This Senate sitting was largely procedural, focusing on extending COVID-19 emergency measures and presenting various government reports. The main business was approving the extension of public health emergency powers for another 60 days to continue managing the pandemic. Senator Richardson provided an update on Bermuda's vaccination progress, noting that 17% of the population had received one dose and the goal is 70% for herd immunity. The session also included multiple tribute speeches remembering community members who had recently passed away.
Extension of COVID-19 emergency powers for another 60 days until April 25, 2021Presentation of various government reports and COVID-19 related regulationsCannabis Licensing Act 2021 received its first readingTribute speeches for deceased community members, particularly former Senator LaVerne FurbertCOVID-19 vaccination progress update for Bermuda
Bills & Motions
Public Health (COVID-19) Emergency Extension Order 2021 - approved, extending emergency powers until April 25, 2021
Cannabis Licensing Act 2021 - received first reading (procedural step)
Standing Order 71(2) suspension - approved to allow immediate consideration of the emergency extension order
Notable Moments
The Opposition supported extending COVID-19 emergency powers without objection, showing bipartisan cooperation on pandemic measures
Senator Richardson emphasized that vaccines are 95% effective and urged continued mask wearing and physical distancing
The Senate observed a moment of silence for former Senator LaVerne Furbert, with multiple senators praising her dedication to labor rights and community service
Debate Transcript
2 speeches from 2 speakers
Sen. the Hon. Dr. Ernest Peets—[INAUDIBLE ] Mrs. Furbert’s love for her country. I certainly can testify this morning that she was a pillar of strength. She was also a very dedicated advocate for labour rights. Her dedication, her passion was, in my opinion, evident to all of us. I did have the opportunity to …
—[INAUDIBLE ] Mrs. Furbert’s love for her country. I certainly can testify this morning that she was a pillar of strength. She was also a very dedicated advocate for labour rights. Her dedication, her passion was, in my opinion, evident to all of us. I did have the opportunity to work with her for a number of months during 2020 and part of 2019 as we were both members of the Parole Board. And I can share wit h all of us this morning that her leadership and her passion were inspiring. I believe Ms. Furbert was loved by many, probably too many to number. And I cannot express in words this morning how much she will be missed by her family, by her community, as well as by her party, the Progressive Labour Party. Ms. Furbert also served as a Senator. And I will ask that the Senate this morning join me in offering condolences and sympathy towards her family, particularly her children, as well as all of the individual s which her life touched. When the news came to me about her medical ailment, she was a constant in my prayers. So, personally I was very saddened, of course, as many of us were to learn of her passing. She was passio nate about her work, and she cared so much and so deeply. And I think there is a lot that she has contri buted to Bermuda, to her country, to our way of life. And personally, I am just really sometimes at a bit of a loss for words as relates to how I feel about her pas sing. So I am asking that we certainly, as a Senate body, offer condolences and sympathy to the family and perhaps , as we deliberate with our work in the Senate in the days and weeks and months to come, that we will display the same level, if not more, passion and desire to do good for the country that we love. Thank you very much, Madam President.
The President: Thank you, Minister Peets. And if no one else wants to speak on her — Senator Tucker .
Sen. Robin Tucker: Thank you, Madam President.
The President: I was going to suggest that we have a moment of silence. But we will do that at the end. Yes. No, please, you can speak, Senator Tucker.
