June 4, 2025

Senators, w e are now in Committee of
the Whole [Senate] for further consideration of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year
2025/26.
[The Ministry of Tourism and Transport, Culture and Sport] Heads 71, 20, 30, 34, and 35 are now
to be debated. I call on the Junior Minister in charge to
proceed.
Junior Minister Fubler, you have the floor. I will
note that we have two hours for these heads, and that
the time is now 10:10 which means that we will look to
wrap this up at 12:10.
[Junior] Minister Fubler, can you please indicate how you wish to proceed?
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you, Madam Chairman, I
will be reading through all of the heads that have been
selected and then [I] will field questions in a question -
and-answer period after that. I am sure we can get
through the entire brief and provide opportunity for
technical officers to respond to the questions.

Yes, please proceed.

MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND
TRANSPORT, CULTURE AND SPORT
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, I move that
the Committee do now undertake consideration of Head 71, Ministry of Tourism and Transport, Culture
and Sport [Headquarters] ; Head 20, Sport and Recreation; Head 30, Marine and Ports; Head 34, Transport Control Department; and Head 35, Public Transporta-tion.

HEAD 71 — MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND
TRANSPORT, CULTURE AND SPORT
HEADQUARTERS

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, i t gives me
great pleasure to present the budget for Head 71, the
newly combined Ministry of Tourism and Transport,
Culture and Sport Headquarters . For the benefit of my
colleagues and the listening public, these can be found
on pages B -232 through B-236 of the Budget Book.

Mission Statement
Sen. Mischa Fubler: The mission statement of the
Ministry of Tourism and Transport, Culture and Sport HQ is , To create a globally competitive, diverse destination that enhances visitor experiences, expands cul-tural and sports opportunities, and ensures safe, efficient transportation for all .

Expenditure Overview
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, a total of
$34,079,000 , as found on page B -234 of the Budget
Book has been allocated to the new Ministry of Tourism and Transport, Culture and Sport HQ, which represents
the combination of the former Ministry of Transport ,
Head 48, and the former Ministry of Tourism, Culture
and Sport , Head 71. The new Ministry Headquarters
will now function under Head 71. The aforementioned
budgetary allocation of $34,079,000 represents 34 per
cent of the total budget allocation for the Ministry as a
whole.
Madam Chairman, the Ministry of Tourism and
Transport, Culture and Sport Headquarters serves as
the central hub for strategic leadership, policy development, and oversight across Bermuda’s sectors of tourism, transport , culture, and sport. It is responsible for
setting the vision and direction that guides these sec-tors.
By coordinating initiatives, shaping legislative
frameworks, and providing high level support to depart-ments and agencies, the Ministry HQ plays a vital role in supporting innovation, enhancing service delivery,
and promoting Bermuda’s identity and competi tiveness
both locally and internationally. This investment is essential to strengthen and moderni se Bermuda’s transportation infrastructure, including our ports and public transit systems. It also supports the growth of our sports and cultural sectors, enhancing the quality of life
for our residents and enriching the experience for visitors.
Madam Chairman, the departments which
come under Ministry Headquarters’ remit include:
• Department of Sport and Recreations , Head 20
• Department of Marine and Ports Services ,
Head 30
• Transport Control Department , Head 34
• Department of Public Transportation, Head 35
• Department of Culture, Head 52
In addition, the Headquarters maintains oversight of the 24 authorities, boards, councils and committees , namely
• Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority
• Bermuda Shipping and Maritime Authority
• Bermuda Airport Authority
• Bermuda Tourism Authority
• Bermuda Arts Council
• Golf Courses Board
• Liquor Licens ing Authority
• National Sports Centre Board
• Bermuda Sport Anti -Doping Authority
• 9 Parish Councils


Bermuda Senate • Naming And Recognition Committee
• Public Service Vehicle Licensing Board
• Ports Authority Board
• Road Safety Council
• Medical Reference Committee
• Water Safety Council

Revenue Overview

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, it is anticipated that during the 2025/26 budget cycle, Headquarters will collect approximately $1,357,000 in revenue, found on page B -235. The revenue is mainly collected
from vacation rental fees, hotel licences and liquor licencing fees.

Subjective Analysis
Administration– Cost Centre 81000
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the estimated
budget for the Administration Section will be
$33,479,000. This represents an increase of
$14,820,000 , or an increase of approximately 79 per
cent when compared to prior years ( cost centre 81000)
which did not include the two merged Headquarters.
The increase mainly represents the transfer of the Administration Section c ost centre 58000 under the former Headquarters for Transport, Head 48.

Bermuda Airport Authority
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, included in
the administration budget is a grant to the Bermuda Airport Authority, an amount of $14,901,000 for 2 025/26,
representing a $200,000 increase, or approximately
2 per cent over the 2 024/25 allocation.
Madam Chairman, the Airport Authority currently employs 61 full -time equivalent employees, or
FTEs , including vacancies. The mostly Bermudian, professional workforce has the mandate to provide essential retained government services as direct employees
of the Airport Authority. Part of the increased expense
allocation will be used to fund essential overseas train-ing for up to five Bermudian Air Traffic Controllers
joined in Q1 of 2025.

Bermuda Tourism Authority
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, also included
in the administration budget is a grant to the Bermuda
Tourism Authority (BTA) of $15,500,000 for 202 5/26,
representing a $540,000 decrease, or approximately
3.5 per cent compared the 2024/25 revised allocation
of $16,040,000.
Madam Chairman, the budget allocated to the
BTA reflects the amount requested in its grant application. This budget underscores the BTA’s continued
commitment to reducing its reliance on Government
funding. In keeping with the pledges made in the 2024 Throne Speech, the BTA has demonstrated a proactive
approach through cost -saving measures and initiatives
aimed at generating its own revenue to operate more independently and sustainably.
Madam Chairman, the total income for the BTA
is forecast to be $32,100,000. The balance of approximately $16,600,000 forecasted income is from fees
paid by visitors staying in Bermuda’s hotels, vacation
rental units, and by cruise ship passengers. The vast
majority of BTA funds are spent on selling and marketing the destination.
Madam Chairman , the BTA operates as the Island’s destination marketing organisation, working diligently to advance Bermuda’s economic prosperity
through a robust and sustainable tourism sector. This
Government remains committed to ensuring that every
dollar invested in Bermuda’s tourism industry delivers measurable returns, fosters job c reation, and strengthens our economy.
Madam Chairman, the tourism sector remains
a cornerstone of Bermuda’s economy, directly and indirectly impacting thousands of Bermudians. In 2024,
Bermuda’s tourism industry built upon previous successes, achieving substantial growth in key performance indicators.
Total visitor arrivals increased by 4 per cent to
approximately 743,000, with air arrivals rising by 9.6 per cent to approximately 203,000, and leisure air
arrivals up by 15.2 per cent to approximately 140,000.
These result underscore the effectiveness of the stra-tegic efforts to enhance Bermuda’s tourism product and
strengthen its global positioning.

Transportation Planning Team
Cost Centre 81060

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the Transportation Planning Section sits within the Ministry Headquarters, cost centre 81060, includes one full -time
equivalent employee and is allocated a budget of
$147,000 and can be found on page B -234 of the
Budget Book .
The Transportation Planning Section is responsible for managing all aspects of cruise ship operations in Bermuda, including contracts, logistics, regu-lations, and day -to-day coordination to ensure continuous and efficient service delivery. It also leads key
transportation projects and conduc ts policy research to
support the Ministry’s strategic priorities and long- term
planning objectives.
Madam Chairman, in 2024 the cruise ship season began with 190 scheduled calls and a projected
passenger count of over 578,000. By the end of the
season, 17 calls were cancelled, 13 due to adverse
weather conditions and 4 as a result of itinerary changes, resulting in 173 actual calls and over 535,000
passengers. This represented a reduction of approximately 43,000 passengers, or 7.4 per cent . Despite the
cancellations, the 2024 season outperformed 2023,
220 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate which recorded a total of over 525,000 cruise passengers.
The economic impact for 2024 included:
$24,500,000 in passenger taxes and $10,800,000 in
transport infrastructure tax . Additionally, other cruise
ship revenue was estimated at $7,000,000 in cruise
ship visitor fees ; $116,500,000 in combined passenger
and crew spending; and $9,300,000 in cruise line disbursement expenses locally. This culminated in an estimated total of $168,100,000 in economic activity for
2024.
Madam Chairman , since the first published
projections in December 2024 for the 2025 season includes 179 calls, there have been 7 cruise ship cancellations. The new conservative projection at this time includes 172 cruise ship calls and approximately 475,000
passengers, based on a similar number of cancellations last year.

Regulatory and Policy Section
Cost Centre 81065

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the Regulatory and Policy Section sits within the Ministry Headquarters, cost centre 81065, and includes 4 full -time
equivalent employees and is allocated a budget of $453,000 and can be found on page B -234 of the
Budget Book .
The Regulatory and Policy Section is tasked
with managing the full lifecycle of Tourism Investment
Relief applications. This includes the receipt, timely processing, and thorough review of all submissions.
Once applications are approved, the section ensures they are efficiently advanced through the appropriate legislative and administrative channels to facilitate implementation.
Madam Chairman, the section is also responsible for conducting compliance inspections for hotels
and vacation rentals to ensure adherence to relevant
standards and regulations. Based on the outcomes of
these inspections, they are further responsible for issuing licences and certifications as required to support
lawful and high- quality tourism operations.
Madam Chairman, the 2024 calendar year
marked the most active period since the enactment of
the Tourism Investment Act 2017. A total of seven applications were approved for relief under the Act, all of
which are now in operation. This represents a significant increase compared to previous years, which typically saw an average of just one or two successful ap-plications annually.
This notable uptick reflects a growing level of
investor confidence in the tourism sector and a re-newed interest in Bermuda as a destination for sustainable tourism development.

Capital Expenditure
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
capital budget is for the Bermuda Airport Authority
which totals $2,713,000 , which is found on page C -7.
These funds will be directed toward several critical on-going and new airport infrastructure projects.

Manpower
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, as seen on
page B -235, there will be a total of 13 f ull-time equivalent employees in the Ministry Headquarters –Head 71.

Performance Measures by Business Unit
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, I am pleased
to report that the department’s forecasted performance
measures found on page B –236 for fiscal year 2024/ 25
were achieved.

Business Unit Administration
Cost Centre 81000
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, this business
unit is responsible for the strategic, policy development, accounting support for the Ministry. The performance
measures for 202 4/25 included: internal compliance reviews for heads within the Ministry; financial guidance
or compliance training sessions for the year; percentage of payments accurately processed within the relevant deadlines; and percentage of ministerial policy priorities completed. All forecasted outcomes were successful achieved.

Business Unit Regulatory and Policy
Cost Centre 81065

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, as mentioned
prior, this business unit oversees the end- to-end handling of Tourism Investment Relief applications, from intake to implementation. It also carries out inspections
of hotels and vacation rentals to ensure they meet regulatory standards and compliance requirements. The
performance measures for 2024/25 included: ensuring
hotel and vacation rental properties are inspected and licensed by the annual deadline of 31 March and 31 August, respectively; hotel and vac ation rental complaints
are acknowledged within 24 hours of receipt; hotel and
vacation rental complaints are investigated within 48
hours of receipt and ensuring a final report of hotel and
vacation rental complaints are issued within 10 days of
the complaint. All forecasted outcomes were successful achieved.

Plans for the Upcoming Year

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the Ministry
Headquarters will continue to serve as the strategic and policy development hub for the Ministry.


Bermuda Senate Madam Chairman, a key focus remains on the
advancement of Bermuda’s cruise industry. In collaboration with the Bermuda Land Development Corporation, now operating under the Ministry of Housing and
Municipalities, plans to extend the King’s Wharf Pier by 200 feet will be implemented.
Construction is scheduled to begin on October 2, [2025] , with completion expected by March 31,
2026. This extension will enable King’s Wharf to match
Heritage Wharf in size and capacity. Larger cruise
ships will be able to dock more efficiently and deploy additional gangways, improving both embarkation and
disembarkation.
Madam Chairman, looking ahead, the cruise
ship schedule for 2026 currently includes 190 calls,
while the 2027 season, still in early booking stages, already has 180 calls confirmed. These figures, though subject to change, demonstrate a strong and growing
interest in Bermuda as a cruise destination.
Madam Chairman, the Bermuda Airport Authority will continue to oversee several ongoing and upcoming infrastructure initiatives related to aviation and
weather services using the capital funding mentioned
earlier. These include, but are not limited to
• Aeronautical Information Services [AIS] being
moved to or migrated to Aeronautical Information Management [AIM] Organi sational
Transition
• Bermuda Weather Service Weather Radar Radome Refurbishment/Resealing
• Bermuda Weather Service Application Programming Interface [API] implementation
• Air Traffic Engineering infrastructure upgrades
• Bermuda Weather Service website design
• Bermuda Weather Service Hydrogen Gas
Generator Phase One
• Cyber security Systems infrastructure upgrades
• Air Traffic Control Simulator
Madam Chairman, in the tourism sector, the
Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) will continue its efforts to diversify Bermuda’s visitor markets. In 2025,
marketing initiatives will expand beyond the United States to include Canada and other international markets. I think my colleagues across the floor will appreciate that I have seen some public calls for us to consider Canada as a jurisdiction to market towards. These efforts will be powered by digital campaigns, influencer partnerships, and strategic media collabora-tions t o position Bermuda as an aspirational destination
for a wider array of leisure travellers.
The BTA will enhance the effectiveness of its
partner marketing through BTA Connect , a platform that
allows industry stakeholders to manage their presence
on gotobermuda.com. This includes updating contact
information, showcasing amenities, uploading visuals,
linking social media accounts, and accessing key performance data. In 2024, the BTA consumer website,
gotobermuda.com, received over 5 million page views, highlighting growing global interest in Bermuda. Ongoing optimi sations to the platform aim to furt her boost
traffic and help partners convert that interest into mean-ingful economic returns.
Madam Chairman , you may recall that the
2025 Throne Speech introduced a new initiative to
broaden the scope of the Tourism Investment Act 2017.
This expansion will extend eligibility for the full suite of
concessions to other key sectors, most notably, smaller
guest houses and health and medical tourism facilities
to further strengthen the impact and reach of the Act.
Madam Chairman, I would like to thank the
dedicated teams at the Ministry Headquarters and the
Authorities under the Ministry for their hard work and
solid commitment to the Ministry and its mandate.
That concludes Head 71, Ministry of Tourism
and Transport, Culture and Sport Headquarters. I now
move on to Head 20 , the Department of Sport and Recreation.

HEAD 20— DEPARTMENT OF SPORT
AND RECREATION

Sen. Mischa Fubler: For the benefit of my colleagues
and the listening public this is found in pages B -237
through B -242.
Madam Chairman, it gives me great pleasure
to present the budget for Head 20, the Department of
Sport and Recreation. This budget invests in growing
participation, supporting elite athletes, and ensuring
our community clubs and programmes continue to
thrive.
The mission statement for the department
found on page B -237 is, To foster a vibrant sport and
recreation culture in Bermuda by increasing participation, achieving regional excellence, and ensuring equitable access to sports and recreational facilities.
Through collaboration we aim to inspire and develop
young talents, promote community well -being and elevate the value of sport and recreation in our society.

Expenditure Overview

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, a total of
$9,948,000, as found on page B -239, has been allocated for this head, which represents an increase of
$1,613,000, or 19 per cent higher relative to the previous year. This change is due primarily to the transfer of
the government golf courses and the Bermuda School Sports Federation to this head.

General Summary of Expenditure Programmes
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Moving to page B -238, the General Summary of expenditure programmes. Madam
Chairman, the budget allocation for business unit
30045, General Administration, is $991,000, an increase of $124,000, or approximately 14 per cent. This
increase covers the cost of rent of the caretakers’
222 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate houses on Government Island. The allocated funds
provide for the administration and operation of the Department of Sport and Recreation Headquarters. In addition, the administrative section provides administrative support for five programmes within the dep artment
and is responsible for monitoring departmental spending to ensure that policies and procedures are adhered
to in achieving efficiency and effectiveness.

Programme 2002, Sports Development

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the Sports
Programmes Unit is operated through business unit
30055. The budget allocation is $658,000, an increase of $206,000 , or approximately a 46 per cent increase.
This increase represents an additional staff member
obtained through the transfer of the Bermuda School Sports Federation administrator to the department.
The increase also reflects funding allocated for
the continued implementation of the Active Kids Sports Academy Programme which exposes young children to multiple sports. This initiative is goal 1.2 of the National
Sports Policy
Funding is also allocated to the organisation of
the Sports Conference and Expo which will feature
overseas professionals who provide sport education for
athletes, coaches, parents and administrators. This initiative supports goal 1.3 of the National Sport s Policy.
Madam Chairman, business unit 30065, Sports
Investments, is dedicated to highlighting how the Ber-muda Government invests in the community through sport. In 2022 the National Sports Policy was updated
with a five -year promise to raise the value of sport with
a new vision that “Sport Matters.” To assist with the National Sports Policy, business unit 30065 has been allocated a total of $2, 106,000, an increase of $12,000,
or approximately 1 per cent.
Madam Chairman, funds in this business unit
are allocated to the Sports Investment programme
which assists National Sports Governing Bodies with
funding to develop sports through coach education,
junior development and high performance. Twenty -
eight sporting bodies have applied for the funding this
year, up from 25 who applied in 2024/25 fiscal year.
Funding in the amount of $125,000 will be provided to the Bermuda Olympic Association, and
$586,000 to Bermuda Sport Anti -Doping Authority,
known as BSADA, which is a statutory authority mandated to enable Bermuda’s athletes to compete internationally.
Madam Chairman, during fiscal year 202 5/26,
the Department of Sport and Recreation, in partnership
with other recognised National Sports Governing Bodies, intends to continue focusing on all aspects of sports
development and to ensure National Sports Policy
goals and objectives continue to be met.

Programme 2003, School Sports Events
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, t he estimate
for business unit 300 25, School Sports Events is
$43,000. This is a newly established business unit and
represents the allocated funding for school sports in
Bermuda. The funding will support the officer responsi-ble for organising and administering school sports
events throughout the academic year.
The value of school sports in Bermuda extends
far beyond the playing field, offering athletes numerous
benefits that contribute to their personal growth, academic success and overall well -being.
The Government is committed to supporting
school sports as it is a crucial foundation for Bermuda’s
future athletes, helping them develop skills, character
and mind- set needed to succeed both on and off the
playing field.

Programme 2003, Sports Incentives and Awards

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the estimate
budget for business unit 30030, Athletic Awards, is
$410,000, maintaining the same allocation as in fiscal
year 2024/25. This unit funds Elite Athletes through the
Bermuda Olympic Association under the Department
Elite Athlete Sponsorship Initiative.
Additionally, it provides performance- based
awards through special grants from the Department of
Sport and Recreation and the Outstanding Performance Incentive Programme. In 2024/25 the department sponsored 31 Elite Athletes from 14 different
sporting bod ies to assist in achieving their athletic
goals. Two such recipients were Female and Male Ath-letes of the Year, Yushae DeSilva- Adrade, and Jack
Harvey. Yushae from the sport of Boccia placed fourth
at the Paralympic Games in Paris and won silver at the
World Boccia Cup.
In addition, Jack [Harvey], from the sport of
swimming, qualified for his first -ever Olympic in Paris
where he made the Island proud as he won his heat
and finished 39
th overall. Those athletes made Bermuda proud and were elated to be a part of the sporting
journey.
Madam Chairman, this business unit also provides funding for the National Junior Athlete Sponsor-ship Programme, which supports the development of
Bermudian junior athletes between the ages of 15 to
19. This support aims to develop future elite athletes
who will represent Bermuda at major international
events .

Programme 2004, Sports Facilities Management

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, t he budget
estimate for business unit 30060, Sports Facilities Administration, is $2 ,640,000 . There is an increase of
$1,067, 000 over the 2024/25 budget, or a 68 per cent
increase.
The variance in the budget reflects the transfer
of the government’s public golf courses, Port Royal and


Bermuda Senate Ocean View, to the Department of Sport and Recreation, coupled with an increase in the operation budget
of the National Sports Centre.
Madam Chairman, business unit 30075, the
WMC Preece Softball Diamond, is allocated $14 9,000.
This funding covers the wages of two industrial staff
and the cost of maintain ing and operat ing the softball
diamond.
Madam Chairman, business unit 30080,
W. E. R. Joell Tennis Stadium, is allocated $46 2,000.
This business unit provides funding for salaries and wages of the workers of the facility and also is used to
maintain and operate the facility that houses seven tennis courts and eight pickleball courts.
Madam Chairman, business unit 30090, the
[Bermuda] Motorsport Park is allocated $8,000. There is no change in this business unit from the previous year. The funds are used for insurance, maintenance
and water at the [Bermuda] Motorsport Park.
Madam Chairman, business unit 30390, Sports
Community Fields, is allocated $47,000. There is no change from 2024 /25. The funds for this [ business ] unit
are allocated for the maintenance and operation of the
community fields under the department’s remit. These
investments help ensure that every Bermudian has a
place to play, train and gather in an open and clean
recreation area.

Programme 2007, Camping

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the budget allocation for the department’s Camping Programme is
$1,015, 000, an increase of $44,000, or approximately
5 per cent . The allocated budget for Camping provides
for the staffing , operation and administration and includes 10 full -time staff who maintain the facilities and
marine equipment. Last year, 96 per cent of our clients
who utilised our islands stated that their overall experi-ence was satisfactory with over 5,000 users participating in safe, affordable cam ping experiences.

Programme 2008, Recreational Programmes
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the budget allocation for the Recreational Programmes business
unit 30180 is $1, 419,0 00, an increase of $95 ,000, or
approximately 7 per cent .
This increase aims to assist working- class parents by alleviating the stress of finding safe and affordable summer services for their children. Th is funding
will increase the number of obtainable placements for
campers through the Camp Connect Summer Day
Camp Programme.
This programme typically supported approximately 1,700 school -age children. We can happily report that as a direct result of last year’s boost in funding
the programme exponentially serviced more than 2,773
children, an increase of 63 per cent. This further increase in financing should see another rise in the participation of more school -age children. Approximately 150 part -time workers deliver this programme,
supervised by qualified educators. Also on offer is a
special needs programme that provides care f or children with exceptionalities.

Subjective Analysis of Current Account Estimates

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the Subjective
Analysis of current account estimates in the Depart-ment of Sport and Recreation is found on page B -239.
I will highlight a few of the material objects code descriptions.
Salaries and wages will see a combined increase of $232,000, or approximately 17 per cent, representing transfer of the athletic administrator to the department uplift in salary and incremental salary in-creases for staff.
Training has increased by $6,000, or approximately 86 per cent due to staff training requiring renewals in the upcoming year. This is due to the recertification of staff CPR, first aid, along with SCARS and fire
safety training.
Rentals of our facilities have increased by
$116,000, or approximately 50 per cent due to the addition of the caretaker’s rent in this year’s budget.
Advertising and promotion for the department
has increased by $9,000, or approximately 64 per cent.
For the advertising and promotion of the Camp Connect Active Kids programme, the Sports Expo and
school sport events.
Grants and contributions have increased by
$1,062,000, or approximately 28 per cent mainly due to
the addition of the golf courses grants to the department, as you can see on page C -20.

Manpower

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the Department of Sport and Recreation administers six programmes in 16 business units for which manpower
consists of 46 individuals, as found on page B -240.

Performance Measures by Unit

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, I am pleased
to report that most of the department’s forecast perfor-mance measures for fiscal year 2024/25 were
achieved. The performance measures for the Depart-ment of Sport and Recreation can be found on pages
B-241 and B -242.

Business Unit 30020, Athletic Awards
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the business
unit is responsible for the athletic awards that the de-partment awards. Thirteen junior athletes from the National Sport Governing Body [NSGB] received the National Junior Athlet ics Award with an average of $3,000
224 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate awarded to each recipient. This year Sam Williamson
and Aiden Kendall became the third recipients of the
Flora Duffy Award and were awarded $3,000 and
$7,000 respectively towards their pursuit of excellence
in the sport of swimming and rugby.

Business Unit 30065, Sports Investment Programmes
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the department requires all National Sport Governing Bodies to be compliant. To date, 27 National Sport Governing Bodies are recognised by the department. Twenty -
three of the recognised NSGBs have received funds to
assist with the development of their sport, which includes junior programming, coaching, official development and high performance.

Business Unit 30075, WMC Preece Softball Park
Sen. Mischa Fubler: This business unit is responsible
for the WMC Preece Softball Park where our target of
500 participants was reached. This was directly attributed to the continued field improvements. Additionally, introducing youth baseball has made the facility
more user -friendly and appealing. We commend the
dedicated staff at the softball diamond and Softball Bermuda for their hard work in revitalising softball as a recreational sport of choice in Bermuda.

Business Unit 30080, W. E. R. Joell Tennis Stadium
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, this business
unit is responsible for the W. E. R. Joell Tennis Stadium where the average monthly use has increased up
from 250 to 325 persons using the facility each month.
This increase was due to the installation of new lights at the facility for courts 1 through 3 and the addition of
four pickleball courts.

Business Units 30150, 30160, 30165 and 30170,
Camping Facilities

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, these business units are responsible for the government camping
facilities . The number of campers who utilise this facility
continues to rise. The programme exceeded its performance target of 2, 200 campers to 5,735 campers . The
camping section received increased requests for camping facilities, often having some facilities sold out during
the first week of application. The department is very pleased to be able to serve the country all year round
by providing safe, fun local recreation areas , especially
during the holidays.

Business Unit 30180, Recreational Programmes

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, this business
unit is responsible for our recreational programmes.
There was an increase in the government summer day camp participants from 1,600 students to 2,773 students . This increase was due to the rise in demand for
affordable, safe camps for students. The user satisfaction rate was 9 7 per cent, with 98 per cent of users willing to use the programme again. That’s interesting,
1 per cent of them would do it again, but they didn’t like
it.
[Laughter]
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, f rom the evidence of our performance measures, the Department
of Sport and Recreation was able to have a successful
year, delivering valuable and very well -received programmes to the community.

Plans for the Upcoming Year

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, in the upcoming year of 2025/26 the Department of Sport and Recreation will continue to meet our policy goals and objectives in our national sport policy, Sport Matter. With
the increase in funds allotted this year we will host a
sports co nference and expo. This is an event designed
to bring together athletes, coaches, parents, administrators and enthusiasts to promote sports development,
sports education and networking.
Madam Chairman, in our government facilities
we will be starting the process of digital signage on the
properties. This signage will enhance the users’ experience allowing users to interact with content for a personalised experience. Visual and audio components
make information more accessible to individuals with varied needs.
Madam Chairman, this year the department offers for a second year the Camp Connect online registration system. Designed as a one- stop shop for parents, Camp Connect provides a platform to register for summer day camps, including both public and private
options. We welcomed more private camps into the
programme which will result in an increased number of
participants. Our goal is to continue reducing the wait
list for these programmes by expanding partnerships
and offering a broader variety of camps.
An exciting feature of Camp Connect is that all
camps will be offered at an affordable rate, making it
easier for families to access quality summer programmes through Camp Connect. Families will benefit
from an even greater selection of programmes ensur-ing that every child has access to a fun, enriching and
budget -friendly summer experience.
While we continue to strive to meet the needs
of parents during the summer months, it must be acknowledged that the demand for camp spaces exceeds our current capacity. Our team is actively reviewing all applications and removing duplicate entries to
ensur e that the available spaces are allocated as accurately and as fairly as possible.


Bermuda Senate Madam Chairman, along with the Camp Connect programme we will also provide summer employment opportunities for young individuals interested in
the child care field. The summer day camp programme
has been a cornerstone of our community during the 50 years offering valuable experiences that many of our
counsellors and specialists carry with them throughout
their careers.
This summer we are pleased to offer approximately 150 job opportunities allowing young people to
gain hands -on experience while contributing to a meaningful and enriching programme. Madam Chairman, the
Department of Sport and Recreation remains steadfast
in its commitment to pursuing and achieving the target
goals outlined in the National Sports Policy. Guided by the principle that Sport Matters, we look forward to the
upcoming budget cycle with great anticipation recog-nising the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for sport
in Bermuda.
Madam Chairman, I extend my heartfelt thanks
to the dedicated staff of the Department of Sport and Recreation. Their tireless work continues to uplift sport
and recreation across Bermuda, enriching the lives of
people of all ages. I also acknowledge the determination and achievements of our athletes. Their success inspires our entire community and motivates the next
generation to aim high. Together with our staff, the National Sport Governing Bodies, athletes, community partners and supporters, we are build ing a strong culture of wellness, pride and sporting excellence. I thank them all for their commitment and contribution to Ber-muda’s future.
Madam Chairman, with the collected efforts of
the department staff, National Sport Governing Bodies, athletes, stakeholders and, most importantly, our valued supporters we will continue to cultivate a culture of health, wellness and sportsmanship across Bermuda. I deeply appreciate their ongoing commitment and invaluable contribution to our sporting community.
Madam Chairman, this concludes the presentation on fiscal year 2025/26 budgetary allocations for
Head 20, the Department of Sport and Recreation.
And I think that was two of the five heads that
were identified for debate but given that we are about 40 minutes through, I would like to pause here to take
on some questions that the Opposition may have at this
time that I will endeavour to answer at the end. I think
yesterday we noted that by going through each head
individually we kind of ran out of time to cover all of
them. So, I think this would be a nice compromise for everyone. You can submit your questions, and if some
of them require assistance f rom the technical officers,
they will be able to respond while I make my way
through subsequent heads.
Would that be acceptable, Madam Chairman?

Would any Senator like to speak on the
heads that were just presented?
Senator Foley, I acknowledge your hand.
Thank you. Please proceed.

Sen. Maurice Foley: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
I thank the Junior Minister, [Senator] Fubler, for
being very thorough in his brief. I certainly had a lot of questions answered. But, of course, certain questions did come up as well.
Let’s see, where to start. From the beginning
when I was looking at page B -234, Head 71, under HQ,
it looks like line item 81060, Transportation Planning Team. I noticed that there was $147,000. When I go to
page B -235, again 81060, there is reference to that
business unit, Transportation Planning Team of one. Is that for one employee versus team? And what is the
title of this person’s position for this particular role? Is it
director, manager, et cetera? That is one question.

Thank you.
Please continue, Senator Foley.

