March 2, 2026

Okay. I was wondering while you are
doing that, if you could maybe also find out where land tax is on that priority list and whether there are any
plans for land tax to provide statements as opposed to
two large bills twice a year, as it may help in the collection process ? Thank you.

Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, land tax does not fall
under the Minister responsible for the Cabinet Office. It
falls under myself, and I can advise the Honourable
Member the answer to the question is yes.

My understanding from the various government statements on this digital transformation is that this was supposed to be a cross -ministry,
cross- government initiative. Are we to understand from
the Honourable Premier's s tatement that, in fact, this is
not a cross -ministry initiative, and it is up to each Ministry individually to be in charge of their digitisation ? As
he said that the land tax was under him —
[Inaudible interjections]

Is it the case that the Minister
of Digital Transformation is overseeing transformation across multiple ministries, or is it the case that each Minister is in charge of the digital transformation of their
own specific Ministry? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Speaker, the simple answer is that the digital transformation is across all of government. The Premier answered the question about land tax, because it falls specifically under him, but I
could answer that question. So, yes, land tax evaluation is one of the . . . persons will know that they are
doing the land tax evaluation updates now . And all of
that is now being done digitally, which is something that
was done under the D igital Transformation Team.
So, yes, we are across all ministries. I may not
know the intricate details of every single thing that is
going on in every single Ministry, but my team does
have that information, and if there is a specific question
that needs to be asked, it certainly can be answered
and asked in the proper way.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Could the Minister inform this House of the details of those resources? Thank you.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Speaker, we have additional funding that was allocated during the mid- term
supplemental, which was already articulated in this House back then, so it is in the public domain, what
those funds were going to be used for. We have utilised
that to organise town hall meetings, to actually have
discussions with overseas experts, as we talked about
in the S tatement. We will also be using that for the necessary research.
There are some other things that we have
talked about in terms of going outside of the M inistry to
request expert advice, that . . . because we are still in
discussions with various people, I do not want to actually talk about who exactly those are. But as I said, I will
continue to provide updates to this House as we move
forward with electoral reform.

Further supplementary or second question? No? Okay.
Minister, one further . . . no, this is the next one.
I jumped on. It is actually the next Statement. That's it
for you, Minister. Thank you.
The next Statement, Minister of Health, the Opposition Leader would like to put a question to you.

QUESTION 1: YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
BUILDING CAPACITY IN OUR COMMUNITY
TO SUPPORT

Hon. Ben Smith: Thank you, and good morning, Mr.
Speaker.
Will the Honourable Minister . . . this is a very
good initiative, and I think everybody here will be supportive of it. Just wondering if the Honourable Minister
could let us know whether there have been any
thoughts of making this mandatory for any professionals who are working with youth.

Minister .
Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, at this point, there
has not been any consideration with respect to making
this mandatory. I appreciate the Honourable Member's
sentiments as it relates to the importance of this initiative, and we are encouraged by the fact that we will conti nue to offer it, but insofar as making it a mandatory
thing, I think at this point, it's probably more beneficial
if we can get buy -in from the community members as
opposed to making it an ultimate requirement, but I thank the Honourable Member for his question.

Okay. All right.

QUESTION 2: YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
BUILDING CAPACITY IN OUR COMMUNITY
TO SUPPORT
Hon. Ben Smith: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Second
question.
Would the Honourable Minister be able to provide whether there will be any reporting that is necessary for people who have taken this certificate and then
are referring people? Will there be any reporting mechanism that is necessary for that referral process?
Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, if I understand the
Honourable Member's question, I'll answer it twofold.
One is, in addition to individuals who take this course,
they will receive a certificate of acknowledgement, but
we certainly will keep data to see whether or not, and
to whom the . . . what services are being, what . . .
sorry . We will do our best to keep data as it relates to
the referrals that come through this process, insofar as who the referrals are going to, so that we can continue
to monitor th at.
It may be a little bit of a challenge because,
again, it is a volunteer situation . But we will do the best
that we can to monitor the types of referrals that are
being reached as a result of this particular engagement.

Supplementary?

QUESTION 3: YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
BUILDING CAPACITY IN OUR COMMUNITY
TO SUPPORT
Hon. Ben Smith: No final question. Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Considering that if this initiative works the way
I think all of us would want it to work, there is a potential
that there is an increase in referrals. Could the Honourable Minister let us know whether the capacity is avail-able for the services that are going to be needed if
these referrals increase?

Thank you.

2012 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Kim N. Wilson: I thank the Honourable Member
for that question. Colleagues will recall that last year in
the mid- term budget we received an extra $ 2.29 million
as confirmation of this Government's initiative and interest in ensuring that we address mental health, par-ticularly as it relates to young people. We have known
that there has been an increase, regrettably, since
COVID -19, and one in four individuals will suffer a mental health episode in the . . . during their lifetime . So, as
such , we have committed to ensuring that we have the
resources available.
Part of that $2.29 million, Mr. Speaker, is going
to provide more community outreach and services. For example, grants have been awarded to the group
MASC, the Family Centre, as well as Women's Resource Centre to ensure that there is availability in the
community for those persons who require mental
health services.

Thank you.
Supplementary?

SUPPLEMENTARY

Hon. Ben Smith: Yes, supplementary.
Thank you, Honourable Minister, for that response.
Just for information purposes, if the Minister
can just let the community know that there will be services available that will be without cost for the young
people who get referred, because I think it's important
that we let people know that not only should we break
down the stigma, there is not going to be a cost that's
going to impact them.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Regarding electoral reform, the Working
Group, are there going to be experts on that Working Group, a constitutional law expert, an AML/ ATF compliance specialist, a cybersecurity expert, and a representative from the Parliamentary Registry Office? Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Speaker, I will refer to
my Statement. The Ministry has drafted the terms of
reference for the E lectoral Reform Working Group,
which is not yet established. Preparations include se-lecting diverse members to ensure a balanced group with relevant expertise.

Minister .
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Speaker, I will refer to
my Statement again. We have continued discussion
with subject matter experts on absentee and electronic
overseas voting solutions, focusing on what is secure,
verifiable, and workable in Bermuda. It is not about
adapting technology for its own sake, but about under-standing opt ions, understanding risks, and ensuring
that any potential model maintains integrity and public
trust.

Understanding that there was a cybersecurity breach [on] September 20, 2023, and the
findings have not been made known to the public or
Members of this Honourable House, at this juncture we


Bermuda House of Assembly don't know what the risks are that were posed. And if
we are talking about electoral reform that is inclusive of
electronic balloting, et cetera, that ought to form part of the risk assessment in terms of how we are going to
manage the sensitive information, understanding that
this can affect the outcome of elections in this country.
So, I would think that that would be necessary,
and I would hope that that would be taken into consideration. That's the reason why I asked that question.
Thank you.

The point is, and let me, let me just use
this opportunity. If you remember the workshop that we
had recently, one of the topics was on questions . And
when we rise on the Q uestion Period, it should be a
question formulated right from the beginning. Rather
than trying to build to the question have your question
ready to go from the beginning.
The next Statement that has questions is the
Statement by the Junior Minister of Justice.
Junior Minister , MP Pearman has a question
for you.

QUESTION 1: JURY REFORM , CONCLUSION OF
PUBLIC CONSULTATION

Good morning, Mr. Speaker, and
good morning to the listening public.
Thank you very much to the Honourable Junior
Minister of [Justice] who presented a Statement , “Conclusion of Public Consultation on J ury Reform” this
morning. I know that he gave in a Statement the consultation, Paget Parish Council I attended, and I listened carefully, and my question is this. During that
consultation, Junior Minister, and as said in your Statement, you talked about the certain data you collected.
To what extent is the proposal that is going to go to
Cabinet data- driven? Thank you.

It says , “the consultation phase
has now closed. The next step is for the M inistry to
gather and synthesise the comprehensive feedback re-ceived from all segments of the community ,” including
all stakeholders . “That analysis will inform the development of a clear policy position for consideration and ap-proval by Cabinet. ”
So, to his answer, all information will be carefully thought through and decided before it becomes part of the policy. I hope that answers your question,
MP Pearman.

This is about time frame.
The Statement referred to this coming out in
the, “near future. ” And I'd be grateful to know if the Junior Minister is able to elaborate on that for the benefit of
this Honourable House and the listening public . Is near
future, perhaps the end of a parliamentary session or
the end of the year or early in the next year ? Does the
Junior Minister have a sense of time frame? Thank you.

Good morning.

Hon. Owen Darrell: Mr. Speaker, I would like to start
my obits with the unfortunate news of the passing of Mr.
Shawn Forbes from Bandroom Lane. Mr. Forbes is the
son—I would like to associate, Minister Weeks, with
these condolences. Mr. Forbes —as well as [MP] Ming,
as well and MP Robin Tucker.
Mr. Forbes is the son of a constituent, well, he
is a constituent, was a constituent of mine, and the son
of Ms. Phyllis Forbes. Also, condolences to his siblings,
Damian Forbes, Shane [Simons] , and S ommer Simmons. Mr. Forbes lived right on the edge of Pigs Field.
And, you know, that was his backyard, as I used to call it, literally. And any time that the grass had not been cut
for a number of weeks, or if there was some sketchy
activity going on, or there were cars that were parked
in the parking lot for far too long, Mr. Forbes would always send me an email. And it was not just good
enough to respond to an email. He wanted me to come
and meet with him so he could point out to me exactly
what he had seen and offer suggestions on how the
government could maintain a community field that literally was in his backyard, and he was so proud of.
So, it was very shocking news to hear of his
untimely passing, Mr. Speaker, and I would like, if possible, a letter of condolences be sent to his family.
And in the final time that I have left, Mr.
Speaker, I would like to move to more positive news
and congratulate the men's Under-20 football team who
are currently —

[Inaudible interjection]

Hon. Owen Darrell: And I'll associate the whole House
with that .
They are currently participating in the U nder20 World Cup qualifiers in Costa Rica. They have had
two games previously, Mr. Speaker. The first was a 22 draw versus Trinidad. A nd I'd like to congratulate the
goal scorers, Mr. Jace Don awa and Mr. James Morrison, on that hard- fought draw. And on Saturday evening, we got a victory, 2- 0 over Sint Maarten. Those of
you who would have heard my S tatement last week


Bermuda House of Assembly know that the Deputy Prime Minister for S int Maarten
was actually here in Bermuda, so I did promptly send
her a message and said that she owed me some congratulations. And the goal scorers in that game were
Xahvi DeRoza and Kennahz Fray . So, congratulations,
and to their coach, Mr. Cecoy Robinson. And their final
match is this afternoon, 4:00 pm, Bermuda time, Mr.
Speaker, against the host nation of Costa Rica. I wish them all the best. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

[Timer chimes]

I was associated on Friday, but I
wanted to just offer my comments to the family of . . . I
called him Calabash all my life, so it's interesting to hear
the government names when they come out as Eugene, but definitely not in my league in terms of age,
but we all called him Calabash, and so he will be a
miss. He is remembered. Associate MP Cannonier with
these comments, please. He definitely will be a miss,
and those of us who are diehards St. George’s support-ers know what it is that he brought to that , in particular ,
game at Cup Match time. S o, we definitely extend prayers and thoughts to his family.
I also, on a happier note, would like to congratulate Leopards Club International for their Founders
Week. I will associate the entire H ouse with that.

For those of you who know the history of Leopards Club, February 24, 1949, a club
opened that accepted each and anybody, no matter
what your skin colour was, your economic status, or an-ything like that, and today that mantra still stands with
the Leopards Club. They celebrate their Founders
Week every year, and it's a r eminder for them of the
principles of what the club was actually open for, and
also as a guiding light for us to make sure that we are
still building on that foundation. So, they celebrated
with the opening of their hall, newly renovated. I would
encourage Members to go and have a look and also
thank the G overnment for its contribution in that. Minister Darrell came and he gave some comments at
the time. I also think he mentioned becoming a member.
[Laughter]

I don't know, but I would encourage
you to visit and see, but also to engage yourselves in
what Leopards Club actually does. I'm a diehard St.
George's girl. You all know that . But I have taken a liking to understanding the history of Leopards Club and
what it means to Bermuda during a time that really was
not one of our best in terms of segregation, but it has
prevailed, and 77 years later, it is still here doing what
it needs to do within its community. So, thank you very
much, Mr. Speaker.

Good morning.

Hon. Michael A. Weeks: I would like to start off my
remarks with being associated with the congrats by the
former speaker for Leopards Club International. They
do have a rich history, and I too am a member, and I
encourage anyone else to become a member because
of the connection and what the role they played in our
development over the years.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to also say that I also
rise to offer congratulations to the men and women across my uniform services and community partners
who continue to step forward in service to Bermuda.
From Sensei Bobby Smith launching our free personal
safety seminars to empower residents with practical
skills to the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service engag-ing our young people through 100 Men on Campus at
BI [Bermuda Institute] . These efforts reflect the shared
commitment to prevention, education, and community
connection. That is what building a safer Bermuda
looks like. So , I say thank you to each of them for the
work they do in our community.
Also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to celebrate the
recent graduates of the Department of Customs. These
men and women are prepared to step up, protect our
borders, and keep our I sland safe. So , a special thank
you to the Collector, Mrs. Pearman, and all the trainers
within the department for ensuring our newest officers are properly equipped for the duties now before them.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
2016 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, I too would like to be associated
with the condolences [for the family of] Eugene “Calabash” Foggo, who I had the honour of playing cricket
with when I was a member of the St. George’s Cricket
Club's second team, back in the day when each club had two teams. Our skipper, Ricky Hodsoll, was the
vice-captain of St. George's, both Cup Match, and under Wendell Smith, and he led the second team. And
players like Calabash, who love playing cricket, would
often play with the second team to get their eye ready
for Sunday cricket as well. And it was very . . .
I was very proud when he actually was taken
into Cup Match because he was known also not only
as a great bowler who can tie up the batsman, but also
a good stop- gap batsman, could block and allow great
batsmen on the other end to make a lot of runs, and he plotted along. So, he will be . . . he will be sadly missed.
And condolences to the whole Foggo and Bascome
and Simmons family there from Wellington B ack Road
that would have included the late Member from this
house, Mr. Kenneth Bascome , as well as his la te mom,
Ms. Ada Fog go, and Candy -Lee Fogg o, as well.
I would, on a happier note, I would like to recognise a couple of iconic tourist organisations, one celebrating 60 years this year. In 1956, the Pompano Beach Club was formed up in Sandy s, right next to Simmons Beach, which some people would refer to next to Munro Beach, but at Simmons Beach, for persons like
my mom who grew up on Whale Bay, on that Port Royal
coastline there . They have served Bermuda admirably .
And they are one of the leaders in sports tourism, having been proud to be located strategically next to Port
Royal. They have made good use of that wonderful
public location that the G overnment of Bermuda built
and still maintains to a very high standard.
Also, I would like to recognise the proprietors
of Wahoo ’s [Waterside Bistro and Patio] , Alfred K onrad
and Geza Wolfe, who Alfred would have come to Wahoo from the St. George's Golf Club, where he was the
proprietor . And during a time when I was connected
with St. George's Golf Club and carved out on Water Street a great restaurant with his good friend Geza ,
from persons would have known him from The Flying
Chef [Catering Service] way back when, and I believe
they are now going to take an opportunity to pl ay some
more golf than themselves.
And so . . . and I would also like to . . . also on
. . . there has been great focus placed in the sport of
scrambling and acknowledge the exploits of the Minis-ter who I believe was out there scrambling recently.

[Timer chimes]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow up on the vein of MP
Swan, in recognising sitting MPs and Minister s. Mr.
Speaker, this past weekend on Saturday night, I must
recognise, I think, I believe an historic event in Bermuda and maybe in the world, where the first -time ever
two sitting M embers of Parliament competed in a competitive football match. This Saturday night in the Masters League, myself representing the Somerset Astros,
competed against PHC, which MP Lawrence Scott was
their goalkeeper —

[Laughter]

—and I believe this is the first
time two sitting M embers in a competitive match. It was
a knockout game. Unfortunately, PHC beat us 3- 1, but
I will recognise that MP Scott was the man of the match
because he made some saves that allowed his team to
win. So, I do just want to recognise that historic moment, two sitting MPs competing in a competitive football match, I believe for the first -time ever, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you.

Good morning, again.
I express my condolences to members of constituency 10. Robert Lee passed at age 87. Mary Zuill,
and Michael B ierman. He passed at the age of 71.
There is going to be a memorial service on March 7 at
1:00 pm at the Cathedral, and then a wake to follow at
Behrman's Quarry. Many of you knew Michael. He was
quite a character , and his legacy will live on, and his
daughter is taking over the reins of the quarry.
Jack Ward, 72, was the first director of the Department of Conservation, died at 72. Adam Tavares succumbed to injuries as a result of a road traffic accident, and George Greenslade died at the ripe age of 93
on Wednesday of last week.
On a happier note, Ralph Scott , Jr. celebrated
his 18th birthday this past Friday. He's the young Ber-mudian who received a basketball scholarship to the
University of Tennessee, and he will be playing in the
Allen Iverson basketball competition that runs from
April 29 to May 2 this year. So, congratulations go out
to him and his family. Thank you.

I just wanted to express condolences to the family of one of my constituents, Mrs.
Rosalie Fall. Mrs. Fall was well into her 90s. She was a
very well -known maternity ward nurse, and obviously in
her 90s she had retired quite some time ago. An abso-lutely lo vely lady taken care of by several members in
her neighbourhood.
But I also want to express condolences to the
family of Robin Spencer -Arscott , and his daughter —
and I associate Scott Pearman as well, MP Pearman .
And also, Minister . . . I will associate the whole H ouse.
I see a lot of fingers going up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mm-hmm.
Hon. L. Craig Cannonier: —over several countries,
Lebanon, Israel, Iran, a few others, and on behalf of the
House, I would like to . . . we need to send our condolences to all families that are losing . . . to see where an
all-woman's school, while they are in school, to be
bombed, is sad. It is very sad, and we are living in a
time where we can actually watch this stuff live feed. I
have never seen that many missiles before in the sky ,
watching the live feed last night, but it's quite scar y. And
so, my heart goes out to all families, regardless of what
nation they come from, that we are living in a time
whereby we cannot find a means to negotiate. Missiles
have to make the decision for us.
On a higher note, I just want to say that I want
to congratulate Skyport Magic Mile. They had races at
the stadium, young kids, and I want to congratulate Dorian Dash Spencer. Dorian Dash Spencer is my grandson, the youngest one. I don't typically get up to do this, but we don't have any runners in this family. We got
footballers and cricketers, but I ain't seen a runner like this in a little while. This young man, four years old,
wanted to know , what is the prize ?, for coming first before he even ran the r ace.

[Laughter]

Sounds like a Cannonier.
[Laughter ]

Hon. L. Craig Cannonier: Yes, yes. What’s the prize?
This guy took off, Mr. Speaker, from the very
beginning right up until the last 10 yards, and his school
buddy passed him. You should have seen his face, but
anyhow, I wanted to congratulate him. Out of the 64
four-year-olds, he had the second- best timing of the 64
four-year-olds, and I do want to congratulate him because his old man is from St. George's, Ray Spencer.
Of course, the St. George's folks know Ray Spencer
and the family, and so I want to congratulate him. I'll be
a bit selfish today and congratulate my grandson be-cause I think we now have a runner in the family. Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.

—and I'll associate the entire House, in particular, the MPs from Sandy s Parish.
They had their 96th festival under the patronage of an incredible lady, Mrs. Myrtle “ Sally ” Perinchief ,
and it was a wonderful evening. A nd I would like to congratulate the first female bandmaster, Ms. Cher -Ann
Raynika Brangman, on a wonderful concert, and especially as this is Women's History Month, we congratulate her for this feat and the outstanding job that she's
doing as their leader. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you.
Does any other M ember . . . Opposition
Leader.

Hon. Ben Smith: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I would like congratulations to go
out to Reverend Terry Hassel, who . . . I associate MP
Weeks , and Pearman, and also MP King. So , on Saturday he was made the Minister for St. Mark's Church.
It was a really great event. Huge family turnout for him. [I am] l ooking forward to what he's going to be able to
do with that church. Congratulations to him and to his
wife, who is there to support him, and I had a brief con-versation with him about the things that he's looking forward to doing in that community. So, congratulations.
2018 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Thank you.
Does any other Member wish to make a contribution at this time? None other?
Before we move on, I just want to add two congratulatory comments. One is to one of our colleagues,
who just actually took her seat, and just a moment before, I believe it's your . . . MP Reverend Dill.

I'd just like to extend congratulations to
you and your husband, and wish you well for many,
many more years to come.
On another congratulatory remark, I just want
to do this one for a few reasons. One, to show that we
in the West End can still work with our friends in the
East End, in that I have been sent a photograph of a
renaming of one of the roadways in St. George's, and
it's been named after, it's now named the Gina Swainson Way. And the reason I'm doing it, many of you
wouldn't know, Gina was actually in my class. We were
in the same year at Berkeley together back in, what,
start in 1970, going back a while . And it's just nice to
see that she's been recognised in this way. I don't know
. . . I don't know who in St. George's was responsible
for it, whether it's the St. George's community calling
for it, or [if] Works and E ngineering saw fit to do it outright, but I just think it's a nice—
[Inaudible interjections]

—I think it was a nice gesture to be
done . And we all know, and particularly for, I should
say, for our younger listening audience, Gina Swainson, not only was she Miss Bermuda in, I think now, 1980, I think it was 1989 . . . no, sorry, 1979. In 1979,
she was Miss Bermuda, and she went on to be Miss
World . So, and she—

[Inaudible interjections]

So now that takes us to the main item of
the Orders for the D ay of business that we came here
for, and it's the resumption of the Committee of Supply
for consideration of the E stimates of R evenue and E xpenditure for the year 2026 /27.
And the first item up this morning, for the listening public, once we go into the B udget Debate, it's done
in the Committee of Supply, which means that the
Speaker will be out of the Chamber, and the proceedings will be handled by the Panel of Chairs. The first
Member in the C hair this morning will be MP Ming. A nd
once we go to that stage, it's an eight -hour period.
The first item up this morning will be the Ministry of Justice, and they will take four hours . And I'm going to call on the Premier to move us there, and then I'll
call on MP Ming to take the C hair and take us into Committee.
Premier.

Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now resume in Committee of Supply to consider the E stimates
of Revenue and Expenditure for fiscal year 2026/ 27.

Honourable Members , we are now in
Committee of Supply for further consideration of the
Estimates of Revenue and E xpenditure for the year
[2026/27.]
The Heads being debated today are . . . and I
will just read the ministries, the Attorney General's
Chambers and the Ministry of Justice. The Heads being
debated today are 87, 3, 25, and 74.
I call on the Minister in charge to proceed. In
this instance, I'm sorry, I call on the Junior Minister to
proceed.
Junior Minister , you have the floor.

Madam Chairman, I am pleased
to present the Budget Brief for the Ministry of Justice
Headquarters. The m ission statement and d epartment
objectives for the Ministry of Justice Headquarters
begin on page B-80 of the Estimates Book.
The Ministry will plan and prioriti se its operational programmes and activities to achieve tangible
outcomes within the upcoming financial year. All resources will be utili sed to enhance deliverables, whilst
remaining responsibl e with the fiscal allocation.

Current Expenditure

Madam Chairman, t he Ministry
of Justice c urrent expenditure allocation commences
on pages B -79 to B-83 of the Approved Estimates of
Revenue and Expenditure for the y ear 2026/27, the
Budget Book. The total current expenditure is estimated to be $63,241,000 for 2026/ 27 and represents an increase of $5,501,000 or 10 per cent higher
than the prior year’s estimate of 2025/ 26. This change
is due primarily to an increase in salaries, legal and
consultancy costs.
Madam Chairman , overall expenditure allocations to the Ministry, by d epartment, are as follows:
• Ministry of Justice Headquarters , $8,220,000 ;
• Judicial Department , $11,023,000;
• Attorney General's Chambers , $7,242,000;
• Department of Corrections , $26,882,000;
• Department of Court Services , $5,471,000 ;
• Department of Public Prosecutions ,
$4,403,000.

Mission Statement

[The department objectives are:]
1. To effectively implement Government’s justice
and legal policy priorities under the direction of
the Minister, ensuring alignment with Bermuda’s strategic goals and measurable delivery outcomes.
2. To deliver efficient, transparent and people-centred legal and justice services that improve
access, responsiveness and confidence in the
justice [system. ]
3. To uphold Bermuda’s legislative and regulatory
framework for anti -money laundering and
counter -terrorist financing [AML/CFT ], effectively identifying, preventing and mitigating risks to protect the integrity of Bermuda’s financial system and its global reputation.
4. To strengthen partnerships with justice stakeholders, the legal fraternity, civil society and international counterparts to promote trust, transparency and shared responsibility for justice outcomes.

Revenue Overview

The only department under this
Ministry’s portfolio whose mandates directly entail gen-erating revenue is the Judicial Department. The Judicial Department’s revenue stream is projected to yield
a total of $5,556,000. This amounts to $745,000 or
15 per cent more than the 2025/26 original estimates.
This growth is driven primarily by increased court fees,
parking fines, and civil fees.

2020 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly HEAD 87 —MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
HEADQUARTERS

Madam Chairman, a total of
$8,220,000 has been allocated to the Ministry of Jus-tice Headquarters, which represents a $1,465,000, or
22 per cent increase, from the previous year and constitutes 13 per cent of the budget allocated for the Ministry as a whole.
The Ministry of Justice’s Headquarters is subdivided into eight p rogrammes or business units as follows:
• 97000 Administration
• 97010 Financial Intelligence Agency
(a grantee)
• 97030 Legal Aid Office
• 97050 Parole Board
• 97060 Treatment of Offender’s Board
• 97070 Justice Protection Programme
• 97080 Financial Sanctions Implementation
Unit
• 97100 Law Reform Commission
Madam Chairman, each business unit is addressed in turn below as follows:

Administration, 97000
2025/26 vs. 2026/27

The original estimate 2025/26
was $1,322,000. The estimate for 2026/27 is $1,880,000, which represents an increase of $558,000,
or 42 percent.
This Administration business unit provides for
the administrative and personnel costs associated with the daily operation of the Ministry Headquarters, for which a total of $1,880,000 has been allocated.
This represents a notable increase of
$558,000, or 42 per cent , compared to the original estimates of 2025/26, driven by increased expenditure on
salaries, consultant and contractor services, travel
costs, and criminal injury compensation.

Legal Aid Office, 97030
2025/26 vs. 2026/27

The original estimate for 2025/26
[was] $2,223,000. The estimate for 2026/27 is $2,686,000, which represents an increase of $463,000,
or 21 per cent.
Madam Chairman, the purpose of the Legal
Aid Office is: To ensure that legal advice and representation is readily available to those who need it most, and who, because of limited financial means,
would otherwise be unable to secure access to justice.
The mission statement of the Office is: To provide high quality legal representation to those who qualify for assistance under the Legal Aid Act 1980.
The Office fulfils this role by providing clients
who qualify for the scheme with quality professional le-gal services in a timely and efficient manner.
Madam Chairman, the Legal Aid Scheme is
administered by the Legal Aid Committee under the au-thority of the Legal Aid Act 1980. For 2026/ 27, its
budget allocation is $2,686,000. This is a $463[ ,000] or
21 per cent increase from the 2025/26 original estimate
allocation. Th is increase is mainly due to salaries, legal
services, grants and contributions.
Madam Chairman, $ 1,600,000, or 60 per cent,
is allocated to salaries for administrative, legal aid staff,
and consultants fees. [Also,] $750,000, or 28 per cent,
covers external legal services, while the remaining
$336,000, or 12 per cent, funds administrative expenses, including rent, operational costs, committee fees, professional indemnity insurance, and Bar Association dues.
Madam Chairman, the Legal Aid Office delivers two key services: the administrative team supports
applicants in completing legal aid forms and conducts financial means assessments under the Legal Aid Act
1980 before submitting applications to the Legal Aid
Committee for their consideration. O nce decisions are
made by the Committee, the team notifies applicants
and counsel and issues legal aid certificates. The accounts officer processes all legal and expert service invoices received, ensuring they are reviewed, taxed, and approved by the Committee prior to payment.
The current legal team, when at its full complement, consists of two j unior counsel , two Legal Aid
counsel, a senior Legal Aid counsel, and the legal aid
paralegal. The Legal Aid Committee assigns in- house
counsel to represent persons who are granted legal aid
certificates by the Committee unless there is a potential
conflict or for some other reason external counsel must
be assigned. This year, the Legal Aid Office will undergo a full review as well as develop a strategic plan aimed at improving efficiency and ensuring continued
access to justice for all Bermudians.
The performance measures for the Legal Aid
Office for 2025/26 were:
1. to process and grant l egal aid certificates to
qualified applicants within seven days of re-ceiving their completed applications and sup-porting documents;
2. to process and grant temporary legal certificates in urgent situations within 24 hours;
3. to assign 75 per cent of new cases to in- house
Legal Aid counsel ; and
4. to grant approximately 140 new legal aid certificates.


Bermuda House of Assembly Madam Chairman, I am pleased to report that
the Legal Aid Office met, and in most cases, exceeded
these performance goals for the fiscal year 202 5/26.
A key performance goal for 2026 /27 will be to
assign 85 per cent of new l egal aid certificates to inhouse counsel. This will be challenging, but with the imminent relocation of the Legal Aid Office to a larger,
more suitable space it is anticipated that the recruitment of more permanent in- house counsel and more
modern systems will enable the Legal Aid Office to
meet this goal. The larger space will allow for the re-cruitment of more Legal Aid counsel to manage cases
in-house, which will result in cost savi ngs and broader
public access to justice.
Madam Chairman, the number of new legal aid
certificates granted each year fluctuates due to unpre-dictable socio -economic and other factors. In 2025/26,
268 applications were processed which was more than
the projected 225. Of those applicants, 154 were qualified and granted certificates. Decisions on 18 applications remained pending further information. Overall, performance indicators show increases in applications
processed and certificates granted compared to the
previous year, along with a reduction in deferred applications.

Operating Expenses

For the current fiscal year,
Madam Chairman, expenses incurred (excluding salaries) were as follows:
• legal fees ( for external counsel ) training and
consultant services —$9 17,000;
• telephone and courier expenses —$8,100;
• memberships fees, board and committee
fees—$19,000;
• apportioned for insurance, training, rent and
maintenance —$244,000;
• allocated for cleaning—$13,700; and
• allocated for office supplies, printing, books, and professional law periodicals —$44,600.

Legal Services

Madam Chairman, between the
period 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, the Legal Aid
Office processed a total of 268 new applications:
• 196 criminal matters ;
• 43 civil matters; and
• 29 matrimonial matters.
Out of the 268 new applications for funding ,154
matters were approved , 96 were declined, and 18 were
deferred .

