And then also the Bermuda Tourism Authority's Consolidated Financial Statements for
the year ending 31 December 2024.

BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY
2024 YEAR IN REVIEW

Sen. Mischa Fubler: And the Bermuda Tourism Authority's 2024 year in review.
That's quite a bit, but I encourage Senators to
review copies which will be accessible on their tablets
and/or the Parliament website.

The President: Thank you, Senator Fubler.
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you.

NOTICES OF MOTIONS

The President: There are no notices.

PETITIONS
The President: There are none.

STATEMENTS

The President: We have one Statement and that is in
the name of Senator Mis cha Fubler in his capacity as
Junior Minister for the C abinet Office and Digital Innovation.
Senator Fubler, you have the floor.

GOVERNMENT INNOVATION WITH 100 -DAY
ACCELERATION PROGRAMME

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you again, Madam President. And today I am pleased to report on the successful completion of Bermuda's first government accelerator programme. This initiative undertaken in partnership
with the Government of the United Arab Emirates
[UAE] marks an important milestone in our ongoing effort to modernise public services, strengthen the public service and deliver better outcomes for the people of
Bermuda.
Madam President, the UAE's accelerator
model is based on the principle that government should
not take years to solve problems that can be addressed
in 100 days. It emphasises cross -departmental collaboration, disciplined goal setting, and the delivery of visible results in a short time frame. In September of 2024,
the Honourable Premier accepted the UAE's invitation
for Bermuda to participate in this global initiative.
And in early 2025, we launched our first cohort.
The first step was to identify the challenges. To qualify, each had to align with the P ublic Services Strategic
Plan 2024- 2027, involve more than one Ministry so no
single entity could simply direct another, have resources available to deliver, and be possible to re-solve within 100 days.
After reviewing five options, three challenges were
selected for acceleration.
1. Connecting personnel information. Integrating payroll, pensions, HR and IT systems so that a
single update would automatically cascade across all systems. (An initiative near and dear
to my heart given my day -to-day occupation.)
2. Creating an eProfile. Designing a unique government profile for service users, enabling one
login, one profile for residents and businesses
when interacting with the government.
3. Revamping gov.bm. Redesigning the [government's ] website into a modern, mobile- friendly,
accessible gateway to services with accurate content and stronger search.
Madam President, to prepare, a core team led
by the Deputy Head of Public Service, Dr. Jennifer Attride-Sterling, received training from the UAE facilitators. This enabled them to cascade the approach through workshops with the accelerator teams and executive sponsors. In February, each project established
a challenge note, sponsors were appointed, and acceleration teams were formally launched. From there, the
work was structured around milestone workshops, a
launch, day 25 and day 75 check- ins, as well as a day
50 progress workshop. A nd finally, the closing workshop held last Monday, 8 September.
Between these sessions, teams met intensively : 48 team meetings, 24 cross -agency encounters
and consultations with over 130 stakeholders, contributing nearly 400 human hours of effort.
Madam President, the process itself is worth
noting. Each team was required to
1. map key stakeholders and consult with both internal and external users;
2. co-design solutions with those affected, ensuring transparency and buy -in; and
3. report progress regularly to executive sponsors
and adjust as necessary.
The website revamp team, for example,
worked closely with Vision Bermuda to ensure the prototype met international accessibility standards. This not only improved usability for the visually impaired but
also improved the navigation for all users.
Madam President , the personnel information
team focused on mapping and synchronising core data fields such as names, address es, job titles, and contacts across four major government systems,
• EnterpriseOne;
• PX3000 for pensions;
• ETWeb for talent management; and
• Active Directory for IT access.
The new Personne l Sync process fills the gap
where no integration previously existed, and it is now ready for production deployment . The eProfile team
created a proof of concept for a unique identifier generated from the existing social insurance database, but
460 17 September 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate designed with no personal meaning, making it secure,
private, and persistent. They built a prototype universal
ID [UID] generator, mapped the integration needed for
legacy systems and produced a roadmap that moved
towards a national single sign- on service in the near future.
The website revamp team delivered a working
prototype built on a modern content management sys-tem, enabling information to be updated once and published consistently across the site. Enhanced search,
mobile responsiveness and an inclusive design means users will have faster, easier access to information. Full
implementation is now scheduled to begin with a public
launch targeted for early 2026.
These initiatives support the Government's
commitment of ensuring government services are digitally accessible to every Bermudian, making interaction simpler, faster and more transparent, and reducing red
tape for residents and businesses.
Madam President , these are simply not prototypes. Each team was required to submit a sustainability and scalability plan at the initial day 100 workshop.
These plans outlined who would own each initiative,
how the work would be maintained , and how the solutions could be scaled up to other departments and services. In other words, these are not 100- day experiments. They are the beginning of lasting reform and ensure that the Government's vision for an agile and accountable public service becomes a permanent reality,
not a pilot or an experiment.
Madam President, to demonstrate how seriously Bermuda treats this partnership, while attending
the United Postal Union Congress c onference in Dubai
last week, Minister Diallo Rabain and his team arranged to meet personally with senior leaders of the
UAE Accelerator Programme, including Mr. Abdullah Al
Jarw an and Dr. Radh eya Al Hashe mi. That in -person
engagement allowed the Minister and his team to discuss the hurdles faced, the solutions developed, and to
reinforce Bermuda's commitment to embedding this
model in to our public service culture. This step has
strengthened the partnership and ensured that Bermuda is seen internationally as a credible partner in
government innovation.
Importantly, the UAE facilitators were so impressed with Bermuda's execution that they have indicated during our recent in-person meeting that our experience is being considered to be used as a case
study to guide other countries adopting the accelerator
model. Evidence shows that governments which adopt proven international models while tailoring them to local
needs achieve faster, more reliable reform. Bermuda
has the opportunity to position itself alongside leading
innovation nations.
Madam President, this is only the beginning. In
months ahead, the Personnel Synch will be deployed,
the eProfile will move towards integration with other
systems and the website revamp will roll out to the public. The lessons learned from this first cohort will be applied to new accelerator projects, ensuring that the
public service continues to improve and innovate.
I close by thanking our partners in the UAE, the
accelerator core team led by Dr. Attride- Sterling, the
sponsors and executive owners, and especially the
many public officers who demonstrated that even within
the everyday pressures of their day jobs, they can deliver transformative change in just 100 days. In doing
so, we are not only fulfilling the commitments set out in
the Throne Speech but also building a public service
that is fit for the future, innovative, people- focused and
trusted by all Bermudians .
Thank you, Madam President .
The President: Thank you, Senator Fubler .

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

The President: There are none.

FIRST READING OF PUBLIC BILLS

BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP ACT 2025

PROCEEDS OF CRIME ( MISCELLANEOUS)
AMENDMENT ACT 2025
The President: Senators, the following Public Bills
have been received from the Honourable House of Assembly and are hereby read for the first time. Their titles
are, respectively , Beneficial Ownership Act 2025 and
the Proceeds of Crime ( Miscellaneous ) Amendment
Act 2025.

FIRST READING OF PRIVATE BILLS

The President: There are none.

QUESTION PERIOD

The President: Senators, we will now entertain questions on the Statement that was delivered by Senator
Mischa Fubler entitled Government Innovation with
100-Day Acceleration Programme.
Would any Senator care to ask questions?
Senator Cunningham, O pposition Leader [in
the Senate] , you have the floor.

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to the Junior Minister for delivering
that Statement. I think it is interesting to see collaboration with the UAE, well, with any international government .

QUESTION 1: GOVERNMENT INNOVATION WITH
100-DAY ACCELERATION PROGRAMME



Bermuda Senate Sen. Victoria Cunningham: I have got some questions around accessibility, and I guess the first question
would be: Which groups were consulted on any
changes with specific regard to the website?
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you. I imagine there are
several parties, and I will endeavour to provide an exhaustive list in the near future.
Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Can I have a supplemental to that?

The President: Yes, you have a supplementary.

SUPPLEMENTARY

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: So, I think where I was
going with that was , How will Government ensure that
our seniors, those with lower digital literacy, and people
without reliable internet will have access to those services?
Sen. Mischa Fubler: [I am] j ust noting the question
down. That second one was around access for senior
citizens and those less technologically literate, correct?

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Correct.

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you.
[Pause]

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you. While I await clarity
from the technical officers, I will highlight that the inperson services will continue to exist and that we offer
through a number of organisations, including the gov-ernment directly , technological literacy programmes
that I would encourage people to avail themselves of. I
would also encourage the general public, those of you
who are that nephew or niece who is the tech person in
the family to work with your seniors.
I do know some folks, they quite like that trip
into town to kind of socialise and deal with a business
or government in person, but I do admit as the resident tech person in my household that I make sure to put the
effort in, not just to do the task for t hem, but to kind of
walk them through the steps, you know, teaching them
to fish, so to speak.
The President: You have a second question ?