Sen. Maurice Foley: Okay, so that was the first question.
And, you mentioned regarding social media,
approximately five million views. I don’t see where I can
reference that. But you mentioned about five million
views on I believe the BTA website. Is there more infor-mation that can be provided, or is available, such as
those views outside of the BTA? Outside of Bermuda,
any particular regions? So that there could be some targeted marketing, so we know exactly who is looking
and where they are located as far as the BTA website.
I believe you referenced that.
And let’s see here, [on page] B -238 . . . actually, I am going to go back to [page] B -236 under
[81065] vacation rental properties. Only 90 per cent
226 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate were inspected. Why is the target not to inspect 100 per
cent of them and just only 90 per cent?
The next question I have is [on page] B -238,
line item 30080 regarding the [WER] Joell Tennis Stadium, there is some funding fluctuation it appears. And the Junior Minister said that there is an increase in use,
but when I go to [page] B -241, we see that there is a
decrease in use from 70 per cent down to 15 per cent.
I just need some clarification on that.
I did have a question (that I wrote in my notes)
regarding advertising and promotion. I think I can find
that on [page] B -239 under Expenditure, Advertising
and Promotion. I noticed that it has increased [to]
$23,000 from $14,000 in the previous year. I j ust
wanted to know, are we increasing our efforts, I mean, obviously we are going to spend more money on advertising and promotion. I just wanted to know some specifics behind that and what mechanisms we will be
using to . . . where those funds are going t o be going,
basically. Let’s see . . . I’ll go back to my notes here just
to kind of stay on point with this particular head.
I am just curious about the professional services. And I will go back and find that under [page] B -
234, Expenditure for Professional Services. The previous year it was $194,000 and the estimate for this year is $804,000. That is an extra $610,000, so I am not sure
because I think things are moving over to the new HQ. I just need . . . can the Junior Minister explain what professional services does this consist of for the significant
jump in the budget?
I think I am almost done. And one more regarding travel. Under this same head, previous year it looks
like it was $63,000 and then there is an estimate of
$92,000, a 46 per cent increase in travel expenses.
Can the Junior Minister explain what these entai l as far
as travel expenses regarding the Ministry? I think that’s what I have so far regarding that
particular Head 71.

Thank you, Senator Foley.
Do any other Senators have questions?
Thank you, Senate Opposition Leader Jones.
Sen. Marcus Jones: Good morning, Madam Chairman. Good morning to my colleagues here in the Senate. And good morning to the listening audience. I do
thank the Junior Minister for bringing that brief. I do appreciate the fact that he has given us the time in between heads to ask questions.
The focus of my questions will be based on
Head 71 and also include grants and contributions that can be found on page C -20. We see on [page] C -20
that there was $15.5 million dedicated for the Bermuda
Tourism Authority. And I just wanted to look at the numbers behind that particular grant.
I think it would have been really helpful for this
budget if we had some indication of how this BTA [Ber-muda Tourism Authority] is doing in the marketplace. I
mean tourism is our second largest industry. Of course, it is an industry that pulls in US dollars because that is
very important to our economy. And so questions that I
think would be relevant and would take this Budget Debate to the next level would be our ability to be able to
compare the performance, not just of how many com-plaints that were inves tigated within a certain amount
of time, that is wonderful and great, but when we are
dedicating this type of dollars into this industry we
would want to know how well it is doing.
Now back I would say a few years ago, this
particular Authority was getting over $20 million. At that time Bermuda was still in a state of recovery. So, if I
look at the tourism numbers and I compare it to my rivals to the south of us, many of those islands have
been able to make up for the loss since the COVID -19.
And I think what would have been a very useful number would be our ability to debate and analyse the numbers that this country, this jurisdiction drives into our industry
in comparison to our pr e-COVID -19 numbers. Because
it would determine whether we are still in an economic
recovery sta te or if we are in an economic growth state.
And I think the numbers will bear that we are actually still in recovery. Especially since our islands to the
south of us have surpassed their pre- COVID -19 numbers.
One of the questions I would want to know is
how do our air arrivals compare today based on air lift,
based on cruise business that comes to the country ?
How does that compare to our pre- COVID numbers?
Which would be 2019. How about our hotel room inven-tory? Do we have more rooms? Do we have less
rooms? How much US dollars are brought into our
economy? Once upon a time we knew those numbers. And we were ab le to discuss them and debate them.
And that helped us frame a reference point by which
we could give a green light to the amount of money that
has been given to this industry. Or whether we feel, no,
that is not enough money.

Excuse me, Senate Leader Jones, can
I just ask that you direct your questions specifically to the line items of the heads that were raised?
Sen. Marcus Jones: I am on [page] C -20 which is still
under Head 71. It is closely connected to that head. So,
I appreciate, and I will take your advice, Madam Chairman.
So, I think those questions are relevant and I
think moving forward we should consider those types
of questions.
As I go back to Head 71, I look at page B-236
which is are our p erformance measures. Under business unit 81065, under Regulatory and Policy, there is
a question there. The number of . . . sorry, there is a
metric there, hotel properties inspected and licensed by
the annual deadline of 31 March. We see that the targeted percentage is 90 per cent. And my colleague,
Senator Foley asked, Why is the target 90 per cent
when it should be 100 per cent? Well, I think a relevant


Bermuda Senate question to that would be, How many licensed properties do we have? If we have thousands, one could understand that with only two . . . sorry, three full -time
equivalent staff members in that particular business
unit, that hundreds of properties to inspect would be dif-ficult. So, we would need to know how many licensed
properties we have that our hotel inspectors have to actually inspect in one fiscal year.
Back in 2019 pre- COVID time we had 41. I
would be curious to know how many we have now. How
many beds do we have in inventory ? So that we know
how many tourists we can facilitate . That is a very important question.
Then we have further down in the metric , sorry,
in the performance measures, vacation rental properties inspected and licensed by the annual deadline of the 31 August, 90 per cent is the target. My question
would be how many vacation rental properties do we
have at this time? Back in 2019 we had 662. I would be
curious to know how many we have today. And if we
have close to that amount 90 per cent of 600 is going
to be clearly over 500. That is a lot of vacation rentals
to inspect. So, I would like to know what those numbers
look like.
Another question that came to mind when we
are talking about vacation rentals is, Does the Government have a ceiling to the amount of licenc es that it issues for vacation rental properties? I ask that question
because we have, as per this PLP [Progressive Labor
Party] Government, a serious housing problem. So, if
we have a shortage of affordable rental units that are available for permanent residents , I would submit to
you, Madam Chairman, that the number that we have of licensed vacation rental units will actually impact the ability for our locals to be able to rent, mostly the one
bedroom studio apartments. So, I think that is a number we need to consider.

Sen. the Hon. Kim Wilkerson: Point of order.

Yes, Madam Attorney General , Senator Wilkerson.

POINT OF ORDER

Sen. The Hon. Kim Wilkerson: In this Budget Debate
the Leader of the Senate is surmising without facts or
evidence. And I do not think this is the place for such.
And I am speaking specifically about . . . I think it is
veering with respect to a correlation between vacation
rentals and the domestic rental market.

Thank you.
Sen. Marcus Jones: And I would have to differ with Madam Attorney General. I have indicated which performance measures I am referring to , and most specifically vacation rental properties inspected and licensed.
I think it is a fair question to ask how many of those
vacation rental properties were in fact inspected. And I
think it is also worthy of asking the question, How much does this Government think that those numbers impact
the availability of affordable housing in this country ? I
am sure this is somet hing that the Cabinet would consider and talk about.
Madam Chairman, I will stop there and wait for
answers from the Junior Minister. Please allow me the
ability to ask questions, extra questions, if they apply to
the answers that I get in the form of supplementaries.
Thank you.

Thank you, Senate [Opposition]
Leader Jones.
Would any other . . . Thank you.
I acknowledge your hand, Senator Cunningham, please proceed.

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Thank you, Madam
Chairman. Just two, hopefully short questions. But kind
of cross -Ministry.
One is, and I was delighted to hear you say that
our slogan is ‘ Sport Matters’ . And I see a lot of the performance measures around our junior athletes and
elites. And I just wanted to see how much effort is put
into the school system athletes . . . well, the school system sporting programmes so that, ultimately, we can
maintain a pi peline of those athletes going forward. Obviously, they have to start somewhere. They do not just suddenly become elite. I’m not sure [about] that Israeli
shooter in the Olympics .
My second question is around sporting events
that we have coming to the Island. So, anywhere from
the big PGAs and SailGP to the smaller ones. I was just
wondering if the Junior Minister could confirm what . . .
well, I guess, what performance measures th ey have to
adhere to. How much documentation do they provide
when they have had sponsorship about metrics of, say,
bringing in international visitor s? You know, the impact
on the local economy, and that such thing. Thank you
very much.

Thank you, Senator Cunningham.
Are there any further questions from Senators
on the heads raised?
Thank you.
Senator Fubler, I will return this to you.
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
228 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate And as I mentioned, I collected the questions
and now I will continue on with the heads and we will
get into responses and fielding supplementaries at the
end of the time.
Okay, so moving on to the Department of Marine and Ports Services which, for the benefit of the listening public and my colleagues, can be found on
pages B -234 through B -245 of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure.

HEAD 30 —DEPARTMENT OF MARINE AND
PORTS SERVICES

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, it gives me
great pleasure to present the budget for Head 30, De-partment of Marine and Ports Services found on page
B-234 of the Budget Book.
Madam Chairman, the mission statement for
the Department of Marine and Ports Services is, The
regulation and safe operations of Bermuda’s maritime
affairs including marine border security, search and rescue and public transportation. Which is found on
page B -243.
Moving on to the expenditure overview,
Madam Chairman, the Marine and Ports budget allocation of $23,787,000 represents an increase of
$791,000, or approximately 3 per cent over the 2024/25
budget, as seen on page B -243. The increase is due to
approved ne gotiated salary and wage uplifts.
Moving on to the revenue overview. Madam
Chairman, it is anticipated that in 2025/26 the Department of Marine and Ports Services will generate revenues of approximately $6,314,000. This is on page B -
244. The revenue is collected primarily through fees
charged for the provision of ferry services, tug servi ces,
boat haulage, pilotage fees, boat moorings and port dues.
Moving on to the subjective analysis for the
West End (i.e., the Dockyard), Madam Chairman, the
estimated budgets for the Department of Marine and
Ports Services West End Dockyard Operations are as
follows:
• Navigational aids, which is cost centre 40040,
is $853,000. This represents an increase of
$55,000 or an increase of approximately 7 per
cent over the prior year’s budget to cover approved negotiated salary and wage uplifts.
• Tug service, cost centre 40140, is $2,137,000.
This represents an increase of $93,000, or ap-proximately 5 per cent over the prior year’s
budget to cover the approved and negotiated
salary and wage uplifts.
• Tender service, which is cost centre 40210,
has $410,000, increasing by $14,000, or 4 per
cent. And again, a result of the negotiated salary and wage uplifts.
• Dockyard maintenance, which is cost centre
40260, has a budget of $3,571,000. This represents an increase of $110,000, which is 3 per cent over last year’s budget and is also related to salary and wage uplifts.
Moving to the c entral region (i.e., Hamilton),
the Ferry Services, which is cost centre 40090, has
been allocated $8,503,000, a $250,000 increase, or 3 per cent. And again, salary and wage uplifts there as
well.
And mooring and boat registration, which is
cost centre 40150, has $313,000 allocated. [This is an]
$11,000 increase which is 4 per cent. And, again related to salary and wages being increased.
And finally, for Hamilton we have the administration which is cost centre 40220, which has an allocation of $3,052,000 and represents an increase of $130,000 which is 4 per cent over last year, and is also
related to salary and wage uplifts.
And finally, the East End, Fort George, which
is the Maritime Safety and Security, cost centre 40100 ,
has $2,632,000 allocated a $45,000 increase which is
2 per cent over last year’s budget.
Next is the Pilot Service and Offshore Search
and Rescue, which is cost centre 40180, allocated
$2,276,000, an $83,000 increase which is 4 per cent .
Both of those previous cost centres were increased as
a result of the negotiated salary and wage uplifts.

Capital Development Expenditure
(Page C -7)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, capital development expenditure for the department is set at
$1,887,000. A total of $1,362,000 has been appropriated for the ongoing Marine and Ports Dockyard work-shop renovations and a further $525,000 has been appropriated for the Floati ng Docks refit project.

Capital Acquisition
(Page C -14)
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, capital acquisition expenditure for the department, is set at $9,598,000. Madam Chairman, $815,000 have been
set aside for navigational aids for the department’s age-ing ship navigation infrastructure. And a further
$8,759,000 has been appropriated for the completion
of the two new 550 passenger ferries in the fourth quarter of 2025 which is currently on budget and on schedule. It is always great to report that.

Manpower
(Page B -245)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
budget estimates include funds for 46 full -time equivalents.

Performance Measures by Business Unit
(Pages B -246 through B -247)



Bermuda Senate Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, I am pleased
to report that the department’s forecast performance
measures for fiscal year 2025/26 were for the most part
fully achieved.
Business Unit, Navigational Aids
(Cost Centre 40040)
Sen. Mischa Fubler: The performance target of ensuring that all in -shore and off -shore lights and beacons
were operational 99.5 per cent of the time was successfully achieved in 2024/25. This high standard of
service is expected to be maintained in 2025/26, with
the target outcome anticipated to be achieved. The
continued success of this measure is supported by a
well-managed inventory of replacement lights kept in
stock, ensuring quick response and minimal downtime when maintenance or replacements are needed.

Business Unit , Tugs
(Cost Centre 40140)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: The measure to provide tug services to international shipping without delay 100 per
cent of the time was successfully achieved in 2024/25.
This high level of reliability is expected to continue in
2025/26, with the target outcome anticipated to be met. The achievement is largely attributed to effective coordination and the provision of advanced notice for scheduling shipping arrivals and departures, which has helped prevent service conflicts and ensure timely assistance.

Business Unit , Dockyard Maintenance
(Cost Centre 40260)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: The measure to achieve full compliance with Lloyd’s Register survey requirements by ensuring 100 per cent of the fleet is dry -docked annually, as well as maintaining 100 per cent vessel availability to meet the published schedule, was successfully
achieve d in 2024/25. This standard is expected to be
sustained in 2025/26, with the target outcome anticipated to be met. The achievement was supported by
an increase in staffing levels

Business Unit , Ferries
(Cost Centre 40090)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: The measure to provide on- time
ferry service to the public, ensuring sufficient vessels
are available to meet the published schedule 99 per
cent of the time, was not achieved in 2024/25 due to
challenges related to an ageing fleet. However, efforts
are underway to improve performance, with a forecasted goal to reduce ferry service delays and cancellations by 10 per cent in 2025/26. While the target outcome will require significant effort, it is considered
achievable. And a call out to my colleagues, Smart
goals . A key development supporting this improvement is the anticipated arrival of two new ferries in Bermuda
during the fourth quarter of 2025, which will enhance
fleet reliability and service consistency.

Business Unit , Boats and Moorings
(Cost Centre 40150)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: The measure to process all mooring applications within six weeks 100 per cent of the
time and to re- licence all moorings by the published
deadline of 31 May at least 90 per cent of the time was
successfully achieved in 2024/25. Although the removal of illegal or unregistered moorings remains dependent on available manpower, overall service levels
have improved. For 2025/26, the department aims to
reduce mooring processing times by one week, with the
target outcome expected to be achieved.

Business Unit , Administration
(Cost Centre 40220)
Sen. Mischa Fubler: The measure to ensure that
80 per cent of staff are Standard of Training Certification and Watchkeeping, or STCW, certified and that 100 per cent of performance appraisals are completed
by the deadline was successfully achieved in 2024/25. For 2025/26, th e department aims to increase the number of STCW certified staff by 15 per cent, with the target outcome expected to be met. This goal is supported
by the full operation of the on Island Maritime Academy,
which provides more accessible and timely training,
helping to shorten certification timelines and enhance
workforce readiness.

Business Unit , Maritime Safety and Security
(Cost Centre 40100)
Sen. Mischa Fubler: The measure to respond to distress calls and deploy vessels to offshore search and rescue cases in a timely manner 100 per cent of the
time, along with reducing the registration timeframe for new distress beacons from 14 to 7 days (a 50 per cent
reduction) , was successfully achieved in 2024/25. This
high standard of service is expected to be maintained
in 2025/26. The achievement was supported by enhanced radar capabilities and the use of long- range
CCTV cameras, which have significantly improved response times and situational awareness during maritime emergencies.

Business Unit , Pilot Service
(Cost Centre 40180)
Sen. Mischa Fubler: The measure to provide Branch
Pilots for all arriving and departing international ships and ensure the availability of pilot boats 100 per cent of
the time was successfully achieved in 2024/25. This
level of service is expected to be maintained in
2025/26. The achievement was made possible by
230 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate having two well -maintained pilot boats and a full complement of licensed, qualified pilots, ensuring uninterrupted and efficient pilotage operations.

Major Policy Changes

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the department will continue consulting with stakeholders to ensure the continued implementation of the Marine and
Ports Service Act 2021 remains a smooth transition to
the new legislation.

Plans for the Upcoming Year
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, plans for the
upcoming year will include
• continued training of departmental staff to international standards to ensure the department
meets its international obligations in line with
safe manning requirements;
• continued progress with the department’s succession planning to ensure highly technical
posts within the department are filled by qualified Bermudians with the re- launch of the departments training programme;
• continued training for tug crews of the department’s state of the art tugs;
• introducing two new 550 passenger ferries to the fleet in the fourth quarter of this year;
• continue progressing the renovation project of Marine and Ports workshops in partnership
with the Department of Works and Engineering;
• continue with the public -private partnership
programme for the removal of derelict boats.
Madam Chairman, as mentioned in previous
years the Department of Marine and Port Services represents one of the most critical operational arms of the
Government of Bermuda as it facilitates the movement
of vital shipping commerce in and out of Bermuda’s
ports. The services the department provides include:
the public ferry boats, pilot boats, tugboats, ship tender
services, boats and moorings registration and Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre. Additionally, the department is responsible for the coordination of international
search and rescue operations in this region of the North
Atlantic and retains oversight of overseas seaport security and marine border control in compliance with international standards.
Madam Chairman, I conclude Head 30 by expressing my appreciation to the leadership and staff of the Department of Marine and Ports Services for their ongoing dedication to providing consistently high- quality customer service.
I now move to Head 34, the Transport Control
Department.

HEAD 34 —TRANSPORT CONTROL DEPARTMENT
Sen. Mischa Fubler: For the benefit of my colleagues,
and the listening audience, this is found on pages B -
248 through B -251 of the Budget Book.
Madam Chairman, the budget for Head 34,
Transport Control Department, commonly referred to as the TCD, can be found on pages B -248 through B -
251 of the Budget Book. The m ission statement for the
Transport Control Department is , To assure the safety
of all road users .

Expenditure Overview

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the TCD’s
budget allocation of $6,008,000 for 2025/26, is a
$447,000, or an 8 per cent, increase over the previous
year’s allocation. Under the general summary of ex-penditure per business units you will find that the esti-mates for 2025/26 for each business unit have slightly
changed from the 2024/25 estimates. The core allocation of funds has not varied much from previous years.
The minor increase will primarily be applied to compensation, facility operations and maintenance.

Revenue Overview
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, it is anticipated that during the 2025/26 budget cycle, the TCD
will collect approximately $31,534,000 in revenue,
which can be found on page B -249, This represents approximately a 2 per cent increase over the 2024/25 total revenues.

Subjective Analysis

Administration
(Cost Centre 44210)
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the estimated
budget for the Administration Section will be $2,523,000. This represents an increase of $237,000,
or an increase of approximately 10 per cent over the
prior year’s allocation to cover outstanding maintenance for equipment that requires assistance from
overseas vendors.

Registrations
(Cost Centre 44040)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the Registrations Section processed 78,161 customer transactions
in 2024. The estimated budget for this section is
$1,077,000 for the fiscal year 2025/26. The additional
$49,000 represents a 5 per cent increase over the previous year’s bud get. This is mainly attributed to salary
increases.

Examinations
(Cost Centre 44000)



Bermuda Senate Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, for this fiscal
cycle, the Examinations Section’s estimated budget of
$1,393,000, represents a $48,000, or a 4 per cent increase over the prior year. Again, attributed mainly to
salary increases.

Traffic Control
(Cost Centre 44110)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the estimated
budget for the Traffic Control Section will be $747,000.
This represents a $105,000, or a 16 per cent increase
over the previous year to cover cost attributed to the
busy cruise ship season to ensure staffing at the piers
and places of interest and related traffic control.

Road Safety
(Cost Centre 44090)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the estimated
budget for the Road Safety Section will be $268,000.
This represents an approximate 3 per cent increase, or
an $8,000 , over the prior year’s budget to cover additional media campaigns and the anticipated Project Ride enhancements.
Of the $268,000 allocated to the Road Safety
Section, as seen on page B -248 of the Budget Book,
the Road Safety Council will receive a grant in the amount of $80,000 for the Project Ride Programme.

Manpower

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
budget estimates include funds for 46 full -time equivalent employees as seen page B -250.

Performance Measures by Business Unit
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the department’s forecasted performance measures for fiscal
year 2024/25, found on page B -251 were mostly
achieved.

Business Unit , Administration
(Cost Centre 44210)
Sen. Mischa Fubler: In 2024/25, the target to answer
60 per cent of incoming Call Centre calls within five
minutes was successfully achieved. The target for
2025/26 will be maintained. This has been supported by the hiring of a second Customer Service Representative (CSR), enabling the team to better manage
the high volume of approximately 12,000 calls received
each month. The CSRs play a key role in delivering
timely responses by providing both general information
and guidance on the new online services now available to the public.
In 2024/25, the goal of processing accounts receivable invoices within five business days was successfully achieved. Looking ahead, this level of performance is forecasted to continue in 2025/26, with the
target outcome anticipated to be met. This has been
made possible by the hiring of an accounts clerk, completing the staffing requirements within the accounts
section.
In 2024/25, the target of processing accounts
payable invoices within five business days was suc-cessfully met. For 2025/26, the forecast aims to maintain the five business days, with the expectation the target will be achieved.

Business Unit , Registrations
(Cost Centre 44040)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: In 2024/25, the goal of serving
75 per cent of customers within 30 minutes of ticket collection was successfully achieved. This level of performance is forecasted to continue in 2025/26, with this
target expected to be met. This is supported by successful recruitment efforts over the past year, which
filled key vacancies in the section. Additionally, the im-plementation of a new customer management system
has contributed significantly by distributing work evenly
among clerks, resulting in a more consistent and efficient flow of customers.

Business Unit , Examinations
(Cost Centre 44000)
Sen. Mischa Fubler: In 2024/25, the target of providing 90 per cent of requested driving test appointments
within 10 business days was successfully achieved. This level of performance is forecasted to continue in
2025/26, with the target outcome expected to be met.
The achievement is largely attributed to consistent
staffing levels, with three examiners dedicated to conducting both driving and riding tests. This has significantly improved scheduling efficiency, reducing the average wait -time for appointments to within one week.

Business Unit , Traffic Control
(Cost Centre 44110)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: For fiscal year 2025/26, the objective of keeping the response time of 10 business
days to abandoned vehicle complaints will remain. This
target could not be met in 2024/25 because the section
had to rely on external vendors to collect the vehicles.
The process to secure a vehicle with a lift to collect cycles has commenced. Therefore, it is expected that
performance measures will be met this fiscal cycle. A
new online reporting system is now in place to assist
with the ticketing of vehi cles and the section will continue to work with the private sector to collect aban-doned cars and trucks.

Business Unit , Road Safety
(Cost Centre 44090)
232 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate Sen. Mischa Fubler: In [2024/25], the objective of
maintaining a 90 per cent pass rate for Project Ride
was not achieved. This is partially due to the increasing
number of 15- year-old children who register for the programme that have never ridden a pedal cycle. To
achieve this objective for the next fiscal cycle, instructors now request that parents enrol their children after
learning to ride a pedal cycle, which is a much safer
approach. In light of this new initiative, the success rate
of 90 per cent is expected to be met t his cycle. During
the last fiscal cycle, a new instruction manual was produced. As a result, the on- road instruction and examinations component to enhance the programme are
scheduled to commence in 2025.

Major Policy Changes

Plans for the Upcoming Year
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the Transport
Control Department continues to review its governing
legislation with a view of modernising sections and regulations to address modern vehicle trends and technology. A major project currently underway at the TCD is
to provide the option of submitting applications and requests online. Several of the application forms have already been placed online and more will follow soon.
The applications set for digitisation include a
wide array of permits, licen ces and services, including
• Project Ride instructor application;
• exemption application for tint, seat belt, signage and licensing fees;
• importation and replacement of vehicles and vehicle parts;
• Public Service Vehicle (PSV) permit;
• Sporting Association trailer permit;
• change vehicle category for different use application;
• registration of a classic car;
• commercial vehicle permit;
• learner’s permit / driver’s licence;
• Public Service Vehicle (PSV) or heavy truck licence.
Madam Chairman, this digital transformation
began with the following three applications effective 31
March 2025:
• project ride instructor application;
• exemption application for tint, seat belt, signage and licensing fees;
• importation and replacement of vehicles and
vehicle parts application.
The next phase of digitalised applications is set
to be launched in June.
Madam Chairman, in November 2025, the
Transport Control Department will serve as the pilot
agency for the government’s digital payment initiative,
acting as the prototype for broader implementation
across other public sectors. By transitioning its payment systems to include a digital platform, the department will demonstrate the practical benefits of
adopting cashless transactions, such as improved efficiency, transparency, and convenience for the public.
This initiative will start with vehicle lice nsing fe es. As
the first point of contact, TCD’s successful adoption will
set the foundation and standards for future government -wide digital payment solutions.
Madam Chairman, the Bermuda Road Safety
Council will work in conjunction with the Road Safety
Officer to continue the implementation of “Operation Caution,” the Government's five- year Road Safety
Strategy , 2018- 2023. “Operation Caution” has been extended to 2025 to cover the time lost during the pan-demic.
One of the key deliverables of the Strategy for
the previous fiscal year [2024/25] was the recommendation to enhance the Project Ride Programme for Bermuda Youth Licence [BYL] applicants to undergo training and final practical exams on public roads. Something I have seen called for numerous times, so I would
like to see that. This enhancement is near completion and is expected to go live in this fiscal year.
Madam Chairman, I end Head 34 by thanking
the leadership and staff of the Transport Control Department for their efforts to continuously deliver a high
level of customer service.
Thank you, Madam Chairman, that concludes
the brief for the Transport Control Department, Head
34.
And before I move on to the Department of
Public Transportation, I would like to again take another
break here to collect more questions if they are available for these two heads, Marine and Ports, and the
Transport Control Department.

Thank you, Junior Minister, Senator
Fubler.
I would just like to do a time check. It is 11:37.
As you are aware, we are due to finish debating these
heads at 12:10 and we still have one head left to do.
So, just for all Senators to be cognisant of the time so
that we have enough time to receive the responses to
the questions asked and go through Head 35.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN

SENATE VISITOR

Would any Senators like to speak to
the heads?
Senator Foley.


Bermuda Senate Sen. Maurice Foley: Thank you, Madam Chairman,
and thank you Junior Minister Fubler for again providing such detail to your brief. A couple of questions did
pop up.
[One was] regarding [page] B -244 under insurance, under the Subjective Analysis, Current Account
Estimates. I noted that there was a decrease in the
amount by $96,000. Can the Junior Minister explain
why there is a reduction of costs associated with this
particular line item of insurance?
I will pivot over here to [page] B -247, Performance Measures, b usiness unit Moorings and Boat
Regulations 40150, removal of 500 illegal unregistered moorings by year end, 40 per cent. Well, something
came to mind in St. David’s. There are lots of boats on dry dock, particularly Marginal Wharf. I guess my question is . . . and they have been there for such a long
time, for a couple of years, if not longer. Would this fall
under removable of derelict boats under Marine and
Ports, [Marine Board] (Moorings) Regulat ions?
Second question, how many boats have been
removed to date Island- wide? I know that at Marginal
Wharf this seems to be a problem. People do complain
about the boats being on the drydock and have been
there for a long time. They have been sitting there; I
think probably to be repaired or sold. But they have
been there for a while now. So, that is a question regarding the removal of illegal or even unregistered moorings, specifically on dry dock. And I noticed here
that there was a 40 per cent performance measure. So,
can the Junior Minister explain why this is consistently at a low percentage, that would be appreciated?
Those are the questions that I have for Head
30, Marine and Ports. I will move on to Head 34, Transport Control Department.
[On page] B -253, under Expenditure for
2024/25 budget, Other Expenses was budgeted for
$130,000. This was revised to $64,000. And for the
2025/26 budget , Other Expenses is $233,000, which is
approximately $103,000 more than the previous budget
year. Can the Junior Minister explain what Other Expenses this is referring to?
And I go back, still under Head 34, Transport
Control Department, [on page] B -251, Performance
Measures 44000, Examination. It says here to provide
driving tests within days of request. I would like to know
how many days does this refer to regarding examination. Is there a number of days that that should be expected to happen?
And those are my questions for Heads 30 and
34. Thank you, Madam Chairman.

Thank you, Senator Foley,
Would any other Senators like to speak to the
heads raised?
Senator Fubler, please continue with Head 35.
HEAD 35 —DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you.
And so, our final head for the Ministry is Head
35, Department of Public Transportation, which is
found on pages B -252 through B -255 of the Budget
Book.
Madam Chairman, the mission of the Department of Public Transportation is Moving Bermuda with
a quality public bus service.

Expenditure Overview

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, a total of
$25,279,000 has been allocated for this Head 35. This represents an increase of $1,439,000 over the previous year, or a 6 per cent increase. The increase will primarily be used to cover the salary increases.
The department has five business units, which
are as follows: Bus Operations, Repairs Services, Inventory Management, Administration and Management
Support Administration. The analysis by business unit
is as follows:

Bus Operations
(Cost Centre 45010)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: The current account expenditure
for Bus Operations, c ost centre 45010, is estimated to
be $13,203,000 for 2025/26 and represents an in-crease of $766,000, or approximately increase of 6 per
cent over the prior year’s budget. This change is due
primarily to an increase in full -time bus operator hours
that will equip the department to further improve scheduled bus service.

Repair Services
(Cost Centre 45090)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: The current expenditure for Repair Servicing, cost centre 45090, is estimated to be
$4,458,000 for 2025/26 and represents a decrease of
$167,000, or 4 per cent, . . . compared the prior year’s
budget. This change is primarily due to the electrification of the bus fleet and the reduced reliance on diesel
fuel.

Inventory Management
(Cost Centre 45115)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: The current expenditure for Inventory Management, cost centre 45115, is estimated to be $1,527,000 for 2025/26 and represents an increase of $64,000, or approximately 4 per cent over the
prior year’s budget. This change is primarily due to the planned mai ntenance of buses.

234 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate Administration,
(Cost Centre 45120)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: The expenditure for Administration, cost centre 45120, accounts for salaries, utilities
and shared services and is estimated to be $5,024,000
for 2025/26 and represents an increase of $677,000, or
approximately 16 per cent. This change is primarily due
to improvements to the bus service to create a more
convenient experience for passengers.

Management Support
(Cost Centre 45200)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: The expenditure for Management
Support is estimated to be $1,067,000 for 2025/26 and represents an increase of $99,000, or 10 per cent over
the previous budget year. This change is primarily due
to the increases in staff compensation.

Revenue Overview

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the revenue
for the department is estimated to be $5,551,000. This
is an increase of $1,351,000 over the previous year’s budget. The department continues to improve access
to a more reliable and digitalised service; revenue is reflective accordingly.

