The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe Minutes have been confirmed for the 8th of September 2017. Confirmed. The Clerk: Are there any objections?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. [Minutes of 8 September 2017 confirmed] MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SPEAKER OR MEMBER PRESIDING
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAt this time, we will do the swearing- in and oaths for the Members who were not here last week. Madam Clerk, would you like to call those Members? The Clerk: Okay. Members, the Honourable M. H. Dunkley, Mr. L. C. Cannonier, Mrs. J. J. Atherden, and the Honourable T. …
At this time, we will do the swearing- in and oaths for the Members who were not here last week. Madam Clerk, would you like to call those Members? The Clerk: Okay. Members, the Honourable M. H. Dunkley, Mr. L. C. Cannonier, Mrs. J. J. Atherden, and the Honourable T. G. Moniz, would you please come forth so that you can be sworn in by the Speaker? Thank you. You can do it one at a time.
[Pause]
OATH OF ALLEGIANCE HON. MICHAEL H. DUNKLEY Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Sp eaker and Members of the House, oath of allegiance. I do swear that I will be faithful, bear true all egiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors, according to law, so help me God.
OATH OF ALLEGIANCE MRS. JEANNE J. ATHERDEN
Mrs. Jeanne J. AtherdenI do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors, according to law, so help me God. OATH OF ALLEGIANCE MR. L. CRAIG CANNONIER
Mr. L. Craig CannonierI do swear that I will be fait hful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors, according to law, so help me God. OATH OF ALLEGIANCE HON. TREVOR G. MONIZ Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: I do swear that I will be faithful and …
I do swear that I will be fait hful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors, according to law, so help me God.
OATH OF ALLEGIANCE HON. TREVOR G. MONIZ
Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: I do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Eliz abeth II, her heirs and successors, according to law.
The Clerk: Okay. Now you do the Oath of an Assemblyman.
OATH OF AN ASSEMBLYMAN HON. MICHAEL H. DUNKLEY
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, I, being a Member of this present Assembly, do swear by Almighty God to use and employ my best endeavour therein for the general good without any respect to private interest, gain or advantage, striving to discharge a good conscience in all equity and int egrity during my continuance therein.
OATH OF AN ASSEMBLYMAN MRS . JEANNE J. ATHERDEN
Mrs. Jeanne J. AtherdenMr. Speaker, and Members of the House, I, being a Member of this present Assembly, do swear by Almighty God to use and employ my best endeavour therein for the general good 14 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly without any respect to private interest, gain …
Mr. Speaker, and Members of the House, I, being a Member of this present Assembly, do swear by Almighty God to use and employ my best endeavour therein for the general good 14 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly without any respect to private interest, gain or advantage, striving to discharge a good conscience in all equity and integrity during my continuance therein.
OATH OF AN ASSEMBLYMAN MR. L. CRAIG CANNONIER
Mr. L. Craig CannonierI, being a Member of this present Assembly, do swear by Almighty God to use and employ my best endeavour therein for the general good without any respect to private interest, gain or advantage, striving to discharge a good conscience in all equity and integrity during my continuance therein. OATH …
I, being a Member of this present Assembly, do swear by Almighty God to use and employ my best endeavour therein for the general good without any respect to private interest, gain or advantage, striving to discharge a good conscience in all equity and integrity during my continuance therein.
OATH OF AN ASSEMBLYMAN HON. TREVOR G. MONIZ
Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: Mr. Speaker, I, being a Member of this present Assembly, do swear by Almighty God to use and employ my best endeavour therein for the general good without any respect to private interest, gain or advantage, striving to discharge a good conscience in all equity and integrity during my continuance therein.
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SPEAKER OR MEMBER PRESIDING
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Members. I think now all Members of the House have been duly sworn in. The next announcement will be that of the sessional and standing committees . Members, there are seven such committees. SESSIONAL SELECT COMMITTEES
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI am going to do the sessional ones first, the first being the Register of Members’ Inte rests. The chairman for that will be the Honourable Member, Mr. Michael Weeks. The next m ember will actually come from the Senate, the Senator , Mr. Vance Campbell. The other m ember …
I am going to do the sessional ones first, the first being the Register of Members’ Inte rests. The chairman for that will be the Honourable Member, Mr. Michael Weeks. The next m ember will actually come from the Senate, the Senator , Mr. Vance Campbell. The other m ember , from this House, will be the Honourable T. S. Furbert. Then it is the Honourable S. A. Simmons; the Honourable R. P. Commissiong; the Honourable E. G. Gibbons; and from the Senate, the Senator N. S. Davis [Outerbridge] . The next committee will be that of the Private Bills . The chairm an is the Deputy Speaker, the Honourable D. V. Burgess. The next m ember s are the Honourable R. D. Ming ; the Honourable J. C. Baron; the Honourable M. J. Scott; the Honourable T. G. Moniz ; Senator V. M. Campbell ; and Senator J. S . Jardin e. The next committee is that of the Office of the Auditor . The chairman is the Honourable R. D. Ming. The next m ember is the Honourable N. S. Ty rrell; the next is the Honourable R. P. Commissiong; the next member is [Ms.] L. K. Scott; and the remai ning member is [Mr.] S. D. Richards. The next c ommittee is that of the Public A ccounts . The chair is the Honourable J. J. Atherden; the next member s are the Honourable. M. A. Weeks; the Honourable W. L. Furbert; the Honourable S. E. Jackson; the Honourable N. S. Ty rrell; the Honourable D. J. Lister; [and] the Honourable N. [H.]. Simons.
ANNUAL SELECT COMMITTEES
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe next three committees are named “Annual” that being the House and Grounds . The chairman for that is the Deputy Speaker, the Honourable D. V. Burgess; the Honourable S. A. Simmons ; the Honourable L. A. Scott; the Honourable L. C. Cannonier; the Honourable B. S. Smith. Then there …
The next three committees are named “Annual” that being the House and Grounds . The chairman for that is the Deputy Speaker, the Honourable D. V. Burgess; the Honourable S. A. Simmons ; the Honourable L. A. Scott; the Honourable L. C. Cannonier; the Honourable B. S. Smith. Then there is the Standing Orders and Priv ilege Committee , which is chaired by myself, the Speaker ; the Premier, the Hono urable David Burt; the Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Patricia Gordon- Pamplin. Then it is [Mrs.] S. E. Jackson ; the Honourable M. A. Weeks ; and the Honourable D. V. Burgess. The last committee is that of Regulations . And the chairman for that is the Honourable H. K. [E.] Swan ; then the Honourable T. C. Famous ; and then the Honourable M. J. Scott; the Honourable L. C. Cannonier ; and the Honourable M. H. Dunkley. Those are the committees that will ser ve for this House and session.
MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. PAPERS AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TO THE HOUSE
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWe have three papers. And I will first recognis e Mr. Premier. SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES ( NO. 1 ) FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 2017/18 Hon. E. David Burt: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to powers conferred by section 96(3) of the Bermuda Constitution, I have the honour to attach and …
We have three papers. And I will first recognis e Mr. Premier.
SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES ( NO. 1 ) FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 2017/18
Hon. E. David Burt: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to powers conferred by section 96(3) of the Bermuda Constitution, I have the honour to attach and submit for the consideration of the House of Assembly the following Supplementary Estimates: Supplementary Estimates (No. 1) for F inancial Year 2017/18.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDo you have a second one, Premier? Hon. E. David Burt: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerContinue. B ermuda House of Assembly BERMUDA MONETARY AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016 Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to attach and submit for the information of the House of Assembly the Bermuda Monetary Authority Annual Report 2016, laid for information of the House of A ssembly.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. The third communication, is that of the Minister of Health? Minister Wilson. BERMUDA HEALTH COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to attach and submit for the information of the Honourable House of Assembly the …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. No more communications? [ No audible response] PETITIONS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS AND JUNIOR MINISTERS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI believe we have nine Statements this morning. Premier, will you lead off?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThey were circulated. They should be on your desk. Any Member who does not have them, just let us know. [ Pause] The Clerk: All Members were circulated their copies. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, am I okay to pr oceed?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerEveryone comfortable? They have got their copies? Proceed, Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: Thank you. SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE (NO. 1) 2017/18 Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to provide information on Supplementary Estimate (No. 1) for 2017/18, which was tabled in …
Everyone comfortable? They have got their copies? Proceed, Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: Thank you. SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE (NO. 1) 2017/18 Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to provide information on Supplementary Estimate (No. 1) for 2017/18, which was tabled in this Honourable House earlier today. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Finance policy is to place supplementary estimate requests before t he legislature just prior to the conclusion of the financial year. However, considering that there has been a change in government, it is prudent to table a suppl ementary estimate at this time in order to highlight the supplementary estimates that were the responsibility of the former Government. Notwithstanding that these items will be debated at a later date, I can advise that Supplementary Estimate (No. 1) 2017/18 is a combination of unbudgeted expenditure items which were incurred by the previous administration. The supple-mentary request directly relates to contractual com-mitments of the former Government for the America’s Cup, the World Triathlon Series, the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission, the Bermuda Airport Authority Capital Grants, the redevelopment of the airport, and a Memorandum of Understanding for the St. George’s hotel development. Specific details of some of the supplementary estimates are as follo ws: •An additional $4.3 million in sponsorshipguarantees paid to the America’s Cup Event Authority in addition to the under budgeted amount of $15 million. This under budgeting occurr ed despite the advice of the ACBDA to budget at least $18 million. The total of $19.3 million was paid to the America’s Cup EventAuthority last month; •$2.9 million to host the World Tr iathlon Series in 2018; •$1.6 million to fund the operation of the Gaming Commission; •$1.7 million to provide additional ferry s ervices for the America’s Cup, as no additional fundswere included in the budget for the additional service provided during the America’s Cup; •$1. 9 million to undertake certain infrastructure works as part of an agreement with Desarrollos Hotelco Group, the developers of the proposed St. Regis Hotel in St. George’s; and •$290 ,000 to fund the relocation of the post office mail facility from the airport, to avoid pen-alties and having to pay rent to Aecon. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, these items will be debated in detail, including input from the relevant and accountable ministries and Minister , at a later date. Mr. Speaker, this Government will try its utmost to ensure that the projected deficit for 2017/18 16 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly does not worsen. But we cannot let past lapses with regards to handling the public purse by the former Government hamper our efforts to establish a better and fairer Bermuda that was promised in our election platform. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. The next Statement is that of the Minister of Tourism, Honourable Member, Mr. Simmons. Minister. AUDIT OF THE BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2016 Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, and good morning, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to provide this Honourable …
Thank you, Mr. Premier. The next Statement is that of the Minister of Tourism, Honourable Member, Mr. Simmons. Minister.
AUDIT OF THE BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2016 Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, and good morning, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to provide this Honourable House with the summary findings of the audit of the Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA ] (or the Authority ) for the year ending December 31st, 2016, that was presented to me shortly after becoming the Minister with respons ibility f or the Authority. I must say that I was quite di sturbed with its findings and the lack of accountability — of which I will hig hlight further in my Statement. Mr. Speaker, in planning and performing the audit of financial statements of the BTA, the Auditor General reviewed the accounting procedures and sy stems of internal controls to the extent that it was considered necessary to evaluate the system as required by generally accepted auditing standards. During the course of the audit, 13 areas of improvements and the need for strengthened internal controls wer e ident ified. These include the following : 1. No evidence to support that either the Compensation and Remuneration Committee or the BTA Board ensured that the eligibility criteria for bonuses to the Executive Management T eam were met . 2. Performance appraisal forms of selected employees were not provided by the Authority. The personal component of the incentive bonus calculation is based on the individual performance appraisal of the Authority’s employees . 3. A lack of board approval for 30 per cent discre tionary bonus to the former CEO . 4. A credit balance in accrued income. A payment was incorrectly posted as a credit instead of bad debt recovery . 5. A lack of signed contracts for services and sponsorships . 6. Payments made prior to completion of milestones . 7. Incomplete disclosures related to party transactions . 8. Revisions to new capitalis ation policy. The Authority’s current policy does not contain requir e-ments for asset identification numbers and regular verifica tion of the register’s contents . 9. Inconsistency in estimated useful lives. The Authority’s financial statements estimate the useful lives of equipment at 3–5 years , whereas the Author ity’s Master Financial Policy for depreciation is five years. 10. The former CEO of the Authority referr ed to it as a “private sector organisation” in June 2016 Board minutes. The Authority is, in fact, a public a uthority . 11. In- camer a sessions of board meetings. Twelve of the thirteen board minutes for the year i nclude in- camera sessions which are not recorded in the minutes . 12. The Audit and Risk Committee minutes of September 2016 confirmed that the c ommittee would meet every quarter. However, there were no meetings held for either the last quarter of 2016 or the first quarter of 2017 . 13. Declaration of Interests by employees and potential employees. The Authority did not provide a response on whether they had received any declar ations of interests from any employees , and how this requirement is communicated to its employees. Mr. Speaker , in response to the aforementioned items, the Auditor General submitted the follo wing recommendations: For those charged with governance to perform their role in a responsible manner —minimally , the executive management —bonus eligibility should be r eviewed and approved. Accordingly, the board should update its g overnance charter to ensure that there is proper oversight and review of incentive bonuses , particularly for the executive management team. Given the discretionary nature of the incentive bonus awarded to the for mer CEO, the b oard or the Compensation and Remuneration Committee should approve the bonus percentage awarded to the former CEO and document such approval in its minutes. The board should ensure that the minutes of all meetings, including in- camera sessions , are doc umented. Although the Authority has its own financial policies, the Government’s Financial Instructions should form the minimum standard for financial co ntrols in every quango. The Audit and Risk Committee should comply with its policy. Managemen t should • follow its compensation philosophy and e nsure the timely completion of the signed performance appraisals. Moreover, the Compen-sation and Remuneration Committee should not be approving the incentive bonuses prior to receipt of the completed perform ance appraisal forms ; • correct misstatements in a timely manner ; • ensure contracts are timely signed to manage any potential contract risk to the Authority ;
Bermuda House of Assembly • ensure that the contract provisions are met prior to making any payments ; • ensure compliance with all relevant disclosure requirements of Public Sector Accounting Standards (PSAS ) when preparing its financial statements ; • review and amend, if necessary, its depreci ation policy to ensure that it is implemented consistently ; • comply w ith all of the requirements of its Act. Mr. Speaker , these observations do not highlight all points or suggestions for improvements to the system of internal control. It does, however, isolate problem areas so that corrective measures can be undertaken. I can report to this Honourable House that the Bermuda Tourism Authority has acknow ledged the issues raised in this report and has begun to implement these recommendations. However, it is unfortunate that such measures had to be identified through the audit process for actions to be undertaken to improve the level of transparency within this organ isation. Mr. Speaker , as Minister responsible for Tourism, I am obligated to increase the accountability of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, develop a process for better monitoring the funds utili sed by the BTA, while demanding a greater return on investment. The findings of this audit are unacceptable , and I will be monitoring the BTA closely to ensure higher standards of transpar ency and accountability from that organi sation. To this end, my Ministry will be reviewing the u pdates relating to the items identified in this report and will keep this Honourable House updated accordingly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. I believe the next Statement is from the Honourable Minister for Health, Minister Wilson. BERMUDA’S 50 MILLION STEPS CHALLENGE Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker , I stand before this Honourable House to highlight an important initiative within the Ministry of Health, namely, “Bermuda’s 50 Million Steps …
Thank you, Minister. I believe the next Statement is from the Honourable Minister for Health, Minister Wilson.
BERMUDA’S 50 MILLION STEPS CHALLENGE
Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker , I stand before this Honourable House to highlight an important initiative within the Ministry of Health, namely, “Bermuda’s 50 Million Steps Challenge. ” Mr. Speaker, I think everyone in Bermuda is now fully aware of the da mage being caused to our community by our high rates of obesity and chronic non-communicable conditions , such as diabetes. These preventable conditions cut our lives short, are notoriously expensive to treat, and destroy quality of life and productivity. Most Western high- income c ountries are grappling with the same problem , and Bermuda is no different. Mr. Speaker , the Ministry of Health is commi tted to combatting this scourge on our population, and our Throne Speech promised that the Government will engage all sect ors of society in a coordinated strategic plan to halt the rise in obesity and diabetes in Berm u-da. First on the agenda is to engage all sectors of s ociety, Mr. Speaker, and that is the 50 Million Steps initiative. On Monday, 26 June 2017, the Department of Health launched the Bermuda’s 50 Million Steps Cha llenge. It is an opportunity for residents to improve our Island’s health while having fun at the same time. Participants were encouraged to join their parish team and collectively walk 50 million steps. In addition, friendly competitions have begun between the nine parishes, and that has been encouraged in order to see which team will be ranked with the highest step average. Team rankings occur when the total num ber of steps accumulated by all team members per day are added and then divided by the number of team members, to obtain the team’s daily average and thus the team’s overall ranking. The winning parish will be announced at the annual “Celebrating Wellness ” event on Wednesday, the 27 th of [September] 2017, at Victoria Park, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Mr. Speaker, Celebrating Wellness is an annual outdoor event to promote physical activity and healthy eating. This year’s theme focuses on securing a brighter f uture for our youth, by establishing early positive health behaviours to prevent chronic noncommunicable diseases. The parish that wins the 50 Million Step Challenge will receive outdoor fitness equipment to be placed in a designated park in that parish! To date, participants have surpassed the 50 million steps goal and are on course to reach 100 mi llion steps . Congratulations to the participants who have contributed their steps to the original goal. There still remain a couple of weeks left in the chall enge , so my challenge to h onourable colleagues , and to the public , is that they participate, and I encourage them to do so. Mr. Speaker, initiatives like this promote the importance of active living. Physical activity and healthy eating have long been proven to reduce the risk of chronic non- communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Consistent phy sical activity , like walking , helps also improve quality of life, mental health , and healthy a geing. In addition, Mr. Speaker, walking is a truly affordable way of improving one’s health. It does not require a gym mem bership or expensive equipment —just a pair of shoes. On a personal note, Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to remind all walkers and joggers to please w ear reflective gear while on Bermuda’s roads, especially when there is poor visibility at night. I have personally seen too many walkers in the dark who are not visible until a vehicle is too close. Walkers —you can see the cars, but the cars cannot see you without reflective gear. So, p lease wear it. Mr. Speaker, Bermuda is at a health cros sroads. According to the 2014 STEPS Health Survey of Adults in Bermuda, 75 percent of adults were over18 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly weight or obese, representing 40.2 per cent and 34.4 per cent, res pectively . Only 18 per cent of adults consume five or more servings of fruit and/or veget ables per day. Thirty -three percent reported having high blood pressure, and 12 per cent reported having diabetes. A concerted effort must be made to decrease these modifiable risk factors —such as overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, poor diet, high blood sugar and high blood pressure. It is going to take an all -of-society approach to tackle the obesity epidemic, including the private and public sectors, superm arkets, restaurants, educators , and policymakers. All of us are needed to address this very serious health problem. Fellow Honourable Members, if you have not done so already, I invite you to join me in the Berm uda 50 Million Steps Challenge in the final weeks of the competition. You can log your steps via your fitness device, smartphone, or manually. Just yesterday, I registered 13,068 steps on my own step counter. To join me, just log on to www.stridekick.com/tc/bermuda or e- mail healthpr omotion@gov.bm for more information about the cha llenge. Sign up and join your parish team to see who walks the walk around here! I should point out that , currently , the Parish of St George’s are leading the race in first place, with Pembroke and Paget hot on their heels! But I think all teams would love additional steppers , so please join in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. The next Statement that we have is that of the Minister of Home Affairs, Minister Brown. Minister Brown, the floor is yours. THE NEXT WAVE OF CHANGES TO IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Hon. Walton Brown: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, as the …
Thank you, Minister. The next Statement that we have is that of the Minister of Home Affairs, Minister Brown. Minister Brown, the floor is yours.