QUESTION 2: GOVERNMENT INNOVATION WITH
100-DAY ACCELERATION PROGRAMME

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Yes, so on that vein, we
are obviously not all going to be on the tech avenue,
but I think we have gone overseas to the UAE with collaboration with them. I think my question would be:
What steps are being taken within Bermuda to ensure that we have Bermudian expertise in the digital govern-ment or digitisation to make sure that we are not dependent on outside partners?
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you, Madam President.
This one I can speak to. I will draw your attention to one of the S tatements I made prior to the summer break around the IT apprenticeship programme.
The specific name eludes me at this time, but
we did speak through how we are actively recruiting Bermudians to fill these roles, the technical roles throughout government.

SUPPLEMENTARY

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Okay, supplementary to
that, and I believe that there were only three on that
internship programme or apprenticeship programme.
But with that, were any Bermudian companies or entrepreneurs consulted or involved in those projects from a
Bermuda standpoint?
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you for the question,
Madam President. I will endeavour to capture the list of names of external companies, if any, although my understanding of the S tatement is that it was intended to
be an internal initiative, the existing Bermuda government employees. But as I said, I will confirm.

The President: Thank you, Senator Fubler , and I believe we have Senator Dion Smith who wants to also
ask a question on this Statement.

Sen. Dion Smith: Thank you.

The President: Senator Dion Smith, you have the
floor.

QUESTION 1: GOVERNMENT INNOVATION WITH
100-DAY ACCELERATION PROGRAMME

Sen. Dion Smith: Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you, Junior Minister. With regard to . . .
I would like to say, as an IT professional, my concern is
about the profile as it relates to security and privacy .
Are you able to speak on that?

Sen. Mischa Fubler: To the specific details, no. Although I would advise that when you are looking for
more specificity in the answer, a written submission is generally more appropriate. It will give us some time to
give you a fulsome response.

SUPPLEMENTARIES
Sen. Dion Smith: Supplemental. In addition to that,
concern of what sort of protocol . . . will this come under
GDPR, [General Data Protection Regulation] ensuring
462 17 September 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate the right for data, the ability to correct or delete information from one's profile that is stored?
The President: That's your second question . . . supplementary , sorry.

Sen. Mischa Fubler: And so, I canno t speak to its conforming to GDPR, but I will venture a guess that it does
conform with PIPA, which does have accommodations
for requesting what data has been collected about you
and its removal.

Sen. Dion Smith: And just in regard to support as far
as hosting of said systems and the future of support for
said systems for the application . . .
The President: That was your second supplementary?

Sen. Dion Smith: I'm fine. Thank you.

The President: Thank you.

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam President, can Senator
Dion Smith restate the question just so I have appropriate understanding?
The President: Please restate the question.

Sen. Dion Smith: Sorry. The last question is with regard to resources for future, the allocation of hosting of the said system that is being implemented and also the support and future support of the application that is being developed.
The President: Thank you.
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you, Madam President.
I will encourage Senator Smith to review the
Statement, possibly in writing, as it did highlight that
sustainability and support were items that were required to be submitted as a part of each of the initiatives.
The President: Thank you, Senator s.
Would any other Senator care to ask —

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Sorry. I do have a response from
technical officers as well around the accessibility.
Vision Bermuda was consulted in regard to accessibility. I believe the S tatement did speak to making
it more accessible to those who are visually impaired.
The President: Thank you, Senator Fubler .
Would any other S enator care to ask questions
on this S tatement?
Hearing none, then thank you, S enators, for
your questions . And thank you, Senator Mis cha Fubler ,
for your responses.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

SENATE VISITOR

The President: And before I move on, I would just like
to acknowledge the presence of the Honourable Craig
Cannoni er, JP , MP, Opposition Whip , who is in the Gallery.
Welcome to you, sir.

[Question Period, continuing]

The President: Moving on, then, with our agenda
items.
Oh . . . we do have questions that were submitted by Senator Cunningham for written responses. Perhaps, Senator Cunningham, you would read each
question in turn.

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Each question in turn?

The President: Right. Y es. Read the first question and
let him respond.

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: So, these were posed to
Senator, the Honourable Crystal Caesar, Minister of
Education, which I understand Madam Attorney General will be answering today. But number one was :
QUESTION 1: EDUCATION REFORM UNIT STATUS

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Will the Honourable Minister please confirm for the Senate whether the Education Reform Unit is still operating, and what [is] its current staffing complement ; and if the U nit has been disbanded, on what date did that occur and to which department has the Unit staff and responsibilities been
transferred?
The President: Minister Wilkerson, please.

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Madam
President.
Good morning, members of the listening audience. The response to the first question is, yes, the Education Reform Unit is still operating with a complement
of nine staff.

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: And can I ask a supplemental?

The President: You can certainly ask a supplemental
to that question.

SUPPLEMENTARY

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Given that the Minister is
not in the Senate, I will ask my second, which is given
that the Government ’s Learning First website , various


Bermuda Senate Ministerial Statements, and I believe election promises
have committed to legislation on an Education Authority, can Madam Attorney General update this Chamber
as to the current status of that legislation, timeline for
its introduction, and whether the A uthority will assume
full operational control from the department?

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Senator
Cunningham.
I can say, certainly in my role as Attorney General, the drafting for the Education Authority is in process. There are certainly some policy reconsiderations
that inform what that looks like. So, it's impossible to
answer the last question until those are satisfied.
Sen. Victoria Cunningham: I will move on to question
two.

The President: Yes.

QUESTION 2: STATUS OF SIGNATURE SCHOOLS
PROGRAMME
Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Question two. Will the
Honourable Minister please update the Senate on the
status of the Signature Schools Programme, specifically outlining how many Signature Learning streams
have finalised curricula, the number of staff who have
qualified to deliver this curriculum, and how many
learning partners are currently engaged with the programme?

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Senator
Cunningham.
The response is, across CedarBridge Academy and T he Berkeley Institute there are four S ignature
Learning programmes, 19 streams and 44 qualified
teachers. All curricula for years 10 to 13 are completed.
Curricula are also reviewed on a regular basis
and will be enhanced, if needed, based on feedback in
alignment with evolving industry standards. Sandys
Secondary Middle School has started S ignature Learning Programmes [SLPs] in education service and hospitality and tourism services. Students at Sandys are receiving a general introduction to both SLPs, and
streams focused on specific areas, which are covered
in the introductory year, within each Signature will be
implemented for next year.
At Sandys, two qualified teachers are delivering the SLPs, and the curricula for the future years
needs to be developed. There are 21 S ignature partners for the S ignature Learning Programmes with
signed MOUs, and there are another six or seven part-ners pending the finalisation of their MOUs. I have been
provided with a chart of the S ignature programmes,
what the pathways are, the teachers, and what portion
of the curricula have been completed, so I may be able
to . . . some of that may come in supplement. I realise that this was an oral question. The way
that the response has been formatted, I will check with
the Minister. I don't think there would be a problem in
providing this to you in writing.
The President: You can move on to your third question.
Sen. Victoria Cunningham: I have a supplemental to
that.
The President: All right.

SUPPLEMENTARY

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: If Madam Attorney General can answer it. I think it is, How does Government
intend to monitor and measure the success of the S ignature programmes to ensure that they are delivering
tangible benefits for our students, and ultimately meeting the expectations of where they are going with the
community ?

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you. I cannot
answer as to the specific accountability matrix, but I
think one would assume that students are tested , we
have already indicated that the programmes themselves will be reviewed against changing industry standards as well as ensure that programmes remain
current and relevant to the needs of the industries that
they purport to serve.

QUESTION 3: READINESS OF ALL SCHOOLS FOR
START OF SCHOOL TERM

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Thank you.
I have a third and final question, which was for
written response, which read, Will the Honourable Minister please provide the Senate with a report on the
readiness of all public primary, middle, and senior
schools for the start of the September 2025 term, including whether each school has a full complement of
teachers, whether the school buildings and facilities are
fit for use, and whether any other measures have been
taken to ensure a healthy and safe learning environ-ment for students and staff.