Subjective Analysis

Sen. Mischa Fubler: The Subjective Analysis of Current Account Estimates of the Department of Public Transportation is found on page B -253. I will highlight
the material category increases and decreases.
• Training: Increase due to planned development of staff.
• Communications: Increase due to improved
connectivity for facilities and telemetry boxes
on e- buses.
• Professional Services: Increase in professional
services is due to increases in operational
costs associated with achieving performance measure targets.
• Equipment Purchases: Decrease due to prioritisation of other current expenditure.
• Other Expenses : Increase due to bank
changes and fees partially related to increased
digital fare media and bank card sales.

Capital Expenditure
(Pages C -7 and C -14)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the capital development estimate for the department is estimated to
be $1,600,000, to address the ongoing upgrades to the
Fort Langton and the satellite depots.
The capital acquisition estimate for the department is estimated to be $5,054,000, for the acquisition of approximately 20 new electric buses, the continued
phased introduction of the new digital fare media system, replacement support vehicles, updated computer
equipment and other necessary upgrades to the facilities, tools and equipment.

Manpower
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the total complement of full -time equivalents (FTEs) is estimated to
be 244, as recorded on page B -254 of the Budget Book.
This is an increase of one FTE over the 2024/25
budget.

Performance Measures by Business Unit
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, I am pleased
to report that the department’s forecast performance
measures for fiscal year 2024/25 were mostly
achieved.

Business Unit, Bus Operations
(Cost Centre 45010)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Bus Operations coordinates the
public bus service that is in operation 365 days a year, 18 hours per day, in order to provide Island- wide transportation across 11 bus routes. Unlike most public
transportation systems around the world, school bus
service i s coordinated during the school year with free
transportation provided year -round to resident school
students.
Reduction of complaints by 50 per cent was
achieved. Improvements have been made to better
track passenger feedback number of passenger complaints through the Bermuda Government online feedback form and Shorelink online contact form. The target
of 30 per cent reduction of serious vehicle incidents
was achieved. There was an approximated 35 per cent
reduction in the number of serious incidents involving
DPT vehicles.
Improve ridership (passenger count) by 5 per
cent was also achieved. Investments in improving the
passenger experience (e- buses and digital fare media
app) have led to increased fare media revenue thus improved ridership. Further investment in technology -
driven col lection of ridership data is planned.

Business Unit, Repair Servicing
(Cost Centre 45090)
Sen. Mischa Fubler: The department employs a team
of professionals in repair servicing to maintain the fleet of public buses, support vehicles and equipment. Maintaining the number of buses in service daily at 80 per
cent of the total fleet should improve with the retirement
of the aged diesel bus fleet and the continued investment in electric buses.



Bermuda Senate Business Unit, Inventory Management
(Cost Centre 45115)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Parts for vehicles and equipment
are procured, stored, controlled, and issued by the
stores section, which falls under inventory management. The department was able to achieve its target of
5 per cent or less average number of buses out of service due to parts. All planned maintenance was
achieved due to maintaining the target of 80 per cent of
parts required for the planned preventative maintenance programme.

Business Unit, Administration
(Cost Centre 45120)
Sen. Mischa Fubler: The administration section is primarily responsible for developing department strategy,
policy, and procedures ensuring that the people, processes, and resources are available to deliver a quality
public bus service. Madam Chairman, 100 per cent of
identified occupational, safety and health issues were
addressed. Further alignment of resources will facilitate
additional improvements in the delivery of training so
as to meet the targeted outcome of 100 per cent of
front-line staff complet ing customer service training.
Six critical vacancies were noted at the end of
2024/25. Recruitment and training will continue with the aim of meeting the targeted outcome of zero critical vacancies.

Business Unit, Management Support
(Cost Centre 45200)

Sen. Mischa Fubler: The Management Support team
is responsible for selling and processing bus and ferry fares, and providing administrative services for ac-counts, procurement, and human resources. The department aimed to process vendor payments within five
business days. However, it fell short of the target. Improvements are planned through recruitment of staff to
address shortages and improvements in processing
procedures to ensure targets to be achieved.

Major Policy Change

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the Department of Public Transportation continues to build on recent improvements to the provision of bus service. The
department continues provision of scheduled bus ser-vice including school bus service without the assistance of minibuses . With continued investment over the
next year, the DPT fleet of buses will be over 90 per
cent electric and without doubt be prepared to provide a reliable service for the people of Bermuda.

Plans for the Upcoming Year
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the Department of Public Transportation has realised advances in
technology in recent years and plans to maintain positive momentum in tangible enhancements to the public
bus service.

Passenger Experience
Sen. Mischa Fubler: Madam Chairman, the Department of Public Transportation aspires to be the mode of transportation of choice for Bermuda’s residents and visitors. This year the final phases of digital fare media
will be introduced as an easy and efficient way of paying bus fare. Passengers will be encouraged to download the mobile Shorelink app from the comfort of their home to purchase fare, plan trips, and monitor bus locales.
One of the most impactful advantages of the
digital fare media system implementation will be the
ability of passengers to tap their cell phone or bank card
on a device installed on the bus, which will automatically verify that the bus fare has been paid. P assengers
using their mobile device to monitor the location of the
next bus while waiting at the bus stop is a highly anticipated improvement to the customer experience.

Succession Plan

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Investing in the talent within the
department will be a continued focus. Training and experience will be afforded chiefly to those who desire
and have the capacity for advancement. The team has
once again exhibited the benefits of internal develop-ment by daily observation and the continuing nominations for the Public Service Excellence Awards.
Madam Chairman, I conclude Head 35 by expressing my appreciation to the leadership and the en-tire team at the Department of Public Transportation for
their ongoing commitment to providing excellent transportation to the public.
Madam Chairman, that ends my presentation
today for Heads 71, 48, 30, 34 and 35 under the remit
of the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, Culture and
Sport.
And I turn it back over to you to field questions
for the final Head 35, and then I will proceed with responding to the questions we have received during this
presentation.

Thank you, Junior Minister, Senator
Fubler, for your explanation and presentation this morning.
I will invite Senators to raise any comments
they have about Head 35. I will note that the time is now
11:55, which means that we have 15 minutes left for
these questions, and then also responses to the questions asked earlier.
Senator Foley.

236 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate Sen. Maurice Foley: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
And thank you Junior Minister Fubler again for going
over the budget with us.
Actually, I just had a couple of questions combined into one, and that is regarding the performance measures. For ourselves and the listening public, I noticed that on [page] B -255, under the measure indicator, and I will start with this one, business uni t 45010,
Bus Operations, the very first line item is “On time delivery of all scheduled services.” This is to be considered a discontinued measure. For myself, and for the listening public as well, I think it is important to understand what this actually m eans, because when they say
on time delivery of all scheduled services and it’s been
a discontinued measure, how are we measuring
whether our bus system is on time?
And then the same for . . . I noticed in business
unit (on the same page B -255) 45115, Inventory Management, reduce inventory levels. Again, a discontin-ued measure. Going on down to business unit 45120,
Administration, first line item there is “Address identi-fied occupational, safety and health issues.” Again, a
discontinued measure. I do notice the one below that,
which says “Percentage of identified occupational,
safety and health issues addressed” at 100 per cent. I just need clarification as to what these discontinued
measures mean.
And then, finally, in the same business unit,
45120, under Administration, the second one, “Produce
performance report analysis and confirmation by the
Budget Office deadline.” A discontinued measure. So, if the Junior Minister would provide answers to these
particular questions kind of bundled into one, but because it is the same target outcome line item, that would be appreciated. And that is all of the questions I
have for Head 35, Public Transportation.
Thank you, Madam Chairman.

Thank you, Senator Foley.
I will invite any further comments on this h ead.
Senators? No.
Senator Cunningham, thank you.

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Thank you, Madam
Chairman.
I am just wondering what the definition is of a
serious vehicle incident on page B -255 and the performance measures for the Bus Operations, 45010. It
says “Reduce number of serious vehicle incidents.”
And the metric is a percentage, -30 per cent. I do not
know if that is 30 per cent down from last year. Surely
that number shoul d be zero. But I just want to know
what the definition of a serious vehicle incident is. Is
that one that includes passengers or other drivers on
the road, or pedestrians , or does it also include property
damage to the buses ? Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Cunningham. Would any other Senators like to speak to any
of the heads raised in this section?
Junior Minister Fubler, I return it to you, thank
you.

Sen. Mischa Fubler: Thank you, very much.
So, starting back at the top now with Head 71,
I received questions from Senator Foley around page B-244, line 81060 Transportation Planning Team.
Sorry, that was not the question. What was the reason for the increase in professional services, this was pa ge
B-234. And this is due to the merger of the two ministries, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and the
Ministry of Transport. Professional services consist primarily of the use of reports and surveys conducted [by]
local accounting firms and consultants across the Ministry, that is the combined M inistry HQ, Marine and
Ports, Department of Public Transportation, TCD and
Culture and Sport.
And I am still awaiting updates on some of the
questions posed. So, I will move on.
[Pause]
Sen. Mischa Fubler: We are confirming the number of
rental properties, and why the target is not 100 per
cent. I will then share a response there that given that these are often done by individuals which are at best
small businesses there are likely scheduling conflicts
given the three full -time employees responsible for
completing these inspections, setting the targets. I think
starting out the debate we talked to having smart goals,
achievable goals are important and, you know, if we set it at 90 per cent, that provides some space for unexpected circumstances that may challenge the scheduling of the inspections.
A question about page B -236 the regulatory
and policy. So, from the Bermuda Tourism Authority
business intelligence according to Air DNA it is . . .
there are an average of 440 units available for rent per
month in 2024. This compares to 609 on average in
2019. And, of course, not every unit is available for rent
every day during the month. So, when looking at room
nights available to rent in 2024 there were 108,943, which is compared to 171,750 in 2019.
I was still confirming if there is a ceiling for the
number of licences permitted under vacation rentals.
Hopefully we will be able to get that response within the
allotted time. And then to the question around more de-tailed demographic or regional breakdown of the five
million page views, it is possible to . . . they are tracking
this information and I am now requesting if it is possible
for the public to access that as well. I think that would
be useful you mentioned.
Senator Jones asked a question about the
$15.5 million dedicated to the Bermuda Tourism Authority, whether there were numbers behind that, was
what I took from his statements. And how is the BTA
doing in the marketplace? We will confirm the kind of


Bermuda Senate benchmarking comparison to other jurisdictional marketing agencies related to tourism. But to the first part
of that question the $15.5 million, the BTA is an independent authority complete with its own separate
books and records and so I encourage the Opposition to consult with them to get some more detail there. I
think it would be untoward for us to discuss that during
the budget as I think they have also been calling for
greater independence of the BTA from the Ministry of
Tourism.
And then there was a question around recovery from COVID -19 numbers and what the . . . the Bermuda Tourism Authority releases tourism industry per-formance metric s on its website quarterly. So, I encourage both the Opposition and the listening public to check out the detailed figures which can be found on
the gotobermuda.com website. There is a subheading there, visitor statistics, and it dates back to 2015. It is
true that air visitor volumes have not returned to 2019
levels, but hotel capacity remains at 75 per cent of preCOVID -2019 levels. Cruise visitors in 2024 equalled
2019 figures of 535,000.
Again, it makes sense to me that we still have
the Hampton Princess renovation underway and so
there will of course be a commensurate reduction in ca-pacity for air arrivals.
And again, the next question was around hotel
inventory, are there more or fewer rooms, and the US dollar spending. These types of statistics are also captured by the BTA and available on the gotobermuda.com website.
Also, release performance metrics on the website quarterly, I talked about the air statistics, and to call
up more detail there. In 2019, there were 269,000 air
arrivals, compared to 203,000 in 2024. Cruise was
535,500 in 2019 and 535,000 for this year as well. We have a 2,000 increase in yacht arrivals in 2019 versus 2024. And in total we are looking at 808,000 visitors in
2019 versus 743[ ,000] today, which I think is commendable given the situation with the 75 per cent of hotel occupancy being available.
Then there was a question, I think from Senator Cunningham, around how our sports tourism events
are valuated. What KPIs [key performance indicators] are considered for big events like SailGP and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. And as part of the
BTA sponsorship policy for major events, such as
SailGP, an independent third- party economic impact
study is required. While the economic impact report for SailGP is not owned by the BTA, it has been shared with us for the purpose of evaluating return on inv estment.
Sporting events seeking BTA sponsorship submit an application through the BTA’s grant portal. This
application undergoes an internal review process after
which selected applicants proceed to interviews to con-firm contract details and performance milestones. Key
performance indicators for largescale events include
economic impact, which is measured by direct spending, media and grant exposure value, legacy and
long-term community impact, environmental sustainability efforts, support of the National Tourism Plan seasonality strategy, and inclusivity and competitive opportunities for local athletes. These KPIs help ensure alignment with the BTA’s strategic goal s and broader
national tourism objectives.
Moving on to the questions around Head 34,
TCD, page B -253, on Expenditure, Other Expenses
$130,000 revised to $64,000, explain what other ex-penses this refers to. And the response to this is that this is advertising new online services, consulting external IT vendors. I suppose that related to what I mentioned in the brief about supporting vehicle payment.
And then performance measure 44000 the examination providing the driving test within number of
days, how many days was that ? The average response
is five days.
And under Head 20, Sport and Recreation, regarding the tennis stadium, the funding fluctuation is the increase in use. So [on page B -]241 we see a decrease in use, please clarify . And it is a massive increase in use, apparently, with the addition of pickleball
courts and lights for all courts at the facility usage has definitely increased. Core utilisation rate is a new
mechanism used to determine usage, and the initial estimation was too high to begin with. The core utilisation
rate is relatively low due to long facility operating hours
and slow periods during the workday that override the
peak hours of 4:30 pm to 9:00 pm.
Next question, [page]B -239, advertising and
promotion which increased to $23,000. Are we increasing efforts? What mechanisms will be used to deter-mine where the funds go? With the addition of new department initiatives, such as Active Kids, School Sports
and Sports Conference and Expo additional funds were
needed. The increase of marketing and advertising will
be instrumental in assisting the department in increasing the value of sport. Just another c all back to the National Sport Policy objectives.

Junior Minister, Senator Fubler, we are
out of time. Unfortunately , we did not get to all of the
very good questions. Hopefully that discussion can
continue between the Opposition and the Government at some other date.
Junior Minister, Senator Fubler, would you like
to move that these heads be approved?
Sen. Mischa Fubler: I do indeed, Madam Chairman.
I move that Heads 71, 20, 30, 34, and 35 be
approved as printed.

Hearing no objection, it has been
moved that [the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, Cul-ture and Sport,] Heads 71, 20, 30, 24, and 35 be approved.
Is there any objection to that motion?
No objection. Then it is agreed to. Thank you.
238 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report
B ermuda Senate [Motion carried: Ministry of Tourism and Transport, Culture and Sport, Heads 71, 20, 30, 34 and 35 were ap-proved and stand part of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for 2025/26.]

Senators, it is now 12:10. I have spoken to the Junior Minister, Senator Lauren Bell, who has indicated that she would like to begin to present after lunch. So, if we can rise now, and reconvene at 1:45 pm.
Thank you.
Proceedings in Committee suspended at 12:1 0 pm
Proceedings in Committee resumed at 1:47 pm
[Sen. Tawana Tannock , Chairman]
COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY
ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE
FOR THE YEAR 2025/26

Welcome back, Senators.
Senators, we continue to be in Committee of
the whole [Senate] for further consideration of the Esti-mates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year 2025/26, Heads 21, 22, 24, 91, 16 and 17. [These] will
be presented by Junior Minister Senator Lauren Bell
and to be debated.
I now call on Junior Minister Lauren Bell, in
charge to proceed.
Junior Minister Senator Bell, you have the
floor.
MINISTRY OF H EALTH
Sen. L auren B ell: Thank you, M adam Chairman.
Madam Chairman, I move that the Committee
do now take under consideration Head 21, Ministry of
Health Headquarters; Head 22, Department of Health;
Head 24, Hospitals; Head 91, Health Insurance.

Please proceed.
HEAD 21—M INISTRY OF HEALTH
HEADQUARTERS
Sen. Lauren Bell: Thank you.
Madam Chairman, the Ministry of Health has
been al-lotted a total of $245,440,000 for the fiscal year
2025/26 for the heads of its Headquarters, the
Department of Health, Hospitals and Health Insurance
Department.
Today I am pleased to present the budget for
the Ministry of Health and its departments and quangos
starting with Head 21, the Ministry of Health Headquarters, found on pages B-1 50 through B-1 53 of the
Budget Book. Madam Chairman, a total of $15,634,000 has been allocated to Head 21 Headquarters for
2025/26 which represents an increase of 52.0 per cent
or $5,332,000 over the budget of the fiscal year 2024/25. The Ministry of Health Headquarters is esti-mated to generate $28,000 during the 2025/26 fiscal year, down 61 per cent from $72,000 in revenue for the
previous fiscal year. Madam Chairman, I will now address the first programme under Head 21, General.
Programme 2101, General. Madam Chairman,
the total budget for programme 2101, General, $13,398,000.
General Administration
Sen. Lauren Bell: Of that $6,923,000 has been allocated to 31000 General Administration. This represents a 74 per cent or a $2,923,000 increase compared to the previous fiscal year 2024/25. The General Administration budget covers expenses associated with the day -
to-day operations of the Ministry including the Accounts
Section and the Project Management Office (or PMO)
for implementing universal health coverage (UHC). For the UHC a total of $462,000 has been allocated for human resources within the PMO. Additionally,
$1,238,000 was allocated for the operations of the PMO, including the engagement of subject matter ex-perts, marketing and communications.
Madam Chairman, health care in Bermuda is
among the world’s most expensive with ongoing inefficiencies, access inequalities and health disparities highlighting the need for reform. UHC aims to close the coverage gaps, improve system performances, reduce fragmentation and ensure financial sustainability by adopting international best practices.
The UHC PMO is coordinating multiple projects and stakeholder consultations to achieve the fol-lowing:
•The mapping and redesign of integrated
care pathways for diabetes, chronic kidney
disease and mental health for coordinate
d
and pat
ient-centred care.
•Drafting an d actuarial modelling of a core
benefits package to meet the population’sneeds.
•Modelling of a single payer to reduce fragmentation and improve the affordability of
care.
•Development of population health metrics.
•Assessment of health workforce gaps.
•Drafting of a national patients Bill of Rights.
•Development of a multimedia campaign to
keep the public informed of UHC updates;and finally
•Drafting of national clinical standards for
common chronic diseases.
Madam Chairman, universal health coverage
is a multi- year journey focused on achieving better population health outcomes more efficiently and equitable
access to care while ensuring the system remains


Bermuda Senate financially viable. The efficiencies realised can then be
reinvested into the health system to provide improved
quality of care and health outcomes. As such, the implementation cost is not represented by a single static
price tag.
Madam Chairman, the UHC PMO’s year on
year budget outlines the phased activities required to
support systems transformation. These include stakeholder engagement, legal and regulatory reform, core
benefit package design, digital infrastructure upgrades
and capacity building.
The approach prioritises careful, phased investment and ongoing evaluation to ensure that resources are used efficiently and that savings achieved
through reduced fragmentation and improved service
delivery can be reinvested to strengthen the health system over time.
Madam Chairman, as we progress the UHC,
this fiscal year the Minist ry of Health will begin phase
one by enhancing the Health Insurance Plan and Fu-tureCare benefits. Both plans will add an annual pre-ventive doctor’s visit and increase prescription drug
coverage at no extra cost to policyholders.
Active policyholders will have better access to
routine care, aiding early detection and chronic disease
management. Prescription drug coverage will increase
by $2,000 annually, raising HIP’s coverage to $3,000
and FutureCare’s coverage to $5,000. Affordab le medication access is vital for managing preventative non -
communicable diseases like diabetes and heart dis-ease helping prevent avoidable hospitalisations and health decline.
The PMO will support the Ministry in drafting
the legislative framework covering key UHC compo-nents including stewardship and governance, health
care service delivery, financing, workforce technology and digital health systems. The PMO will also continue validating technical outputs and building consensus
through collaboration with the Clinical Senate and fo-rums for health financing, advocacy, insurance, and
providers aiming at advancing critical milestones for
UHC by the third quarter of 2026/27.

Mental Health

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the Ministry of
Health continues the implementation of the 2024 mid-year budget in the amount of $2.29 million on a comprehensive programme of mental health support initiatives. To date, targeted investments have been made in raising commu nity awareness of mental well -being,
building community capacity for support, and continuing engagement with adolescents for prevent ative ,
early intervention, and community -based care.
Challenges such as anxiety, stress, violence,
and substance abuse have placed immense strain on
our health care services, our schools and our community organisations thus underscoring the urgent need
for sustained and comprehensive mental health support. In response, the Ministry is leading efforts for
youth- focused mental health first aid training, establishing a national mental health advocacy organisation and enhancing support for community members to identify
and support persons who may be exp eriencing mental
health challenges.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on business unit 31000, General Administration.

Thank you, Senator Bell.
I just wanted to make a quick note. I should
have said this initially. We started at 1:48 pm and we
have three hours on this head. So, we will be finishing
at 4:48 pm. Thank you.

Grants Administration

Sen. Lauren Bell: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Madam Chairman, [turning now to] 31015,
Grants Administration. Madam Chairman, page C -18
outlines the Ministry of Health’s grants to various agencies that deliver critical suppor t in public health and social assistance as well as a grant dedicated to health
education initiatives. The total budget for this business
unit is $5,849,000. These grant funds are allocated as
follows:
• $3 million —for the Lady Cubbit Compassionate Association (or the LCCA). And that's to cover overseas medical care for uninsured and
underinsured individuals.
• $1 million—for the Bermuda Health Council for
operational support.
• $100,000—for Age Concern to promote mental
well-being and education initiatives for older
adults as part of the mental health initiative.
• $120,000—for the Family Centre for free counselling for families with children aged 4 to 18.
• $100,000—for the Men and Masculinity Support Centre of Bermuda (or MASC) for men’s
counselling and support.
• $570,000—for the Bermuda College Foundation to develop sustainable suicide prevention
and resilience building programmes.
• $100,000—for the women's Resource Centre
for therapeutic support and support for women
in poverty and transition, including counselling,
housing, and employment assistance.
• $63,000 —for the Sexual Assault Response
Team [or SART] for survivor support services.
• $105,000—for the Dr. Barbara Ball Public
Health Scholarship; and
• $691,000—in other grants.

Bermuda Health Council

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the Bermuda
Health Council budget for fiscal year 2025/26 totals
$4,833,000, excluding the potential capital expenditure
240 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate [which] reflects a modest increase of 5 per cent over
last year's allocation.
The key areas of expenditure for the Bermuda
Health Council include:
• Payroll expenses in the amount of $3,171,000
reflecting the retention of core talent and targeted use of subject matter experts.
• Building expenses in the amount of $431,000
to ensure secur ity and functional infrastructure
for operations.
• Operational expenses in the amount of $260,000 to support digital modernisation,
stakeholder outreach, and compliance activities; and
• Professional fees in the amount of $858,000 to
enable the strategic use of consultants in actuarial modelling, regulation health technology,
and data analytics. This is in support of UHC and other system reforms.

Revenue Overview

Sen. Lauren Bell: The Council’s projected revenue for
2025/26 stands at $4,549,000 marking a 1.19 per cent
increase from the prior year. And major sources [of rev-enue] include Government Operational Grant in the
amount of $1 million; Mutual Reinsurance Fund in the
amount of $2,978,000; and Licensing Registration Con-tract and Programme Service Fees in the amount of
$570,810.

Positioning and Priorities

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the drug formulary plays a critical role in managing medication costs
by guiding the selection of clinically effective and cost -
[effective] treatments. The Bermuda Health Council
has held five Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee
meetings and collaborated with four local medical experts to inform decisions on the inclusion of cardiac,
pulmonary, and diabetes medications.
Significant progress has been made to date as
the Council has introduced 64 essential medicines [on]
the Bermuda drug formulary with over 164 unique
doses. Additionally, the Council has proposed a reduction in the pharmacy dispensary fee from $42.50 by 17.6 per cent to $32.00, along with the proposal to cap
the mark -up of the landed cost of formulary medicines
at 25.0 per cent to enhance price control.
Finally, the Council has transitioned drug application processes to the Asana system for preliminary
approvals and reviews and has developed an educa-tion plan to engage stakeholders.
Madam Chairman, moving forward, the Council will prioritise the establishment and standardisation of processes for the pricing and procurement of formulary medicines to ensure consistency, transparency,
and cost -effectiveness. Additionally, the Council wil l
prioritise updating the Bermuda Health Council ’s Drug Formulary Regulations 2021 to strengthen its mandate
in monitoring and evaluation of the [formulary’s] performance [and] impact.
Madam Chairman, over the past year the
Council has made efforts to modernise the regulatory framework, advance digital health transformation and
to strengthen accountability and transparency across
the health system. And they have done this by
• the ongoing use of a blockchain- enabled
credentialing system to streamline registration and renewal of health professionals;
• strengthening the kidney transplant coordination programme including a new UK
partnership that could save over $100,000
per transplant;
• improve health business licensing and
compliance enforcement;
• enhance regulatory oversight for health insurers to ensure mandated coverage and
patient protections;
• better data collection and system monitoring for informed decision- making;
• stakeholder engagement and infrastructure development in support of the universal health coverage;
• implementation of health technology assessments to evaluate new treatment and
devices; and finally
• public education campaigns to raise
awareness of health care access and patient rights.
Madam Chairman, in the upcoming fiscal year
the Council will continue advancing the historic and
planned projects which will include
• The launch of the helpinghub.bm which is a
centralised directory for health services and
professionals.
• The advocacy for the patient’s Bill of Rights to
ensure transparency and protection.
• Expansion of the digital credentialing system
with new health care professionals.
• Enhanced hospital oversight and governance
for improved quality, safety and sustainability.
• Strengthening regulations of health service
providers to ensure safe, effective, and responsive care.
• Improved oversight of residential and nursing
homes under long- term care regulations.
• The broader use of digital systems for better
care integration and secured data sharing.
• The use of actuarial modelling for predictive
analytics and informed policy decisions.
• The creation of a clinical research repository to
support collaboration and regional genomic
data sharing.
• Promotion of public -private partnerships to foster innovation and improvements.


Bermuda Senate • Advancements of the UHC implementation
through strategic planning and health financing
reform.
• The development of workforce and internship
programmes; and finally
• The improving of the accuracy of the health
system data sets for planning and financing.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on 31015, Grants Administration. And we will move on
to 31020, Corporate Services.
Corporate Services

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the estimated
budget for Head 21, Corporate Services Unit is $626,000. This unit covers the Ministry of Health’s lead-ership and strategic planning, including the policy directorate which develops and evaluates health policies
and legislati on. It also supports the Minister of Health
with decision -making, stakeholder collaboration, and
communication of government priorities. The senior management team provides executive oversight for
policy, regulations, and national initiatives ensuring the
Ministry remains responsive, evidence- based, and
aligned with the health sector reform goals.
Madam Chairman, this concludes my presentation of business unit 31020, Corporate Services. And
I now move to 31997, National Health Emergency.

National Health Emergency
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, for the 2025/26
[fiscal year] no budget is allocated for the National Health Emergency unit reflecting a 100 per cent savings, compared to the previous $82,000 for Disaster
Coordination. Since COVID -19, the Ministry of Health
has strengthened its public health emergency capacity with robust systems and a national response plan. As
resilience has improved, the Unit’s budget has steadily
declined since 2023/24, allowing funds to be redirected
to critical service delivery and long-term health system
improvements.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on the business unit 31997, National Health Emergency and all business under programme 2101, General.

Office of the Chief Medical Officer

Sen. Lauren Bell: Office of the Chief Medical Officer,
2102, expenditure overview.
Madam Chairman, the estimates of expenditure and revenue for programme 2102, Office of the Chief Medical Officer (OCMO) under Head 21 are found on pages B -150 through B -152 of the Budget
Book. It’s total budget for fiscal year 2025/26 is $2,236,000 which f unds three business units.
The first business unit is 31030, Health Care
Registration and Regulation. Madam Chairman, an allocation of $853,000 was made for the Health Care
Registration and Regulation business unit. The OCMO
oversees the registration and reregistration of medical
practitioners and the regulation of pharmacies in Bermuda. It also provides administrative support to the Bermuda Medical Council with the CMO serving as the
executive officer. The officer ensures compliance with
clinical standards, manages patient concerns and upholds the quality of medical and pharmaceutical care.
Madam Chairman, over the past year this section has managed the registration of over 200 medical
practitioners holding full registration and processed
more than 250 controlled pharmaceutical drug licence
applications. These efforts ensure compliance with r egulatory standards and contribute to the maintenance of high-quality health care services on the Island.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on the business unit 31030, Health Care Registration
and Regulations. I move now to 31040, Epidemiology
and Surveillance Unit (ESU),

Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, otherwise known as ESU,
has been allocated $842,000 for fiscal year 2025/26.
The ESU monitors the prevalence of infectious diseases and select chronic noncommunicable diseases
on the Island to mitigate their spread and impact. The
unit also collects data from health care providers and
laboratories conducting investigations into unusual disease occurrences. Integral to its functions, the ESU implements contact tracing and case management to pre-vent and/or control potential disease outbreaks.
Madam Chairman, in November 2024, Bermuda faced a significant public health challenge with the emergence of a measles outbreak. The two cases
linked to international travel marked the first cases of
measles since 1990. The ESU team successfully coordinated the national response, working alongside the
Department of Health, health care professionals and community stakeholders, the ESU successfully contained the outbreak.
The ESU and the CMO also worked with international partners at the United Kingdom Health Secu-rity Agency, the Caribbean Public Health Agency along
with the Pan American Health Organization to ensure
the national response was effective. The ESU also undertook rapid case identification, contact tracing, public awareness and a period of enhanced surveillance.
Madam Chairman, the ESU regularly conducts
community health surveys including the STEPS to a
Well Bermuda survey which assesses risk factors for
chronic diseases. This data guides public health priorities and strategic planning, enabling targeted interventions to improve population health. The ESU team will
continue leading the survey with data collection ex-pected to finish in 2025.
242 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate Madam Chairman, in response to the rising
burden of noncommunicable diseases, the OCMO is
developing chronic disease clinical standards in collaboration with the UHC [universal health coverage] project management team. This effort involves public and priva te health care professionals to ensure comprehensive management. The CMO also guides chairs of the
Clinical Senate and serves on the UHC Steering Committee, guiding strategic implementation. These efforts
ensure consistent, quality and equitable care by al igning national standards with international best practi ces
tailored to Bermuda's contexts.
Madam Chairman, the ESU led the conclusion
of the Public Health Emergency Response Plan which
will be tested in June 2025, [with] the simulation to provide gaps and improve collaboration. Working closely with the Health Disaster Coordination Unit, the ESU en-sures ongoing preparedness.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on business unit 31040, Epidemiology and Surveil-lance. I move now to 31050, Port Health.