The Work of In- House Legal Aid Counsel

Individual client cases managed
by in -house counsel generated cost savings of approximately $1,225,000 in legal fees which would
otherwise have been paid to external counsel.
Madam Chairman, the Legal Aid Office represented clients who were granted legal aid certificates with respect to a broad range of legal matters over the past year including: family court matters ; civil claims
(such as employment and personal injury) ; landlord
and tenant disputes ; human rights claims ; constitutional applications ; and criminal trial and appeal matters. Two junior counsel s are employed in- house and
over the past year both have demonstrated growth and skill development in family and criminal law cases.
The Legal Aid Committee, Madam Chairman,
recogni ses that for some members of our community,
faced not only with financial challenges but also with
cognitive or mental health challenges, representation
by in-house counsel is necessary to ensure their voices
are heard. In these circumstances, legal aid cer tificates
are granted at the discretion of the Committee when it
is in the interests of justice.
In addition to clients charged with criminal offences, the Legal Aid Office continues to represent individuals who are granted certificates in relation to
complex and emotionally difficult cases involving child
custody, access and maintenance.
Madam Chairman, cost savings to the public
were also reali sed through the strategic use of Legal
Aid counsel to assist individuals who are before the
court and require counsel in circumstances where individual certificates are not practical , such as:
 In-house Legal Aid counsel ensured that members of the public received quality representa-tion and timely access to justice by appearing as duty counsel for individuals in many courts,
thereby safeguarding the rights of individuals
and ensuring that cases are dealt with fairly
and expeditiously by the c ourts.
 The Legal Aid Office provided counsel each week to assist individuals appearing in the
Mental Health Treatment Court, Drug Treatment Court, DUI Court, and the Juvenile Court.
Effective counsel in these courts is critical to
the success of individuals appearing before
them. Individuals, and the Judiciary, rely on
counsel to provide legal and moral guidance as
they work to address root causes.
 The Legal Aid Office also made counsel available, 24 hours a day, 7 days each week, to advise and assist all persons arrested and detained by the p olice over the past year, including attending at the police station when necessary to assist adults and young people during
police interviews in serious matters.
 The Legal Aid Office ensured that no one who
appeared in plea court was required to enter a plea or otherwise compromise their legal
rights, without the advice and assistance of legal counsel.
2022 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Madam Chairman, there continued to be great
demand for Legal Aid counsel in the Juvenile Court to
represent young people being tried for serious matters.
Legal Aid counsel appear as duty counsel for the Juvenile Court every week and are assigned to represent
young people who are ultimately granted legal aid certificates by the Committee.
Child safe- guarding provisions, which protect
the rights of children and ensure their voices are heard
in all types of cases before the C ourts, have resulted in
Legal Aid counsel frequently being called upon to assist
children who come before the courts as witnesses, victims, and the subject of family court litigation regarding
their care and custody.
Internally, Madam Chairman, the O ffice continues to build a strong team as the administrative staff
and counsel work to meet their shared goal of providing excellent legal representation and broad public access
to justice. Together the team has developed effective
solutions to challenges presented over the past year.

External Counsel

Madam Chairman, external legal
fees remain the largest area of expenditure for the Legal Aid Office, except for salaries, and continue to be
challenging to accurately predict.
Last year the legal fees paid to external counsel were higher than predicted for several reasons, including the following:
• There was an increase in the rate of murder
and other serious violent crimes, as well as
conspiracies to import firearms, ammunition
and illegal drugs into Bermuda.
• Multiple defendants were charged and tried together in many serious cases. Each defendant
is entitled to independent counsel who is free
from any potential conflict of interest. In most
cases, therefore, in- house Legal Aid counsel is
only able to represent one defendant, whilst
the other two, three or more co- defendants,
who may all qualify for L egal Aid, must be represented by external counsel.
• Although the Legal Aid Committee requires
brief fee proposals from counsel to ensure fees
are carefully managed, strictly necessary and
reasonable , it is difficult to predict when trials
will occur and whether unanticipated preparation, legal research and court appearances
may be made necessary by any number of factors outside of the control of counsel.
• In the past fiscal year, external counsel submitted claims for serious trials and appeals that
had been budgeted for and completed in prior
years which also presents a challenge for the
accurate prediction of external legal fees within
any given fiscal year. The past fiscal [ period ]
included payment of fees to external counsel for re -trials, multi -defendant criminal trials, and
other types of complex litigation.

Training And Development

Madam Chairman, t raining and
development, along with succession planning are
amongst the most important objectives of the Legal Aid
Office over the next year.
As the number of experienced barristers who
are willing and able to represent L egal Aid clients is expected to continue to decrease over the coming years,
it is imperative that we train and develop the next generation of Bermudian barristers to ensure that our
courts continue to operate efficiently and that all persons, regardless of wealth, have access to justice.
The Legal Aid Office is an ideal training ground
for pupils and junior counsel both due to the diversity of
legal work and the opportunity to assist and learn from
senior barristers engaged in complex litigation before
our courts and tribunals. The Legal A id Office will play
an integral role facilitat ing the Ministry's goal to train
and retain qualified Bermudians for the legal profession, especially for the Criminal Defence Bar.
Recruitment was successful last year in bringing on board a second more senior barrister and a junior barrister as Legal Aid c ounsel. Further development
and growth are anticipated as we remain dedicated to
ensuring access to justice for all Bermudians into the
future.
Madam Chairman, we will, over the coming fiscal year, continue to make crucial investments in our
legal aid plan, whilst always keeping under review our delivery model, best practices, and potential amendments to the Legal Aid Act which reflect the collective
commitment to justice, high service standard and the
essential development and retention of first -rate Bermudian barristers.

Parole Board , 97050
2025/26 vs. 2026/27

The original estimate for 2025 /26
estimate was $120,000. The estimate for 2026 /27 is
$120,000, which represents a zero per cent dollar
value or zero per cent increase.
Madam Chairman, t he Parole Board has been
allocated a budget of $120,000. The allocation under this business unit is designated for board fees and board training programmes as we seek to moderni se
our approach to parole. The Parole Board serves an important role in facilitating the re- entry of offenders
into society. The members of the board, which include
experts in law, psychology and institutional aftercare,
are charged with releasing men and women, who are
eligible by virtue of certain established criteria, to serve
the remainder of their sentence under community supervision. With careful thought and deliberation, the
Parole Board implements conditions that will provide


Bermuda House of Assembly the highest likelihood of applicants becoming law abiding citizens and equipping them for successful reintegration.
On average, Madam Chairman, the b oard
meets three to four times per month and works collab-oratively with other partner agencies of the justice system including court services, our correction facilities,
rehabilitation programme providers and aftercare professionals to identify appropriate ways to achieve goals
of reducing recidivism, preventing crime and protecting society.
In 2025, the b oard conducted a comprehensive
review of 1 80 cases.

Treatment of Offenders Board, 97060
2025/26 vs. 2026/27

The original estimate 2025 /26
was $98,000. The estimate for 2026 /27 is $104,000,
which is $6,000, or 6 per cent increase.
The Treatment of Offenders Board, which has
recently been transferred to the Ministry of Justice, has
been allocated a total budget of $104,000. Of this
amount, $73,000 is designated for the salary of an administrative assistant, while $30,000 is allocated for
board fees.
The Treatment of Offenders Board includes
persons who possess expertise in medicine, psychol-ogy, law, and/or education. The b oard meets in person
twice per month alternating between Westgate and the Co-Ed/Farm Right -Living House facilities. Every month,
two members of the board attend rota visits at the facilities to engage with inmates and compile reports based
on their findings.
The Board acts as a fundamental cornerstone
of our justice system, ensuring inmates’ voices are heard and our corrections system remains focused on rehabilitative and restorative justice principles, over
mere detention.
I will take a brief water break, Madam Chairman.

Thank you, Madam Chairman.
The original estimate for 2025 /26 is $320,000.
The estimate for 2026 /27 is $320,000, which represents a zero dollar and zero per cent increase.
The Justice Protection Programme has been
allocated a budget of $320,000 for fiscal year 2026/27 which represents no increase from the prior year. The Justice Protection Programme, Madam
Chairman, is operated pursuant to the Justice Protection Act 2010. The programme provides protection and
relocation services for critical prosecution witnesses
who meet the legislative requirements for entry into the programme. Specific details are protect ed from public
disclosure under the Justice Protection Act 2010 and
as contained in the Public Access to Information Act
2010. Thus, we proceed with great caution when representing figures and data which could be combined with other information to inadvertently identify pro-gramme participants, thereby compromising the programme’s effectiveness and security.
Madam Chairman, there were two participants
at the start of the 2025/26 fiscal year. Programme participants are afforded protection whilst they provide evidence in high profile or high- risk cases before the
courts.
In the 15 years since the programme has b een
in existence, there have been 42 participants which represented 60 people who were protected in total. The
average duration of enrolment in the programme for protection, or assistance is three years. Over the 15
years of the programme’s existence, a total of 11 addi-tional applications were considered but were denied
entry to the programme, as the assessed risks were
sufficiently addressed by assistance that was already
provided or available to those individuals.
Madam Chairman, by way of example, payments made under the programme are vetted and structured to meet a participant’s reasonable living expenses, including, where appropriate, living expenses
of his/her accompanying family members. Payments
are also made for other reasonable financial assistance, as well as for the purpose of meeting costs associated with relocation and settlement. This can often
include providing assistance to the participant as they
seek and secure employment, or as they access education and health care. Other assistance can be provided with a view to ensuring that the participant becomes self -sufficient to sustain their needs.
Madam Chairman, the programme’s effectiveness is demonstrated by the fact that over 15 years,
there have been 32 trials where the participants have
testified. Convictions were obtained in all but four of
these cases. This amounts to an 87.5 per cent conviction rate for cases where a witness in the Witness Protection Programme gave evidence.
The programme is indispensable to the administration of justice, the rule of law, and wider public safety, as evidenced by the marked increase in successful prosecutions, particularly in gang- related and
violent offender cases. The Justice Protection Pro-gramme’s results compare favourably with equivalent
programmes in other jurisdictions.
Madam Chairman, looking ahead to fiscal year
2026/27, the work of this programme will continue, within its budgetary allocation, to protect the privacy
and locations of the participant witnesses in the
2024 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly programme, towards the successful prosecution of
some of the most heinous crimes in our jurisdiction.

Financial Sanctions Implementation Unit, 97080
2025/26 vs. 2026/27

The o riginal estimate for 2025 /26
[was] $3 76,000. The e stimate for 202 6/27 [is]
$409,000, which represents a $33,000, or 9 per cent
increase.
Madam Chairman, t he Financial Sanctions Implementation Unit (FSIU) plays a critical role in uphold-ing Bermuda’s reputation as a cooperative jurisdiction
with a strong and effective sanctions regime. Its responsibilities include implementing and monitoring
compliance with f inancial and trade sanctions to safeguard the integrity of Bermuda’s financial system and
protect national economic interests. The FSIU also advises the Minister of Justice on broader issues related
to anti -money laundering, counter -terrorist financing,
and counter -proliferation.
For fiscal year 2026/27 the FSIU’s budget allocation is $409,000. This is an increase of $33,000, or
9 per cent, [from] the estimate allocation for the
2025/26 fiscal year. Madam Chairman, 93 per cent of
the FSIU’s budget is allocated for salaries. The remaining 7 per cent is allocated for training, travel, office supplies, telephone expenses and membership fees for its
two counsels

Staff

Madam Chairman, the FSIU is
comprised of two posts: the h ead of the FSIU, and one
legal counsel.
The FSIU team is responsible for:
• providing legal advice and technical support to
the Minister of Justice in carrying out functions
delegated to the Minister from the Governor;
• implementing targeted financial sanctions, as
well as trade sanctions, including bringing rel-evant sanctions Overseas Territories Orders in
Council into force in Bermuda;
• reviewing licence applications in respect of the
various sanctions regimes and enforcing the
same;
• maintaining a web- based repository of sanctions notices in effect in Bermuda;
• public outreach to industry, supervisors and government agencies to enhance awareness
on sanctions obligations, including proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction;
• liaising with Government House and UK authorities on sanctions matters; and
• assisting Ministry of Justice Headquarters with
Bermuda’s AML/ATF global obligations.
Under the international sanctions framework,
Madam Chairman, His Excellency the Governor is Bermuda’s competent authority and holds ultimate responsibility for sanctions implementation, as outlined
in the applicable Overseas Territories Orders under the
International Sanctions Act 2003 and the International
Sanctions Regulations 2013. Since September 2018,
certain functions have been delegated to the Minister
of Justice under the International Sanctions (Delegation of Governor’s Powers) Notice 2018.
Bermuda’s sanctions regime must be up to
date, fully implemented, and effective for the specific
purposes of each financial sanction. As an overseas
territory, Bermuda’s sanctions regime mirrors those
sanctions which are implemented in the United Kingdom. To meet international obligations, the FSIU ensures that all applicable Overseas Territories Orders
that detail new sanctions, or amendments to existing
sanctions regimes, are expeditiously brought into force
in Bermuda. All updates to Bermuda’s sanctions regime are listed in Schedule 1 of the International Sanctions Regulations 2013.
Madam Chairman, under the Bermuda sanctions framework the Minister of Justice has the power
to:
• Obtain evidence and information by taking
such steps as considered appropriate to cooperate with any international investigation relating to the funds, economic resources or finan-cial transactions of a designated person.
• Issue and revoke licences, authorising activity
that would otherwise be prohibited under the
Overseas Territories Orders, with the consent
of the Secretary of State. A licence issued by
the Minister can be varied or revoked at any time with the consent of the UK Secretary of State .
• Serve as the repository to which a relevant institution reports or informs if it credits a frozen
account pursuant to an Order .
• Authori se persons with power to search and investigate suspected ships/aircrafts/vehicles .
• Specify, by Regulations, in the currency of the Territory, the amount which is to be taken as
equivalent to sums expressed in sterling in the
relevant Order.

Output Measures

Madam Chairman, applications
under the Russia sanctions regime continues to be the
prominent regime for which licence applications are
submitted to the FSIU.
In 2025/ 26 the Minister of Justice issued:
• Three General Licences (GLs ).
• The GL for Legal Fees was reissued twice
under the Russia sanctions regime (Bermuda General Licence 2024/09GL; and
Bermuda GL 2025/01GL). This GL permits
payment for legal services provided to a designated person under the Russia or
Belarus regimes, allowi ng legal firms to


Bermuda House of Assembly receive payment from or on behalf of designated persons without requiring a specific licence, provided the terms of the general licence are met. These general licences were issued in January and June 2025 respectively .
• The Oil Price Cap (OPC) GL (2025/03GL)
was reissued under the Russia sanctions
regime. It permits the supply or delivery of Russian oil and oil products by ship, as
well as provision of associated services,
subject to the price cap terms being met.

Outreach

Madam Chairman, the FSIU continues to ensure the sanctions webpage of the Government portal is updated within 24 hours of receiving updated notifications from the UK Government. These updates are required to notify the public of additions or
de-listings to the various sanctions’ regimes in force in
Bermuda. Thus, upon notification from the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office [FCDO ] and
HM Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implemen-tation [OFSI ], the FSIU updates the web page and notifies supervisors to immediately advise their supervised
entities of the changes.
Madam Chairman, in August 2025, the FSIU
transitioned from an outlook mailing list based sanc-tions notification system to a subscription- based sanctions notification service. Under the new system, persons may subscribe directly via a weblink. This enhanced subscription model supports more timely, consistent, and effective compliance with Bermuda’s sanc-tions obligations. Persons can subscribe to the FSIU
Bermuda Sanctions Alert Subscription Service by visit-ing the international sanctions measures web page of
the Government portal at https://www.gov.bm/international -sanctions -measures.
Madam Chairman, the FSIU will continue its
outreach to ministries, departments and industry to
raise awareness of sanctions obligations. During the reporting period, outreach was provided to the Cus-toms Department. The FSIU is also developing a virtual
tool to help entities better understand their obligations
and regularly responds to queries from both industry
stakeholders and government agencies seeking guidance. The FSIU also continues to work closely with UK
counterpart authorities, overseas territories counterparts and domestic operational partners to ensure a
consistent approach is used in the effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions and trade sanctions in Bermuda.

Law Reform Commission, 97100
2025/26 vs. 2026/27

The o riginal estimate for 2025 /26
was $171,000. The estimate for 2026 /27 is $451,000,
which represents a $280,000, or 164 per cent increase.
Madam Chairman, t he Law Reform Commission has been allocated a budget of $451,000 for fiscal
year 2026/27, which represents a $280,000, or 164 per
cent increase from the 2025/26 estimates. This increase is mainly attributable to the salaries of staff, ad-ditional staff to support the Office of Law Reform
namely, research and policy officer, parliamentary
counsel and administrative assistant.
The Law Reform Commission, Madam Chairman, is an independent public body established by stat-ute, namely, the Law Reform Commission Act 2009.
The functions of the Commission are to study, and keep
under review, the laws of Bermuda with a view to their
systematic development and reform. Ber muda’s first
Law Reform Commissioners were appointed in July
2019, and a new cohort is currently under consideration.
The Ministry of Justice is the sponsoring Ministry for the Law Reform Commission and has historically
absorbed the Commission’s costs within its h eadquarters’ annual budget allocation.
The Commission is transitioning to a hybrid
model in which independent Commissioners are supported by a fully staffed Office of Law Reform. This tran-sition includes comprehensive training for both incoming commissioners and support staff to ensure they are
well-equipped for their roles. Oversight will be provided
by the Law Reform Policy and Strategy Counsel, and the Permanent Secretary. Every effort will be made,
within the budget allocation, to support the Commis-sion’s mandate to modernise Bermuda’s laws and institutions.
Madam Chairman, for 2026/27, administrative
and operational costs will continue to be supported
through the shared services of a Ministry Headquarters
Administrator and careful use of Headquarters’ budget
allocations. However, steps will be taken to review and
renew roles and responsibilities to maintain Bermuda’s
strong legal reputation and ensure our laws remain current and aligned with Commonwealth and global standards.
Madam Chairman, the Ministry of Justice’s
2026/27 budget reflects more than a financial statement, it embodies our shared commitment to fiscal responsibility and the stewardship of public resources.
Our dedicated public officers will continue to advance fair and equitable access to justice through legal services, policy, and legislation that upholds the rule of law and supports social progress for the people of Bermuda. I am confident the Ministry will maintain highquality service delivery in 2026/27, driv en by sustainable programmes and reforms that strengthen Ber-muda’s reputation for effective self -governance and respect for the rule of law.

Grants
2026 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Financial Intelligence Unit, 97010
2025/26 vs. 2026/27

The original estimate for 2025 /26
was $2,125,000. The estimate for 202 6/27 is
$2,250,000, which represents an increase of $125,000
or 6 per cent. The budget allocation for grants for fiscal
year 2026/27 is found at page C -17 of the Approved
Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for fiscal year 2026 /27 Budget Book. We highlight $2, 250,000 has
been allocated. This represents an increase of
$125,000 or 6 per cent from the fiscal year 2025 /26.
Madam Chairman, in line with the Government's commitment to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing, the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) was established under
the Financial Intelligence Agency Act 2007. The FIA is an independent agency authori sed to receive, store,
analy se, and disseminate financial intelligence relat ed
to suspected money laundering and terrorist financing activities, primarily received in the form of Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and Suspicious T ransaction
Reports (STRs). The Agency is empowered to share
intelligence with the Bermuda Police Service, foreign
intelligence counterparts, and other relevant domestic authorities.
Madam Chairman, for the 2026 /27 fiscal year,
the FIA was allocated $2,250,000, consistent with the previous year’s budget. In accordance with its statutory
obligations, the FIA submitted quarterly expenditure reports and its audited annual report to the Minister of Justice.
The FIA remains steadfast in its efforts to counter terrorist financing, money laundering, and the fi-nancing of proliferation, working diligently to protect
Bermuda’s financial integrity and international reputa-tion.

Training and Capacity Building

Madam Chairman, in 2025/26,
the FIA continued to enhance its capabilities through
targeted training. Staff participated in virtual webinars
and courses on topics including sanctions, virtual as-sets, fraud, terrorist financing and proliferation financing, hosted by leading institutions such as:
• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
• The Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence
Units
• The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force
(CFATF)
• The Association of Certified Financial Crime
Specialists (ACFCS)
• The Association of Certified Anti -Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS)
• The Basel Institute on Governance
In addition, the FIA enhanced its analytical and
technical capabilities through the upgrade and stabilisation of the goAML reporting platform and the
procurement of advanced analytical tools.

Highlights from 2025/26

The FIA contributed significantly
to the domestic and international fight against financial
crime efforts. Key achievements included:
• Contributions to the n ational money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing,
and legal persons and a rrangements risk assessments, as well as sectoral and new product risk assessments.
• Ongoing participation in National Anti -Money
Laundering Committee [NAMLC ] working
groups and other cross -agency initiatives, notably the co-chairing of the Operational Working Group.
• Attendance at the July 2025 Egmont Plenary
and the ongoing participation in three key Egmont projects.
• Attendance at the Caribbean Financial Action
Taskforce Plenary and working Group Meetings in May 2025 and November 2025 where
the Director of the FIA was appointed co- chair
of the Caribbean Financial Action Taskforce
Risks, Trends and Methods Working Group.

Statistics

In 2025, the r eporting entities
continued to file Suspicious Activity Reports/Suspicious
Transaction Reports [SARs/STRs ] to the FIA. This
year, the Agency received a total of 1, 297 SAR/STR
reports. Among these, report types included 429 SARs,
711 STRs, 7 C -SARs and 150 C -STRs incoming reports. C -SARs and C-STRs are the FIAs recently created consent -related SAR or STR reporting form.
Throughout 2025, the FIA conducted analyses
and issued disclosures to local law enforcement, competent [authorities ], and overseas Financial Intelligence
Units. In support of its work, the Agency issued 41 information requests to Egmont FIUs and 15 to local
counterparts. Additionally, using its authority under
section 16 of the Financial Intelligence Agency Act, the
FIA issued 244 requests to local b ank or credit unions,
corporate service providers, insurance, securities: investment business and m oney service business -related entities.
As a result of these inquiries, the FIA has disclosed a total of 249 outgoing disclosures (48 response
disclosures and 204 spontaneous disclosures) to local law enforcement, local competent authorities, and
overseas Financial Intelligence Units. This break s
down to 132 disclosures disseminated locally to various
competent authorities and 117 disclosures to foreign
Financial Intelligence Units.


Bermuda House of Assembly In 2025, the FIA also received 69 incoming requests for information: 54 from local counterparts and
15 from foreign Financial Intelligence Units.

Looking Ahead

For the 2026/27 fiscal year, the
increased grant will be strategically used to strengthen
the FIA’s operational capacity and effectiveness. Key
investments will include the recruitment of additional
analysts and support staff, upgrades to the IT infra-struc ture ensuring advanced analytical tools, and enhanced training, both in- person and virtual, focused on
money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing, and high- risk and emerging areas such as
fraud and digital assets.
The FIA will also expand its dedicated strategic
analysis workflow to support policy reform and expand
stakeholder engagement through public -private partnerships and targeted outreach to improve the quality
and compliance of suspicious activity and transaction
reports.
In conclusion, the FIA remains steadfast in delivering its mandate. The role that they play is invalua-ble and central to Bermuda’s anti -money laundering,
anti-terrorist financing and countering proliferation financing ecosystem. I extend gratitude to the b oard, the
director and staff at the FIA for their tireless efforts.

Subjective Analysis

Madam Chairman, the subjective
analysis of c urrent account estimates of the Ministry of
Justice Headquarters 2026/27 is found on page B -81. I
will highlight the material object code increases and decreases.
• Salaries increased by $985,000, primarily due to salary increases in the Ministry.
• Professional services increased by $184,000,
largely driven by higher legal and consultancy
fees.
• Rental expenses for Legal Aid increased by
$60,000.
• Other expenses rose by $111,000, driven by
increased training, travel and materials and
supplies expenditure.
• Finally, there was a $125,000 increase in grant
funding provided.

Capital Expenditure

Madam Chairman, t he budget allocation for c apital expenditures is found at p age C -10
of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure. The Ministry of Justice Headquarters has been allocated a total
of $16,000 for fiscal 2026/27. This funding will be utilised to acquire new office furniture, as the existing
items are fully depreciated and have no remaining residual value. Manpower , 97000

Administration has five staff
which will consist of an e xecutive assistant, political
aide consultant, administrative assistant, policy analyst
and a Ministry comptroller.
Business unit 97030, Legal Aid, has 10 staff
which will consist of a senior legal aid counsel, legal aid
counsel, junior legal aid counsel, administrative assistant, paralegal, executive assistant, office manager, accounts officer , and two pupils.
Business unit, 97060, Treatment of Offender’s
Board , has a staff of one, being an administrative assistant.
Business unit, 97080, Financial Sanctions Implementation Unit has two staff members, being the head of Financial Sanctions and a l egal counsel.
Business unit, 97100. As we continue to
strengthen, the Office of the Law Reform Commission
by the end of fiscal year 2026/27 the team will consist
of three staff, law reform policy and strategy counsel,
research and policy officer and an a dministrative assistant to support the work of the Commission.
Madam Chairman, this budget reflects a targeted investment in strengthening justice delivery and
upholding the rule of law in Bermuda. It is aligned with
national priorities and through this allocation, the Ministry will continue to drive accountability by delivering
measurable and impactful performance outcomes.
This ends my presentation on Head 87 , the
Ministry of Justice Headquarters .
Madam Chairman, I will now continue with
Head 3, the Judicial Department.

Madam Chairman, I will now present the budget for Head 3, the Judicial Department, found on pages B -84 to B -91 of the Budget Book.

Mandate

2028 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Dennis Lister III: Madam Chairman, t he Judiciary
is established by the Constitution as a separate and independent branch of government. Its task is to adjudicate charges of criminal conduct, resolve disputes, uphold the rights and freedoms of the individual and pre-serve the rule of law.
The mandate of the Judiciary is: To administer
justice through the effective management of the courts of Bermuda.
The mandate of the administrative arm of the
Judiciary (the Judicial Department) is: To provide the services and support necessary to enable the Judiciary
to achieve its mission.

Madam Chairman, I do note as we are nearing
our break, do you want me to continue into my substantive for this head, or . . .

Madam Chairman, t he Judicial
system is comprised of three levels of c ourt. The Magistrates’ Court (consisting of the Criminal, Civil and Family Courts), the Supreme Court (consisting of the Criminal, Civil and Commercial, Appellate, Family/Matrimonial and Probate Jurisdictions) and the Court of Ap-peal. Ancillary services offered under the umbrella of
the judicial system include b ailiff services.
The Honourable Chief Justice is the head of
the Judiciary. The Registrar is the head of the Judicial
Department [HOD] . Collectively, the Judiciary and Judicial Department have a staffing compl ement of 72 officers, two of whom require a work permit (Puisne
Judges) ; 57, or 79 per cent of posts are filled substantively ; 8, or 11 per cent are filled by temporary relief employees, and 7, or 10 per cent are currently vacant.

Expenditure Overview : Capital Expenditure

Capital expenditure estimates for
2026/27 are found on page C -10 of the Approved Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure Budget Book.
In 2025/26 the d epartment was allocated
$1,000,000 to replace its outdated case management
system (JEMS) and an additional $18,000 for computer
equipment. The department requires a robust case management system that will service all -levels of c ourt.
The system will be utili sed by the Judiciary, d epartment
staff, attorneys and self -litigants. It will offer modernised services such as electronic filing (with the ability to
commence actions online), an online payment portal,
and record management.
The department issued a Request for Proposals [RFP] and received several proposals for consideration. The evaluation and selection process has
taken longer than anticipated. However, with the evaluation and selection process now nearing the final stages, it is hoped that the d epartment will utili se the
funds allocated for the new case management system
before the 2025/26 fiscal year comes to an end. The
department has not been allocated any capital funding
in 2026/27.
The original estimates for 2025/26 were
$1,018,000. The estimates for 2026/27 are zero dollars, which represents a decrease of $1,018,000, or
100 per cent.

Current Account Expenditure

Madam Chairman , the current
account estimates for Head 3, the Judicial Department,
begin on page B -85 of the Estimates of Revenue and
Expenditure Book. A total of $11,023,000 has been allocated to Head 3 within the Ministry of Justice. This
amount represents a $689,000 or 7 per cent increase
from the 2025/26 fiscal year. Additional funding that
has been allocated to the d epartment primarily reflects
salary increases following negotiations with the BPSU.
Original estimates for 2025/26 were
$10,334,000. The estimates for 2026/27 are
$11,023,000, representing $689,000 or 7 per cent increase.

Performance Measures b y Business Unit

Madam Chairman, I am pleased
to provide an analysis by business unit of the budget estimates allocated to the Judicial Department for the
fiscal year 2026/27.
It is to be noted that the Judiciary has published
its 2025 Annual Report, which outlines the services of-fered by the Judiciary, the current state of each division
of the Magistrates’ Court, Supreme Court and the Court
of Appeal, and the statistics for the preceding year. It is
important, both as a matter of principle and for retaining
public confidence, that the Judiciary, as an independent branch of the Government, gives an account of its
performance in discharging its duties to the public and
court users . The 2025 Annual Report is available for
viewing on the Judiciary’s website.

Original estimate s for 2025 /26
[was] $ 1,184,000. Estimates for 202 6/27 are
$1,400,000, which represents $216,000, or 18 per cent
increase.
This cost centre provides for the salaries and
operational expenses for the administration of the Supreme Court Registry, for which there are now 11
posts. There are two a ssistant registrars, the s upreme
court manager, accounts personnel and a dministrative
officers.
The increase in funding to this cost centre reflects an increase to salaries.
I will stop there, Madam Chairman, before I
head into the next business unit.

You can . . . actually, your time is now
up. We are at 12: 31, and it's our lunch break.
So just for the benefit of the listening public, we
are currently in debate for the Attorney General and Minist ry of Justice, and the head that we are currently
on is Head 3.
I call on one of the Members to take us into
lunch, and we will resume after lunch.

[Crosstalk]

The original estimates for 2025-
/26 [were] $3,231,000. Estimates for 2026/ 27 [are]
$3,573,000 which represents a $342,000 increase, or
11 per cent .
This cost centre provides for the salaries and
operational expenses for the courtrooms and chambers of the Supreme Court , which make up its criminal, civil
and commercial, and family /matrimonial divisions.
There are 21 posts accounted for in this cost
centre including the members of the J udiciary, the Honourable Chief Justice Mr. Larry Muss enden, justices of
the Supreme Court, the Honourable Ms. Nicole St oneham, the Honourable Mrs. S hade Sub air-Williams, the
Honourable Mr. Juan Wolf fe, the Honourable Mr. Andrew Martin, and the Honourable Mr. A len Richards,
the regist rar, and their administrative support.
The increase in funding to this cost centre reflects salaries as well as the fees payable to assistant
justices and to local law firms. Due to Bermuda's small
size, occasionally the J udiciary's current complement
of judges is conflicted from hearing certain matters that
are commenced in the Supreme Court. When those
cases arise, the G overnor, in consultation with the
Chief Justice, will appoint an A ssistant Justice to have
conduct of the matter.
The Bermuda Constitution Order 1968, the
Constitution, allows for the appointment of up to five
Assistant Justices. Due to an increase in cases that
have been filed in the Supreme Court, the J udiciary has
had to utilise Assistant Justices on a more frequent basis. At present, all five posts allowed under the C onstitution are occupied on a rotational basis. Additionally,
there have been cases where litigants have commenced Supreme Court and Court of Appeal proceedings against magistrates, judges, and the r egistrar in
their judicial capacity. These cases must be contested,
and cause will be sought against the litigants who com-mence each action.
The Attorney General's Chambers is conflicted
in being able to represent members of the J udiciary and
2030 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly as such there must be funding in place to retain private
counsel.