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: I am not certain if you
would like for me to read the response for the listening
public, or you have . . . Apologies, to Senator Cunningham. I did not realise that that one was written. I saw it
in a separate package. So, I forwarded it to the Clerk
this morning.
Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Yes. I have the written . . .
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you. And obviously, if there are supplementals out of the written, I am
happy to receive those and get them answered.
464 17 September 2025 Official Hansard Report
B ermuda Senate The President: So, thank you very much, Minister
Wilkerson, for answering the questions for the Minister
of Education.
Moving on—
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Madam
President. Sorry . I would like to say I am grateful to the
Ministry for providing the responses and the Minister herself.
The President: Indeed, we all are. Thank you very
much.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
SENATE VISITOR
The President: Before I move on, I would just like to
acknowledge Mrs. Venous Memari from the Registrar
of Companies, who is in the C hamber today. Welcome
to you.
We will now move on.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
The President: The first Order of Day is the second
reading of the Beneficial Ownership Act 2025, and that
is in the name of Senator [the Honourable] Crystal C aesar, who i s the spokesperson for F inance. And that response will be dealt with by our Minister of Justice and Attorney General , [Senator the Honourable] Minister
Wilkerson.
When you are ready, you can present the Bill.
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Madam
President.
STANDING ORDER 25
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Madam President, I
move that the provisions of Standing Order 25 be granted so that the Senate may now proceed with the second reading of the Bill entitled Beneficial Ownership
Act 2025.
The President: Is there any objection to that motion?
No objection.
[
Motion carried: Leave granted for the Beneficial Ownership Act 2025 to be read a second time on the same day as its first reading.]
STANDING ORDER 25
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Madam President, just
for the purpose of order, at this point , I will also move
that Standing Order 25 be granted so that the Senate may now proceed with the second reading of the Pro-ceeds of Crime ( Miscellaneous ) Amendment Act 2025. The President: Is there any objection to that motion?
No objection.
[
Motion carried: Leave granted for the Proceeds of
Crime (Miscellaneous ) Amendment Act 2025 to be
read a second time on the same day as its first reading.]
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you. I will then
proceed with the Beneficial Ownership Act. Thank you.
Madam President, the B ill before —
[
Crosstalk]
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Madam President, I
move that the B ill entitled Beneficial Ownership Act
2025 now be read a second time.
The President: Is there any objection to that motion?
No objection.
BILL
SECOND READING
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP ACT 2025

Sen. th e Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank y ou, Ma dam
President.
Madam President, the B ill before the Senate is
the Beneficial Ownership Act 2025 . This Bill establishes a legislative framework for a central register of
beneficial ownership information of companies by enhancing Bermuda's current beneficial ownership regime in accordance with the revised Financial Action
Task Force ( FATF ) Recommendation 24 and consolidating the regime under the framework of a single Act.
Madam President, in 2017, Bermuda created a
transfer of beneficial ownership regime in relation to
various categories of legal persons to ensure that it satisfied its international obligations under the FATF international standards. In particular, the Companies Act
1981, the Limited Liability [Company] Act 2016, the
Partnership Act 190 2, and related corporate A cts were
amended to require legal persons , except those exempted from the application of the A ct, to obtain beneficial ownership information, maintain an up- to-date
and current beneficial ownership register at their registered office, file such information with the Bermuda
Monetary Authority (the BMA), and notify the BMA of
any changes. “Beneficial owner ” is defined under the
various pieces of legislation to align with the FATF definition.
Madam President, in 2018, Bermuda was assessed by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force
(CFATF) and found to have a robust and transparent
beneficial ownership legislative regime.
In March of 2022, FATF , however , strengthened the international standards on beneficial ownership of legal persons to better prevent and deter the


Bermuda Senate misuse of legal persons. In light of these revised FATF
standards, this B ill aims to ensure Bermuda's continued
compliance with its international obligations by further enhancing its current beneficial ownership legislative
framework and consolidating the various corporate
Acts under the framework of a single Act. The Bill, as
part of the streamlining process , also aims to provide
for the transfer of Bermuda's central register of benefi-cial ownership information from the Bermuda Monetary
Authority to the Re gistrar of Companies.
Madam President , the Bill makes provision for
the appointment of the Registrar of Companies as designate of the competent authority , the Minister of Finance, to hold and maintain the central register , and to
have such powers to discharge the functions conferred
upon him by the Bill or regulations made thereunder ,
and to issue and update any guidance related to the
Bill. Additionally, the gatekeeping function currently
performed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority will also
be transferred to the Registrar of C ompanies. The Bill
empowers the Registrar with the authority to administer
the gatekeeping function.
Madam President , the B ill also makes provision for the broadening of the current definition of “ beneficial owner ” to align with the revised FATF international standards. The definition of “ beneficial owner ”
under the Bill has therefore been expanded to now apply to any individual or individuals who meet any of the specified conditions detailed in the B ill.
Madam President, pursuant to the transfer of
the regist er to the Registrar of Companies, the B ill provides for the requirement for legal persons to whom the
Bill applies to file their beneficial ownership information
with the Registrar instead of the Bermuda Monetary Authority. The B ill also provides that the Minister may,
by order, exempt a legal person from the requirement to file their beneficial ownership information with the Registrar.
Madam President , the Bill also empowers the
Registrar with the authority to disclose information held
on the central register to specified competent authorities and obliged entities for the purposes of enabling or
assisting in the exercise of their statutory functions.
Madam President, t he Bill further provides that
the Minister may make regulations (a) relating to the
Registrar's approval of a person as a beneficial owner
of a legal person for the purposes of the Bill, (b) for application s requiring the Registrar to refrain from disclosing the beneficial ownership information pertaining to a
legal person in prescribed circumstances, (c) for prescribing fees for any function or service performed under the Act or any regulation made thereunder, (d) for
the reporting of dis crepancies in beneficial ownership
information by persons to whom the Registrar has dis-closed such information, and (e) for actions to be taken
by the Registrar following receipt of a report of discrepancies in the beneficial ownership information.
Madam President , on 18 July 2025, the Government tabled before th e Lower House a Bill entitled the Beneficial Ownership Act 2025, which in effect represents Bermuda's continued commitment towards en-suring that it satisfies its international obligations as a
member of the FATF global network as it aims to further enhance this jurisdiction's beneficial ownership and transparency legislative framework to align with the revised FATF international standards.
Madam President , when the Bill was first introduced, the Government was in the process of accommodating final stakeholder feedback with a view to ensuring that the final legislation reflects both technical
requirements and practical considerations in advance
of the launch of the central register to be held and maintained by the Registrar of Companies. We are pleased
to announce that the consultation process is completed.
Madam President, Bermuda has a long- standing gatekeeping approach, which operates as a market entry control aimed at mitigating the risks of criminal elements and their associates holding an interest in legal
entities carrying on business in Bermuda. In effect, it
operates as a reputational safeguard and strategic differentiator, emphasising Bermuda's focus on quality
over quantity as it relates to our corporate register.
Moreover, it supports the accuracy of our central register as recognised by the Caribbean Financial
Action Task Force assessors as part of Bermuda's
fourth round mutual evaluation and therefore plays a
role in ensuring rapid and efficient access of accurate
beneficial ownership information to competent authorities and foreign counterparts.
Madam President , currently the responsibility
for administering the gatekeeping regime resides with the Bermuda Monetary Authority as controller of exchange under the provisions of the Exchange Control
Act 1972 and the Exchange Control Regulations 1973.
However, on the transfer of the central register to the
Registrar of C ompanies, the R egistrar will now assume
responsibility for administering the gatekeeping func-tion.
Madam President , the Bill also contains
amendments to clause 17 . . . this is in reference to the
July Bill. Fortunately, this [Senate] has the completely updated Bill. That new clause deals with disclosure of
beneficial ownership information by the Registrar to persons specified for the purposes of enabling or assisting in the exercise of their statutory functions.
Madam President, c lause 18 previously provided that the Registrar shall maintain a secure search
system by which access to the information on the Central Register may be disclosed. This has been redrafted
to focus on disclosure of the information, and it is well
established that Bermuda already maintains a secure
search system through which beneficial ownership information is provided to competent authorities and our
foreign counterparts. Regulations will be made to provide for how access by competent authorities to beneficial ownership information may be facilitated by the
466 17 September 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate Registrar of Companies. So, those regulations are not
before us today, Madam President.
In respect of the commencement of the Act,
clause 27 of the July Bill provided for the Act to come
into operation on assent, which specified paragraphs in
the Schedule coming into effect on such a day as the
Minister may notice in the Gazette.
A new c lause 28 now addresses the consequential amendments by empowering the Minister with
the discretion to repeal or amend any such current provision in any law or instrument to ensure consistency with this Bill by order subject to the negative resolution
procedure.
Clause 29, which was previously c lause 28,
now reads, “ This Act shall come into operation on such
day as the Minister may by notice in the Gazette ap-point .” [This removes] the reference to an instant operational date on assent, with specified deferred commencement for scheduled provisions amending various
laws.
Madam President, before clos ing, I would like
to advise this Honourable Senate that the access to beneficial ownership information held on the c entral
register will not be provided to persons claiming a legitimate interest. However, Bermuda remains firmly committed to enhancing transparency in line with evolving
international standards. Accordingly, I can confirm that
as of July 2026, Bermuda will implement a framework
to provide access to beneficial ownership information
to persons who can demonstrate a legitimate interest.
Madam President, t he development of this
framework will be subject to extensive consultation with
industry . It will take into account guidance provided by
the UK government as well as the illustrative examples
contained in the Sixth Anti -Money Laundering Directive
as well as the fundamental rights of individuals as guaranteed by the Bermuda Constitution and protected by
its domestic policy and data protection laws.
Madam President, it is anticipated that amendments to the Beneficial Ownership Act [ 2025] will be
brought forward to provide that the Minister may, by Order, specify additional persons or classes of persons
who may be granted access to the information on the
central register where the Minister is satisfied that such persons or classes do have a legitimate interest.
Madam President, as already stated, the detailed criteria for legitimate interest and the process by which it will be demonstrated will be set out in future
regulations ensuring clarity, fairness and alignment
with international best practise.
Madam President, I would take this opportunity, certainly, to acknowledge in the room, you have
already acknowledged, Mrs. Venous Memari.