Port Health
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the Port Health
business unit has a budget allocation of $541,000 for
fiscal year [2025/26]. This unit will take on the responsibility of monitoring arriving travellers, conveyances and commodities at the airport and other ports of entry
in order to provide controls against any infectious diseases arriving on the Island from overseas. These
functions were previously under the Environmental
Health programme but were moved to better align with
the objectives of the OCMO.
Madam Chairman, t he OCMO plays a key role
in overseeing the importation of prescription drugs ensuring controlled substances are brought in only by authorised health entities. It adheres to international quotas for controlled drugs and regularly reports import data to the International Narcotics Control Board
(INCB), reflecting Bermuda's commitment to global
drug control standards . The OCMO also ensures all imported medications comply with the P harmacy and Poisons Act 1979, which governs the importation, sale,
and distribution of drugs and poisons in Bermuda.
Madam Chairman, t his ends my presentation
on business unit 31050, Port Health on programme
2102, the O ffice of the Chief Medical Officer and Head
21, Ministry of Health Headquarters.

HEAD 22 —DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, it gives me immense pleasure to present the budget for Head 22, the
Department of Health, found on pages B -154 through
B-157 of the Budget Book. The total current expenditure is estimated to be $36,764,000 for 2025/26. This is an increase of 17 per cent, or $5,464,000, compared
with the original 2024/25 budget. The 2025/26 budget allocation for Head 22 also constitutes 15 per cent of
the overall budget for the Ministry of Health.
Madam Chairman, the projected revenue for
the Department of Health found at page B -156 totals
$3,755,000 in various fees, equipment and medication.
Madam Chairman, I will now address the first
programme under Head 21, Administration.

Administration

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chair man, line item 32230,
Administration. Madam Chairman, the 2025/26 budget
estimate for business unit 32230, Administration, is
listed on page B -155. It is $995,000. This represents an
increase of $530,000. This business unit provides strategic direc tion, workforce recruitment and retention, infrastructure management and budget oversight for the
department. With only three FTEs it is understaffed for
one of the largest government departments.
A proposal under review to add a Health Informatics Manager and a H ealth Planning and Performance Manager to support modern service delivery
and change management driven by universal health
coverage and an ageing population.
Madam Chair man, for the 2024 /25 fiscal year,
the department achieved a 92 per cent staff retention
rate and is targeting 95 per cent supported by initiatives
such as the l ong service awards, performance bonuses , and updated job descriptions for fair compensation.
Ongoing training, development and role reassignments are also in place to strengthen public health
competencies and retention. Succession planning is in
progress to address expected staff changes over the
next decade. To strengthen local capacity the department is focused on recruiting and retraining Bermudians, particularly for specialised roles through targeted
initiatives like b ursary and trainee programmes for Public Health Nurses, Environmental Health Officers,
Speech and Language Pathologists, Physiot herapists
and Laboratory Analys ts.
Madam Chair man, t he department still has
challenges in recruiting and filling posts within a timely
manner and has introduced key performance indicators
to measure the length of time for local and overseas recruitments.
Programme managers have been trained as
recruitment managers to lead in recruitment drives, thereby reducing the length of time of recruitment. In this way, additional resources are being engaged to
bear the ongoing need to recruit approximately 20 to 30
posts annually.
Madam Chair man, this ends my presentation
on business unit 32230, Administration.

Health Promotion
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/ 26
budget estimate for the H ealth Promotion and Wellness


Bermuda Senate business unit of the Department of Health, l isted at cost
centre 32240 on page B -155 is $773,000. This is a
24 per cent increase over the year 20 24/25 and can be
accounted for not only by salary uplifts but also additional modest funding for health promotion events and funds that will support adolescent mental health training.
Continuing the work on destigmatising mental
health, in 2024, Madam Chairman, 32 professionals
formed a second cohort of the Community Adolescent
Mental Health Training Programme. The cohort was [comprised] of professionals from the Department of
Education, the Department of Child and Family Services and the Department of Health. Participants in this
programme completed the youth mental health first aid
course co- facilitated by Dr. Judith Bruce Golding of
Mental Health First Aid [England and learned about adolescent development , signs and symptoms of common disabling m ental health problems and crisis situations , when and how to refer students , and how to promote anti -stigma in the school environment. Several
trainings are scheduled for 2025.
Madam Chairman, finally , the Health Abets
Podcast was launched in April of 2024 to discuss everything from A to Z on healthy living with the mission of
empowering, in forming , and motivating Bermuda's residents . The podcast episodes are featured on the Department of Health's Facebook and YouTube channels.
Madam Chair man, this ends my presentation
on business unit 32240, Health Promotion.

Comprehensive School Health

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
budget estimates for the business unit 32265, Comprehensive School Health , also known as Healthy
Schools, is found on page B-155 is $170,000, which is
a significant increase of $157,000. The Healthy
Schools Programme collaborates with schools to implement 10 components of health and ensure integration of those components with academics. Each spring schools complete a self -assessment that reflects the 10
components of health of how they complied with this
year’s health components.
Madam Chair man, in line with the school nutrition policy , the Healthy Schools team is partnering with
the Department of [Education] to restrict fast-food deliveries and limit food- based fundraisers to once a
month. Schools have received ideas for non- food fundraise rs and rewards . All schools now have filtered water stations making clean water easily accessible.
Healthy Schools support s those adopting their own
[water ]-only polic ies.
Madam Chair man, in 2025 /26, Healthy
Schools will continue to encourage schools to grow edible plants, fruits and vegetables. Additionally, to help students understand their own health- related fitness ,
Healthy Schools will continue to work with the Department of Education ’s Curriculum Officer for P hysical Education and Health to improve the completion of the
FitnessGram [assessments ] for P5 to S4 students in
terms one and three.
Madam Chairman, Healthy Schools has also
developed a School Health Policy Manual that schools can reference when they have a question or concern
related to safety and health at school. All schools have
received copies and are due to receive the third edition.
Madam Chairman, in 2025, the Health Promotion team will conduct the World Health Organization’s Global School Health Survey to better understand youth health in Bermuda. This survey gathers data on
behaviours like physical activity, diet, mental health,
substance abuse and violence exposure. The results
will guide experienced- based programmes and policies
helping identify risk early and support targeted prevention to improve long- term health and disease prevention among our young people.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on business unit 32265, Comprehensive School Health. I move to 32290, Child Care Regulations.

Child Care Regulations
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
budget estimate for Child Care Regulations (CCR)
business unit 32290, on page B -155 is $510,000. This
is an increase of 38 per cent or $140,000 which is entirely due to staffing and budgeting for four posts to sustain the progr amme.
This business unit is responsible for the registration certificates of day care providers and licences
for day care centres. For the fiscal year 2024/25, Madam Chairman, 85 per cent of day care providers
and day care centres the S.T.A.R.S. [inspections ] were
completed. Following the inspection period, the CCR team created focused, professional development workshops to help address areas of growth for both day care
centres [DCCs] and day care providers [DCPs].
Madam Chairman, knowing how important professional development is [for] those working with children, CCR developed . . . started a developing professional training in 2024. These three monthly profes-sional development training sessions available to all
providers and centre staff allow participants to gain knowledge and skills on a variety of topics based on
trends observed by the [CCR] staff or based on the recommendations of participants.
Madam Chairman, more providers and centres
are exceeding the legal requirements by adopting best
practices evaluated through the S.T.A.R.S. inspection
tool. This comprehensive tool assesses areas like supervision, health, safety, learning environment, care-giver skills and family engagement, ensuring safe high -
quality child care.
The public can now view licensed day care
provers and centres by parish and their S.T.A.R.S. rating along with summary report from 2023 to 2024 inspections detailing performance in specific areas.
244 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate The CCR website also offers a checklist and a
booklet to guide parents on choosing care for their
child.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on business unit 32290, Child Care Regulations and
the programme 2205 , Administration. I move now to
2201, Community Health.

Community Health

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the Department
of Health’s programme 2201, Community Health on
page B -154 of the Budget Book comprises of 13 business units and has a 2025/26 estimate budget of $26,741,000 . Overall, this represents an increase of
15 per cent over the 2024 /25 budget and is on par with
the salaries uplift.
[Line item ] 32000, Lefroy [House] Care Community [Centre] and 32015 Sylvia Richardson Care Facility. Madam Chairman, the 2025/26 budget estimate
for Lefroy House Care Community Centre listed as business unit 32000 on page B -154 is $5,321,000. The
2025/26 budget estimate for Sylvia Richardson Care
Facility listed as business unit 32015, also on page B -
154, is $6,212,000. These amounts are increased by
6 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively , from the original 2024/25 budget s. Both facilities provide care and
promote independence and optimal health for persons aged 65 years old and older who have significant nursing and care needs requiring 24- hour facility -based
care. T he demand for nursing beds continues to far exceed our capacity. Sylvia Richardson and Lefroy House
collaborate with A geing and Disability Services, community health and social work teams from the Department of Health and the Bermuda Hospitals Board to prioritise and fill the vacant beds as they become available.
Madam Chairman, at Lefroy House infrastructure improvements include a refurbished k itchen , dining
[hall], storage, staff lounge , toilet [facility ], replacing
windows and doors are recovered and waterproofed
roof and ongoing ceiling repairs. These upgrades uplifted the restricted operational licence allowing full capacity of 32 elders. Respite care will resume once new beds arrive. Day care is discontinued due to the over
80 per cent of residents having dementia requiring specialised staff. Activities have been adapted for current
needs and staff receive ongoing training for quality
care.
The Sylvia Richardson Care Facility, also
known as SRCF, has been accommodating at -risk seniors referred from emergency admission via A geing and
Disability Services . Investigations and proposals for increasing the capacity of SRCF and leveraging the existing staff and facilities to increase the long- term care
capacity in Bermuda are underway .
Madam Chairman, maintaining the required
minimum staffing levels, 24 hours per day, while ensuring coverage is found for staff who are out on sick leave and vacation have resulted in significant overtime expenditure. The operating costs have increased significantly, especially for the cost of supplies, food, and utilities. Additionally, the repair and replacement of equipment and maintenance costs have als o increased. New
beds were purchased and are being shipped.
Madam Chairman, SRCF management and
staff are committed to enhancing the quality of care through staff education and necessary physical improvements. With the increase in the education budget
and the attention to furnishing and equipment needs, the nursing home is positioning itself not only to maintain its high standards but also to an exceptional living
environment for residents and to ensure that staff are
prepared to meet their evolving needs.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on business units 32000, Lefroy [House] Care Commu-nity and 32015, Sylvia Richardson Care Facility.
I move now to 32010, Community Health Administration and 32060, Community Health.

Community Health Administration
and Community Health

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
budget estimates for business unit 32010 Community Health Administration and 32060 Community Health, which funds the nursing team, are both found on page
B-154 are $1.573 million and $2.301 million, respectively.
Community Health nurses’ budget for 2025/26
will increase by $475,000, which is a 26 per cent increase. Madam Chairman, redesigned options for
Hamilton Health Centre are being explored to modernise the facility and better meet service needs particularly f or individuals with disabilities, those using mobility
adaptive equipment and with a focus on improving accessibility, safety, functionality, privacy and overall
health standards.
The recruitment of new staff anticipated with
the Community Health Administration reorganisation
requires capacity for redesigned workspaces. The risk
assessment revealed privacy as one of the leading
concerns in all clinical areas requiring strengthening.
Additionally, Mangrove Bay Clinic’s renovation plans
have progressed slowly, but are at the general contractor selection stage. Vehicular replacement includes
four electric vehicles to the fleet with good effect for
teams within the Community Health secti on.
Madam Chairman, the community health nursing team is comprised of only five full -time nurses and
one temporary relief nurse. To address the current
staffing deficiencies and strengthen our capacity to
meet the growing health care demands of our community, recruitment drives are underway. Another recruitment drive will be conducted this year to onboard two more full -time public health nurses. Despite the challenges posed by the existing staff levels, our team has
consistently delivered quality, professional care,


Bermuda Senate maintaining a patient -centred and evidence- based approach to health care.
Madam Chairman, the initiatives undertaken
such as the Adults Preventative Clinic and the
HEARTS initiative demonstrate a proactive approach to promoting healthy living practices and addressing prevalent health issues like hypertension, [diabetes] and
cardiovascular disease. The team continues to provide
excellent teaching to those within our services. In
2024/25, Madam Chairman, 54 adult preventative clinics were held once weekly serving 566 patients for ap-pointments, wound care, and health monitoring. In February 2025, clinic hours increased with an added half -
day, growing patient numbers and case complexity
highlights the need for expanded adult health services,
better facilities, advanced nurse practitioners and adult -
focused programmes. Adding a Communi ty Health social worker has been essential to address complex social issues.
Madam Chairman, the HEARTS initiative has
registered 119 clients since 2022 with ongoing training
to ensure effective follow -up education and support .
The community health nurses provided over 6,916
home visits offering wound care, post discharge support, long-term care assessments and more, reducing
acute care demand. Many clients work with multiple
agencies and 31 per cent receive financial aid, struggling to meet basic needs.
Madam Chairman, throughout the year the
team has participated in 16 health promotion activities
and educational sessions, conducting health screen-ings and referring clients according to their needs,
demonstrating a comprehensive and proactive approach to health insurance.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
for the business unit 32010, Community Health Administration and 32060, Community Health.

Child Health
Expanded Programmes on Immunisation
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chair man, the 2025/26
budget estimate for C hild Health listed as business unit
32030 on page B -154 is $3,124,000 . The Child Health
budget in 2025/26 will increase by $49,000 which is a
2 per cent increase.
Madam Chairman, the Child Health Unit consists of four sections : immunisation, child health , school
health including asthma education, and travel health.
Madam Chair man, Bermud a’s Expanded Programme of Immunisation (or EPI ) plans for the needs
of vaccines in the child, adult, senior and travel health
immunisation schedules. EPI procures most of its vac-cines through the Pan American Health Organi zation ’s
Revolving Fund. This process assures safe, effective
and quality vaccines . Universal access for many of the
vaccine s is provided through the public and private sectors. As the Department of Health undergoes a structural reorganisation , the E PI programme under its own business unit 32 070, will work across programmes for
the needs of individuals at all stages of life. T his will
impact business unit 32030 , Child H ealth , as funds will
need to be reallocated to 3207 0, the Expanded Programme [of] Immunisation. And this programme has
been funded for $ 1,300,000 for 2025/26.
Madam Chairman, the E xpanded Programme
of Immuni sations provides equitable and high- quality
immunisation services to the population, particularly
targeting infants, children, pregnant women, adults,
seniors, travel lers and vulnerable groups. The EPI programme continues to play a critical role in ensuring the
health and well -being of Bermuda's population, by delivering essential vaccines to prevent communicable diseases and prevent the importation and transmission
of these diseases .
Madam Chairman, the measle outbreak in November 2024 underscored the importance of maintaining high immunisation rates and rapid response mechanisms. Public Health O fficers swiftly implemented outbreak containment measures, including emergency vaccination clinics, public awareness campaigns and
private sector involvement. This resulted in coverage of
the first dose of the MMR achieving the target of 95 per
cent by the end of 20 24. However, children who are appropriately vaccinated by two years of age remain below the target of 75 per cent , despite the primary series
of [whooping cough] , tetanus, pertussis, diphtheria, polio and Ha emophilus influenza achieving 90 per cent .
This requires more work through the vaccine
hesitancy strategy . Strengthening the information system and timely rep orting has realised positive results
through the use of the electronic immunisation registry.
Madam Chairman, the Department of Health
administered 814 flu doses across the eastern, central
and western areas of the Island during the annual Flu
Express. The total flu vaccines given between October
2024 and January 2025 is 1,691.
Distribution to private facilities was 1, 461. A total of 6, 000 doses were procured, and 2, 790 doses
were distributed. This does not include what was im-ported by the private sector.
Madam Chairman, I now turn to the other three
sections of 32030, Child Health Programme. The C hild
Health [programme] continues to face human resource
challenges but is actively recruiting in all areas to maintain high quality standards and services for child health and school health services. Despite this challenge, the
Child Health Programme has achieved positive results
with 88 per cent of parents of newborns receiving home
visits and all mothers being screened for maternal well -
being at six weeks . Health visitors who are advanced
practi ce nurses are essential in delivering health services to families with children under the age of five.
Madam Chairman, health visitors have begun
offering antenatal home visits as a universal service to
pregnant women. Achieving initiatives to promote and
increase breastfeeding rates have yielded positive results with the exclusive breastfeeding rate at six weeks
246 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate rising to 44 per cent , up seven [percentage] points from
the previous year. Activities such as anten atal breastfeeding classes promotion during Breastfeeding
Awareness Month and collaboration with King Edward
Memorial Hospital and the National Breastfeeding Committee will continue to be favourable.
Madam Chairman, the School Health programme is still operating with fewer staff than its fulltime equivalent capacity. Despite these challenges last
year, there were 96 per cent screening rate for the entire five-year-old c ohort .
Madam Chairman, the S chool Health Programme also collaborated with the Bermuda Public
School system to engage in the signature discovery sessions at Whitney Institute Middle School . Through
interactive sessions , students explored nursing as a
potential career path.
Madam Chairman, finally , Travel Health services continue to be in demand for the community, with
644 consultations in 2024 /25, which was an increase of
283 consults from the previous year, which was likely a
change in trend post COVID -19. These consultations
offer essential guidance on preventing waterborne,
foodborne and vector -borne illnesses . By providing this
crucial service, T ravel Health aims to reduce the risk of
infectious diseases being brought back to Bermuda .
Madam Chair man, this ends my presentation
for business unit 32030, Child Health and 32 070, Expanded Programme on I mmunisation.
I now move to 32040, Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Sexual and Reproductive Health

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
budget estimate for Sexual and Reproductive Health,
listed as business unit 32040, on page B -154, is
$985,000. Savings are being achieved by delaying the
recruitment of a vacant administrative post for part of
the year.
Madam Chairman, the Sexual and Reproductive Health, known as SRH Programme. consists of two
sub programmes: maternal health and communicable diseases. Sexual health requires a positive and re-spectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships,
and the programme addresses this through high quality
information and education, t reatment and interventions.
Madam Chairman, a planned pregnancy is
likely to be a healthier one, as unplanned pregnancies
represent a missed opportunity to optimise pre- pregnancy health. For this reporting period referrals for termination of pregnancy have decreased by 11 per cent
in comparison to the previous year. Women seeking
the service range in age from 17 to 38 years old and despite the declining number of referrals, young
women remain the group at the highest risk of un-planned pregnancies.
Additionally, there was a 3 per cent increase
this year in the number of women accessing Sexual Reproductive Health clinics for contraception and family planning information.
Madam Chairman, in Bermuda, 74 per cent of
women attending Sexual Reproductive services had
the recommended four or more antenatal contacts, of which 42 per cent transferred care to an OB/GYN once
they acquired health insurance, 5 per cent left to deliver
abroad, 2 per cent miscarried and 2 per cent had preterm labour. These figures underscore the importance
of continued efforts to enhance access to antenatal
care and ensure that all expectant mothers receive the support they need to achieve the best possi ble outcomes for themselves and their babies.
Since the introduction of the HPV vaccine
through the Sexual Health clinics, 82 per cent of females and 18 per cent of males have received the vaccine. This initiative primarily targets individuals who may not have received the vaccine during adolescence, ensuring that even later in life they are protected
from the associated risks of HPV infection.
Madam Chairman, in the last year a total of
4,152 STI screening tests were conducted through the
Bermuda Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinic at a
cost excee ding $70,000. Of the individuals screened,
1,348 people received comprehensive STI testing, with
35 per cent found to require treatment. This significant
percentage highlights the importance of making
screening services accessible, confidential and stigma
free. These screenings are a vital part of our public
health strategy aimed at detecting infections early and
ensuring timely intervention.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
for business unit 32040, Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Physiotherapy
Occupational Therapy
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
budget estimates for business unit 32080, Physiotherapy and business unit 32120, Occupational Therapy,
both found on page B -154, are $1,284,000 and
$1,164,000, respectively. Both budget amounts have increased by 6 [ per cent] a nd 7 per cent, respectively,
over the 2024/25 original estimates.
Madam Chairman, Occupational Therapy (OT)
and Physiotherapy (PT) services support individuals across the lifespan with noted delays or movement
challenges. Services are delivered through three teams: early intervention, school -based therapy and
seniors. Most paediatric and adult therapists are now certified in neurodevelopmental treatment, enhancing
care for conditions such as stroke, cerebral palsy and
developmental delays.
Madam Chairman, the early intervention team
provided specialised support for children ages zero to
four at risk of developmental delays. Weekly assessment clinics and ongoing parent and multidisciplinary
training has helped identify delays early and reduce


Bermuda Senate referrals to school -based services. The school -based
therapy team promotes early detection of the developmental delays in school -age children offering year -
round services. Select students, including those from the Dame Marjory Bean Hope Academy , participated in
intensive multidisciplinary Neuro -Developmental Treatment (NDT) sessions as part of therapist training.
Finally, the seniors team help older adults remain independent at home through fall risk assessments, home safety checks, and training for clients and
caregivers. Health education and promotion activities further support healthy ageing in the community.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on business unit 32080, P hysiotherapy and 32120, Occupational Therapy .

Clinical Laboratory

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26 estimate for C linical Laboratory , listed as business unit
32090 on page B -154, is $893,000. This budget reflects
the merged laboratories which were once separately
the Clinical Laboratory at the Hamilton Health Centre and the Bermuda Molecular Diagnostic and Research
Laboratory, or MDL , in Warwick . The merged laboratory is now renamed and reregistered by the Bermuda
Health Council as the Bermuda Government C linical
Laboratory, known as BGCL. The 12 per cent budget
increase is dri ven by several factors. The L aboratory
now operates as a standalone facility, requiring its own
maintenance and utilities. The use of real -time PCR,
the gold standard for communicable disease testing
and adds operational costs, but it enhances the ability
to detect emerging health threats. Additionally, ex-panded testing for noncommunicable diseases under
the adult health programme has also contributed to this rise.
The programme laboratory is responsible for
clinical laboratory diagnostic testing for the programme within the various clinics such as maternal health and
family planning, the communicable disease clinic, the
adult health programme, child health, and oral health
as needed.
The C linical Laboratory also serves as the public health laboratory for Bermuda, assisting with outbreak investigations and public health emergencies.
The Bermuda Government Clinical Laboratory (BGCL)
provides specimen referrals for highly infectious organisms which cannot be tested here locally.
Collaboration with the Caribbean Public Health
Agency (CARPHA) , laboratory or UK HSA can be arranged to provide advanced testing of diseases which
has major public health significance.
The merged Government Clinical Laboratory
maintains accreditation standards under the Commission on Office Laboratory A ccreditation (COLA ) and upholds registration requirements by the Bermuda Health
Council . The laboratory has performed 5, 867 sexually
transmitted diagnostic test s during the last budget year, which is approximately 26 per cent of the overall diagnostic testing provided for G overnment programmes.
Madam Chairman, the Bermuda G overnment
Clinical Laboratory continues to expand testing for
Government programmes using new chemistry and immunoassay analy sers. This supports the adult health
programme focusing on the uninsured and underinsured population to ensure diagnostic services are accessible to all in need.
The BGCL plans to introduce real -time PCR
testing for trichomoniasis in men and offer full capacity
PCR testing for influenza A and B , including subtyping
H1N1 and H3 by 2025 /26. As with other real -time PCR
diagnostics, these are laboratory developed tests un-dergoing strict validation to ensure high- quality results.
Wastewater surveillance is planned 2025/26,
to provide early warnings of public health threats .
BGCL also aims to study antimicrobial resistance,
COVID -19 and other priority issues.
Madam Chair man, this ends my presentation
for business unit 320 90, Clinical Laboratory.

Speech and Language
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, 2025/26 budget
estimate for Speech and Language services, listed as
business unit 32100 on page B -154 is $1,971,000. This
is a 20 per cent increase over the 2024 /25 original estimate accounts for the recruiting of two vacant speech
language pathologist post s in 2025/26.
Madam Chair man, the Department of Health,
Speech and L anguage Programme provides speech,
language and feeding/ swallowing assessments and intervention services across the community. When fully
staffed , the programme consists of 14 speech and language pathologist s, one trainee post and one programme coordinator. Of these, three speech and language pathologi sts p rovide early intervention services
in collaboration with the Department of Education's Child Development Programme for children aged from
birth to five years of age. Eight speech and language
pathologists are school based, providing services
across all levels of Bermuda Government schools ages
four to 18. One speech and language pathologist provide services to students with special needs who attend
Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy ages four to 18.
And one speech and language pathologist provid ing
services to our adult and senior population.
Madam Chairman, speech and language
pathologists work closely with parents , school personnel, allied health professionals and private homes and
clinic al settings to raise awareness of speech and language delays and disorders , to promote functional
communication skills as well to prevent life threatening complications that may occur during feeding and swallowing . Speech and language pathology [SLP] therapy
services include the provision of prevention and promotion information, screenings and assessments , consultations as well as interventions. Services also include
248 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate the delivery and provision of treatment for those identified as needing intervention .
Madam Chairman, in 2024, 50 cases were referred to the school -based programme. Once identified
as needing services , clients are provided with therapy
interventions. Currently there are no school -based students on a wait list. Clients are reassessed on a routine
basis to assess their status and to measure progress.
This also serves as an indicat or to determine if services
are still needed.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
for business line 32100, Speech and Lang uage.

Nutrition Services

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
budget estimates for Nutrition Services business unit
32110, on page B -154, is $ 286,000. This is an increase
of $33,000, or 13 per cent increase over the previous
fiscal year 2024/25. About half of the increase is from
salary uplift and regrading and the remainder is in-tended to enhance the programme.
Madam Chairman, Nutrition Services supports
Government and non- governmental organisations in
promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours and preventi on
of chronic diseases through consultative nutrition services across Bermuda's population. T he programme
services include, but are not limited to health promo-tion, nutrition policy development, development and implementation of community -based nutrition programmes, consultation and community nutrition educa-tion, quality assurance visits, medical nutrition therapy,
nutrition research, assessment and monitoring of the nutritional status of the population, as well as training
and education.
Madam Chairman, two key intervention programmes aimed at boosting food security, the Bermuda Parish Garden competition and the G row! Eat! $ave!
[programme] . The gardening competition had 77 registrants in 2024, encouraging all skill levels to participate,
leading to 34 successful garden submissions. Since
Grow! Eat! $ave! was launched in 2017, it has received
nearly 800 [registrants ], and this year there are 42 committed gardening graduates.
Recognising the importance of enhancing Bermuda's nutritional environment, the refresh of the Well
Bermuda Strategy will revisit a previous nutritional service goal of establishing community gardens in each
parish.
The PIVIO nine-week lifestyle intervention programme, which saw high demand in 2024 with 23 par-ticipants, led to significant group health improvements
in weight, blood sugar, cholesterol and lipid levels .
Madam Chairman, Nutrition Services received
82 medical nutrition therapy referrals from across the
life course. Most referrals were adults from the Adult
Health [Prevention] Clinic. This may be directly related to the Nutrition Services primarily supporting high- risk individuals who are uninsured or underinsured to en-sure health equity.
Madam Chairman, to ensure compliance with
the code of practi ce for nutrition standards, 18 senior
homes annual inspections were completed in 2024 and
89 per cent of senior homes met the requirements for a
nutritious and varied diet. The Department of Corrections met the same requirement with assistance from Nutrition Services .
Madam Chairman, t his ends my presentation
on business unit 32100, Nutrition [Services] .

Adult Health
Sen. Lauren Bell: The 2025/26 budget estimate for the
Adult Health programme listed as business unit 32130, on page B -154 is $624,000.
The Adult Health programme consists of three
subprogrammes which include: correctional health for
medical services to inmates in correctional institut ions,
occupational health for the medical assessment of recruits in the uniformed s ervices , and occupational
health services to government employees and hazardous and high- risk occupations and forensic services to
the Bermuda Police Service and medical supervision of
detainees in police custody.
Together, these services are integral to protecting public servants , maintaining institution al health
standards and promoting the humane treatment of individuals in custody . Recognising the scope and distinct nature of these services, the programme is proposed to be renamed U niformed Services and Occupational H ealth .
Madam Chairman, during the prior financial
year, 1,761 medical consultations for persons in prison
were conducted at the Westgate facility, 88 per cent or
176 new persons in prison received an initial medical
examination within 72 hours of intake and 60 recruitment medicals were completed for the uniformed services, which include police, fire and corrections. During
the same period, a total of 132 BPS forensic call outs
were also attended.
Madam Chairman, while not budgeted for this
fiscal year, the department seeks to return a full-time
equivalent nurse position to this subprogramme, as the lack of nurses impacts the department's ability to provide consistent services to uniformed services.
Madam Chairman, this now ends my presentation for business unit 3213 0, Adult Health and on programme 220 1, Community Health.

Oral Health

Sen. Lauren Bell: I move now to 2202 Oral Health;
32150, Oral Health Control; 32155, Oral Health Admin-istration; and 32160, Oral Health Prevention. Madam Chairman, the 2025/26 budget estimate for programme
2202, Oral Health, listed as business unit 32150,
32155, 32160 on p age B -155 is $1,694,000.


Bermuda Senate The Oral Health Programme provides comprehensive public health dental services to Bermuda’s children zero to 18 years of age and seniors aged 65 and
older. The oral health services are based on high quality, patient -centred care including dental examinations,
consultations, preventative and dental hygiene appointments, as well as a range of restorative clinical treatments including extractions and fillings. There is a
strong emphasis on preventative care, especially for children and adolescents, and restor ative and minor
surgical procedures.
Madam Chairman, ensuring [continuation] of
all health services remains a priority. After resuming St. George’s dental services in October 2024, with two
dentists, staffing dental office positions continues to be challenging. To maintain care, support staff were temporarily moved to the Hamilton Health Centre. Cross -
training dental assistants has begun through clinical rotation to expand their skills and flexibility. Ongoing
training will focus on updated clinical techniques, new
materials, equipment upkeep and technological advances. A third dentist has also been onboarded ahead
of the Mangrove Bay Facility reopening soon.
Madam Chairman, school -based programmes
is an essential part of all health services. Children in
primary school upon entering grade 1 (or P1) are examined by the school health team to obtain baseline health status information, using the decayed, missing
and filled teeth index , otherwise known as DMFT, is
used during the screenings to document the oral health
status of each child. Annual screening using this tool serves to observe trends and introduce appropriate
programmes to address oral diseases and main tain
healthy mouths . Children who are examined and who
need urgent care, are referred to the clinic or their primary dental provider for immediate attention.
Madam Chairman, in the past, the medical and
dental teams have made separate visits to the schools to conduct screenings and gather information. and in
the case of medical teams, provide other services, such
as immunisations. However, this year they have coordinated to conduct screenings together reducing interruptions to the school schedules.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on programme 2202, Oral Health.

Environmental Health
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
budget estimate for programme 2203, Environmental
Health of the Department of Health listed on page B -
155 consists of five funded business units and the combined operational budget estimate is $4,217,000. This
represents an increase of 12 per cent over the 2024/25
original estimates and incorporates an increase in recruitment for some vacant posts.
The allocations for 32170, Institutional Hygiene; 32171, Public Health Nuisance Pollution and
Outbreak Control programme; and 32175, Environmental Health Administration are $888,000,
$62,000 and $1,065,000, [respectively].
Madam Chairman, the Environmental Health
Programme provides monitoring, investigative and regulatory services in diverse areas such as food safety, occupational safety, nuisance control, water quality and
tobacco control. Additionally, the Environmental Health
Programme has begun utilising a new data system to
input plumbing information and the administration team
has begun entering licence details in preparation for inspectors to conduct their inspections on the cosmetol-ogy and food sector businesses by September 2025.
Madam Chairman, in April 2025, the Environmental Health Programme undertook a ServSafe train-ing with target participants including food handlers,
managers, restaurant employees and other relevant
stakeholders. Additionally, the Environmental Health staff w ill continue to focus on publicity, education and
promotion to raise the profile of environmental health,
informing the public of the wide range of responsibilities
and activities within the section.