Court Technology Office, 13025

Original estimates for 20 25/26
[were] $510,000. Estimates for 20 26/27 [were]
$522,000, an increase of $12,000 or 2 per cent .
This co st centre provides salaries for the Information Technology Section. There are three posts, in-cluding the IT manager and IT assistant. This funding
also includes the cost for transcription services and
maintenance fees for the court's court reporting system, CourtSmart. The court's IT equipment and software applications must be maintained, kept up to date,
and will ultimately have to be r eplaced when necessary. The increase in funding in this co st centre reflects
salaries.

The Court of Appeal, 13020

Original estimates for 2025/26
[were] $1,016,000. Estimates for 20 26/27 [are]
$982,000, which represents a $34,000, or 3 per cent
decrease. This cost centre provides the sitting and retainer fees of the president of the Court of Appeal, five
justices of appeal, and the salaries of two posts : the
administrative officer for Court of Appeal and an administrative assistant.
The Court of Appeal meets three times a year.
Each session is three weeks long. Although it is anticipated that both the a dministrative officer for [the] Court
of Appeal and the a dministrative post will be filled substantively in 2026 /27, there has been a decrease in the
funding allocated to salaries. The d epartment requires
both posts to be filled in order for the Court of Appeal to be managed effectively. Any decrease in salaries
may result in a decrease in services.

The Magistrates’ Court, 13040
Adjudication

Oh, o kay. Thank you.
Original estimates for 2025/26 [were]
$1,087,000. Estimates for 2026 /27 [are] $1,127,000,
which is a $40,000 increase or 4 per cent .
This co st centre provides funding for the senior
magistrate, for magistrates and the appointment of act-ing magistrates where necessary. The Magistrates ’
Court is multi -jurisdictional, having conduct of civil,
criminal, traffic, and family matters. There are also the
treatment courts, such as Mental Health Treatment
Court, Drug Treatment Court, the Driving Under Influence Court, and the Probation/ Community Service Orders Review Court, which continues to reduce recidivism by addressing the drug, alcohol, and mental
health challenges of offenders. There is also a Case Management Court that is conducted once a week,
which is designed to resolve all disclosure, evidential, and procedural issues before a matter proceeds to trial.
As a result, instances where a tri al would not have proceeded because of such issues have been significantly
reduced from previous years.
All cases or hearings are heard by a magistrate
sitting alone, except in the Family Court, where the magistrate sits with two lay members chosen from a
special panel. The Magistrates ’ Court is presided over
by the Worshipful Senior Magistrate, Maxanne J. Anderson, the Worshipful Tyrone Chi n, the Worshipful C.
Craig Attridge, the Worshipful Maria Sofianos, and the
Worshipful Auralee Cassidy, all of whom bring a wealth
of knowledge and experience to the magistra cy. In addition, the senior magistrate has a ros ter of acting magistrates who will sit when a substantive magistrate is on leave. Additionally, the roster provides opportunities to
those in the legal profession to acquire judicial experience and skills, which will put them in a position to elevate to the bench.
The increase in funding to this cost centre reflects salaries.

Civil Records, 13050

Original estimates for 2025/26
[were] $273,000. Estimates for 2026/27 [are] $289,000,
which represents a $ 16,000, or 6 per cent increase.
This c ost centre provides for the administrative arm of
the Magistrates ’ Court civil section. The c ivil section is
overseen by the office manager, who has under their
remit one s enior court associate supervisor and two
court associates.
The civil section provides case management
and court services for the resolution of civil claims up to
$25,000 and landlord/ tenant matters under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1974 and the Rent Increases ( Domestic Premises ) Control Act 1978. The Civil Court
continued to accept filings of all proceedings, including evictions and the recovery of rent arrears. Proceedings
were initiated by various entities, which include, but are not limited to, law firms, litigants in person, and credit
agencies.
The increase in funding to this cos t centre reflects salaries.

Family and Child Support, 13060

Original estimates for 2025/26
[were] $531,000. Estimates for 2026/27 [are] $592,000,
which is a $61,000, or 11 per cent increase.
This cost centre provides for the salaries and
operational expenses for the family and child support
section of the Magistrates ’ Court. There are six posts,


Bermuda House of Assembly including the f amily support officer, enforcement officer,
an administrative assistant, and three c ourt associates.
The Family Court is a special court which was
created to handle the specific needs of children,
whether born within or outside of marriage, and matters arising in respect of their custody, care, maintenance,
and violations against the law for juvenile offenders.
As a result of the Supreme Court utilising one
of the Magistrates ’ Court's rooms on the second floor
of the Dame Lois Brown e-Evans Building, only one
Family Court could operate. Throughout 2025, the
Family Court rooms were reduced by 50 per cent .
There continues to be one dedicated Family Court
compr ised of a magistrate and two special panel members, one male and one female, pursuant to the Magis-trates Act 1948. The panel members assist the m agistrates in decision- making, and their value to the Family
Court and its continued success is immeasurable.
It is to be noted that the sensitivity and complexity of Family Court matters have increased, which
requires the Family Court panel to exercise the utmost judicial care in resolving such matters.
The increase in funding to this cost centre reflects salaries and an increase to fees payable to the special panel members.
Administration, 13070

Original estimates for 2025/ 26
[were] $1,330,000. Estimates for 2026/ 27 [are]
$1,329,000, which is a $1,000, or 1 per cent decrease.
This cost centre provides for the salaries and
operational expenses for the administration of the Mag-istrates ’ Court for which there are six posts including
the court manager, office manager, accounting officer,
and administrative public officers. The decrease in
funding to this cost centre reflects salaries.

Criminal, Traffic, and Records, 13080

Original estimates for 2025/ 26
[were] $595,000. Estimates for 2026/ 27 [are] $610,000,
which is a $15,000 increase, or 3 per cent .
The Criminal /Traffic /Records Section falls under the remit of the office manager and is supervised
by the r ecords supervisor. There are two court associates designated to this section who provide case management and court services related to the resolution of
criminal, traffic , and parking ticket cases as well as
manage all record requests. Additionally, the c ourt associates provide clerking support to the magistrates
and are solely responsible for inputting demerit points
into the Transport Control Department driver's vehicle
registration system and the court's current case management system, JEMS. The increase in funding to this
cost centre reflects salaries.

Bailiff’s Office, 13090

Original estimates for 2025/ 26
[were] $577,000. Estimates for 2026/ 27 [are] $599,000,
which is a $22,000, or 4 per cent increase.
This cost centre provides for the salaries, service, and execution of court papers inclusive of civil,
family, Supreme Court, and foreign service. There is
one head bailiff/deputy provost marshal general, one
administrative assistant, and four b ailiffs who travel
throughout the I sland serving court processes. The increase in funding to this cost centre reflects salaries.

Revenue Overview

Madam Chairman, the revenue
estimates for 2026/ 27 are found on page B -86 of the
approved Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure
Budget Book. Revenues are projected at $5,556,000,
or a 15 per cent increase from 2025/ 26 fiscal year. Total revenue for 2025/ 26, original estimates for 2025/26
were $4,811,000. Estimates for 2026 /27 [are]
$5,556,000, which is a $745,000 increase, or 15 per
cent.

Filing Fees for the Supreme Court

Historically, fees payable to the
Supreme Court Registry in respect of documents filed
in new and active proceedings is a source of revenue
that has not been recorded as the majority of these fees
were paid by way of revenue stamps that counsel and
litigan ts purchased through the Accountant General. It
has been noted that with effect from March 1, 2024, the
fees payable to the Supreme Court Registry increased pursuant to the Rules of the Supreme Court Amendment Rules 2024 and the Civi l Appeal Amendment
Rules 2024.
The new fee structure brought the fees
charged by the Supreme Court Registry in line with other similar jurisdictions , such as the Cayman Islands ,
and has provided an increased revenue stream for the
Government of Bermuda.

Fees for Overseas Registered Associates
and Court Fees and Charges

Lastly, the Supreme Court Registry Probate Jurisdiction processes applications to probate the estates of deceased individuals. A tax assessment is made on the net estate value of a deceased
2032 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly estate. The net estate value is a calculation of the total
value of a deceased gross estate less the value of statutory deductions and exemptions, including the value
of property designated as a primary family homestead
and spousal benefit. It has been est imated that the d epartment will record a total of $1,500,000 in stamp duty
assets for deceased estates in 2026/ 27.

Magistrates ’ Court : Traffic, Parking,
and Criminal Fines

The major components of revenue in the Magistrates ’ Court are traffic, parking, and
criminal fines. It has been estimated that the d epartment will receive a total of $2,250,000 in traffic fines by
the end of the 2025/ 26 fiscal year and that the revenue
received for traffic fines will increase to $3,000,000 in
2026 /27. This would result in an increase of $750,000,
or a 33 per cent increase from the 2025/ 26 fiscal year.
It has been estimated that the department will receive
a total of $500,000 in parking tick et fines and a further
$181,000 in criminal fines in 2026/ 27.

Court Fees

Madam Chairman, the anticipated restructuring of the department's organisational
chart has been approved.
The purpose of the restructuring was to define
now defunct positions. The most anticipated change to
the organisational chart includes the addition of a second assistant registrar , an administrative officer supervisor for the Supreme Court's matrimonial and probate jurisdictions , AO/matrimonial probate, and an executive
assistant to the r egistrars. Once filled, these posts will
fill significant service gaps and greatly improve the d epartment's ability to deliver prompt and efficient ser-vices.
In addition, efforts will also be made to develop
and increase the professional knowledge and skills of
the department's staff. It is hoped that this, coupled with
a complete and comprehensive review of the d epartment's job descriptions, will aid in staff retention and
succession planning as the d epartment prepares for
the retirement of key managerial roles.
Lastly, it is anticipated that preparations will
continue in relation to the renovation project that is due to commence at the Dame Lois Browne-Evans Building
to create additional fit -for-purpose court and administrative space. With the department fully vacated from
Sessions House and an increase in matters before all
levels of the court, the J udiciary is suffering from a lack
of physical infrastructure. This can have the undesirable effect of negatively impacting the timely disposal of court proceedings. T he department is looking forward to continuing this work with the Department of Public Lands and Buildings to progress the renovation project.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on Head 3, the Judicial Department.

Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Madam Chairman, it is my pleasure to present
fiscal year 2026/ 27 estimates of expenditure for Head
25, the Department of Corrections, which are found on
page [s] B-95 to B -98 of the Approved Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure book.
Madam Chairman, the Department of Corrections' mission is , To protect the public and provide rehabilitative services. The department's objectives are
• to strive to maintain high standards of security
as this is essential to the safe operation of our
facilities ;
• to provide a humane but demanding regime
aimed at reducing re- offending by presenting
inmates with a range of opportunities in which
reward is linked to effort, incentives, and
earned privileges to prepare for life after release; [and]
• to aim to have robust and disciplined regimes
and systems in place to achieve operational efficiency at all levels.
The department carries out its objectives by
providing rehabilitative services across its three inmate facilities, employing a high level of security to ensure the safety of its staff, inmates, and the community.
The current account estimates for Head 25
begin on page [B] -95. A total of $26,882,000 has been
allocated for Head 25 for fiscal year 2026/ 27. This represents an increase of $2,172,000, or 9 per cent over
the original budget for financial year 20 25/26.
Madam Chairman, at present there are 175
full-time staff. The estimated number of full -time employees for 2026/ 27 is 218 which will be funded in the
2026 /27 fiscal year .
The fiscal year 2025/26 marked the start of the
recruitment process for basic officers to fill vacant posi-tions. Six officers completed recruitment training on
February 27, 2026. There are an additional nine applicants that will be offered contracts.
Madam Chairman, the Department of Corrections continues to uphold a high standard of security


Bermuda House of Assembly across all facilities. In the current fiscal year , ongoing
upgrades to the CCTV systems at the F arm, Westgate,
and the Co-Educational Facilities [Co-Ed] have been
advanced through capital acquisition funding. Due to
deterioration identified in sections of the fencing, nec-essary razor wire repairs and replacements have been
completed at Westgate with further remedial work
scheduled to continue throughout fiscal year 2026/ 27
to ensure sustained perimeter integrity and security.
Madam Chairman, operational efficiencies
continue to improve in fiscal year 2026/ 27. The animal
and garden programme at the F arm and Co-Ed Facility
produces eggs and vegetables for consumption by the
inmate populations at the respective facilities, resulting
in a decrease in food purchases.
The facilities occupied by the department are
ageing and require significant maintenance and repair. The department continues to prioritise finding solutions
to address the repairs required as the state of our facilities not only impacts staff but also those in the d epartment's custody.
During the 2025/ 26 fiscal year , the Ministry of
Public Works published a procurement notice for the
provision of a facilities condition assessment for the
Bermuda Department of Corrections facilities. The d epartment has worked closely with the Ministry in this
process and awaits final confirmation of the next steps.
Madam Chairman, physical plant upgrades
during the 2025 /26 fiscal year included continued refurbishments and repairs to the inmate housing units at
the Westgate facility. Air conditioning units at Westgate
and the Co-Ed Facility were also repaired and replaced. Kitchen equipment in Westgate's main kitchen was partially replaced. During the 2025 /26 fiscal year ,
the duress system at the C o-Ed Facility was upgraded
as infrastructure was outdated.
The procurement process for a body scanner
at the Westgate Correctional Facility was also initiated
to enhance security with finalisation expected in f inancial year 2026/ 27.
Madam Chairman, I would now like to draw
your attention to page B -95 of the Approved Estimates
of Revenue and Expenditure B ook that sets out the current account estimates for 2026/ 27. Here, under the
general summary, you will note there are 12 business units within the Department of Corrections. Those business units with variances from fiscal year 2025/ 26 will
be addressed in turn.

Headquarters and OTS , 35000

The estimate for business unit
35000, Headquarters and OTS , is $20,043,000, an increase of $2,128,000, or 12 per cent over the 2025 /26
budget allocation.
This business unit represents 88 per cent of
the department's budget allocation. This allocation will
fund salaries for staff, including custody staff and operating expenses for c orrections headquarters. The Department of Corrections staff training
regime is designed to provide learning that is aligned
with the d epartment's core values. Staff training programmes focus on equipping staff with the necessary skills to maintain security, enforce policies and legal statutes, and to foster the rehabilitation of incarcerated
persons.
Madam Chairman, in fiscal year 2025/ 26, staff
members participated in training both locally and overseas. These training opportunities saw 11 staff members participate in therapeutic crisis intervention, which was hosted by the Department of Child and Family Services. This programme provided staff with skills to prevent crises from occurring and to de-escalat e potential
crises. One senior officer attended the Strategic Management for the 21st Century Policing w orkshop, which
was sponsored by the Bermuda Police Service.
Two senior members of staff were selected to
participate in the UK Ministry of Justice p rison programme: Next Generation Leadership Programme.
This four -phased programme is a development programme which addresses the need to support middle
and senior level managers with structured leadership
training and forms part of the d epartment's succession
planning. This programme is expected to conclude in
July 2026.
Five staff members participated in the Young
People and Trauma Workshop. Staff participated in
training workshops offered by the Department of Employee and Organisational Development.
Thirty members of staff participated in in- house
PIPA training to ensure that staff understand their legal
duties and to build a culture of responsible data han-dling.
Twenty -six staff participated in workshops on
bullying and harassment. The department is grateful for
the sponsorship of the UK Ministry of Justice Prison
Programme.
Five staff members, under the instruction of
Lee Pilkington, head of National Locking, successfully
completed locksmith training. This training allowed the
department to expand the number of staff who can instal and maintain locks throughout all of the facilities.
Staff actively engaged in training seminars offered by the UK Overseas Territories Health Security
Agency covering topics from leadership and emotional
intelligence to strategy development.
Madam Chairman, as part of succession planning, staff development training was held to prepare officers for senior officer promotions which will take place
during this fiscal year 20 26/27. Eligible staff participated in preparations to sit the promotion qualifying
exam, leadership classes, interview training, and
budget training. Staff development will be encouraged
and supported as opportunities arise.

Farm Facility , 35020

2034 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Dennis Lister III: Madam Chairman, the estimate
for business unit 35020, Farm Facility , is $454,000.
This represents an $8,000, or 2 per cent increase when
compared to the 2025/26 fiscal budget.
The Farm Facility is an adult male minimum security facility with a capacity to house 90 inmates. For
inmates to be housed at this facility, they have had to
complete their core sentence plan requirements and
are classified as minimum low -risk inmates.
Eligible inmates at the Farm Facility are considered for work release and charity work programmes. Unescorted charit ies allow inmates to independently
contribute to sites such as the St. George's Foundation,
a registered charity dedicated to the preservation and
restoration of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, rest homes and STAR . Such programmes foster societal reconnection and enhancement of inmates' sense of self -
worth.
Madam Chairman, during the fiscal year
2025/26, the Farm Facility g ardens managed to produce a variety of vegetables including corn, beans,
pumpkin, butternut squash, lettuce, mustard greens,
onions, beets, spinach, Swiss chard, sweet potatoes,
turnips, and bok choy. The animal programme, which
includes chickens, successf ully produced 3,382 eggs
for consumption, which equates to a savings of approximately $2,087. (I am just going to take a water break.)

Thank you, Madam Chairman.
In fiscal year 2026 /27, the d epartment plans to
expand the chicken programme with the aim of supply-ing all facilities with eggs. The facility also houses
goats.
This structured programme not only promotes
personal growth and responsibility through daily care
and livestock management but also provides participants with practical experience that can lead to meaningful employment and independence after reintegra-tion into the community.
Madam Chairman, in fiscal year 2025/ 26, the
work release programme continued with 14 inmates participating. Some of the inmates who participated
completed their sentence, were released, and secured
gainful employment. The diverse employment placement showcases the success of the Work Release Programme in connecting individuals to various employment opportunities.
During the fiscal year 20 25/26, the work release initiative, “ Step Up Work Readiness Initiative, ”
continued with seven inmates participating. The aim of
this programme is to provide inmates with significant
opportunities to develop their social skills, work ethic,
and gain valuable experience outside of the facility compound. This programme also reinforces in inmates
a sense of confidence, purpose, responsibility, and ultimately contributes to reducing their chances of
reoffending upon release from custody. Through this
programme, they have assisted with the clearing of foliage in various spots around the Island, which encroaches on roads and main thoroughfares. The programme participant requirements are currently being
reviewed. However, the programme will resume in the
next fiscal year.
Madam Chairman, the Mechanics Programme
at the F arm Facility that was reintroduced during the
last fiscal year continues. The main garage at the F arm
Facility is the location of this programme, and the instructor has engaged inmates with instruction in motor
mechanics, teaching them viable skills that can be utilised upon reintegration into the wider community. The
garage operations have been used to service the department's fleet of vehicles.

Co-Educational Facility , 35030

Madam Chairman, the estimate
for business unit 35030 C o-Educational Facility is
$313,000. This represents an increase of $7,000 or
2 per cent when compared to the 202 5/26 budget.
This facility, with a capacity of 56 cells, has
separate provisions to house 40 females ( adult and juvenile) , six young male offenders between the ages of
16 and 21, and 18 adult males participating in the resi-dential Substance Abuse Treatment programme therapeutic community.
Educational and vocational programmes are
offered based on the needs and classification of the inmates and trainees and are identified through the case
management process. The following programmes are
offered at the Co-Ed Facility to support the rehabilitation of incarcerated persons :
• Ongoing training and development pro-grammes are provided to help prevent
reoffending.
• Assistance with housing and job placement is
offered to ensure those in custody have the
best possible start as they transition back into
the community upon release.
• Religious programmes support inmates' spiritual needs.
• Alcoholics Anonymous support groups are available to offer support during incarceration
and help facilitate continued support upon release.
• A chicken farm has been established at the CoEducational Facility offering therapeutic benefits as inmates care for the chickens.
• A mentorship programme is available designed
to support the spiritual and social development
of inmates and young offenders. Through this
programme, experienced mentors guide mentees in navigating personal challenges,


Bermuda House of Assembly fostering emotional growth, and building
stronger skills.
• Educational and enrichment initiatives con-tinue to expand and include the Cisco [Networking Academy] computer programme, Bermuda College courses, Coursera courses, and
computer essentials being offered to the inmates. This has allowed inmates and trainees
to participate in computer -based learning
across various disciplines and earn certificates
or diplomas.
• Arts and crafts classes have provided a positive and constructive outlet for creativity and
self-expression. These sessions have contributed to positive engagement within the female
population.
• Music and sound engineering sessions have
been significant activities. The programme allows participants to learn technical skills related to music production, song recording, and
audio editing. The programme promotes con-structive use of time while introducing skills
that may support future employment opportunities.
• Yoga courses have focused on improving physical wellness and managing stress.
Through guided movement and breathing techniques, inmates are supported in developing healthier coping strategies contributing to improved mental well -being in a calmer living environment.

West gate Correctional Facility , 35060

Madam Chairman, the estimate
for business unit 35060, West gate Correctional Facility ,
is $1,149,000. This represents a decrease of $39,000
or 3 per cent when compared to the 20 25/26 budget.
West gate Correctional Facility is an adult male
establishment with the capacity to house 220 inmates
classified as maximum, medium, and minimum security
as well as males remanded by the courts. Most of the
assessment and treatment programmes for male inmates take place at this facility. West gate presently
houses more than 28 per cent of inmates who are serving life and 40 per cent who are serving 10 years or
more.
Madam Chairman, in fiscal year 2025 /26,
West gate Facility continued to face infrastructure issues such as plumbing, electrical, and roofing problems due to an ageing physical plant that has been in
operation since 1994.
The engagement of a computer lab instructor
continues to bol ster supervised access of the computer
lab, which allows inmates to utilise programming to online educational and technological programmes. This
access also benefits inmates who require additional
learning or may require alternate learning styles. In-mates who are seeking employment as part of their discharge planning can now be given a monitored personal email address, allowing them to communicate
with potential employers.
Vocational and enrichment classes such as art
and music continue to be offered for enrichment and prove popular with the inmate population. Additionally,
BLMC, Bermuda Land Management Company , has
employed an inmate under a work release arrangement. Currently, the department is in confirming the
placement of another inmate.
Madam Chairman, the facility has collaborated
with middle and high schools to provide a forum for students to engage in honest and constructive conversations with inmates. The aim of these sessions is to assist the students in developing sound decision- making
skills and understanding how to avoid choices that can have long- lasting negative consequences. During the
Easter period, kites made by inmates were donated to
various schools and churches throughout the island.

Therapeutic Community Centre, 35090

Madam Chairman, the estimates
for business unit 35090, Therapeutic Community Centre, is $683,000, which represents an increase of
$30,000 or 5 per cent when compared to the budget allocation for 20 25/26. The T herapeutic Community Centre, also known as the R ight Living House, is located at
the Co-Educational Facility. The Right Living House is
a substance abuse rehabilitation programme that is segregated from the remaining prison population. The
programme has the capacity to house 18 a dult male offenders with a history of substance abuse and associated criminality. The programme aims to transition residents to the broader community with an increased potential for a life free of drug abuse and criminal activity
through providing tools an d opportunities for change.
The programme also accommodates individuals serv-ing shorter sentences with community supervision to
follow, particularly those referred to Drug Treatment
Court.
The budget allocation funds staffing, operational costs, and the inmate programmes associated
with the R ight Living House. Over the past year, four
phase three clients have participated in the work release portion of the programme and two in the step- up
programme as they transition back into the community
while continuing to engage in therapeutic groups and
classes during evenings and weekends. Additionally,
three individuals participated in the A ftercare programme with two graduating in September 2025 during recovery month.
Madam Chairman, in fiscal year 2025 /26, residents of the R ight Living House and the Aftercare programme benefited from a structured environment that addresses not only substance misuse, but also criminal
addictive thinking patterns that contribute to poor decision-making. The programme emphasises teaching effective coping and problem- solving skills alongside
2036 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly providing moral recognition therapy to help individuals
build and strengthen a positive moral framework.

Psychological Services , 35105

Hon. E. David Burt: The estimate for business unit
35105, Psychological Services , is $359,000. This represents an increase of $5,000 or 1 per cent when compared to the 20 25/26 fiscal budget.
Psychological services are provided across all
three facilities and have evolved throughout the fiscal year 2025 /26. Madam Chairman, the services provided
by the psychology department include clinical interventions on a one- to-one basis and within a group setting.
The individual interventions are [person- ]centred and
aimed to meet the specific needs of clients. There has
been an increase in the number of sessions that have
sought to explore and process the trauma of individuals
as well as support the development of self -awareness,
knowledge, and skills.

Thank you for the timely intervention, Madam Chairman.
They have also been involved in conducting
psychological risk assessments for the purposes of
pre-sentence planning for the courts of Bermuda and
for the P arole Board. The current volume and complexity of clinical assessment and consultative demands ex-ceed the capacity of the existing psychology team. Therefore, engaging a n additional psychologist is operationally necessary to ensure timely completion of
mandated reports, continuity of therapeutic services,
and the maintenance of safe and effective correcti onal
practises across the department.
On an ongoing basis, psychological consultation is provided to staff and external professionals to
enhance their understanding of the needs of the clients
and a means of best practise. The department has provided training for staff to enhance their skills and knowledge and has added staff support sessions to improve their well -being and practise.
Madam Chairman, for the current fiscal year,
the structured group intervention programme at Westgate, Life Minus Violence— Harmful Sexual Behaviour,
[LMV -E], has continued to operate as a key rehabilitative initiative. To date, a total of 546 individual sessions have been conducted. Five cases remain ongoing and
scheduled for completion by the end of March 2026.
Comprehensive psychological assessments
have also been undertaken across all populations. During this reporting period, 17 psychological profile reports were completed. In support of parole considerations and applications under the Criminal Code Act
1907 section 329E, nine psychological risk assessments were prepared. Additionally, eight therapy pro-gress reports were submitted to inform case manage-ment and decision- making processes.
Beyond direct inmate services, the forensic
psychologists have contributed significantly to staff de-velopment and institutional support. Three Managing
Boundaries training sessions were delivered to new recruits and vendor staff, reinforcing professional standards and ethical practise.
A further training session on young people and
trauma was provided to co-ed staff to strengthen
trauma- informed approaches within the facility.
Staff support remains a priority. Consultancy
services continue through monthly meetings and active participation in multidisciplinary forums, including the
Offender Risk Management Team, Mental Health Clients in Corrections, Right Living House, case conferences with the Attorney General's Office regarding sexual offending matters, reclassification reviews, and the
Inmate Service Committee. Collectively, these services
reflect a coordinated and structured approach to offender rehabilitation, risk management , staff development, and institutional support, ensuring that psycho-logical services remain integral to safe custody and successful reintegration outcomes.

Social Services and Case Management , 35106

Madam Chairman, the estimate
for business unit 35106, Social Services and Case
Management , is $916,000. This represents a decrease
of $43,000, or 4 per cent , when compared to the
2025 /26 fiscal budget.
Madam Chairman, the department's social
workers play a vital role in the multidisciplinary team,
providing targeted interventions that address offencerelated behavioural concerns as well as the broader social and financial challenges affecting inmates and
trainees.
Social Services offers a comprehensive range
of rehabilitative and reintegration supports, including facilitating active participation in Mental Health Clients
in Corrections meetings to ensure coordinated interagency continuity of care.


Bermuda House of Assembly Family engagement and pro- social relationship-building continue to be essential parts of the department's rehabilitative approach. Social Services
manages the Fathers and Children Together programme, which includes organised family activities that strengthen parental bonds and encourage responsible
fatherhood.
Working with community partners, seasonal
programmes have involved giving gifts to children and
grocery vouchers to families, helping to maintain family
stability and community ties. Moreover, the annual Family and F riends event at the Co-Ed Facility offers
adult female inmates and trainees meaningful chances
to reconnect with supportive networks. The social
worker plays a key role in pre- release planning by actively helping inmates find suitable jobs and stable housing to support their success ful return to the community.
Additionally, structured family support and intervention meetings are held to strengthen relationships and reinforce accountability before release. To-gether, these targeted efforts form part of a comprehensive, evidence- based reintegration framework
aimed at reducing recidivism, increasing self -sufficiency, and supporting lasting community reintegration
outcomes.
During this fiscal year, an in- house drug treatment programme commenced. The programme, which
is a closed group, consists of 26 sessions. The aim of
the programme is to teach participants struggling with
addiction how to maintain lasting recovery and self -
control in a non- threatening environment.
Madam Chairman, during this fiscal year, the
department has engaged in discussions with service
providers to deliver grief recovery and domestic violence programmes. These pilot programmes are
scheduled to commence in this fiscal year and continue throughout the 20 26/27 fiscal year.
Madam Chairman, four case managers assess
inmates' risks and needs, develop treatment plans, and
monitor inmates' progress throughout their sentences.
Additionally, they work to bridge the gap between estranged family members and assist in reunification.
Soon to be released inmates also receive reintegration
services.
During the 2025 /26 fiscal year, case managers
fulfilled a broad and critical mandate in support of ef-fective offender management and institutional operations. Their responsibilities included conducting comprehensive assessments, preparing detailed parole re-ports, coordinating both internal and external referrals,
processing inmate applications, and facilitating multidisciplinary case conferences. Through these structured and collaborative efforts, case managers ensured
informed decision- making, continuity of care, and alignment with established correctional standards and rehabilitative objectives.

Health Services , 35107 Mr. Dennis Lister III: Madam Chairman, the estimate
for business unit 35107, Health Services , is
$1,775,000. This represents a $31,000, or 2 per cent
increase when compared to the 20 25/26 fiscal budget.
This increase is related to the number of inmates requiring health care services. This budget allocation will provide funding for nursing staff and inmate
health care services that are tailored for the individual
needs. Health Services is managed by a senior nurse
and five registered nurses responsible for providing services to the inmate population at all facilities.
Madam Chairman, to ensure prompt continuous care, many health services are provided on- site,
reducing the need to transport inmates outside of the facilities. This in -house approach allows the H ealth
Services staff to closely monitor and assess each inmate's health needs, ensuring timely interventions and personalised care. However, when more specialised
treatment is necessary, inmates may be referred to external health care providers, both public and private.
The following services are offered at the facility: physical examinations, dental treatment and dental
hygiene, chronic disease management, mental health
evaluation and treatment, chiropody , ECG, HIV and
AIDS counselling and surveillance, nutritional consultations, phlebotomy, drug detoxification, drug screening,
and suicide prevention and counselling.
Madam Chairman, a significant strain is put on
the Health Services budget due to a high rate of chronic
conditions amongst inmates received into custody
combined with the fact that many of these individuals
have unmanaged or untreated illnesses. This has led
to more complex and expensive medical treatments. There has also been a sharp rise in pharmaceutical
costs, which has contributed significantly to pressure in
this co st centre.
Health Services, in collaboration with the Co -
Ed F acility, conducted a medical emergency response
drill, which tested emergency policies and plans. The
drill validated emergency response protocols and
demonstrated effective inter -team coordination.
Madam Chairman, the Health Services team
managed all doctors ’ clinics, including dentistry, medical, psychiatric, chiropody , and physiotherapy, with a
total of approximately 24,885 medical encounters.