The President: Mm-hmm.

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: And I would also like to
acknowledge Gwen Johnson from our C hambers. They
have worked diligently on this piece of legislation which is important to Bermuda's forward progress and particularly as we go toward the fifth round of our mutual
evaluation.
The President: Thank you, Minister Wilkerson, Attorney General , who is speaking on behalf of Minister
Caesar in her absence.
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: I would take this opportunity to clarify, Madam President. Minister C aesar and
I split the F inance portfolio in relation to B ills that relate
to NAMLC readiness. So, this actually does fall under
my—
The President: Oh, it does fall under your remit.
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Yes. Thank you.

The President: Thank you very much for your presentation.
Would any Senator care to speak?
Senator Tannock , you have the floor.
Sen. Tawana Tannock: Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you, Attorney General . I was glad to hear you
say that because I was afraid that you were going to
refer my questions to Minister C aesar. So, I'm happy to
have you in the room.
You know, I understand what we have to do
and what the Government is trying to do here. But my concern, I do have a couple of questions.
And the first is the fact that under the definition
of beneficial ownership, with regard to trust, it does not mirror the definition of beneficial ownership with trust
as we know it under the Proceeds of Crime [Regulations] . So, as you well know, under the regs that come
under that legislation beneficial ownership is brought in to anybody that has an interest in the trust. That is not
the case in this beneficial ownership definition.
Can you explain why the decision was made
not to have whoever has an interest in the trust also
listed as a beneficial owner? Because as we all know,
FATF’s and trustees, quite frankly, will not ultimately be
the beneficial owners of the trust. So, if one were to look
that up, it would show that Tawana Tanno ck is the trustee of a property on Harbour Road that I have no beneficial ownership in. That's just an example. I do not.

[Laughter]

Sen. Tawana Tannock: But I want to know why it was
decided that it would not be persons with an interest in
the trust, but those who have control over the trust, because that, as I mentioned, does not actually coincide
with our own definition under trust. So that is my first
question.
And then my second question is with regard to
access and ensuring legitimate access. However, my
concern is , have we, in effect, prevented those who


Bermuda Senate need legitimate access from getting it because of the
fact that we have tightened this window so much?
And what I mean by that is often when you
have to do your KYC on a company, if you are part of a
company's compliance team and you have a new client
come in and you have to do KYC, one of those things
is ensuring that you know who the beneficial owners of
that company are. And you do not just do that by asking
the corporate entity itself. You actually do that by mak-ing a search.
Right now, I do not know if we have the ability.
If you have to do KYC and compliance on a client, do
you have that ability ? Or how do you do that under
these r egs? Because what we would ordinarily do is do
our best to do a diligent search and find that information.
But my understanding from reading these r egs
is even if we find that information, we can no longer
pass it on. So , my concern, that's just my second question, and it's twofold. It's not three questions.
The first is about people who have a legitimate
interest to search prior to July 2026 when other things
will come in, and then those who have the legitimate
interest to search because they have to do KYC and
compliance. Their ability to pass that informati on on to
their compliance team or whoever is coordinating that,
that's my third one. And then . . . but my . . . that's my
second question, sorry.
And my third one was when I saw the Beneficial Ownership and that P roceeds of C rime were being
partnered together . . . As I mentioned, there is a bit of
a distinction in the way that these legislations address beneficial ownership. And I know the Attorney General
is probably going to quote me on this, I thought that this
would be an opportune time to talk about unexplained
wealth orders [UWOs] and the way that we can use
those with P roceeds of Crime and Beneficial Ownership.
And I am sure there will be a million motions to
adjourn on the state of crime in Bermuda and this, that
and the other. I expect them. But at this time when we
have the tools and the legislation that would allow us to
explain unexplained wealth and then that can be
checked against the Beneficial Ownership Act, it seems perfect because we do have an epidemic of crime in
this country.
So, I wonder ed if there was any idea or thought
by the Government with beneficial ownership, that register, how that would be used if we were going to go
down the road of unexplained wealth orders.

The President: Thank you, Senator Tannock.
Would any other Senator care to ask questions?
Senator Cunningham, Leader of the Opposition [in the Senate], you have the floor.

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Thank you, Madam President. And I think on the face of it, the O pposition was
in another place last week agreeing with this. And obviously, we have my learned colleagues from the
House, compliance and legal.
So, I listened carefully. But I think from my perspective, this is obviously just very important that we
maintain our international business reputation. Ultimately, I think we want less red tape so that the processes of vetting and everything aren't entire ly onerous.
But I think from my perspective, one of my
questions is , When will the Registrar of C ompanies fully
take over from the BMA? And then, you know, secondary to that, what are the timelines for each of the
phases? And are there any penalties or consequences
if those timelines are not met?
And then I guess finally, are we sure that this
. . . and I know that you mentioned some updates. But
are we sure that these satisfy international monitoring bodies so that we are not triggering any grey listing or
any other negative consequences?
But thank you very much.

The President: Senator Tannock, you—

Sen. Tawana Tannock: Sorry. Yes, Madam President,
my apologies. I did have one other question, and that
was, was there any . . . sorry, I realise the Attorney
General is busy.
[Pause]
Sen. Tawana Tannock: Yes, sorry. I did have one further question, and that was, was there any consideration given to having a lower cap for politically exposed
persons? So, as you would be aware, other jurisdictions like the UK have actually a 5 per cent interest, or
a contro lling interest for politically exposed persons.
We have kept it at 25 per cent, but was there
any thought or consideration given in Bermuda to have
for politically exposed persons a 5 per cent interest to
trigger disclosure?

The President: Thank you, Senator Tannock.
Would any other Senator care to ask questions?
Hearing none, then Madam Attorney General it
is over to you.

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Madam
President.
Starting with Senator Tannock's questions, the
first one in relation to . . . I think she is identifying a disconnect between the beneficial ownership definition in
the trust legislation versus what is here. I am advised
that the definition of beneficial ownership in the case of
trust already meets the FATF standard. So, yes. Alignment is under consideration for possible amendment
for the future is the answer.
468 17 September 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate In relation to access . . . oh, I think it was . . .
okay, this was the subpart of question one. It was about
what legitimate access would look like. And I think the
question is, as the paper said, that part of the regulations is going off to consultation. So, we have not
landed on that. I mean, certainly, you know, I have the
opportunity to join a meeting, I believe it is going to be
on the Island this week, [with] Minister Doughty from
the UK on this issue with the other overseas territories, and I think that is to the later question from Senator
Cunningham. It is, you know, do we know if we are meeting the mark of other jurisdictions? It is actively under consideration. It is a body of work that is being led
by the UK to ensure that its overseas territories meet
the required standards.
The unexplained wealth orders, a very interesting point. It is a body of work that is under consideration. I had the opportunity to attend the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force plenary at the end of May,
and had the opportunity to hear from other jurisdictions
where they have that legislation enacted and how it is operating; an opportunity t o hear about challenges and
pitfalls. And we are considering whether it is something
that would be appropriate for Bermuda. So, it is being
looked at, as well as the question around PEPs.

Sen. Tawana Tannock: Thank you, Madam Attorney
General . I have no further questions.

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: And the . . . I didn't
have an answer. When will the ROC fully take over the
register? The 1st of November is the date that the ROC
will fully take over the register. Thank you. And I think I
answered to the question around any concerns around
grey listing if we are not meeting the standards, yes.
Thank you.
The President: That's all the questions ?
Thank you, then, Minister Wilkerson, for presenting this Bill.
You can now move it.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

SENATE VISITOR

The President: And before you do, I would just like to
acknowledge former Senator Maurice Foley in the Gal-lery. On behalf of the Senate, we welcome you.

[Beneficial Ownership Act 2025, second reading, continuing]

The President: So, it is left to you to move the B ill now.
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Madam President, I
move that the Bill entitled Beneficial Ownership Act
2025 do now pass.
The President: No, do that in a second.

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Oh, I move that the Bill
entitled Beneficial Ownership Act 2025 now be read a second time.

The President: Is there any objection to that motion?
No objection.

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER 26

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Madam President, following the suspension of [Standing Order] 26, I now
move that the Bill entitled Beneficial Ownership Act 2025 now be read a third time.

[Motion carried: Standing Order 26 suspended.]

The President: Is there any objection to the third reading?
No objection.

BILL

THIRD READING

BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP ACT 2025
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Madam President, I
move that the Bill do now pass.

The President: Is there any objection to the passage
of the Bill?
No objection.
The Bill has passed.

[Motion carried: The Beneficial Ownership Act 2025
was given a third reading and passed.]

The President: Thank you, Minister Wilkerson, for presenting the Bill.

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: And thank you, Senate
colleagues, for your thoughtful questions.

The President: Absolutely.
You can now move on to the second Bill, which
is the Proceeds of Crime ( Miscellaneous ) Amendment
Act [2025] .

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Madam President, I
move that the Bill entitled Proceeds of Crime ( Miscellaneous ) Act 2025 be read a second time.

The President: Is there any objection to that motion?
No objection.