Vector Control

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
budget estimate for 32190, Vector Control, is listed at
cost centre 32190 on page B -155. The allocated
budget is $1.816 million. Vector Control is tasked with
protecting Bermuda for the potential spread of rodent -
borne and mosquito- borne diseases. Through vigilant
monitoring, surveillance and timely intervention, the team plays a critical role in preventing public health
threats from taking root in our communities. Their work includes the systematic inspection of properties, treatment of mosquito breeding sites and rodent control
measures.
Madam Chairman, in 2024 a Vector Control
representative attended a PAHO workshop in the Cayman Islands on regional mosquito- borne diseases, underscoring Bermuda’s commitment to regional collaboration and professional development. Partnership with
PAHO and CARPHA enhanced technical capacity ensure up- to-date vector control practices. As climate
change and global travel raise disease risks, shared
knowledge strengthens local surveillance, field work and public education, supporting public health and Bermuda’s reputation as a safe destination.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on the business unit 32190, Vector Control.

Occupational Safety and Health
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, I now move to
32270, Occupational Safety and Health.
Madam Chairman, the Occupational Safety
and Health Office was allocated $386,000 for 2025/26.
This unit inspects places of work throughout the Island,
investigates serious workplace accidents and ensures
Bermuda’s workers safety through the development of
250 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate policies and procedures such as the requisite training
and permit system for asbestos abatement.
Safety and Health is onboarding two staff
members as inspectors. The goal is to sustain a proactive workplace inspection programme that guarantees compliance with all relevant regulations. Occupational
Safety and Health staff will continue to focus on publ icity, education and promotion to raise the profile of Occupational Safety and Health, informing the public of
the wide range of responsibilities and activities within
this section.
Progress with ticketing for high- risk contraventions and reestablishment of the advisory council for
safety and health are the key priorities for 2025/26.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on business unit 32270, Occupational Safety and
Health.

Port Health
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the Port Health
Unit of the Environmental Health Programme plays a
critical frontline role in safeguarding Bermuda against
the international spread of infectious diseases.
By monitoring arriving travellers, conveyances
and imported commodities at the airport and other ports
of entry, the unit provides a vital layer of protection that
ensures early detection and timely responses to poten-tial public health threats. This includes the inspection
and risk assessment of cruise ships and other vessels,
with a focus on hygiene standards, waste disposal practices, potable water safety and any signs of illness
among passengers or crew.
Finally, the Port Health Unit and its functions
will move from 2203 Environmental Health Programme
of Head 22 to the Department of Health, 2102 Office of
the Chief Medical Officer, under Head 21 of the Ministry
of Health Headquarters to better align this unit with this
mandate under the Quarantine Act and Regulations
2017 in line with their reporting to the Quarantine Authority. Thus, this budget line is [ unfunded].
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
on business unit 32285, Port Health as well as 2203, Environmental Health.

Central Laboratory
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26
budget estimates for the Department of Health is pro-gramme 2204, Central Laboratory consists of business units 32200 Forensic Analysis and 32220 Water and
Food Analysis on page B -155. The estimates for the
business unit are $1,066,000 and $598,000, respectively for 2025/26. This represents a 25 per cent and
3 per cent increase each, respectively, up from the
2024/25 budget. The drivers for these increases are salary uplifts, increased call -out remuneration for fast -
tracked cases, additional funds for laboratory supplies and lab gases, and preventative maintenance contracts
for equipment.

Forensic Analysis

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the Forensic
Analysis programme performed seized drug analysis
and toxicology analysis. In this reporting year, the total
number of exhibits processed was 6,777.
Madam Chairman, the laboratory continues to
receive submissions of dangerous fentanyl. This re-porting year, the fentanyl was presented in various
forms of coloured tablets and a variety of coloured powders. The most concerning fentanyl submission contained a cocktail of drugs which in addition to the fentanyl, included cocaine, alprazolam (sold under the brand name Xanax), acetomorphine, caffeine, codeine. The laboratory is committed to expanding its THC testing to
include a variety of cannabinoids. The procurement of
high-performance liquid HPLC is underway to achieve
this.
Madam Chairman, toxicology analyses support
coroner's cases, DUI investigations, and urine testing
agencies focused on common local drugs like cannabis, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and fentanyl. This year
367 cases were submitted, 157 processed and 210 remain in backlog. While duties are currently shared with
the Government analyst raising demand underscores
the need for a dedicated toxicologist. The raising caseloads has increased demand for laboratory supplies,
equipment maintenance, and specialised staff. T o address this, two Bermudian scientists, a bursary student and a trainee, have been engaged with plans to recruit another trainee. To maintain operations during staffing
gaps, the lab employs three- month locum scientists,
with four provided by Health Canada drug lab this year,
offering support and mentorship.
Madam Chairman, this ends presentation for
business unit 32200, Forensics Analysis.

Water and Food Analysis

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the W ater and
Food Analysis programme performs analytical testing of potable drinking and non- potable water samples,
dairy products and food. It is primarily a laboratory support service to Environmental Health with the results
used to identify bacteriological and chemical risk to
both human and animal health.
Potable drinking water analysed in food samples from Works and Engineering, Watlington Water-works, ROCON [Services] Limited, L. F. Wade International Airport, hotels, private dwellings, restaurants, and care facilities.
Non- potable water samples include seawater,
sewage and water from animal [habitats]. There was a
total of 4,790 water samples tested, representing a
17 per cent increase from the previous year.


Bermuda Senate Madam Chairman, to support the upcoming
ban on industrial trans fats, the Water and Food Analysis programme is building local lab capacity for trans
fats testing. The Ministry of Health will continue working
with Government partners and expand public outreach
to educate food producers, retailers and consumers on
the ban and health risk of trans fats.
Madam Chairman, this ends my presentation
for business unit 32220, Water and Food Analysis and
on programme 2204, Central Laboratory.

Capital Development
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the capital development estimates for the Department of Health are found at page C -5, total $3.124 million. Allocations
have been made for Sylvia Richardson Care Facility in
the amount of $300,000.
The refurbishment of the parish clinics in the
amount of $2.204 million and the Lefroy House Care Community in the amount of $620,000.

Capital Acquisitions
Sen. Lauren Bell: The capital acquisition estimates for
the Department of Health can be found at page C -12
total $107,000 for Care Home capital acquisitions. Madam Chairman, this concludes my presentation for Head 22, Department of Health.

Thank you, Junior Minister, Senator
Bell.
I would just like to have a time check. The time
is currently 3:23 pm and we are due to finish the Health
[Ministry] debate at 4:48 pm.
You may continue.
Sen. Lauren Bell: Thank you, Madam Chairman.

HEAD 24 —HOSPITALS
Sen. Lauren Bell: I am pleased to present the budget
for Head 24, Hospitals, found on pages B -166 and B -
167 of the Budget Book. Madam Chairman, a total of $177.141 million operational grant has been allocated
for Head 24—Hospitals, for 2025/26, which represents
an increase of 14 per cent, or $21,743,000 over the
budget of fiscal year 2024/25. This constitutes 72 per
cent of the total budget allocated to the Ministry of
Health for 2025/26, compared to 77 per cent of last
year’s budget.

Grants and Contributions

Sen. Lauren Bell: The Head 24 budget also comprises
a hospital patient subsidy in the amount of
$112,498,000 for children, the aged and the indigent.
This amount remains unchanged from the previous
year [and a further] $41,161,000 grant was also allocated for services at MWI, which is relatively the
same as last year and an operational grant of
$22,482,000 for 2025/26.
Madam Chairman, in April the Ministry of
Health received $56,250,000 in additional health fund-ing from the Ministry of Finance to address several critical and urgent national health priorities, including Universal Health Coverage, Government Employee Heal th
Insurance, Health Insurance Department and the Bermuda Hospitals Board. Within the limits of this funding
provided, allocations were made in the amount $13,250,000 for HID (the Health Insurance Department) and $18 million for GEHI, which is the Government Employee Health Insurance programme, reflecting Government’s commitment to continue specific
benefits and were underpinned by actuarial projections.
The remaining funds were strategically and equitably allocated, balancing obligations and the longer -
term policy objectives of UHC. Within this limited fund-ing framework, BHB was allocated $22 million to support its operations, recognising both its essent ial role in
health service delivery and the broader fiscal restraints.
The Ministry of Health remains committed to
working collaboratively with BHB to explore all options for financial sustainability planning. The allocation does
not reflect a lack of recognition of BHB’s needs, but rather the difficult reality of managing c onstrained resources against multiple critical obligations.

General
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, BHB’s total current expenditure for 2024/25 was $384 million and represents an increase of $3,000,000 or approximately
0.9 per cent higher than the budget for that fiscal year.
From June 2019, the BHB's funding model was
changed by government to a fixed payment that in-cludes all services under the Standard Health Benefit
(otherwise known as SHB) legislat ion for the Mutual
Reinsurance Fund (MRF), a fixed grant to the Mid- Atlantic Wellness Institute services and a grant provided
to cover youth, aged and indigent patients. The MRF
portion of BHB's revenue is a transfer of a portion of the
funds from the Standard Health Benefit premiums and
as such is not a budgeted line item in the B udget Book,
but it is a significant portion of the BHB's overall revenue as follows.
Madam Chairman, as the Government advances the implementation of the Universal Health
Coverage, the future of block grant funding model for
the Bermuda Hospitals Board remains under active discussion. Introduced in 2019, the block grant provides
the hospit al with a fixed annual budget, most recently
set at $322 million to cover operational costs including
staff, services and financing obligations under the public-private partnerships model.
This funding approach was initially adopted to
control escalating health care costs and encourage efficiency within the hospital system. While the block
252 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate grant remains the primary funding model, planning for
the future finance model will be within the context of the
broader UHC reform goal.

Revenue

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the revenue cap
for SHB MRF and MWI grant has remained flat for six
years, with additional funds from a $17 million operational grant and a $7.2 million capital grant last fiscal
year. These made up about 95 per cent of BHB’s annual total revenue in 2024/25.
Management achieved an average of 6.4 per
cent annual internal savings over five years to operate within this fixed revenue. Rising costs for utilities, supplies and global drug prices challenge sustaining services and investment in staff salary increases , facility
maintenance and upgrades, equipment and technology. Notably, the clinical staff have not received a cost -
of-living increase since 2018.
Madam Chairman, there are four additional
revenue streams not reflected in the budget for
Head 24.
1. The Mutual Reinsurance Fund. In 2024/25
BHB received $171 million from the MRF,
funded through a portion of the standard premium rate paid by insured individuals. This
supports Standard Health benefits services for
their insured population.
2. Uninsured and non- resident revenue. About
5 per cent of BHB’s revenue comes from uninsured individuals and non -resident s needing
urgent care. This revenue is rising with increased tourism and a recent fee adjustment raising hospital charges for tourists from
200 per cent to 300 per cent of local rates. BHB
also charges for select special services under
section 4B of the Fee Schedule.
3. Donations. This year two cardiology unit pa-tients donated $500,000 via the Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Foundation funding 14 mobile
ECG carts and a treadmill for cardiac screening.
4. Hospitals Auxiliary of Bermuda, HAB. HAB donated $350,000 for two ambulances and other
equipment. They also provided significant volunteer support. Madam Chairman, 29,289
adult volunteer hours and 5,503 Candy Striper
hours in 2024 through services like information desks, the Pink Café and Gift Shop, and The Barn.
Madam Chairman, due to the pressures of delivering health care within a capped revenue funding programme model, BHB has seen its cash reserves
used up. It is currently maximising utilisation of its $25
million overdraft facility, which is used to cover opera-tional expenses month by month. And there is currently
no cash for major projects. By the end of March 2025, BHB has recorded
a net loss of $15.5 million after taking into consideration
savings. This is a $7.3 million better -than- projected
loss of $22.8 million due to BHB’s cost savings as well as Government concessions.
Madam Chairman, net revenue was slightly
above budget by $10.6 million. And expenses were
$3.3 million, or 0.9 per cent above the budget. Highlighting the efforts that BHB staff have undertaken to control costs, these cash savings have had a positive
impac t on investments in staff and with the facility and
equipment.
Madam Chairman, the Bermuda Industrial Union staff had a cost -of-living adjustment increase of
4 per cent in October 20 24. BHB’s BPSU members
have not received a COLA increase since 2018, with
2022 negotiations still ongoing.
Repairs and upgrades have been limited to essential needs, maintaining safety and international care
standards but are hindering proactive planning and improvements.
Madam Chairman, as of February 2024, total
savings reached $23 million with $12 million attributed
to government concessions. T he remaining savings
came from internal initiatives , disciplined financial management and keeping expenditures below budget. While some non -clinical vacancies were left unfilled
due to reduced costs, efforts to hire nurses and clinical
staff have maintained service quality.
Madam Chairman, BHB is exploring alternative
revenue sources beyond Government funding and seeking to extend credit facilities to support growing
service demands. BHB is nearing the implementation of the 2024 budget initiative to build private insurance
for road traffic accident injuries, restoring coverage
through premiums.
BHB also plans to introduce limited charges for
services influenced by local factors, international markets and overseas vendors, including specialist drugs
and medical supplies.
Madam Chairman, regarding the auditing process, BHB has clean audited financial statements up to
2023. The 2022 and 2023 annual reports are completed and are in final approval process. The audited
financial statements for 2024 and 2025 financial years are underway and are expected to be completed by the
third quarter.
Investments in upgrade and improvements.
Madam Chairman, BHB continues to invest signifi-cantly in capital infrastructures to maintain safe, high -
quality care. Financial pressures have led to the defer-ral of some projects but as Bermuda’s sole hospital provider BHB prioritises the patient’s safety and adherence to international standards.
Capital projects and operationally funded improvements. Sterile Processing Department [SPD] upgrade. Madam Chairman, BHB began a $4.5 million
renovation of its S terile Processing Department in November with completion expected by summer 2025.


Bermuda Senate The project includes replacing ageing equipment, furniture, flooring and upgrading infrastructure in the 14year-old General Wing Facility. SPD is critical to clinical
safety, ensuring all surgical and reusable tools are sanitised, supporting over 9,000 surgeries annually at KEMH.
Pyxis Upgrade. Madam Chairman, Pyxis is
BHB’s medication management system access ed via
MedStation s allowing controlled nursing access and
central monitoring by pharmacy. It was first introduced in 2010 with 2014 software upgrades, all 36 Pyxis Med-Stations across BHB sites were recently replaced due
to outdated equipment. Over 550 staff have received
training for this upgrade in the new Pyxis ES enhanced
security, efficiency, accuracy EMR integration and usability. The upgrade incurred at no capital cost as it was
included in the service contract, though overall Pyxis
costs have increased.
New Acute Care Wing (ACW) generator.
Madam Chairman, in 2024 an additional generator was
installed at King Edward VII Memorial hospital to enhance BHB’s electrical backup. Working with two existing power units, to power essential systems during outages. The project, managed by Paget Health Services,
under the publi c-private partnerships contract began in
June and finished by year -end with no extra cost to
BHB.
Mattress replacement project. Madam Chairman, BHB replaced 129 older mattresses at the Acute
Care Wing this year at a cost of $80,000. The new mattresses enhanced patient recovery by preventing pres-sure ulcers, improving rest and comfort, aiding medical
procedures with adjustability and supporting better infection control through easier cleaning.
Diagnostic imaging equipment replacement.
Madam Chairman, the Acute Wing’s diagnostic imaging equipment over 10 years old is nearing end of life, causing increased MRI and CT service disruptions,
which is problematic for Bermuda’s only 24/7 emergency servi ce. Replacement will begin this fiscal year
and continue into the next, with a $12 million, five- year
plan, covering replacement, upgrades, installations and
service. Payments are structured over time. And philanthropic support via the Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Foundation is crucial to the programme.
New human resources and payroll systems.
Madam Chairman, over the course of this fiscal year work began to implement a new human capital management system, known as HCMS, and payroll system.
Both systems are old and at high risk of critical failure. Theref ore, upgrades can no longer be postponed. A
major part of this project is expected to be completed
within the last quarter of this fiscal year. The new systems will provide increased stability for these missioncritical applications while allowing the BHB to decommission hardware that is at the end of its life.
The HCMS system will help streamline human
services functions and improve data integrity and accuracy. The payroll system will also benefit from more efficiency and reliability.
Now on to oncology. Madam Chairman, two
new oncologists and two oncology nurses joined in
February and bring a full -time oncologist team to three,
and a complete nursing staff. This enables on Island
care for all cancer patients serving up to 300 monthly.
BHB thanks Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre,
P.A.L.S., and the Department of Immigration for their
support during recruitment.
Since hiring oncologists is rare and can take
six months or more, BHB is exploring locum agreements with overseas hospitals to maintain services during hiring gaps or vacations.
Executive positions. Madam Chairman, following the appointment of the new CEO, the Deputy CEO
role, previously held by the current CEO, required cov-erage particularly in the key areas of human resources
and organisational development and strategy. As a result, the role was restructured into a dedicated Chief of
People position. After a rigorous recruitment process, the successful candidate began their role in March of
this fiscal year.
Regarding existing positions, the Acting Chief
[Operating] Officer was confirmed as the Chief Operating Officer this year. And the Acting Chief of Staff was
confirmed as the Chief of Staff in May.
Digital Health Trainee Progamme. Madam
Chairman, the Digital Health Trainee Programme
launched in November 2024 with four staff in a two- year
rotation across technical applications, informatics and
project management teams, included monthly field trips
to local IT groups. In summer 2024, Digital Health hired
many students, partnering with technology leadership
forums to include two new students. These initiatives
encourage Bermudians to pursue health care tech careers while providing training and experience .
Improving access to education. Madam Chairman, a new learning platform was launched at BHB in
this fiscal year following a pilot comprised of more than
100 staff. The new platform gives staff access to more
than 100 courses focused on strengthening skills such
as decision- making, communication and leadership
while enhancing skills in computing software such as Excel, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook.
Scholarship. Madam Chairman, BHB awarded
$190,000 in scholarships to 12 local students in this fiscal year. One of the scholarships awarded was for
$20,000 for two years and is funded by GlaxoSmithKline and administered by BHB. The other 11
students each received a BHB general scholarship in
their speciality area valued at $15,000 for one year. Six
of the general scholarship recipients were medical students, one was a physiotherapy student, and one was
a psychology student, and three were nursing students.

Signature School MOU

254 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, BHB signed a
memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education in November 2024. This means BHB is now a
learning partner for the new Signature School programme, specifically the Health and Social Care Signa-ture Learning programme , which will be in place at the
Berkeley Institute. BHB hopes this initiative will inspire
more Bermudian students to pursue careers in the
health care services.

Performance Measures by Business Unit

Accreditation

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, in May 2024,
BHB earned full accreditation from Accreditation Can-ada after rigorous review of nearly 3,800 safety criteria across all sites. Four independent surveyors assessed
services, documents, and staff, praising BHB's pandemic response, EMR rollout, strategic planning, and
service improvements.
In addition to this organisation- wide accreditation, BHB holds specialised accreditations from Joint
Commissions International for Pathology, American
College of Radiology for [Mammography], Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities for Turning
Point Substance Abuse Programme, and a Certificate
of Distinction from Accreditation Canada for its primary stroke centre.

Stroke Care Performance

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, in December
2024, BHB's Primary Stroke Centre improved its
benchmark for key stroke performance indicator, reducing the average door -to-needle time for administering TPA, which is a critical clot -busting drug. Administering TPA within one hour of hospital arrival is best
practice and a key quality indicator under Accreditation
Canada's Stroke Distinction Programme.
While meeting the standard has been a challenge since the Centre opened in 2019, a recent rise in
timely patient arrivals has enabled physicians to deliver
optimum care more consistently.
Madam Chairman, at BHB, 15- minute daily afternoon meetings with clinical and supports areas, including housekeeping and diagnostic imaging, were initiated to better identify issues as well as find ways to
ensure tests and diagnostics were completed for inpatients in a timelier manner. A key issue raised in the daily meeting was the need to book ambulance
transport a day in advance to support timely patient discharges. Improved coordination among clinical teams
and the use of PEARL [Patient Electronic & Admi nistrative Records Log] discharge tools, including detailed bullet rounds, have helped streamline the process.
Madam Chairman, as of December 2024,
nearly half of BHB's acute care beds were occupied by
patients medically fit for discharge, with an average day of over 70 days. This has led to emergency department
crowding and postponed elective surgeries. In response, a task force is trialling new technology to improve patient flow and reduce stays. Initiatives include
better use of inpatient space and piloting remote moni-toring equipment, which could prevent admissions or
allow earlier discharge with continued overs ight.

Improving Care Through Integrated Care Pathways

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, BHB is advancing integrated care pathways to improve coordination
and outcomes. This month, it launched a prostate cancer care pathway and booklet developed in collaboration with urologists, the Bermuda Cancer and Health
Centre, PALS, and the Daily Meal Charity to support
prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of men in Ber-muda.
BHB also began using a new green light laser
for non- invasive prostate treatment, donated by Argus
via the Bermuda Hospital Charitable Foundation. By
August, five patients were treated, with 15 more scheduled. The technology improves access, shortens recovery, and reduces the need for overseas care.
Madam Chairman, BHB is working with Johns
Hopkins University to enhance trauma and burns care.
In December 2024, BHB staff and local surgeons col-laborated with Johns Hopkins trauma specialists building on earlier work in burns care. The goal is to improve
on Island coordination, emergency response, and explore real -time remote specialist support, strengthening
local care and overseas transfer readiness.

Digital Health Improvements in the Fiscal Year

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, in 2024 BHB expanded its medical informatics team with the appointment of two deputy chief medical information officers,
both practicing BHB physicians. Their clinical leadership is vital to ensure that BHB systems, particularly
PEARL, are optimised to support patient care.

Supporting Improved Patient Care Between
Hospital and Community

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, a key component
of digital health strategy is improving communications
between the hospital and external physician's offices,
helping to strengthen relationships and better ensure the coordination of care as patients move between an
acute and community setting. In 2024, BHB purchased
and began the implementation of an integrated engine,
which enables PEARL to connect with other BHB systems and external physician office electronic medical
records. This will help in the phasi ng out of fax communications, which is archaic, unreliable, and not secure enough for the new PIPA legislation landscape. Connecting community electronic medical records with


Bermuda Senate PEARL through the integration engine will be a key focus in the upcoming fiscal year.

Johns Hopkins Activity and Mobility Promotions

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, Johns Hopkins
activity and mobility promotion was launched at BHB in
June 2023, with the goal of getting every patient moved
every day in hospital. This is critical to help prevent deconditioning and other issues such as pressure injuries.
In 2024, PEARL was updated to build documentation
and reporting functions to support this programme. This
enabled BHB to review documentation compliance and
the patient's achievement of their daily activity and mobility goals.
The reports improve accountability with staff
working with and inputting data daily, allowing them to view their data and other unit data in a healthy competition to meet the key performance indicators related to
this programme.

Detecting and Managing Acute Kidney Injuries

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, a National
Health Service (NHS) for acute kidney injury (AKI)
which is a tool designed to detect and manage AKI, has
been embedded within PEARL. This algorithm ensures
timely and consistent identification and treatment of AKI.

Optimising and Upgrading PEARL

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the first major
upgrade of PEARL was completed in 2024, with a second scheduled for March 2025. Testing and preparations are already complete. Optimising efforts began in summer 2024 in partnership with Oracle Health, focus-sing on improving system design, efficiency, and safety
through configuration changes, training, and new features.

Unique Patient Identifiers
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, in 2024, BHB piloted an Enterprise Master Person Index, known as
EMPI, to assign unique identifiers across health care
systems, reducing duplicate records, and improving patient safety. The pilot achieved over 90 per cent match
rate across four data sets, including PEARL.
In 2025, BHB will integrate EMPI with PEARL
to support community integration and the Bermuda
Health Council's National Universal Patient Identifier,
(UPI) initiative.

Ensuring PIPA Compliance

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, with the Personal Information Protection Act 2016 becoming fully
operational on 1 January 2025, BHB undertook extensive preparations to ensure compliance. Key actions include
1. offering PIPA training to all 1,800 staff mem-bers;
2. developing new privacy policies and updating existing ones;
3. revising forms, including the general consent to care form and creating stakeholder specific privacy notices, for example, for patients, staff,
vendors, and CCT footage; and
4. launching a dedicated PIPA webpage to house
privacy notices and key information.

Responses to Major Challenges in the Fiscal Year

ACW Electrical Fire
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, in June 2024, an
internal electrical failure at KEMH Acute Care Wing
caused a full power outage. Backup generators failed,
impacting steam, water, and A/C. BHB activated alert
level three and launched a crisis response. Power was
restored overnight and services resumed by morning.
Repairs were completed under the PPP [Public Private Partnership] contract at no extra cost beyond staffing.

Bermuda Measles Outbreak

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, in November
2024, Bermuda reported its first measles cases in decades. Given measles high contagiousness, BHB
worked with the Ministry of Health on contract tracing.
A PEARL report was developed to track patient loca-tions and times, proving vital for identifying exposures.

Plans for the Upcoming Year

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, in the 2025/26
fiscal year, BHB plans to balance budget constraints with critical investments. Key initiatives include upgrading diagnostic imaging equipment, completion by fall
2025; renovating the maternity unit infrastructure, furniture, and equipment; advancing the 2026- 2030 Strategic Plan in collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders; continuing PEARL systems annual up-grades; launching a NEWS2 dashboard to monitor patients at risk of critical illness with full implementation in
2025; and finally, establishing a cloud- based data lake
for storing and querying structure and unstructured
data, including legacy archives.
Madam Chairman, this concludes my presentation on Head 24, Hospitals.

HEAD 91 —HEALTH INSURANCE

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, I am pleased to
present the budget for Head 91, Health Insurance, found on pages B -168 through B -170 of the Budget
Book. The budget for the Health Insurance Department
256 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate [HID] for fiscal year 2025/26 is $15,901,000. This represents an increase of $12,459,000 above the 2024/25
budget.

Grants and Contributions

Sen. Lauren Bell: Found on page C -19, the grant to
the Health Insurance Fund for 2025/26 is $13,250,000,
representing an increase of $10,950,000.

Health Insurance Administration
General Administration
Sen. Lauren Bell: The Head 91 budget partially funds
the Health Insurance Department to develop and ad-minister the Government's social health insurance
products, including the Health Insurance Plan (HIP), FutureCare plan, the Mutual Reinsurance Fund, the
Government Subsidy Programme, which pays towards
the hospitalisation cost of select population, and the
Health System Strengthening Fund.
Madam Chairman, since November 2021, HIP
and FutureCare policyholders have not experienced an
increase in premiums. The monthly premium for HIP
has remained at $459.24, and for FutureCare at $530.14. This reflected the Government's commitment
to ensuring t hat premium rates remain stable and affordable for policyholders, particularly the most vulnerable members of our community. However, to maintain
the financial viability amid rising medical costs and demand, a modest premium increase will take effect in the next fiscal year.

Prescription Drug Benefit

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the prescription
drug benefit is an essential component of the health care system, offering access to necessary medications
at reduced cost. This benefit helps to ensure that individuals, particularly those with chronic conditions or
compl ex health needs, can afford the medications required to manage their health and prevent more serious
costly health complications.
Madam Chairman, between the 1 April 2024
and the 31 March 2025, a total of 2,383 HIP participants and 4,707 FutureCare participants have accessed the
prescription drug benefit. This benefit covers 100 per
cent of the cost, providing up to $1,000 in annual coverage for HIP clients and up to $3,000 in annual coverage for FutureCare clients. The use of the prescription drug benefit underscores its vital role in providing financial relief and facilitating access to essential medications for active members enrol led in both plans.
Along with the 2,383 HIP participants who accessed the prescription drug benefits, the HID has dispersed $1,235,378 in prescription claims, equating to an average of $518.41 per active HIP participant. Additionally, for the 4,707 FutureCare participants who accessed the prescription drug benefit, the HID has disbursed $7,289,619 in claims, averaging $1,548 per
FutureCare participant.
In total, HID's total expenditure on prescription
drugs was $8,524,998, which is an increase of
$1,036,356 for the same time last fiscal year. These fig-ures highlight the critical need for, and the significance
of the financial support offered through the HID.

Maternity Benefit Programme

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the Maternity
Benefit Programme provides financial support and essential health care to expectant mothers, ensuring access to prenatal delivery and postnatal care, regardless
of the financial status. It helps reduce the cost for families a nd promotes better health outcomes. The programme covers up to 100 uninsured or underinsured
pregnant women, filling gaps in maternity coverage. In
2024/25, HID dispersed about $59,000 for eligible
claims. HID remains committed to expanding the programme to better serve Bermuda's mothers and babies.

Personal Home Care —PHC Benefit
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the Personal
Home Care [PHC] Benefit is vital for Bermuda's ageing
population by helping seniors stay independent and reduce hospital admissions. It provides financial support
for skilled and unskilled home caregivers, including
family members.
Currently, 478 participants use PHC with five
new requests weekly. HID conducts assessments vir-tually or by phone with an average five- day wait and up
to five -day assessments daily. From April 2024 to
March 2025, HID distributed $6,661,202 in PHC claims,
about $13,935 per participant, a 3 per cent increase
from the prior year. With rising demand, HID is explor-ing new ways to enhance the benefit.
Following the Government's commitment to remove the 12- month wait, eligible policyholders, including seniors and those with chronic conditions, will be able to access home care services immediately, supporting timely hospital discharges.

Enhanced Care Programme (ECP)
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, since 2017, the
Enhanced Care Programme (ECP) has been administered by the Health Insurance [Department] programme (HID) to support the treatment of chronic noncommunicable diseases amongst the underinsured
and uninsured populations.
The programme facilitates access to primary
care, enabling participants to receive essential treatment that may have previously been out of reach. Currently, there are 92 active participants, each of whom is
eligible for four primary care visits annually w ithout a


Bermuda Senate co-pay, along with access to critical medications for
chronic disease management.

Health Insurance Fund Operating Results

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, Health Insurance
Fund (HIF) encompasses two products and associated
policy groups: the Health Insurance Plan (HIP) and FutureCare. These programmes provide essential health
care coverage to an important segment of the population, ensuring access to hospital outpatient prescription
and other medical services. The projected headcount
of HIP policyholders for fiscal year 2025/26 is 3,771,
and the projected FutureCare headcount for 2025/26 is
5,250 policyholders.
These projections are anticipated to be higher,
given the HIP and FutureCare enhancements and the removal of the wait period for the Personal Home Care
benefit. The combined 2025/26 headcount for both programmes represents a 1.9 per cent increase over the
combined 2024/25 headcount, reflecting a gradual
growth in enrolment with continued demand for health
insurance services.
For fiscal year 2025/26, the HIF would expect
to collect $21.5 million should the headcount remain
constant. Should there be a 2.5 per cent increase in
headcount, the collection of $22.1 million is expected. Finally, should the HIF return to the average perfor-mance levels of 2024/25, a collection of $21.3 million is
expected.