Educational services , 35108

Madam Chairman, the estimate
for business unit 35108 , Educational Services , is
$394,000. This represents an increase of $5,000 or [a] 1 per cent increase. This is due to an increase in the
cost of new courses and associated materials.
During fiscal year 20 25/26, a total of 57 inmates were actively engaged in various educational courses or classes offered both internally and in conjunction with partner agencies. The programmes delivered during this fiscal year reflected a balanced investment in foundational education, digital literacy, tertiary
2038 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly preparation, professional certification, and creative expression. Participation data [available] reflects enrolment up to [the] 31st of January 2026. Eleven students
were actively enrol led in the G eneral Education Development (GED ) pathway during fiscal year 20 25/26. The
GED pathway remains a key component of the academic rehabilitation. In-person classes were held in
mathematics, social studies, and language arts. Additionally, the GED academy delivered online through educational essentials via the CARE Le arning Centre.
This individualised platform continues to serve as a
flexible supplement to in- person instruction.
Two eligible candidates took the exam during
the second sitting window with one passing. Although no high school equivalency graduation ceremony occurred this fiscal year, several candidates are progressing towards completion and are expected to be recog-nised in the upcoming fiscal year.
During this current fiscal year, six students
were enrol led in Computer Essentials, an online
course. Five students were enrol led in the Cisco programme and they remain actively engaged. Due to
some system changes, this has temporarily delayed
new enrolment confirmations. In partnership with the
Bermuda College, 14 students participated in various Bermuda College APACE certificate courses. The
courses were subsidised via the Department of Work-force Development funding. Courses span areas such as Microsoft E xcel and p roject management, providing
industry -relevant credentials.
Nine students were enro lled in the Duolingo
language programme. Participants are studying English, Spanish, Russian, Italian, and Mandarin. This course- neutral programme continues to demonstrate
strong engagement, and one student participated in the
Fast ForWord reading programme through Bercon Limited.
The department continues to support tertiary
progression and professional certification, and courses included [the following:]
• Three students were enrolled in the Law Training Centre, NALP, certification courses.
• Five inmates are currently pursuing accredited
studies, including religious studies.
• Two individuals have successfully completed master ’s degrees.
• Two of the students are benefiting from newly
available funding for online tertiary education.
These achievements represent significant
milestones in higher education participation within the
correctional environment and reflect measurable rehabilitative progress.
Madam Chairman, creative programming continues to contribute positively to emotional regulation,
confidence building, and constructive engagement.
Three students are enrol led in the drumming class .
Twelve students are enrolled in a small group audio
production class . And seven students were enrolled in
a seven- week poetry class. The department is grateful to the Library Association of Bermuda, which has offered sponsorship support for literacy -related initiatives.
A significant development this fiscal year is the
partnership with Bermuda College to facilitate the college placement test. Twelve individuals were registered, and nine s at the examination. This initiative creates a structured pathway for incarcerated learners to enrol in Bermuda College preparatory courses, aiming
for long- term diploma and associate degree completion. Bermuda College instructors are expected to start
delivering in -facility classes as early as summer 2026,
with full completion planned for September 2026. This
marks a strategic shift towards institutionalised tertiary access and formalised academic progression.
Madam Chairman, the forward outlook for fiscal year 2026 /27 includes appointment of a dedicated
GED science instructor, implementation of Bermuda
College in- facility preparatory classes, introduction of
structured instructor -led computer literacy training, expanded sponsorship partnerships to support literacy
and enrichment initiatives, increased GED testing coordination to improve completion, further discussions with
the Open University facilitated by the UK Ministry of
Justice Overseas Territories Prisons Advisor are
planned for fiscal year 20 26/27. The aim is to provide a
streamlined pathway affording students access to higher learning in a secure and equitable manner.

A suitable programme has been
identified to help students with learning challenges
complete, and obtain, their high school equivalent. The
department aims to enrol the first student before the
end of this fiscal year.
A digital library system has been identified and
will be purchased soon. Digitisation of the DOC [ Department of Corrections] library will allow for a more efficient system of borrowing as well as help better identify the needs of our library users. GED students will receive additional support
through a new initiative, the Sankofa Education Em-powerment Programme (SEEP ). The programme will
use studies of the history events of the African diaspora to inspire and support learning. Others interested in the
course content will also be welcome to take part in the
studies.
The department is exploring service providers
who can deliver affordable, secure offline laptops. This
will help support education in all areas but especially for those in maximum security who currently have no
computer access and a limited access to classes. The
department remains committed to structured, accountable educational programming as a cornerstone of rehabilitation. The outcomes achieved this fiscal year reflect steady progress and provide a firm foundation for
expanding delivery in the next fis cal cycle.

Vocational Services



Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Dennis Lister III: Madam Chairman, business unit
35109, Vocational Services, has an estimated allocation of $691,000 representing an increase of $39,000,
or 6 per cent. While the department is currently without
a vocational officer due to retirement, core vocational
and hobby -based activities continue where operationally feasible under supervisory oversight , and through
collaborative support from internal staff. Inmates remain engaged in structured work -based and skills -development activities , [along] with carpentry, sewing,
horticultural and creative production, including the supervised manufacture of approved items for sale.
Recruitment will be finalised for the v ocational
officer position before the end of the current fiscal year ,
and this will strengthen programme coordination, oversight of certifications and the ongoing expansion of vocational pathways. The department remains dedicated
to maintaining service continuity while preparing vocational services for organised growth and improved outcomes in the next fiscal year.

Recreational Services

Madam Chairman, I would like to
draw your attention to [page] B-96 of the Approved Estimates of R evenue and Expenditure [Budget] B ook.
Salaries have increased by $2,168,000, or 12 per cent . This increase includes approved salary increases
which were negotiated by the various unions. Additionally, it includes funding for posts that were previously frozen. Madam Chairman, other expenses have decreased by $23,000, or 13 per cent . This decrease represents cost -saving measures.

Madam Chairman, I would now
like to draw your attention to [page] B-97, which outlines the performance measures of the Department of Corrections. The forecast for 2026/27 is as follows : The
average daily inmate population is currently at 164, with
51 of the admissions estimated to be first -time offenders who received custodial sentences. The number of
inmates projected to be released on parole is eight.

Got it? Okay.
In fiscal year 2025/26, Madam Chairman,
45 per cent of eligible inmates enrol led in development
and treatment programmes aim to address the offending behaviours, address educational and vocational
needs and improve skills development. The department has a target enrolment of 63 per cent for 2026/27 .
The Department of Corrections calculates its
recidivism rates according to internationally accepted
practises. Based on these standards, the rates include
persons who have a conviction for a new offence within
three years of their release. The actual outcome for
2025/26 was 18 per cent . For international comparison,
the recidivism rate at three years is 32 per cent in Austria, 48 per cent in France, 46 per cent in Germany,
44 per cent in New Zealand, 66 per cent in the UK, and
45 per cent in the United States.

Capital Acquisition and D evelopment

Madam Chairman, I will now
move to [page] C-10 and capital acquisitions. The estimate for 2026/27 is $638,000. This allocation will be
used for Westgate kitchen equipment upgrades (which
commence in fiscal year 2025/26), t he replacement of
laundry equipment at all facilities and a corrections management system— a digital platform designed to
streamline operations in correctional facilities by
2040 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly managing inmate records, case management, inmate
classification and booking, scheduling, incident tracking and housing. This system will modernise the d epartment's record- keeping processes in line with correctional best practises. Madam Chairman, [page] C-4
shows the 2026/27 estimate for capital development is
$2,247,000.
Phase two of the required upgrade of the existing security system, Black Creek, took place in fiscal
year 2025/26. Madam Chairman, during the 2025/26
fiscal year, the procurement of a new intercom paging
system for the Co-Ed Facility began. The original system is scheduled for replacement or upgrade, with coverage throughout the entire facility. This new intercom
system replaces an antiquated system, and provides
two-way communication between inmates and staff ,
should inmates require emergency assistance or are incapacitated whilst in their cells.
The capital development plans for 2026/27 include
• replacement of fencing and razor wire at the
Co-Ed Facility ;
• replacement of [the] Westgate elevator (the elevator has been inoperable for a lengthy time and is required to ensure safe and efficient
transport of inmates who have disabilities );
• headquarters building indoor air quality upgrade, with new energy recovery ventilator system;
• replacement of doors and windows at both
Westgate C orrection al Facility and Co-Ed Facility; and
• minor works funding for small infrastructure
projects and unforeseen emergencies.

2026/27 Plans

Madam Chairman, adequate
staffing remains one of the most critical operational challenges facing the facility and is fundamental to maintaining safety, security and institutional order. The
department must operate at the highest security standards to ensure that to ensure the protection of C orrections Officers, civilian staff, service providers, inmates
and visitors , at all times. Current staffing pressures significantly impact the department 's ability to fully achieve
its mission. While security obligations remain paramount, sustainable staffing levels are equally important
to support the comprehensive rehabilitative work within
the facility.
The department is mandated to provide structured assessment, treatment, intervention, skills training, personal development, family engagement, and reintegration planning for everyone prior to release. With constrained staffing capacity, the balance between security operations and rehabilitative programming becomes increasingly strained. Strategic investment in recruitment, retention and workforce stabilisation is therefore crucial not only to maintain institutional safety but also to ensure the ongoing delivery of evidence- based
interventions that support successful community reintegration and long- term public safety.
Madam Chairman, despite ongoing manpower
constraints requiring extended hours and double shifts, the department remains dedicated to upholding the
highest security standards and aims to ensure institutional safety is maintained without compromise. We
continue to actively interdict and eliminate contraband
through coordinated intelligence gathering and information s haring with partner agencies. The strategic development of our canine unit supports thorough facility
searches , along with targeted operations against highrisk offenders and gang- affiliated individuals. Security
stays disciplined, proactive and resolute.
Madam Chairman, I will briefly set out some of
the priorities of the Department of Corrections for fiscal
year 2026/27. The department continues to prioritise
recruitment to address vacant posts, primarily within
custodial ranks. While attracting custodial officers has
remained challenging, we recognise that our staff are
the foundation of institutional safety, stability and mission deli very. A focused, two-prong recruitment strategy, targeting both Bermuda and the wider Caribbean,
has been actively pursued to strengthen workforce capacity. As a result, six local recruits have completed recruitment training and have been deployed in the facilities. Nine overseas candidates have been identified for
contractual engagement. The department remains
committed to sustained recruitment efforts to stabilise
staffing levels and reinforce operational resilience.
Further, the department continues to actively
participate in the u niform ed service initiative s, which include review of recruitment processes and development of a uniform services training programme. The
aim of these initiatives is to streamline recruitment processes and increase the number of suitable applicants
across the uniform services.
As a safety and health priority, the department
continues to work with the Ministry of Public Works to
effect repairs and replacements on ageing facility structures and equipment.
As part of a plan to engage the community, the
department will continue to partner with community
stakeholders to support the successful reintegration of
inmates into society. The Department of Corrections
will also work with community partners to develop projects that can benefit both the inmates and the wider
community. Astor House is a new initiative designed to
support clients following release through housing assistance and aftercare.
Madam Chairman, in October 2025, the department underwent an independent review led by the
UK Ministry of Justice, supported by prison represent-atives from both the UK and the Overseas Territories.
The review examined the department 's policies, processes, and outcomes against the O verseas Territory's
detention standards framework. Following the review,
an action plan reflecting the panel's recommendations


Bermuda House of Assembly was produced. Implementation has already commenced and will continue into fiscal year 2026/27.
Madam Chairman, I would like to thank Commissioner Joell -Benjamin and her staff, who have
throughout many challenges have delivered on their
mission to protect the public and provide rehabilitative
services. Madam Chairman, this concludes my remarks on H ead 25.

The mission statement of the Department of Court Services is To enhance public safety
through effective rehabilitation and offender re- entry
programmes, which reduce offending. This department
stands between offending and rehabilitation, protecting our community while transforming lives. Its mandate encompasses the assessment, supervision, rehabilitation, and case management of offenders subject to
statutory orders, including high- risk individu als such as
sex offenders, violent offenders, and persons serving life sentences who are unlicensed. The department
also delivers substance abuse assessments and refer-rals through the Bermuda Assessment and Referral Centre, BARC.

Expenditure Overview

The work of this department is
derived from the multifaceted social ills of our community. Many of the clients referred to the department via
the courts and Parole Board have committed offences
against others and have been the victim of offending
and/or childhood traumas themselves. The unaddressed trauma of their own experiences contributes to their difficulty in making healthy, socially appropriate decisions. It is this combination of factors which results
in these individuals finding themselves involved in the
criminal justice syst em. Addressing the complex needs of the clients
requires accurate assessment , followed by evidencebased interventions to assist them to learn appropriate
social and sometimes basic living skills. These interventions are both clinical and social, addressing the
whole needs of the clients with whom we work. The
needs clients present with include, but are not limited
to
• limited educational attainment ;
• unemployment and underemployment ;
• mental health issues ;
• substance abuse and misuse;
• limited family and social support ;
• negative familial and peer influences ;
• poor coping skills ;
• deficits and stress and anger management ;
• cognitive deficits and brain injuries ;
• lack of parenting skills ; and
• gang affiliations.
A total of $5,471,000 has been estimated for
this fiscal year. This is an increase of $583,000 over the
previous year. This increase represents salary uplifts
and the filling of vacant posts across the department .
No additional operating expenses have been requested
for Head 74. This allocation reflects the critical importance of rehabilitation and community safety services to the government's broader justice priorities.

Subjective Analysis

The expenditure for the fiscal
year 2025/26 was $4,888,000, which while the estimate
for fiscal year 2026/27 is $5,471,000. This is an increase of $583,000 over the previous fiscal year , or a
12 per cent increase. And as noted, it contains salary
uplifts for staff as well as filling of vacant and frozen
posts.

7401, Case Management Unit
Business Unit 84010, Probation Services

This business unit holds the management team salaries , as well as the IT posts and the
operational funds for the department . In the 2025/26
fiscal year, expenditure was $1,328,000. The 2026/27
fiscal year estimate is $1,620,000, an increase of
22 per cent . This increase reflects filling the vacancies in management posts which were frozen in prior budgets.

7403, Assessment & Treatment Unit
Business Unit 84030, Mental Health Treatment Court

This business unit comprises two
teams, Report Writing Team (BARC ), and the Health
Treatment Team, whose 2025/26 expenditure was
$1,105,000. The expenditure estimate of $670,000,
2026/27, is a decrease of $435,000, or 39 per cent. The
decrease is due to the transfer of officers to other teams
in the d epartment.
This brings the 2026/27 expenditure for this
unit to $1,738,000. This is a decrease of 15 per cent, or
$299,000, compared to the 2025/26 expenditure total.

Performance Measures by Business Unit

The Probation Team monitors
and supervises clients who are subject to probation orders which have been ordered by the courts. Appropriate conditions of probation orders are determined uti-lising the outcomes of assessment tools that determine
a client's level and areas of risk, as well as areas of
need. These asses sments identify the interventions required from probation officers and clinical staff to guide
and support the client in making positive changes to
their emotional responses, behaviour patterns, associates and life choices, as well as assisting in reframing
the criminal thought patterns.


Bermuda House of Assembly These interventions are strengthened by officers conducting job and home visits to gain a holistic understanding of clients' functioning in the community.
Madam Chairman, 76 per cent of clients who screened
positive for drug or alcohol use were actioned within
one week. This would mean that interventions would be
implemented within one week to minimise a subsequent positive screening.
The target for this measure was 75 per cent .
Madam Chairman, 100 per cent of clients who were
prolific or repeat offenders were conferenced within
one month of beginning their new order. This would be
an internal case conference, with relevant staff members, such as the prior supervising officer, BAR C case
manager, and/ or clinical or treatment staff , to identify
factors to consider when devising a supervision plan.
The target for administering a final risk assessment for
clients completing supervision was 75 per cent . The final total was 68 per cent . The percentage of clients arrested for a new offence was half the projected total at 10 per cent .

Parole Team

This team supervises inmates
granted early conditional release from the Department
of Corrections by the Parole Board on to serve the remainder of the sentences in the community. This
means that , in addition to finite sentences, individuals
serving a life sentence are supervised by the parole team the rest of their natural life.
At present, there are 22 offenders under parole
supervision serving a life sentence. This is a unique and demanding workload that reflects an enduring commitment by the G overnment , and one that this
budget must continue to sustain. During the year, nine additional persons were given a licence by the Parole
Board . Additionally, there were six clients whose sentence concluded. Four persons were breached and re-turned to Corrections due to failing to adhere to their
conditions of licence. This was one more tha n the forecasted target number for the calendar year , [which was]
three.
However, less than 1 per cent of clients had
their orders revoked as a result of new offences. These
statistics point out the effectiveness and responsiveness of criminal justice programmes, and this number
remains amongst the lowest worldwide.

Drug Treatment Court Team

Drug Treatment Court Team, includes the D UI [Driving Under the Influence] court
stream. The Drug Treatment Court programme remains the principal model for a magistrate- led, multidisciplinary team approach to offender management, being the prototype of all other treatment courts.
Seven new clients were enrolled in the Drug
Treatment Court programme during the year, in addition to those observ ed for potential admittance into
the programme. The number of participants at the end of 2025 stood at 14 participants and three observers.
This programme represents an important resource in the criminal justice systems , due to its long- term success with offenders who have a lengthy history of both
substance abuse and offending, and a justice stream
for offenders convicted of driving under the influence
offences is now a full -fledged programme.
DUI programme meetings , facilitated by the
Focus Treatment Centre, meet in this d epartment for a
once- a-week session. Madam Chairman, 18 new participants were enrolled in the DUI stream. That is a
marked increase over the previous year, which sug-gests that a significant improvement is needed to
change dr ink driving habits in Bermuda. Numbers at
the end of 2025 stood at 18 participants and three observers. This programme requires the officers to engage in intensive case management to ensure that the
treatment needs , as well as any social, medical and
mental health needs , are also met. I am proud to report
that the Drug Treatment Court achieved a zero per cent
re-offending rate this year, a new programme low, and
a testament to the power of treatment -layered justice.
The department continues to work intensively on reducing positive drug tests during participation.
Targeted work addressing past trauma has
been a key focus , and a team actively models pro- social behaviours through structured external engagement. The measurement forecast for positive tests was
7 per cent across both the Drug Treatment Court and
the DUI streams. The actual outcome was 10 per cent ,
with the pattern consistent with prior years. Most positive tests occurring early in treatment , declined significantly as participation continues.

Business Unit 7401, Assessment and Treatment

During the past year, individuals
were sentenced to 4,315 hours of community service
by the courts. This is a 13.5 per cent increase over the
previous year. The majority of the hours ordered were
to assist people who were unable to pay fines to make
reparation for traffic offences. Of these hours, 2,633
hours, or 61.0 per cent , were completed within the
year. This function is being revised to maximise impact.

Mental Health Treatment Court Programme

The Mental Health Treatment
Court Programme is a valuable option for individuals
2044 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly who come to the criminal justice system with diagnosed
and treatable mental health issues that constitute a significant contributor to their offending. The goal of this
programme is to present viable treatment options and
support for programme participants . A major ongoing
challenge for this team is the lack of relevant residential
treatment services and housing opportunities for this
client population.
These deficits limit the long- term stability of
Mental Health Treatment Court Programme clients.
The services for duly diagnosed clients with a mental
illness and a substance addiction are even scarcer. In
several instances, many of the individuals are not ill
enough to be hospitalised, but too ill for residential
placement. This places an added burden on the case
managers who are trying to facilitate clinical, medical and addiction interventions for these individuals while simultaneously negotiating through the homeless situations of the clients. The average number of participants per month was five. While this number may be
low, it is important to note that the workload of each of these cases is significant given the complexity of client
issues.
The Ministry recognises these systemic gaps
and is actively exploring solutions , including greater
collaboration with the Ministry of Health to expand res-idential and support options for this vulnerable population.

Community Offenders Programmes

The Community Offenders Programmes team delivers accredited and certified inter-ventions for moderate and high- risk offenders. This
team consists of two forensic psychologists and two
specially trained senior probation officers. This team
was under resource throughout the year. However, the remaining team members made an effort to provide
services, primarily through psychoeducational programmes and one- to-one interventions. As a result of
the limitations of this team, the department continues to
utilise external resources to meet client needs.

Assessment Team

The Report Writing Team were
assigned a total of 269 reports for the calendar year,
representing 25 fewer reports from the previous year.
Madam Chairman, 90 per cent of reports were completed on time. The target for this objective was 95 per cent . Included were forty -seven reports on
Prison Rules 1980, Rule 166 to the Parole Board, while
the remaining 222 were court -ordered Social Inquiry
Reports (SIRs ). Out of the 222 court reports, 15 were
ordered by the Supreme Court, 195 were ordered by
the Magistrates ’ Court, and 12 were ordered by the
Family Court, specifically for reports on juvenile offenders.

Bermuda Assessment and Referral Centre, BARC

The BARC team completed a total of 132 reports in the past year. This was 21 fewer
than the previous year. During the year, there were 41
recommendations for intensive outpatient treatment,
while there are 21 referred for outpatient treatment and 62 were referred for residential treatment.
Wait times before entering treatment remains
an issue across the spectrum. This needs to be addressed, as the lag time can negatively impact clients'
willingness to engage in treatment.

Plans for the Upcoming Year

Filling vacant posts and developing staff remain priorities for the d epartment. As staff
members are onboarded, we are better equipped to carry out the critical mandate of the d epartment. Additionally, the department supports officer attendance at
international conferences, both virtually and in person. These persons have shared their knowledge with their
colleagues, thereby strengthening the knowledge base of the d epartment.
Further, we are providing foundational training
for all staff to improve the quality of staff of our service
delivery. A key priority for the coming year is the official
launch of the Domestic Abuse Court, a specialised
court designed to deliver trauma- informed justice for
survivors, and targeted intervention for perpetrators.
We are working with key stakeholders across
government departments and with partners in the United Kingdom and the United States to ensure our
officers are fully equipped with the knowledge, skills
and evidence- based tools this critical programme demands. This department remains actively involved with
our partner agencies on such committees as
• the Inter -Agency Gang Enforcement Team;
• the Offender Risk Management Team ( for
high-risk sexual and v iolent offenders );
• the High- Risk Intervention Team; and
• the Mental Health Claims and Corrections
Committee.
The department also represents on the Child
Safeguarding Committee, looking at ways to protect the
children in our community. These collaborations will
continue as we try to ensure the safest possible island
community.


Bermuda House of Assembly During this upcoming year, the team will revise
clinical interventions to
• ensure identified client needs are met adequately ;
• pilot prevention programmes with the aim of reducing youthful offending; and
• increase the number of treatment groups to provide a more holistic clinical response for clients.
The budget year 20 26/27 initiatives include
continuing training officers in the entire department to
administer and interpret various assessment tools to better facilitate cross -training and movement amongst
teams , reassignments within the department to optimise skills and resources and to pursue options for more specialised training, domestic violence assess-ments, interventions, and supervision.
The department's focus for the year will be
strengthening the skillset of the officers across the d epartment to improve programme delivery. This will include in- service, local and international training.
Madam Chairman, 98 per cent of all of the d epartment's job descriptions have been completed and signed off on. An intensive recruitment to field previously frozen or vacant posts remains ongoing.
Another goal is to explore the use of technology in offender management. Department officers will
resume curfew checks and continue home and site visits. They also use electronic means to strengthen and
support supervision tactics. These responsibilities prevent safety risks, yet officers are dedicated in their ef-forts to transform the lives of our clients and their families and associates by deterring furt her offending or relapse through various strategies and interventions deployed.
Officer safety is an ongoing priority. As such,
we will engage in training to protect the staff both in the
office and the community. The d epartment's client -facing officers, as well as their supervisors and support staff, continue to work in an increasingly dangerous social environment. Conducting curfew checks in the
early hours of the morning, especially on weekends
and major holidays, is inherently risky, especially in today's environment where firearms, knives and other
weapons are increasingly availa ble and utilised. These
job functions put these officers at high risk for harm, yet they persevere to ensure the continued safety of the
community. The department will also continue to utilise
therapeutic and supervision regimes to minimise this threat and prepare the offender to be a viable entity in today's community.
In addition, the department continues to build
and strengthen partnerships with other government de-partments, community organisations and NGOs , to advance our shared objective of protecting the community.
Expenditure requests for this year have not increased, and recruitment drives for recently vacated
posts , or unfrozen posts , are ongoing. I take this opportunity to commend the officers and staff of the De-partment of Court Services for their dedication, professionalism and unwavering commitment to keeping our
community safe.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on Head 74, the Department of Court Services, and
highlights the operational use of expenditures to invest in human potential and in a safer Bermuda.

Well, let me take advantage of an
hour and 20 minutes, then. That is excellent.
Let me thank, as I was, the Honourable Member, who is the Junior Minister, who gave the compre-hensive presentation.
Let me also acknowledge . . . I think I see the
Honourable and Learned Attorney General in the Gallery. Let me acknowledge her presence, together —

[Desk thumping]

—with acknowledging the presence of the Permanent Secretary , Mr. Roberts , and, indeed, some of the other staff who are here with us today from the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Attorney General's Chambers.
Let me also, before I get into the meat of it,
echo my thanks to all of those officers and staff across the Ministry who are working in, sometimes , very
stressful and difficult conditions. And, as we have
heard from the Junior Minister today, certainly in some
2046 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly of the corners of the Ministry, working in situations
where they do not have sufficient staff filling the roles
to be able to necessarily carry out the business that they have to do.
So, with those thanks aside, let me go through
the same order of h eads as the Junior Minister. And let
me start, then, at Head 87, which is under the Ministry of Justice . That starts at [page] B-79 of the Budget
Book for those following. And it is roughly . . . the entire
Ministry is seeing an increase of circa 10 per cent ,
about $5 million, increase across the board. And if we
go over the page, Madam Chairman, to [page] B-80,
we see the beginning of Head 87, the Ministry of Justice Headquarters.
And it is there that I wish to start with just a few
observations in relation to the department objectives.
And, Madam Chairman, if you go to Department Objective 1, it is To ensure alignment with Bermuda's strategic goals . And I would like to take, if I may, to Department Objective 2, which is To deliver efficient, transparent and people- centred legal and justice services . And
starting there, as it is for the Attorney General to set
[policy] and the Minister of Legal Affairs to set policy, I
just have a s ort of overarching policy question.
One of the discussions we have seen in the
public and, indeed, in this Chamber via statements
given on the Learned Attorney General's behalf is the
possibility . . . and, indeed, from statements that I have
made in debate, the possibility of really being people -
centred in our legal provision and trying to find some
way to bring together the various stakeholders so that we could have free clinics for legal advice, at least in
certain areas of necessity. I am thinking here, perhaps,
of employment and certain ly in relation to housing.
We do have a regulated industry. I declare my
interest. I am a lawyer in Bermuda. But I would say this,
wouldn't I ? We have some incredibly talented lawyers
on this I sland, and I do not know what the number is at
last count. It was north of 400. I do not know if we have
hit 500. But it would be a wonderful opportunity if some
of those lawyers —or, indeed, all of those lawyers , or
most of them—were to give back a little bit more in the
context of free clinics for legal aid services for our people.
And I say that , because, as a regulated industry . . . and you may or may not be aware of this,
Madam Chair man, but lawyers in Bermuda are obliged,
as part of our licence requirement, to do continuing professional development. I cannot now recall if that is 10
or 12 hours per year, and no doubt someone will know
better than I, but we must do at least that number of
hours of training. And so, given it is a regulated industry
where training is an obligation, it would perhaps be possible to consider whether , perhaps a voluntary system,
or a system where CPD (continuing professional development ) hours were given in credi t for providing free
legal services at a walk -in clinic. That could be done in
conjunction with the Bar Council, potentially, and I think
that it would be a very useful service to Bermudians because, oftentimes, it is about knowing where to go. It
is about knowing the right question to ask . Not necessarily about finding the answer, but knowing the right
question to ask , and who to ask.
And so, against that sort of policy observation
under this Head 87, Ministry of Justice, that is a suggestion that I am hopeful that the Honourable and
Learned Attorney General and, indeed, the Junior Minister might wish to take forward. They are the ones with
the power, the purse string, and, indeed, a whole department , as we have heard, a whole Ministry of people
to take it forward. But I would be very happy to offer
suggestions in that regard.
Turning to the Budget Book itself, Madam
Chairman, at [page] B-81 is where we see the summary
which provides for expenditure for the Justice Headquarters . And over the page, at B-82, is the employee
numbers of full -time equivalents. And the Honourable
Junior Minister pointed out that of the four heads that
we are going to discuss today, only one of the four
heads has, in fact, revenue generation. And I will come
on to revenue generation because I appreciate it is a
subject about which I bang on a bit . But I think it is
something that really is worth looking into. I know that the Learned Attorney General's predecessor took a
stab at revising court fees . And I know that that came
into . . . it is now active and operational . And the Junior
Minister spoke to it in his brief . But I thought that that
reform was a missed opportunity for reasons that I will
discuss further when I get to that particular aspect of
the Budget Book.
But as we are at [page] B-81, I have a couple
of questions for the Junior Minister , and the Permanent
Secretary and his staff regarding two line items , specifically this is under the E xpenditure at the top of [page]
B-81. And the two questions that I really would like to
drill down on or hear a little bit more about are line item
97100, that is the Law Reform Commission. Now, the
Law Reform Commission —for those who may not be
aware— is a sort of think tank , where they look at the
law at a more generous pace than perhaps the Attorney
General and her staff have the opportunity to do. And
they pick up a topic, and they look at an old piece of legislation, and they say, how can we make this better,
or can we make this better, and if so, how . And so, the
Law Reform Commission performs a very important ,
sort of , philosophical and contemplative function in the
system . And I am pleased to see that the amount of
money is increasing there at that line item.
It is the bottom line item in the E xpenditure
there. And I see it is going to $451,000, up from
$171,000 previously. So, it is a reasonably significant
nudge up. Now, I anticipate . . . and I took you, Madam
Chairman, already over to page B -82, to E mployee
Numbers . And on that line item, again, the bottom of
the box, we see the employee numbers going from one to three. So, I anticipate that those increased allocations to the Law Reform Commission are driven by an
increase in staff numbers. But I just pose the question ,