Bermuda Senate BILL

SECOND READING

PROCEEDS OF CRIME ( MISCELLANEOUS)
AMENDMENT ACT 2025

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Madam
President.
Madam President, [Senators] may be aware
that Bermuda's anti -money laundering [AML] , anti -terrorist financing [ATF] , and counter -proliferation financing [CPF] regime is of vital importance to our country's
economy and to the health of its robust financial and international business sectors. Accordingly, policies
have been pursued with the intent of providing strategic
direction to the Government and other specif ied stakeholders for the enhancement and effectiveness of Bermuda's AML/ ATF/CPF regime.
To that end, Madam President, members of the
National Anti -Money Laundering Committee, NAMLC,
continue to work collaboratively with the Ministry of Justice and other governmental partners to implement actions that will ensure Bermuda's framework remains effective and adheres to international standards.
Madam President, as part of the ongoing enhancement of Bermuda's AML /ATF/CPF framework,
the Ministry of Justice and NAMLC have considered the
recent changes made to the Financial Action Task
Force's 40 recommendations and 11 immediate outcomes, otherwise referred to as the FATF standards.
And we have identified provisions withi n various pieces
of legislation that require strengthening through
amendments.
Senators will be aware that Bermuda is preparing for the next mutual evaluation of its regime, which will commence in October 2026 with on- site visits by
the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force assessors
in April 2027. Madam President, this evaluation wi ll be
based on the revised FATF standards. In addition to new FATF requirements, legislative amendments are required to address any issues previously identified in our last, or the fourth mutual evaluation, as well as any
other enhancements to legislation. This also affords the
opportunity to address technical and administrative
matters.
Madam President, this Bill seeks to amend the
Proceeds of Crime Act 1997, otherwise referred to as
POCA, and the Proceeds of Crime (Anti-Money Laundering, Anti -Terrorist Financing Supervision and Enforcement ) Act 2008, referred to as POCA -SEA, and
the Proceeds of Crime (Anti-Money Laundering and
Anti-Terrorist Financing) Regulations 2008. It will allow
the Minister of Finance to make provisions for the en-hancement and effectiveness of Bermuda's anti -money
laundering, anti -terrorist financing and counter -proliferation financing regime in adherence with international
standards. Accordingly, particular policy objectives are as
follows, Madam President. First, Proliferation Financing Risk Assessment Amendment. The revised FATF Recommendation 1 requires competent authorities and supervisory authorities to coordinate activities to identify, assess and understand Bermuda's proliferation financing risk and to take commensurate action aimed at ensuring that these risks are mitigated effectively.
The amendments to section 49( 1) of POCA
provide the legislative basis for this proliferation financing risk assessment. And I would add, Madam Presi-dent, that the risk assessment for proliferation financing
is actually being done and we have been made to understand that a report will be issued shortly. But these
amendments give the legislative grounding for its requirements.
Second, the set of changes around NAMLC
statutory members. The proposed amendment to section 49( 2) of POCA reflect the inclusion of the permanent secretary [PS] of the Ministry of National Security
as a statutory member of NAMLC. Heretofore, the PS
for national security was not a statutory member. This
measure now is in the furtherance of collaboration and
oversight necessary toward comprehensive outcomes.
Third, the procedure for cancelling registration
amendment. The proposed amendment to section 13
of POCA- SEA is to require publication in the Gazette of
a notice of every cancellation of a registration of a nonlicensed AML /ATF-regulated financial institution or regulated non- financial business or profession. This
amendment is aimed at ensuring consistency with the requirement in respect of licens ed financial institutions.
The fourth set of changes are around civil penalties amendment s. The current provisions limit the
power to impose civil penalties so as not to provide sufficient deterrence for violations. As such, the Bill
amends section 2 0(1)(a) to remove reference to subsection (3), and repeal s ection 20(3), thereby enabling
civil penalties to be imposed for all breaches of the
POCA regulations.
The fourth set of changes is around supervisory guidance tools amendment. The Bill inserts section 5 (2A) in the [ Proceeds of Crime (Anti -Money Laundering and Anti -Terrorist Financing ] Supervision and
Enforcement Act ) [2008] to clarify that a supervisory
authority may issue rules, codes of conduct, or statements of principles on compliance. This in turn ensures
that these guidelines are up to date and consistent with
what they are intended to address.
Six, the technical correction amendment. The
technical amendment to [section] 42A(1)(c) [sic] corrects the reference so that it clearly points to the Fund
Administration Provider Business Act 2019.
And finally, seven relates to the financial group
advisory input amendment. The section 42B (1) of
POCA is amended to add the term “ supervisory authorities,” which expands who may advise on the designation of financial groups.
470 17 September 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate Madam President, finally, I draw attention to
clause 4 for the weighted adds to these enactments.
It amends regulations 11 and 13 of the Proceeds of Crime ( Anti-Money Laundering, and Anti -Terrorist Financing ) Regulations 2008. Regulation 11
broadens the scope from a banking institution to an
AML/ATF regulated financial institution, as well as inserts a definition of “ correspondent relationship, ” which
addresses one of the essential pillars of the AML/ ATF
regime. Furthermore, regulation 13 is amended to extend the prohibition of entering into a correspondent re-lationship with a shell bank to all AML/ ATF regulated
financial institutions.
Madam President, as I did earlier, I am again
compelled to acknowledge the effort of those who contributed to this succinct but consequential legislation. It
is an important milestone in maintaining the health of our financial institutions and, by extension, the overall
health of our economy, and to safeguard ing the reputation of Bermuda as one of the world's outstanding international business jurisdictions.
Our Senate colleagues would recall that I previously brought a Ministerial Statement outlining these
changes and also outlining that the amendments were
going out to consultation. It has taken a while to get
back here because when I thought consultation was
complete, there was yet another round. We went out to
all stakeholders, and then once the draft was done, it had to go back out again. Certainly, I think sometimes
when those, certain entities who are impacted by the
legislation, when they read the draft , they may see
things that they have comment on, and so we allow
time for that to happen.
Certainly, in that regard, I appreciate the Opposition's willingness to go all the way with this today,
understanding the timeliness that is required for it to be
in place by the end of September.
Thank you, Madam President.

The President: Thank you, Minister Wilkerson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, for the presenta-tion.
Would any Senator care to speak on this Bill?
Senator Cunningham, Opposition Leader in
the Senate, you have the floor.

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Thank you, Madam President . I recognise the timeliness of this, given all readings of the Bill today, and having only seen this last
night at 5:00 pm, excuse me. I just want to say that I
believe the Opposition would support the objective of
this Bill.
Ultimately, it speaks to our reputation as a
leading international financial centre, and our ability to maintain those frameworks, especially for AML/ ATF,
and obviously countering proliferation financing. So, I
think it is in our best interest to make sure that our leg-islation aligns with evolving international standards. I did have one question based on the requirement to publish cancellations. It talked about gazetting.
Will these notices include reasons so that people, the industry, can understand the basis of regulatory action?
Ultimately, we believe in transparency . But I am just
wondering if context will fall short.
I don't know if my learned colleague at the back
is going to speak, but I look forward to the response and to seeing how the [Senate] deals with this . But you
have my support.
The President: Thank you, Senator Cunningham.
Would any other Senator care to speak on this
Bill?
Hearing none, then it's back to you, Minister
Wilkerson.
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Senator
Cunningham.
In relation to the notice of cancellation, it is not
the intention of the legislation that the reasons for cancellation would be published as well . But I think it is important in a regime of transparency that parties know if
an entity that they intend to deal with has met the requirements to be cancelled.
One of the things that is not particularly dealt
with here is the full set of regimes around appeal, and I think that it would be detrimental to publish reasons for
cancellation if a party has the ability to appeal that finding.
Thank you.

The President: Senator Cunningham .

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Sorry, I do have one further question, having just seen a note here.
You mentioned stakeholder consultation. And I
just wanted to see whether you had spoken to all of the
relevant stakeholders and whether they were all on
board with the proposed amendments.
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Yes, the stakeholder
consultation has been exhaustive. And I think that the
last round of changes were the edits from the BMA.
And I would also add that in this process you
have heard me refer to the NAMLC committee. That
committee has a body which is kind of a policy and leg-islative body. So, whereas in Chambers I have my own
legislative committee, which will look at a piece of leg-islation when it is in its final draft form to ensure for Cabinet that it is fit for purpose and that it is what we agreed,
the policy and legislation committee, they will review it .
And they were the group who said it needed to go for a second round.
So, I am very satisfied that it has been widely
consulted on.
Thank you.



Bermuda Senate The President: Thank you. Minister Wilkerson , it's left
to you now to pass your Bill.

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Madam
President.
I move that the Bill entitled Proceeds of Crime
(Miscellaneous ) Act 2025 now be read a second time.

The President: Is there any objection to that motion?
No objection.

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER 26

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you. Madam
President, I move the suspension of [Standing Order]
26, [so that] the Bill entitled Proceeds of Crime (Miscellaneous ) Act 2025 [can] now be read a third time.

The President: Is there any objection to the third reading?
No objection.

[Motion carried: Standing Order 26 suspended.]