HIP Operating Results

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025 projected value for HIP claims is $12,186,000, or $3,232
in claims per policyholder. HIP claims data offers valu-able insight into utilisation patterns, enabling the HID to assess cost drivers, identify gaps in service access,
and explore opportunities for improved care coordination. Moreover, the HIP claims projection emphasises
a need for continued modernisation and efficiency in
the administration of public insurance plans.

FutureCare Operating Results

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the 2025/26 projected value for FutureCare claims is $34,529,000, or
$6,577 per policyholder. The HID plays a vital role in
ensuring that FutureCare funds are administered efficiently and that providers are reimbursed accurately and prompt ly, and that services covered under the plan
align with the most critical health needs of the population. Moreover, the per capita claims cost is an essential metric for financial planning, premium rate setting,
and ongoing assessment of t he plan sustainability.
Madam Chairman, the total 2025/26 premiums
to be collected for FutureCare are projected to be $32.6 million should the headcount remain constant. Should there be a 2 per cent increase in the headcount, the
HID would expect to collect $33.3 million.
Finally, should FutureCare return to the average performance levels of 2024/25, HID would expect
to collect $32.1 million in premiums.

MRF Operating Results
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, the Mutual Reinsurance Fund premiums play a critical role in sustaining the operations of the Health Insurance Department and ensuring the financial stability of Bermuda's health care
system.
As the central funding mechanism, MRF premiums are pooled to support essential high- cost health
services that benefit the entire population, such as kidney dialysis, long -term hospital care, and catastrophic
care coverage. For the HID, these contributions are vital in offsetting the cost benefits provided by HIP and
FutureCare, therefore helping to keep premiums affordable for policyholders.
The MRF premium for 2024/25 fiscal year remained at $376.97 per person, per month. As a current
date, the MRF totals $18,128,000 per month average.
Should the headcount remain at the current average of
approximately 48,080 individuals, the MRF is expected
to collect a total of $217.4 million for fiscal year
2025/26. The MRF headcount has increased by less
than 1.2 per cent over the past three years. Should this
be a 1.1 per cent increase, the MRF is expected to collect a total of $219 million.

Health System Strengthening Fund
Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, in 2024, $1 million from Health System Strengthening Funds supported the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) implementation. The PMO [ Project Management Office ] advanced financial analysis and actuarial modelling for the core benefits package and began establishing national health system metrics to evaluate and prove care
quality.
The PMO is also implementing recommendations for mental health, chronic kidney disease, first
1,000 days, and mapping pathways for respiratory asthma and acute care. All activities, including a development of a health care workforce strategy, are on
track.

Subsidising Operating Results

Sen. Lauren Bell: Madam Chairman, for 2025/26, the
Youth, Age, and Indigent Subsidy Programme forecast $134 million to cover 65,490 hospital encounters. The
Hospital Insurance Department oversees accurate and
timely processing of these payments, funded by the
Consolidated Fund included in the hospital budget.
This vital programme ensures residents facing
financial hardship can access necessary care at KEMH
258 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate and Mid- Atlantic Wellness Institute (MWI), reducing delayed treatment and preventative hospitalisations. It
supports Universal Health Coverage by providing equitable access without financial hardships.
Madam Chairman, this concludes my presentation on programme 9101, Health Insurance Administration and Head 91.
Madam Chairman, for my closing remarks, I
want to state that the Ministry of Health carries a vital
mandate to implement the policies, plans, and programmes necessary to build a healthier Bermuda. Across all programmes and business units, the Ministry's wo rk is shaped by the following priorities:
• equity in access and outcomes;
• fiscal responsibility and sustainability;
• preventative care and early intervention;
• support for vulnerable populations;
• health systems strengthening and integration;
• workforce development; and finally
• community engagement.
Together, these priorities reinforce our vision
for a modern, inclusive, and responsive health care
system, one that protects, empowers, and uplifts every
resident of Bermuda.
Madam Chairman, as Bermuda advances towards its health reform goals, this budget is more than a financial plan. It is a catalyst for meaningful ex-change. It reflects our deep commitment to delivering
quality care for all, safeguarding public health, and ensuring that every person in Bermuda has the oppor-tunity to live a healthy and dignified life.
We remain focused on system- wide reforms
that align health care delivery with the principles of ac-cessibility, affordability, and quality. This budget is guided by our shared vision of healthy people in healthy
communities.
Madam Chairman, this concludes my budget
brief for the Ministry of Health.

Thank you, Junior Minister Bell, Senator Bell.
Do you have any . . . did you receive any questions prior to today's presentation that you would like to
address?

Sen. Lauren Bell: Yes, I can report that I received
three questions from the Opposition. Those questions
were answered in the brief I have presented today.
Additionally, I received three questions from Independent Senator Wight. Those came to me this morning, so unfortunately, they weren't included in the
brief, but I do have responses. And I am happy to provide those answers if Senator Wight can first pose those questions.
Sen. John Wight: Thank you, Senator.
Yes, so my first question —and I appreciate
this, is looking at page B -149. The hospitals have obviously had a very large increase in funding of approximately $22 million. So, what does the Ministry
deem to be the three greatest needs for the hospital in
2025/26 to address the challenges of meeting the medical needs of Bermuda's ageing population? That's my
first question.
The second is: beds in government -funded
nursing homes need to be increased as many seniors
in our community are unable to afford to pay for private
nursing homes. Can the Ministry speak to the plan for
the coming year in this area?
And the third question, home health services is
the most cost -effective method to address seniors who
do not yet have a need for nursing homes and who wish to enjoy their independence. What is the plan for expanding health services, and where do I find thi s budgeted for?
Thank you, Senator.

Yes, Senator Cunningham.

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Yes, so I can confirm that
a lot of the pre- posed questions were covered in the
brief. The main one asked about the anticipated total cost of implementing Universal Health Care, I did hear
her say there is no single price tag. So, we will look forward to seeing what the ultimate price tag is when it
ultimately comes into play.
But I just wanted to speak to the performance
measures for the Programme Management Office on page B -153 that states it's 75 per cent done for the year
for the established . . . to get the PMO up and running,
and it will be completed 100 per cent by 2025/26. So, I
wanted to know what the main priorities are for the 2025/26 year for that PMO office.
My second pre- posed question was, What will
happen to the block grant for the hospital when Universal Health Care comes into play? And my supplemental
to that would be what reporting and oversight mechanisms are in place to monitor how these block grant
funds have been spent or are spent to ensure accountability for both Government and the BHB.
And my third one was, I guess, similar to one
by the Independent Senator to my left about the $22


Bermuda Senate million additional funding. I think I would ask for it to be
specifically related to how it's addressing staffing and
inflationary needs.
And I think the Ministry and the Junior Minister
in particular should be giving assurance to the public that the current operational grant is meeting the demands of our ageing population. I think we want confirmation that we're on track. What is it, by nex t year one
in four people on this Island are going to be over 65? So, this is something that's coming at us rapidly.
And then moving on to additional questions. So
going to the Capital Development on page C -5, I note
the total authorised funds of $88.9 million, which in-cludes Sylvia Richardson and Lefroy House, as well as
the parish clinics. One question would be with the parish clinics, when do they expect the Mangrove Bay
Clinic to be completely operational? And then I assume the East End is potentially the urgent care. Are there
other details of the second one, that I think was mentioned, and then obviously the Hamilto n Clinic?
But with Lefroy House, I have been up there. I
have played bingo with the residents. And they are ac-tually wonderful people. But the facility itself is run
down. And I feel that we are just spending money and
spending money on just putting Band- Aids on thi ngs.
So, is there any effort to purchase land or use government land to build a new facility? Because I would say
for Lefroy House refurbishment and the Lefroy House care community, $85 million is quite a hefty amount.
And I would think that that's leaning towards purchasing
a new facility.
So back on page C -18, we see the Grants and
Contributions. There are a number that weren't budgeted in the . . . well, they were budgeted in the last period but have increased. And I just wanted to see what
explanation there is to how these grants and cont ributions are determined and the process around the deci-sions for those fundings being made, and what . . . And
I get Age Concern, Family Centre. All great organisa-tions.
I will declare an interest, as my cousin is the
diabetes educator for the Diabetes Association. But I
would be interested to see why the Bermuda Diabetes
Association —who is the number one charity working to
support diabetes education and the . . . maybe not
elimination, but the reduction of the health issues
around that, the incidence of diabetes —are not considered for Ministry of Health grants. And I thought that
was exactly what the sugar tax was . . . revenue was
supposed to be generated to improve publi c health.
So, I would say my question is, why isn't the
Bermuda Diabetes Association, who I would say is our
leading entity on this issue, receiving direct support?
And I also note, and I think on page . . . so C -
18 to page C -21, where you have got Ministry of Youth,
Social Development and Seniors, where we can see
grants again for Age Concern, the rest homes and
Women's Resource Centre. I would just be interested to know if the ministries collaborate on those contribu-tion budgets.
Back on page B -151, I wanted to know the registration for doctors and nurses. It looks like doctor's
registration is down and nurses has gone to zero. I just wondered if that has moved somewhere.
And then on performance measures on page
B-153, there is one that says the resolution rate for
complaints against physicians resolved by professional
statutory body within the year is originally forecast at 25
and at 50. I would be interested to know if that's an un-der-resourcing issue or procedural delays.
And can you confirm if . . . I mean, we don't obviously have any absolute numbers, but how many of these complaints actually resulted in disciplinary actions?
Moving on to Head 22, if I may. So, under the
performance measures on page B -158, you mentioned
the childhood immunisation. You also spoke about the November 2024 outbreak of measles. I just wondered
what the department is doing to get that 85 [per cent]
up to the 90 [per cent]. I believe that's the World Health
Organization recommendation. I was trying to look up
Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO’s), but I
could not find it, but I have a feeling it's probably around
90 [per cent]. But I think in a s mall population like ours,
that immunisation threshold is one that we need to
meet.
And then on page, again, B -158 under child
health, I find it extremely troubling that one in four of our five- year-olds is overweight or obese, and a figure
that seems to have remained unchanged and has ac-tually gone up from the 2023/24 year. I ask, and I guess this ties in with sport and with education, but are our
early childhood centres being supported with healthy
food and movement programmes? Are parents empowered with the tools that they need to ensure that
their children are getting those programmes?
And I think we need to look at this because this
is an indicator that, you know, it could only grow more
expensive and more devastating, quite frankly, if left
unaddressed. I think we need to look at some intervention measures to bring that down.
And then on page B -160, I was just a little concerned, but I probably understand that the percentage of institutions compliant with nutritious and varied diets
that promote good health and well -being, that our rest
home facilities are at 90 per cent for this year, and our
correctional facilities are at 95 per cent, which suggests
to me that our correctional facilities' clients are getting
better nutritional guidance and meals than our rest
homes. I just want to see what the difference between
those performance metrics would be between the corrections and the rest homes.
You also mentioned trans fats under this, and I
know it was in the Government's Throne Speech. I was
of the opinion that most food products that were being
manufactured and distributed or imported into Bermuda
now from the US and UK are now compliant with the
260 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate trans fats regulations. So, I wonder where that programme is going to go and how they are going to look
at it from a Bermuda standpoint, unless just looking at
Bermuda- produced food sources.
And then—

Excuse me, Senator Cunningham, just
a time check. There are 15 minutes left to discuss this.
Thank you.

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Well, I will leave hospitals
then because my colleague in the House, in the other
place, sorry, had limited time on that, but she was able
to ask . . . although I will ask about the BHB involvement with the Signature Programme. I believe the stu-dents have been enrolled in these programmes now for
up to three years, so I was just wondering how many
students were involved in the Signature Schools Programme at Berkeley by year group, and how many students were enrolled in the nursing programme at Bermuda Coll ege.
And then on to Head 91, if I may. The budget
spoke about the enhanced benefits for FutureCare participants whereby they no longer need to wait the 12months from enrolment in the plan to use the benefit for home care. My question is . . . obviously, we know
nursing home beds are pretty unavailable, and in most
cases unaffordable. So, when is that change going to come into effect? I know a lot of the implemented
budget or tax relief changes are coming into effect on 1
July. I think a lot of the listening aud ience, and particularly members of my family, would be interested to
know when will that budget benefit of the no- need- to
wait-12-months . . . when will that come into effect? As
I know, a lot of families will be waiting for that small
amount of relief.
And finally, on health insurance, how many
claims adjusters are there within the department? Just thinking about how long it takes to process a claim, to
see what their workload is, and going on to mental
health of our employees. Are they sufficiently staf fed?
And another one was looking at the department objectives for health insurance, number four is reducing paper use. The performance measure on page B-170 shows reduced total office paper volume, and it
is maintained at 20 per cent for 2023/24, 2024/25, and
2025/26. I would say if we were looking to have a
SMART goal, we should be trying to work with that to
keep the paper use down. And especially with technological advancements, we should be looking at more measurable actions to reduce that, and obviously then
be more efficient and sustainable.
And I will leave that for now. Thank you very
much, Madam Chairman.

Thank you, Senator Cunningham.
Do any of the other Senators wish to speak on
the heads raised? Thank you, Senator Bell. Back to you to respond. Thank you to the questions raised.

Sen. Lauren Bell: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
A question from Senator Cunningham was,
What were the main priorities for the upcoming year for
Universal Health Coverage, PMO? And I can advise
that the Universal Health Coverage is not health care.
Priorities for 2025/26 are the establishment of the single-payer model, and the rollout of the core benefits
package as part of the Universal Health Coverage.
The next question by Senator Cunningham
was, What will happen to the block grant when the UHC comes into play, and what reporting mechanisms are in
place to monitor the accountability for Government and
BHB? So, this funding approach was initially adopted
to control escalating health care costs and encourage efficiency within the hospital system. And while the
block grant remains the primary funding model, plans
for future finance model will be within the context of the
broader UHC reform goals.
There was also a question from Senator Cunningham about grants and contributions, and she queried about how those were determined. She gave an
example and queried why the Diabetes Association
wasn't receiving funding support. So, the Government's
focus for 2025/26 was mental health, and therefore the
grants reflected the organisations that were involved
with improving mental health in Bermuda. The Ministry
entertains grant applications in July of each year.
Also from Senator Cunningham was a question
regarding the registration of doctors and nurses. In
2025/26 is . . . it was an off year as registration occurs
typically every two years.
There was also a question regarding performance measures, the resolution of complaints against
physicians, and is there an under resourcing in this
area, and how many complaints actually resulted in disciplinary action. The OCMO [ Office of the Chief Medical
Officer ] has experienced HR challenges and difficulties
in achieving quorums to evaluate these complaints. So,
the OCMO has scheduled quarterly meetings to alleviate this backlog, and thus far no disciplinary actions
have been recommended.
Regarding students who are enrolled at Bermuda College for their nursing programme, there's currently a capacity of up to 12 per year with limitations on
the clinical placements.
Senator Cunningham also asked, When is the
Mangrove Bay Clinic expected to be completely opera-tional? As I stated in my brief, we are in the general
contractor selection phase. I am happy to say that the
selection process has concluded, and the selected contractor is now commencing work on site. The renovation is expected to take the rest of the calendar year.
There was also a question about child health
and obesity. Health visitors are working in collaboration
with our public health nutritionist and childcare


Bermuda Senate regulations team to promote healthy nutritional habits.
Nutrition talks were conducted in all government preschools.
Regarding trans fats, the Minister of Health is
building testing capacity to identify industrially pro-duced trans fats in both domestically produced and imported foods from the US, UK, and other jurisdictions.
And that was briefly covered in my brief.
Madam Chairman, as I receive other responses to Senator Cunningham's questions, I am going to go to the questions posed by Independent Sena-tor Wight.

Thank you.
Sen. Lauren Bell: You are welcome.
The question was posed by the Senator regarding the increased funding of approximately $22
million. And he queried what were the three greatest
needs for the hospital in 2025/26.
The net increase to the BHB was $4.5 million
when all the grants and subsidies are reconciled. The three main challenges that BHB seeks to address include ensuring that there is a comprehensive recruitment and retention programme in place to provide health services to staff.
Secondly, there is a focus to complete upgrades and maintenance projects to ensure a compe-tent facility.
And thirdly, to increase home health monitoring
capacity for eligible patients to ease the burden on emergency department and inpatient units.
There was a question, again from Senator
Cunningham, regarding BHB's involvement in the Sig-nature Programme. Now, this question is probably
more appropriately suited to the Minister of Education or actually The Berkeley Institute. However, at least 30 students participated in orientation at BHB. And we are
very excited to be a Signature School partner, and we
will be soon announcing a major partnership to support
that.
There was a question by Senator Cunningham
regarding when we plan to eliminate the 12- month waiting period. The Ministry of Health is actively working on
this and will be able to report on a timeline as soon as
the Cabinet has an opportunity to consider th is. And we
are looking to progress this as soon as possible as the
Ministry of Health recognises the need for immediate
eligibility as it supports the Ageing in Place initiative.
Now, to the question posed by Senator Wight
regarding more beds in Government -funded nursing
homes needing to be increased. And there was a question about our plan for the upcoming year in this area. I
can give reference to page C -5. There is $300,000 in
business unit 75136 on page C -5 which is earmarked
for design work for expanding the number of beds at Sylvia Richardson Care Facility by at least 10 beds.
The $620,000 in business unit 75361 on page
C-5 is for the design work to build a new long- term care facility in the West End which could replace or supplement the care capacity of Lefroy House. In my brief, I
did describe the extensive improvements that have
been carried out at Lefroy House, and I invite Senator
Cunningham to go and have a look at those recent im-provements.
But, that being said, a design competition was
launched in April 2025 with an expression of interest period for four design forms responded to. In May, there
were three architectural firms that started work on their
designs as part of a conceptual design compe tition and
two remain. The Government is committed to building
a new purpose- built facility to house the Lefroy Care
Community Facility at a location on Morgan's Point adjacent to George's Bay Road and the Railway Trail
junction. The shortlisted teams have been asked to produce a concept design, and a comprehensive brief has
been issued to those architectural firms as well as information about the site.
A panel will review all entries and attend a
presentation and question- answering session by two of
the competing architectural firms before selecting the
winner by the end of July 2025. The new facility, I can
confirm, will have approximately 60 beds.
The other question posed by Senator Wight
was that in addition to the home services recognising
the most cost -effective method to address seniors who
have a need for nursing homes, he wanted to get an
explanation of expanding health services and where
can he find that or find this budgeted for. The key component for home health services is delivered through
our occupational therapy and physiotherapy teams who
provide preventative in- home safety checks and full risk
assessment screenings for referred seniors .
They also offer education, coaching, and support to eligible clients and their caregivers to manage functional needs, reduce the risk of injury, and promote
ageing in place by supporting independence in their
own home. This work is currently funded under t he occupational therapy and physiotherapy programmes,
and you can find that on page B -154.
Some of the key priorities for nursing services
include ensuring public health nursing services are fully
staffed to meet the demand, expanding community
health worker availability, capability, and scope of prac-tice with oversight from nursing staff in col laboration
with the Bermuda Nursing Council, improving facility infrastructure to support organisational efficiency. This
needs to be a priority but it is on the agenda. There is adjusting work hours to ensure coverage seven days a
week including holidays, and a review of the staffing
levels and shift patterns to prevent shortages. Some of
this is budgeted out of 32060 Community Health Nursing.
The question that Senator Cunningham raised
about Lefroy House and whether there was an effort to
purchase land, I believe I have answered that one.
There was also a question by Senator Cunningham on the percentage of institutions compliant
262 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate with healthy diets [being] lower than expected. There
are various factors across the 18 senior care homes
which are currently supported by two public health nutritionists to ensure that they meet nutritional standards
in line with the code of practice. We are currently collaborating with Age Concern to provide continuous education on proper nutrition and medical nutritional therapy within these homes. Private homes require more
support however and monitoring with three Department
of Correction facilities.
There was also a question by Senator Cunningham regarding child health and more specifically
about obesity and overweight children. So, health visitors are working in collaboration with our public health
nutritionist and childcare regulation team to promot e
healthy nutritional habits. Nutritional talks are con-ducted in Government preschools.

Thank you, Junior Minister, Senator
Bell.
That is all the time that we have to debate
these heads today. Senator Wight and Senator Cunningham, thank you for your concise and clear questions and Senator Bell for your answers that were also
concise and clear.
Do you wish to move these heads?
Sen. Lauren Bell: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Madam Chairman, I move that Heads 21, 22,
24 and 91 be approved as printed.

Senators, we are now in Committee of
the whole [Senate] for further consideration of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year
2025/26. The heads to be debated now under the Education Ministry are Head 16, which can be found on page B -132 regar ding the Ministry of Education Headquarters, and Head 17, on page B -137, the Department
of Education. I call on Minister the Honourable Crystal Caesar in charge of the Education Ministry.
Minister how do you wish to proceed?
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that the Committee do now take under
consideration Head 16, Ministry of Education Headquarters and Head 17, Department of Education.

Thank you, Minister. Please proceed.

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Colleagues, I would like to first thank the former
Minister of Education, my predecessor the Honourable
Diallo V. Rabain, now Minister for the Cabinet Office
and Digital Innovation who graciously presented the budget for the Ministry of Education in the House of Assembly.
He led education nationally through its most
trying period whilst also driving a number of changes to
public education, demonstrating unwavering perseverance during his tenure as Minister of Education. He laid
the groundwork, oversaw the pouring of the fou ndation
and helped to build and build out the infrastructure to
support the future growth and improvement of education reform and for that he should be both recognised and commended.
Mr. Chairman, this is my first budget as Minister of Education for the children, young adults, mature adults and families of Bermuda. I could easily say that I am proud and grateful to serve—which is very much
true. I could also say that this role is an honour and a
privilege which also holds true. And while my words are important so are the beliefs that underpin my decisions
and ultimately my actions as the Minister of Education.
Education is a right not only for the privileged
but for all children and families. Not only can and should
all children learn but they should learn to their potential
which must be cultivated and grown by caring adults
first at home, in the community and of course at great
schools that operate within a well -functioning, well -led
and continuously improving public education system.
Since becoming the Minister of Education, I
have taken the time to meet and listen to stakeholders
such as the Department of Education staff, school principals, boards of governors, union leadership and PTA
presidents. In those meetings I indicated that education
reform remains the priority in education. And under that
broad umbrella I am particularly interested in improving curriculum standards, improving the quality of services
and learning outcomes for students with learning differences and disabilities, improving both responsibility
and accountability and ensuring that our performance
measures for each head under the Ministry of Education are meaningful and that the results are headed in a positive direction.
Mr. Chairman, I have also been reviewing the
functions, activities and performance measures of the


Bermuda Senate Ministry Headquarters, Education Reform Unit and the
Department of Education. While I continue to gain insights into what and how we are doing I can state with
certainty and confidence that we will be doing things
differently.
With those sentiments now expressed I would
like to present the Ministry of Education's budget as per
the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year
2025/26 to give details on the past and proposed spend
on public education, what was achieved and how we
are working to do better.
At this juncture, Mr. Chairman, whilst I know my
colleagues have indulged the rules that we've . . . or
proposed rules that we've sat down because Education is so intertwined, both Heads 16 and 17, I will present
my full budget as it will seem very disjointed if I did not.
Comprised of the Ministry of Education Headquarters, (Head 16) and the Department of Education,
(Head 17), Mr. Chairman, the 2025[/26] budget for the
Ministry of Education is $149.2 million and is found on
page B -133. This represents an increase of $9.8 mi llion
compared to the 2024/25 original budget.
The current account 2025/26 estimated revenue for the Ministry of Education is $248,000. This budget represents the cost of running and funding the existing public education system; whilst simultaneously
investing in the transformation for the present and the
future.
Mr. Chairman, the Capital Expenditure estimates for acquisitions and development increased from
$7.9 million to $8.2 million in 2025/26. The number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) for the Ministry increased
by 35, from 1,053 to 1,088 employees, working acr oss
Heads 16 and 17.
Almost half of the increase in the overall budget
is primarily due to the recently finalised union- negotiated pay uplifts. These necessary adjustments, which resulted in a $4.6 million increase from the initial
budget, underscore our commitment to fair com pensation for educators, paraeducators and all of our staff
members.
The following remarks will detail the continuing
commitment to Education Reform, and the other investments being made not only to public education, but to post-secondary and continuous learning via scholarships and awards.

HEAD 16 —MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
HEADQUARTERS
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, I would
like to begin the budget speech today by detailing the
expenditure for the Ministry of Education Headquarters,
Head 16, and followed by Head 17.
The mission of the Ministry Headquarters,
which is found on page B -134, is To provide strategic
leadership and policy direction for education and lifelong learning. The objectives of the Ministry Headquarters have been outlined accordingly on the same page. Today, I would like to primarily focus on Government commitments regarding (1) Education Reform; and (2) the expansion of funding for post -secondary scholarships and awards directly to students via
scholarships.
Education reform is a broad, complex, strategic, and operational multi -year transformation agenda.
The hard and focused work to reform our public educa-tion system would not be possible without the herculean efforts of the Education Reform Unit (ERU), the
Department of Education, schools, educators, support
staff, other ministries and departments, learning partners, and community volunteers, all of whom share the
common aim of transforming our public education system to meet the needs, interests, and aspirat ions of
every child.
It should be noted that nearly all of the Education Reform Unit are drawn from the Department of Education and schools, and almost every staff member
supporting education reform on school transformation
teams or the ERU work streams are also employees
with full-time responsibilities in the Department of Education and schools.
Mr. Chairman, while there are many areas to
acknowledge and celebrate, I would like to highlight, but three successes at this time, noting that more information on the delivery of Education Reform at the
school level will be provided under the Department of
Education, Head 17.
The first success to speak of are learning partnerships, which provide students with opportunities to engage in real -world, hands -on, applied learning experiences that help them develop industry -specific
knowledge and skills. In many ways these are a mod-ern advancement on work release programmes of our
day, and are only possible because caring and willing
individuals, companies and organisations have
stepped forward and stepped up to invest in young people and Bermuda’s future economy.
The participation of Learning Partners sends a
powerful message: education is also a community responsibility, and when the whole community invests in
the growth and potential of our students, we not only
raise achievement, but we can build a stronger, mor e
connected Bermuda.
In order to ensure sustainability of the Learning
Partnerships programme, efforts are continually under-way to attract and assign new participants. Many learning partnership and learning partners have found the experience to be deeply rewarding, and anyone interested in being a part of this programme should contact the ERU, or Education Reform Unit, for information on
how to get involved.
Mr. Chairman, I would now like to bring attention to completed and ongoing capital works and investment in our schools under Education Reform. It should
be noted that minor works, including those for Education Reform fall under the Department of Education and
264 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate will be highlighted under that department, which is
Head 17.
At Purvis Primary School in 2024/25, the new
building containing P7 and P8 classrooms was completed. Each classroom was fitted out to support new
curriculum and approaches to teaching and learning.
The library and resource centre were also refurbished.
In 2025/26, the admin area will be relocated to
create appropriate spaces for school counsellors to
work and provide services to students. Furniture and
equipment in classrooms and other learning environ-ments will continue to be upgraded.
For the Francis Patton Primary Parish School,
2024/25, the new building to house P 2 students was
completed. It was also fitted out to support new curriculum and new approaches to teaching and learning. In
2025/26, furniture and equipment in classrooms and
other learning environments will continue to be upgraded.
At Elliot Primary School, in 2024/25, planning
took place to identify critical requirements for its opening in September 2025 as a parish school. In 2025/26,
storage rooms will be transformed into working spaces
for counsellors and multiple teacher workstations.
Changes will also be made to several classrooms to improve learning environments, for STEM, and other
subject areas. A lower school bookroom will also be
created and the staff room upgraded.
At Harrington Sound Primary School, in
2024/25, planning took place to identify critical require-ments for opening in September 2025 as a parish school. In 2025/26, renovations will include: converting
the principal's office into a new classroom and relocating the principal’s and secretary’s offices to the ground floor; transforming a large storage area into a counsellor’s office. Minor works will also open up spaces for teacher offices. Public Works will also investigate the need for new air conditioning and efforts will be considered to increase parking for school.
Changes to facilities are in process and will be
phased in over time as Sandys Secondary Middle
School will open up as a senior signature school in September 2025. In 2024/25, preparations were made for
three major works projects. Progress is steadily being made towards redeveloping and refurbishing the old library to create a new library and media centre
equipped with integrated cutting- edge learning technologies. Learners will be provided with a dynamic and immersive learning environment to foster information, media and digital literacy. It will also serve as a specialist training facility for the Education Services Signature
Learning Programme.
The reception area of the school will also be
redeveloped and refurbished to double as a Bermu-dian[ -style] hotel foyer and serve as a real -world learning environment for students in the Hospitality and
Tourism Signature Learning Programme. Finally, the cafeteria will also be renovated to
double as a modern, flexible learning space for stu-dents to work individually and in small groups.
Continuing with Education Reform, I would like
to provide a brief update on the introduction of the Ed-ucation Authority.
I would first like to thank Mr. Philip Butterfield
who led the Education Authority Working Group (EAWG), tasked with submitting specific recommendations for an Education Authority. As the Chair of BermudaFirst, Mr. Butterfield was instrumental in recom-mend ing that an Education Authority be established
and getting it on to the national agenda. His commitment to shaping the future of public education was
demonstrated again and again and again as he led the
Education Authority Working Group with focus and purpose. With diligence and fidelity to the Government's
promise, the Education Authority Working Group produced detailed policy recommendations for an Education Authority, which provided critical resources for the
forthcoming legislation.
Although the timeline to bring forward the legislation has been longer than anticipated, it is still a major priority under Education Reform. The time and effort
invested during unforeseen delays will help to produce
sound legislation that will meet the vi sion and requirements for the future governance of the public education
system. This work is being advanced to ensure a
phased and measured approach to the development of
this legislation. In that vein, I have committed to stakeholders that they will be in formed and engaged, with
views considered during the legislative developments.
Mr. Chairman, before I turn to post -secondary
funding, including scholarships and awards, I would like
to make a few more comments on Education Reform.
As Minister, I will work to strengthen successes and apply learned lessons for the continuous improvement of
Education Reform going forward.
The health of the Education Reform programme and project will be better tracked by embedding key performance indicators in all workstreams to
monitor progress of the stated scope of work and to
measure the return on public investments. The results
will als o be made public in line with transparency and
accountability for the expenditure of public funds.
Earlier and ongoing work will be augmented by
the development of a supporting financial plan and an infrastructure plan to ensure that all planning for Education Reform is coherent, transparent and sustainable in the medium- and long- term.