THE NEXT WAVE OF CHANGES TO IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Hon. Walton Brown: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, as the new Minister of Home A ffairs, it is my view that certain immigration policies and procedures must be immediately addressed so that the Department of Immigration [ the Department ] will continue to be effective and efficient in achieving the Home Affairs Ministry’s primary mandate —that is, to improve the economy by addressing the needs of the local and international business community and the career aspirations of Bermudians. As such, I rise t oday to communicate that the following changes are in train: 1. enhancements to the Musician/Entertainer Policy; 2. careful assessments of Statements of —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Can I ask you to pause for one second? I think other Members have their micr ophones on. Just as a caution to other Members, please make sure your microphone is off, because your co nversation could be transferred over the airways. Minister, resume your Statement. Hon. Walton Brown: …
Minister. Can I ask you to pause for one second? I think other Members have their micr ophones on. Just as a caution to other Members, please make sure your microphone is off, because your co nversation could be transferred over the airways. Minister, resume your Statement. Hon. Walton Brown: Mr. Speaker, you have startled me. Now I need to recompose myself.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerJust do not start at the beginning; that is all. [Laughter] Hon. Walton Brown: So, I rise today to communicate that the following changes are in train: 1. enhancements to the Musician/Entertainer Policy; 2. careful assessments of Statements of Employment; 3. closer monitoring of the recruitment processes by employers; and …
Just do not start at the beginning; that is all. [Laughter]
Hon. Walton Brown: So, I rise today to communicate that the following changes are in train: 1. enhancements to the Musician/Entertainer Policy; 2. careful assessments of Statements of Employment; 3. closer monitoring of the recruitment processes by employers; and 4. effecting a plan to return the full processing of British Overseas Territories Citizen (BOTC) (Bermuda) passports to Bermuda. Mr. Speaker, the aforementioned list compri ses the next wave of changes to i mmigration policies and procedures. I take care in us ing the phrase “the next wave of changes” on the premise that , on A ugust 25, 2017, by way of a press statement, I indicated that employers are now required to “submit ” police certificates to the Department. For the sake of clarity , and before I elaborate on the next wave of changes I wish to remind the Honourable Members of this House that the press release emphasis ed the follo wing key points: • the request for employers to submit police certificates applies to first -time residents only ; • employers should al ready have police certif icates on record; and • employers had one business day to submit police certificates for work permit applications which have already been submitted, but where a decision had not yet been made. Mr. Speaker, the deadline for the submis sion of police certificates for work permit applications that had already been submitted to the Department, but for which no decision had been rendered, was set at A ugust 28, 2017. This deadline was aggressive because the 2015 Work Permit Policies already mandated that employers had to obtain police certificates and keep them on record in the event that the Department of Immigration requested to review them. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that by August 30, 2017, the technical officers of the Depar tment confirmed that they had already received an i nflux of police certificates, that inquiries by employers were minimal, and that employers who did contact the Department did so primarily to give assurance that
Bermuda House of Assembly they would be submitting their police certific ates or that they had already done so. Mr. Speaker, I personally have received varied feedback with respect to the request that emplo yers now need to submit police certificates. Some feedback suggested that a grace period should have been given. However, the quick actions by many employers suggest that the request has not at al l been burdensome to employers —or to prospective first -time residents, for that matter. I hesitate to think that employers who have not yet submitted police certificates for work per mit applications that are in process have provided false information in the application form for work permits and are therefore in breach of the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act 1956. Mr. Speaker, the submission of police certif icates i s a step in t he right direction, particularly in consideration that , for the L. F. Wade International Airport Redevelopment Project, individuals (including Bermudians) are heavily scrutini sed, and those with a criminal record are deemed the most unlikely to meet the security clearance and are prevented from wor king in certain areas. The point here is that an i ndivid ual’s criminal record is directly assessed by Bermuda Skyport Corporation Limited and its associates. It is therefore unfair that , for other organi sations, criminal records are not directly assessed by the Department. It is unfair that non- Bermudians could enjoy an advantage over Bermudians by securing employment in Bermuda. So, the requirement to submit police certif icates to the Department and allow for dir ect asses sment by the Board of Immigration and technical offi cers applies to all employers and all job categories. Mr. Speaker, I will now communicate four new changes that the Department is working on. First, the policy relating to musicians/entertainers is being e nhanced to ensure that Bermudian musicians and e ntertainers are given fair opportunities for employment. The policy will 1. address the recruitment process for all forms of possible employment for non- Bermudian and Bermudian musicians/entertainers throughout Bermuda; 2. ensure advertisements are not tailor -made; 3. judiciously review work permit applications where one genre of music is appropriate for an occasion or event; 4. support tourism initiatives aligned with the Hotels Concession Act 2000; and finally, 5. mandate that Bermudian musicians/enter - tainers are included in all promotional cam-paigns with their non- Bermudian mus icians/entertainers. Mr. Speaker, the Bermuda Entertainment U nion [BEU] will be actively involved in the new proces ses. In fact, all non- Bermudian musicians/entertainers will be required to maintain an active membership with the BEU by paying trave llers’ dues to the BEU before work permits will be granted. Mr. Speaker, many Bermudians are either unemployed or underemployed. As such, the new pr ocess change that relates to statements of emplo yment , which complement all work permit applications , will be in place . Just over two weeks ago, I met with the Board of Immigration and instructed that the members carefully assess statements of employment to determine whether employers are proposing to pay non-Bermudian workers less than the market rate. If this is the case, it means that employers are engaging in cheap labour practices and that Bermudians are unlikely to be offered employm ent an d/or to accept employment even if offered. Where there is evidence of the market rate for job categories (i.e ., with the Bermuda Industrial Union for certain blue- collar jobs ), the Board of Immigration will benchmark the stat ements of employment against this or with the breadth of expertise amongst the members . And they will give input in the absence of evidence, and will determine whether, by way of the statements of employment, Bermudians are being disadvantaged. Mr. Speaker, the closer scrutiny of statements of employment dovetails nicely to the third process change , which also deals with the work permit appl ications process. The third change specifically encompasses the recruitment process . In the first instance, the technical officers will be required to highlight Bermudian applicants for posts. As a carry -on from the actions by the technical officers, the Board of Imm igration will, in the second instance, be required to carefully vet the qualifications of all Bermudian appl icants against information pr ovided in the recruitment disclosure section of the application form, the job a dvertisement, and each applicant ’s résumé, to determine whether the Bermudian applicants are suitably qualified. If Bermudian applicants are deemed to be suitably qualified and where they have not been interviewed, work permit applications will be refused. Also, where it is uncovered that employers have failed to disclose Bermudian applicants, the work permit will be refused, and where the work permit has already been approved an d issued, consideration will be given to revoking it. Mr. Speaker, employers must do right by Bermudians by giving Bermudians a fair chance at employment opportunities. It is not acceptable that Bermudians who meet all or most of the key requir ements for jobs are dismissed without the courtesy of an interview. It is not acceptable that some employers will hide or fudge information just to hire non - Bermudians.
Mr. Speaker, I will also add that the Depar tment relies on complaints from the general public. Given this, the internal review of the recruitment pr ocess is not the only means of uncovering whether employers are fairly considering Bermudians for jobs. Detailed complaints from the general public have ne ver been frowned upon by the Department; this infor-mation gives weight to the internal process. I am 20 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly therefore encouraging the general public to work with the Department to stamp out unfair recruitment practices by employers. Mr. Speaker, the last change is not specific to policy. Rather, it is a change r elating to the processing of British Overseas Territory [B OTC ] passports . As you are undoubtedly aware, the British Government introduced a new design for BOTC passports in 2016. With the new design, the BOTC (Bermuda) passports are not as easy to identify as they were prior to the change . (They are being confused with other BOTC passports which do require a visa—for example, to go to the United States. ) Mr. Speaker, Bermudians who hold BOTC (Bermuda) passport s are being told by authorities of various countries that they need a US visa to enter the US; this applies to travel by air and sea. This issue, which came to the Mini stry’s attention in January of this year , is a result of the code GBR ( because BMU is no longer included on the passport). With the new passport book design, passport books are held by the British Government because printing has been cen-tralised in the UK . This has taken complete control of the process out the hands of Bermuda (and the other British Overseas Territories). Discussions with the British Government have not resulted in a resolution to address the issue with the code. To this end, the Ministry is working to return the full processing of these passports to Bermuda. Currently, the Depar tment of Information and Digital Technology is preparing a R equest for I nformation to ascertain costs. Mr. Speaker, the next wave of changes communicated today are for the betterment of the economy, the betterment of businesses, and Bermudians. I am hopeful that the results with their intended aims will be positive. The Honourable Members of this House and the general public can expect further changes in Immi gration policies and procedures in the coming months. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. The next Statement we have is from the Mi nister of Social Development and Sport, the Honour able Zane De Silva. Minister, you have the floor. BERMUDA’S PARTICIPATION IN CARIFESTA XIII Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, “Asserting Our Culture, Cel …
Thank you, Minister. The next Statement we have is from the Mi nister of Social Development and Sport, the Honour able Zane De Silva. Minister, you have the floor.
BERMUDA’S PARTICIPATION IN CARIFESTA XIII
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, “Asserting Our Culture, Cel ebrating Ourselves ” was the theme of CARIFESTA XIII
held in the host country of Barbados from the 18th to the 27th August 2017; and Bermuda’s participation certainly captured that theme. Our 35- strong Bermuda contingent represented Bermuda in dance, music, gombey performance, crafts, literary arts, spoken word, visual arts , and the Symposium. Several films produced by local film makers were also featured throughout CARIFESTA XIII. Mr. Speaker, CARIFESTA is short for the “Caribbean Festival of the Arts .” It is the premier roving, multidisciplinary mega arts festival that showcas-es the cultural expressions of artists fr om various countries of the Caribbean region, and was initiated in 1972 to celebrate the arts, foster a vision of Caribbean unity, provide a space for artistic discourse and exchange amongst cultural practitioners of the arts, and to positively advance Car ibbean culture both regionally and internationally. Mr. Speaker, o ur participants included 11 representatives from five gombey troupes —dancers Germiko Gardner, Zane Hendrickson, Bilal Binns, Vaughronde Joseph, Seion Darrell and Harley Place; drummers Zaniko Hendrickson, Showande Butterfield, Robert Wilson, Dennis Parsons and Earshun DeShields; six senior dancers from the United Dance Productions Junior Company, featuring Kei azia Bu rchall-Busby, Karina Forth, Shani Tucker , Zya Fraser , Zane Aberdeen and In’ Dasia Showers -Reid, along with instructor , Ms. Suzette Harvey, who is the f ounder and D irector of U nited Dance Production; solo dancer Rikkai Scott ; seven members of the Wall Street Band, Mr. Speaker; vocalists Joy T. Barn um, Cindy Smith, Mitchell Trott, also known as Arijahknow Live Wires, and Keamon Woolaston, also known as KASE; three spoken- word artists; Banana doll maker , Ronnie Chameau; story teller and author , Florenz Webbe Maxwell; and visual artist and lecturer , Dr. Edwin Smith. We also took artwork produced by Meredith Andrews, Robert Bassett, April Branco, James Cooper , Rhona Emmerson, Alan C. Smith, and Dr. Charles Zuill. Films produced by Lucinda Spurling, Andrew Stevenson, Kalilah Robinson , and Adrian K awaley -Lathan were also showcased. Mr. Speaker, o ur participants delighted audiences with the pulsating rhythms of our g ombey dancers and drummers; the soulful yet powerful sing-ing of our vocalists; and the exquisite, elegant , yet artful, and spectacular profess ional and creative movements of our dancers. The cacophony of sounds created by the Wall Street Band delighted, wowed and mesmerised the audiences wher ever our participants performed. All of them performed brilliantly and masterfully. They collaborated wit h each other and developed showcases that were exceptional. Mr. Speaker, although the opening ceremony was postponed until August 20 th—due to the arrival of Tropical Storm Harvey on Friday morning—this in no way dampened the spirit or enthusiasm of the m embers of our contingent. Led off by our Bermuda Gom-bey Troupe, all of the participants, as well as Berm udian organi sers and supporters, paraded through the streets of downtown Bridgetown, wearing T -shirts that were designed by local company , Bermunities , and arrived at Kensington Oval for the official start of C ABermuda House of Assembly RIFESTA XIII. The excitement was palpable, and the energy was exhilarating. Mr. Speaker, t here were several highlights experienced by our contingent , both collectively and individually. All of our participants were well received and performed regularly th roughout CARIFESTA. B anana doll maker Ronnie Chameau gave daily wor kshops for adults and children, demonstrating the art of banana doll making. Our li terary and spoken- word artists, Chris Astwood, Alan C. Smith, Florenz WebbeMaxwell and Yesha Townshend, performed on stage at Barbados’ Queen’s Park Steel Shed, where they also had the opportunity to meet and interact with award -winning Caribbean literary giants such as Olive Senior and Edwidge Danticat. Mr. Speaker, t he Bermuda Gombeys were in great demand throughout the entire festival and performed at various locations , including Bay Street E splanade, the Grand Market , and at t he famous Oistins . The Gombey Troupe also performed with our mus icians, vocalists and dancers on many occasions —for example, Tuesday , August 22nd, was Bermuda’s turn to showcase its talent at the Grand Market. On that occasion, two of our artists, Keamon Woolaston, whose stage n ame is Adum Reb, and Yesha Tow nsend, hosted and participated in the Bermuda show , which included performances from poet Alan C. Smith, dancer Rikkai Scott, United Dance Production dancers, vocalists Joy T. Barnum, Cindy Smith, Live Wires, the Wall Street B and under the direction of Mr. Robert Edwards, and a finale featuring, of course, our Bermuda Gombey T roupe. Mr. Speaker, t his Bermuda showcase was replicated on Thursday night at t he Bay Street Espl anade. Our Bermudian performing artists again treated the crowds with brilliant, well -choreographed and energetic demonstrations of their exceptional talents. They were very well received, and the DJ publicly stated that he did not want the Bermuda show to end. However, later that same evening, our G ombeys had to perform yet again at another venue. Mr. Speaker, o ur dancers, Wall Street Band musicians , and the vocalists , as well as the Gombeys , performed at several high schools throughout Barbados, such as the Combermere and the Foundation. Our dancers also had the privilege of performing at the Frank Collymore Hall —a first -class purpose- built performing arts facility. Mr. Speaker, s ome of our members also made pr esentations during the Symposia. A lan C. Smith and Folklife Officer , Dr. Kim Dismont Robinson, made presentations on visual arts and culture, respectively. Visual artist, Dr. Edwin Smith , provided commentary every day about the Bermudian art work that was being exhibited at the Barbados Community Co llege. Dr. Smith also gave a presentation, giving an historical context of Bermudian art and its development. These presenters were all well received. Mr. Speaker , Bermuda had a c ountry booth, which displayed beautiful cedar bowls created at Jeremy Johnson's Craft Shop; cedar friendship goblets and cedar trinket box es crafted by Llewellyn Emery; two beautiful lady 's palmetto hats designed and made by Donna Pink; a cedar fitted dinghy crafted by Milton Hill, including cedar sails; Y'Art depicting fauna found in Bermuda, created by Stratton Hatfield; and gom bey dolls made by Nahtasha Smith and Barbara Fubler. We were also provided with samples of locally made perfume by Lili Bermuda. The three sides of our booth displayed a digital image of a Bermuda house, displaying Bermuda's architecture, designed by Stephan Johnstone. Michael and Ann Spurling gave the D epartment permission to use the digital image that fea-tured their lovely home, Red Barracks . We are grat eful to them for allowing us to use this image of their beautiful home. Bermuda's c ountry booth also do ubled as our information desk and was manned daily by our officers and some participants when they were not performing. This country booth, located in the Grand Market with the other country booths, provided many opportunities to engage with multitudes of people, share stories, develop and foster relationships, and promote Bermuda and her people. Mr. Speaker , Bermuda also had represent ation in the CARIFESTA Bookstore. There were a few copies of books by some of our local authors, such as Nadia Aguiar, Florenz Webbe Maxwell and Dr . Edwin Smith, on Bermuda's book shelf , that were available for purchase. Also, the Department placed on that bookshelf copies of books that the Department has published, such as One Little Paw Paw , The Spirit Baby and Other Folktal es, 400 Years: 400 Portraits ; and DVDs produced by the Department , such as Dinghy Racing, Shipwrecks, Medicinal Uses of Plants , and others. Mr. Speaker, another highlight was Bermuda’s participation in the closing ceremony, also held at Kensington Oval. I would like to point out that not all participating countries are invited to perform during the closing ceremony; however , Bermuda was invited to have our soloist , Cindy Smith , perform, and she was backed by The Wall Street Band and the other two vocalist s. Bermuda’s Live Wires was also part of that presentation. Bermuda’s Gombe ys were also i nvited to perform and did a collaborative piece with the Masqueraders from St. Kitts. Our very talented Bermudians performed before a packed audience at Kensington Oval. It was a moment when we felt exhilar ation and excitement, as well as the pride of being Bermudians ! Mr. Speaker, t he benefits of our participation in CARIFESTA XIII are many. It provided our artists with exposure. For example, as a result of her partic ipation, Mrs. Florenz Webbe Maxwell has been invited to visit other countries as a storyteller and share with her audiences about her most recent publication , Girlcott. Another example of the benefit of exposure is 22 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly seen in the invitation that was exten ded to our Gombeys to participate in the 10th Biennial Caribbean Secondary School’s Drama Festival that was to take place from November 26th to December 2nd of this year in Antigua and Barbuda. Needless to say , Mr. Speaker, that event will not now take place. Our prayers are extended to the people of those islands , as well as the other places , that experienced such horrific destruction as a result of Hurricane Irma’s deadly blow. Mr. Speaker, all of our participants were so grateful for this opportunity to perform on the international stage and represent Bermuda. They acknow ledged that such participation helped empower them and further develop their skills and expertise. More over, those who participated are keen to share what they have learned to help nurture and develop others. This is crucial to capacity -building. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud of our partic ipants, their performances , and the collaborations that developed amongst themselves. They represented Bermuda well! On behalf of the Bermuda Gover nment, again I say to them publicl y, thank you very much for so beautifully and artfully representing Ber-muda on the international stage! Mr. Speaker , in order to demonstrate this Government’s appreciation for the superb way that our participants represented Bermuda and Bermudian culture at CARIFESTA XIII, the Honourable Premier will host a reception for all participants tonight at Camden. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to extend my appreciation to the o fficers of the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs who worked relentlessly and with such enthusiasm and energy and commitment for many months in order to develop and implement the audition process , acquire and prepare all of the documentation required by the host country of Barbados , attend to all of the logistical arrangements for the contingent of 35 people, develop pol icies and procedures, and attend to myriad amount s of details necessary for a project of such magnitude. Mr. Speaker, I thin k it only fitting that I public ly thank those officers who worked so conscientiously and strategically. They are as follows : Mrs. Heather Whalen, Director of Community and Cultural Affairs, and Head of the Delegation; Dr. Kim Dismont Robi nson, Folklife Officer and Deputy Head of the Delegation; Ms. Carlita Lodge, Cultural Affairs Programme Manager and o fficer responsible for communications for the delegation; Mr. Graham Mawer, Cultural Liaison and Development Officer; and Ms. Clyde- A-Mae Tucker, Event and Programme Coordinator. This team did exce ptional work , Mr. Speaker, and I am grateful to them for their diligence, persistence, and perseverance. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. The next Statement on the Order Paper is that from the Minister of National Security, the Honourable Minister Caines. Minister, you have the floor. GRANTS FROM THE CONFISCATED ASSETS FUND Hon. Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Members and the public will recall that the amendments of …
Thank you, Minister. The next Statement on the Order Paper is that from the Minister of National Security, the Honourable Minister Caines. Minister, you have the floor.