Bermuda House of Assembly formally , whether there is anything else anticipated, or
if that is the answer . So that is one question about the
Law Reform Commission. And I see nods being given,
so perhaps I have my guess , as answered.
But my second question is a little bit more holistic and high level. And that is, we know that this G overnment has been spending considerable time on landlord and tenant reform. We know that already. That is a
matter of public record. But if we are going to have a
more invigorated and better -supported Law Reform
Commission, I would just be curious to hear if there are
a couple of high- level areas that the Law Reform Commission is going to be, sort of , shunted towards . Are
there any particular areas that ar e ripe for reconsideration and Law Reform Commission consideration ? And
if so, what are those? So again, just a very high- level
question about topics that might be coming down the legal pipeline for reform purposes.
While we are still on that page, Madam Chairman, two line items up, is line item 97070. This is [page]
B-81 of the Budget Book , the blue book, for those who
have it. This is 97070, the Justice Protection Programme. And I am always very cautious when asking
questions about this , because I am mindful of what the
Junior Minister, and Ministers before him, say about it,
which is that we really should not ask too many questions about it because, of course, there is great sensitivity. But my question is not about the sensitivity of the
current programme as it runs. It is about whether or not,
if we look around at the context of criminal activity in Bermuda, whether or not it might be time to look again at that number of $320,000, which has been static for
two years, and maybe ask ourselves whether that might need to go up.
Just because, you know, we have the, If you
see something, say something programme —or at
least , maybe not programme, but principle —out in the
general public . . . we have seen issues with crime. We
hear anecdotally that often people are not prepared to
say something when they see something. And this is
the ultimate backstop for that, the Justice Protection Programme.
And during the brief the Junior Minister gave
. . . I do not want to try and remember the number because I do not have a copy of his brief , but it might have
been 11 people who applied for admission on the programme (and I may have 11 wrong, I accept that ) and
were not admitted onto the programme. And so , I just
wonder whether or not for the next budget year ( or
something for something to be reviewed) whether that
is a number that might want to go up. If we are going to
try and encourage people to feel , in very serious cases,
that they can come forward, that they can give evidence
and that they can be supported in the Justice Protection
Programme where necessary, does that need a higher
budget allocation? Maybe it does not. But at least it is
something I would respectfully invite the current Attorney General and her team to have a think about. While on this page, just on Head 87 . I think it
was said that one of the other things in terms of driving was this, It is imperative that we begin to train and develop the next generation of Bermudian b arristers now
to ensure that our courts continue to operate efficiently
and that all persons, regardless of wealth, have access
to justice. And I declare my interest again as a lawyer,
but I completely agree with that.
Legal services are still something that have not
yet been replaced entirely by AI , and hopefully will not
be replaced entirely by AI before I retire. And it is something where a lot of Bermudians are going away and
training and coming back to the Island . Legal services
is still something that is very much in use as an international offshore financial centre. And so , I am very
pleased to see that statement of support given by the
Junior Minister today in his brief under this h ead. And I
would just like to agree with it.
You know, it is paramount if we are to maintain,
and indeed enhance, our reputation as an international
financial centre . It is paramount that we have well -
trained people here doing the jobs . And ideally , welltrained Bermudians doing the jobs. And most of the legal people with whom I come into contact are im-mensely talented, immensely hard- working and invariably Bermudian, which is a great thing to say.
Another item still under this h ead, although
over the page, is over to pages B -82 and B -83. And that
is something we have covered before in legal affairs
debates here in this honourable Chamber. And that is
under the Ministry , the performance measures . There
is the business unit 9700, which is Criminal Injuries
Compensation Board.
And I am looking at that chart there. And,
Madam Chairman, if you look to the top, it says N umber
of times the board met. And I am looking at the actual
outcome, the first column for 202 4/25, and it says, NA,
not applicable. And then below that, Number of claims
that were heard by the board, actual outcome, 20 24/25,
again, not applicable. If we look further over, then we
can see revised forecast for 2025/26 , four meetings of
the board over a per annum basis, and 15 claims heard
by the board. But for the earlier period in the Budget
Book , I am just curious whether or not , “not applicable”
means they had never met , and no claims were determined. I hope not. But I know that this is a board that
has, in the past, seen some troubles in terms of its progression. And so , I would be grateful for clarification,
whether or not , “not applicable ” means that they did not,
in fact, meet for the actuals for 20 24/25.
While we are still under this Ministry head . . .
yes, but I will turn to G rants . But still under this head. If
I may take you, Madam Chairman, to the G rant section,
which is [page] C-17. And this is in relation to the Financial Intelligence Agency. In fact, if you keep one fin-ger open at [page] B-82 and look back, we can see that
staff numbers are increasing, but because the FIA is
outside (I think ) of the Ministry, it does not have any
staff numbers or staff growth. We know that the budget
2048 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly is increasing, but we do not know if staff is growing. And
so it is against that question that I go to the G rants and
Contributions at [page] C-17 of the Budget Book .
Under the heading , Ministry of Justice, we then
see the subheading Ministry of Justice headquarters,
and then it is 7082, the FIA (the Financial Intelligence
Agency ). And here we are seeing a considerable
growth in the grant from an actual of 2024 /25 of
[$]1,626[,000] —so [$]1.6-odd million —to a much
higher revised estimate of [$] 2.1 [million] , and then over
to the 2026/27 estimate, which is what we are relevant
here today, at [$]2.25 million. So, it is going against the
old actuals. It is going up about [$]600,000.
And again, a high-level question. Could the
Honourable Junior Minister and his support team just
give a little flesh to those bones , and just let us know
sort of what is going on, why there is a budget increase? Is that staff -driven? I mean, obviously, given
the importance of Bermuda as an international financial centre, it is always important that we have a well -
funded and well -regarded FIA (Financial Intelligence
Agency ). And so I am not going to complain in any way
that the budget is going up. I am just curious to know if
there is something that is driving the [$] 600,000- odd increase there, specifically.
One moment.

Yes. Thank you. I am very grateful. If that is the answer, that is the answer. I try not to
ask too many leading questions.
Right. So, here we are. That was my question
on the FIA . And just still on the FIA and that increase,
there was a quote by the Honourable Junior Minister and what he referred to in that context of the FIA . He
spoke to the grants . And then he went on to speak
about training, and specifically capacity building. And
that is the quote, “ capacity building” at the FIA. And
again, if I could invite the Junior Minister and his team
just to elaborate on that at a high level. What capacity are we building? Is that individuals? Is it resources? Is
it depth of expertise? Is it all of those things? So that
would be my question there.
And I will park the FIA H eadquarters and, indeed, headquarters generally , and now move on to the
second of the four h eads . Which is Head 3, Judicial Department. And for those who do wish to follow in the
Budget Book , I think that starts around [page] 84 or
thereabouts, [pages] B-84, B -85.

[Inaudible interjection]

There we are, [pages] B-84, B -85.
Now, I have a very generic question arising from the
objectives at page B -84. And this is driven , to some degree, by a prior budget presentation. B ut there was a
lot of talk around the new court system. And let me be
very careful. There are a lot of different system management tools and devices and subheadings under dif-ferent heads.
But as I understood it . . . and there is reference
at point three advocating for the modernisation of the
court's administrative functions through identification
and implementation of a suitable case management
system, which will streamline court processes and procedures. The system will also have the capacity to institute e-filing, i.e., paperless filing, in the future. And to
put it in very c ommon terms, my understanding is that
we are going to try and get away from the paperless
[sic] originating summons , and writs of summons , and
the kind of documents that we lawyers use to initiate
court process , and get towards electronic documentation. And I had understood that there was a case management system in the works, or at least being looked
at, or perhaps there was a tender process that was out there previously . And I would welcome an update on
where that stands .
What is the status of that case management
system, and is it still something that the courts are progressing, or is it something that has been paused, or is
it something that has, in fact, been discontinued? So
just some answers around the progress of that and the
intentions behind it and the deliverables on that case
management system.
Still under Head 3, and now at page B -85, so
the next page over for the Judicial Department, I under-stood from the presentation given by the Honourable
Junior Minister that in relation to the Court of Appeal,
we have at the present no administrative officer and no
administrator, i.e., there are two roles identified that he
identified in his brief to support the Court of Appeal.
So obviously, there are the judges, there is the
President of the Court of Appeal and five more j udges,
but there are two administrative officers who support
the court. And whilst it is true that the c ourt only sits


Bermuda House of Assembly three times per year, it sits three times for three weeks
with a bit more on either side sometimes, and does that
three times per year, so it's not an insignificant thing.
And I would also make the practical point that
even if the court is not here positively sitting, there is
always scope to apply to a Court of Appeal Judge between the sittings.
And indeed, now that we have not one, not two,
but I think three Bermudian Court of Appeal J udges,
that is a system that's probably used a lot more than
when that J udge, when he or she was over somewhere
else. I say three. Actually , I think Justice of Appeal
[Geoffrey R.] Bell is retired. But we have Justice of Appeal [Narinder] Hargu n, and we have the President of
the Court of Appeal, not yet . . . [Dr.] Ian Kawale y.
But in terms of the two support staffs, am I to
understand the Junior Minister's brief was to say that those are not filled roles as yet ? And, if not, what is the
plan around that? When do we think those roles will be
filled? March is in fact one of the three sittings of the
court, so I assume not by now, but by the next sitting
which I think is July , if memory serves me maybe June,
maybe July .
So still moving on to another question, but still
on the Judicial Department, still under Head 3 . One of
the things that is arguably beneficial to the Judicial Department , and to its budget , would be to liberate the
funding of the courts from the g overnment and have a
self-contained, independent funding of the courts. This
is a matter that I spoke to in general debate. And I
would remind those listening, as I said a few moments
ago, that this is the only revenue c entre of the 4 heads
that we are looking at , at the moment . And that's no bad
thing. But should either the Honourable and Learned Attorney General or indeed her J unior Minister or indeed both wish to get on a plane, there is an i sland to
the south of us where they have a Chief Financial Officer running that particular court . And I won't mention
its name because that would be inappropriate, but I will say that our new President of the Court of Appeal used
to sit in that particular c ourt on that particular island,
and it may well be worth looking at how they have managed to turn that into quite a successful revenue- generating centre.
That brings me on to my favourite bugbear on
the courts . And the idea is not mine. It is an idea that I
came across when I was over in the UK, and it was introduced in around 1998 or 1999 to the UK courts, and
it was a very simple idea. And it was if you are bringing
a case to court and it is worth $100,000, well then you
pay fee “ A,” which is a lower fee. But if you are bringing
a case to court and it is worth a million and a half, then
you pay fee “B,” which is higher. And if in the unlikely
event, although we have cases here in the billions of dollars, it is “X” hundred million or whatever number you
wish to set it at, then you pay fee “ C,” which is not only
higher , but considerably higher.
And it is considerably higher for a reason. It is
considerably higher, Madam Chair man, because what it does is recognise the extra burden that is placed upon the court staff in having to deal with a case of that size
and enormity and complexity and cost. For example,
there is about to be a large case here, and there was a large case here a few weeks ago as well. And when
those cases come through our court system, they do
put an additional burden on the court staff and on the
judges and on everybody, and the lawyers too. Although no one's going to cry for the lawyers .

[Laughter]

But the point being , that we should
charge fees, tiered fees, that are commensurate to the
value of the case. And if we do that, we can increase
revenue for our commercial courts . And that revenue
that comes into our commercial court can then be used
to offset other areas of the courts, for example, the family court, by way of example, which would benefit from
that additional revenue. And so, I have said that before,
and I will say it again. And I note that the Honourable
and Learned Attorney General is here. And I think it
would be a good idea.

[Inaudible interjection]

So, the question is being posed
by the Honourable Minister of Economy and Labour as
to whether it would increase the cost of doing business.
I do not think so. Because if you look at it, the people
who are here in litigation are almost here after the fact.
And frankly, Bermuda's i nternational financial centre is
a draw to those businesses because we have the clarity and certainty of the English legal system, which is of
great value.
When businesses argue, they do not want to
argue for the fun of it. I mean, there are some, I am
sure, who will argue for the fun of it . But most of them
prefer certainty of outcome. So, they like the legal system in Bermuda because it is an English legal system,
and it is generally pretty clear in the commercial context. It is not to say that sometimes you cannot get exceptions or outliers.
So yes, I think it is sustainable. And to be clear,
I am not talking about pillaging business people who
participate in our court system. I am just recognising
that, for example, if a summons is $50 normally, well, a
summons in a billion- dollar case might well be $250 or
$500. I am not saying it should be $5,000 or $50,000. I
am just saying that the cost should be consistent with
the administrative obligations and requirements that
are imposed upon the court.
And indeed, it is no bad thing, one might say,
to discourage litigators from litigating, and it is a good
thing to encourage dispute resolution. So, for all those
reasons, I do suggest it is a good idea. Whether or not
this Government chooses to implement it is a matter for
this Government, not a matter for me. But at very least,
2050 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly I would like to invite the Honourable and Learned Attorney General to maybe give it a bit more thought.
Still under this h ead, and that was line item
13010 on [page] B-85, I think . . . no, on [page] B-87
rather, but still on this head, Head 3 in the Judiciary.
While we are there at 13010, I said the other day in the
general debate that when I go knocking on doors
around Bermuda, the number -one issue I hear from my
constituents is actually rats . Right? That is often the
number one complaint that I get. But when I am getting
complaints from Bermudians whilst canvassing or elsewhere on anything to do with the c ourt system, the
number -one complaint that I am hearing out there is
about our probate system.
And I understand from what I have heard from
my fellow colleagues, at least on this side of the aisle and possibly on the other side of the aisle, that I am not
alone in hearing about that. And so, one of the reasons
trying to increase the revenue into our commercial
courts may be a good thing is that it might allow for a
little bit more expenditure in relation to probate.
Now, pausing there, I am not throwing stones.
I know that the G overnment is aware of the issues with
the Probate Court. I know that the G overnment and , indeed, the Chief Justice have been taking steps to try to
alleviate those concerns. I believe that the last special
sitting of the court year, not the immediate one but the
one immediately prior, the Chief Justice took steps to
appoint someone as an administrative officer in there.
But it may well be time to look to see if we can at least get a dedicated pr obate judge, or if not a dedicated p robate judge, perhaps a pinch hitter, if he or she were
able to come and perhaps clear the backlog. I know that steps are underway . And I am not suggesting they are
not. But I am also hearing that this is an area about
which people feel passionate.
And just to bring that from the sort of esoteric
legal top here down to reality, if someone dies and they
are a taxi driver and the taxi is owned by the person
outright, the taxi could be held up in probate. Right? I
mean, it is practical examples like that. And I have had
two occasions where I have heard that story. So, you
know, it is something I think where . . . let me back up.
It is my opinion that Bermuda has an excellent
court system , and that we have some very talented
judges and some very hard- working staff. And so, when
I look at things that could be done better, I look at it not as a criticism, but as a way we can become even better.
And I think the probate area is really the area about which we are hearing the most noise. And with regard to that, then perhaps that is an area to target.
Also, on areas that are in need of targeting,
perhaps . . . and I declare an interest here that the Honourable and Learned Attorney General has very kindly
appointed me, together with others , to a committee to
look into the situation around inquest law. And I know
that one of the things that might be considered there is a dedicated inquest judge. And I do not want to prejudge any outcome of that committee. I just say that the fact that the Honourable and Learned Attorney General is prepared to even countenance that is to her credit.
That is another area where people, Bermudians, eve-ryday Bermudians who look at our court system , are
expressing frustration.
We have [had] a number, a very high number ,
of unexplained deaths over the past decade. We have a very, very low number of inquests. I am not going to
state those numbers. They are in the public domain if
anyone wishes to see them. But just again at line item
13010, there at page B-87, that is something that is ripe
for further attention.
And before I leave Head 3, I would also like to
touch on something that we discussed in this Honoura-ble Chamber earlier today, which was the Junior Minister's announcement on jury reform. And I am delighted
to see that project is coming to fruition. It is not an easy thing to tackle. It is not something about which everyone will agree. Potentially there will be some things in
there with which I will not agree with, but I really much
look forward to it.
I know they had 14 headline points. I had the opportunity to attend at least one of the briefing sessions ,
which was the Paget Parish Council one. And I can see
that a lot of care and thought is going into it. And I understand the driver . . . I think I understand the driver
behind it. The driver behind it, as I understand it, is that
there are simply not enough people available in the
pool of people who are potential jurors to populate our
juries. And again, we talked earlier in this Honourable
House about whether or not that needs to be more
data- driven, and to what extent it is being data driven .
But that point aside, you know, one can understand that
not everyone is knocking down the door to serve on a
jury.
Indeed, it could be argued that some people
are doing the best they can to run away from serving. And therefore, you could see why there are some very
logical and plausible reasons to try to expand jury pool
here in Bermuda. And I note that that is something that
this Ministry is looking into. And I note that some of the
solutions that they have put on the table are contemplative and thoughtful. And we will see where that all
leads.
But, you know, it is important . And this is a
statement that is blindingly obvious, but it is important
that we do whatever we can to make sure that we main-tain people's faith in our judicial system, people's faith
in our judges, people's faith in the system. And it is so
easy for them to grow jaundiced or jaded or have a bad
experience and not recognise. N ow, obviously, the judicial system is merely populated by humans. And
therefore, it is just as flawed as we humans are flawed.
But nonetheless, we must do our utmost to try to raise
the standards. And so, I am pleased to see consideration of jury reform.
I am not going to say anything surprising because I have already said it before. But just on that one
issue of whether we would have judge- alone trials, I


Bermuda House of Assembly think that that is something that I would certainly want
to pay careful attention to the views of the criminal barristers. I am not a criminal barrister ; I am a commercial
barrister. But to pay careful attention to the criminal bar-risters ’ views and the constitutionality of that issue.
I am not saying it should not happen. But I think
that is one of the 14 aspects that could be the most
sensitive amongst all the various things that are being
considered and, as we learned today in this Honourable House, are going to be placed before the C abinet,
at least for further consultation and possibly for deter-mination. So . . . delighted to still have some more time.

Perfect. Well, this makes for a
wonderful change. I am grateful to the H onourable Junior Minister .
So those are my questions and observations in
relation to H ead 3. Of those, the one that I would really
welcome the most feedback on or answers in relation
to is what is going on with the case management system and whether that is something we can expect . And
if so, when? Or whether people have gone back to the
drawing board. And if so, why ? And how ?

I do. And I said I was moving on
from Head 3. But actually, I see I have one last question. That was [page] B-87, which is the full -time equivalent employee numbers. We see that there is an increase from 64 to 72. My understanding of these FTEs
[full-time employees] is that these are roles that may or
may not be filled, rather than actual people doing the
job.
And I believe I heard from the H onourable Junior Minister during his brief a reference to seven vacancies. So , I would just seek clarity as to whether that is
64 minus seven , or whether that is 72 minus seven or,
alternatively, what the actual number of employees are
now that exist and those that need filling.
So, moving on then, Madam Chair man, to the
Department of Corrections, which is Head 25. And I am
grateful for quite a lot of information provided by the Junior Minister in relation to Corrections, our Department of Corrections. My high- level question on this department and this head is that this has moved relatively
recently to L egal Affairs. I think this is the second
budget we have had where C orrections falls under this
Ministry. And my understanding, having tried to do a bit
of homework on the subject, i s that it came to L egal
Affairs from National Security. And I am told, I do not
know if this is true, but I was told when I asked someone who should know that it came to N ational Security
from Legal Affairs, and that it came to Legal Affairs from
whatever the prior iteration was of National Security .
So, I guess the question is slightly a policy one
for the M inister and J unior Minister, but no doubt informed a policy consideration by those from the department or from the Ministry rather. And that is, I s this the
right fit? Is it right to have C orrections here in L egal Affairs? Does it make sense to be the kind of back end of
the process? Or did it make more sense to have it towards the front end of the process? I do not know what
the answer is that the Ministry would give, but I would
welcome hearing that explanation, and whether it is intended that this would now remain kind of housed
within Legal Affairs.
I mean, I see that if one is trying to rehabilitate
and prevent recidivism, that one could see why this
might be at the back end of the trial and therefore
housed under Legal Affairs. And I see that logic. But I
would be curious for, again, some high- level responses
from the J unior Minister as to the overarching thoughts
around that.
In terms of the B udget Book, [page] B-95 is
where we see the mission statement, department objectives, et cetera. And my question is about the bottom
line here at [page] B-95 and contrasting the actuals for
2024/25, which is the first column, where you see $29odd million , with the estimate, projected estimate. Over
on the right , greyed out, you see $ 26.8- odd million. And
in the middle, you see some original and revised figures
that are lower. So, I guess the general high- level question is , What is the bas is for the expectation that there
will be a reduction in these costs? And particularly so,
given that a large portion of the H onourable Junior Minister's presentation to this House today in relation to
this department was about staff shortfall numbers.
And I have got to come on to more specific
questions about vacancies. I understand there were nine applications that have been offered and accepted.
And we will come into that for a moment. But just at a
very high level, is the trend in the number, the bottom-line number, accurate or sensible in the context of a
department where there appear s to be considerable
pressure on staff numbers and filling those posts? So
that is the high- level question.
Over the page, we see [page] B-97. And we
see employee numbers, full -time equivalents. And
again, the understanding here is that these are roles
that are not necessarily filled. Some are filled, obviously. But they are numbers. And I look at [35000],
2052 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly which is the top item for [page] B-97. And I see the actuals of 147 roles —

—and the 2024/ 25 actuals. And
again, looking over at the estimate, the greyed- out box,
it is looking at 189.
So, I appreciate that these are FTEs, full -time
equivalents. These are roles. Could we perhaps have
clarity on the numbers of actual employees and hires to
see whether or not the nine hires that were referred to
are going to bridge the gap or whether there is still a
considerable gap even after those nine hires .
And in relation to those nine hires, at one point,
they were referred to as vacancies with nine applications offered contracts. And at another point there was a reference to nine hires, but they were coming in from
overseas. That was said later. Now, I do not know if
those are the same group of nine people in both instances , or if those are two different groups of nine people. And I would seek clarity on that. But if they are the
same, I understand that we have offered nine jobs to
people abroad, and they a re coming in to take those
jobs.
Then the question that would follow from that
is how short are we from the 189- person estimate?
Well, 189 is headquarters. If you go down to the bottom,
the bottom numbers are 172 actuals from 2024/ 25 as
contrasted with 218.

So I have assumed that those
hires would go up top . But maybe I should not have
made that assumption. Perhaps they go into the West-gate Correctional Facility. Again, I do not know, and I
would welcome an answer on that.
I am delighted to hear that there are more eggs
this year than there were last year. I took [time] to look
them up.

[Laughter]

Okay. On a slightly more serious note, this is line item
35060, which goes back to [page] B-95, and that is the
Westgate Correctional Facility. And we heard during
the presentation of the brief by the Junior Minister the
concerns , which are repeated concerns , and not surprising , around a correctional facility of security, razor
wires being fixed and the like. And the questions that I
have are under the . . . you can keep a finger there at
page B-95 if you wish . And then turn to the c apital acquisitions page in the bundle. And that is [page] C-7, or
excuse me, [page] C-10. And [page] C-10 is c apital acquisitions. There is the heading [for the] Ministry of Justice. And down at the Department of Corrections , it is
about four subheadings down. And there are two line
items , which are security CCTV systems (that is
76597), and below that, security system (which is
76643) .
Now, last year, when the Honourable Junior
Minister presented the brief on this there was quite a bit
of discussion around security systems, both CCTV and otherwise, at the c orrectional institutions. And I note
that the capital acquisitions have zeroed out. If one is
looking at [page] C-10, all the way across to the right,
they have gone out to zero. So, I would conclude from
that that the acquisitions have now been acquired. Everything that is needed is bought. And if that is right . . .
and I will ask the question, I s that right? Do we now
have both the CCTV systems and other security systems that are desired or desirable for the correctional
facilities, including Westgate?
And if we do now have them, secondly, are
they now installed and operational? And thirdly, if they
are installed and operational, are we satisfied that what
we have is what we need? Because obviously, the estimate now is zero- rated for both aspects, suggesting
nothing further is coming. And so, I would just welcome some clarity around those points.
And obviously, that is an important issue because there does seem to be, if one looks at comments in the public, but also comments made by the Minister
during his brief today, quite frank observations . There
does seem to be an issue around staffing and around
morale. And indeed, those are not my words. The Honourable Junior Minister said staffing at the facility continues to be a critical challenge and is a major part of
ensuring the safety and security at the facility. And then
he said there was constrained staffing capacity.

Now, I appreciate that this may
not be the job that everyone is banging down the door
to have. And maybe some people, it would be the job
that they would bang down the door to have.
But linking those two issues together . . . or
perhaps I shouldn't. That's not . . . perhaps I shouldn't.
Perhaps I should just ask this question. The J unior Minister has identified constrained staffing capacity. What
is the reason for that?


Bermuda House of Assembly Further on, he said staffing has posed a significant challenge. So, I guess, what is the reason for
that? Is it the unsociable nature of the job? Is it the salary level? Are there safety and security concerns, given
what we were just looking at regarding the CCTV sys-tems and security systems?
Could you please perhaps identify, if you were
to try to directly address those constrained staffing ca-pacity concerns which pose a significant challenge,
what are the solutions that would be advocated for to
try to improve the lot of those who are serving as our
corrections officers ? Appreciating that not all roles and
jobs in life are easy, and I suspect this is one that is
particularly difficult in any circumstance.

So again, not throwing stones, but
just trying to recognise that the Government has candidly noted what is happening, and what are the solutions proposed.
While we are in the back of the Budget B ook, if
we could also just fli p to the grants, which are on [page]
C-17 for the Ministry of Justice. I have one quick question on C orrections, and that is the grant for the Benevolent Fund. I see that $ 5,000 is a grant again in the
same amount. And my question here is really just curiosity. Is that a rollover? Is it an offered grant that is then
taken, or is it drawn down every year? Do we give
[$5,000] every year and they kind of . . . if they don't
need it, it builds up? Just curious, because it is not
something I have come across or knew much about.
Still under H ead 25 in C orrections, but turning
to some of the observations made by the J unior Minister surrounding treatment at our Correctional facilities.
And I will go back to wherever H ead 3 was. Here it is.
It is not Head 3, rather . . . I'm sorry, H ead 25.

[Inaudible interjection]

And, during the brief, the Honourable Junior Minister commented on some of the treatments that were available in relation to the heading of
psychological services. And he got onto the topic of sex
offenders. And he was discussing something which he
called Life Minus Violence , which I think is the programme. And then he said, after that sexual something,
I did not get the whole . . . my note was incomplete. But
what I understand [what] Life Minus Violence to be is an umbrella treatment con cept. And that some of that
relates to sex offenders who are in our correctional fa-cilities.
And the Honourable Junior Minister got into the
number of psychological reports that were produced in
the year. And he gave the number in his brief of 17 psychological reports. And what I am poking at a little bit,
due to my own lack of knowledge, is to try to get a sense of how much of the psychological services and
treatments that are going on in our correctional facilities
are driven by the sex offenders who are incarcerated, and how much of that is other inmates who are not
there for sexual offences.
And I do not really have a sense of that. And I
am not looking for specific numbers. And I do not expect you to have those today at all. But it would assist,
perhaps, if one were able to say of the 17 psychological reports, 25 per cent of those are for sex offenders, or
99 per cent . I just do not know. And I really was not, I
am afraid I do not have a sufficient grip, bearing in mind
this is a new department to this portfolio, of the L ife Minus Violence scheme. And it is clearly something I need
to learn more about. But again, very high-level questions. I am not asking about specific numbers. I am just
trying to get a sense of how much of the treatment that
is going on in our facilities is driven by sex offenders
versus non- sex offenders, if tha t is an easy way to put
it.
Still at page B-95, I have already asked about
the basis for the expectation. Did I? Or did I ask about
that?

Let me put the point again in case
I did not. I am sorry. Perhaps I am getting confused between two different heads. I see that at the bottom of
page B-95, there is $29.1 million, and we are looking at
$26.8 million. And I may have already asked this question. I apologise if I am repeating myself. But what is
the basis for that expectation and the drop? I think I did .
I did it, right?

I did it right at the beginning.
Thank you. Thank you.
Against the background of the need for hiring.
The next question is still under Head 25, but
now we are turning over to the performance measures.
And I just want to go through page B-98, which is the
performance measures for the Department of Corrections, continued. And the box starts there with the average total of incarceration per inmate per annum
based on maximum capacity, and it gives a figure of
73,000. So, I think that i s a numeric value, if I have understood that correctly.
2054 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly And then the average daily number of inmates
is below at 160. So, I believe that is an absolute numeric value as an average.
And then the total number of inmates released
on parole is eight. So that would suggest to me that . . .
and I appreciate it is an average, and I appreciate it
fluctuates over a period. But that suggests to me that
we are paroling around 5 per cent of our inmate population. And I would just ask for clarity on whether I have
understood those numbers correctly. If I have misunderstood some of these numbers, please do say so. But
is it right that we are paroling about 5 per cent of our
inmate population on average over a period?
And then at the bottom of the target outcomes,
which is the column on the right -hand side, the average
overall recidivism numbers and percentage rate for
year three. Now, the Honourable Junior Minister spoke
to that, and he said we had a recidivism percentage
rate at 18, and he contrasted it, you may remember,
Madam Chair man, with a number of other countries.
Am I to therefore understand that the 20 target
is a percentage, and the 18 to the left was the percent-age? So, first of all, question, are those percentages?
And secondly, is the 18 the percentage that the Minister
was, our Junior Minister , was referring to? I think it is.
And then thirdly, could you help me with why we are
looking at a target of an increase in recidivism rather than trying to maintain that constant, or indeed has that
go down?
It may be that I have misunderstood those
numbers, and they are not percentages, and they mean
something else. But if those are percentages, could I
get some clarity around that? Again, mindful that the recidivism rate, I thought I heard the Junior Minister say was 18 per cent . Again, not looking for deep, deep drilling here, just to try to get a sense of why we would be
looking at a higher number going up. Yes.
Last question on this head before moving on to
the next one. So last question on the Department of
Corrections is a reference was made in the brief to Astor House. It may be my memory, but I do not recall
hearing about Astor House previously, albeit we have
only debated this head once before. And so, I would
just be grateful for just a little bit more information from the Junior Minister on Astor House. And I see he is nodding his head, so perhaps he could just provide us a bit
of insight as to what that is and what that does. And I
want to leave the Minister enough time to finish. I will
be about five more minutes.
The last head of the four is the Department of
Court Services. And Madam Chair man, that is Head
74, and that starts at page B-99 of the Budget Book.
And the question I have here, I have already covered
the pro bono legal advice centre. But again, I have
given the reasons for that, and I hope that is an idea. I
know I am not the only person to ever say that. I know
people are running with it. And hopefully it is something

1 The Royal Gazette, 05 February 2026 that we could do. I think it would make people's lives a
lot easier. And the law, if you are not a lawyer, is often
very complicated. But the law, if you are a lawyer, can
often be very simple if you tell someone where they are
going or what they need to know —

Great ! I am winding up now so we
can get the answers from the Honourable Minister.
Yes.
Two more points just on this h ead. One, in
terms of court services, and I would like to just commend the Ministry. For a long time coming, Bermuda
has discussed the possibility of an arbitration and mediation centre, and I was delighted to see that this is
now becoming a reality.
If I may quickly, with your leave, Madam Chairman, just read the announcement in the
1paper two
weeks ago . And this is the Bermuda International Mediation and Arbitration Centre, BIMAC, and the response from the Attorney General. I will just quote her.
“The Government welcomes initiatives that
seek to strengthen Bermuda's dispute resolution landscape.
“We recognise that the establishment of a
dedicated centre for the alternative dispute resolution
has the potential to offer great benefits to the island,
including enhancing Bermuda's reputation as a premier international financial centre and improving access to
justice .”
And then again, with your leave, Mr. [Jeffery P.]
Elkinson (once of my shop) , the former president of the
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, says this, quote:
2“Many have tried, and now, thanks to Sam with his energy and drive” (that is a reference to Sam Stevens
[CEO and Registrar of Bermuda International Media-tion and Arbitration Centre]) “ this is soon going to be a
reality. It is a hugely positive development for the jurisdiction.”
I have not personally toured the premises. I get
to go see it, I think, tomorrow. I am very much looking
forward to it. But this is something that we should wel-come in this C hamber and generally as an I sland. It is
wonderful to see this progress . And commendations to
those in the M inistry who were able to assist or give
2 Ibid.