1601 —General
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, I will
now turn to page B -134, where you will see that the
Ministry of Education Headquarters has been allocated
a budget of $7.51 million for the 2025/26 fiscal year.
Within business unit 26000, General Administration,


Bermuda Senate $1.1 million will support the operational and administrative functions of the Ministry.
Under business unit 26140, $3.92 million operational expenses for the Education Reform Unit which
includes $761,000 for general office operations and supplies and approximately $3.2 million for consultants
for media and other professional support services for
professional learning, meetings and events, and professional technical services required for systems and
school building infrastructure changes that form part of
Education Reform. Of the $3.2 million, $1.9 million is set aside for the Innovation Unit’s consultant contract
and additional funding for anticipated consultancy for
the next phases of the reform process.
The contract with Innovation Unit will for the
time being provide guidance, support and direction under the change process, and the Ministry of Education will transition away from overseas consultants to have
future Education Reform work carried out locall y.
Mr. Chairman, business unit 26080 increased
to $725,000. These funds are allocated to the Bermuda
College Promise merit award programme and external
grants such as the Reading Clinic, WindReach, the
Sloop Foundation and The Menuhin Foundation.
Mr. Chairman, $1.77 million has been set aside
for business unit 26090. This business unit manages
the administration of the Ministry’s annual Scholarships
and Awards programme, which supports students in their pursuit of tertiary -level education.
These awards are in place to improve Bermudians’ access to education and training beyond senior school. As most of our scholarships and awards have
a financial need criterion, many recipients would have
difficulty realising their post -secondary education goals
if not for scholarship funding. Our scholarships and
awards give countless opportunities to students to help them achieve academic and career success for the benefit of our economy and community, and the individual growth and development of recipients .
Last year, the Ministry received a total of 559
[student] application submissions. This is a decrease of
79 applications compared to the 638 received the previous year, when we provided funding for 84 students
across 10 different scholarships and awards —including
the Bermuda Government Scholarships, Non- Traditional Student Awards, Further Education Awards, Exceptional Student Awards, and Technical and Vocational Awards, amongst other offerings.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to remind you that
the Ministry of Education currently funds students across a number of educational programmes at the undergraduate level and graduation level in political science, science and biology, health, radiologic technology, osteopathic medicine, economics for development, public administration and global health leadership.
I would like to now share specific outcomes of
past scholarship and awards recipients. The 2022 NonTraditional Student Awardee received a scholarship for $20,000 for up to four years to study at the Toronto Metropolitan University. This student has recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in human resource management .
Further, the 2022 Government Scholarship recipient was awarded a $35,000 scholarship for up to
four years to study at Northeastern University. He has
since graduated from the programme and obtained a
Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering.
I would also like to provide future details of efforts that will be made to improve the scholarship pro-gramme with thanks given to a colleague in the House
who asked about demographic and other data with regard to scholarship recipients. The Ministry of Education headquarters regularly collects feedback data near the end of the scholarship season through an annual
post-mortem exercise. The purpose is to understand
what went well and what could be improved to apply
these learnings to future practice.
An evaluation of the scholarship programme
will be undertaken and will consider what kind of data
should be collected and tracked in order to develop
possible indicators and to deepen our knowledge of recipient outcomes in the years after they receive their
scholarship funds.
Mr. Chairman, on page B -135, the Subjective
Analysis of Current Account Estimates are shown for the Ministry of Education Headquarters. Salaries stand
at $677,000 and show a minimal increase of $33,000
when compared with 2024/25.
This year $45,000 has been budgeted for
transportation. This was a new expenditure for the Ministry [in 2024/25] with a modest increase of only $1,000 for the budget year 2025/26. This is transportation for
students to and from Signature Learning Programme’s
Taster events, where students get exposure to details
of all the Signature Learning Programmes available to
them.
The travel expenditure line item of $97,000 increased by $3,000, due to travel expenditure for education reform. This funds the attendance at conferences and engaging other jurisdictions that have implemented education reforms.
Expenditure for grants and contributions increased by $315,000. The full breakdown of the $2.45 million budgeted for grants and contributions, can be
found on page C -18 of the Budget Book.
Mr. Chairman, $3,378,000 has been budgeted
for professional services. This reflects a decrease of
$307,000 for consultancy services previously provided
to the Education Reform Unit.
On page B -135, the number of full -time equivalents or employees in the Ministry of Education Headquarters remained the same as last year at six FTEs
and funds all posts except for the Permanent Secretary, the Budget Book showing five revised FTEs for
2024/ 25.
Finally, on page B -136, performance measures
for the Ministry Headquarters are outlined. The
266 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate targeted outcomes for last year were either achieved or
are in the process of being completed. I would like to
highlight performance measures for business unit
26080 Grants to External Bodies, as all grant applications to recipients were processed by the t arget date of
31 July and all grant financials and stated outcomes
were reviewed by 31 March.
For business unit 26090 Scholarships and
Awards, the Scholarships and Awards Committee
made recommendations for recipients to the Minister
by the deadline of 31 July and the Ministry HQ ensured that scholarship funds were disbursed by 31 October of
last ye ar.
The Ministry Team comprises the Permanent
Secretary, our Senior Policy Analyst, the Ministry
Comptroller, the Scholarships and Awards Programme
Manager, a Trainee Policy Analyst, the Administrative Assistant/Accounts Officer and the Executive Assistant
to the Minister.
Each team member has contributed to the success of the Ministry’s work programmes and I sincerely
thank the Ministry Headquarters team, the Education
Reform Unit team, and the working groups for their continued support and diligence.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my presentation
of the budget for Head 16, the Ministry of Education
Headquarters, and I will move right along to Head 17,
the Department of Education.

HEAD 17 —DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: The primary purpose
of the Department of Education is to establish, main-tain, and advance a high- quality education system that
fosters the intellectual, social, and emotional development of all students. The department is also responsi-ble for setting educ ational standards, developing policies, and ensuring that schools operate efficiently and
equitably.
The department works to promote access to
education, support professional development for educators, and allocate resources effectively to meet the
diverse needs of learners. By overseeing curriculum
development, enforcing compliance with educational laws, and encouraging innovation, the Department of
Education plays a critical role in preparing students to
contribute meaningfully to society and the economy.
Mr. Chairman, at the heart of the work for Head
17 is a clear and inspiring vision: to build an education
system where all young people are educated to lead personally and professionally, compete locally, and
contribute globally. This vision is grounded in our mission to provide every student with equitable access to
holistic, high- quality instruction that is culturally relevant and empowers them to reach their full potential. To actualise this vision, the department has five strate-gic priorities:
1. increasing academic rigour and student engagement; 2. ensuring career, college, and workforce readiness;
3. enhancing the quality of teacher practice and
system leadership;
4. improving infrastructure and instructional re-sources; and
5. ensuring system success.
As shown on page B -140, the Department of
Education has been allocated $126.1 million for the fis-cal year 2025/26, an increase of $8.59 million over last
year's budget. This increase supports mandatory salary increases and programme and service enhancement s
for young people.

1701 —Central Administration
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, the upcoming budget for business unit 27000 General Administration will provide for the purchase of educational
and office supplies needed throughout the school year.
For the fiscal year 2025/26, expenses are planned to
be increased by $95,000, compared to the previous
year to support the increase in demand for supplies.

27001—Office of the Commissioner
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: The Office of the Commissioner, which includes the Commissioner of Education, the Director of Academics, the Director of Educational Standards and Accountability (ESA), and an administrative assistant, has been allocated $821,000.
This marks an increase of $136,000 over the last year
primarily to support operational costs.
The Office of the Commissioner [of Education]
provides strategic leadership and oversight for the Bermuda Public School System (BPSS). It is responsible
for setting educational direction, ensuring policy compliance, maintaining standards, implementing reform
initiatives, allocating resources, and driving continuous
improvement.

27030—Human Resources
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, business unit 27030 has been allocated a total of $655,000
to fund the salaries of administrative staff; for expenses
to advertise and recruit staff; and for the provision of
annual long service awards to teachers and other employees who are members of the Bermuda Union of
Teachers.
This year, the Staff Development budget has
increased to $782,000. This funding supports the salaries of four mentor teachers, the addition of a staff development officer and enables a range of local and
overseas training and professional development activ ities to take place during the fiscal year.
In alignment with the Government's priority to
develop the capacity of employees, extensive, varied
and [personalised] online and in- person professional


Bermuda Senate development and learning took place throughout the
current fiscal year. The aim of professional development and learning sessions is to build the capacity of
educators to provide instructional practices, improve
student outcomes, and support continuous school improvement and transformation.

27090— Educational Standards and Accountability

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, the
funds allocated to this business unit are $1.01 million
with an increase of $335,000 over the prior year’s
budget to fund two assistant director positions.
The Educational Standards and Accountability
(ESA) Unit plays a vital role in overseeing the quality
and performance of our school leaders and teaching
staff at 15 primary schools; two parish schools; three middle schools, and two senior schools.
During the current fiscal year, the ESA team
was led by one Interim Director and one Assistant Di-rector who focused their efforts on supporting primary, parish, middle and senior school leaders and education
reform efforts. The Assistant Director also prov ided
support and guidance to parish school leaders and
transformation teams for the Purvis Primary Parish School, Francis Patton Parish School, Elliot Primary
School and Harrington Sound Primary School; and direct supervision and support of the department' s team
of four mentor teachers.
Through dedicated leadership, sound guidance, and targeted support, the ESA team worked to ensure equitable practi ces, effective leadership practices, and productive learning environments across our
public schools . This current fiscal year, the department
introduced a principal support programme in which it
was established that school principals [would] provide
support and guidance for their colleagues. The acting director of the ESA also supervises the implementation
of this programme.
Further, the Acting Director also works collaboratively with the department's Assistant Directors for
early childhood student services and curriculum and assessment to enable strategic planning for schools
and serv ices.
All efforts undertaken by the ESA Team have
the ultimate aim of fostering improvement and change
in instructional and leadership practices.

27095— Attendance

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, the
budget for the Attendance Unit supports the salaries for
the Registration and Attendance Coordinator and four
School Attendance Officers.
This team ensures daily school attendance
compliance for children of compulsory school age by working collaboratively with school staff and parents/guardians. The Attendance and Registration Coordinator manages the annual school registration and transfer processes for all public schools, from preschool to senior school.
The postholder plays a key role by providing
data and reports with accompanying recommendations
for the Ministry and department's leadership teams, enabling sound data- based decision- making on matters
pertaining to student enrolment placements.

27160— Substitutes
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, the
funds allocated to this business unit are $4,47 million.
Substitute teachers are essential for maintaining educational continuity in our schools. They step in when
regular teachers are unavailable due to illness or leave,
including personal days provided under the collective
bargaining agreement. The department employs both allocated substitutes who report to their assigned
schools each day; and day -to-day substitutes who
cover daily, short -term, or long- term, and extended
leave.
Substitute teachers are also afforded the opportunity to engage in professional development of-fered by the Department of Education and schools; and
they are also required to maintain the requirements for
a Bermuda Educators Council (BEC) licence.
The overall budget for the Central Administration programme is $8.3 million for the 2025/26 fiscal year, which is $1.8 million more than the previous
year’s budget. This increase in funding will enable the
department to secure additional substitute teacher s; to
fill two vacant Assistant Director posts for Educational Standards and Accountability; and to fill the Staff De-velopment Officer post.

1702 —Student Services

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, the Student Services business unit provides a comprehensive range of services and supports aimed at addressing
students' academic, behavioural, psychological, physical, and social -emotional needs to ensure their success
in school and life. F unding for this unit enables critical
and vital services for students, including Behaviour
Management and Alternative Education, School Psy-chology, Adapted Physical Education, and services for
students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and
hearing or vision impairments. Additionally, it provides
counselling, learning support services, and administra-tive coordination.
These programmes collectively enhance students' abilities to thrive within inclusive educational environments, promote positive behavioural and mental
health outcomes, support personalised learning pathways, and ensure that all students —regardless of ability or background—have equitable access to the resources and opportunities needed to reach their full potential.

268 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate 27061— Behaviour Management

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, the
funds allocated to this business unit are $1.83 million. Led by an Education Officer for Behaviour, this busi-ness unit provides targeted behavioural support across
the school system. The Education Officer supervises
Educational Therapist s (ETs) and Educational Therapist Assistants (ETAs) in implementing Individualised Classroom Management Plans (ICMPs), Behaviour Intervention Support Plans (BISPs), Functional Behav-iour Assessments (FBAs), and Behaviour Intervention
Plans (BIPs).
The Officer also provides support and guidance to school multi -tiered system of support (MTSS)
[teams] and plays a key role in multiple interagency and
internal committees, including THRIC (The High Risk Intervention Committee); IGET (Interagency Gang Enforcement Team); the Psycho- Educational Committee,
and the Clinical Advisory Team (CAT). In addition, the
Officer supports students placed in alternative educa-tion settings such as CARE, Adult Education, and
maintains weekly consultations with community partners like the Department of Child and Family Services
(DCFS), Child and Adolescent Services (CAS), Mirrors, the Family Centre, and MASC to ensure coordinated
support for shared clients.
This business unit also funds Educational
Therapists in preschools and primary schools and supports two Alternative Education Programmes that serve
students with significant behavioural challenges, con-tributing to safer and more supportive learning environments. Further, educational therapists learned evidence- based interventions to support student regulation, examined escalation and de- escalation strategies,
and developed proactive behaviour support plans through case studies and role play. They also com-pleted the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Nonviolent
Crisis Intervention.
Throughout the 2024/25 school year, educational therapists and assistants participated in profes-sional development focused on trauma- informed approaches to behaviour and classroom support. The Of-ficer for Behaviour, all Educational Therapists and all Educational Therapist assistants are now certified in
Crisis Prevention Nonviolent Intervention, a notable
achievement for this business unit.
Additionally, 100 per cent of the Behaviour Intervention Plans (BIPs) were developed, with fidelity,
for all students receiving services; and all Behaviour In-tervention Plans (BIPs) and Functional Behaviour Assessments (FBAs) are now included in our online student management system, PowerSchool.
For the new fiscal year, this business unit will
focus on the recertification of staff with Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) and collecting evidence of direct teaching of replacement behaviours with students, as
we continue efforts to ensure safe learning environments for all staff and students. 27062— Success Academy

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: The funds allocated to
the business unit 27062 are $28,000. When a student in mainstream education has exhausted all available in-terventions and supports, the school can apply for that
student to be placed in an alternative education setting.
As part of the application process, the school is required to present the student’s case—including docu-mented supports, interventions, and outcomes —to the
Clinical Advisory Team (CAT) of the department. This
team carefully reviews the information and provides a
recommendation.
Mr. Chairman, the department currently offers
two alternative education programmes: Success Academy Primary Programme (SAPP) and Success Academy Middle and Senior (SAMS) programmes. These academies were specifically designed to support students whose socia l-emotional challenges significantly
interfere with their learning and the learning of others.
Students admitted to the Success Academies receive
targeted emotional and behavioural support, including
instruction in coping strategies and self -regulation
skills, along with academic programming. Once students achieve the goals outlined at admission, they
transition back to a general education environment.
For senior -level students, SAMS (as the programme is known) offers access to recognised certifi-cation pathways, including City & Guilds, the General
Education Development qualification (GED), and the
Penn Foster programme, affording students the opportunity to complete their secondary education at the alternative placement site.
Success Academy celebrated several key accomplishments during the 2024/25 academic year. A
standout event was Men’s Night, held on 16 April 2025,
which welcomed influential male figures from the community to engage with students in an evening of mentorship, inspiration, and connection. With a high student
attendance, and approximately 50 men in attendance,
the event featured distinguished guests from our community. This event reinforced SAMS’s commitment to
building positive relationships and community ties .

27063— School Psychology

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, this
year, $1.3 million has been allocated to support this
business unit which supports psychological services for student success across academic, social, emotional,
and behavioural areas. School psychologists also work
closely with teacher s, families, and school teams to assess learning needs; provide educational evaluations; and to recommend strategies and interventions to promote student growth. They also play a key role in promoting mental health, consulting with staff and families
to strengthen classroom support, and developing programmes that enhance school environments. In


Bermuda Senate addition, school psychologists support crisis prevention
and response efforts.
School psychologists are integral to the Multi -
Tier System of Supports (MTSS), as they consult with
school staff during school team meetings where stu-dent concerns are discussed, interventions are recommended, and progress is monitored before considering
formal assessments.
This year school psychologists presented over
30 professional development workshops to staff and
parents which included topics such as “Understanding and Supporting Students Affected by Trauma” and
“Stress Management Techniques for Children” integrating greater use of digit al technology in assessment
practices, increasing efficiency and enabling cost sav-ings.
The performance measures for this business
unit focuses on the number of referrals completed in
one calendar year. When a school believes a student
needs an assessment for Support Services, it sends a
request for assessment (RFA) to student services. All
steps of this process are tracked, and once the assessment is complete, the final report is reviewed and recorded and stored in the student's file. A critical aspect
of this process is a meeting with the parent to share the results from the assessment.
Mr. Chairman, 95 per cent of psycho- educational assessments were completed within the fiscal year against a target of 100 per cent. In the upcoming
year, school psychologists will further streamline assessment and referral forms to enhance accessibility for parents and teachers.

27064— Adapted Physical Education

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, this
year, a total of $332,000 has been allocated to support the Adapted Physical Education (APE) Programme.
This essential initiative is delivered by highly trained
and dedicated specialist educators. These teachers
play a critical role in ensuring that students with diverse
physical, cognitive, and developmental needs can access and meaningfully participate in physical education
activities alongside their peers.
The APE teachers work closely with school
staff, therapists, and families to design and implement
individualised modifications that are directly aligned
with each student’s Individual ised Education Plan
(IEP). Beyond facilitating physical participation, APE teachers also foster social inclusion, motor skill devel-opment, and self -confidence among students with disabilities. The continued investment in this programme
reflects our commitment to inclusive education and the
belief that all students deserve the opportunity to thrive
in every aspect of school life, including physical education.
The APE team also organises the annual Department of Education Adapted Physical [Education]
National Track and Field Invitational in partnership with Special Olympics Bermuda. This event welcomes students from P1 to S4 with [special ] physical needs, including those who have moved on to the K. Margaret
Carter Centre and other facilities. This programme has
been successful in identifying future Paralympians and Special Olympians.

27065—Hearing

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman,
$207,000 has been allocated to support the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing Programme. This funding supports the
employment of a specialised teacher for the deaf and
hard of hearing. This teacher provides tailored academic instruction and works clos ely with classroom
teachers to ensure that all students' needs are met ef-fectively during regular classroom activities.

27066— Vision
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: A budget of $49,000
has been dedicated to the Vision Programme, focusing on supporting students with visual impairments. This
funding ensures the provision of a Specialised Vision
Teacher for the remainder of the school year and the
necessary technical serv ices, materials in accessible
formats (including braille), and technology to guarantee
these students have equal access to educational curricula.

27069—Gifted and Talented

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: This business unit ,
Gifted and Talented, has been allocated a budget of
$125,000. These funds cover the cost of the salary for
one officer who will support activities and events that
will supplement the learning experience for students
identified as gifted and talented in a given area.

27071—Office Support
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: This business unit has
been allocated a budget of $611,000. This business unit serves as the secretariat for the Student Services
Section and funds the salaries of one a ssistant director
of student [services ], two a dministrative assistants, and
four learning support teachers who provide services to
students with special education needs.

27072—Counselling

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: This fiscal year, the
Counselling Programme is allocated $3. 2 million to
support a comprehensive and developmental approach
to student counselling. This programme is modelled on
international standards and encompasses four key areas: classroom guidance, individual planning, responsive services, and system support. The aim is to foster
academic, personal, social, emotional, and future
270 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate career success for students, integrating preventive and
developmental strategies into the school’s educational
mission.
Mr. Chairman, a key achievement for the
2024/25 school year has been the successful certifica-tion of 31 out of 39 school counsellors in adolescent
mental health first aid, made possible through collaboration with the Department of Health and support from
both local and international trainers. The training enhances their ability to identify early signs of mental
health issues —such as anxiety, depression, trauma,
and suicidal ideation— and equips them to provide immediate support and connect students to profes sional
care. This accomplishment strengthens the counselling team’s capacity and demonstrates a strong commitment to student well -being and proactive mental health
intervention in schools.
Another notable achievement for the 2024/25
school year was the strengthening of partnerships with local mental health service providers through professional learning days. These sessions gave school counsellors direct engagement with agencies such as
FOC US Counselling; the Coalition for the Protection of
Children; the Department of Child and Family Services;
and MASC to enhance their understanding of available services and referral processes.
For the 2025/26 school year, a key priority is to
continue to strengthen the connection between school counsellors and local mental health service providers
through ongoing participation in professional learning
days.
These sessions are critical as students increasingly face mental health challenges such as anxi-ety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and other social -emotional difficulties that impact their school success. A significant concern raised by counsellors is the limit ed
availability of mental health providers on the Island, making it even more vital for counsellors to have a thorough understanding of the available services. By enhancing these connections, we can ensure that students are effectively referred to the right resources, addressing their unique needs and promoting their overall
well-being.

27073— Summer Programme

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: The Summer Programme has been allocated a budget of $18,000.
These funds are used to cover the costs for summer
programmes at the senior schools and Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy. This funding supports ongoing
learning and support for students at DAME during part
of the summer months.

27074—Learning Support

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, this
year's Learning Support budget of $4.47 million supports the crucial work of three Education Officers for Special Education and Learning Support and 38 Learning Support Teachers. These professionals provide
special education services across the educational
spectrum, including preschools, primary and middle
schools, the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy, and our trauma- responsive programmes at our Success
Academies. This budget allocation also covers essential a ssessment materials for accurately diagnosing
students with special education needs.
During the reporting period, learning support
teachers received targeted training in writing for Language Arts, alongside the implementation of project -
based learning as a core instructional strategy. Additionally, the Multi -Tiered System of Supports (MTSS )
framework was effectively utilised to support smoother transitions of students from M3 to S1 and notably, six
students successfully transitioned from more restrictive to less restrictive learning environments, marking significant progress with inclusive education practices.
In the new fiscal year, Learning Support Officers will prioritise instructional support, student accommodations, and collaboration between educators and
parents. Additionally, a universal screening process will
be implemented for all Year 1 students and t raining will
be provided to equip paraeducators with additional
skills to better support teachers, and to reinforce student learning, especially in the core area of mathemat-ics.

27076— Early Childhood Education

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Early Childhood Education has been allocated $137,000, which reflects the
funding for the salary of the Education Officer for Early
Childhood Education and funding for supplies to support the Early Childhood Education Programme.

27079— Paraprofessionals

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, the
Paraprofessionals business unit has been allocated a budget of $7.33 million for the upcoming fiscal year, an
increase of $948,000 over the previous year. This increased funding is vital to sustaining the essential services provided by paraprofessionals and educational therapist assistants, who are integral to the success of
our students. Paraprofessionals support classroom instruction, promote student well -being, and ensure that
students with diverse learning needs —including those
with physical disabilities, hearing or vision impair-ments —receive the tailored support they require to be
successful.

27083— Autism Spectrum Disorder

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: This business unit has
a budget of $926,000. This funding covers salaries for teachers and paraprofessionals working in the ASD
programmes across three primary schools, one middle


Bermuda Senate school, and one senior school, with a total of 24 ASD
students at the Primary School level; six at the Middle
School Level and five at the Senior School level.

27084— Alternative Education

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: This business unit has
a budget of $1. 1 million. This budget supports the Success Academy [Middle ] Senior (SAMS) and additional
alternative education placements for students who cannot be accommodated at Success Academy .
Mr. Chairman, Student Services Section provides an extensive range of educational services for
our students with exceptionalities. The total budget allocation for Student Services Programme 1702 for the
2025/26 fiscal year is $21. 7 million .
The performance measures for this unit indicate varying levels of success in meeting the established targets. While the goal was for 100 per cent of
schools to implement the MTSS process with fidelity,
only 90 per cent met the criteria. In contrast, Behavioural Intervention Plans (BIPs) exceeded expectations, with 100 per cent completion compared to the
80 per cent target.
Similarly, t he IEP (Individual Education Plan)
process was carried out with 78 per cent completion,
slightly surpassing the 75 per cent goal. However, t he
percentage of Individual Planning Meetings completed by counsellors was 85 per cent, below the 90 per cent
target. On a positive note, psychoeducational assess-ments exceeded the goal with 95 per cent completed
between September and Augus t compared to the
90 per cent target. These outcomes suggest overall
strong performance, with room for improvement in school -wide MTSS implementation and counsellor -led
planning meetings.

1703 —Finance and Corporate
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: The Finance and Corporate business unit has an allocated budget of
$798,000 and is responsible for managing the financial
operations of the Department of Education. The unit is staffed by a dedicated team of 10 personnel, encompassing a variety of key roles essential to the effective
delivery of financial services. These positions include a
departmental comptroller, a t rainee departmental
comptroller, a f inancial services manager, a payments
supervisor, a s alaries supervisor, a salaries clerk, three
accounts clerks, and a messenger.
This team's primary responsibilities include offering financial advice and guidance to the depart-ment's senior management, delivering cost -effective financial services, and providing corporate planning solutions to the department, its school, and employees .
This team efficiently and reliably handles the
payment of salaries for over 1,000 educators and staff; processes payments to suppliers and vendors; and ensures the accurate reconciliation of leave entitlements. They are instrumental in identifying cost -saving opportunities and advising on financial efficiencies to support
the department's mission of educational excellence
and equity.

27003—Office Accommodation
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: This business unit has
a budget allocation of $1,035,000 that funds the salary of the office receptionist and covers costs for the annual
rent, office maintenance, electricity, and communica-tion costs for the department’s physical offices.

27040— Educational Stores

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, the
business unit has been allocated a budget of $566,000,
which supports salaries for seven personnel and other
expenditures such as rent, inventory , freight costs, and
gas/diesel. The Stores Section provides centralised
purchasing, inventory management and distribution
services to the Ministry and Department of Education,
all public schools, Bermuda College, and other Government departments such as the Department of Youth,
Sport and Recreation.

27041— School Transport

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: The business unit has
been allocated a budget of $508,000 to fund the salaries of three bus operators and two bus attendants,
whose responsibilities are to ensure the safe transport
and direct supervision of students who attend the
Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy, to and from
school every day; and the safe transport of students in
ASD programmes in other schools, to and from their
off-site learning activities which takes place across the
Island. Two groundsmen who maintain school sports fields and one Labour, Transport and Safety Officer are
also funded from this budget. The Labour, Transport
and Safety Officer's main responsibility is to oversee
and supervise the work of school custodians to ensure
clean and healthy school faci lities.

27042— Buildings, Grounds and Equipment

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, for the
current fiscal year, the budgetary allocation for the
maintenance of public school buildings, grounds, and equipment is set at $1.4 million. This reflects an increase of $284,000 compared to the previous fiscal
year. The allocated funding remains vital to the department’s capacity to perform essential maintenance operations across all public school facilities.
This funding enables the facilities manager to
uphold the functionality, safety, and compliance of critical infrastructure systems, including life safety mechanisms, elevators, fire alarm systems, water dispensers,
and HVAC units. Additionally, it facilitates the provision
272 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate of pest control services and the oversight of security arrangements at both middle schools and the alternative
education institutions.
Facilit y upgrades significantly enhanced educational environments and accessibility. Four student hoist lifts were successfully replaced at Dame Marjorie
Bean Hope Academy, ensuring safe and modern support for students with physical disabilities. At Purvis
School, P3 through P6 classrooms and the art room
were reconfigured with innovative glass partitions to support flexible, 21st century learning spaces.
Additionally, the refurbishment of Lyceum Preschool was completed as part of the transformation of
Francis Patton into a parish school, with temporary relocation managed efficiently at no cost to families.
These improvements reflect a commitment to inclusi ve,
modern, and student -centred learning environments.
Mr. Chairman, this business unit has identified
two strategic priorities for the upcoming fiscal year:

Upgrade of CCTV Systems Across All Schools
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: This initiative is aimed
at significantly enhancing campus security. It includes
the integration of advanced features such as facial recognition technology, licence plate readers, and the
establishment of centralised CCTV monitoring from the
department’s central offices.

Ongoing Support for
Education Reform Unit (ERU) Initiatives

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: The Facilities Unit will
continue to play a central role in supporting the vision
for education reform and school transformation, particularly in executing refurbishment projects for parish schools. This will necessitate sustained interagency
collaboration and coordination with all stakeholders involved.
This business unit has three performance
measures which all focus on school safety. The target
set at 100 per cent for the performance measure for
conducting annual safety inspections was achieved and the outcome for school fire drills was exceeded by 25 per cent, reaching a 100 per cent success rate. The
outcome for compliance with Safety and Health Committee regulations was 80 per cent against an expected
target of 100 per cent, with improvement needed with
the submission of Safety and Health Committee
minutes.
The department remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring safe school environments and
strengthening the operational infrastructure of the public education system recognising that safe, functional,
and future- ready learning environments at current and
transformed schools are fundamental to delivering
quality education and improving student achievement
outcomes.
27050—IT Support

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, for the
fiscal year 2025/26, the Information Technology (IT) section has been allocated $2.7 million. This budget supports the salaries of key IT personnel, including an
IT Manager, Computer Services Officer, Management
Systems Officer, and IT Support Officers, who are accountable for defining and delivering IT strategy and capabilities for the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the
Department of Education (DOE), and the Bermuda Public School System (BPSS).
This fiscal year, the Department of Education’s
IT Unit made significant strides in modernising and en-hancing the technological landscape to support system
priorities. Wi- Fi 6 upgrades began at Victor Scott and
West Pembroke Primary Schools, with broader e nhancements improving connectivity in low coverage areas. Wi -Fi 6 is the next generation of Wi -Fi, which improves the network, ensuring the support of faster,
more efficient, Internet speed for multiple devices used
for instruction and assessment.
The IT Unit also continued to configure and distribute laptops to authorised users from across the
BPSS, supporting instructional and administrative
needs. Also, in support of Signature Learning [Programmes], training on the PowerSchool Naviance plat-form was maintained and expanded.
Security was also a top priority, with continued
upgrades to Enterprise IT security services and ongo-ing user awareness training. Online services were enhanced through the implementation of user account
management tools and automated patching systems, bolstering operational efficiency.
Looking ahead to 2025/26, the IT team will continue with the distribution of Chromebooks to students
and laptops to department and Ministry staff to reinforce a connected and mobile learning model. A strong
emphasis will be placed on maturing IT operations , refining service delivery and monitoring tools, and further
integrating the PowerSchool ecosystem, including increased Enterprise reporting and the introduction of AI
tools. Wi -Fi 6 upgrades will expand across additional
locations, and an Enterprise back up system will be implemented as part of a broader disaster recovery strat-egy. The department will also extend pilot programmes
for digitisation and the mass notification system, furthering its commitment to modernisation and operational resilience.