GRANTS FROM THE CONFISCATED ASSETS FUND
Hon. Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Members and the public will recall that the amendments of 2013 to the Proceeds of Crime Act , with the bipartisan support of this Honourable House, gave rise to the scheme of grants under the pr evious A dministration known as the “ Cash Back for Communities.” Quite simply, Mr. Speaker, community organis ations received grants from the proceeds of crimes and, more specifically , from the Confiscated Assets Fund . Since my appointment as Minister of National Security , I have been presented wit h a number of r equests from various char ities—requests for funds that were sought through the previous Minister s to be di sbursed fr om the Confiscated Assets Fund [ CAF]. Mr. Speaker, I have now responded in writing to the individual entities that have contacted the Mini stry requesting that the undertakings given by the pr evious administration be honoured. Regrettably, Mr. Speaker, I have been advised that these worthy organisations that were promised grants cannot be pr ovided those grants from the Fund at this time. Mr. Speaker , upon my appointment and on making the necessary inquiries from the Ministries of Finance and Legal Affairs, I found that the Confiscat-ed Assets Fund was substantially depleted prior to my taking office, and insufficient funds remain to do so. I am advised that the major ity of the funds that were available for the previous grants of this kind were d evoted to another purpose permitted under the Act, namely , to meet the expenses of the National Anti - Money Laundering Committee. In light of the state of the Fund presently, I must advise this Honourable House and the public that a moratorium on such grants of the funds is ne cessary at this time to permit them to be sufficiently replenished. Given the nature of how these funds are obtained, the timeline for replenishment of this Fund is indeed unpredictable. Mr. Speaker, for the information of this Honourable House, it is important to note that payments from the Fund are, in fact , the purview of my colleagues —the Minister responsible for Justice (who sits in another place) an d the Honourable Premier, the Minister of Finance— only. Therefore, neither do I nor does the former Minister of National Security have the authority to disperse any of these funds . The Ministry of National Security appears to have been engaged as the “ middleman” in considering, commending, and authorising the requests for grant for the relevant Mi nisters.
B ermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, any misunderstanding in this matter is regrettable. Community organisations will continue to benefit from grants under this legislative provision once the Fund is replenished. This Gover nment will aim to disburse funds in keeping with the spirit and intent of the law. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Minister, I also understand you have a second Statement. You can continue with that one now. ROYAL BERMUDA REGIMENT AND BERMUDA POLICE SUPPORT RELIEF EFFORTS IN THE CARIBBEAN Hon. Wayne Caines: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am immensely proud to advise this Honourable House that …
Thank you, Minister. Minister, I also understand you have a second Statement. You can continue with that one now. ROYAL BERMUDA REGIMENT AND BERMUDA POLICE SUPPORT RELIEF EFFORTS IN THE CARIBBEAN Hon. Wayne Caines: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am immensely proud to advise this Honourable House that a contingent of 30 men and women from the Royal Bermuda Regiment and six members of the Bermuda Police Service will now be deployed this morning to support the UK’s efforts in the Caribbean Overseas Territories devastated by Hurricane Irma. [ Desk thumping] Hon. Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker, the contingent’s travel arrangements are for a direct deployment via UK military transport airlift to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Bermuda Police Service are expected to move onward to the British Virgin Islands , where they will join the UK and Cayman Islands police already supporting law enforcement in that island. The Royal Bermuda Regiment soldiers will be [ embedded] with the 24 Commando Engineer Group, where they will put their specialist Hurricane response skills to the best use. Mr. Speaker, these teams from our security services have mobili sed quickly and have answered a call to serve beyond these shores in what will be considered trying circumsta nces. Bermuda has a history of helping our r egional partners, and this Government is extremely proud of our young men and women in this effort. The training and time invested in these young men and women have proven worthwhile. I have every confidence they will represent our country to the best of their abilities and will significantly contribute to the humanitarian effort required to support these areas recently impacted by the storm s. This is the seventh time that the Bermuda Regiment has been called upon to assist our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean in disasters, namely, being deployed to the Turks and Caicos in 2008, Grenada in 2005, and the [Cayman Islands ] in 2004. [On the 2004 ] Cayman operation, the BPS also sent 12 offi cers who spent fifteen days there in the wake of Hurr icane Ivan. Mr. Speaker, I can advise this Honourable House that neither deployment will adversely affect the operational readiness of the Royal Bermuda Regiment or the Bermuda Police S ervice here in Berm uda. On this occasion, the Bermuda contingent will join the UK effort , including over 700 troops and 50 police officers who are there to support the islands’ recovery from the devastating effects of Hurricane Irma. Mr. Speaker, this is a call for aid, and our country could not go without helping. Bermudians in every walk of life can trace the common West Indian heritage. And our brothers and sisters are in need , and it is a right that we have to heed their call for assistance and send them the very best that we have to offer. This Bermuda c ontingent goes with our pra yers, our support, and we request their safety and a speedy recovery to our brothers and sisters in the islands that have been so tragically impacted by this hurricane. Mr. Speaker, thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. The next Statement we have is that of the Minister of Education and Workforce Development. Minister Rabain, you have the floor. UPDATE ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION’S STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. And good morning to our honourable colleagues; welcome …
Thank you, Minister. The next Statement we have is that of the Minister of Education and Workforce Development. Minister Rabain, you have the floor. UPDATE ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION’S STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. And good morning to our honourable colleagues; welcome back after our recess. Mr. Speaker, this morning I am pleased to share with my honourable colleagues an update on the strategic planning process that is being undertak-en by the Board of Education to develop a community - based and community -owned strategic plan for the Bermuda public school system. Last week, in the 2017 Speech from the Throne, Mr. Speaker, the general public were reminded that the intent of this strat egic planning effort is to transform the quality of public education. Mr . Speaker, Honourable Members of this House will recall that the strategic planning process indeed commenced under the former administration. And this morning we certainly acknowledge the work that has already been put in place to progress this critically important initiative. Mr. Speaker, let me briefly recap this work for my honourable colleagues, as we have had a long summer (and for this Government, Mr. Speaker, a quite successful summer). Nevertheless, the intent of the strategic planning process was to implement au-thentic community engagement that is truly hearing the voices of the community on the future of public school education in Bermuda. Mr. Speaker, having been involved in some of the meetings and informational sessions, I can attest that at each session the opportunity was there was for the community voice to be heard. In summary, the 24 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly strategic planning process comprised three phases that included: 1. the administering of a national education survey; 2. hosting of several community conversations across the Island; and 3.(i) establishing a strategic planning prot otype for public feedback; and (ii) creating a website, www.educatebermuda.com , to share all i nformation about the public education strategic planning pr ocess. Mr. Speaker, the feedback received from the comm unity in response to the survey and community conversations provided sound, qualitative and quant itative data for the Ambassador Design and the Strat-egy Review teams to develop and assign five strategic plan prototypes. Each prototype was then shared with the general public for further feedback to reflect transparency and inclusivity for additional ideas. Mr. Speaker, the participation and response has been broad- based and noteworthy. I deem it i mperative to share the wide- ranging groups of organis ations that were represented and who will provide their input, and who provided their input, to support the process. These included: • the Board of Education; • the Bermuda Union of Teac hers; • the Bermuda Public Service Union; • school principals, preschool administr ators, school support staff, custodians, PTAs and students ; • Bermuda College faculty and students, staff in the government departments, various bus iness organisations ; • private school leaders, both political par ties; • churches, sporting clubs and social gr oups. Mr. Speaker, it is important that we celebrate the diversity of participation by these organisations and stakeholder groups. The internal and external engagement level is significantly higher when com-pared to the development of the previous Strategic Plan in 2010. This is truly indicative of the community’s desire to not only improve public school educ ation, but also to ensure a school environment that will foster and enhance quality learning for the success of our children and Bermuda’s future. Mr. Speaker, the Board of Education is now in the last phase of the strategic planning process. As such, all key stakeholder groups will once again be engaged in the process to provide final input and feedback into the draft plan. Since each prototype was developed and framed based on direct feedback and suggestions from the broad community, the content of the draft strategic plan will be no surprise. At this point the community has agreed in principle to five priority areas of focus that will structur e public school educ ation for the next five years —2017 to 2022. These are: 1. increasing academic rigour and student engagement; 2. ensuring career, college, and workforce readiness; 3. enhancing the quality of teacher practice and principal leadership; 4. improving infrastructure and instructional r esources; and 5. ensuring system success. Each priority area will include components covering action tasks, key outcomes and strategy for implementation. However, Mr. Speaker, we value and want everyone’s input. Therefore, as we promised in the 2017 Speech from the Throne, the Department of E ducation will host three town hall, or community en-gagement sessions, commencing next week. Members of the general public who have not yet had an opportunity to give feedback on any of the prototypes are encouraged to take advantage of these three community engagement sessions that will be held Wednesday, September 20 th, at St. George’s Prep; Thursday, September 21st, at Port Royal Primary; and Monday, September 25th, at CedarBridge Acad emy cafeteria. All community sessions will start promptly at 6:00 pm and end at 7:15 pm. The draft strategic plan will be available for review in advance on the Mini stry’s two websites: www.moed.bm and www.educatebermuda.com . Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to specif ically thank the members of the Ambassador Design Team and the Strategic Review Team, who committed and sacrificed their time during the evenings and weekends to review the community input and form ulate the five strategic plan prototypes. This was not an easy task, but it was so pleasing that there was so much talent on these two teams. Educators, parents, police officers, retirees, students, business leaders, lawyers, other business professionals and community leaders all joined together to add their measure for the delivery of their draft strategic plan. These teams di splayed authentic synergy that truly reflects the leadership principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and support the intent of this strategic plan being developed by Bermudians for Bermudians. Mr. Speaker, this Government is committed to making public education a priority, and we will conti nue to put our children and their future first. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Now, that was actually the last Statement that was listed on today’s orders. But we have another Statement from a Minister who asked to seek the i ndulgence of the House, Minister of Works.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, good morning. I rise — B ermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Please, please. Seek the indulgence of your colleagues first; being that it was not on the O rder Paper.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchI thought I had your indulgence, Mr. Speaker. [Laughter and inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI gather that your colleagues approve?
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersYes, yes.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerContinue on, Minister. BERMUDA LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchThank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. I rise today to inform Members of this House and the public about the state of affairs that was discovered at the Bermuda Land Development Company Limited [BLDC] upon assuming office. Mr . Speaker, this is a part of my duty that …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. I rise today to inform Members of this House and the public about the state of affairs that was discovered at the Bermuda Land Development Company Limited [BLDC] upon assuming office. Mr . Speaker, this is a part of my duty that I do not enjoy, but as you will be aware, all g overnment departments and entities must report to this House, whether through their Ministers or by the tabling of annual audited financial statements. In fact, it is our responsibility as Ministers to report to this place. Mr. Speaker, because this House has oversight of all government expenditure and because the then-G overnment was so gung- ho on following every item of previous Government expenditure, I was more than a little surprised to discover that, under their watch, there is a government entity that has not met the requirements of the Companies Act 1981. The entity about which I speak is the Bermuda Land Development Company [the Company, or BLDC] . The Company, I have been informed, has audited financials for the year 2011, but these financials have not been submitted because there has been no Annual General Meeting [ AGM ] since 2011. Mr. Speaker, you will know that there are two shareholders of the Company, the Ministers of F inance and Public Works , and I can report that the share transfer from the former Ministers to the current ones went smoothly. Sadly, that is all that has gone smoothly. The last audited accounts tabled at an AGM are the audited accounts for the year ending March 31 st, 2009. The auditing of the 2010 and 2011 accounts have only recently been completed by the Office of the Auditor General. Management of the BLDC has , since 2011, requested the auditing pr ocess be sped up, even offering to pay additional costs to have the audits outsourced, without success. To be clear, Mr. Speaker, this Statement is in no way criticism of the board or staff of the BLDC — who, in the face of complete irresponsibility by their shareholders , tried as best they could to comply with the law. Mr. Speaker, upon learning of this situation— in consultation with the other shareholder, the Minister of Finance —we inquired of the remedy to this situation and were advised that a sanction is required from the Registrar of Companies for those years in which there are no audited financial statements. Such a sanction was applied for , and the Re gistrar of Companies saw fit , on August 24 th, 2017, to confer such an order —contingent upon the said ge neral meeting being held and a copy of the Minutes being filed with the Registrar within three months. I do not know what the Registrar of Companies thinks of this matter, but I do know that the oversight provided by the then- Government was not oversight at all. Mr. Speaker, I can confirm that the current shareholders will, with a sense of urgency, take the necessary steps to bring the company fully in compl iance with the Companies Act, in accordance with the sanction granted from the Registrar of Companies. Mr. Speaker, this is a serious breach of financial regulations , and I am astounded by the lack of oversight by the previous shareholders. B ut, Mr. Speaker , I am equally astounded at the inaction of the Office of the Auditor General, who many will recall quite doggedly went after this Party when we were previously in Government , but have acted doubly reckless in this regard by not conducting audits over five years and then, incredibly , refusing to allow the Company to seek redress from an outside auditing firm. I trust the Parliamentary Oversight Committee of this office will conduct a full inv estigation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker . [ Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. That concludes the Statements by Ministers.
Madam Clerk.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
The SpeakerThere are none. QUESTION PERIOD 26 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Before we go to Question Period, let me just state, for our new Members particularly, that Question Period and the Congratulatory and/or Obit uary Speeches will not be taken as maiden …
There are none. QUESTION PERIOD 26 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Before we go to Question Period, let me just state, for our new Members particularly, that Question Period and the Congratulatory and/or Obit uary Speeches will not be taken as maiden speeches. So if there are any new Members who wish to speak on the Question Period or on the congratulations and obituaries, this is not considered as your maiden speech, so you can participate. As we start the Question Period, to remind the floor Members, the time period is one hour —60 minutes. And we are now starting at 11:13. The order for this is that we are going to take the questions in sequence of the Statements that were written. So those Members who have questions for the Premier’s Statement can now address that. And the first Mem-ber who sought my permission for a question is the Member, Dr. Gibbons. Dr. Gibbons, you have the floor. QUESTION 1: SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE (NO. 1) 2017/18
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsThank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a question, as you noted, on the Statement of Supplementary Estimates, to the Premier. Is the Honourable Member aware that, follo wing the AC [America’s Cup] events in July, due to r esponsible budgeting and careful cost control, the A CBDA has projected a …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a question, as you noted, on the Statement of Supplementary Estimates, to the Premier. Is the Honourable Member aware that, follo wing the AC [America’s Cup] events in July, due to r esponsible budgeting and careful cost control, the A CBDA has projected a cash surplus for the rest of the year that will more than cover the $4.3 million difference between the final AC sponsorship guarantee amount and the original budgeted amount of $15 mi llion?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the question, Mr. Speaker, I would only ask if the Honourable Member is aware that section 96(3) of the Bermuda Constitution Order states, and I quote, “If in respect of any financial year it is found …
Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the question, Mr. Speaker, I would only ask if the Honourable Member is aware that section 96(3) of the Bermuda Constitution Order states, and I quote, “If in respect of any financial year it is found . . . that the amount appropriated by the Appropriation law to any purpose is insufficient or that a need has arisen for expenditure for a purpose to which no amount has been appropriated by that law . . .” a supplementary estimate is required. We are following the law, and we do not wish to break the law. [ Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Premier. Dr. Gibbons, Honourable Member.