Sen. Robin Tucker: Thank you. Thank you again, Madam President. I would like to join, associate my extending of condolences to Mr. Pearman’s family as was expressed by Senator Wight, and as well of course joi ning with Senator Peets’s remarks on LaVerne Furbert as well. I would also like to extend condolences to the family of Wendy Trott, who was a chef de partie at the Mid Ocean Club. And as well, Kim Hendrickson, who was someone whom I did have the privilege to meet. She was a friend of my sister, Deborah HendricksonPerinchief [PHONETIC] . Kim —some people may r emember her, as she worked at Collector ’s Hill. She worked at Collector ’s Hill gas station. And Kim always had a very pleasant, friendly, happy greeting and a lways something very kind to say. So I just really wanted to make note of those additional people as well. Thank you. The President: Thank you, Senator Tucker. Would any other Senator care to speak? Senator Arianna Hodgson, you have the floor. 162 22 February 2021 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda Senate Sen. Arianna Hodgson: Thank you, Madam Pres ident. Madam President, I just wanted to take some time to con gratulate Charlie Pilgrim, who works under the direction of Dr. Carika Weldon at the Molecular Diagnostic Lab. Charlie has just been accepted to med school and will be heading off to St. Mary’s this September. And so he has made us all very proud, and we wish him well as he begins his new journey.
The President: Thank you, S enator Hodgson. Would any other Senator care to speak? Senator Smith. Sen. Ben Smith: Thank you, Madam President. I would like to congratulations sent to Madelyn Moore who over the weekend competed in the WAC Championship for the University of Northern Colorado, setting a record for the university, getting two gold medals and also hitting the B cut for the NCAA championships. Congratulations to her and hope that she continues to swim fast.
The President: Thank you, Senator Smith. Would any other Senat or care to speak? The President: Yes. Senator Owen Darrell, you have the floor. Sen. Owen Darrell: Thank you, Madam President. First of all, I would like to congratulate consti tuency 8 Smith’s South President Ms. Ojeda Smith. Recently, Wakefield Quin publicly announced her ap-pointment as a pupil. ( It was a few months ago, but they recently announced it. ) She is the daughter of Ms. Laquita Bell and Mr. Orrik Smith. I also want to take this time to congratulate Wakefield Quin on their continued commitment to the development of young lawyers in Bermuda. And I wish Ms. Ojeda Smith well in her endeavours. I would also like to take this time to ask that the Senate send obituary remarks, condolences, to the family of the late Mr. Hadley Woolridge, who passed in January just before the Senate last met. Mr. Hadley Woolridge was a long- time resident of Smith’s Parish. He was a very popular and dedicated taxi driver. He was a fan of the Mighty Flatts and a man who was part of many, many community organisations not only in Smith’s Parish but throughout the Island. I did have the honour of attending the home- going service for Mr. Woolridge back in January. And what did strike me is that the order of the service was carefully planned by himself, a nd the amount of love and respect that everyone had for Mr. Woolridge. I did have also the pleasure of attending, of course last year, his 90 th birthday. It was a dr ive-by celebration. So I was definitely honoured to be asked by the family to attend his home- going service, especially with the limited numbers. So I would just like to send a letter of condolences to Mr. Woolridge’s family. Thank you.
The President: Thank you, Senator Darrell. Would any other Senators? Senator Jones, Marcus Jones, you have the floor.
Sen. Marcus Jones: Thank you, Madam President. The President: Good morning.
Sen. Marcus Jones: Good morning to my Senate colleagues and to the listening audience. Madam President, I thank you for this opportunity where we can extend condolences to the family of the late Joanne Raynor, a former overseas staff member of the Bermuda Tourism Authority in New York. I remember during my time in the Department of Tourism on one of my trips to New York, she met me at the offices and she proceeded to take me on a tour of different clients within the area. And I was taken aback by her flamboyant, vivacious, hospitable personality. I called her at the time Miss Tourism. She was fun to be with. You could tell that she was passionate about her country, passionate about the job that she did. And her passion was contagious. You could not rest easy or be comfortable being (shall we say) downhearted in her company. And I just wanted to remember her at this time, that extended condolences be made towards her family, her two sons. She will indeed be a great miss to this country and to the industry specifically. Thank you, Madam President.