1704 —Preschools

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, moving
on to page B -139, the total budget for our preschools
for the fiscal year 2025/26 is $5,001,000. A significant
portion, 94 per cent, is allocated to staff salaries, highlighting our commitment to quality early childhood edu-cation. The remaining 6 per cent covers essential operational costs such as resources, training, development,


Bermuda Senate electricity, part -time cleaning services, telecommunication, office equipment, and drinking water.
For the 2024/25 academic year, early childhood education efforts focused on strengthening teaching and learning through the full implementation of the Creative Curriculum Kindergarten (CCK), targeted professional development, and enhanced use of [student]
data to inform instruction. Notable achievements included increased educator proficiency, improved student engagement, and the successful reintroduction of
the Preschool Summer [School] programme, providing both educational support and afterschool care for families.
Mr. Chairman, our preschools focused on improving student proficiency in literacy, math, and developmental goals, with many preschools showing strong
student progress toward curriculum targets. Family en-gagement was strengthened through initiatives such as
home- learning programmes, garden projects, and
school events —all implemented with minimal cost and
strong community support. Schools also emphasised wellness, sustainability, and curriculum fidelity, supported by staff development and creative use of resources. Additionally, several preschools reallocated
funds and formed partnerships to expand programmes
in music, physical education and health, enhancing
both equity and the learning experience for students.
I am pleased to report on the performance
measures related to early childhood education and instructional quality. The percentage of preschool students who met established standards for literacy and numeracy exceeded expectations, with an outcome of
95 per cent against a target of 90 per cent. Similarly,
92 per cent of preschool children met the system standards for social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development, surpassing the target of 90 per cent. These
outcomes reflect the effectiveness of current strategies
and the dedication of our educators in delivering highquality early learning experiences.
The 2025/26 academic year will prioritise the
strategic strengthening of Early Childhood Education
(ECE) through targeted reorganisation, expanded early
intervention services, and leadership development.
Key initiatives include introducing wraparound support services for preschool -aged children, improving interdepartmental collaboration, and enhancing communication across ECE (Early Childhood Education) teams.
Emphasis will [also] be placed on [increasing] curriculum fidelity through continued professional development, improving classroom observation and documen-tation practices, and formalising leadership succession
planning to build capacity and sustain school improvement efforts.

1705 —Primary Schools

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, continuing on page B -139, the budget for our 15 primary
schools for the fiscal year 2025/26 stands at $32.1 million. This allocation supports the operational costs of
providing high- quality education across these schools.
This academic year, primary schools across
the Island demonstrated notable achievements through strong community partnerships, service learning, and high levels of student engagement. Schools engaged
in meaningful outreach —such as homelessness education, support for seniors, environmental initiatives,
and charitable giving—while fostering academic and
personal growth. Highlights include award- winning gardening and woodworking projects, literacy improvements, successful sports performances, and vibrant
cultural celebrations. These efforts reflect a growing
culture of passion, innovation, and community connection, with students applying their learning beyond the
classroom to make a positive effect.
Mr. Chairman, I now present the performance
measures for primary level student achievement in
reading, writing, and mathematics. For students in Primary 4 through Primary 6, 60 per cent of the students
met targeted growth goals in reading, aligning with the established benchmark.
In summative writing assessments, 55 per cent
of students from Primary 3 through Primary 6 scored a
three or higher, where a score of 3 indicates proficiency, slightly short of the 60 per cent target. In mathematics, 65 per cent of Primary 3 to Primary 6 students
scored 3 or higher, which is below the target of 70 per
cent. Additionally, data is currently being finalised for
the percentage of students in Primary 2 through Primary 6 who achieved at least one grade level of growth
in mathematics based on the common system- wide assessments . The target for this measure is 70 per cent.
Mr. Chai rman, literacy and numeracy remain
key priorities for the Department of Education. To
strengthen students' reading skills, the d epartment has
implemented the University of Florida Literacy Initiative
(UFLI). This structured phonics programme equips performance measures for students with foundational
skills necessary for proficient reading. UFLI is used as
a core instruction tool in early primary grades and also
serves as an intervention resource for struggli ng readers at any grade level.
In addition, students in our primary schools
have access to R az-Kids, a digital reading platform that
offers over 2,000 levelled e- books across 29 different
reading levels. R az-Kids provides an interactive learning environment where students can listen to stories,
read independently, and record themselves reading. Each e- book includes a comprehension quiz or e- quiz
to assess understanding and inform instruction. Students’ progress to the next reading level after reading
10 or more books and successfully completing the corresponding quizzes.
Mr. Chair man, to improve mathematics outcomes, the department is utilising Dream Box Mathematics, an adaptive online programme for students from Primary 1 through Primary 3. Dream Box uses artificial intelligence to deliver personalised instruction,
274 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate integrating curriculum with ongoing formative assessment. Its goal is to develop deep conceptual understanding, strengthen key skills, and improve overall achievement regardless of a student's proficiency level.
Dream Box has proven particularly effective for students who require additional support.

1706 —Special Schools

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Continuing on page B -
139, business unit 27120, Dame Marjorie Bean Hope
Academy (DAME), provides dedicated educational and
therapeutic services to students with severe and profound learning disabilities and complex care needs.
Our only special school provides students with an enriching education and developmental support . It increases student independence and helps students to
achieve their full potential.
In response to increasing student needs, a major achievement was the formation of an Educational Therapy Team in October 2024, initiated by Student Services, which provides evidence- based interventions. DAME , as it is more affectionately known, also
reinstated staff coaching and strengthened their deci-sion-making process through reliable data collection
and intervention fidelity.
A vital ongoing achievement for DAME was the
continued partnership with Friends of Hope Academy, Charity 722, which generously supported the school’s
Arts Education programme. This initiative plays a critical role in nurturing cognitive and creative devel opment
among students. Arts Education at DAME flourished
through [key] collaborations. Mr. Jahbarri Wilson, in
partnership with Solstice, led weekly art sessions using
a compassionate and inclusive approach. His guidance
not only met diverse student needs through adapted media and media techniques but also contributed to
students’ success in the Primary School Art Exhibition.
Further artistic success es were demonstrated at the
Annual Exhibition, where students earned multiple
awards including 1
st, 2nd, and 3rd place, and Highly
Commended recognitions.
The Dance Therapy Programme, in collaboration with the Bermuda School of Music, thrived under
the direction of Dance Movement Therapist, Mrs. Hannah Walters. Her sessions supported students’ emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development and
culmi nated in student participation in the Spring into the
Arts performances .
Professional development for the staff at
DAME focused on several key areas. Staff received
training on writing effective incident reports and understanding mandatory reporting procedures. Crisis Intervention Plans were reviewed and refined to better meet
current needs. Additionally, staff participated in Crisis
Prevention and Intervention Training designed to build
the necessary attitudes and skills for managing challenging behaviours and maintaining a safe learning environment. A strong emphasis was plac ed on ensuring that all staff were either newly trained or received refresher training to respond effectively to the nuanced
behavioural needs of students. DAME will continue to
focus on professional development efforts on addressing the diverse needs of students in the upcoming
school year.
The performance measures for this unit relate
directly to the IEP (Individual Educational Plan) pro-cess, which maps out individualised and personalised
goals for students. Both targets for performance
measures were achieved at 100 per cent.
A total of $1 .2 million has been allocated for
DAME, which is an increase of $588,000 over the last
fiscal year.

1707 —Middle Schools
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, we now
turn to page B -140. The 2025/26 budget allocation for
the operation of our three middle schools is $13. 57 million, reflecting a decrease of $1.11 million . This decrease is due mainly to a reduction in the remaining positions at Clearwater Middle School.
As raised during the budget debate in another
place, the B udget Book still contains business units for
Heron Bay Primary School on page B -139 and Clearwater Middle School and T. N. Tatum Middle School on
page B -140, each of which are closed. This is due to
lagging back -office human resource functions with regard to staff from these closed schools who have been
transferred to other schools. The salaries for these staff members have been budgeted in their new schools.
However, their actual salaries are still attached to th e
closed schools, which is why these schools still appear in the Budget Book.
The Ministry will work with the Department of
Employee and Organisational Development to have
these issues rectified as early as possible during the
next fiscal year.
Mr. Chairman, for the 2023/24 reporting period,
the performance target for reading for M1 to M3 students was 60 per cent of the students to achiev e expected growth . . . sorry —in reading, 55 per cent of
middle school students achieved this outcome indicat-ing a shortfall of 5 per cent against the established goal.
The department also sets targets for 60 per
cent of middle school students to demonstrate profi-ciency, defined as achieving a score of 3 or higher in
end of year assessments for mathematics and writing.
The results showed that 55 per cent of students met
this benchmark in both subject areas, reflecting shortfalls of 5 per cent in mathematics and 10 per cent in
writing .
As with the primary level, literacy and numeracy remain critical focus areas for the middle level. In
response to these performance outcomes, the depart-ment will intensify efforts in collaboration with middle
schools to enhance instructional quality and ensure


Bermuda Senate targeted data- informed interventions to address the diverse learning needs and achievements of students.
Middle schools will be expected to use tiered
intervention strategies such as differentiated instruction, small group instruction and adaptive digital plat-forms such as DreamBox mathematics, which I spoke
about previously, to address students' varied academic
needs.
Mr. Chai rman, may I have a time check,
please?

Yes, Minister. It's ten after six, so we
have exactly 30 minutes remaining on your heads.
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chair man, I am going to try and move along so that we can leave a bit of time. I do still have quite a bit of interesting information, but I will do my best to summarise.

1708 —Senior Schools
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, continuing on page B -140, Senior Schools provides grants for
CedarBridge Academy and The Berkeley Institute. The total budget allocation for 2025/26 is $31.37 million.
Each senior school is provided with an annual
grant for the operational management of their respec-tive school. For the fiscal year 2025/26, CedarBridge Academy’s funding increased by $911,000. The Berkeley Institute’s total budget has risen by $1.57 milli on.
The increases are to fund salary uplifts and additional
posts at both schools to support Signature Learning
Programmes.
I am pleased to report that The Berkeley Institute successfully passed its Mid- Term Accreditation
Report with the Middle States Association (MSA) in December 2024. This achievement was a direct result of the dedication, hard work, and commitment of the entire Berkeley team, especially the Internal Accreditation
Coordinators. Passing this critical milestone affirms
that the school remains steadfast in maintaining the
standards of excellence expected by Middle States,
while continuing to meet the needs of their students.
CedarBridge Academy is currently in the process of collecting and preparing accreditation docu-mentation for the Middle States Association and we anticipate their success as well. Additionally, in the
2024/25 academic year, CedarBridge Academy
demonstrated a strong commitment to professional
learning through two major initiatives aimed at enhancing teaching and learning. One of the most impactful
[efforts] was a four -month professional [learning] series
titled Supporting Struggling Students.
In response to data highlighting academic and
social challenges among students, 30 teachers participated in this targeted professional development. The series was based on the work of educational expert
Robyn Jackson and focused on Tier 1 intervention in
relation to the MTSS Framework, to proactively support all learners. Throughout the programme, teachers en-gaged in reflective discussions and adopted evidencebased strategies that they successfully integrated into
their daily teaching practices. As a result, participating
educators reported noticeable improvements in student engagement and achievement.
The performance outcomes for Senior Schools
reflects a mix of achievements and areas requiring tar-geted improvement. Students scoring 3 or higher on
writing assessments reached an outcome of 45 per
cent, slightly below the target of 50 per cent. The target
for students achieving expected growth in reading was
45 per cent, which was met. College acceptance rates
surpassed expectations, with 65 per cent of students
gaining admission [compared] to the 60 per cent target.
In the City & Guilds assessments for E nglish and math,
students performed above target with a 91 per cent
pass rate versus the 90 per cent goal. However, only
45 per cent of students earned the City & Guilds Employability Skills Certification, falling significantly short
of the 100 per cent target. For IGCSE subjects, students met the targets in English, math, and science, each achieving the respective 60 per cent, 50 per cent,
and 50 per cent benchmarks.
Mr. Chairman, 97 per cent of students graduated with a Bermuda school diploma, exceeding the
92 per cent target, and the cohort graduation rate from
S1 to S4 was 91 per cent, surpassing the 85 per cent
goal. While 85 per cent of graduates earned an external or internationally recognised credential —slightly
below the 90 per cent target —the same percentage
also graduated with [ one or ] more industry -recognised
credentials, again just under the 90 per cent benchmark.

My addition wasn't very good.

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Because I was just assessing. What can I cut? But, yes . . . okay. No worries.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

1709 —Curriculum and Assessment

276 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Staying on page B -
140, the Curriculum Assessment section covers funding for the Cambridge International Curriculum, City &
Guilds, Penn Foster, System- Wide Reading Assessments, Career Pathways, the Dual Enrolment Programme, and all related curricular resour ces. The Department of Education annually invests in the Cambridge International Curriculum, enabling Primary 6 and
middle three students [M3] to undergo checkpoint diagnostic assessments and sit the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) exams,
the last of which are required for obtaining the Bermuda
school diploma.
Student performance on diagnostic and standardised assessments provides critical data that informs
instructional planning, highlights areas requiring targeted intervention, and supports the continuous im-provement of teaching, learning and service outcomes.

27020— Assessment and Evaluation
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: We are in our 11th year
of administering Cambridge assessments and examinations. All Cambridge assessments, City & Guilds Assessments and r eading assessments, are funded from
business unit 27020 . The allocated budget for the continued delivery of assessment and evaluation is $513,000.

27520—Design, Development and Implementations
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: The Department of Education is dedicated to enhancing educational out-comes through comprehensive programming and skilled officers. This unit, focusing on Mathematics Interventions, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Languages, the Arts, ICT, and Physical Educa-tion and Health curricular deliverables, ensures consistent curricular delivery. The team supporting this
work has resumed curriculum monitoring or observations and walkthroughs to ensure consistency in delivering curricula.
Mr. Chai rman, the budget for the Design, Development and Implementation unit, which is 27520, is $2.14 million and includes the funding for seven substantive curriculum officer posts. Their work supports
academic achievement and prepares our students for
personal grow th and global citizenship. During the
2024 /25 academic year, key subject areas advanced
through curriculum alignment, student engagement, and targeted professional development are science,
social studies, instructional technology, physical education, and reading.
Together, these achievements reflect a comprehensive effort to modernise education and support
holistic [student ] development.

27524—College and Career Pathway s
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: This area has been
budgeted $453,000 and t his business unit funds the
Employability Skills programme, the Certified Nursing
Assistant certification, and the EMT certification at Bermuda College. This cost centre covers the cost of lead-ership management of two College and Career Pathways Officers. In addition, this cost centre covers the
salary of the Applied Science Technology instructor for
our dual enrolment students in the trades and STEM
programmes at the Bermuda College.

1712 —Early Childhood Education
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: On page B -140 as well,
Early Childhood Education (ECE) has been budgeted $2.74 million. It covers the Child Development Programme and After Preschool Care.
Early childhood education is vital for lifelong
learning and development, as it builds foundational
cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills. Highquality early education fosters curiosity, language, numeracy, and social competence, helping to reduce educational disparities through equitable access. Research shows it delivers long- term benefits, such as
better health, higher graduation rates, and increased
economic productivity, making it both a moral and economically sound investment.
This section includes early childhood special
education and quality assurance, reflecting our unwavering commitment to transforming early childhood education through innovative strategies. It also underscores our dedication to ensuring that every child is afforded the best possible start in life.

27175—Child Development Programme

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mr. Chairman, Child
Development [Programme], [CDP] business unit
27175, has been budgeted an amount of $2.6 million.
This business unit continues to serve as a vital pillar of
support within our early childhood framework. Despite
existing human resource c onstraints, the programme
successfully served 569 children and their families dur-ing the past fiscal year. Services provided ranged from
developmental screenings to early intervention sup-port, underscoring the programme’s compr ehensive
approach to child development. CDP continues with its
efforts to recruit staff to deal with the extended waitlists
resulting from the growing demand for these critical services.
In 2024/25, key priorities focused on improving
service delivery and operational efficiency. Efforts included maintaining accreditation, reviewing and updating job descriptions, and recruiting for five vacancies —
one was filled in July 2024 and another expected by August 2025. To meet rising demand, the Developmental Assessment Service was expanded by contracting
three psychologists, and counselling services were


Bermuda Senate strengthened through strategic partnerships to ensure
quality support for children and their families.
Continuing with early childhood education, the
CDP department continued to demonstrate strong outcomes in developmental screening services and family intervention services [for behaviour]. A total of 366 children between the ages of 18 to 48 months receiv ed developmental screenings, enabling the early identification of potential developmental concerns.
Due to a reduction of staffing and service
space, it has limited the number of developmental screenings available, unfortunately. This has therefore
led to the reduction of the original target of 600 to 352
screenings. Although this outcome is under the expected target of 200 screenings for 2.5 officers, it re-flects good progress is being made. With additional
staff, the number of target screenings will be increased
back to the original target. Additionally, CDP maintained a high standard of service deliver y in early intervention for behaviour, with 100 per cent of clients who
were assigned or deemed eligible successfully receiv-ing early intervention services.
Notably, 100 per cent of these clients demonstrated measurable progress toward their early inter-vention goals, reflecting the effectiveness of the pro-gramme’s tailored, family[ -centred] approach.

27700— After Preschool Care

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: This particular business unit has been budgeted at $127,000 and covers
the payment cost for After Preschool Care for workers
at the Afterschool Care [ Programme] for the Dame
Marjorie Bean Hope Academy.
During the 2024/ 25 performance appraisal period, the Department of Education officers made a significant contribution to the advancement of education reform initiatives through targeted support and infrastructure technology, curriculum development, student
services, and f acility improvements. The IT team
played a vital role in strengthening digital infrastructure across parish primary schools. This includes designing
and implementing network systems for new school
buildings, managing structured cabling inst allations,
and ensuring classroom technology was installed and
operational.
In addition, critical configuration work was
completed within the PowerSchool Student Information System (SIS) enabling new grade levels and courses
for both parish and senior schools. Furthermore, data
related to enrol ment, assessments, behaviour, and parent engagement was managed and shared as needed,
and training on PowerSchool Naviance was provided to
senior school counsellors to support academic and career planning aligned with the introduction of signature
learning programmes.
In curriculum and assessment, officers contributed across several school transformation teams
(STTs) including those at Francis Patton, Purvis, Elliott, and Sandys Secondary Middle School. One officer also
co-led the CedarBridge Academy STT and supported
The Berkeley Institute's STT. The student services
team demonstrated strong collaboration through its work with the MTSS framework. This included co- delivering presentations to the Department of Education
teams, co- developing the MTSS handbook, and contributing to the student services work stream.
The team participated in setting strategic goals
for the upcoming school year and played a key role in
the expression of interest process. Professional devel-opment focused on restorative practises was delivered
in partnership with the Education Reform Unit and
CURB.
Finally, the department supported substantial
facility upgrades to improve learning environments
across multiple school sites. As previously mentioned,
Lyceum preschool improvements installed the installation of safety flooring, blackout blinds, a water bottle
filler, CCTV security systems, along with a new fire
alarm. Francis Patton Primary made enhancements,
which included a new burglar alarm, full interior furnishings of a new building, safety fencing, and improved
outdoor access. Purvis Primary had upgr ades featured
such as bi -fold glass doors and programmes, non- skid
flooring, also blackout blinds, new furnishing, water bottle fillers, and a renovated storage room for physical
education. These projects directly supported the Education Reform's goal of creating safe, modern, and student-centred environments.
Mr. Chair man, the collective efforts of the Department of Education officers this year have provided
critical operational, instructional, and environmental support to Education Reform initiatives .

Subjective Analysis

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: I refer you to page B -
141, the Subjective Analysis of Current Account Esti-mates for the Department of Education. This page provides an aggregate of the detailed line items expenditures previously mentioned. The variances of significance for the categories are as follows:
1. Overall salaries and wages increased by $2 .02
million, or 105 per cent , and that's mainly due
to salary uplifts and an increase in FTEs. Increases in FTEs include education officers,
paraprofessionals, and substitutes .
2. Training costs are 27 per cent higher, or
$111,000 and travel costs increased by
$47,000 to support ongoing staff development
costs.
3. Transportation costs increased by $10,000, or
26 per cent over the prior fiscal year to accommodate requests for support for transporting
students and staff on field trips to off -site activities.
4. Professional services increased by $ 1.6 million, or 113 per cent, due to a big portion of
278 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate increases in school funding for school psychology, Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy, and the Child Development Programme.
5. Rental costs increased by $434,000, or 62 per
cent, due to a significant portion of the funds
allocated to the Department of Education’s relocat ion to a new office space, which is separate from the Ministry of Education and enables
the majority of the staff to be at one site.
6. Repair and Maintenance costs increased by $234,000, or 13 per cent due to an increase in
building repairs and maintenance, as well as
computer software maintenance.
7. Energy costs increased by $325,000, or 35 per
cent, from the prior year due to a significant
portion of estimated cost s of electricity for the
new office location.
8. Materials and Supplies expenditures are $373,000, or 23 per cent , higher due to increases in the purchases of inventory, educational supplies, and office/stationery supplies .
9. Grants and contributions increased by $3.25
million, or 11 per cent, due to support for
schools in transition and transformation.
Mr. Chairman, pages B -142 and B -143 show
1,082 FTE posts, an increase of 35 [FTEs ] compared
to [2024]/25. Most of these relate to the increase in
paraprofessionals, substitute teachers and education officers. The department will continue to monitor and
review the number of FTEs, ensuring both efficiency and effectiveness of staff resources.
Mr. Chairman, pages B- 144 through B -147 list
the performance measures for the Department of Edu-cation. These measures reflect the priority areas that will be monitored and for which school and department
staff will be held accountable during the school year.
I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the
Department of Education and all school staff for their
contributions to both education reform and school op-erations over the past year. As we move into the
2025/26 fiscal year, I look forward, with optimism to the
continued progress and achievements that will advance our collective vision of establishing a 21st century, world- class public education system that serves
the needs, passions and aspirations of Bermuda’s chil-dren.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my presentation
on Head 17, the Department of Education and my full
presentation for the Budget Debate today.
I did receive some pre- budget questions and if
those Senators who submitted them would like to ask, I do have responses at this time, or I can just read them.

Very good, Minister. Thank you very
much for that fulsome brief.
Would any Senator who advanced the questions care to ask them at this time?
Senator Cunningham.
Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Fi
rst of all, I would just like to thank the new
Honourable Minister of Education. I look forward to collaborating when we have more than 20 minutes for questions to the betterment of our education system
and ultimately I also want to thank the staff of your department and Ministry as well as all of the teachers in
the public education system, I guess administrators, everyone, for continuing to serve our students despite
an awful lot of ongoing uncertainty.
I asked you three pre- post questions. The first
one was, could you provide the current public school enrolment numbers and how they compare to previous years? Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Surely, I can provide
that response.
In the current year, 2024 ( obviously the school
year began in 2024), in primary, there were 1,856 stu-dents —and we can provide this to you in a graph so
that you don't have to try and scribble it down really quickly —1,662 in middle and senior for a total of 3,518
students for 2024.
Now, compared to the prior year, there were
3,572 students. Going back further, [in 2022 there were] 3,760; in 2021, there were 3,940; and in 2020,
there were 4,112. So, this is five years of information
and as you can see, these numbers have been decreasing, which would inform or correlate to the decreasing birth rate in Bermuda.
Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Yes, and also support
some kind of educational reform programme that is needed.
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Mm-hmm.
Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Thank you very much for
that.
My second question, if I may, was about the
new parish primary schools coming online for Septem-ber 2025, which I believe are Harrington Sound Primary and Elliott. Can the M inister confirm that both of these
schools will be adding P7 and P8 classes in Septem-ber?
Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: You are correct. Those
are the two schools that will be parish primary schools in September. The first phase for September 2025 will be Year 7 at both schools, which is the equivalent of
M1, or what was previously known as M1.
Those students will then transition to Y ear 7,
which is the equivalent of M2 and that will be in 2026. So, Year 7 this year.
Sen. Victoria Cunningham: So, the P6s are going to
go into P7 and the M1s are going to go into M2 in their
middle school. Okay, thank you.


Bermuda Senate And also, as I guess as a supplementary to
that, if I may, can you confirm that all of the works to
ensure the P7 classes at those two primary schools will
be completed over the summer break so there is no, I
guess, no interruption to learning come September?

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: That is the aim. But as
one would know with construction projects and renovations, you know, you may take down something and
find something that's not anticipated. But that is absolutely the aim.
In any case, we do try to ensure that most of
the works can happen during the months when children
are not in school . And if it does run into when school
starts, all safety precautions will be taken to make sure that students are not exposed to things that they wouldn't necessarily need to be. They won't be on a construc-tion site.

Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Good. Good for safety.
And my third pre- posed question was about the
Education Authority and the legislation that we thought was coming. I am just wondering if the Minister is able
to provide a new timeline and reasons for what caused
the delay.

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: Well, I think my brief
did sort of speak to that, that there were . . . we have
had to . . . what is the expression that one used? Measuring twice, cutting once and ensuring that we have a
phased and measured approach to the Education Au-thority. We don't want to rush into doing so and not ensure that we're doing something that's going to be longlasting in spite of who is in Government. We want to
ensure that there is consistency with the Education Authority. There was also a r esource challenge in the A ttorney General 's Chambers ensuring that we had the
right individual . . . they were able to understand the instruction, et cetera, and our aim going forward . . . so
we did have to contend with that as well.
And it is particularly complex , because as one
would know that in setting up what would deem to be
sort of a quango you have to be very careful about where you are making certain . . . putting certain things,
making sure you have the right individuals in place,
making sure you have the right infrastructure, the right
individuals, et cetera. And so, in terms of a timeline, we
want to ensure that we are also engaging all stakeholders appropriately , and I think that we do have some additional, not interventions, but meetings that we need to
have with stakeholders. And so, I would hate to commit
to a specific timeline; but it is definitely my goal to ensure that it's being done quick, fast and in a hurry.

[Laughter]

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: I am not trying to be
obtuse, but I am . . . I want to make sure it is being done
appropriately , and we need to . . . like I said, there was a resource challenge. We have now ensured that we
have that person in place and we are continuing with
our discussions with stakeholders and ensuring that it
is going to be a fulsome piece of legislation. And I certainly do not want to prejudice any of the developments
and/or legislation that will come, but it is going to be a
phased approach in how we develop it.
I will definitely keep the Senate updated on that
as I am the Minister here. So, who knows, you might
get that information first . . . obviously after C abinet.

[Laughter]

Sen. the Hon. Crystal Caesar: So those were the
three questions , or pre- post questions. I welcome at
this time, depending on how much time we have left, if there are any additional questions.

We certainly do have a little bit of time
left, I guess . . . we have 11 minutes left.
Senator Tannock , you have your hand up.
Would you like to ask a question?
Sen. Tawana Tannock: Yes, thank you. Thank you,
[Mr. Chairman] .
Minister, my first question is relating to Head
16, Ministry of Education H eadquarters , under the G eneral Summary, the only head, the only entity or the only
section that doesn't have performance measures . . .
So, we have G eneral Administration, 26000;
Grants to External Bodies, 26080; Scholarships and
Awards , 2609 0. Then we have Educational Reform
Unit, 26140 that has no performance measures. Can
you let us know why that is the only provision that
doesn't have any performance measures and how, if
that is the case, we can measure that success?
I can continue with my other questions in the
interest of time. Okay, thank you.

Please do, Senator Tannock, yes.
Sen. Tawana Tannock: Thank you.
And so then . . . I am going to Head 17, on
page B-145, I just wanted some clarity, and this is sort
of the bulk of questions, right? So, if we take the primary schools, special schools, middle schools . . . well,
maybe the primary schools, I suppose, and the middle
schools.
I just wanted some clarity around the results
that were given. F or instance, if we are on page B-145
and we look at business unit 1705 P rimary Schools, we
come down, one, two, three, four, P4 to P6 students
achieving targeted growth for reading. And we see
across the board, 60 [per cent] , 65 per cent, 60 [per
cent] , 65 per cent. My question is, Is that average of all
the primary schools? So do we take the primary schools that have the lower reading results, and we
take the primary schools that have the high er reading
280 4 June 2025 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda Senate results, and we average them. Is it possible to get a
breakdown per school of what the results are?
And that is my question, and that follows for all
of the results given for the primary schools, and also
the middle schools, and also the high schools. Is it pos-sible to get a breakdown of performance and scores by
school, or is that information available somewhere?
And when we look at the amounts allotted in
the budget for schools, is the performance of each individual school —not the aggregate, is the performance
of each individual school —reflective of the funds being
channelled to that school?
So once again, what I'm looking for is, is there
somewhere to access a breakdown, not a cumulative
60 per cent of P4 to P6 students ; 60 per cent of P4 to
P6 students in which school? And that is for all the as-sessments.
And then I just have, and I don't want to take
up a lot of time, so I just wanted to raise one more point,
and that is under Head 17 as well, under 1708 with the
senior secondary schools, one, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, going seven down, students passing advanced placement exams at a score of 3 or higher. The
actual outcome in 20 23/24 year was 4 per cent. The
original forecast was 80 per cent, and a revised forecast is 80 per cent. How do we intend to get from 4 per
cent, the actual outcome, to 80 per cent?
Thank you, Minister.

Time remaining—eight minutes.
Sen. Victoria Cunningham: Okay, thank you.
So, a question overall on education reform.
Obviously, there must have been some kind of projections done up front . But I am just wondering if the, I
guess, the G overnment or the R eform Unit or the Ministry has actually done an analysis of expenditure to
date so that they can see . . . or kind of almost see I
guess the ballpark estimate of how much each new signature school or parish primary or whatever will cost as the transformation project continues. Have you got
some ideas?
And then, going on to my favourite, because it
is scholarship season. Can you clarify, or can the M inister clarify what percentage of the . . . I believe you
said 58 of the scholarships that you give out go to public school students . And I recognise that it can be quite
difficult because some are coming out of Bermuda College when they get these. But let's say public school
and Bermuda College versus private or overseas institutions. And then, what tracking is done by the Ministry for postgraduate outcomes of these students? So, to
ensure that they are employable with whatever degrees
or further training they've got.
And I am quite concerned about the decline in
applications. Obviously, you have just mentioned that
there is a decline in public school enrolment, so I would
think if you were taking a percentage of graduates that
that would be the case. But it is my opinion that private school students can also apply for these. So, a 12.4 per
cent reduction in applicants over a one- year period is
quite disturbing. Does that show that . . . well, actually,
it paints a different picture, I guess. But does it show
that our st udents are not pursuing post -secondary education and they are going more into the trades or apprenticeships that are on the Island, noting that there
are a number through Bermuda G overnment already
with the IT?
But are we actually tracking what those students are doing? And then, are we aligning the needs
of the future workforce with those awards? R ecognising
that we will probably need business, tech, health care
and trades in the future. And so, are we aligning those?
So, how is staff morale being managed alongside what I would call probably reform fatigue, especially with recruitment?
For interest, I would like to know the cost per
substitute teacher compared to a full -time teacher and
why we do not just bring the . . . more full -time teachers.
I get the point of a substitute.
And also, I am a little concerned about the attendance having a zero budget . I would also like to
know what strategies are being used to address chronic absenteeism. I was at one of the . . . let’s just
say I was at one of the public schools and 50 per cent
of their students were late every day of the one week
that I was in. Late or . . . not necessarily chronically late
but within 10 minutes, somewhere over an hour. But I
thought that was not something we want to encourage.
And I'll wait for some answers.
But I also have a point to make. I do not know
where your brief actually goes, but a lot of your performance metrics were actually flipped. You were reporting the actual outcome of 2023 /24 rather than the revised 2024/25 or the target, just as a heads up.
So, one of them that was —