BILL

THIRD READING

PROCEEDS OF CRIME
(MISCELLANEOUS) ACT 2025

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Madam President, I
move that the Bill do now pass.

The President: Is there any objection to the passage
of the Bill?
No objection. The Bill is passed.

[Motion carried: The Proceeds of Crime (Miscellaneous) Act 2025 was given a third reading and passed.]

The President: Thank you, Minister Wilkerson, and
thank you all Senators who participated.
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, colleagues.
The President: We will now move on to our Orders of
the Day.
MOTIONS

The President: There are none.

CONGRATULATORY AND /OR OBITUARY
SPEECHES

The President: Would any Senator care to speak?
Yes. Senator Lindsay Simmons, you have the
floor. Sen. Lindsay Simmons: Thank you, Madam President.
I would like to send condolences to the family
of Ms. Ann Webb. She was a staunch Devonshire PLP
supporter, namely , Devonshire North. She was very
meticulous in how she ran her constituency. [It was] actually stated [that she was] better than the computer,
our van system that we use. She had notes, and when
they had an election, her notes outdid their computer.
She was successful in getting seats for Dame Lois
Brown e-Evans, our past leader, Mr. Frederick Wade,
our current MP, Diallo Rabin, and our former MP, Mr.
Glenn Blakeney. She was a staunch PLP supporter.
She is the last of a dynasty in Devonshire that started
it. To her family, I give my condolences. I want to salute
Ms. Ann Webb for what she did for our party and for
Bermuda on a whole . Thank you, Ms. Webb.
I also want to give condolences to the family of
Ms. Renee Lawrence. I had the opportunity of working
alongside Ms. Lawrence. I know her son. Condolences
to her son and her granddaughter. She was big in the Derby. I also sat with her when I first sat on the board
for the Bermuda Government Scholarships. She was
meticulous as well in making sure all the i's were dotted, and the t 's were crossed. To her son, Jordan, and
the family, you have my condolences.
I want to give condolences to Ms. Effie Fox's
family. I met Ms. Fox many years ago when my sister
and her daughter, Simone Fox, were at The Berkeley
Institute together. She was a beautiful soul. So, to Simone, her children, and also Ms. Fox's son, I give my
condolences.
Also, to my aunt's family, Ms. Brooks Maynard,
to her daughter, Denise, and Lav onne, you have my
deepest condolences on the passing of your mother.
And lastly but not least, I want to give condolences to Bishop, I know him as Neville Smith. He was one of the most genuine persons that I have met. So,
to his son, LaM ohn, his son, Lauren, and to his daughter, Tiffan ie, my deepest condolences to the Radnor
Road Christian Fellowship family. My sister, Pastor
Jenna Bean, and my brother -in-law, Kenji Bean,
worked closely with Bishop Neville Smith. And also, just
a few short months ago, he was with my family in our
time of need, and he actually did the funeral for my father.
So, for him to go just a few months later was a
shock, and it saddened my whole family. But I thank
him for being not only a bishop, but what he did in Bermuda. He worked in government for years, started off at the post office. But he was a genuine soul, and he is
going to be greatly missed by many. He was one of
Bermuda's greatest leaders in my estimation. So, to his
family, my deepest condolences. I hope him and my daddy are up there laughing it up together.
So, thank you.
The President: Thank you, Senator Simmons.
Would any other Senator care to speak?
472 17 September 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate Sen. Lindsay Simmons: I am sorry, Madam President, one more thing. I am sorry. I just want to say, because I forgot, we are just back here. I want to say congratulations to all the students for returning back to
school as the chairman of CedarBridge. I was actually away for the CPA conference, so I wasn't there for the
first day. But congratulations to all these students, and
I hope that this year we have a beautiful year.
All schools around Bermuda and the students
get all the knowledge that they need. And I know that
the Minister of Education is making sure that the chil-dren have what they need to do what they have to do.
Thank you, Madam President.
The President: Thank you, Senator Simmons.
Senator Dion Smith.
Sen. Dion Smith: Thank you, Madam President.
I would just like to reiterate the same as Senator Lindsay Simmons with regard to Bishop Neville
Smith. He actually was our family pastor, and also my
parents, Howard and Violet Smith, went to his church.
Myself, we performed IT services for Radnor
Road Christian Fellowship. And I just really want to give heartfelt condolences to his family, the church mem-bers, and the people of Bermuda. He was well known,
a very good person of character.
Thank you.

The President: Thank you, Senator Smith.
Senator Fubler , you have the floor.

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you, Madam President.
I would like to start out by associating myself
with the condolences to the Webb family. I made sure
to make my way down there for her homecoming this
past weekend. And I wanted to highlight her extensive
efforts to the Elliott Primary School, a place that my
grandmother was a long- time serving educator as well.
And also , in doing a little research around her contributions to society, I noted that she was also involved with
the cooperative grocery store. And as I have mentioned
several times here in the Senate, cooperatives are a form of business near and dear to my heart. So, I
wanted to highlight that as well.
Also, to some constituency condolences, I
would like to send condolences to the Young family, Mr.
Lionel Young, the widower, and his daughter, Mari sa
Sharp e, and sons Derek and A llan on the passing of
their wife and mother, Josiane Young.
And also, condolences to the family of Edith Simons, both the Simons and Butterfield families. And a
thank you to her for her services to the Bermuda Tele-phone Company.
And finally, I would like to send condolences [to
the family of] Gladwin Henry “ Dewey ” Trott. Condolences to the Trott family. I was acquainted with Mr.
Trott through his daughter, Jessica, and enjoyed our
conversations. We often exchanged pleasantries and discussed the kind of life and times at the BELCO
Power Plant, where he was a long- time employee, a
respected retiree, and influential in the formation of the
electricity supply trade union. And so, again, condolences to them as well.
And [it] would be remiss of me to not also provide congratulations to the Friendly Societies, especially Alexandrina Lodge, who hosted (I think about a
month ago now ) the Good Sportsmanship Award,
awarded in the name of Clarence Orister Darrell , of
whom I am a descendant. And so, even though I had
quite a busy day that day, I believe there was the constituency 29 back -to-school event. And I made sure to
make my way down to Alexandrina Hall as well, where
they recognised Zeko Burgess for his good sportsmanship during Cup Match. And for those of you who are
unaware or may have missed some of my motions to adjourn in the past, the Friendly Societies were influential in the formation of Cup Match. One could argue that
we would not have it without them and their persistence. And so, on that, congratulations to both of them.
Thank you, Madam President.

The President: Thank you, Senator Fubler .
Would any other Senator . . . Senator Lauren
Bell.

Sen. Lauren Bell: Thank you, Madam President.
I just would like to take the opportunity to extend congratulations to the recently named six recipi-ents of the Department of Workforce Development's
2025 Overseas Graduate Scholarships. These recipients included Pjhae- don Douglas, Sanjay ah Ible Allwood, Jahkaida Francis -Hollis, Yasm yne Smith, Malaysia Roberts, and Myeisha Shari eff.
Madam President, these recipients were each
awarded $10,000 and are pursuing studies in areas essential to Bermuda's long- term workforce needs and include areas of studies such as political science, finance and business administration, allied health and human
services, as well as hospitality and tourism.
Madam President, in addition to these overseas graduate scholarships, the Department of Workforce Development has also reintroduced the Dame
Jennifer Smith Scholarship. As we are all aware, Dame Jennifer Smith served as the Premier of Bermuda from
1998 to 2003, becoming the first woman to lead a political party to victory. And she guided the Progressive
Labour Party into Government and was the first female
Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly. This scholarship was valued at $10,000 and was redesigned and
is aimed specifically at inspiring future generations to
pursue excellence in political science, public policy administration, communications, or education. We can all
agree that these essential fields are central to Bermuda's social, political, and economic development, and it
reflects Dame Jennifer's legacy of leadership and service to Bermuda. Madam President, I extend the


Bermuda Senate heartfelt congratulations to Jay ce Fraser for being this
year's recipient of the Dame Jennifer Smith Scholarship.
Madam President, we recognise the success
of our students is fundamental to Bermuda's long- term
stability and resilience, and the Government is proud to
provide opportunities to those who foster both academic and professional growth for Bermudians. I would
like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to each of
these recipients on their accomplishments and wish
them every success in their studies and their future ca-reers.
Madam President, I would also like to congratulate the Joint Labour Committee on this year's Labour Day celebration, which was held on Monday, September 1 at Union Square. For those who are in the listening audience who are not aware, the Joint Labour Committee is a subcommittee of the Bermuda Trade Union
Congress, otherwise known as the BTUC, and the
BTUC comprises of seven affiliate unions and worker
associations, which represent approximately 9,000
workers in Bermuda. Now the theme for Labour Day
was “Labour is the Link ,” which highlighted the essential role that labour plays in supporting the Bermuda
that we know and are proud of today.
Now, despite that on and off again rain that
negatively impacted some of the planned events, I rec-ognise that many of my Senate colleagues were in at-tendance and had the opportunity to connect with representatives of the trade union movement who are responsibl e for representing the workers of Bermuda and
ensuring protection and benefits are protected throughout. So again, I want to extend my congratulations to
the BTUC for yet again another successful Labour Day
celebration.
Thank you, Madam President.
The President: Thank you, Senator Lauren Bell.
Senator Tawana Tannock, you have the floor.

