The Senate passed two important bills without opposition. The Economic Substance Amendment Act expands Bermuda's tax compliance framework to include all partnerships, ensuring Bermuda stays off the EU's tax blacklist. The National Pension Scheme Amendment Act extends the ability for Bermudians to withdraw up to $6,000 from their pensions due to COVID-19 financial hardship, with applications open until June 2022. The Senate also approved two land deals involving the Corporation of Hamilton.
Economic Substance Amendment Act 2021 - expanding partnership regulations to meet EU requirementsNational Pension Scheme Amendment Act 2021 - allowing pension withdrawals during COVID-19 hardshipLand exchange agreements between Corporation of Hamilton and private companiesGraduation celebrations and road safety concerns following recent traffic fatalities
Bills & Motions
Economic Substance Amendment Act 2021 - passed second and third readings
National Pension Scheme (Occupational Pensions) Amendment Act 2021 - passed second and third readings
National Pension Scheme (Refund) Regulations 2021 - approved
Exchange of Land Agreement (Corporation of Hamilton/Hamilton Warehouse Company) - approved
Sale and Purchase Agreement (Corporation of Hamilton/Arnold's Discount Limited) - approved
Notable Moments
Senators expressed strong concern about recent hit-and-run deaths, particularly Ra-Che Williams, urging drivers to stay at accident scenes and slow down
Senator Marcus Jones noted the pension scheme is "no longer serving its initial purpose" but supported the COVID-19 relief measure
Technical difficulties caused audio problems during parts of the pension bill discussion
Debate Transcript
2 speeches from 1 speaker
Sen. the Hon. Dr. Ernest PeetsYes. Good morning, Madam President. I would like to be associated with the condolence remarks by Senator Tucker. Our hearts, of course, and prayers are with the fami lies at this time. We were deeply concerned and troubled by those events. And we certainly support the families this morning in …
Yes. Good morning, Madam President. I would like to be associated with the condolence remarks by Senator Tucker. Our hearts, of course, and prayers are with the fami lies at this time. We were deeply concerned and troubled by those events. And we certainly support the families this morning in prayer. I also would like to associate myself with the congratulatory remarks by Senator Darrell regarding CedarBridge and Berk eley Institute and all of the graduating class of 2021. Lastly, Madam President, I want to wish a happy belated birthday to Clarence Hill, King of the Ring, our Olympian. He celebrated his birthday on Sunday. He also shares the same birthday as Sandy Butterfield. And I also want to wish happy belated birthday to Sandy Butterfield. Thank you so much, Madam President.
The President: Thank you, Dr. Peets.
Bermuda Senate Would any other Senator care to speak? Senator Simmons, you have the floor.
Sen. Lindsay Simmons: Thank you, Madam Pres ident. I would also like to associate myself with Senator Darrell’s comments on the graduates of 2021. I want to do a special shout -out to my brother, who has graduated from CedarBridge today. He is graduating with Principal’s Honours. And to say that I am elated is an understatement. He has had some challenges, but my family stuck beside him and helped him to persevere. And to see him graduate not just with honours but Principal’s Honours is amazing. So I want to thank him. And I also want to do a special shout -out to Nahziri Smith, who graduated today. I have had the pleasure of knowing him for the last few years. And to see him graduate . . . and I just saw a clip of him waving to the crowd and everybody standing up. So congratulations to Nahziri on graduating from Cedar-Bridge today. Anybody who knows Nahziri knows that he is such a ball of energy. And to see him graduate today just puts a smile on my face. So thank you, Madam President.
The President: Thank you, Senator Lindsay Simmons. Would any other Senator care to speak? No. Then on behalf of all Senators, I would like to join . . . or at least to say that all Senators, I am sure, would agree to the sentiments regarding the graduates on the Island and the teachers. It has been a very difficult time for them during COVID -19 to study and to succeed. And so I am sure you would all want to be associated with congratulations to all who parti cipated. And I especially want to say that I join with Dr. Peets with regard to congratul ations to Clarence Hill, as well as to Sandy Butterfield whom I know very well personally and congratulate them on their birthdays. So with all that said, Senator the Hon. Dr. E. G. V. Peets, Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, Government Leader in the Senate, you can speak to us on adjournment.
ADJOURNMENT
Sen. the Hon. Dr. Ernest PeetsYes, Madam Pres ident. I make a motion that Senate adjourn to July 7, 2021. The President: Thank you. Would any Senator care to speak on the m otion to adjourn? Senator Lindsay Simmons, you have the floor. RA-CHE WILLIAMS —HIT -AND -RUN VICTIM Sen. Lindsay Simmons: Thank you, Madam …
Yes, Madam Pres ident. I make a motion that Senate adjourn to July 7, 2021. The President: Thank you. Would any Senator care to speak on the m otion to adjourn? Senator Lindsay Simmons, you have the floor. RA-CHE WILLIAMS —HIT -AND -RUN VICTIM
Sen. Lindsay Simmons: Thank you, Madam Pres ident. I am not going to be long, but I just want to encourage Bermudians to slow down on the roads. There have been so many accident s in the last few weeks. And to see that somebody left Ra- Che Wi lliams in the road is heart -breaking. That was som ebody’s son. And just looking on my WhatsApp before it was announced, seeing people’s heartbreak for Ra-Che is sad, Madam President, to say th e least. Not only does the mother have to bury her child, but she also has to know that somebody in our community left her son in the road, dying. I think that we need to take time and realise that we are our brother’s keeper. Accidents happen, but we need to make sure that we look out for our neighbour. Regardless of what is going on in Berm uda, we need to make sure. There is another family that is still looking for answers of what happened to their daughter two years ago. We definitely need to take time and realise that families are grieving and some of these accidents are senseless. We need to slow down and look out for our neighbour and know that we are losing a lot of young Black males.
QUAN -MARLEY LOWE —MURDER VICTIM
Sen. Lindsay Simmons : We just had a murder, Quan- Marley Lowe. You know, he was a father. Two children are going to grow up without a father —a senseless death as well. I just think that losing a life is emotional as it is. Losing it from a road traffic fatality or a murder is something that can be prevented. And if Bermudians take the time to slow down or think about somebody else, put down the knives, put down the guns, even pack away your fists . . . it is not necessary, Madam President. So I just think that we need to take the time and l ove our neighbours as our family as well because we are in this together. And I just want to ask the public to remember that these are our children. These are people in our community. It does not matter what political side we are on, they are part of us. T hey are the threads to our fabric. So I just want to encourage everybody to slow down and think about the next person. If you do ha ppen to get into an accident, stay there. The accident up in Somerset the other day, that is my little cousin. You know, I c alled her mom to see how she was. They left her in the road. She flipped over a wall, and somebody left her there. So we need to remember that these accidents are affecting a lot of people. I am just appalled that in the last few weeks, people are actually hitting our people and just leaving the scene. So I would encourage everybody —it does not matter if you were drinking or it was an accident or whatever the case is —do not leave somebody on the road. 552 30 June 2021 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda Senate That is all I want to say, Madam President. I just want to encourage everybody take time on the roads and also think about the next person. Thank you, Madam President.
The President: Thank you, Senator Lindsay Si mmons. And I am sure all Senators would agree with your sentiments and comments. Would any other Senator care to speak on the motion to adjourn? Hearing none, then, Senators, the Senate stands adjourned until July 7, next week. Thank you all.
[At 10:52 am, the Senate stood adjourned until 10:00 am, Wednesday, 7 J uly 2021.]