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsDoes the Honourable Member understand that this ACBDA cash surplus means that, despite his media claims to the contrary, no additional taxpayer monies will need to be spent and that the overall ACBDA and Ministry of Economic budget will come in under budget for the event?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, it is amazing the amount of information that a former Minister of Go vernment has. And it seems though, if the systems are working, they are alive and well. But what the Minister may not know is that just yesterday in the Ministry …
Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, it is amazing the amount of information that a former Minister of Go vernment has. And it seems though, if the systems are working, they are alive and well. But what the Minister may not know is that just yesterday in the Ministry of Finance I had to find an additional $1 million beca use of an increase in interest to pay for the $40 million empty island that was paid for by the former Gover nment. So there are many things that continue to come up. What I will tell the Minister—I am s orry, the former Minister—i s very clear. The Constitution states what is required for a supplementary estimate. The tabling of the supplementary estimate is there. And we do not know what may come in the future, but we do know what we are already finding. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDr. Gibbons, is it a supplementary or a new question?
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsIs the Honourable Member aware that calculations for the final AC sponsorship guarantee were complicated by a variety of rev enues, including rentals, ticket sales, and performance factors on some of the sponsorships, that would only be known following the finals, and that it would have been impossible in January, …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, what I am aware of is that that Minister, or that former Minister, was told by the ACBDA to budget $18 million, at a minimum, for the guarantee. That is what we have found. He can say whatever is necessary insofar as …
Mr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, what I am aware of is that that Minister, or that former Minister, was told by the ACBDA to budget $18 million, at a minimum, for the guarantee. That is what we have found. He can say whatever is necessary insofar as to estimate. But the Government was told to budget $18 million. They under budgeted, for whatever reason, and now our bill is $19.3 million, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDr. Gibbons. B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. Dr. E. Grant Gibbons: Yes.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThis would have to be a new question, because you used your two supplementaries. QUESTION 2 : SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE (NO. 1) 2017/18
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsYes, a new question. Thank you. Thank you. Apart from the Honourable Member’s implic ation that there has been improper transfer of information, there was actually an ACBDA board meeting in July, which I attended. So, with respect to the Statement on budgeting, is the Honourable Member fully aware of …
Yes, a new question. Thank you. Thank you. Apart from the Honourable Member’s implic ation that there has been improper transfer of information, there was actually an ACBDA board meeting in July, which I attended. So, with respect to the Statement on budgeting, is the Honourable Member fully aware of the judgment calls that were required in stating or essen-tially developing a budget for this? And is the Honourable Member aware that the budgeted amount of $15 million was fully discussed with the Ministry of Finance officials, and they were quite comfortable with the $15 million amount at that time, given the complexity of the calculations involved and the fact that additional information would only come following the actual events in June?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I am reminded of an old adage. When you are in the hole, you should probably stop digging. What is very clear, Mr. Speaker, is that the former Government was told by the ACBDA that they should budget at least $18 million. …
Mr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I am reminded of an old adage. When you are in the hole, you should probably stop digging. What is very clear, Mr. Speaker, is that the former Government was told by the ACBDA that they should budget at least $18 million. That is what they were told. They decided to only budget $15 million. We understand the reasons why. And what has ha ppened is that we are ending up having to pay $19.3 million. Those are the guarantees. So whatever the Minister wants to say, he can go ahead and say it. These are the facts, and the people will have to pay this amount. [ Inaudible interjections]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberFormer Minister.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe Honourable Member Gibbons, a supplementary?
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsDoes the Hon ourable Premier understand that, in developing a budgeted amount, there are more issues — Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Point of order, Mr. Speaker. The Clerk: What is the point of order? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: The Honourable Member is asking if the Premi …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWait, wait — Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: What kind . . . you know? The Clerk: That is not a point of order.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe next Honourable Member who rises for a point of order, please do not proceed until you have been recognised by this Speaker. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerHonourable Member Gibbons, continue.
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsI will repeat it. Would the Honourabl e Member c oncede that there are mor e issues i nvolv ed in getting a bu dgeted amount t han simply getting a recommendation from one part of the overall A CBDA and Ministry gr oup, and that certainly discussions woul d …
I will repeat it. Would the Honourabl e Member c oncede that there are mor e issues i nvolv ed in getting a bu dgeted amount t han simply getting a recommendation from one part of the overall A CBDA and Ministry gr oup, and that certainly discussions woul d normally b e held with the Ministry of Financ e to discuss an ov erall number?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, no matter how many times he asks the question, and no matter how many times he wishes to try to get me to understand . . . I understand very clearly, as the Minister of F inance and the one who was …
Mr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, no matter how many times he asks the question, and no matter how many times he wishes to try to get me to understand . . . I understand very clearly, as the Minister of F inance and the one who was responsible for having to find the $19.3 million that has to be paid for this spo nsorship guarantee. Now, that former Minister negotiated this deal, and that former Minister said, at many points and times, that this thing . . . and we will find the sponsor-ship to cover it. Well, guess what? It was $25 million, and I think it speaks to, one would say, the short - sightedness, or maybe the over -optimistic projection of the former Government that this sailing race would be able to blur all the sponsorship. But guess what? The people are stuck with the bill. So while we have schools that have challenges, while we have depar tments and Ministries that have not had their audit, while we have buses that cannot run— [ Desk thumping] Hon. E. David Burt: —I have to find the $19.3 million. [ Desk thumping] 28 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. E. David Burt: We will clean up their mess, Mr. Speaker, and you can ask —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerExcuse me one sec, Minister. Hon. E. David Burt: —as many points in time as you like.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOne sec, Minister. Members in the Gallery, you will be escorted out of this Chamber if you do not respect the Chamber that you are in. Members in the Gallery are to be quiet at all times and not partic ipate in any of the proceedings that take place in …
One sec, Minister. Members in the Gallery, you will be escorted out of this Chamber if you do not respect the Chamber that you are in. Members in the Gallery are to be quiet at all times and not partic ipate in any of the proceedings that take place in this Chamber. We ask you to respect that, or you will hav e to leave the Chamber. Thank you. ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER HOUSE VISITOR
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWhilst on my feet, let me also reco gnise one of our former Members who is sitting in the Gallery today, the Honourable Walter Lister. Nice to have you visit with us, Member. [Desk thumping and applause]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDo not clap in the Gallery, please. That was not an invitation for you to clap. [ Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPlease do not participate. Thank you. Member Gibbons, do you have a supplementary? [ Question Period continuing]
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsYes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I do. The issue, the next one I want to raise a question on comes after the fact that there was no promise ever to cover the full $25 million; the Honourable Member knows that. So the question is, Would the Honourable Member concede …
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I do. The issue, the next one I want to raise a question on comes after the fact that there was no promise ever to cover the full $25 million; the Honourable Member knows that. So the question is, Would the Honourable Member concede that his Statement about AC bud geting was really politics and grandstanding at its best, knowing full well there was more than sufficient cash available within the ACB to cover the difference in budget for the sponsorship guarantee?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, as I said, when you are in a hole, you should stop digging. As many know, it does not matter how many times this Honourable former Minister —and I say “former Minister” because he should recognise what happened on July 18th, that …
Mr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, as I said, when you are in a hole, you should stop digging. As many know, it does not matter how many times this Honourable former Minister —and I say “former Minister” because he should recognise what happened on July 18th, that people did not endorse the vision, the policies, and the spending plans of the former Government, and that is why we are here. [ Desk thumping] Hon. E. David Burt: But the fact is that if he calls it “political grandstanding” to tell the people the truth, if he calls it political grandstanding to let people know that the sailing race which he engineered was unable to meet the expectations, and the people of this cou ntry are on the hook for the $19.3 million, then I will continue to stand up at this dispatch box every single day and tell the truth and continue to, as you call it, Minister, grandstand. We are going to tell the people of this country what has been done. We will execute our agenda, Mr. Speaker. And we will absolutely make no apologies for it. On July 18 th, the people rendered their verdict, and today we told them how much that verdict has cost them. [Desk thumping] The Spe aker: Thank you. Do you have a supplementary? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe Honourable Member Furbert, from Hamilton Parish, you can continue. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier, based on the $18 million that was told by the ACBDA that the budget would be, and they only budgeted for $15 …
The Honourable Member Furbert, from Hamilton Parish, you can continue. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier, based on the $18 million that was told by the ACBDA that the budget would be, and they only budgeted for $15 million, does it mean that the Government fuzzed its numbers in the budget in 2012 [sic] ?
An Hon. Member An Hon. Member2017.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I thank the Ho nourable Member for his question. And he asked, if the former Government was given a figure that they should have put in the budget and they put a lower figure, were they fuzzing the numbers? And I think …
Mr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I thank the Ho nourable Member for his question. And he asked, if the former Government was given a figure that they should have put in the budget and they put a lower figure, were they fuzzing the numbers? And I think that the evidence is very clear that, yes, the former Government was fuzzing the numbers and fuzzing the budget.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. No further supplementaries? B ermuda House of Assembly Supplementary?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Well, I am going with Honour able Member Weeks as the second person who wanted to ask a question of you, Premier. Mr. Weeks, continue on. QUESTION 1: SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE (NO. 1) 2017/18
Mr. Michael A. WeeksThank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning to you. Mr. Speaker, can the Honourable Premier please advise the Honourable House and the properly listening public if there are any other unexpected ex-penses from the America’s Cup which you have found, which may not be captured in this supplementary?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Premier, go ahead. I will allow it. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. What I would note, and I thank the Honour able Member for his question . . . what I would note is, I think I mentioned it earlier today, that yesterday we …
Mr. Premier, go ahead. I will allow it. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. What I would note, and I thank the Honour able Member for his question . . . what I would note is, I think I mentioned it earlier today, that yesterday we had to sign off on an additional $1 million to cover the loan for WEDCO. And Members may not be aware, Mr. Speaker, that the loan for that island is underwri tten completely by the Government of Bermuda, and we have to pay interest. It was an interest -only loan. And come next year, we will have to pay $500,000 a month to cover the loan, and we have to make a bal-loon payment of $26 million in five years to cover the cost of what is now an empty island. So, additional expenses happen. The interest rates went up. And now we have to find additional money to pay for the $40 million empty island. So that is not something that is captured i nside of this supplemental. That is something that we will move the money around for. But there are many things that we are finding each and every single day which were commitments that were made by the for-mer Government.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Premier. But let me remind Members, when you are asking your questions, try and keep them to the Statement that was read. I allowed a little leeway on that one. When you got up, Member Weeks, you ind icated that it was outside of the Statement. I gave …
Thank you, Premier. But let me remind Members, when you are asking your questions, try and keep them to the Statement that was read. I allowed a little leeway on that one. When you got up, Member Weeks, you ind icated that it was outside of the Statement. I gave you a little leeway because the Minister had gone broad in some of his response to the supplementaries from the Member Gibbons. So just remember to keep your questions in regard to what was contained in the Statements. The next Member who indicated that he wanted to ask a question of the Minister on this particular Statement is the Deputy Speaker. Mr. Burges s, would you like to still as k your question? Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: I will defer . . .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. The next Member is our Member from Warwick [South East], the Honourable Lawrence Scott . Mr. Scott, would you like to ask your question? QUESTION 1 : SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE (NO. 1) 2017/18
Mr. W. L awrence S cottYes, Mr . Speaker. I a m a little disturbed at what I heard in the Statement, and I just want to get some confirmation. The last Parliament, we were told by the former Government that we would not have to pay rent to Aecon. The Premier is now telling …
Yes, Mr . Speaker. I a m a little disturbed at what I heard in the Statement, and I just want to get some confirmation. The last Parliament, we were told by the former Government that we would not have to pay rent to Aecon. The Premier is now telling us that we need to pay rent if the post office does not move. Can the Premier please confirm that the former administration misle d the people of Bermuda?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I thank the Ho nourable Member for his question, and he is absolutely right that the former Government misled this Parliament and misled the people of this country. Because the former Minister of Works was asked, very simply, whether or not we would …
Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I thank the Ho nourable Member for his question, and he is absolutely right that the former Government misled this Parliament and misled the people of this country. Because the former Minister of Works was asked, very simply, whether or not we would have to pay rent or any pe nalty to Aecon, and the former Minister said no. Well, guess what? The people of this country, on July 18 th, said no to their misleading statements, and today the truth is that if we do not move out of the airmail facility at the airport, we will have to pay a penalty to Aecon of $600,000, and we will have to start paying them rent. That is the contract the former Government ne-gotiated. And the misleading statements from the former Minister should be recorded for the record, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Premier. Any supplementaries? No supplementaries. The next Member who indicated he had a question on this Statement would be the Honourable Minister Furbert. Member Furbert, do you still have a question? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: It was asked already . . .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerHe asked it as a supplementary; okay. Minister Weeks . . . Member Weeks, rather, you had gone down earlier as an indication; you asked yours as a supplementary? 30 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Michael A. Weeks: No. I asked mine as a …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAs a question. You are fine. The Honourable Member Commissiong. QUESTION 1 : SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE (NO. 1) 2017/18
Mr. Rolfe CommissiongThank you, Mr. Speaker. It appears that the America’s Cup not only failed politically, but also commercially. But just segueing to the issue of the airport and Aecon, in the Premier’s Statement he talks about the redevelopment of the airport. And the anticipated supplementary shows that taxpayers will need to …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It appears that the America’s Cup not only failed politically, but also commercially. But just segueing to the issue of the airport and Aecon, in the Premier’s Statement he talks about the redevelopment of the airport. And the anticipated supplementary shows that taxpayers will need to pay a quarter of a million dollars for the weather radar at the airport. Since the former Government gave all of our airport revenue to Aecon, $50 million this year alone, can the Honourable Premier please tell this Honourable House why Aecon is not paying this quar-ter-million -dollar expense?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it will come . . . and I thank the Honourable Member for his question, and it will come as, it would seem, a recurring theme that the people are having to pay for the missteps of the former …
Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it will come . . . and I thank the Honourable Member for his question, and it will come as, it would seem, a recurring theme that the people are having to pay for the missteps of the former Government. And so in this particular case, when we have the Canadian Company, which is gaining revenue of $50 million this year, in the infinite wisdom of the for-mer Government, they decided that the current Go vernment, or the Government of Bermuda, would retain the expenses for the airport. So, what would typically happen is if a weat her radar broke, there would be money in the Depar tment of Airport Oper ations to pay to fix that weather radar. But now we do not have that money. And so, we have to find that money from somewhere else, because all of that money is being given to Aecon. So the Honourable Member is correct. We gave away $50 million, and we ret ained $50 million in expenses. So we are going to have to fix the weather radar out of our own money and not out of the money that the for-mer Government gave away to Aecon.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Premier. Any supplementaries? No supplementaries. The next Member who had indicated that she had questions on this Stat ement is the Honourable Member, J. J. Atherden. [Pause]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPut your microphone on, please. QUESTION 1 : SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE (NO. 1) 2017/18
Mrs. Jeanne J. AtherdenMr. Speaker, this question is, obviously, to the Minister of Finance and the Premier. In the Statement you indicated that, although it is customary to have supplementary estimates put before the legislature just prior to the conclusion of a fiscal year, you determined that, because there was a change in …
Mr. Speaker, this question is, obviously, to the Minister of Finance and the Premier. In the Statement you indicated that, although it is customary to have supplementary estimates put before the legislature just prior to the conclusion of a fiscal year, you determined that, because there was a change in government, it was prudent to table the supplementary estimate at this time in order to highlight the supplementary estimates that were the r esponsibility of the former Government. I would like to ask the Finance Minister/Premier whether, in February 2013, this was a practice that was applied.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, Premier, you are on your feet so I will allow you to go ahead and continue. Go ahead. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, if you do not want me to answer the question, that is fine.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI was just wondering if it was outside of the Statement that was written. But you are on your feet; continue, then. Hon. E. David Burt: All I would say, Mr. Speaker, is that I do believe that there was different timing that took place. And I do believe that …
I was just wondering if it was outside of the Statement that was written. But you are on your feet; continue, then.
Hon. E. David Burt: All I would say, Mr. Speaker, is that I do believe that there was different timing that took place. And I do believe that one of the first speeches that the former Government made to this House was on their own budget. And I think at that point in time there were many things that were said about the former budget at that time. But what I would just like to state for the Honourable Member is that this Government will be transparent. And we felt it i mportant that the people of this country know what unfunded commitments were made by the former Government that their taxpayer dollars would have to pay for.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Premier. Do you have a supplementary? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: I have a suppl ementary.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary. We recognise the Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Gordon- Pamplin. You have t he floor. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just wonder if the Premier and Finance Minister would be prepared to confirm that the initial accounting respecting the event of …
Supplementary. We recognise the Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Gordon- Pamplin. You have t he floor.
SUPPLEMENTARY
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just wonder if the Premier and Finance Minister would be prepared to confirm that the initial accounting respecting the event of the
Bermuda House of Assembly America’s Cup would not have occurred until the House was actually in recess; hence, there would have been no possibility to table a supplementary?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. Hon. E. David Burt: I am certain I am not actually following what the Minister is saying. But I will attempt to answer it. If the Minister is saying because we had an election that there was no ability to table a suppl ementary, that is fine. I think …
Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: I am certain I am not actually following what the Minister is saying. But I will attempt to answer it. If the Minister is saying because we had an election that there was no ability to table a suppl ementary, that is fine. I think what the key point here is, Mr. Speaker, and what I want you to understand, and the Members to understand, and the listening public to understand is that the former Government was told that at a minimum they should budget $18 million for that expense. And they only budgeted $15 million. And the bill came in at $19.3 million. Those are the facts, Mr. Speaker, and I cannot make it any clearer.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Premier. Ms. Atherden, is this a supplementary for your original, or a second question?