Bermuda House of Assembly guidance or whatever it was in relation to getting this
across the line.
We have talked about it a great deal. It has
been proposed in various Throne Speeches. And it is
nice to see it getting done . Notwithstanding that i t is being done in the private sector rather than the public sector. It is a good thing regardless of which sector it happens to fall. And it really does offer ourselves, not least
for the very pragmatic and practical reason that we are,
if nothing else, an insurance jurisdiction. Insurance and
insurance contracts are something that often invoke arbitration clau ses.
Arbitration, for those who may not know, is just
a sort of private form of remediation. I t is an opportunity
to have dispute resolution in a private for um rather than
taxing our courts yet further. It is usually with experts.
So, you are in front of a panel of arbitrators who would
all be in the insurance industry and therefore know a lot
about the clauses. So, it brings a high level of expertise.
In theory, it is supposed to be swifter than the courts.
And I am not speaking just for Bermuda. I am
speaking generally across many jurisdictions. I am not
sure in practise whether i t is true that it is swifter. But it
is one of the things that those who are promoting arbitration services will tell you, that it is swifter.
And so, I would like to add my voice to the
voice of the Honourable and Learned Attorney General in praising the fact that it has finally opened. And well
done to Mr. [Sam] Stevens and all of those working with
him in getting it done. And I think that is a very positive step for our I sland.
And I note that when the Government had a
proposal of this nature several years ago, one of the thoughts the G overnment was going to use that centre
for . . . I think it is the one sort of over there, was the
space earmarked for it. But one of the thoughts the Government had was to perhaps have some of the tribunals use that same facility. I do not know what Mr.
Stevens and his business colleagues think about that, but that may well be a wonderful place to see our tribunal systems have a centralised place t o meet and hear
and determine matters as well, because i t is a little bit
hodgepodge at the moment and just the way it has
grown up.
And my last question before moving off Head
74 is, I did not quite hear one point that the Honourable
Junior Minister made in his brief. It was around the topic
of drug rehabilitation and drug testing. And let me see
if I can point to at least the heading for him from last
year's brief, because it was sort of in the right church, different pew maybe. And yes, it is under the heading,
Performance Measures for the Drug Treatment Court
Team, the subheading of his brief. And I did not quite
hear. What I heard w as that successful non- repeat
rates or non- recidivism rates by drug users was going
down. So, I heard that bit.

Okay. I will start with the easier
question first. Shadow Minister P earman, you asked in
regard to the name of the programme at Westgate. It
was called Life Minus Violence– Harmful Sexual Behaviour. So, it does address sexual behaviour.
I will go back to one of the first questions. In
regard to the Legal Aid, in reply to your suggestion, legal aid contributions, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General have been in conversations with the Bar
Council , who have discussed pro bono requirements
for the Island's lawyers. And it continues to be a topic
of discussion as to how the Government can support
the development of this. And we will be happy to accept
support from the many experienced lawyers in our ju-risdiction and acknowledge the suggestion to provide
CPD hours as a positive one.
And to answer, to clarify, the Bar Association
calls for eight hours of legal education by October 31 of
each year. And this could be a great opportunity to connect with the Continued Legal Education Committee for
collaboration of this sort.
One of his questions for Ministry HQ 97100, in
regard to the breakdown of numbers, the differences
breakdown mostly related to salaries, $276,076. Membership fees were increased by $3,150. And there was
also additional $500 for training and office supplies,
$500.
In regard to the FIA question, Financial Intelligence Agency, the increase in the grant represents additional investments in human resources as well as the
introduction of enhanced technological tools to support
the work of the agency in achieving its objectives.
The question in regard to the Justice Protection
Programme, it is under constant review if the appropriate resource is assigned to ensure smooth operation
and effectiveness.
2056 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Your question in regard [to] the Law Reform
Commission, the additional roles will be policy and research officer and administrative assistant. And we are
also finalising c ommissioners to serve on the reconstituted Law Reform Commission. Topics for the law re-form include wrapping up any business or suggestions
of the previous Law Reform Commission, as well as increasing access to justice being a high priority.
We also expect that the Law Reform Commission will examine recommendations emerging from the
Land Laws Commission Report, as well as amendments to the C riminal Code and Domestic Abuse reform, which continue to be priorities.
And additionally, we intend to consult with the
Bermuda Bar Council on any issues the profession as
a whole considers priorities.
Your question in regard to the Case Management system, the department is actively engaged in the
procurement process to procure a suitable electronic
Case Management system. The Chief Justice, Acting
Registrar, and IT Manager have been spearheading
this initiative despite their heavy workloads.
Although the evaluation and selection process
has been protracted, it is nearing its final stages and the department is currently awaiting final pricing infor-mation from the top- rated proponent following an indepth evaluation and contract negotiation proc ess,
while simultaneously complying with various mandates under the government's procurement process, including liaising with the Office of Procurement and undergoing privacy and security assessments. It is hoped this process will conclude by the end of the 2025/ 26
fiscal year, and the department is making every attempt to proceed into contract whilst we have the capital fund-ing.
In regard to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, the “ NA,” non-applicable, means the
measures were not recorded under this head and were
previously under the J udiciary.
I do not have the exact question, but you asked
in capacity building. It is important to have Bermudians
in these roles. The new Bermudian Director, C hristal
Hanna, is an example, and she has developed in this
role.
Your question in regard to why is C orrections
under the Ministry of Justice. This aligns with the UK's
organisation where HMPS, His Majesty's Prison Service, sits within the Ministry of Justice. This alignment
for Bermuda has allowed us access to services and
funding to move forward goals f or rehabilitation and reintegration, as well as training opportunities for our
staff.
Your question in regard to the grant, the PO
Benevolent. This should be for the Prison Office Rec-reation Club, not the Benevolent Fund—

Your question in regard to Astor
House. Astor House is HOME’s new facility, which specifically provides housing for persons involved in the criminal justice system via probation and parole. It will
be designated as a transitional housing for clients moving from our correctional facilities. The Ministry of Justice team has been working closely with partner m inistries as the project is moving toward completion. This
project is a critical plank in the delivery of the National Violence Reduction Strategy and the reintegration of
clients into society.
In regard to your question regard ing to the jury
form and judge- only trials, we will pay attention to the
constitutional issues regarding this item.
And you asked in regard to the percentage of
treatment being delivered to sex offenders versus other inmates. The number of inmates being paroled at 5 per
cent, but the number of inmates being paroled represents the number of eligible inmates for parole during
the period, not the entire population. The number of inmates listed on page B-98 include sentenced and unsentenced inmates.
If I do not have an answer to any questions you
asked, you can let me know. I can go back over them.
Your question in regard to the Judicial Department and the Court of Appeal. There are two roles in the Court of Appeal. The administrative officer (Court of
Appeal ), and an administrative assistant. The administrative assistant post is filled substantively. The admin-istrative officer (Court of Appeal), is currently filled in
acting capacity by a substantive employee who is employed in another division of the Supreme Court. It is
anticipated that the acting appointment will continue
through to the end of the March 26, Court of Appeal
session , with the aim of ensuring that the Court of Appeal has the required coverage during the session. Ultimately, it is the d epartment's goal to fill the post of administrative officer (Court of Appeal ), substanti vely in
the very near future.
Also note, the department has faced challenges in recruiting the post of a dministrative officer,
(Court of Appeal ), as well as the post of a dministrative
officer for Civil Supreme Court. These are supervisory
roles with the responsibility of overseeing all administrative personnel with the assigned court or division.
The salaries are not competitive and persons who are
suitably qualified to perform these roles are able to obtain much higher salaries in the private sector.
The department has decided to take a twopronged approach to address this. The job descriptions
are undergoing a comprehensive and thorough review
to ensure that the joint grading panel can effectively assess the pay scales assigned to this post. And t he


Bermuda House of Assembly department is looking at ways to develop internally as
a way to also aid in self -retention.
A question in regard to the probate division.
The probate division is actively addressing the backlog
of probate applications. There are currently three ad-ministrative staff members assigned to the probate division plus the Supreme Court manager. The division
is also supported by the assistant registrar.
Historically, the probate division was only supported by the Supreme Court m anager and one administrative assistant. The restructuring of the court's organisational structure expands the administrative support for the probate division to include an administrative
officer. The department is currently looking to finalise
the job description for that post so the post can be created and recruited in the near future. The department
is planning to issue a court circular that will detail the
most up- to-date statis tics on the review of outstanding
applications.
A response to your question in regard to recruitment at C orrections. Recruitment efforts to address staff shortages remain ongoing. As mentioned,
six officers were added recently.
However, there will still be a gap. The nine officers that are referred to are the same that are referred to in other areas of the briefing. As they have not commenced employment they are included in vacant posts, and we continue to learn from previous recruitment ef-forts in applying these lessons to strengthen the process. Our aim is to streamline and reduce the length of
the recruitment process itself without compromising the quality of candidates or training.
There will be another recruitment campaign
launched soon, and it is a rigorous recruitment process .
The Department of Corrections have joined the Ministry
of National Security to develop a uniformed services programme whereby training will be provided to suita-ble applicants who will then be offered employment in
one of the uniformed services departments .
And I believe I have . . . Oh. The question in
regard to funding for the CCTV and security systems.
The projects for CCTV and the security system were
completed in 2025 /26. Funding for CCTV cameras that
need to be replaced or repaired are included in the security budget as well as the capital funding for prison
minor works.
I believe I have answered most of the questions that were posed [regarding] the court. As I do know, there was a lot of commentary around the questions so at best the questions were captured.

Thank you Madam Chair man and
thank you to the Honourable Junior Minister. I believe
he did address a number of the questions. I have two I
think that are outstanding.
One was to try to get a sense of the psychological services being performed on incarcerated people.
What are the percentage of sex offender psychological
services versus non -sex offender ? That was one. And
the other was just to follow up on the Honourable Junior Minister's comments around the drug testing and
whether I misheard that , or whether , effectively , drug
testing was going down and people being tested was
going—

Thank you, Madam Chair man.
In regard to the drug testing, the drug testing in
drug treatment court the number of tests conducted is
determined by the number of participants. The testing
protocol is determined by the programme policy according to the following schedule: P hase 1, three times
per week ; Phase 2, two times per week ; Phase 3, once
per week ; Phase 4, once every two weeks ; and Phase
5, once every month. So, I think that . . . hopefully that
answers your question.

But I do have another response
to a question he asked in regard to tiered fees for different levels.
The Judiciary independence. The importance
of ensuring an independent Judiciary is an issue that
the Attorney General believes is important to protect
and maintain. And the issue of tiered fees is one that
will be raised and discussed with the Chief Justice.

Okay . So, in regard to the assessments, we do not have the breakdown of assessments. However , there are a mix of assessments on
sex offenders and high- risk offenders. The assessments are completed for the Parole Board Courts and
internal purposes.
And with that , Madam Chair man, I believe I answered the questions . And if not then—

[Crosstalk]

—is the Ministry of Cabinet Office and
Digital Innovation.
I call on the Minister responsible.
Minister, you have the floor.

MINISTRY OF CABINET OFFICE AND
DIGITAL INNOVATION
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Madam Chair man, I move
Head 9, Cabinet Office; Head 13, Post Office; Head 18,
Libraries and Archives ; Head 32, Department of Planning; Head 43, Department of Information and Digital
Technologies ; and Head 80, Project Management and
Procurement , now be taking under consideration.

It has been moved that Heads 9, 13,
18, 32, 43 and 80 be considered.
Are there any objections?
There are none.
Minister, continue.

HEAD 9 —CABINET OFFICE

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Madam Chairman, I am
pleased to present the budget for Head 9, the Cabinet
Office, found on pages B -39 to B -45 and C4, C9, and
C17 of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure
2026/27.
Madam Chairman, the Ministry of the Cabinet
Office and Digital Innovation operates at the heart of
Government, providing services to Cabinet, the Premier, and Ministers of Government. The Cabinet Office
also coordinates initiatives on cross -cutting issues, and
acts as the corporate headquarters for the civil service providing services, advice and guidance for other g overnment departments, and by extension, to the wider
public [sector]. These broad functions are supported by the budgets presented here today .

[Mr. Scott Pearman, Chairman]

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, a total of
$15,387,000 for 2026/27 has been allocated for the head and constitutes approximately 26 per cent of the
budget allocated for the Ministry as a whole. This figure
represents an increase of $1,553,000, or approximately
11 per cent overall above the previous fiscal year’s figures, which I will detail further.
Mr. Chairman, the revenue estimate for the
subjective analysis of current account estimates of


Bermuda House of Assembly Head 9 is found on page B -42. The material difference
is accounted for in an increase of estimated fees to be
collected from Planning appeals, while holding steady
on Public Access to Information fees, noting that most
requests will fall outside the requir ement to charge any
fees at all, therefore making the total revenues anticipated to be $25,000, or 400 per cent more than last
year’s estimates.

Subjective Analysis

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: The subjective analysis of
current account estimates of the Department of the
Cabinet Office may be found on page B -42. The main
material differences in this year’s budgets are due to training, travel, materials and supplies, and professional services, and other expenses. Salaries for this head have also increased due to the salary uplift, as
there has been no material change in the number of
full-time employees under this head since the previous
budget.
Mr. Chairman, looking at the larger increases,
the training budget of $389,000 represents a 678 per
cent increase over the preceding fiscal year. This funding will be used for a wide variety of training initiatives, ranging from the front lines to providing c ustomer service training to leadership training initiatives, and spe-cific, targeted training for hard- to-fill but essential positions.
Mr. Chairman, also included in training is funding for the new Public Service Scholarship Programme. This programme provides tuition support to Bermudians pursuing priority fields of study in exchange for a
five-year commitment to serve their country in the public service or public health care. It creates a clear pathway for talented Bermudians to build meaningful ca-reers at home while strengthening the future leadership of our public service
Mr. Chairman, there is also a total estimate of
$399,000 for travel. This figure represents a more accurate reflection of the comprehensive travel requirements for the Premier, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Cabinet Secretary, Head of Public Service and
other officials in the Ministry.
As the head of Government, the Premier’s
presence at high- level forums and direct engagement
with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Office is indispensable. These missions ensure that
Bermuda is not merely the subject of international policy but an active participant in shaping it. Furthermore,
the Premier serves as Bermuda’s chief ambassador to
global capital markets; travel to financial hubs facilitates the face- to-face engagement with institutional investors that reinforces our reputation as a stable, “bluechip” jurisdiction and secures vital foreign direct investment.
Mr. Chairman, it is also important to note that
this allocation is not just for the Premier. It supports the
Minister, Cabinet Secretary, Head of the Public Service and other officials in the Ministry and key departmental
staff in maintaining and forging strategic relationships
within the region. A primary example is our active participation in the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Operators conferences, where Ber-muda engages with regional partners to tackle complex
issues such as data sovereignty and infrastructure resiliency. By sending the Minister and technical experts
to these forums, we ensure that Bermuda is not only
contributing to the regional digital agenda but is also
implementing the best practices necessary to protect our own digital borders and ensure the long- term stability of our telecommunications landscape.
Mr. Chairman, another notable increase can be
seen in advertising and promotion, of 63 per cent , for a
total allocation of $62,000. This funding will be used pri-marily to promote careers in the public service, which I will speak more about under business unit 19080.
Additionally, Mr. Chairman, there will be an increase of 10 per cent for a total allocation of $4,150,000
in Professional Services. This funding will support resources used for internal communications, job evaluations and grading structures, public perception surveys,
and employment surveys to ensure that the public service is well aligned with the needs of the people.
Lastly, Mr. Chairman, there are sizeable increases in materials and supplies and other expenses,
of 87 per cent and 164 per cent respectively, for total
allocations of $321,000 and $484,000 in each area.
This allocation will support important initiatives, like the
upcoming career fair, International Women's Day
events, long service awards, employee excellence
awards, and development days for leadership , to name
a few.
Mr. Chairman, the capital budget for Head 9 is
found on page C -4. We have allocated a total of
$600,000 for two high- priority areas: our community institutions and the modernisation of our postal service.

Investing in our Community Clubs

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, our community clubs are the backbone of our neighbourhoods. They are more than just buildings; they are where our
sporting traditions live and where our youth find men-torship. We have allocated $500,000 to help these
clubs upgrade their faciliti es. This is not just about
maintenance, it is about making sure these local institutions remain safe, strong, and able to serve the public. By investing here, we are supporting the people who
lead our youth programmes and socia l services every
day.

Relocating the Mail Processing Centre

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: The Government currently
pays $300,000 a year in rent for the Mail Processing Centre. We have spent enough time talking about moving it; this year, we are taking action. We have allocated
2060 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly $100,000 specifically for the technical research and
planning needed to move this operation. This funding
will provide the engineering and logistical roadmap to
get us out of rental premises and into a permanent,
government -owned home. This is a common- sense investment that will save the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

Capital Acquisitions and Grants

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, Capital Acquisitions can be found on page C -9 of the Budget
Book, and total $12,000, allocated for office furniture
and equipment.
Lastly, on page C -17, you will find our Grants
and Contributions, totalling $75,000. This is $3,000 less
than last year, showing our commitment to staying lean.

Future Leaders Programme
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: The Future Leaders Programme is one of our most important investments in our
youth. For three weeks, bright young Bermudians learn
the values of service and leadership. This is more than a summer course; it is where the next generation of
Bermudian leader s is built. By providing them with
mentors and hands -on experience, we are giving our
youth the confidence to lead our community for years
to come.

Overseas Hurricane Relief

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Bermuda does not live in a
vacuum. We have maintained our $25,000 contribution
to regional hurricane relief funds. This is a matter of mutual aid. We stand by our Caribbean neighbours in times of crisis, and in return, we ensure that same support is there for Bermuda if we ever face a major disaster. This is about building the strong, vital ties that keep
island nations safe.
Mr. Chairman, employee numbers can be
found on page B -43 of the Budget Book, and overall,
there is no change in employee numbers from the previous fiscal year. Staffing numbers remain constant at
51 for the coming fiscal year.

Performance Measures b y Business Unit

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, building on
the Ministry’s strong track record, I can confirm that our
performance targets for the 2025/26 fiscal year were
met with high levels of consistency. The following
breakdown of our primary business units will highlight
recent milestones and outline how our requested
budget will be strategically deployed to drive further progress.

Business Unit 19000 , Administration Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, this business
unit represents the strategic core of Bermuda’s Public Service. This unit resources the Public Service Executive, including the Head of the Public Service, the Deputy Head, and the Permanent Secretaries who trans-late ministerial pr iorities into nationwide results. By
funding the Cabinet Secretary, whose primary function
is to serve as the Premier’s chief policy advisor, this unit
ensures that Cabinet receives the rigorous strategic
support necessary for sound decision- making. From
executive aides to essential support staff, [business]
unit 19000 provides the operational backbone required
for a seamless, high- functioning government.

Business Unit 19010 , Protocol and
Official Hospitality

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, the Protocol
and [Official] Hospitality Unit is the primary steward of
the Island’s international image. Far from being a mere
administrative function, this unit is the "front door" of Bermuda, ensuring that every interaction with foreign
heads of state, international regulators, and regional
partners reinforces our reputation as a sophisticated
and stable jurisdiction.
Mr. Chairman, this unit acts as the definitive
authority on diplomatic etiquette, supporting the Prem-ier, Cabinet, and Government House and providing
guidance on intricate matters of precedence, flag protocol, and ceremonial conduct. Its meticulous management of venues like Camden ensures that official hospitality is not only gracious but strategically aligned with our national interests.
Mr. Chairman, the current fiscal cycle has seen
a significant increase in high- level hosting duties. Noteworthy is the recent hosting of the Caribbean Tourism
Organization (CTO) Spring Meetings, welcoming
Council Ministers and tourism leaders from 25 countries. This engagement was critical in showcasing Bermuda’s world- class facilities to our regional neighbours.
Mr. Chairman, the unit continued its vital work
with the UK, managing the visit of the Public Admin-istration and Constitutional Affairs Committee [ PACAC ]. The expertise of this small team ensured that
Bermuda’s constitutional maturity was effectively demonstrated to UK lawmakers.
Mr. Chairman, from the King’s Birthday Honours in June to the solemnity of Remembrance Day in November, the unit delivered flawless execution of our national traditions. This team also manages the ceremonial reception of returning international athletes, ensuring their arrival is marked with the national honours
and official recognition their achievements deserve.
Mr. Chairman, as Bermuda looks to deepen its
engagement with CARICOM and global finance bodies, the work of this unit remains indispensable in projecting
a dignified and professional presence on the world
stage.



Bermuda House of Assembly Business Unit 19015 , Policy and Strategy

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, the Policy
and Strategy Unit serves as the bridge between high-level legislative vision and practical, departmental exe-cution. As the central coordinator for cross -ministry initiatives, the unit ensures that the Government’s strategic roadmap, d efined by the Speech from the Throne
and the Budget Statement, is translated into measura-ble public benefits.
Mr. Chairman, aligned with the Government’s
commitment to digital transformation and administrative efficiency, the u nit has set rigorous benchmarks for
responsiveness. By maintaining a five- day turnaround
for complex policy advice and a 48- hour response window for general service requests, the unit ensures that
the engine of government remains agile, minimising ad-minist rative bottlenecks.
Mr. Chairman, for the 2026/27 fiscal cycle, the
unit includes a robust Policy Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. This function provides active monitoring of all undertakings within the 2025/26 Throne Speech and
Budget Statement to ensure departmental alignm ent.
This unit also implements data- driven reviews to determine the effectiveness of new legislative initiatives, allowing for real -time adjustments to better serve the
public.
Mr. Chairman, this unit continues to lead the
development of a network of p olicy analysts across all
ministries, fostering a culture of innovation and shared
best practices. By adhering to these monitoring mech-anisms, the Policy and Strategy Unit is not merely observing government progress; it is actively driving the
accountability and transparency that Bermudians ex-pect.

Business Unit 19020 , Safety and Health

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, the Safety
and Health business unit within the Cabinet Office
plays a critical role in safeguarding the well -being of
public officers and ensuring the safe operation of Government facilities. Operating under the Occupational
Safety and Health Act 1982, the unit provides strategic oversight, practical guidance, and regulatory support to
Ministries and Departments, helping to reduce workplace risks, prevent injuries, and avoid the financial and
operational costs associated with incidents and lost
time.
Mr. Chairman, during the 2025/26 fiscal year,
significant progress has been made through the execu-tion of a comprehensive government -wide workplace
safety audit, including employee feedback. Inspections
and operational reviews were conducted across a wide
range of government facilities including operational
sites, administrative buildings, care facilities, pre-schools, transportation depots, marine facilities, and
Cabinet Office locations. These inspections assessed
statutory compliance, physical hazards, emergency preparedness, and organisational safety systems, with
formal reports issued identifying corrective actions and
supporting departmental accountability.
Mr. Chairman, this audit represents one of the
most extensive reviews of workplace safety undertaken within the p ublic service and provides a clear baseline
of risk exposure and compliance gaps. By identifying
issues early, the government is better positioned to prevent incidents, reduce potential liability, and support
more efficient use of public resources. A centralised
risk tracking approach has been implemented to moni-tor corrective actions and inform future planning.

Looking Ahead to Fiscal Year 2026/27

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: The unit will continue
strengthening compliance monitoring and supporting
departments in addressing identified risks. The government remains committed to ensuring that all public officers work in environments that are safe, healthy, and
supportive.

Business Unit 19035 , London Office
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, the London
Office has achieved the ongoing 2025/26 objectives set
with planned continuance throughout the upcoming 2026/[27] budget year.
Mr. Chairman, the office continues to drive forward the government’s external affairs remit and sup-port Bermudians living in the UK and Europe.
The London Office continues to provide the
necessary immediate assistance and guidance through its consular function to Bermudians living and studying
in the UK throughout Europe and on occasion Bermudians in other parts of the world.
Mr. Chairman, the London Office is being strategically expanded to better capitalise on international
investment opportunities. By establishing the Deputy
UK Representative as a permanent role, we are building on the progress made in aligning with UK Export
Finance to drive inward capital to Bermuda. This move
marks the beginning of a wider assessment of our over-seas diplomatic resources to ensure that they meet our
evolving economic goals. Furthermore, we remain committed to youth empowerment through our L ondon
and Brussels internship programmes, offering young
Bermudians unique exposure to the world of international relations.

Business Unit 19040 , Ministry Administration

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, Ministry Administration serves as the coordination centre for a
broad and vital portfolio. This unit is responsible for the
strategic alignment of several key pillars of the public
service, including Libraries and Archives, the Post Office, the Department of Planning, the Department of Information and Digital Technologies, the Office of
2062 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Project Management and Procurement, and the
PATI/PIPA Unit. While coordinating these functions
and ensuring compliance with statutory requirements
are met, this business unit is also responsible for the
delivery of Throne Speech and Platform commitments for across all sections of the Ministry.
Mr. Chairman, most recently, the unit has been
the administrative engine behind the public consulta-tion process for the Electoral Reform work, Signs and
Banners and a 2026 version of the previous “Cyber tips”
programme. With Electoral Reform, we are specifically
facilitating policy development to tackle issues related
to the four pillars of the Reform:
1. voter access and registration;
2. Election Day processes;
3. campaign and election finance rules; and
4. governance and oversight through the Parliamentary Registrar’s Office.
Mr. Chairman, this unit has also completed the
data collection phase necessary to modernise the anti-quated Advertisements Regulation Act 1911, which will inform a new, fit -for-purpose policy on signage and
banners. This work is being done with a view to replacing a legislative framework that has remained largely
unchanged for over 100 years.
Mr. Chairman, we are also bringing back a digital shield for our families. Many will remember the Cyber tips programme. It was a useful guide that helped
parents and students navigate the I nternet safely. The
world has changed since that progra mme first launched
and the risks are different now. Because of this, we are currently finishing our research into new versions of this
service. We are looking at several options to find the
best fit for Bermuda. Once we pick the right path, we will launch an updated pr ogramme. Our goal is simple.
We want to make sure our children are as safe online as they are on our streets. For the upcoming 2026/27 year, we want to take a bigger step. We will explore
developing a National Digital Safety Standard for Bermuda.
Think of this as the health certificate you see in
a restaurant window. We want to give a similar seal of
approval to schools, youth clubs, and community centres. This seal will [show] that a location has the right Internet filters and safety training in place. We are moving from just giving out tips to setting a high bar for our
community. A parent should know that when their child
is at a local club, their digital safety is a priority. We
want Bermuda to be one of t he safest places in the
world for a chil d to use a computer or a phone and this
standard will help us to get there.
Mr. Chairman, this business unit is also spearheading initiatives to ensure that the development pipelines remain robust and smooth, with initiatives aimed
at supporting improvements in p lanning processes and
procurement frameworks. This unit’s goal is to ensure
that the government can move at the pace of innovation
and investment without sacrificing the transparency
and rigor that the public expects. Mr. Chairman, the focus of this unit in the
2026/27 fiscal year will remain clear: to ensure that
funding allocated to this business unit is direct investment into the long- term resilience and prosperity of all
Bermudians.

Business Unit 19045 , Washington DC Office

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, the mandate
of the Washington DC Office remains maintaining and strengthening relationships with the US G overnment
and business stakeholders to promote Bermuda’s economic interests, including financial services and tourism, while monitoring US policy developments that may
affect Bermuda.
Mr. Chairman, during fiscal term 2025/26, the
DC Office continued to advance its mandate by contin-uing to
• strengthen bipartisan relationships with members of Congress and key stakeholders to safe-guard Bermuda’s interests and maintain strategic visibility;
• provide ongoing analysis and guidance on US
political and policy developments relevant to
Bermuda’s economic pillars, including financial
services, taxation, trade, and digital innovation;
and
• advance Bermuda’s profile with industry networks, including FinTech/digital assets, insurance and reinsurance, and investment stakeholders.
Mr. Chairman, the DC Office made measurable
progress toward its performance measures during fiscal term 2025/26, including
• continuing engagement with US -based conveners and strategic partners to support the
development of Bermuda- based events and
sector -facing convenings;
• maintaining a structured pipeline of prospective business leads and engagement activity
aligned to domiciliation and strategic investment interest.
Mr. Chairman, for fiscal term 2026/27, the
Washington DC Office will continue to prioritise its objectives by
• deepening bipartisan congressional relationships with US federal agencies and expand engagement with relevant committees, caucuses,
and issue- area leaders aligned to Bermuda’s
economic interests;
• strengthening relationships with conference organisers, industry associations, family office
and high- net-worth networks, and strategic intermediaries capable of driving tangible leads
into Bermuda;
• executing repeatable, high- quality engagement formats (i.e., roundtables, briefings, and targeted receptions) that strengthen Bermuda’s brand and support sector goals;


Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Chairman, for fiscal term 2026/27, the DC
Office proposes the following performance measures
(building directly from the prior year measures):
• engaging US organi sers and networks to support at least one Bermuda- hosted conference/event (digital assets, F inTech, insurance/reinsurance, or family office sector);
• securing three business leads with meaningful
progression toward domiciliation or structured
investment engagement in Bermuda; and
• finalising and maintaining an up- to-date database of Bermudian college students residing in the US.