Sen. Tawana Tannock: Yes, thank you, Madam President.
I would like to take this minute to extend my
condolences to my cousin who lost her son to violence
in August of this year, and also to all of the families and
all of the parents and extended families who have lost
their loved ones to gang violence or to any violence. I
can tell you that from my homestead in Hermitage Road
since the 10th of July last year until this year, we have
lost three young men within a one- mile radius. That's
three young men in one neighbourhood from the house
that I was raised in fr om my father's family's house. So,
you know ? And that's . . . we're not unique, right? A lot
of neighbourhoods are going through that right now.
And so, you know, when I was trying to explain
this to my mom who was at the hospital with my cousin
after her son got shot, she said, I don't understand.
Why don't these kids realise what they're doing? And I said, Mommy, you have to think about it
as if they've signed up for a war that we're not a part of.
And in a war, people die, right? And that's something
that they've accepted; but the families haven't accepted. And unfortunately, what have we now seen, right, as of yesterday? Now that war extends to what
wars never used to do unless they were terrorists. It
extends to families. So, while I send my condolences to
my family and my cousin, I send it to all families who
are touched by this.
And for those families in Bermuda who have
not been touched by violence, well, you're lucky and
you're fortunate. And I do not want to be a doomsayer,
but you need to hope that it is not just a matter of time.
So, this is everybody's issue.
So, condolences to the family of my cousin and
to all the families who have suffered this loss.

The President: Thank you, Senator Tannock .
Would any other senator care to speak? Yes.
Senator Tarik Dunbar Smith , you have the
floor.
Sen. Tarik Smith : Thank you, Madam President.
Good afternoon to the listening audience and
to my Senate colleagues. I just want to send a few condolences out to a few folks.
Firstly, Richard “ Chins” Outerbridge. Very dear
to me. He was my neighbour for many years. He
passed away on the 2nd of September. (Excuse me. )
Mr. Outerbridge was raised in Devonshire, but for the
last 40 years, he resided in Warwick with his wife, Jennifer, and his daughter, Stephanie. He also was an ex-aminer at TCD until his retirement a few years ago. I
would like to, again, extend my condolences to Jennifer
and Stephanie, as Mr. Outerbridge was very dear and
near to my heart.
I would also like to offer condolences to the
family of Alice Talbot ( nee DeSilva) . Mrs. Talbot was a
business lady in Hamilton in the store of her daughter
for over 20 years, Sabrina. She was a devoted mother,
grandmother, and great -grandmother. She left a legacy
that her family will vow to emulate for the rest of their lives.
Also, a constituency condolence to the family
of William Benjamin, also known as “Squigs,” a good
friend of mine who passed away this past July.
I have a congratulatory statement for Mrs.
Florenz W. Maxwell. On July 12, the Bermuda Youth
Library was named the Florenz W. Maxwell Library.
Mrs. Maxwell was a celebrated lady in our community
along with her husband, Dr. Maxwell, who was also the
principal of The Berkeley Institute. Mrs. Maxwell is very
dear to my heart. I am her adopted grandson, as she
likes to say. And I would like to congratulate her and
her family on such a wonderful achievement and honour. She is a mentor to my mother and to myself. And I
thank the community and those in power for naming the
library after Mrs. Maxwell.
474 17 September 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate Thank you so much.

The President: Thank you, Senator Tarik Dunbar
Smith.
Would any other S enators . . . Senator Cunningham, Opposition Leader [in the Senate] , you have
the floor.
Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Thank you, Madam President.
I will start with condolences to acknowledge
the passing of Mr. Douglas Kemp e. He left us far too
soon in August. Doug was the beloved husband of one
of our former party chairs, Catherine Kempe , and was
a devoted father to Max and Rob. Beyond his family,
he was big in the community, especially in the scouting
movement. He was fondly known as “ Baloo” of the 19th
Bermuda Cub Scouts and mentored countless young
people. So, on behalf of my Senate team and the One
Bermuda Alliance, we'd like to extend our condol ences
to Catherine, Max, Rob, and his entire family.
And I would also like to take this opportunity, it
would be remiss of me not to, to extend my congratula-tions to the new Leader of the One Bermuda Alliance
and Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Robert King. He was elected, as you will be aware, at our party conference
on September 6. And I think his leadership comes at an
important moment for the One Bermuda Alliance. So, I
look forward to the direction and energy he will be
bringing.
And with that, I would also like to warmly welcome my new colleagues. Thank you for your warm
welcomes to Senator Tari k Smith and Dion Smith. It is
an honour to serve alongside them, and I look forward
to seeing how valuable a contribution we all can make
together.
And finally, I will echo some of the former congratulatory good luck wishes to wish all Bermuda students all the very best as they begin their new academic year. Those starting primary, middle, and senior
schools in Bermuda, as well as those obviously going overseas. Having been touching base with some of our
students overseas, especially those going away for the
first time, a lot of them are feeling a little, you know, that they're trying to find their way. And I want them to know
that they are supported, they are valued, they are very
missed.
And we look forward to them coming home one
day with their skills and experiences that they have
learned from overseas. So, wishing all our students a very best of luck for the year.
Thank you.
The President: Thank you, Senator Cunningham.
Is that everyone?
Senator Tannock.

Sen. Tawana Tannock: Yes, sorry, just a quick note to
piggyback on the Senate Opposition Leader, Senator Cunningham's comments , and to extend a hearty welcome to the new OBA Senators.
I look forward to working with both of you and
to also just say publicly for the record how much I thoroughly enjoyed working with Senator Maurice Foley.
As the listening public may not know ( because
there are no cameras ), Senator Foley and I actually
shared the same bench. ( So, you have tall shoes to fill,
Senator. ) But as we were both starting this journey together it was a pleasure to look to each other for reassurance. And I found him to be warm, caring and, most
of all , really passionate about change and progress for
St. David's and Bermuda as a whole.
So best wishes to Senator Foley. And I will
miss him as my bench partner.

The President: Well said.
I think everyone has spoken.
So, Minister Wilkerson, it’s up to you.
Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Madam
President.
Perhaps I will start at the end, because maybe
it is a bit of a condolence, and join Senator Tannock . It
is not normally for the Government to do, but to lament
the loss of an Opposition Senator. But we did enjoy our
interactions with Senator Foley, who was just so balanced and passionate, I think it is, about his portfolios.
And I think that in this Chamber we have made relationships that certainly will continue outside of it. So, Madam President, I will go back to put that in the category of a condolence in a sense.
I would like to join, certainly, with colleagues
already who have given condolences on the passing of Ann Webb. She was, as Senator Simmons has pointed
out, a stalwart in the Progressive Labour Party. And I
think back to perhaps 2003 and up to recent years, she
kept saying, Well, you know, I'm not going to retire until
I can run your campaign. Too long a wait. She was a
beautiful person who had the . . .
I remember , actually , canvassing with her in
Devonshire. I was new to it. But the way you did it is
you went in people's houses, and you had a cup of tea.
It was not a phone call. It was not, you know, ticking off
a script. It was you went in and you had a cup of tea.
So just, you know, it's the passing of an era, I believe.
I join also in the condolences for Alice Talbot.
You know, Alicia, her granddaughter, has been a valu-able part of our team at the Ministry of Justice. Very, you know , a very talented and passionate girl. And Sabrina is also someone I count as a friend. So, I was very
saddened. And I knew that Alicia's grandmother had
been sick for a while. But to hear of her passing . . .
And finally, in relation to the condolences, last
but certainly not least, joining Senator Simmons in the
condolences for Bishop Neville Smith. I was out of the
room, but I believe Senator Dion Smith might have spoken of him. And certainly, he was foundational to our
family. And he was my bishop. You know, I was saved


