Hansard — November 9, 2018 — Bermuda Parliament

The Speaker The Speaker Good morning, Members. Welcome back after your summer recess. [Gavel] ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER

The Speaker The Speaker Members, you know that we have a brief waiting period as we go through the formalities, [before we] go down below for the formalities. As you know, the Senate is now officially in this building in their Chambers. So, the Senate is doing their process of sw earing in the …

The Speaker The Speaker Members, you will note that we have Youth Parliament Members with us this morning. I see Ms. Lightbourne, the Youth Deputy Premier. And the Youth Speaker is supposed to be joining [us]. I am looking; I do not see him at the moment. I am sure he will be with …

The Speaker The Speaker Members, we will take order again. We have just received the signal that the Senate is on its way. So, we can start our proceedings. We will start with the Deputy Speaker, who is going to make his motion. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER S 14 AND 21 Hon. Derrick V. …

The Speaker The Speaker [Are there] any ob jections to the Deputy’s asking for suspension of the [Standing Orders] ? No objections. [Motion carried: Standing Orders 14 and 21 suspended.]

The Speaker The Speaker Proceed, Deputy. DEPUTY SPEAKER'S MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNOR Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: May it please Your Excellency . We are directed by the House of Assembly to inform Your Excellency that the House has met.

The Speaker The Speaker Thank you, Deputy. The two Members who have been selected to take the message to the Governor can now proceed down to the Cabinet grounds. It is Minister Dickinson and MP Pearman. You can proceed down now. [Inaudible interjection]

The Speaker The Speaker You have the message. [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]

The Speaker The Speaker Proceed . . . hold on one second, gentlemen. [Pause]

The Speaker The Speaker Members, again, as we are waiting, just a bit of housekeeping. You will note that the air quality in the building seems much better than what it used to be. We now have screens in the windows on the porch, and the air circulates regularly, which means, Mem bers, when …

The Speaker The Speaker Yes, yes. And keep your tone and content of your conversation at the right measure. We have now received the letter from . . . I am sorry. No, no. [Inaudible interjections and laughter ] [Pause] MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR

The Speaker The Speaker Members, as we wait for the next portion, I will read out the letter that has come from the Governor. The letter indicates: “I have the honour to inform the House of A ssembly that I will deliver the speech on the occasion of the Convening of Parliament at 11:00 …

The Speaker The Speaker Thank you. Members, we will now proceed down to the Cabinet lawns. I believe you have been given an order we are to follow. And we will follow that order. Proceedings suspended at 10:41 am Proceedings resumed at 12:15 pm [Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair]

The Speaker The Speaker Members, [as] per normal, the first O rder will be that we will take the official photo. And then we will proceed with the business of the day. So, M r. Photographer, once the Sergeant -atArms and Ms. Place finish distributing the Throne Speech, we are in your hands as …

The Speaker The Speaker Members, the photographer is going to provide instruction as to how he wants us positioned for this photograph. So – The Photographer: So, well, first, hopefully, we can clear off the desks so we can get a great photo. Just declutter the desks.

The Speaker The Speaker Yes. Clear your desks off so the photo looks nice and clean. [Pause] [Group photo by DCI and LookBermuda]

The Speaker The Speaker Members, we are just waiting for the Sergeant to secure the House and the photographer to clear out his items, and we will be ready to start today’s proceedings. [Pause]

The Speaker The Speaker Mr. Premier, would you like to move your motion? SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS 14 AND 21 Hon. E. David Burt: Good morning, Mr. Speaker . . . Or, sorry. Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I move that Standing Orders 14 and 21 be suspended to enab le me to move a …

The Speaker The Speaker Continue. [Motion carried: Standing Orders 14 and 21 suspended.] MOTION THAT THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECH BE TAKEN AS READ AND SET DOWN FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE NEXT DAY OF M EETING Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move that the Speech with which His …

The Speaker The Speaker Thank you, Mr. Premier. Any objections to that? No such objections. It will be tabled for the first Order of Business at the next sitting. Bermuda House of Assembly [Motion carried: S peech from the Throne taken as read and set down for consideration at the next meeting.] CONFIRMATION OF …

The Speaker The Speaker The Minutes of the 10th of August 2018 to be confirmed. [Minutes of 10 August 2018 confirmed] [Crosstalk] MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR

The Speaker The Speaker There are none. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SPEAKER OR MEMBER PRESIDING 50TH PARLIAMENTARY PRAYER BREAKFAST

The Speaker The Speaker There are two announcements this morning. Just a reminder to all Members: Next Friday, November the 16th, is actually the 50th Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast. So, Members if you have it in your calendar, it is just a reminder for you to be present for next week’s prayer breakfast. APOLOGY

The Speaker The Speaker The other announcement is that we have received notice from the Honourable Michael Dunkley that he will be absent today. He is the only Member who has given any indication.