Business Unit 19075 , The Brussels Office
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, the Brussels
Office is the primary conduit for Bermuda’s strategic in-terests within the European Union, focusing on proac-tive advocacy and high- level stakeholder engagement.
For the 2026/27 fiscal year, the core objectives will in-clude:
• Strengthening ties with key EU institutions to
anticipate and respond to evolving regulatory
shifts.
• Serving as the strategic bridge for the Premier
and government leadership to engage with European counterparts, reinforcing our jurisdic-tional presence.
• Working in close coordination with the Ministry
of Finance and the BMA to uphold Bermuda’s
global standing as a gold- standard regulatory
regime, ensuring our compliance and stability
are clearly communicated to the European
Council.

Business Unit 19080 , Office of the
Head of the Public Service

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, the Office of
the Head of the Public Service holds direct responsibility for all internal operations within the Public Service.
Its primary objective is to transform and moderni se the
service, with a substantial focus on training and development, customer service, and maintaining standards of excellence. This office's comprehensive mandate co-vers the full spectrum of public service management.
Mr. Chairman, as we look ahead to the 2026 /27
fiscal year, the Office of the Head of the Public Service is poised to drive forward a comprehensive agenda of
moderni sation and transformation across the Public
Service.
Mr. Chairman, in alignment with the Public Service Strategic Plan 2024- 2027, key priorities for the
coming year are intended to enhance retention, recruitment and attraction. The new job evaluation tool and
complementary grade structure will be implemented.
This new competency -based job evaluation tool and
grading model, developed with PwC, aims to establish a fair, competitive pay scale to support recruitment into hard- to-fill positions, and to retain top talent. The grade
structure has 15 employment level s and nine steps.
Grade progression in the service will be linked to enhanced performance criteria.
Mr. Chairman, we are facing a significant turning point for our workforce. Of our 4,600 public officers, over 1,000 will be eligible to retire in 2027. This is a
massive shift, and we are acting now to ensure the g overnment remains strong and capable. Because of this upcoming retirement wave, we are focused on succes-sion planning and training. We are moving forward with
leadership development at the executive level and
looking into the creation of a Public Service I nstitute.
We have also allocated targeted funding to create spe-cialis ed training for those hard- to-fill technical roles that
are critical to our operations.
Mr. Chairman, we are not just looking at new
hires; we are investing in our current leaders. We will continue our Executive Development and Leadership
Days for our h eads of d epartments. These are not just
meetings —they are intensive sessions focused on
high-value topics. We are giving our leaders the practical skills they need to manage their teams effectively and keep the Public Service moving forward.
Mr. Chairman, getting new Bermudian talent
into the s ervice is a top priority. Our social media campaign, which features our own public service ambassadors sharing their career stories, will continue. This
helps young Bermudians see the real impact they can
have in a government career.
Mr. Chairman, I am proud to announce that the
Public Service will host its inaugural Career Fair this June. This event is designed to connect Bermudians
directly with opportunities across every m inistry.
• Hands -on Insight: It will feature interactive
booths and sessions led by our own technical
officers.
• Guidance: Workshops will show participants
exactly how to apply and how to grow their careers within the Service.
• Pathways: We will showcase our new job- specific training progra mmes and our updated Career Guide.
Ultimately, this fair is about more than just recruitment —it is about building a modern, energetic
workforce that is ready to serve Bermuda for the next generation.
Mr. Chairman, to support these priorities, it is
expected that the Public Service Commission Regula-tions will be amended this year, to improve efficiency.
Collaborative engagement with union partners remains
a key feature of our efforts, as we implement the four -
year sal ary framework agreement and address the
non-financial aspects of collective bargaining.
Mr. Chairman, the Employee Wellness Programme will be further developed to support the well -
being and productivity of all public officers.

2064 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Business Unit 19085 , PATI and PIPA Unit

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, the PATI and
PIPA unit handles two sides of the same coin. PATI gives the public the right to see government records. PIPA gives the public the right to keep their personal
lives private.
Mr. Chairman, we aim to move away from a
system where the public has to ask for permission to
see information. Our goal is to make government "open
by default." During the next year, we will put more gov-ernment information directly online. W e will make data
easy to find on our websites, and we will reduce the
need for formal PATI requests. This saves time for our staff and gives the public the answers they want instantly.
Mr. Chairman, for those times when a formal
request is still needed, we are making the process simpler. By building a system with new online PATI request
forms, the days of downloading PDFs or sending in paper forms are coming to an end. We are bringing this process into the digital age to make it more accessible
for every citizen.
Mr. Chairman, while we open up government
data, we are also locking down personal data. PIPA be-came fully active on 1 January 2025. This is a major
win for privacy. We are now using a digital system to track how data is handled and to catch risks before they become problems.
Looking ahead, we are pursuing international
"Adequacy" recognition. Think of this as a "Digital Passport" for Bermuda. When other countries see that
our privacy laws meet the highest global standards,
they will feel more confident doing business here. Thi s
protects our economic edge and ensures that Bermuda
remains a trusted place for the world’s data.

Business Unit 19090 , Digital Transformation
Team (DTT)

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Chairman, established
in 2024, the Digital Transformation Team (DTT) is responsible for modernising how public services are designed, delivered, and accessed in Bermuda. The core mandate of the unit is to streamline government operations through digitisat ion, improve service delivery outcomes, enhance the citizen experience, and reduce reliance on manual, paper -based processes across the
public service.
Mr. Chairman, during the 2025/26 [fiscal] year,
the Digital Transformation Team has worked diligently
to deliver on its mandate and launched a web page on
the gov.bm portal consolidating all of the government’s
online services. A total of 138 services are list ed, 62 of
which were new in 2025, representing a 40 per cent increase in services online for the public, including social insurance, travel health, dog licence look -up and more.
Leveraging external partnerships and low -code platforms, government has al so expanded its digital offerings to enable residents to report potholes, re- licence their dogs online, and submit land re- evaluation
requests electronically reducing manual processing,
improving turnaround times, and increasing accessibility.
Furthermore, Mr. Chairman, the government is
committed to preparing the workforce for the digital future, beginning with a focus on the leaderships capacity
to lead digital transformation. To this end, a bespoke
programme was developed to train and prepare leaders and seni or managers to lead digital transformation,
with 27 participants completing the eight -month masterclass programme. The government is now pivoting
to ramp up digital offerings by leveraging on new strategic partnerships.
In January 2026, government commenced delivery in earnest under the Government Digital Trans-formation Service Agreement with Paradise Mobile,
Google and Abacus, marking a significant transition
from isolated digital initiatives to a coordinated, programme- based approach to digital government. This
agreement provides the delivery framework, technical capability, and governance structure required to accelerate digital transformation while preserving government ownership of platforms, data, and decision- making.
The Digital Transformation Team leads programme governance, prioritisation, and engagement
with ministries and departments, while working closely
with the Department of Information and Digital Technologies (IDT) and Paradise [Mobile], Google and Abacus
to ensure delivery is secure, scalable, and aligned with
Government’s strategic objectives.
Mr. Chairman, fiscal year 2026/27 represents
the first full year of delivery under the Paradise [Mobile],
Google and Abacus agreement. The programme is being executed through clearly defined phases, each designed to reduce delivery risk, strengthen governance,
and build momentum.
Mr. Chairman, the Foundation Phase commenced in January 2026 and is scheduled to conclude in May 2026. This phase focuses on establishing the
core technical, operational, and governance foundations required for sustainable delivery. Key activities include
• establishment of the secure cloud and platform
environment;
• implementation of core integration, workflow,
and deployment capabilities;
• configuration of the One- Stop Shop platform
and initial services;
• setup of delivery governance, reporting, and prioritisation mechanisms;
• initial AI and chatbot platform configuration; and
• preparation for scaled onboarding of ministries
and services.
The Foundation Phase is deliberately timebound to ensure early stabilisation and to provide


Bermuda House of Assembly government with tangible progress and delivery confidence before scaling further.
Following the Foundation Phase, the programme will progress into subsequent delivery phases
during the remainder of the fiscal year. These will be focused on:
• onboarding additional ministries and high- impact services to the One- Stop Shop;
• expanding the Unified Payment Platform and
integrating payment -enabled services with the
E1 financial system;
• scaling workflow automation, integrations, and API-based service delivery;
• enhancing AI -enabled customer interaction, including chatbot configuration and knowledgebase driven support; and
• strengthening operational readiness, support models, and transition planning.
These phases will be delivered incrementally,
with scope, sequencing, and resourcing governed
through agreed oversight mechanisms and refined as
operational data becomes available.
Mr. Chairman, the Digital Transformation
Team’s priorities for financial year 2026/27 include
• scaling and stabilising the One- Stop Shop as
the central digital entry point for government
services;
• advancing the Unified Payment Platform to reduce fragmentation and improve reconciliation
and transparency;
• deploying AI -enabled service automation to improve responsiveness and reduce administra-tive burden;
• continuing digitisation of high- impact services
and internal workflows;
• leveraging the Paradise [Mobile], Google and
Abacus partnership to deliver complex technical work while progressively strengthening
government’ s capabilities; and
• ensuring appropriate short -term operational
support arrangements are in place as digital
adoption increases.
Mr. Chairman, the 2026/27 budget for the Digital Transformation Team reflects the transition from pi-lot activity to programme delivery. It provides for
• contractual commitments under the Paradise
[Mobile], Google and Abacus Service Agreement;
• professional and consultant services to support
complex technical delivery;
• cloud platforms, licences, and consumption-based services;
• training and capability uplift to prepare the public service for sustained digital operations; and
• transitional operating model costs required to
ensure governance, coordination, and service
continuity. These investments are essential to delivering
measurable improvements in service quality while
managing operational and delivery risk.
Mr. Chairman, performance of the Digital
Transformation Team will be measured against the fol-lowing indicators :
• successful completion of Phase 1, Foundation
by May 2026;
• number of ministries and services onboarded
to the One- Stop Shop;
• number of services enabled for online payment
through the Unified Payment Platform;
• reduction in manual or paper -based processing for targeted services;
• adoption and usage metrics for digital services
and AI -enabled customer support; and
• achievement of agreed delivery milestones under the Paradise [Mobile], Google and Abacus
Service Agreement. Mr. Chairman, that concludes my presentation
of the budgets for the Cabinet Office.

Thank you, Minister.
Honourable Members and members of the listening public, we are in the Committee of Supply for further consideration of the Estimates of Revenue and
Expenditure for the year 2026/27. The debate this afternoon and this evening is on the Cabinet Office and
Digital Innovation.
We have been hearing from the Minister Diallo
Rabain on Head 9, and the Honourable Minister will
now take us on to, I believe Head 13, which is the Post Office.
Honourable Minister, when you are ready —we
are at page B -48 [sic] of the bundle, I think.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Page B -46.

[Page] B-46 of the bundle for those
who are following along.
Yes, Minister, you have the floor.

HEAD 13 —BERMUDA POST OFFICE

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I am pleased to stand to present the 2026/27
budget for Head 13, the Bermuda Post Office. This can
be found in the Budget Book on pages B -46 through B -
52.
The Post Office is 214 years old. It is one of our
oldest and most stable services. It remains 100 per
cent Bermudian- staffed. Even through the pandemic,
when many services had to pause, our postal workers stayed on the road. They delivered mail and kept our
community connected. Today, they continue to serve thousands of delivery points every day with a high level
of care.
Mr. Chairman, the total allocation for the Post
Office is $10,404,000, as listed on pages B -47 and B -
2066 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly 48. This is a 3 per cent increase of $274,000 over last
year. Salaries and wages are the largest part of this
budget, to which we have allocated $8,600,000, which
is 83 per cent of the total spend. This expenditure supports 114 full -time Bermudian employees. We are rightsizing our team to make sure we have the right balances to serve the public while staying within our
means.
Mr. Chairman, I will now point out a few key
changes in our operational spending on page B -48.
• Transportation: This has risen to $111,000.
This covers the cost of moving mail in and out
of the I sland and the heightened security
screening required at the airport.
• Advertising and Promotion decreases by
32 per cent to $30,000, reflecting better -targeted marketing efforts.
• Energy: We have seen a 15 per cent decrease
here, down to $180,000. This shows that we
are being more careful with our electricity and
fuel use.
• Training: We have increased this by 24 per
cent to $31,000. We want our staff to have the
latest skills to keep pace with a changing world.
• Other Expenses, including bank charges and
special projects representing staff retirement
costs, staff functions and related events grew
by 44 per cent to $85,000.
Mr. Chairman, our postal service is doing a
great job. They have a 98.2 per cent precision rate.
When mail arrives in Bermuda, 98 per cent of it is delivered within four working days. For international
items, 99 per cent of our customers get an arrival not ice
within two days. These figures show that the Post Office is a reliable partner for every household and for
every business.
Mr. Chairman, the Post Office is more than a
place for letters. It is a service hub. In the last year, our
staff collected more than $1.5 million in fees. They handled bus passes, tokens, tickets, dog licences, and school vouchers. They do this work for ot her departments at no additional charge. This is a massive benefit
to our residents. This means a senior can walk to their
local sub- post office in their own parish instead of travelling to Hamilton. While not included in the Bermuda
Post Office revenue sc hedule, the Post Office continues to collect revenue for other departments without
charge.
Mr. Chairman, looking ahead, we have several
plans for the upcoming year .
1. Going Paperless: We will replace paper notices with text and email messages. This is
faster and better for our environment.
2. Modernisation: To reflect today's competitive
postal market, UPU mandates and market opportunities.
3. Modern Tools: We are upgrading the BermudaPost.bm website. This will help the 5,000 customers who use us for their online shop-ping.
4. Skills Training: Expanding access to training
and online courses, with support from the Caribbean Postal Union (CPU), UPU and regional
partners. Currently, our staff are taking diploma
courses in Postal Logistics through a regional
partnership. We plan to offer this training to local private couriers, too, to help raise the standard for everyone.
5. Digitise Flyer Mail Services: We will explore an
inexpensive and effective marketing alternative, when compared to other traditional and
electronic media to market, and the ability to
reach 38,000 residences.
Mr. Chairman, in closing, I want to thank the
men and women of the Bermuda Post Office. They pro-vide quiet excellence every day. I want to thank the
Postmaster General, Sam Brangman, Jr., for his leadership. He also serves as the Secretary General of the
Caribbean Postal Union, which reflects the high regard
Bermuda is held in this region. Thank you for your hard work and your commitment to the people of Bermuda
to our postal workers.
This concludes my comments on Head 13.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Minister.
I believe the next head in this presentation of
Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation is Head 18, Li-braries and Archives at [page] B -53 of the Budget Book.
Minister, when you are ready, please continue.

HEAD 18 —DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES
AND ARCHIVES

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
It is a great pleasure to present the 2026/27
budget for Head 18, the Department of Libraries and
Archives. These details are found on pages B -53
through B -57.
Mr. Chairman, before I delve into the figures, I
must speak to a milestone that I was proud to spear-head, and that is the renaming of the youth library to
the Florenz Webbe Maxwell Youth Library.
This is more than just a sign on a building. Mrs.
Maxwell is a community icon and a keeper of our stories. As a former librarian and member of the secret
Progressive Group, she played a role in the 1959 The-atre Boycott, the movement that led to the end of the
sting of segregation in Bermuda. By renaming the li-brary after her, we are telling every child that walks
through those doors that they stand on the shoulders of
giants. We are also ensuring that the names of those
who fought for our freedom are never forgotten.
Mr. Chairman, we have an allocation of
$3,561,000 for this Head, as seen on page B -53. This
5 per cent increase covers mandatory salary raises and
funding for two new posts. As shown on page B -55, our


Bermuda House of Assembly team of 23 is 100 per cent Bermudian. These professionals are not just librarians; they are the curators of
our national memory.
Mr. Chairman, I will now turn my attention to
the general summary located on page B -53.

Business Unit 28000 , Collection Management
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: We are moving forward with
digitising The Royal Gazette from 1979 to 1984. By
switching to a more cost -effective vendor, we are putting more of our history online for less taxpayer money.

Business Unit 28060 , Adult Services

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: We have finished a four -year
review of every book and resource in our collection.
This means the library is no longer holding on to old or
useless information but is filled with material that reflects the interests of our community today. Beyond the
physi cal shelves, this unit provides a safe sanctuary for
residents to work, study, and access the Internet for
free. With our growing list of e- books and digital magazines, we are making sure that every Bermudian can
access the world of knowledge from their own home or mobile device.

Business Unit 28100 , Archival Services

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Our archives team recently
received a Service to the Trust Award from the Bermuda National Trust. They are currently working with
international partners to digitise our historical records,
taking Bermuda's enchanting story to the rest of the world.

Business Unit 28110 , Youth Services

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: We officially reopened the
library on 9 April 2025. We did not just honour Mrs.
Maxwell with a name; we honoured her legacy with a
total overhaul. We installed new ceilings, fresh flooring,
and LED lighting. Most importantly, we installed a new
ground floor bathroom and replaced 40- year-old shelving that had become a safety hazard. Our youth now
have a world- class space that matches the dignity of its
namesake.

Business Unit 28120 , Records Management
Services

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: This team provides a vital
service by managing files for every government department at our Southside facility. They have met all their
goals this year, providing training to several departments to ensure we meet the high standards required by our privacy and information laws. By managing
these records correctly, we reduce staff burden and
lower the taxpayers' storage costs. Business Unit 28130 , Administration

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: An outstanding achievement
of this unit's past year is dealing with the social chal-lenges around the Queen Street Library. By leading with respect and through community outreach, the staff
helped reduce security incidents from 60 to just 15 this
year. Thi s is the preferred way, solving problems
through connection, not just through force.

[Ms. Lovitta F. Foggo, Chairman]

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Madam Chairman, in the upcoming year we will launch a new modern website in
partnership with the government's portal team. T he Archives will also host online programmes showcasing
Bermudian personalities and our shared history. The ongoing project to digitise The Royal Gazette microfilms will continue, with the project moving to a more
cost-effective and time- efficient digital vendor. The
Public Service section of the Adult Library will partner with the Archives Team to provide int eresting and engaging summer programmes focussing on thematic aspects of Bermuda's history. The Florenz Webbe Maxwell Youth Library will embark on a renewed dedication
to provide outreach to primary schools in need of library
services.
In closing, I want to thank the staff of the Department of Libraries and Archives. To the librarians
who spark a love of reading in our children, the archivists who protect our fragile past, and the team at the
Records Centre, I thank you. A special thank you to
Florenz Webbe Maxwell for her lifetime of service. This budget ensures that her work and the work of this department will continue to inspire Bermudians for generations to come.
This concludes my remarks on Head 18. Thank
you, Madam Chair man.

We are in Committee of Supply on the
[Estimates of] R evenue and E xpenditure for the year
2026/27. And we are debating the Ministry of Cabinet
Office and Digital Innovation, considering the Heads 9,
13, 18, 32, 43, and 80. It is a total of four hours for this
debate. And we will continue with the Minister.

HEAD 32 —DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
I stand now to present the 2026/27 budget for
Head 32, Department of Planning, found on pages B -
58 through B -62.
This department is the guardian of our natural
and built environment. For too long, the conversation around Planning has been about delays. This budget is
an answer to those concerns. And we are not just asking for more. We are just doing things differentl y.
2068 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Turning to page B -59 for the fiscal year
2026/27, the department has been allocated $4.992
million, an increase of $943,000, driven mainly by the
budget allocation for additional human resources and
professional services.
Madam Chairman, the public wants results,
and this budget provides those tools.

Business Unit 42000 , General Administration.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: The increase of 49 per cent
will fund three new posts: a development analyst, a
plans examiner, and a cashier. This increase will also
correct an accounting error that excluded salaries of
some current public officers last year.
Professional services ha ve increased by
929 per cent. We have hired SAFE built, a specialist
firm, to provide “surge capacity.” Their only mission is
to clear the permit backlog and get our construction industry moving faster.
Training— this budget is up 600 per cent. We
are training our staff to leave behind old, slow pro-cesses and master the digital tools that allow for faster,
more accurate reviews.
Madam Chairman, turning to page B -60, the
department expects to generate $1.995 million in revenue this year. This is a steady increase that reflects the
ongoing health of Bermuda's construction and real es-tate sectors. Despite the global economic climate, development activity on our I sland remains strong. We
are seeing healthy growth in residential, tourism, and office projects, particularly in the high- end sector.
Key highlights of our revenue include:
• Building Permit Fees ($760,000): This is up by
$50,000. This increase is a clear sign of sustained demand. People are building and they
are investing in their properties. From major hotel projects like the Southampton Princess to
local Bermuda Housing Corporation housing
developments, the hammers are swinging across Bermuda.
• Planning Application Fees ($560,000): We are
projecting a marginal increase here. While we
remain cautious, the volume of new applica-tions shows that developers still see Bermuda
as a primary place to do business.
• Planning Searches ($240,000): This is up by
$5,000. This figure is driven by a very active real estate market. Every time a home is
bought or sold, this department is relied on to
ensure the property's history is clear. This
steady revenue proves that our property market remains a cornerstone of our economy.
Madam Chairman, the department has faced
significant public frustration, particularly around delays
in building permit processing. These concerns are real
and they are not being ignored. The following staff adjustments are being made: • A new enforcement officer, manager of admin-istration and support officer have been hired.
• Two consultants have been appointed to carry out duties of the two vacant permit processing
posts.
• A Bermudian university graduate has been appointed to a temporary additional post and recruitment has commenced for a trainee assistant planner.
• A further three young Bermudians were provided with work experience during the summer
and the department continues to champion the
Youth Employment Programme of the Department of Workforce Development.
• Further work experience was provided to a
Bermudian student who received a bursary
award in a previous fiscal year and will commence employment in the post of assistant
planner this summer.
I am also happy to announce the onboarding of
the overseas vendor SAFE built that specialises in performing building permit reviews. This additional resource is expected to make significant headway in in-creasing the number of permits being issued in a
shorter period of time.
Madam Chair man, I will now give an overview
of the business unit summaries located on page B -[59.]

Business Unit 42050 , Enforcement (Page B -61)

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: This unit acts as the guardian of our rules, ensuring that development across the
Island is done legally and respectfully. By investigating
unauthorised building and resolving breaches quickly, they protect the character of our neighbourhoods and
the beauty of our I sland. Now that this unit is fully
staffed, we are seeing the direct benefits of having a
complete team, faster response times and more efficient services for the public.
Key accomplishments and performance highlights include:
• Protecting our neighbourhoods: The team responded to 90 per cent of all enforcement complaints within just two weeks, meeting its goal
for timely action and community responsiveness.
• Supporting the real estate market: They pro-cessed 263 planning searches, complet ing
95 per cent of them within 28 days. This is a
vital service that provides the clear title needed for Bermudians to buy or sell their homes without delays.
• Effective problem solving: Of the 32 enforcement cases opened this year, 90 per cent were
resolved within three months. This exceeds our
80 per cent target and proves that our team is
focused on finding solutions and fixing
breaches, not just identifying them.


Bermuda House of Assembly • Ensuring accountability. The department issued a civil penalty of $37,500 for unauthorised
development. This sends a firm message that
while we encourage growth, we will not tolerate
those who bypass the rules and disrespect our
planning standards.

Business Unit 42060 , Forward Planning

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: This business unit is responsible for the preparation of development plans and as-sociated policies and guidance, including collating evi-dence through technical studies and surveys. For the
fiscal year 20 25/26, the department can report these
key accomplishments and plans for the year ahead include:
• The City of Hamilton Plan 2025 was adopted in
June 2025. Because the team listened to the
public from the very beginning, the plan passed
with no objection. This is a testament to the department's hard work in consulting the community.
• We have finished the 2024 and 2025 H ousing
Land Audits and the City Health Check. We are
not guessing where the gaps are. We are using data on vacancies and housing trends to make
sure our policies are actually solving problems.
• Bermuda Plan Update: We are starting the first
stage of the next development plan for the whole Island. We have already finished a review of industrial land and are now researching
housing, tourism, and our coastal environment
to ensure the new plan is fair and modern.
• Protecting our history : We have prepared a
new audit of our listed buildings. After being peer-reviewed, we will bring this to the public
for further consultation this summer to ensure
our national heritage is preserved accurately.
• Grow Local Project : We are launching an
online platform to match landowners with pro-spective farmers. This exciting project will help
us turn unused land into healthy, locally grown food for our people.

Business Unit 42070 , Development Management
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: This unit is responsible for
managing our I sland's growth by reviewing planning
and subdivision applications. They ensure that every new building or lot matches our national standards. By
providing expert advice before an application is even
submitted, this team helps developers and homeown-ers avoi d costly mistakes. We are seeing a healthy
surge in construction across the I sland, and this unit is
working hard to keep that momentum going.
Key accomplishments and project highlights include:
• The team processed 356 applications this year. This is a 10 per cent increase over the previous year, confirming that Bermudians and international investors are eager to build and invest on our shores.
• While we are still pushing to hit our ultimate targets, processing speed improved by 6 per cent
this year. With our targeted recruitment of Bermudian staff, we are building the capacity to move even faster.
• Residential development remains the dominant application type, with a noticeable trend
continuing to be the creation of additional
dwelling units through internal conversion. The
defining of boundaries with walls, fences and
gates and solar panel applicati ons also continue to be popular ancillary residential developments.
• The team has approved several landmark projects, including the new Google facility in
Southside, t he expansion of Hamilton Harbour
marina and major tourism revitali sations that
will enhance their visitor experience.
• Pre-consultations are currently underway for
the redevelopment of the Elbow Beach Hotel
and the first phase of the Fairmont Southampton at Turtle Hill. We are also working with several groups to provide more affordable rental
units to our people.
• A standout project currently being reviewed is
the transformation of a former primary school
into a Senior ’s Day Facility, demonstrating the
merit in adaptive reuse of obsolete structures
to meet changing demographic needs.

Business Unit 42080 , Building Permits

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: This is the unit where we are
focussing our extra resources to clear the permit queue
once and for all. We are using the 129 per cent budget
increase of this unit to bring in SAFEbuilt’s surge capacity, allowing us to process applications faster than ever before. We are moving away from a slow, paper -
heavy process towards a system that trusts local experts and uses modern standards to get Bermuda
building.
Key accomplishments and future wins include:
• By investing in the professional services of
SAFEb uilt, we are providing the department
with the extra help needed to eliminate the current permit queue. This means shorter wait times for every resident and developer on I sland.
• Last year, the team issued 640 building permits and 323 permit revisions. This covers every-thing from minor home repairs, which make up
50 per cent of the work, to major commercial
developments.
• This unit ensured that critical national projects stayed on track, including the Google Telecommunications building, the Pitts Bay Road
2070 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly mixed- use development, and tourism upgrades to Grotto Bay, Az ura, and the Southampton Princess Beach Hotel.
• The Competent Installer Programme: We are
excited to launch this new programme, starting
first with solar installations. This allows trusted
local installers to certify their own work, cutting
the red tape for homeowners who want to lower
their energy cost s. It supports our green energy sector and removes minor works from the
government's waiting list.
• In the coming year, we will continue updating
our building code. We are raising construction
standards and focusing on sustainability to ensure Bermuda's buildings are safe, efficient,
and ready for a changing climate.

Business Unit 42090 , Inspections

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: This business unit is responsible for ensuring standards of construction in accordance with approved building permits and relevant pro-visions for the building code. Inspectors performed over
4,800 inspections last year. They help ensure that every new foundation, elevator, and electrical wire is
safe. With 520 new projects starting last year, this unit
shows that the construction sector remains a strong engine in our economy.

The Year Ahead
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Madam Chair man, we are
looking forward to a productive year.
• The New General Development Order to reduce red tape and allow some changes of use
without planning approval.
• As mentioned previously, we will update the
building code to raise the standards for sustainability and safety.
• Streamlining processes via better internal systems and more engagement with industry
stakeholders.
• We will launch the “Grow Local” platform to
help farmers. We are moving from a system of
paper delays to one of digital speed and results.
• Review of the listed buildings register to ensure
it is transparent, current, and fair.
• Research and consultation programme for the
new island- wide development plan —continued
research of key policy themes and collabora-tion with key stakeholders. Commencement of
public consultation will begin in the next fiscal
year.
In closing, I would like to thank the Director,
Victoria Cordeiro, and the entire Department of Plan-ning team. They deal with a high- pressure environment
every day. This budget gives them the resources they need to serve the public with the speed and excellence our people deserve.
And this concludes my comments on Head 32.
Thank you, Madam Chairman.

We are in Committee of Supply for the
[Estimates of] Revenue and Expenditure of the y ear
2026/27. We are currently debating the Ministry of Cab-inet Office and Digital Innovations, and under consideration are Heads 9, 13, 18, 32, 43, and 80.
And the Minister will continue on to Head 43,
Information and Digital Technologies.
Thank you, Minister, you have the floor.

HEAD 43 —DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
I now will present the 2026/27 budget for Head
43, the Department of Information and Digital Technologies, affectionately known as IDT. This is found on
pages [B -]63 through B -66, with capital items listed on
page C -9.
IDT is the operational engine of the government. Every service the public uses, from paying a bill online to the safety of their personal data, relies on sys-tems managed by this team. Our goal this year is to
move away from “patching up” old systems and towards building a secure, modern foundation for the
Government of Bermuda.
As seen on page B -64, the operating budget is
$10,203,000. This 11 per cent increase covers government -wide salary raises and technical oversight needed to replace our ageing core systems.
Madam Chairman, we have successfully renegotiated our communications contracts, saving the taxpayer $284,000, and we are reinvesting those savings
and more into our people and into our security.
• Professional Services (page B -63): You will notice a 142 per cent increase here. We are
bringing in expert technical oversight for a fixed time to help us join up our new infrastructure.
We are building a complex digital “house,” and
we need the best archi tects to make sure the
wiring and plumbing is perfect.
• Repair and Maintenance (page B -63): This has
increased by 32 per cent. As we switch from
the old “legacy” systems to the new ones, we
have to keep both running for a short time to
ensure there is no break in service. This is a
temporary peak as we finish our move to mod-ern tools.
Madam Chairman, our most important investment is our workforce. We have 54 posts, and we are
working hard to fill vacancies with Bermudian talent. I
am proud to highlight the IT development programme.
We started with three young Bermudians, and this year we are doubling that to six apprentices. To support


Bermuda House of Assembly them and our existing staff, we have increased the
training budget in business unit 53080 by 99 per cent.
We want our people to be the most skilled digital lead-ers in the region.
Madam Chair man, located on page C -9, our
capital request has decreased by 16 per cent to $5.5
million. This is good news. It shows that our massive push over the last two years to replace old servers and
network switches is working. We have finished the major constructi on phase and are now focused on making
these new systems work together. Key spends include:
• Network Upgrades ($1 million): Replacing old
switches and setting up network segmentation
to stop cyberattacks from spreading.
• Cybersecurity ($850,000): Using AI -driven
tools to block malicious emails before they reach a staff member's inbox.
• Disaster Recovery ($1.3 million): Setting up
backup systems for our Wintel and iSeries environments to ensure PIPA compliance and
protect against data loss.
Madam Chairman, I will now provide summaries of the various Business Unit Summaries as seen on
pages B -63 and B -64.
• Business Unit 53030—Device Support: This unit handles the hardware our public officers
use every day. Currently, 47 per cent of tickets
are resolved on time, which is below our 70 per
cent goal. We are being transparent about
this—it is a direct result of our staffing gaps. As
we fill vacant roles and launch new mobile device management systems, we expect these
numbers to rise significantly.
• Business Unit 53035 —Network Support: This
team ensures the government stays connected across every building. They hit their 95 per
cent target for network uptime last year and are
pushing for 98 per cent this year. They are currently working on a “roaming Wi-Fi” project so
that the public officers can move between government offices and stay connected to a secure network without interruptions.
• Business Unit 53040 —Service Support: This
unit is the help desk for the entire public service. They completed 95 per cent of their tasks
within their agreed timelines this year. To help
them reach 97 per cent, we are introducing
Agentic AI. This intelligen t automation will handle simple, repetitive tasks, allowing our hu-man staff to focus on more complex technical
problems.
• Business Unit 53060 —Business System Support: This unit manages the software that runs
our departments. They hit 72 per cent of their
performance goals this year. We are adding new Business and Support Analyst posts to this unit to ensure that they can bett er meet the
needs of our departments as we shift more ser-vices to the cloud. • Business Unit 53090—Security: Our most critical unit, and I am proud to report that they hit
100 per cent of their performance goals. They
provide 24/7 threat monitoring and regular vulnerability tests. In a world of increasing
cyberattacks, this team is our first line of defence, ensuring that the personal information of every Bermudian remains locked away from
hackers.
Madam Chairman, in closing, I want to thank
the Acting Chief Information Officer, Ms. Gina Benja-min. She has provided stellar leadership over the last
18 months while on secondment from the Bermuda Hospitals Board. I also want to thank our new Chief Information Officer, Mr. Richard Lau, who took the helm
in January.
To the engineers, analysts, and support team,
I thank you for your hard work. You are the invisible
force that keeps our government running.
This concludes my comments on Head 53.
Thank you, Madam Chair man.