Bermuda Senate in the old Radnor Road Church in 1993. And he baptised me by water at Shelley Bay. He counselled me
through my divorce, you know, when that was a very
challenging situation. And you have the impression, I think, as a younger person that divorces don't line up
with what we understand to be in the Bible.
And Bishop was such a sensitive and wise
man. Quiet and wise in all of his ways. And he was that person who, because he was so quiet in his ways (and
Senator Simmons alluded to this ) and a jokester all the
time, you were forced to sit back and study him. And,
you know, he was one that you study and you learn by.
And sometimes we know that we can win by playing the
game above board and with niceness and with grace.
And I think, you know, that was his lesson to those of
us who looked up to him and who studied after him.
So definitely very saddened, you know, to see
his passing. But the homegoing service was so joyous.
And, you know, because, you know, we know where he
is. But he was comfortable with his going , and his family
were completely comfortable as well. And I think that
made it easier to take last Friday.
So on to congratulations.
This morning, I had the distinct pleasure of giving the opening remarks at the Bermuda Compliance
Professional Association Conference. It started this
morning at 8:45. And I just want to congratulate that
body again. I mean, we have been here today talking
about two pieces of legislation, the Beneficial Ownership Act, the Proceeds of Crime Amendment Act, which
are squarely in the remit of this group of professionals
to make sure that this jurisdiction meets the mark for
international compliance. So, to see that there was a
day for them to also share and learn and upgrade their
skills , and to also go up to personal best practise was
a joy to see.
Senator Cunningham, I know, would be interested. I am sure she is aware of the launch of the Compliance Academy at the Bermuda College next week.
And I know that you will be counselling many of the students that you service into that career path. And so, you know, in my day, our day even, the tracks looked like
this. And all the tracks for, you know, it's not underwriting or law or claims. When we think about the kind of
insurance and financial services space this compliance
opportunity as a professional career is clearly something that is, you know, ripe for development. And I
think it will bode the jurisdiction very well as we see a
whole group of Bermudians take up those posts.
And finally, in some of the same vein, Madam
President, during the break I was privileged to attend
the Bermuda College for the launch of the Bermuda Academic Journal of Research. And I was blown away by
the level of research, world- class research , coming out
of Bermuda and the professionals in Bermuda carrying
that out . Presentations were made by Dr. Carika Weldon in relation to her study on cancer, which will have impact for the whole of the Caribbean region. We heard
from scientists and researchers on me ntal health and studies in Bermuda amongst young people. And that
also was quite eye- opening, to say the least, Madam
President. So, I wish that organisation well as we begin
to highlight other ways that Bermuda can be a leader to
the world.
And Senator Simmons has reminded me that
at the Bermuda College as well, we also participated at
the graduation ceremony for the Future Leaders organisation. And it was certainly really inspiring to see a
group of young people, many of whom admitted they were incredibly shy to get up in a room and make a presentation to go forward with areas of deportment
presentation and learning in modules through the summer.
So, thank you, Madam President. I said finally
already, but this is the final , final. Senator Tannock
mentioned gun violence, and I resonate with the comments that she made. And it is true that gun violence in
Bermuda is everyone's problem. On an I sland of 22
square miles and one degree of separation between
us, no one will be immune from the impact of this. And
I have been in all kinds of forums and chats, and there
are some people who say it is an issue for the Ministry
of National Security or the Ministr y of Justice. And I say
to this Chamber and to members of the listening public,
this is everyone's problem. So, let's please think about
how we can do and be better as a community.
Thank you, Madam President.

The President: Thank you, Minister Wilkerson, A ttorney General , and Government Leader in the Senate.
I would just like to associate myself with the
condolences that have been expressed for Ann Webb,
for Renee Lawrence, and for Bishop Neville Smith. I
would also like to associate myself with the congratulations to Mrs. . . . Oh, God, where have I got it?
Anyway . . . sorry , let me just leave that at the
moment. Sorry. Break in thought. The congratulations
to Florenz Maxwell for being named coordinator of the
library. I think that is a wonderful event for her. And I
wish her well always going forward.
With that said, now we will move on then to
Item No. 16, adjournment.
And Minister Wilk erson, A ttorney General and
Government Leader in the Senate, it's over to you.

ADJOURNMENT

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Madam
President.
Madam President, I move that this House adjourn until Monday, the 29th of September.

The President: Would any Senator care to speak on
the motion to adjourn?
Senator Lindsay Simmons, you have the floor.

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Bermuda Senate GUN VIOLENCE IN BERMUDA

Sen. Lindsay Simmons: Madam President, Honourable Senators, I rise today with a heavy heart and a spirit
burdened by sorrow. In the last five weeks Bermuda
has been shaken by tragedy after tragedy. We have
lost three lives to gun violence and two more of our
sons have been injured. And yesterday, we lost a
mother, a woman who wa s not only raising a family but
building a business, shaping a future, contributing to
the life of this Island.
Madam President, she was someone's daughter, someone's friend, someone's neighbour, and she
should still be with us today. Her life was precious.
Their lives are precious.
And today, as we clear the business of this
Senate, we cannot move on as if these losses are
simply a part of our ordinary days. They are not. They
are tragedies that cut to the heart of who we are as
people.
Madam President, about five weeks ago, I was
driving through Court Street, minding my own business going to pick up somebody. I happened to drive
through, or not drive through, but drive up to the scene
just as it happened. I heard a grandmother scream for
her grandson laying there dying. I got out of my car and,
honestly, Madam President, seeing that scene is something I do not wish on anyone. It happened at 4:00, just after 4:00, Madam President. I was at the scene, and I
didn't even know two other people had been shot. My
attention was on one young man.
We can't think this is normal, Madam President.
Madam President, when violence strikes our
small Island, it does not happen in isolation. Every life
lost sends shockwaves across Bermuda. Yes, I know people say we are immune to it now . But we really
aren't.
Yesterday, I drove to the exact same scene
where just five weeks ago I stood. We feel [it] in our
homes, in our churches, in our workplaces, and on our streets. Families are broken, children are left without
parents, and an entire community is left to ask, when
will this end ?
Madam President, the truth is, none of us are
untouched by this. Bermuda is way too small for us to
say it doesn't affect me. I want to say again, three of the
people that have been shot in the last five weeks, those
young m en, I taught. T wo are gone and one is in the
hospital.
These are our people, Madam President. This
is our Island. Every gunshot tears at the fabric of who
we are. Madam President, when a life is taken in Bermuda, it is not just one family that suffers, it is all of us.
We are too small, too connected, too intertwined for us
to ever believe that violence is someone else's prob-lem.
These are our children, Madam President.
These are our neighbours. These are our people. Madam President, I want to say directly to the
families who are grieving today, you are not alone. We
see you. We mourn you. And as leaders, we must do
everything in our power to ensure your loved ones are
never forgotten, and their deaths are not in vain.
But Madam President, to be honest, words are
just not enough. We need healing. We need to rebuild
trust. We need to remind our young people that their lives matter , that they have worth, that there is a better
way than picking up a gun.
Today, I do not want to speak about statistics,
but about humanity. About the mothers who will never
hear their sons come through the door again. About the
children who will never again be tucked in at night by a
parent. About the daughters that will never dance with
their fathers at a wedding. About the families who must now carry the grief that they should never have borne.
And I also want to speak about the fear that grips our
communities , that makes our young people believe that
carrying a weapon is saf er than carrying hope.
Madam President, we need to carry hope. The
fear is real. And it is our responsibility to replace it with
trust, opportunity and, most of all, love. We need to
spread the love.
To the families grieving, we see you, we hear
you, and we hold you in our hearts. We are committed to honouring your loved ones, not by forgetting, but by fighting for a Bermuda where no one else has to suffer
as you do now.
This is a moment for unity. Not government
alone, not police alone, not churches alone, but all of us together. Each one of us has a role to play in mending what has been broken. To listen to the pain, to guide
with compassion, to lift each other up. We must do
more than offer sympathy. We must listen. We must
show up. We must let our young people know that their
lives matter , not only in words but in action.
Madam President, Bermuda is hurting. But
Bermuda is also resilient. We have walked through
storms before, and we can walk through this one together. Let us commit ourselves —not just with policies
and programmes, but with love and action—t o build a
safer, kinder, more hopeful Island for every family,
every child, every community.
So today, Madam President, as I move this motion to adjourn, I ask that we [act] with a [renewed]
sense of purpose. Let us leave here determined, not just to debate policies, but to live out compassion. Let
us reach out to those who are hurting. Let us invest in
those who are at risk. Let us strengthen the bonds that
make Bermuda not just a place, but a family. We need
to go back to being a family, Madam President. We
need to go back to the neighbours looking out for one
another. We need to go back to the s chools where we
embrace our children.
Madam President, I ask that each and every
one of us in this Chamber, you, Madam President, the Attorney General , Minister Crystal C aesar, Senator
Mischa F ubler , Senator Lauren Hayward Bell, Senator


Bermuda Senate Victoria Cunningham, Senator Dion Smith, Senator
Tarik Smith, Senator John W ight and Senator Tawana
Tanno ck, let us not simply speak of solutions, but embody them. Let us show Bermuda that leadership is not
just about policy, but about presence, compassion, and courage. When we walk out these doors, may our actions tell our people, we hear you, we see you, we are
with you. And together, we will not give up until peace
is restored on our Island.
Thank you, Madam President.

The President: Thank you, Senator Lindsay Simmons.
Would any other Senator care to speak on the
motion to adjourn?
Hearing none at this time, I would like to ask
Madam A ttorney General , would she just repeat the
date of our next meeting? Sorry.

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Thank you, Madam
President. We did get a communication from Mrs.
Beale after she and I talked. And we let Senators know
we would hold the 24th of September, but now that we
have actually had agreement and we have completed
the Bills , we no longer need to hold the 24th. I think
some Senators had a challenge with it in any event. So,
we understand that we will resume on the 29th, Monday the 29th. But it is likely to be a long day.

The President: Thank you very much.
And with that said, Senators, the Senate
stands adjourned now until Monday the 29th.
Thank you all for your participation this morning.
[At 12:05 pm, the Senate stood adjourned until
10:00 am, Monday, 29 September 2025.]

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