An Hon. Member An Hon. Member He is going to pay for it, too. MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE

The Speaker The Speaker There are none. PAPERS AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TO THE HOUSE

The Speaker The Speaker We do have papers to be communicated to the House today. I believe there are some five papers on the Order [Paper]. I will call on the Honourable Minister of Finance as the first Minister to table his matters at this point. Minister. Hon. Curtis L. Dickinson: Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker The Speaker Yes. MUTUAL RE -INSURANCE FUND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2016 Hon. Curtis L. Dickinson: I have the honour to attach and submit for the information of the Honourable House of Assembly the Mutual Re- Insurance Fund Audited Financial Statements for the fiscal year ending …

The Speaker The Speaker Thank you. Minister Wilson, I believe you have the next [paper]. Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Thank y ou. Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker The Speaker Good afternoon. HEALTH INSURANCE FUND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 31 ST OF MARCH 2016 FUTURECARE FUND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 31ST OF MARCH 2016 BERMUDA HOSPITALS BOARD (HOSPITAL FEES) REGULATIONS 2018 Hon. Kim N. Wilson: I have the honour to attach and …

The Speaker The Speaker Thank you. Minister of Works.

Lt. Col. Hon. David A. Burch Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker The Speaker Yes. LAND TITLE (STAMP DUTIES ACT) AMENDMENT REGULATIONS 2018

Lt. Col. Hon. David A. Burch I have the honour to attach and submit for the information of the Honour able House of Assembly the Land Title (Stamp Duties Act) Amendment Regulations 2018.

The Speaker The Speaker Thank you. The Clerk: As a note for Members of Parliament, the Bermuda Hospital Regs and the Bermuda Land Title Regs will be circulated electronically to Members. 4 9 November 2018 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly PETITIONS

The Speaker The Speaker There are none. STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS AND JUNIOR MINISTERS

The Speaker The Speaker There are none. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

The Speaker The Speaker There are none. QUESTION PERIOD

The Speaker The Speaker No. There are none. CONGRATULATORY AND/OR OBITUARY SPEECHES

The Speaker The Speaker There are none this morning. We are carrying that over until next week. MATTERS OF PRIVILEGE

The Speaker The Speaker There are none. PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS

The Speaker The Speaker There are none. NOTICE OF MOTIONS FOR THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE ON MAT TERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

The Speaker The Speaker There are none. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS GOVERNMENT BILLS

The Speaker The Speaker Yes. I believe we have five Gover nment Bills to be introduced this morning. Again, we call on the Minister of Finance first. Minister Dickinson, you have the floor. FIRST READINGS INVESTMENT FUNDS AMENDMENT ACT 2018 CUSTOMS TARIFF AMENDMENT (NO. 3) ACT 2018 Hon. Curtis L. Dickinson: Mr. Speaker, I …

The Speaker The Speaker Thank you. Deputy Premier, you can do yours next. DEBT COLLECTION AMENDMENT ACT 2018 Hon. Walter H. Roban: Mr. Speaker, thank you. I am introducing the following Bill for its first reading so that it may be placed on the Order Paper for the next day of meeting: Debt Collection …

The Speaker The Speaker Thank you. Minister Wilson. NURSING AMENDMENT ACT 2018 Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill for its first reading so that it may be placed on the Order Paper for the next day of meeting, namely, the Nursing Amendment Act 2018.

The Speaker The Speaker Thank you. Minister De Silva. BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY AMENDMENT ACT 2018 Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill for its first reading so that it may be placed on the Order Paper for the next day of meeting: the …

The Speaker The Speaker Thank you. OPPOSITION BILLS

The Speaker The Speaker There are none. PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILLS

The Speaker The Speaker There are none. NOTICES OF MOTIONS

The Speaker The Speaker There are none. ORDERS OF THE DAY

The Speaker The Speaker Orders of the Day. I think we have gone through the cycle of the Orders for today. Mr. Premier, would you like to move another motion for us? Bermuda House of Assembly ADJOURNMENT Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It would be my pleasure, Mr. Speaker. …

The Speaker The Speaker Any objections? No objections to that. The House will now stand adjourned until Friday next at 10:00 am. As I close, I would like to just thank the Members of the Youth Parliament —again, the Yout h Deputy Premier, Ms. Lightbourne; and the Youth Speaker, Mr. Thomas —for their assistance …

The Speaker The Speaker Members, remember, this is the veterans’ memorial weekend, [Remembrance Day]. And there are many activities that we have been asked to participate in, and it would be nice for our presence to be felt. Thank you. Enjoy your weekend and your holiday. [Gavel] [At 12:20 pm, the House stood adjourned …

November 9, 2018

Debate Transcript