Mrs. Jeanne J. AtherdenWill the Minister of F inance indicate to this House whether supplementaries are normally put at the end of the fiscal year? B ecause there could be changes within the budget est imates, and t herefore it might not actually result in an overrun. And that to turn around and …
Will the Minister of F inance indicate to this House whether supplementaries are normally put at the end of the fiscal year? B ecause there could be changes within the budget est imates, and t herefore it might not actually result in an overrun. And that to turn around and request a supplementary when only one- quarter of the year has gone by might seem to be unusual.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I will read to the Shadow Minister of Finance Bermuda Constitution Order 96(3) again, where it clearly states that “ in respect of any financial year it is found . . . that the amount appropriated by the Appropriation law to any …
Mr. Premier.
Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I will read to the Shadow Minister of Finance Bermuda Constitution Order 96(3) again, where it clearly states that “ in respect of any financial year it is found . . . that the amount appropriated by the Appropriation law to any purpose is insufficient or that a need has ari sen for expenditure for a purpose to which no amount has been appropriated . . . a supplementary estimate . . . shall be [laid before] the House . . .” We are following the rules, and this Government will follow the law.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. Any further questions? Thank you, Members. For this Statement?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. The Honourable Member Weeks, you have the floor. QUESTION 1 : SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE (NO. 1) 2017/18
Mr. Michael A. Wee ksYes, Mr. Speaker. In today’s daily, I was reading this morning that the Opposition Leader said that the former Government’s projections had indicated that there will be no need to call on the guarantee. However, Mr. Speaker, the Premier’s Statement sai d that the former Government was told to budget …
Yes, Mr. Speaker. In today’s daily, I was reading this morning that the Opposition Leader said that the former Government’s projections had indicated that there will be no need to call on the guarantee. However, Mr. Speaker, the Premier’s Statement sai d that the former Government was told to budget at least $18 million, as we have heard. Can the Honourable Premier please tell this House and the people of Bermuda why the One Bermuda Alliance, even after losing this election by a landslide, continues to try to mislead Bermudians?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for his question because I found the comments of the Opposition Leader in the new spaper to be rather interesting. Because the Opposition Leader is saying she is clearly not in agreement with the other Members …
Premier.
Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for his question because I found the comments of the Opposition Leader in the new spaper to be rather interesting. Because the Opposition Leader is saying she is clearly not in agreement with the other Members of her Shadow Cabinet. One Honourable Member is saying that there was a need to call the guarantee. And her statement in the press today was that the former Government was told there was no need to call on the guarantee. It is clear that someone was keeping someone in the dark at their Cabinet table, Mr. Speaker. But what is clear is that this Government will not keep the people in the dark regarding their affairs.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank yo u, Mr. Premier. Supplementary?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberQuestion.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerBefore I recognise you, I would like to recognise Mr. Tyrrell, who is the last person who had indicated that he had wanted to speak on this. Mr. Tyrrell, you have the floor, Honourable Member. QUESTION 1 : SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE (NO. 1) 2017/18
Mr. Neville S. TyrrellThank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, everyone. Not wanting to belabour this point, but in the Premier’s Statement, the Premier said that the former Government did not include any money in the budget for additional ferry services for the America’s Cup. Was the former Government unaware that if you have …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, everyone. Not wanting to belabour this point, but in the Premier’s Statement, the Premier said that the former Government did not include any money in the budget for additional ferry services for the America’s Cup. Was the former Government unaware that if you have additional ferry runs for a large event like the Amer ica’s Cup, it would cost more money?
32 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly The Speake r: Mr. Premier.
Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I thank the Ho nourable Member for his question, because it was astounding to find out that one of the first things that came to the Finance Minister’s desk was a request from the Department of Marine and Ports, which had expended all of their money for overtime and fuel due to the fact that they had to have additional runs during the America’s Cup to transport passengers, and no additional money was given in the budget by the for-mer Government for this expense. This just shows the former Government was either fuzzying things up or trying to conceal the true cost of their America’s Cup spending plans to the public. But as I said, Mr. Speaker, and I will say many times as I stand in this House, we will be open with the people’s business, and this is something that was committed to by the former Government that they did not budget for but the people will have to pay for.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. That has completed all of the Members who had indicat ed that they wished to ask questions on that Statement. So we are going to move on to the second Statement, that of the Minister of Tourism, Minister Simmons’ Statement regarding the Bermuda Tourism Authority. We …
Thank you, Mr. Premier. That has completed all of the Members who had indicat ed that they wished to ask questions on that Statement. So we are going to move on to the second Statement, that of the Minister of Tourism, Minister Simmons’ Statement regarding the Bermuda Tourism Authority. We have two Members who have indicated that th ey had questions on that. The first Member was the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Burgess. Honourable Member Burgess, would you still like to ask your question for the Minister of Tourism?
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou have the fl oor. QUESTION 1: AUDIT OF THE BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2016 Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in this Statement it says that there is no evidence to support either compensation or remuneration. Minister, will you …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a mandate to ensure that every ent ity under our remit operates at the highest ethical and accounting standards. And we will do so.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Supplementary? Okay. All right. The next person who indicated that he had a question is the Member from Warwick [South East], the Honourable Lawrence Scott. QUESTION 1: AUDIT OF THE BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2016
Mr. W. Lawrence ScottThank you, Mr. Speaker. Minister, on page 2, you itemised a number of things. I am looking at item number 5, lack of signed contracts for serv ices and sponsorships. With who were the contracts not signed?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for that question, Honourable Member. The entities —there were 10 entities that fell into [the group with] a lack of a signed contract for services and sponsorship: JetBlue, in the amount of $2,745,000; Travel Places, in the amount …
Minister. Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for that question, Honourable Member. The entities —there were 10 entities that fell into [the group with] a lack of a signed contract for services and sponsorship: JetBlue, in the amount of $2,745,000; Travel Places, in the amount of $204,927; Bermuda’s Heroes Weekend, $100,000; National Sports Centre, $35,000; R. C. Jain & Associates, LLP, $85,000; Leatrice Oatley, $150,000; Longwoods I nternational, $60,000; WEDCO, $12,000, plus 8 per cent of gross sales; and a JetBlue advertising campaign. And I would be glad to bring more information on this to the House in a future time.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Any supplementaries? Deputy Speaker, you have a supplementary? SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on number 12 in this report, it states that the committee did not meet every quarter. Now, we do know (it was mentioned in this House), …
Thank you, Minister. Any supplementaries? Deputy Speaker, you have a supplementary?
SUPPLEMENTARY
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on number 12 in this report, it states that the committee did not meet every quarter. Now, we do know (it was mentioned in this House), what they would be paid a year. Even though they did not meet, were they paid for meetings that they did not have?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Minister? Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe answer is yes. Thank you. It was so brief it got past us. [Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAny other supplementaries? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Supplementary. B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. Dr. E. Grant Gibbons: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI have not recognised you yet. I actually heard the voice of your Leader first on this side. So, the Leader of the Opposition, Gordon- Pamplin. Supplementary? SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Patricia J. Gordon- Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker; supplementary question. Can the Honourable Minister advise how much was paid for meetings …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: I would be glad to provide that information to you at a future time. [Inaudible interjection] Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Well, I know certain things; not all, Minister.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Supplementary? The Honourable Member Gibbons, from P aget [East]. SUPPLEMENTARY
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsThank you, Mr. Speaker. I think, as we are all aware, the BTA is a semi -autonomous organisation and must be accountable for its own governance. But generally, when audit recommendations or suggestions are made by the auditor, there is the ability for management to provide their own response, because …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think, as we are all aware, the BTA is a semi -autonomous organisation and must be accountable for its own governance. But generally, when audit recommendations or suggestions are made by the auditor, there is the ability for management to provide their own response, because sometimes the auditor has not quite got it right or it was a misunderstanding. I am not suggesting that is necessarily the case here. But the question for the Minister: Would the Minister, since this is only one side of the story, be prepared to table the BTA management’s recommen-dations or acknowledgements or responses to the auditor’s recommendations and noted comments here?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I would, as well as the full audit report, once I have it.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Supplementary? Supplem entary? SUPPLEMENTARY Mr. W. Lawrence Scott: Yes, supplementary. Mr. Minister, can you explain what happens to those companies and organisations that have been given money from the BTA without a contract?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, Honourable Member. Since we have just received this information recently, we are actually looking through this to see what actually we are on the hook for, if necessary.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Is it a supplementary? Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Yes.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDeputy, I am going to take the Mini ster—I caught his eye first —and come back to you. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Oh, I am sorry. That is all right.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister De Silva, supplementary? SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Zan e J. S. De Silva: Supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Minister, we know that the board members of the BTA, or most of the board members of the BTA, currently get $20,000 per year. Can you give us an undertaking, if you do not have …
Minister De Silva, supplementary? SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Zan e J. S. De Silva: Supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Minister, we know that the board members of the BTA, or most of the board members of the BTA, currently get $20,000 per year. Can you give us an undertaking, if you do not have the information, exac tly how muc h money has been paid in the last 12 calendar months, please?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you. Yes, I will.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Okay. The other Member who has indicated he has an actual question would be Minister Furbert, from Hamilton Parish. Minister Furbert, Wayne Furbert. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Minister?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI am sorry; Member, Member. I am sorry. Member Furbert, you can continue. QUESTION 1: AUDIT OF THE BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2016 34 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Speaker, I just want to ask …
I am sorry; Member, Member. I am sorry. Member Furbert, you can continue. QUESTION 1: AUDIT OF THE BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2016 34 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Speaker, I just want to ask the Minister, you mentioned in your report that a 30 per cent discretionary bonus was paid to the CEO. If you can get back to us and let us know whether there was any performance bonus paid on top of the discretionary bonus, we would appreciate it.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: I will make an undertaking to do so, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Supplementary? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo ahead, Minister De Silva. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Minister, can you confirm the amount of this 30 per cent bonus that was paid to the CEO, please?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, that information was not pr ovided in the report that I received, but we actually are asking to get those numbers to you. And I would be able to provide an update as soon as I have t hem.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI take that as that is an undertaking which you will bring to the House in the future. Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Yes, sir. Definitely.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. All Members who had indicated that they had questions to the Minister of Tourism have spoken. We are now going to move on to the next Statement. And the next Statement was that of the Minister of Health, the Honourable Minister Wilson. And there is a question …
Thank you, Minister. All Members who had indicated that they had questions to the Minister of Tourism have spoken. We are now going to move on to the next Statement. And the next Statement was that of the Minister of Health, the Honourable Minister Wilson. And there is a question from the Honourable Susan Jackson. Ms. Jackson, you have the floor.
QUESTION 1: BERMUDA’S 50 MILLION STEPS CHALLENGE
Ms. Susan E. JacksonGood morning, Mr. Speaker. I have one question for the Minister of Health. I am just wondering . . . I note here that the last STEPS survey was in 2014. When is the next STEPS survey? Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes, Minister. Continue. Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Thank you for that question, to the Honourable Member. We are looking to actually conduct another survey for our younger population, because the STEP S survey did address the adult population, and the Ministry thinks that it is necessary for us to look …
Yes, Minister. Continue. Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Thank you for that question, to the Honourable Member. We are looking to actually conduct another survey for our younger population, because the STEP S survey did address the adult population, and the Ministry thinks that it is necessary for us to look at a similar survey for the younger individuals. So, I can report more once that information is made available to me. But insofar as it relates to the older, adult population, that is not necessarily the pr iority for the next survey.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAll right. Thank you, Minister. Supplementary?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. QUESTION 2 : BERMUDA’S 50 M ILLION STEPS CHALLENGE
Ms. Susan E. JacksonThis is another question, second question, to the Minister. I am just wondering if you could tell us the difference between this STEPS survey and previous STEPS surveys —I mean, not the surveys, the actual chall enge. I am sorry. What is the difference? So, we are having the challenge …
This is another question, second question, to the Minister. I am just wondering if you could tell us the difference between this STEPS survey and previous STEPS surveys —I mean, not the surveys, the actual chall enge. I am sorry. What is the difference? So, we are having the challenge now. There have been challenges in the past; there has been a STEPS challenge in the past. I am just wondering what the differences are between the two, or if there are any.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, I am not 100 per cent sure I understand the question insofar as the di fference between this walking challenge and a prev ious one. As I understand it (but I can get further i nformation from the Ministry and revert), this is …
Minister.
Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, I am not 100 per cent sure I understand the question insofar as the di fference between this walking challenge and a prev ious one. As I understand it (but I can get further i nformation from the Ministry and revert), this is the first one that was started, as I indicated in my Statement, in June, under the former Government. If that is the question that you are trying to ask, that is exactly right. But I did indicate in the Statement that it was started on the 27 th of June.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. No other Members have indicated that they have questions for the Minister of Health. We will now move on to the fourth Statement, that from the Minister of Home Affairs, Minister Brown. And we have tw o Members who have indicated that they have questions. The first …
Thank you, Minister. No other Members have indicated that they have questions for the Minister of Health. We will now move on to the fourth Statement, that from the Minister of Home Affairs, Minister Brown. And we have tw o Members who have indicated that they have questions. The first is the Leader of the O pposition, the Honourable Member Gordon- Pamplin.
[Pause]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou look surprised. You indicated you had a question for the Minister. Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Oh, yes. I am sorry, Mr. Speaker. I did not hear the preface. I was not sure what the question was.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou have the floor. QUESTION 1: THE NEXT WAVE OF CHANGES TO IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you. My question is for the Honourable Minister for Immigration, and the question is with respect to page 1 in terms of “careful assessments of Stat ements of …
You have the floor.
QUESTION 1: THE NEXT WAVE OF CHANGES TO IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you. My question is for the Honourable Minister for Immigration, and the question is with respect to page 1 in terms of “careful assessments of Stat ements of Employment” and “closer monitoring of the recruitment process.” Does misinformation in applic ation forms have any bearing on the approval of such applications?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Walton Brown: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely. If there is a finding of misinformation, false information, in an application form, then that person will not be awarded a work permit.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary or new question? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: I have a new question, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo ahead. QUESTION 2: THE NEXT WAVE OF CHANGES TO IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the Minister could explain to this Honourable House how stringently the scrutiny process is being applied in light of recent approvals of work permits that fall …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Walton Brown: Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Opposition Leader is referring to a singular case, which has been well documented in the public domain. And that — Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Point of order.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. Minister, just yield for a minute. What is your point of order? POINT OF CLARIFICATION Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: My point of order is that I am not referring to a specific case that has been well documented in the public.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: I am talking about a separate incident.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. You clarified your point. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Yes.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, she has indicated. . .the Member is indicating that she is not —her comments, rather, were not in reference to a single matter. Hon. Walton Brown: Yes. Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Member’s comments are duly noted. What I will say is that we will vigorously enforce Immigration pol icy …
Minister, she has indicated. . .the Member is indicating that she is not —her comments, rather, were not in reference to a single matter.
Hon. Walton Brown: Yes. Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Member’s comments are duly noted. What I will say is that we will vigorously enforce Immigration pol icy and law , and that those who violate Immigration policy and law will face the consequences. Those people, those individuals who require certain consi derations based on perhaps their marital status or other factors, who are outside of work permit control, will not fall into that category whatsoever.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Any supplementary or new question? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: I will ask a new question, because the Minister is down on a totally different tangent.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThis is your third question. QUESTION 3: THE NEXT WAVE OF CHANGES TO IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: My third question is with respect to passports and the Minister’s indic ation that we will take back the printing. My question is, has this vexatious subject been …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Walton Brown: Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Honourable Member for that question. We are currently doing a Request for Inform ation to find out what the cost is. Once we identify that cost, we will be pursuing vigorously with the UK Government what we consider …
Minister.
Hon. Walton Brown: Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Honourable Member for that question. We are currently doing a Request for Inform ation to find out what the cost is. Once we identify that cost, we will be pursuing vigorously with the UK Government what we consider to be an absolute necessity —that we r etain the right, that we reapply the right to print our own passports. We recognise, Mr. Speaker, that it is an uphill battle. But when it comes to asserting and pr omoting the interests of Bermudians, Mr. Speaker, we will fight vigorously to ensure we get that right back.
36 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Supplementary? Any? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: No.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAll Members have indicated . . . Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Question.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere is one other Member who has indicated that he has a question. That is the Honour able Member from Hamilton Parish. Honourable Member Wayne Furbert, you have the floor. QUESTION 1: THE NEXT WAVE OF CHANGES TO IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. …
There is one other Member who has indicated that he has a question. That is the Honour able Member from Hamilton Parish. Honourable Member Wayne Furbert, you have the floor.
QUESTION 1: THE NEXT WAVE OF CHANGES TO IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please elaborate on some of the elaborate ways that some employers have tried to manipulate our immigration sy stem?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Walton Brown: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can give a few examples. In one case, a company made application for five different work per-mits. And normally, the work permits are examined individually so one would not have identified a trend. But in this case, we put all the …
Minister. Hon. Walton Brown: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can give a few examples. In one case, a company made application for five different work per-mits. And normally, the work permits are examined individually so one would not have identified a trend. But in this case, we put all the work permit applic ations together and found that all five applicants had the same r ésumé. So it was clearly a contrived, set -up application. They just changed the names.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWow. Hon. Walton Brown: In another category of potential abuse, an employee —her position was terminated. The employer sent two individuals to her house with a plane ticket, telling her she needed to be on the next flight out of Bermuda. And the employer, her former employer, had no jurisdiction …
Wow. Hon. Walton Brown: In another category of potential abuse, an employee —her position was terminated. The employer sent two individuals to her house with a plane ticket, telling her she needed to be on the next flight out of Bermuda. And the employer, her former employer, had no jurisdiction to do so. That is solely a matter for the Government. And so, that was rescind-ed. Other examples include applying for a work permit for a cleaner, looking for highly specialised qualifications to clean floors and to mop floors. So when you see those contrived ads for elaborate qual ifications for relatively straightforward work, those permits, as of today, will not be permitted, will not be processed. The S peaker: Thank you, Minister. A supplementary , or a new question? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: I have a suppl ementary.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerA supplementary. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: I have a suppl ementary on this question, to the Minister. Has the Minister continued the policy of, when appeals come to the Minister that the initial answer is no? And the yes has to be justified?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Walton Brown: Mr. Speaker, I assumed the position with a clean slate. We were not burdened by past practices or policies. So, every single application is considered in light of its merits. I take no position prior to the application coming before me. I look at the opinion …
Minister.