The President: Thank you, Senator Jones. Woul d any other Senator care to speak on condolences? Senator Simmons, you have the floor. Sen. Lindsay Simmons: Yes. Good morning, ever ybody. I would like to extend condolences to the E vans/Santucci family as Kevina Evans Santucci lost her life recently. She was a pillar of strength for the community. Her father was Chaplin Kevin Santucci and her mother wa s Karon Santucci. Through her battle, she was uplifting and helped others and even gave part of her funds that were given to her while she was battling cancer to her cousin. And she was always upbeat and lifting other people’s spirits. And her father is known in the community for helping others. Especially when we have accidents and deaths, he is always there. So I hope that Bermuda can rally together around his family right now and be a pillar of strength for him. Thank you.
The President: Thank you, Senator Lindsay Si mmons.
Bermuda Senate Would any other Senator care to speak on condolences? If not, I would just like to express condolences for the family of Ms. Moira Valentine Tucker Cann. She was a nurse for many years. She was aged 90 years old. And s he is remembered as a pioneering nurse during the segre gation in Bermuda. She qual ified in the 1950s, and she had the distinction for car-ing for the Civil Rights activist, Dr. E. F. Gordon when he was in the hospital. And this was at a time when Black nurses were not allowed to work King Edward [VII Memorial] Hospital. So I think that her time there was absolutely critical. And she was asked by the family to go in and take care of him. And I think that — you know, I can recall other extended family members well who returned in the 1950s and probably at the same t ime that she did and were not allowed to work, and returned to the UK. But Ms. Cann, as I said, she looked after Dr. Gordon. And then because she was not allowed to work in the hospital, she left the Island. And she went to the States to work. And she subsequently married a Bermudian, and she returned to Bermuda. And she worked at the Health Department as a health visitor. Now, she had qualified in the UK. I was told that she qualified as a g eneral nurse, midwife , as well as a health visitor. And with all of those qualifications, she was not allowed to work at King Edward. But as I said, when she subsequently returned, she worked at the Health Department. And then toward the latter part of her nursing career, she worked at Packwood. She looked after the patients at Packwood. So she was a trailblazer, I think, for nursing. And as a nurse myself, I reflect on that. And it must have been a very difficult time for her to have lived and worked and qualified in England and been able to work in the hospitals there , and then to return to Bermuda and not be allowed to work in the hospital. I understand that in the book that was written by Mr. [Randolf] Williams about the 100 years at the hospital [CARE 100 Years of Hospital Care in Berm uda] that I think she is briefl y mentioned. But I just thought I would just like to say a few words about her and extend heartfelt condolences to family and the many friends that she was able to make , and particularly Ms. Cecily Simmons, who was a very, very close friend of hers and wh o relayed much of the history that is known about her, because [Ms. Cann] talked regularly to Ms. Simmons.
MOMENT OF SILENCE [In memory of LaVerne Furbert, former Senator ]
The President: Before we move on, because of LaVerne Furbert’s passing, I would like the Senate to observe a moment of silence in memory of her, star ting now.
[Senators rose and observed a moment of silence.] The President: Thank you, Senators. I would just like to also stat e that I served with her for that year that she was here in the Senate. And there was much that has been said and written about her. And we have lost her too soon. We now move on.
ADJOURNMENT
The President: Minister Peets, Government Leader in the Senate. You have the floor.
Sen. the Hon. Dr. Ernest PeetsYes, thank you. Good morning, Madam President. I would like to make a motion that we adjourn to Wednesday, 3 March 2021. The President: Thank you. Would any Senator care to speak on the motion to adjourn? No. Then, Senators, the Senate stands a djourned until March the 3rd. Thank …
Yes, thank you. Good morning, Madam President. I would like to make a motion that we adjourn to Wednesday, 3 March 2021.
The President: Thank you. Would any Senator care to speak on the motion to adjourn? No. Then, Senators, the Senate stands a djourned until March the 3rd. Thank you all for your attendance this morning.
[At 11:36 am, the Senate adjourned until 10:00 am, Wednesday, 3 March 2021 .]