Thank you.
We would be happy to consider it. And for the
listening public, we are in Committee of Supply for the Ministry of Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation, and
we are discussing Heads 9, 13, 18, 32, 43, and 80. This
is a four -hour debate, and we have just gone past the
hour by about 10 minutes, and so that leaves a considerable amount of time.
Thank you, Minister. You have the floor.

HEAD 80 —OFFICE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
AND PROCUREMENT

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
I stand to present my last and final head for the
2026/[27] budget Head 80, the Office of Project Man-agement and Procurement. This is found on pages B -
76 through B -78 of the Budget Book.
The goal of this office is simple: To make sure
the government buys goods and services in a way that
is fair, open, and gives taxpayers the best value for their
money.
Madam Chairman, the budget for this year is
$990,000 and can be found on page B -77, a 7 per cent,
or $65,000 increase over last year. While the overall increase is modest, we have made a major shift on how
we spend this money to put our people first.
• The training budget has increased by 400 per
cent (an increase of $12,000).
2072 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly • The travel budget has increased by 250 per
cent (an increase of $5,000).
These two items go hand in hand. We are not
travelling for the sake of it. This travel is tied directly to
essential high- level training for our staff. We are sending officers to learn from international leaders so they
can bring their best practices back to Bermuda. This is
a direct investment in the skills of our public officers.
Madam Chairman, as shown on page B -77, the
office is made up out of nine full -time posts. I am
pleased to say that this is a proud Bermudian- led team.
Following the code updates that are now in place to
raise procurement thresholds, and with further up -
dates planned, our focus this year is to make this office
as efficient and effective as possible. Rather than growing the size of the team, we are choosing to invest
heavily in the skills of our staff. By providing our people
with high -level training, we are making sure that they
have the knowledge to support other departments and
keep the people's business moving forward. This lean,
expert approach ensures that we provide the best value
for the taxpayer while maintaining the highest standards of integrity.
I will now speak to the general summaries located on page- B-77.
• Business Unit 90000 —Administration: This
unit keeps the office running smoothly and re-mains accountable to the public. This year, they managed a budget with care and ensured
every quarterly waiver report was sent to Cabinet on time. They hit their goal of reviewing
95 per cent of Cabinet papers within five days
and published a 2025 Annual Report. By using new digital tools, they have simplified their in-ternal processes and kept the office organised.
• Business Unit 90005 —Procurement: This
team is focused on building a stronger work-force through specialised education. Last year,
they trained 92 officers on the rules for correctly buying goods and services. We are now
running a pilot programme with US -based experts to certify 30 more officers. Our goal is to
have an expert in every department so that pro-jects can move forward without having to wait
on this office for every small detail.
• Business Unit 90010 —Project Management :
This unit provides the Project Management
Guideline, which is the “ how-to” guide for government projects. Last year, the Project Management Unit delivered specialised training to
24 senior officers using international standards
from both the UK and US. These sessions give our leaders the practical tools they need to
manage timel ines and stay within their budgets. This work ensures that government projects across the Island are properly managed
and stay on track.
• Business Unit 90015—Contract and Compliance: This unit ensures that we follow through on our legal and professional promises. While
they have faced staffing challenges, they suc-cessfully merged their work into our broader
training sessions to reach more officers. They
are also leading the work to get government
ready for the new PIPA privacy laws, ensuring
that our contracts protect the personal data of
our citizens.
Madam Chair man, I want to highlight a major
change we have recently put in place. For too long, the
rules of buying things were so tight that they choked
progress. We have raised the thresholds.
• Under $100,000 : Departments can now move
forward with three simple quotes and their own
internal approvals.
• Between $100,000 and $250,000: We require
quotes and a public advert, but we have made
the process much leaner.
Think of this as clearing a blocked road. By
raising these limits, we are allowing departments to fix
a roof or buy supplies without getting stuck in a long
line for approval.
We are trading red tape for results. These
changes will also increase the accountability for accounting officers so that processes can move more
quickly without sacrificing transparency and accountability. By raising these limits, we are trusting our senior
officers to get projects started. We are clearing the path
so small repairs and supplies do not get stuck in a long
line of paperwork. Madam Chair man, in the coming
year, we wil l:
1. Simplify the C ode: We are revising the C ode
[of Practice] to make it easier for any officer to
read and follow. By removing the bureaucratic jargon and making it easier for any officer.
2. Vetted Contractor List: We are looking to create a list of pre- approved local contractors.
This is a big win for small businesses. It means
once a plumber or electrician is vetted, they do
not have to prove their credentials every single
time they bid on a small government job.
3. Digital tools: We are using new software to
track contracts online. T his makes the process
transparent, cuts down on the back -and-forth
emails that cause delays.
Madam Chair man, in closing, I want to thank
the team of the Office of Project Management and Procurement, led by Director Elaine Blair -Christopher.
Their focus and integrity ensure that government remains a fair place to do business.
To the staf f: Thank you for your discipline and
your work in helping our departments become more self-sufficient.
This concludes my presentation for Head 80
and my overall presentation for the Ministry for the Cab-inet Office in Digital Innovation.
Thank you, Madam Chair man.

Thank you, Minister.


Bermuda House of Assembly We are now at the hour of 6: 15. And approximately an hour and 15 minutes of the debate have been
used up. So that leaves approximately two hours and
45 minutes.
Are there any other persons who wish to speak
to Heads 9, 13, 18, 32, 43, and 80?
I recognise the Member from constituency 23.
Member, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chairman. I thank the Honourable Minister for his contribution and brief this evening. It was fulsome and explained a lot of things that I was going to ask about. And
so, I look forward to amending my questions and getting a little deeper into these areas.
I would like to start this evaluation on Head 80,
[the Office of] Project [Management] and Procurement,
starting on [page] B-76. And I would like to start it by
thanking the team at that department for the updated
PATI, which made life a lot easier. And my first question
to the Honourable Minister would be, Would the Honourable Minister be able to confirm that the A nnual Report for 2025 was tabled in the House? I couldn't find it
in our archive for 2025.
My second question relates to the D epartment
Objective, which is on [page] B-76. And my question is,
How does he relate these to the units on [page] B-78?
The department objectives are unlike others in that they
are actually measurable. And typically, the measurables go into the performance measurements on [page]
B-78, or performance measures section in every other
head. So right now, what we do not see is who in which
unit will be undertaking department objectives one through five.
So, for example, Madam Chair man, on [page]
B-76, it says develop or revise two tools, templates or
training modules by Q4 financial year 2026/ 27 to support the modernisation and project management, procurement and compliance practi ces, helping improve
public spending efficiency and building capacity across
departments and ministries. And currently on [page] B76, where the performance measures are housed for
the business units within this head, which is business
units 90000, 90005, Procurement 90010, Project Management, and 90015, C ontract and C ompliance. I don't
know who is doing that, so I can't attribute the spending
to that item. So, if the Minister could be so good as to
answer that question.
My next question—

I am seeing on . . . which is
under the G eneral Summary, I am seeing a 25 per cent
decrease. Now my question is, how are we going to ensure the high degree of integrity in the process by reducing the compliance folks who are . . . by nature of
their assignments, their job is to ascertain and ensure
that a high degree of fidelity is made to the Code and
any other applicable regulations.
My next question is also on [page] B-77 on
Equipment. And I note that there's $3,000 of spending.
And I am just curious why that is not in the schedule,
which is outlined on C . . . well, all of the schedules,
whether it is [pages] C-4 through C -9, or so, C apital Acquisitions. It just seems a bit weird. Could the Honourable Minister explain what that equipment entails ?
My next question, Madam Chair man, is on the
quarterlies. I thank the M inister for confirming that this
was accomplished. And by the quarterlies I mean the
quarterly waivers which are undertaken under business
unit 90000 Administration, under the first performance
measurement. My question though is, Can the H onour -
able Minister describe these waivers in any meaningful
way, because as we understand right now, we do not
have any quantification as to how many were made and
what they were for.

Madam Chair man, my next
question to the Honourable Minister is on [page] B-78.
Why every five years? So, on [page] B-78, I note that
the Code of P ractice for P roject Management and P rocurement is to be updated every five years under the
target outcome for 2026/ 27. And it was previously biannual in other Hansards. So, the question is, w hy has it
changed from biannual to every five years?
I do note, and I follow up that question ( that
would be my sixth question) . I follow it up with, the
2074 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Minister noted in his brief that they are going to revise
the Code to make it more usable. And my question to
the Honourable Minister, would be, I s he going to revise
it, or is he going to update it according to the standards
that are outlined on [page] B-78? An update would entail improving upon the C ode. As it stands right now,
the code has been revised twice.
And my question is, Is this going to be simply
changing some words around, making it easier to read,
or is he going to actually take lessons learned and improve the quality of the document altogether? Thank you.
My next question is on [page] B-78, [business
unit] 90005 under Procurement. And I note that we are
going up by one full -time equivalent on [page] B-77.
And yet, the actual performance measurements, which are Training Sessions . . . this is, for the record, Madam
Chair man, trained public authorities on procurement,
good practices, procedures, and policies , which the
Honourable Minister did speak to in his brief.
The original forecast for 2025/ 26 was five sessions. They managed to exceed themselves in the revised forecast of 2025/ 26 with eight sessions. And now
I see that the targeted outcome for this year, 2026 /27,
is seven sessions. But again, I note that we see a full -
time equivalent added on [page] B-77 for that unit. And
that unit currently has a staffing of two, and it is going
up to three. So, I would think three people could do
more work than two. So just a question [of] what else
that unit will be doing.
My next question, Madam Chair man, is on
[page] B-78 and [business unit] 90015, the Contract
and Compliance Department. Madam Chair man, this
department has discontinued both of its performance measurements. And yet, it is still allocated two full-time
staff and incurring $110,000 in expenses. So, my question to the Honourable Minister is, What are they going to be doing since the performance measurements on
[page] B-78 have been discontinued this year?
My next question to the Honourable Minister —
and I can be stopped at any point. I'm just going to keep
going.

Thank you, Madam Chairman.
My next question is on the nine FTEs for this
head, which I note is $990,000, w hich is outlined on
[page] B-77 under the G eneral Summary , which is the
total amount of expenditure estimated for 2026 /27.
I note that across the whole government
budget, we are seeing upwards of $1.2 billion in spending. And yet we are seeing only a 7 per cent increase
in the department, which is supposed to oversee all of this and monitor all the projects and procurements that
come under that increase in government spending,
which is, again, quite considerable. So, my question is,
How does the M inister anticipate the department to be
able to cover that much more project management and
procurement with only a modest increase i n its actual
expenditure?
My next question to the Honourable Minister is
still on [page] B-77 on 90015. Specifically on the three
improvements in D epartment Objective number four,
which is on [page] B-76. Specifically, it says, the D epartment Objective on [page] B-76, Madam Chair man,
Department Objective number four, identify and implement three improvements to internal contract processes by December 2026, ensuring fairness, transparency, and the elimination of bias in line with good
governance compliance standards . My question is,
How does the department intend on doing that, and
what are these three specific improvements that are
mentioned on page B -76?
Further questions I have relate to the previous
year's spending, w hich we can pick up under [page] B77, under the original spends of $925,000, because last
year the M inister said we deployed affordable digital
tools [such as] RFX, Drafter and other systems. And my
question, as it relates to these original spends in
2025 /26, is, Where are these outlined in the subjective


Bermuda House of Assembly analysis of current account estimates, if at all? And are
these platforms still a live today? If so, which ministries
have been onboarded or have currently adopted this
new procurement methodology or system? Especially
as it relates to systems providing full audit trails, conflict declarations, or , sorry . . . Do these new systems,
which have been onboarded or created provide for full
audit trail, conflict declarations, automated evaluation scoring, and vendor debrief packs?
Moving on, Madam Chair man, I would like to
just make a note that I am sure we are welcoming the
removal of red tape that the Honourable Minister had
raised. Especially as it relates to less than $100,000 of
spending. I am sure that will make the life of the civil
servants a lot easier and ensure that they are able to
provide services to the community in a much faster
pace. It's good that we approach spending, procure-ment, and controls by being risk sensitive. And it
sounds like that is a number that the Gov ernment has
decided is sufficiently controlled.
Moving on, Madam Chair man, to [page] B-76.
The mission statement currently says to promote fairness, transparency we provide oversight, guidance, advice, and training to project management and procurement to ensure compliance, fairness, transparency, value for money, and sustainable outcomes for Bermuda.
My question to the Honourable Minister is, H ow
does Head 80 independently verify value for money? Is
there a documented methodology such as a cost
benchmarking system, life cycle cost modelling, market testing thresholds, or is value assessed department by
department or in a less formulaic method?
My next question relates to one of the objectives on [page] B-76, a nd that relates to objective number three, which basically says ensuring procurement
processes are compliant with policies and procedures, policies and regulations. My question to the Honourable Minister is, How many procurement breaches were
identified in 2024 and 2025, and what corrective
measures were undertaken? This would connect actu-ally quite closely with the update of the C ode, because
if the Minister does intend or this department does intend to update the C ode, this would be the lessons
learned area that I would expect would go into such an
update.
Moving on, Madam Chair man, to [page] B-76,
going into the Department Objectives again. My question is, D oes this department or does Head 80 maintain
a centralised registry of major projects with stage gate review requirements? In other words, are they maintaining a number of centralised registries of all the projects across government?
Moving on to my next question, Madam Chairman, under [page] B-77. Specifically, I see the spending, again as under G eneral Summary, at $990,000 for
the year 2026/ 27 versus $925,000 under the revised for
2025 /26. This question, again, I want to reiterate, Is the
Minister's position that this budget will be sufficient to encounter or control the expanded project risk from the
increased spending we are seeing in government?
Moving on, Madam Chair man, on [page] B-77
under business unit 90015, Contract and Compliance .
I note that 25 per cent reduction from $ 146,000 to
$110,000. Again, I would like the Honourable Minister
to explain how the department will be able to maintain standards in an increased spending environment when
reducing costs on the compliance control environment.
Moving on, Madam Chair man, I see business
unit . . . sorry, page B -77, business unit 90005, Procurement. We are seeing an increase of 22 per cent.
That is moving from $243,000 to $296,000, an increase
of some 22 per cent. And could the Minister say what
structural change has occurred within the procurement
or will occur within the procurement practi ce as a result
of this increase ? Are we expecting faster cycle times,
reduced waivers, greater competition in vendors?
Staying on page B -77, moving on to business
unit 90010, Project Management. Would the H onourable Minister be able to, if he does confirm that there is
a centralised register of projects under PMO oversight, would he clarify what criteria determine inclusion, or if
some projects in government are so minor that they do
not require PMO oversight ?
Staying on page B -77, under A dministration,
specifically [business] unit 90000 Administration.
Would the Honourable Minister be able to outline how
much of this fund is allocated to policy drafting versus
compliance monitoring versus reporting? In other
words, how much of it is forward looking, currently monitoring, currently escalating to a higher authority?
Staying on page B -77, specifically under the
Full-Time Equivalents table, Madam Chairman. There
are nine in 2026/27. Minister , with nine FTE overseeing
all government procurement and project governance,
what is the ratio of projects to oversight officers?
Staying on [page] B-77, I note that the procurement increase on full -time employees is from two to
three. Minister, what is the defined workload per procurement officer? In other words, do they have a number of tenders that they have to oversee annually? Is
there value threshold or some sort of risk clarification
which outlines how much work they are able to undertake individually that year?
Staying on [page] B-77, under T raining. So under Subjective Analysis the Honourable Minister did
mention the training budget went up by 400 per cent as
outlined on [page] B-77. And I know that sounds a scary
number, but we're talking about going from $3,000 to
$15,000. So, I think that is abundantly fair, especially
for such a key role. My question to the M inister is , What
certification or competency framework governs procurement training? Are officers trained to an internationally recognised procurement standard?
My next question is to the Minister as it relates
to—I am sorry. I have already asked that.
My next question to the Minister relates to Enforcement versus Activity on [page] B-76. This deals
2076 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly with waivers reported and . . . waiver reports completed
and reported quarterly. Sorry, that is actually on page
B-78 under business unit 90000. Minister, are those
waiver reports tabled publicly or provided only to the
Cabinet? Further questions relating to these waivers of
the Minister. Minister, what percentage of the waivers
are repeat offenders, or repeat vendors? Sorry, not offenders, repeat vendors.
Further on [page] B-76 . . . sorry, I am on
[page] B-78 still on C abinet Memos are vetted for within
five business days after receipt. Minister, can you say
how many of these Cabinet Memos were returned or
amended due to non- compliance? That is, how many
were not up to standard and therefore had to be returned to the origin, or the submitter?
Further under Head 80, specifically under P roject Management , 90010, which I'm looking at on
[page] B-78, but of course goes across the three pages.
Minister, does this team track project overruns against
original approved estimates?
My next question relates to cross -government
risk exposure. And again, under the same team, which is Project Management , 90010. Minister, what is the
aggregate value of projects actively monitored by H ead
80? And further, Minister, does that team perform any
post-implementation reviews for effectiveness?
Under business unit 90015, Contract and C ompliance, the team which is currently two persons and
attracting some $110,000 of spending. How many contracts were terminated or renegotiated due to poor performance?
And second to last question, Minister, does
Head 80 report directly to the C abinet or through a ministry line item?
And last question under Head 80, Madam
Chair man. Has this department under H ead 80 , currently requesting $990,000 from this Honourable
House, provided any measurable evidence that you
can speak to that has reduced project risk exposure year on year?
Those are all my questions for Head 80,

The Minister is desirous of you asking
all of your questions, Member. And while you put the
rest of your questions up, I am going to remind the public that we are in Committee of Supply for [further consideration of the Estimates of] Revenue and Expenditure for the year 2026/ 27. And we are debating
Heads 9, 13, 18, 32, 43, and 80, which are found under
the Ministry of Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation.
And the Member from constituency 23 is desirous of moving on to one of the other heads.
Member, are you ready to move on?

Madam [Chairman] , I'm moving on to H ead 43, Information and Digital Technologies, otherwise known as IDT, starting on page B -63.
Again, I thank the Honourable Minister for the brief on
this one, and I look forward to his responses.
We note that staffing on [page] B-64 . . . I will
start on [page] B-64, the Full-Time Equivalents . It reports the staffing increase from 50 to 54 . And my question to the M inister is . . . I see that there is a difference
here allocated to business units, such as business unit for Training (53080) is acquiring another person. But I
believe the Honourable Minister said that there's not
going to be a head count, or an increase in head count.
So, if the Honourable Minister can just clarify if that is
the case.
On [page] B-64, Salaries, we note an increase
on the subjective analysis of current account estimates of $729,000, or an increase of 13 per cent . Can the
Honourable Minister explain this increase ? Does this
reflect new posts, such as the four posts that I believe
we have on [page] B-64? I'm not sure. Or does this reflect a reclassification, or overtime, or recruitment of
specialist IT roles, which I believe the M inister may
have spoken of before?
Further, I note that on page B -64 under P rofessional Services, we are seeing an increase of 142 per
cent, going from 2025/ 26 original of $ 328,000 to the revised spend of $ 478[,000] . The Honourable Minister
has pointed out that we are estimating a $795,000
spend, an increase of $462,000 [sic]. And the question—

Thank you, Madam Chairman, [$467,000].
What contracts compromise this $795,000,
and what deliverables are being purchased through
those con tracts?
Further on [page] B-64, under Repair and
Maintenance for the subjective analysis of current account estimates, that line item is increasing by
$238,000. Is this lifecycle replacement, reactive system
failure response, or ageing infrastructure costs? This is


Bermuda House of Assembly especially key as we see a number of spends related
to capital acquisition or development, which I will get to.
And what we are trying to do is distinguish what is regular cost of doing business in Head 43 versus the general improvement processes that the M inister has spoken to.
Under [page] B-64, Communications, the C ommunications budget decreased by $284,000. And my
question to the Minister is , What services or contracts
were reduced?
My next question takes us to [page] B-65, specifically business unit 53030 under . . .

Yes, under Device Support.
Thank you so much. Where we see an actual target in
2024 /25 of zero, and then a target in 2026/ 27 of 80 per
cent. And the question to the M inister is , Why is the actual outcome recorded as zero? Was the performance
not measured or simply was it not achieved at all?
Thank you.
Staying on [page] B-65, business unit 53035
under Network Support. We have performance measurement of network locations monitored. Again, an ac-tual outcome of zero in 2024 /25 and a target in
2026 /27, [of] 100 per cent . So, my question really is ,
how many of these network locations were actually monitored in 2024/2 5, Honourable Minister?
Staying on [page] B-65, business unit 53040
under Service Support performance measurements. I
see first call resolution for tickets, which again was a
zero in 2024/ 25 and is targeted at 30 per cent in
2026 /27. And my question to the Minister is , What was
the actual first call resolution rate in 2024/ 25?
The same question actually applies on [page]
B-65 to business unit 53050 under Digital Services.
Specifically , the portal gov.bm uptime, which has an actual performance of zero under 2024/ 25, and a target
of 98 per cent on 2026/27. So , the question to the H onourable Minister is , What was the actual uptime percentage for 2024/ 25?
Under [page] B -66, business unit 53090, it's
the exact same question. And the same would go for
business unit 53060, which is . . . these are recorded
as zeros , and I think that that number can't be right.
Surely , they did those jobs in 2024/25.
Moving on to C apital Acquisitions, Madam
Chair man, which is starting on [page] C-9. Business
unit 76074, Infrastructure Computer , which has a
2026 /27 estimate of $600,000. What hardware life cycle or expansion does this represent? In other words,
what's happening with the infrastructure computers?
And on business unit 76075 under D evelopment Projects, another $650,000, what are the specific
development projects that are funded under [business
unit] 76075?
And we are still on [page] C-9, business unit
76169, Network Upgrade, an estimate of $1 million for 2026 /27. The network upgrade remains at $1 million. Is
this backbone infrastructure replacement, security hardening, or bandwidth expansion?
Moving on to business unit 76172, the iSeries
systems/ server s, which is estimated in 2026/ 27 to cost
$350,000. Minister, what business critical applications
still rely on iSeries infrastructure? And what is the modernisation roadmap?
On the Wintel systems /servers, which is business unit 76463, an estimated spend of $965,000, what portion of this is a refresh versus an expansion?
Still on page C -9, business unit 76591, G overnment Portal/Website, which has $485,000 as an anticipated spend in 2026/ 27. Minister, does this funding
refer to user redesign, security hardening, or content
modernisation?
Madam Chair man, it is good to hear that we
have more and more government services moving
online. And I note that the Minister said . . . I want to
say the number wa s 20. But it is fantastic to hear. It
strikes me as something one of these political parties
put in their campaign platform. Sound familiar?
[Laughter]

Still on [page] C-9, business
unit 76639, e- Government Initiatives, an estimated
spend of $600,000 for year 2026 /27. Minister , what are
the named initiatives under this allocation?
And finally, under IT Security, an estimated
spend of $850,000, estimated for the financial year 2026 /27. Minister, what are the specific security investments . . . what specific security investments are going
to be funded, such as endpoint design, SIME . . . yes,
you can ignore that, penetration testing, identity management?
Madam Chair man, this one is actually a pretty
sensitive one. We are obviously still waiting on the report from the committee on the cyberattack on the government from three years ago. It is clear the government has made a number of changes to their IT envi-ronment to deal with that breach. And so, it would be
good to hear what actual mechanisms have been put
in place.
Cross -referencing between [page] B-64, Professional Services and [page] C -9 for C apital IT Security. With the professional services at $795,000 and the IT security at $850,000, how are we ensuring that there
is no duplication of consultancy spending or consultancy security spending?
Another cross -reference from [page] B-64 under the R epair and M aintenance and comparing that to
[page] C-9 under the I nfrastructure Computer, where
Repair and Maintenance is rising to . . .that doesn’t look
right. Bear with me, please, Madam Chair man. My
notes say Repair and Maintenance is rising to
$976,000, and I do not believe that is the right number.

2078 2 March 2026 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly The Chairman: Excuse me, what page are you on,
Member? I just got confused for a second.

Whereas on [page] C-9, the
Infrastructure Computer, which is business unit 76074,
is 850 . . . [$]6 00,000. My question is, given these two
allocations dealing with what sounds like similar areas, what is the balance between maintaining the legacy systems currently right now versus replacing them?
Another cross reference from [page] B-65, Portal Uptime, Madam Chair man, and [page] C-9, Government Portal Funding. Minister, how does $485,000 portal allocation translate into improved uptime and usability and public satisfaction metrics?
And the last one under IDT, Madam Chair man,
is workforce . . . a question about the FTE, which is effectively the workforce, and the capital alignment that's
on [page] C-9, the Development Projects. Minister, with
additional FTE in business system support and digital
services, are we reducing external de pendents or are
we expanding our external dependents?
Madam Chair man, that's my questions, or my
first set of questions on IDT, and I might have supplementals after.

Okay, thank you, M ember.
Are there any other Memb ers who wish to
speak to H eads 9, 13, 18, 32, 43, and 80?
At this point in time, I do not see anyone else
taking to their feet.
However, I want to at least advise the House
and the listening public that we are currently just about
at the halfway mark, having spent at least two hours on
this debate, or three minutes shy of two hours, to be ex -
act. And at this time, I am going to call on the M ember
from constituency 22 to come and assume the C hair.

[Mr. Scott Pearman, Chairman]

Good evening, Honourable Members
and members of the listening public.
We are halfway through the Committee of S upply for further consideration of the E stimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year 2026 /27. This is the
debate on C abinet Office and D igital Innovation. It is a four-hour debate. As I say, we are halfway through. We
are two hours through.
And this is a debate on H eads 9, 13, 18, 32,
[43], and 80. The House has heard presentation by the
Minister, the Honourable Diallo Rabain. And then the
House has heard questions from the relevant Shadow
Minister for the OBA, namely , Jarion Richardson, MP.
I believe that that was the conclusion of the
questions, or at least this round of questions, by MP
Richardson. And I will turn over to the H onourable Minister for responses.

Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: I was telling him to ask all
his questions . He was just finishing that head.

My first question to the Honourable Minister is . . . he mentioned in his brief that
there would be some installers. And I believe he was referring to renewable installer, some form of a recognised installer list that would go toward facilitating or
expediting certain building projects or inspections. And
my question to the Honourable Minister would be, Are
those installers going to be qualified by the Workforce
Development Programme? Which we've heard about
over the years, which has been pushing out renewable
installers.
And further, the H onourable Minister mentioned the building code will be updated . . . but he did
not mention when that would take place. So, can the
Honourable Minister confirm that will be taking place in
this financial year, 2026/ 27, or it won't ?
Further, a question from the M inister's brief. He
had mentioned that Planning has a function that pairs
up potential farmers with potential landowners. And my
question to the H onourable Minister is, Why is this with
Planning versus with Ag and Fish? Or howsoever
named that Ministry is now?

Yes, thank you.
[Revenue Source] 8128, Condominium Registrations. I am not sure if the Minister had mentioned it
during his brief , I might have missed it . But I see it's
gone all the way down now to zero. And my question to
the Honourable Minister is, Why is that? I believe it has
something to do with changes in legislation. But would
the Honourable Minister be able to confirm that ?

And moving on to my core
analysis. It's clear, Mr. Chair man, that housing is declared a national priority in the B udget Statement. And
in that Budget Statement, Government says that Planning will use AI tools to expedite building permit approvals and improve decision- making. We see th at Head 32
Current Account jumps by 23 per cent . That is adding
some $943,000, including general admin up 49 per
cent, building permits up 129 per cent . Yet H ead 32
shows zero per cent in equipment . . . zero per cent,
sorry.
[Pause]

Yes, we see zero money allocated to equipment in the 2026/27 Estimate, which is
on [page] B -59. And I don't see a Planning AI line item
shown in Head 32.
So, I will be asking quite a few questions
around that. I believe the M inister, in his Ministerial
Statement, mentioned S afe Port [sic] or some other
name that I didn't quite catch.

SAFEbuilt. So, I will be asking
a host of questions around that because I think that is a fantastic opportunity for us to clear the bottleneck that we currently have. And the M inister mentioned that
there are a number of HR hires as well related to that.
So, I think this is an area that is worth exploring by this
committee.
Specifically, would the Honourable Minister
just confirm where that AI investment appears as a spe-cific line item, project code, or acquisition within the
Budget Book? That is for H ead 32.
[Inaudible interjection]

Under [page] B -59 General
Summary, which has $4,992,000 estimated in 2026 [/27] versus $4,157 ,000 in the revised 2025/26.
Again, an increase of 23 per cent. Would the Honourable Minister please specify what portion of this increase
is intended to reduce Planning and building permit
timelines as distinct from internal administration?
Further staying on [page] B-59, business unit
42000, General Administration, specifically I see $1.6
million in expenditure for 2026/ 27 versus $ 1.1 [million] ,
an increase of some 50 per cent . I see the G eneral Administration cost going up by some 49 per cent . Would
the Honourable Minister be able to explain what are the
drivers of that cost —additional posts, regrading, consultants, rent allocations, or system costs ? And what
operational outputs will be delivered from this increase?

[Inaudible interjections ]