Hon. Walton Brown: Mr. Speaker, I assumed the position with a clean slate. We were not burdened by past practices or policies. So, every single application is considered in light of its merits. I take no position prior to the application coming before me. I look at the opinion and the evidence presented, and the argument presented by the technical officers. And then, with a careful assessment, I render a decision.
[Inaudible interjections]
[Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. All of the persons who have indicated that they have . . . Is this a supplementary? Supplementary. The Honourable Member Ralph [sic] Commissiong.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes, Mr. Commissiong. SUPPLEMENTARY
Mr. Rolfe CommissiongWill the Minister concede that these practi ces have the effect of dis -incentivising the hiring of Bermudians?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Walton Brown: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Without doubt, it has provided a disincentive. But as of July 18 th, that practice has come to an end.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. All Members who indicated that they had questions for Minister Brown have asked their questions. We are going to move on to the next Stat ement. The next Statement in which there are ques-tions is actually the Statement from the Minister of Bermuda House of Assembly National Security, …
Thank you. All Members who indicated that they had questions for Minister Brown have asked their questions. We are going to move on to the next Stat ement. The next Statement in which there are ques-tions is actually the Statement from the Minister of
Bermuda House of Assembly National Security, in reference to the grants and confiscation of funds. And those questions are . . . the first question is from the Member from Warwick [South East], the honourable Lawrence Scott.
QUESTION 1: GRANTS FROM THE CONFISCATED ASSETS FUND
Mr. W. Lawrence ScottYes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I notice that in this Statement, that it was r eferred to a couple of other Ministers. But I will just take your guidance and . . . my first question is the breakdown of funds, if the Minister responsible could pr ovide a breakdown …
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I notice that in this Statement, that it was r eferred to a couple of other Ministers. But I will just take your guidance and . . . my first question is the breakdown of funds, if the Minister responsible could pr ovide a breakdown of funds for any legal services that were mentioned in this Statement.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker, we defer and seek your leave on the next occasion to have a complete breakdown for this most Honourable Hous e.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Supplementary or new question?
Mr. W. Lawrence ScottIf we defer . . . If he can, if the Minister can now, or if he can defer, simply make the commitment, what did the majority of the funds go to? So that is what we are looking for, what I am looking for there, if he cannot do …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Minister. Hon. Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker, I will give this to the Minister of Finance.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Honourable Member for his question. The Confiscated Assets Fund had a number of funds that came into it and a lot of the funds that went out of it. Funds were spent for Cashback for …
Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Honourable Member for his question. The Confiscated Assets Fund had a number of funds that came into it and a lot of the funds that went out of it. Funds were spent for Cashback for Communities. Funds were also spent, of course, for government departments to track down these activ ities. And, curious spending was . . . also funds were spent, I would assume, by the former Attorney General, in the amount of $111 [sic] to Cooley LLP, for a civil recovery scoping study.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary? Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary from the Deputy Speaker. Deputy Speaker, you have the floor. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, how much of these funds went to the National Anti - Money Laundering Committee? And also, how muc h money …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker, I would like to defer this to the Minister of Finance, the Premier, the Minister of Finance.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The total amount of money that was in the Confiscated Assets Fund since 2015—the total amount of money that has been recovered has been $10.7 million. Out of $10.7 million, 6 million of those dollars have been transferred …
Mr. Premier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The total amount of money that was in the Confiscated Assets Fund since 2015—the total amount of money that has been recovered has been $10.7 million. Out of $10.7 million, 6 million of those dollars have been transferred to the United States under our obligations to mutual legal assistance. In addition of that, 3.5 million of those dollars have been given to government departments. In response to the question regarding the N ational Anti -Money Laundering Committee, a tota l amount of money that went to NAMLC specifically was $730,000.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. Is this a supplementary? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Supplementary.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary from the Member from Hamilton Parish, Mr. Furbert. SUPPLEMEN TARY Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister of Finance tell us who is this Cooley company and why did they get so much money? 38 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of …
Supplementary from the Member from Hamilton Parish, Mr. Furbert.
SUPPLEMEN TARY
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister of Finance tell us who is this Cooley company and why did they get so much money?
38 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Minister, or Premier, would you like to respond? [ Inaudible interjection]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The Cooley LLP is the law firm which was hired by the former Attorney General out of the United States, in the amount . . . and there is one payment that is listed out of the Confiscated Assets …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Premier. Supplementary? Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Yes.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister of Health, the Honourable Kim Wilson, you have the floor. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Thank you. I wonder if the Honourable Minister could answer. Is it not correct that the initial purpose of the Confiscated Assets Fund, as established under the then- PLP Government, was to (a) give …
Minister of Health, the Honourable Kim Wilson, you have the floor. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Thank you. I wonder if the Honourable Minister could answer. Is it not correct that the initial purpose of the Confiscated Assets Fund, as established under the then- PLP Government, was to (a) give cash back to those industries that were most affected by the plight of drugs? It was subsequently amended to provide money for Cash Back for Communities. Is it your submission today that this $110,000 [sic] was paid to a law firm? Can you please explain how that affects the benefit of our communities?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. W ayne C aines: Mr . Speaker, t he reason why this f und was s et up was to benefit t he community. Indeed, a number of c ommunity entities ha ve been the beneficiaries of this fund. It is unclear an d it is unexplainable why …
Minister. Hon. W ayne C aines: Mr . Speaker, t he reason why this f und was s et up was to benefit t he community. Indeed, a number of c ommunity entities ha ve been the beneficiaries of this fund. It is unclear an d it is unexplainable why over $100,000 would be giv en and be used in a legal matter and given to a law firm. Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: Mr. Speaker, point of order.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, you should yield for a minute. Point of order? The Honourable Member, Mr. Moniz. Mr. Moniz, you have the floor. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Ho n. Trevor G. Moniz: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Those Honourable Members are all misleading the House. They need to go back and look at …
Minister, you should yield for a minute. Point of order? The Honourable Member, Mr. Moniz. Mr. Moniz, you have the floor. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Ho n. Trevor G. Moniz: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Those Honourable Members are all misleading the House. They need to go back and look at the purpose of the fund. It is not purely for Cash Back for Communities, as they are suggesting.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, would you like to continue? Hon. Wayne Caines: Yes, Mr. Speaker. We are aware that the Attorney General does have a budget. Under that budget, he had the opportunity to put matters that are with reference to litigation and articulate that in the budget. It is our submission that …
Minister, would you like to continue? Hon. Wayne Caines: Yes, Mr. Speaker. We are aware that the Attorney General does have a budget. Under that budget, he had the opportunity to put matters that are with reference to litigation and articulate that in the budget. It is our submission that this fund and the ethos of this fund was to help indeed the members of the community. And if he was going to use this fund, there should have been a not ification that this fund would have been used in this manner so that we can let the people know who were depending on this money that the money of this fund had been depleted. Now we are not able to take care of the people who [were to use] this fund, because a lot of this money has been used toward paying law firms for a flight of fancy .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Supplementary? This is your second suppl ementary, Mr. Scott. SUPPLEMENTARY
Mr. W. Lawrence ScottYes, this is my second su pplementary. With the Premier’s stating that this fund had $10-plus million in 2015, and the Minister of National Security saying that now, at this date, it is now depleted, why are we only hearing about this now? And why were we not . . …
Yes, this is my second su pplementary. With the Premier’s stating that this fund had $10-plus million in 2015, and the Minister of National Security saying that now, at this date, it is now depleted, why are we only hearing about this now? And why were we not . . . and why was this country and this House not informed prior to the election on why, that we are running out of money in this fund?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Minister. Hon. Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker, it is obviously deeply concerning, with the letters going out. Any ac-count . . . you know, anyone . . . the former Minister of Finance would understand that if you are looking at the fund and you are seeing a total …
Thank you. Minister. Hon. Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker, it is obviously deeply concerning, with the letters going out. Any ac-count . . . you know, anyone . . . the former Minister of Finance would understand that if you are looking at the fund and you are seeing a total and a tally, you would understand that this money was indeed running out. It was one of two things. Either it was a way of misleading the general public [to win the election] in July, the next election; or to allow this Party to carry a basket to carry water in, and we would not be able to honour the promises that they indeed made. Ho n. Trevor G. Moniz: Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerHold on, hold on. Is this a point of order or a question? Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: A point of order. Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Point of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: The Honourable Member is misleading the House again. The nature of the …
Hold on, hold on. Is this a point of order or a question? Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: A point of order.
Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Point of order.
POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: The Honourable Member is misleading the House again. The nature of the Con-fiscated Assets Fund is that it is constantly changing. So fu nds come into the Confiscated Assets Fund. And then under the mutual legal system, some monies need to be returned to jurisdictions to compensate victims. But it is constantly changing. You are getting money in, and you are paying it out to a variety of purposes. So it is constantly being topped up, and it is constantly being used. It is not a static fund.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Thank you. Minister, would you like to continue to his point of order? Hon. Wayne Caines: Indeed.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerContinue. Hon. Way ne Caines: Mr. Speaker, I have just seen a recent post from the former Premier, the Honourable Michael Dunkley. And he has indicated that at his last knowledge there was $300,000 left in the fund. If there was indeed $300,000 left in this fund, then how come …
Continue.
Hon. Way ne Caines: Mr. Speaker, I have just seen a recent post from the former Premier, the Honourable Michael Dunkley. And he has indicated that at his last knowledge there was $300,000 left in the fund. If there was indeed $300,000 left in this fund, then how come we only have $100,000 left in the fund now? What is clear is that we are not indeed trying to mislead the House. We are saying that the fund does have different incarnations. The ethos of this fund was to benefit the people of Bermuda. There is an opportunity for the former Attorney General to use his budget to set aside a budget for litigation. He had that opportunity. It is deeply concerning that he went outside of that budget to take money from the people of Bermuda, money which was to benefit lives, [to spend] on what we are calling a “flight of fancy”, to go about on his whimsical approach to prosecution in this country. Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker. [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Moniz, is this a point or order or a question? Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: It is a point of order.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe point of order? POINT OF ORDER Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: The Member is getting very close to personal abuse.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI will determine that. I will determine that, Member. Just speak to your point of order. Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: Yes. Yes, you will. But he is getting very close to personal abuse.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSpeak to your point of order or take your seat. Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: But the fact is that I would put him to proof t hat there was any, any going outside of the purpose of the fund on the monies which were expended.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: And those funds, as he said before, were actually approved by the Minister of F inance and the Minister of Jus tice.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou have stated your point. Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, would you like to continue? Hon. Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker, there was $300,000 set aside for the community aspect of the project. There is only $100, 000 available to these people.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Hon. Wayne Caines: You over promised and you under delivered.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Mr. Burgess, you actually had your name down to ask a question. Is that a question or just a supplementary? Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: A supplementary, sir.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary? SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Yes. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, what did the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee use that $730,000 for? And also, do they have a budget to operate on?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Minister, or Premier? Hon. E. David Burt: I will take the question. I will undertake to get to the Honourable Member the specific use of the funds of that allocation that was given. I can get that information for him. 40 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda …
Thank you. Minister, or Premier? Hon. E. David Burt: I will take the question. I will undertake to get to the Honourable Member the specific use of the funds of that allocation that was given. I can get that information for him. 40 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Thank you, Premier. Mr. Burgess, did you still want to ask your question, or you are fine? Okay. All Members who indicated that they had questions of that Minister for that Statement have spoken. We are now going to move on to the next Statement. And the next Statement that Members i ndicated that they had questions on is actually the final Statement, that from the Minister of Works. [Inaudible interjection]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI have actually moved on, Member, moved on. The matter of the Minister of Works, and the question is coming from the Opposition Leader, the Honourable Gordon- Pamplin. QUESTION 1: THE BERMUDA LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the first …
I have actually moved on, Member, moved on. The matter of the Minister of Works, and the question is coming from the Opposition Leader, the Honourable Gordon- Pamplin.
QUESTION 1: THE BERMUDA LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the first page, where the Mi nister has indicated that the last audited accounts t abled at AGM [annual general meeting] were 31 st of March 2009, will the Honourable Minister confirm that by the time they left the Government they were a lready three years behind?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, do you care to respond?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMember, do you have a supplementary or another question? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: The Minister ca nnot count, so I guess I will just ask another question.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWell, ask another question. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Yes. Was the lack of information that was required to complete the audited accounts the result of questionable activities by the previous board members that had been subject to public scrutiny?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister? Would you like to respond, Minister?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, I am aware of the attempt that is being made. I can report that the management and board at the Bermuda Land Development Corporation had provided the information for the audits for those five years of the former administration, being in governm ent, and they have not been …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Ms. Gordon- Pamplin, supplementary or new question? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Supplementary.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo ahead. SUPPLEMENTARIES Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: [The years] 2010, 2011, and 2012 were years that were under the pur-view of the previous administration. Can the Honour able Minister at least acknowledge that those have yet to be done?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, as I said in the Statement, the years 2010 and 2011 have been submitted to the Auditor General . . . (Sorry.) [Inaudible interjection]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchYes, recently. Completed by the Auditor General and are ready for t abling at the next AGM.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Ms. Gordon- Pamplin, is this a supplementary or a new question? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Supplementary.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Is the Honourable Minister awa re that new audits cannot be undertaken until the prior audits have been completed?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchBut let me say this, Mr. Speaker. Irrespective of the fact that 2010 and 2011 accounts have been audited late, it still is no excuse that five years of accounting have not even been submitted to the Auditor General for consideration. Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Thank you, Minister. …
But let me say this, Mr. Speaker. Irrespective of the fact that 2010 and 2011 accounts have been audited late, it still is no excuse that five years of accounting have not even been submitted to the Auditor General for consideration.
Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Is this your final q uestion?
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: No, it is a su pplementary.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNo. You have had two supplementaries. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Okay. Then I will pass.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe other Member who indicated he had questions was the Honourable Member Gibbons, from Paget [East]. Member Gibbons, you have the floor. QUESTION 1: THE BERMUDA LAND DEVELO PMENT COMPANY LIMITED
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsThank you. Could the Honourable Member give us an indication of what clearly must have been some very serious issues that arose in the 2010 and 2011 years of the BLDC, under the former Government —that is, the former PLP Government —that would have delayed these accounts being audited by, …
Thank you. Could the Honourable Member give us an indication of what clearly must have been some very serious issues that arose in the 2010 and 2011 years of the BLDC, under the former Government —that is, the former PLP Government —that would have delayed these accounts being audited by, let us see, we are talking about close to six years?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, would you like to respond?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, yes, I will respond. That seems to be a question that should more accurately be directed to the Auditor General, who is unable to provide the audited accounts for the BLDC, both during the time of our term in Government, as well as for the entire time of …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Any other . . . is it a supplementary? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Supplementary.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary from the Minister De Silva. Minister, you have the floor. SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Minister, I would like to ask you: Irrespective of the year -end accounts not being available, would this stop the shareholders from holding annual ge neral meetings?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchThe fact that there are not audited accounts available would not stop them from having an AGM, because they could submit unaudited accounts, as is taking place on. . . I do not recall the date. But a date for an AGM under the pr esent shareholders has been set. …
The fact that there are not audited accounts available would not stop them from having an AGM, because they could submit unaudited accounts, as is taking place on. . . I do not recall the date. But a date for an AGM under the pr esent shareholders has been set. And you could have gotten a sanction, as we did, from the Registrar of Companies to proceed with an AGM.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Supplementary?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI recognise the Honourable Member from Warwick [South East], Mr. Lawrence Scott. SUPPLEMENTARY
Mr. W. Lawrence ScottThank you. Mr. Speaker, could you get the Minister to answer if it is his belief that the former OBA Gover nment could have brought everything up to date r egardless of what had happened under the previous PLP administration?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, would you like to respond?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, yes, it is my belief that this could have happened. I think that certainly the previous shareholders of the Bermuda Land Development Company could have implored the Auditor General to proceed with auditing the accounts for the years 2012 through 2016 and have an AGM.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Supplementary? SUPPLEMENTARY Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: I have a suppl ementary question.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI recognise the Leader of the Oppos ition, Mrs. Gordon- Pamplin. You have the floor. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you. Would the Minister advise this Honourable House whether an auditor general can complete an audit on accounts when the prior year’s audit is still outstanding? (You cannot bring …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, would you like to respond?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, no, they cannot. But just as they were able to complete the accounts for two years, they could have completed the accounts for seven years.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. 42 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Gibbons, this is a supplementary, or do you want to go on to your further question? Because I think you have one question left.
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsYes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the audited accounts, according to the Minister, have only recently been completed by the Office of the Auditor General, would it not be accurate to say that an AGM would have been academic before those financial statements were really available? In other words, what …
Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the audited accounts, according to the Minister, have only recently been completed by the Office of the Auditor General, would it not be accurate to say that an AGM would have been academic before those financial statements were really available? In other words, what was the point of having an AGM if the financial statements were not available until they were available recently? Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, would you like to respond?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, there is no excuse, in my humble opinion, to sit in Government as a shareholder of a company for five years. And that Honourable Member would know better. I cannot i magine that in any other company in which he is a shareholder or a board member, that …
Mr. Speaker, there is no excuse, in my humble opinion, to sit in Government as a shareholder of a company for five years. And that Honourable Member would know better. I cannot i magine that in any other company in which he is a shareholder or a board member, that he would sit quietly by and allow the accounts not to be audited or not to take any acti on to address the deficiency for five whole years, Mr. Speaker!
[Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Let me remind Members that this hour expires at 12:13. We are now at 12:11. We have got two minutes left. Supplementary or a new question?
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsThank you. To the Minister, would it not be fair to say that, really, the bulk of his criticism is really aimed at the Auditor General and not the former Government, gi ven the serious delay in actually auditing those 2010 and 2011 accounts?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, as I indicated in my Statement, I think there is enough blame to go around between both the Auditor General and the shareholders of BLDC.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Deputy, is this a supplementary? Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: No, a question, sir.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGo ahead. You were down to ask the question. Yes, continue. QUESTION 1: TH E BERMUDA LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Minister, the inaction of the Auditor some will call mismanagement or mal-administration. Will a complaint be made to the Go vernor about the Auditor?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, would you like to respond?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, thank you, Honourable Member, for that question. I believe the Auditor General falls under the category of being a constitutional officer. So, whilst the Governor appoints her, he is not her bos s. But certainly, I would imagine that the discussions that are occurring in this House will …
Mr. Speaker, thank you, Honourable Member, for that question. I believe the Auditor General falls under the category of being a constitutional officer. So, whilst the Governor appoints her, he is not her bos s. But certainly, I would imagine that the discussions that are occurring in this House will come to his attention. And during the course of his regular meetings with the Auditor General, he would raise the question with her. My report —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. The time has expired for our questions. We had a very lively period, but it is an hour. And the hour has passed. The next item on the Order Paper is actually the condolences and congratulations. MOMENT OF SILENCE [In memory of Honourable Shawn G. Crockwell, MP]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI am going to ask Members to join me on my feet and observe a moment of silence to recognise one of our Members who passed during the close of this House, namely, the Honourable Member, Mr. Shawn Crockwell. Gallery, will you please rise as well on this for us, …
I am going to ask Members to join me on my feet and observe a moment of silence to recognise one of our Members who passed during the close of this House, namely, the Honourable Member, Mr. Shawn Crockwell. Gallery, will you please rise as well on this for us, please? We will start that moment of silence now. Thank you.
[The House rose and observed a moment of silence]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Members. You can take your seats. And we are now on the Congratulatory Bermuda House of Assembly and/or Obituary Speeches. Members are mindful that these are three- minute speeches. I recognise the Premier. CONGRATULATORY AND/OR OBITUARY SPEECHES Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. …
Thank you, Members. You can take your seats. And we are now on the Congratulatory
Bermuda House of Assembly and/or Obituary Speeches. Members are mindful that these are three- minute speeches. I recognise the Premier.
CONGRATULATORY AND/OR OBITUARY SPEECHES
Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been a while since we have been here, and mindful of three minutes, I will go and give my condolences, of course, to the former Member and the family of the former Member, Mr. Shawn Crockwell, who sat in this place. Also, I would like to recognise and ask that letters be sent to the families of Ms. Deborah Tan-nock, who has passed away; Ms. Rosina Spencer Bean (I am sure the Honourable Member from 21 will give my aunt a tribute); and also the former Regiment Officer, Mr. Larry Burchall, who also passed away since the last time we were here. Regarding a more personal issue, Mr. Speaker, of course, I would like to recognise the passing of my brother -in-law, Mr. Terrence Smith, and I would ask that letters of condolences be sent to his wife and children, remembering his life. Regarding congratulations, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask that congratulations be sent to the following persons: The first I would like to ask for is that congratulatory letters be sent to Mr. Michael Burns, who earned the Fred Reiss Lifetime Achiev ement Award for hi s work in insurance. We recognised him at the captive insurance conference a few days ago, and I would like to ask that the House extend him those congratulations. In addition, I would like to give congratulations and thank -yous to Bermuda’s student debat e team, who represented Bermuda in August this year at the World Schools Debating Championships in Bali, Indo-nesia. Despite losing three members to illness and injury, they represented us proudly. And of course, Mr. Speaker, further congratulations should be sent to Bermudian, Kenza Wilks, who won the event’s top speaking prize, representing Team England. The I sland team was represented by Megan Sutcliffe, a Bermuda High School graduate; Berkeley Institute students Tyrese Coakley, Yasser Baia, and Sierra Brangman; as well as Asha Symons from Warwick Academy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. Does anyone else wish to speak on cond olences and congratulations? I recognise the Honour able Member from St. George's West, Mr. Swan.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYes. Good day, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for the acknowledgement. I would like condolences to be sent to the family of Marshall Dowling, a dear friend from Welling-ton Back Road, Suffering Lane community, who suc-cumbed to illness rec ently. Also, to the family of John T. Clarke, from Ferry …
Yes. Good day, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for the acknowledgement. I would like condolences to be sent to the family of Marshall Dowling, a dear friend from Welling-ton Back Road, Suffering Lane community, who suc-cumbed to illness rec ently. Also, to the family of John T. Clarke, from Ferry Reach, well -known gentleman indeed, whom I knew personally, as well. And also, very sadly as well, equally as sad is the family of the late Michael Paynter, who died very suddenly, and I am very sad myself to bring these condolences, b ecause it was on the campaign trail that I remember him last —always very outspoken, was very emotional when I spoke to him about issues. And his passing really hit home. And I would like to be associated with the condol ences to my friend, Terrence Smith. I know I speak on behalf of my golfing community, of which he was one; we will miss him dearly. And I would also like, Mr. Speaker, to be associated with all condolences being officially sent to our friends and family do wn in the Caribbean, and indeed in Key West as well, and other areas affected by the hurricane —in particular, Irma, and also before that Harvey ravaged the community of Houston and the Gulf State communities. On a happier note, I would like congratul ations to be sent to you, Mr. Speaker, on your new role, and also to the Progressive Labour Party on ascen ding to Government, once again, meeting the needs of the people who put us there. And also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to be associated with the condolences sent out to the former Honourable Member, Mr. Crockwell. And I think, Mr. Speaker, that a precedent may have been set for a suitable time to maybe have a special opportunity for Members to speak a little bit more about the contribution Mr. Crockwell made.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou can take advantage while you are on your feet now if you wish to.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanWell, thank you for that, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to say that Mr. Crockwell’s contribution to Bermuda will be duly noted in many spheres. I knew Mr. Crockwell especially from a family connection, as I just today saw his father driving east. And I am very close to …
Well, thank you for that, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to say that Mr. Crockwell’s contribution to Bermuda will be duly noted in many spheres. I knew Mr. Crockwell especially from a family connection, as I just today saw his father driving east. And I am very close to his young nephew, Skylar , whom I teach golf. And his father and I have been very closely connected for many years through golf. More recently, as his ascension brought him to Parliament —a redemption, indeed —this young man acquitted himself after difficult circumstances to make his family proud. His passing, certainly, Mr. Speaker, came as a blow to many of us, no more than to his family. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerTime. We appreciate your comments. Any other Member? I will recognise the Mini ster of Sport, Minister De S ilva. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 44 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, I would like to be associated with …
Time. We appreciate your comments. Any other Member? I will recognise the Mini ster of Sport, Minister De S ilva.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 44 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, I would like to be associated with the condolences for our friend and brother -in-law of the Premier, Mr. Terrence Smith, whom I had the luxury and privilege of being in the same class w ith for three years. And, of course, after our school exper iences together, as was noted by MP Swan, he was also an avid golfer. And we had some experiences, certainly, out on the golf course, and other places as well, Mr. Speaker. He dearly loved the game, and we certainly had a lot of fun at it. I would also like to be associated with the condolences for Deborah Tannock, as you know, for-mer Senator Raymond Tannock’s wife, very active in the Southampton area, as well as the Vernon Temple Church. Larry Bur chall was another one I would like to associate my condolences with, Mr. Speaker, as he taught me how to march when I was in the army. And of course, I did spend some other time with Larry throughout the years, as he was involved in the construction business for a long time before he retired, and ably assisted his daughter with the great news outlet, Bernews, Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware. I would also like to have the House send condolences to the family of Mr. Basil Carey, who is the father of my Permanent Secretary, and Mr. Michael Weeks would like to be associated.
[Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: The whole House is certainly indicating to send condolences to the family of Basil, who was well known, obviously, Mr. Speaker, for someone who was almost 90 years old—the church was full. So he was obviously well -liked. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to associate my condolences with the honourable former Member, Mr. Shawn Crockwell. And you might remember, Mr. Speaker, in his last sp eech in this House he made a prediction that we would be sitting on this side of the House in short order, Mr. Speaker, and, oh, was he so correct! So, Mr. Speaker, I am sure that he is missed by many Members in the House, and certainly by his former partner, Mr. Mark Pettingill. Those two were certainly joined at the hip, Mr. Speaker. And Shawn, I think, added certainly a lot of talent. He made Chancery Legal, I think, what it is today, along with his partner, Mr. Pettingill. Mr. Speaker, before I take my seat, on a happier note, I would like to congratulate Mr. Glen n Woods and hi s wife, Candy , who celebrated 43 years of marriage today. And I think many Members on this side would know Glenn “Woodsy” Woods. He is ce rtainly a soldier. Candy should get an ext ra medal for being married to this man for 43 years. And very quickly, because time is, I know, running out, Mr. Speaker —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. Your time is up, Minister. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWould any other Member wish to speak? Dr. Gibbons. We recognise Dr. Gibbons, from Paget.
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsThank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also rise this morning (or this afternoon, at this point), to ask that condolences be sent to the family of the late William “Billy” Boyle, who, many members will know, was a member of the Corporation [of Hamilton] for many, many years. …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also rise this morning (or this afternoon, at this point), to ask that condolences be sent to the family of the late William “Billy” Boyle, who, many members will know, was a member of the Corporation [of Hamilton] for many, many years. He was mayor between 1994 and 1997. In fact, his time goes back to when my father was mayor, and that was quite a long time ago. He certainly ne eds to be recognised for his public service at the Corporation, and also for the contribution to employment in Berm uda and service to Bermudians through the Boyle shoe stores, which I think all Honourable Members certainly would be familiar with. While I am on my feet, Mr. Speaker, I would also ask that condolences be sent to the family of a former constituent —that is, Janet (otherwise known as Judy) Montgomery -Moore Watlington. Honourable Members may be aware that she, at summer camps for many, many years for young Bermudians, touched a lot of younger people as a consequence of those summer camps. I would certainly ask that condolenc-es be sent to her children, Margaret, James, Kitty Knudsen, and Hubert Watlington, for this wonderful lady. I would also lik e to be associated with the condolences sent to the family of Shawn Crockwell, a former colleague and certainly a great contributor both to Government and to public service. I would also like to be associated with the condolences to the family of Larry Bur chall, with whom I had many interesting conversations over the years and who did a lot to bring clarity, particularly to government finances, over quite a long period. Finally, I would also like to be associa ted with the —I guess commiseration would be the best way of putting it —with those in the British Virgin I slands, certainly Turks & Caicos Islands and others, who suffered terribly under the Hurricane Irma that went through. And I am pleased to see that the Royal Bermuda Regiment and others are rising to the occ asion to assist our brothers and sisters down there Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. I now recognise the Honourable Member, Mr. Commissiong. Mr. Commissiong, you have the floor.
Mr. Rolfe CommissiongThank you, Mr. Speaker. As m any of us know, life can be fleeting. Certainly, those who have been blessed with long life are indeed truly blessed. I just want to take time out to offer some condolences here. Firstly, I will go in order of age and seniority. We …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As m any of us know, life can be fleeting. Certainly, those who have been blessed with long life are indeed truly blessed. I just want to take time out to offer some condolences here. Firstly, I will go in order of age and seniority. We have Ms. Elizabeth Dillw orth,
Bermuda House of Assembly from Curving Avenue. She was in her 99th year when she passed away, about four or five weeks ago. She is the sister of Hubie Brown, who ran the legendary Hubie’s Jazz Bar in Angle Street, a favourite haunt for many of us older members of the Progress ive Labour Party; and also the sister of Donny Brown of the, again, legendary Fish Hut, which is no more. And most of us, many of us do lament the fact that the Fish Hut is no more. But she was a great woman. She worked, as a younger woman, down at Tom Moore’s Tavern—for example, as a cook down there. And again, 99 years old this year. A very good innings , as my honourable and learned colleague, Mr. Caines, opines. I just also then, moving on–– again this lady here I am going to mention passed away right around the same time. She may have preceded the passing of Mrs. Dillworth by a week or two. Both of them live on Curving Avenue. We are talking about Rosina Jane Leonora Spencer Bean. Rosina Bean was born in 1932, so she would be 85 years old this year. And she was a great woman, a staunch supporter of the Pr ogressive Labour Party, as was Ms. Dillworth. In fact, I was able to give [her] a party flag, which she flew proudly prior to the election. And one of the things about Mrs. Spencer Bean is that she alway s talked about her roots down in the Caribbean, in St. Kitts and Nevis, with Reverend Tweed, for example. In a visit just shortly before the election, I remember her telling us and regaling us with the stories of her being on that boat—it may have been cal led The Ladybird, I b elieve, that used to ply the waters between St. Kitts and Bermuda. And she talked about herself as a young girl, going on that boat for that voyage down to St. Kitts and Nevis, perhaps to visit family, and returning on the same boat. I t was something that I was not aware of, although I wondered in the back of my mind, How did they get from there to here and back, back in the day, if you will? So that was Mrs. Leonora Spe ncer Bean. Very quickly, Mr. Speaker, because again I know our tim e is short. Today I am [looking] in the paper, I was able to see in the paper the passing of another strong supporter for this party and for the labour movement, Larry Alexander Anderson, Sr., who passed away. My condolences to him —or condolences to his family, I should say. And I am associating with all the other Members as well. I believe he has a relative or two here.
[Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Rolfe CommissiongExactly, the Anderson fam ily. Lastly, I want to congratulate the young Mr. (if you just give me a chance to pull this up here), the young Mr. Waleed Lightbourne, who became a male nurse. [Timer beeps]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerTime is up. Time is up. [Crosstalk]
Mr. Rolfe CommissiongAnd I want to just thank him for his accomplishment. Thank you, Mr . Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI now recognise the Minister for Works and Engineering. Mr. Burch, you have the floor.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, thank you very much. I will not need to go three minutes. I would like to be associated with the condolences to the Honourable Shawn Crockwell, Mr. Terrence Smith, Mrs. Deborah Tannock, and Captain Lar-ry Burchall. I would also ask that condolences be sent to the family of …
Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. I will not need to go three minutes. I would like to be associated with the condolences to the Honourable Shawn Crockwell, Mr. Terrence Smith, Mrs. Deborah Tannock, and Captain Lar-ry Burchall. I would also ask that condolences be sent to the family of Marlene B -Landy, who, whilst she was on the other side of the political divide, her and my mot her were best friends, and her son actually served in the Regiment with me—a giant in this community gone. I would also ask that the condolences be sent to the family of Collins Lorne Smith. Many in this House will have attended his homegoi ng service on the 11 th of August —sorry, not on the 11th of August; that is when he passed —at the Heritage Worship Centre, Mr. Speaker. In my lifetime, it is probably the largest I ever attended, with people from all walks of life. And if you knew him, you knew that he loved life and that he lived it to the fullest. I also ask, Mr. Speaker, that congratulations be sent to PinkSand Entertainment Company, who on the 3rd of September presented Made I n Bermuda festival at the CedarBridge Academy, highlighting B ermudian artists. And it was an outstanding evening of Bermuda talent. And I would like particularly the con-gratulations to be sent to the two principals of PinkSand Entertainment, Mr. Jonathan Tankard and
Mr. Zuri Darrell. Thank you.
The SpeakerThank y ou, Minister. Before we recognise anyone else, I think we all should be cognisant of the time. It is now 12:30. And the Premier has asked the Minister of Health to be acknowledged. Minister of Health.
Ms. Kim N. WilsonMr. Speaker, I move that the Hous e do now adjourn for health [sic] .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerFor lunch, for lunch. [Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI hope you are going to have a healthy lunch. Is that what you are indicating? 46 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly The House is now adjourned until 2:00 pm. [Gavel] Proceedings suspended at 12 :30 pm Proceedings resumed at 2:02 pm [Hon. Dennis P. …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMembers, we are now . . . proceedings are open after lunch. We are going to continue the Obituaries and Condolences. Does any Member wish to speak to that? I recognise the Member from . . . honourable Scott Simmons. Mr. Simmons, you have the floor. CONGRATULATORY AND/OR OBITUARY SPEECHES …
Mr. Scott SimmonsThank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I want I rise on a sad note and I ask that this Honourable House send condolences to the family of the late RaKim Toriano (Scrooge) E dness Hall. And I ask also that . . . and I see that a …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I want I rise on a sad note and I ask that this Honourable House send condolences to the family of the late RaKim Toriano (Scrooge) E dness Hall. And I ask also that . . . and I see that a number of Members wish to be associated with this. I also recognise his mother, Ms. Bridget Hall Br oughton and, of course, Mr. John “Scrooge” Edness. I recog-nise also Diane Hall, who are his grandparents, Lionel “Pop” Hall and, of course, his grandmother, Mrs. D iane Edness. Mr. Speaker , on a more elevated note, I wish to ask that congratulations be sent to the Bermuda Industrial Union, who just recently had the Labour Day celebrations and their 36 th Annual Labour Day Ba nquet. I ask that congratulations be sent to the Pres ident of the Union, to his executives, and also to the members. And I am sure that other Members (I hear) wish to be associated. I also wish to be associated with the letters of condolences that went to Mr. Terrence . . . the family of Mr. Terrence Smith, to the family of Mrs. Deborah Tannock (who I knew very well), and also, of course, to the family of the late Shawn Crockwell. Finally, Mr. Speaker , if you do not mind, I rise on this occasion and ask that this Honourable House send congratulations to Mr. Owen Darrell. As this House may or may not know, Mr. Darrell has risen to the rank of Chief of Staff to the Premier and, most r ecently, he has been given the opportunity to serve in a capacity that I am most familiar with and that will be as Chair of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party. And I wish to extend to him and his family all th e very best.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Simmons. I recognise the Honourable Mr. Furbert from Hamilton Parish. Mr. Furbert, you have the seat . . . you have the floor. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I would like to first of all be associated with the condolences …
Thank you, Mr. Simmons. I recognise the Honourable Mr. Furbert from Hamilton Parish. Mr. Furbert, you have the seat . . . you have the floor.
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I would like to first of all be associated with the condolences for both Terrence Smith and Mr. Larry Burchall. These individuals will be sadly missed in our community because they offered quite a bit of ideas and support overall, particularly Mr. Burchall was very much on top of the numbers on both sides of the House for years. But, Mr. Speaker , I have to speak very clearly on my good friend the Honourable Shawn Crockwell, JP, MP who went to another place while we were on . . . when the House had dissolved over that period. Mr. Speaker , there is no doubt that Mr. Shawn Crockwell was probably one of the best speakers in this Honourable House by far, or at least within at least the top two.
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: No, the other one was my Premier, the Honourable David Burt, but I am not going to get into that, Mr. Speaker , they are trying to throw me off. But I am trying to speak on a very ser ious note that there is no doubt that when Mr. Shaw n Crockwell rose to his feet . . . he had facts, he spoke very clearly, he was very much involved in some very good programmes and ideas that came out of the One Bermuda Alliance. Probably, as a matter of fact, it is probably the only good things that came out of that . . . at that time. But he was clearly very informative in what he did and was clear on the goals that he had set, despite us going after him over and over on . . . whether it was the BTA or other things. Mr. Speaker , I probably am at fault of intr oducing Mr. Crockwell to the political game. He came aboard during a very tough time when I sat in another place and Mr. Crockwell offered much support to me personally, as I said, we became friends over a period of time. We travelled quite a bit in places around the world and I will sadly miss that gentleman. I recall very vividly the day when I got a call saying that something had happened to Mr. Crockwell and I drove my van as quickly as possible to his house. And at that time I met the honourable Mark Pettingill at his steps and I said to him, Do not tell me that it is true. I sat there all day, as a matter of fact, to the very evening until the body was brought down the steps and put in the . . . [Timer beeps]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThat is your time, Me mber. We appr eciate your comments. Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you. I will continue next week.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Does any other Member wish to speak? I recognise the Honourable Member , Mr. Cole Simons. Mr. Simons, you have the floor.
Mr. N. H. Co le SimonsThank you . Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I rise today to send congratul atory remarks to the new teachers that joined the Bermuda Government team in September. In June they had a teacher induction ceremony and I would like to recognise th e new teachers: Ms. …
Thank you . Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I rise today to send congratul atory remarks to the new teachers that joined the Bermuda Government team in September. In June they had a teacher induction ceremony and I would like to recognise th e new teachers: Ms. De’Von Allen of Francis Patton; Torri Correia; Nathan Dill; Aleisha James; Sekia James; Lorne Nannini; Makesha Mahmud- Bey; Alaina Nelson; Diamond Outerbridge; Krystle Paulino; Chrislyn Philip; Daishawani Richar dson; Nyisha Saunders; Janell Smith; Keita Swan; Chaunteé Thompson; Crystal Trott; Oranthus Turner, and Judith Welch. I welcome them to the teaching fraternity of Bermuda and I wish them all the very best in their c areers. A special congratulation goes to Krystle Paulino who was t he new teacher inductee that was outstanding for her experience in that course. On the opposite side of the spectrum I would like to send congratulations to the teachers that retired from our system. They are: Miss Elizabeth Arnold, a reading resource teacher; Clarence Dill, a Social Studies teacher; Dr. Alma Finn Hendrickson, a rea ding teacher; Dawnette Lewis, a paraeducator; Mary Lodge of St. George’s, the Principal; Erwin Nisbett; Paula Outerbridge; Norman Smith; Lauren Todd; and Erviette Young. I would like to thank them for their years in service and their contribution to developing young people in our Island. I would like to also send condolences to the family of the late Arthur Haycock. He was at the Bank of Bermuda HSBC for a number of years and he helped many, many Bermudians secure their homes because he was on the credit side and did a fine job in helping Bermudians work through their mortgages and financing. He will be sadly missed. He did a lot of phi lanthropic activities in Hamilton Parish. And I would like to send condolences to his family . . . that is A rthur Elystan Haycock. Mr. Speaker , I would like to also send congratulations to In Motion Dance School. They cel ebrated their 20 th anniversary. They are first class in regards to teaching young people the arts, teaching them discipline, teaching them commitment, and bas ically developing young, positive people through the arts. So, again, I would like to commend them for their contribution and I would like to encourage them to keep up the good work. I would like to also be associated with the comments made in regard to Michael Burns, the Ber-muda Student Debate Team, Basil Carey, Billy Boyle, Shawn Crockwell, Deborah Tannock, and Marlene B - Landy. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Simons. Are there any other Members? I recognise the Member from St. George’s [North], the Honourable R. Ming. Ms. Ming, you have the floor.
Mrs. Renee MingThank you, Mr. Speaker . At this time I would like to extend condolences to the family of Mr. Albert Churm, Sr. (aka “Shorty”) from St. George’s, and also Albert Churm, Jr. Unfortunately, the family lost the father and the son within a week’s period. So I just want to …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker . At this time I would like to extend condolences to the family of Mr. Albert Churm, Sr. (aka “Shorty”) from St. George’s, and also Albert Churm, Jr. Unfortunately, the family lost the father and the son within a week’s period. So I just want to let them know that they are in our thoughts and prayers; associate MP Swan with that. And a lso Muriel Smith from St. George’s . . . associate Pamplin- Gordon with the “Shorty” Churm one, please. And now I am just going to do some congrat ulatory ones before I do my associations. Congratul ations to the Corporation of St. George’s for maintai ning their Summer Series. It has been a great event, had us out on the square Friday nights actually just enjoying ourselves. The 2018 Cup Match Champions, the St. George’s Cricket Club for —
Mrs. Renee Ming—just an awesome 2017 event, Mr. Speaker . Richard Allen AME Church for their Women’s Day celebrations. The Bermuda Netball Association for their celebrity exhibition game that was held this week, Mr. Speaker . Also, the Bermuda Bodybuilding Association and also, in particular, Miss Natasha Trott for the Bikini Wellness. …
—just an awesome 2017 event, Mr. Speaker . Richard Allen AME Church for their Women’s Day celebrations. The Bermuda Netball Association for their celebrity exhibition game that was held this week, Mr. Speaker . Also, the Bermuda Bodybuilding Association and also, in particular, Miss Natasha Trott for the Bikini Wellness. I aspire to be like that one day. And the Girls Under -15 Football Team for their partic ipation in the CONCACAF Championships in Florida. And I just want to a big shout out to my niece, Danni Watson. And I believe that will be it. And I just want to be associated with the comments for Shawn Crockwell, Larry Burchall, Michele Walden, John T. Clarke, Collins Smith. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMember, did you say congratulations to who for Cup Match?
Mrs. Renee MingThe 2018 Cup Match Champion, St. George’s Cricket Club.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI think you are bit off on that, but an yway, I am going to hold my comment. [Laughter] 48 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: I recognise the Minister . . . Minister Caines. Minister Caines, you have the floor. Hon. Wayne Caines: …
I think you are bit off on that, but an yway, I am going to hold my comment.
[Laughter]
48 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: I recognise the Minister . . . Minister Caines. Minister Caines, you have the floor.
Hon. Wayne Caines: Mr. Speaker , I would like to offer condolences to the family of Mr. Denton Jared, Jr., . He was a childhood friend and, indeed, my god brot her. He most recently succumbed to cancer in the Uni ted Kingdom and I would like this Honourable House to send his family our deepest and most heartfelt condolences. Again, to associate myself with the cond olences for Mr. Lawrence “Stickers” Hendrickson, he was one of the founders of H&H Gombeys. And Mr. David “Shaggy” Wilson of Warwick Gombey [Troupe]. Mr. Collins Smith, Mr. Speaker , is a fixture in our community specifically with the Corporation of Hami lton. For a number of years he served this country with distinction and has recently passed. And I would like to associate myself very closely with the condolences for Mr. Larry Anderson. He is indeed close to my fam ily and one of Bermuda’s best cake decorators, Mr. Speaker . He is gone to take his rest. I would like to say a few words with [regard to] Mr. Shawn Crockwell, one of our MPs, that has r ecently passed. Mr. Speaker , you would know that he was my roommate in university. We attended the Bermuda Institute together. This House has lost a g iant of a man. He indeed has significant shoes to fill. He leaves behind three children to mourn his passing, but indeed the y get to carry the legacy of the father in their hearts. And I wish for this Honourable House to send his family condolences on behalf of the Members of this House. Mr. Speaker , Mr. Lee Holder —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. Wayne Caines: —Mr. Lee Holder was a form idable man in the sporting community serving as a football player, as a referee, and as a member in the legal fraternity in Bermuda and— [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou would like to be associated. Hon. Wayne Caines: Yes. And, Mr. Speaker , we would like to associate the House with these comments. Mr. Speaker , by way of congratulations, our Under 17 Girls, Mr. Speaker , in one of their games, they scored what could only be considered …
You would like to be associated. Hon. Wayne Caines: Yes. And, Mr. Speaker , we would like to associate the House with these comments. Mr. Speaker , by way of congratulations, our Under 17 Girls, Mr. Speaker , in one of their games, they scored what could only be considered a hockey score or a cricket score by beating their opponent by some 14 goals and, Mr. Speaker , I would like for this House to send them some congratulatory remarks.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSure. Hon. Wayne Caines: Those conclude my remarks,
Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThank you, Minister. Now, does any other Member wish to speak? I recognise the Honourable Member from Southam pton [East Central], Ms. Scott. Honourable Member , you have the floor.
Ms. Leah K. ScottThank you , Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I would like to offer condolences to the family of the late Shawn Crockwell. Shawn was a very good friend of mine and when he died his death was one of those things that you will always reme mber where you …
Thank you , Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I would like to offer condolences to the family of the late Shawn Crockwell. Shawn was a very good friend of mine and when he died his death was one of those things that you will always reme mber where you were, the time, the place, and the hour. I will miss him as a mentor. I will miss him as a friend. He was a great orator. He will surely be missed in this House. I appreciated him for his honesty and for his frankness, and for the ability that he had to stand up for the courage of his convictions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member . I recognise the Honourable Member from Southampton as well. The Honourable Member Smith, you have the floor. Yes.
Mr. Ben SmithI would like to send condolences to the family of Roudette Warrington Yearwood from Hamilton Parish.
Mr. Ben SmithHe suddenly died on the 27 th of July. He gave a lot of time and effort to swimming in Bermuda and I work with his daughters and I know that he will be missed. I would also like to give congratulations to the Youth Commonwealth Team for Berm uda, …
He suddenly died on the 27 th of July. He gave a lot of time and effort to swimming in Bermuda and I work with his daughters and I know that he will be missed. I would also like to give congratulations to the Youth Commonwealth Team for Berm uda, specifically the medal winners. Our first gold medal for Matthew Oliveira in time trial cycling, along with Sakari Famous in high jump (Bronze medal), and Alyssa Rowse, Bronze medal also in cycling. I would also like to congratulate Flora Duffy for what she has been able to accomplish this summer and give her our best wishes for tomorrow in the grand final for the Triathlon World Series.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. I now recognise the Ho nourable Member , Mr. Tyrrell. Mr. Tyrrell, you have the floor.
Mr. Neville S. TyrrellThank you, Mr. Speaker , good afternoon. Mr. Speaker , I would ask that this Honourable House send a letter of condolences to the family of the late Mr. Jose Mota of Chapel Hill Road in Sout hampton who passed, as I said recently, at a v ery young age …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker , good afternoon. Mr. Speaker , I would ask that this Honourable House send a letter of condolences to the family of the late Mr. Jose Mota of Chapel Hill Road in Sout hampton who passed, as I said recently, at a v ery young age of 64. I have to confess that I was not very
B ermuda House of Assembly intimate wit h Mr. Mot a, but I hap pened to have met one of hi s daughters t his summer and I will j ust give you a brief t alk about i t. What i t was, t here were many back -to-school giveaways out a nd my honourabl e colleague, Dennis Lister III, who you would recognise, and myself—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI might be familiar with him, yes .
Mr. Neville S. Tyrrell—had a joint giveaway, a back - to-school giveaway. And in . . . well, it was sort of short notice that we did it and we did it via Facebook in terms of getting the information out, and Stacy Mota (who has no connection with either of our constituencies) …
—had a joint giveaway, a back - to-school giveaway. And in . . . well, it was sort of short notice that we did it and we did it via Facebook in terms of getting the information out, and Stacy Mota (who has no connection with either of our constituencies) actually came and showed up because she wanted to help. She said she wanted to help and she actually helped to greet and hand out the giveaways that we had. And the reason why I am probably emphasizing that is she is a very young, she is a young lady who you could obviously tell has had some very good upbringing and I must obviously associate that with her father, Jose. So, if those condolences could be sent. At the same time while I am standing here, Mr. Speaker, I would ask that I be associated with the condolences for Ms. Deborah Tannock. Her husband, Raymond Tannock, and I sat in another place toget her for a number of years and at the end of our sessions we never knew how we were going to get home, so either one of us had to call our wives to see which one could come and Deborah always seemed to . . . she had no problem coming to come and collect him. So I associate myself with that. And finally, I would like to be associated with the remarks to Collins Smith. He was not a constituent of mine, but his father was. His father lives —not was, is—lives in my constituency and he is a firm suppor ter, so I would certainly associate myself with those condolences. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Tyrrell. Are there any other Members that wish to speak? I recognise the Honourable Member . . . yes, she was just made a Minister. I recognise the Ho nourable Member from Hamilton Parish, Mrs. Furbert. Mrs. Furbert, you have the floor, Honourable Member .
Mrs. Tinee FurbertYes, thank you, Mr. Speaker . I would like to offer congratulations or send congratulations to the Bermuda Bocce Team, which had representatives Yushae Desilva- Andrade, Steve Wilson, Omar Hayward, and Rechai Young. An ass ociation over here. They represented Bermuda in the BISFed America’s Bocce Team Championships in Columbia …
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker . I would like to offer congratulations or send congratulations to the Bermuda Bocce Team, which had representatives Yushae Desilva- Andrade, Steve Wilson, Omar Hayward, and Rechai Young. An ass ociation over here. They represented Bermuda in the BISFed America’s Bocce Team Championships in Columbia and they did quite well. Omar Hayward was the one who went to the finals and was defeated 3 to 1. But I would just like to offer congratulations to them for representing Bermuda well. Also wanting to w ish one of my constituents, who is act ually in the House, Mr. Place, a happy belated birthday. He is 101. [ Desk thumping]
Mrs. Tinee FurbertAnd he is just a great example of how we can age healthy. And so I just want to wish him many, many more years and I am glad that he is in this place today. Also wanting to send condolences out to the family and friends of two constituents: …
And he is just a great example of how we can age healthy. And so I just want to wish him many, many more years and I am glad that he is in this place today. Also wanting to send condolences out to the family and friends of two constituents: Mrs. Roslyn “Peggy” Gibbons, and also Mr. Sean Tavares. And I also want to associate myself with the condolences for Mr. Larry Burchall, Mrs. Deborah Tannock, and Mr. Shawn Crockwell.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Member. Any other Member wish to speak? I recognise the Hon ourable Member , Ms. Jackson. Ms. Jackson, you have the floor.
Ms. Susan E. JacksonThank you, Mr. Speaker . I would just like to send condolences to the family of Sophie Laden Fraser -Smith. She tragically lost her life on Election Day on the 18th of July this year, and we are heartily sorry and I would like to as-sociate the whole House with …
Ms. Susan E. JacksonBecause there is the likel ihood she may have been coming to vote, and we just want to recognise her and send all of our sincerest condolences to the family. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Any other Member? We recognise the Ho nourable Member , Mr. Weeks. Mr. Weeks, you have the floor.
Mr. Michael A. WeeksThank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker, I would like to start off my r emarks by asking this Honourable House to send congratulatory remarks to Mr. Trevor Lindsay. He was a long-time cameraman for ZBM but now he has got his own news website, which was launched on July …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker, I would like to start off my r emarks by asking this Honourable House to send congratulatory remarks to Mr. Trevor Lindsay. He was a long-time cameraman for ZBM but now he has got his own news website, which was launched on July 17th. It is called TNN and I am sure I would like to associate the whole House—
Mr. Michael A. Weeks—I see the hands going up. Trevor Lindsay is a real entrepreneur, and when he parted ways with ZBM he ventured out into his own business, TNN. So stay tuned because he is one of 50 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly those guys that . …
—I see the hands going up. Trevor Lindsay is a real entrepreneur, and when he parted ways with ZBM he ventured out into his own business, TNN. So stay tuned because he is one of 50 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly those guys that . . . he puts the news on as it ha ppens.
Mr. Michael A. WeeksSo he is one of those guys that, you know, does his thing. Mr. Speaker , on a sad note, I would like to associate myself with the remarks of condolences for Mr. Lee Holder. He was a good friend of mine and, like my honourable colleague, the Minister of …
So he is one of those guys that, you know, does his thing. Mr. Speaker , on a sad note, I would like to associate myself with the remarks of condolences for Mr. Lee Holder. He was a good friend of mine and, like my honourable colleague, the Minister of National Security said, he was very much a fixture in the spor ting arena and, for those that know football especially, he was a Devonshire Colts man through and t hrough. As a matter of fact . . . and I saw you there, Mr. Speaker , I would ask people to come to his funeral dressed in either orange or red and blue.
Mr. Michael A. WeeksSo again, I would like to associate the Members of the House with that. I would also like to associate the remarks for the condolences for Mr. Larry Anderson. He was one of my constituents and, like it was said before me, he was very much a baker and cake …
So again, I would like to associate the Members of the House with that. I would also like to associate the remarks for the condolences for Mr. Larry Anderson. He was one of my constituents and, like it was said before me, he was very much a baker and cake decorator, and we are going to miss him , miss him dearly. Mr. Speaker , I would also like to be associated with the remarks for Collins Smith. He was a friend of mine. I could not attend his funeral because at the time of his funeral I was overseas on some personal issues, but I made it known t o his wife and family that my heart and prayers were with them. Mr. Speaker , before I take my seat I want to offer my congratulatory remarks to Mr. Waleed Lightbourne. He is actually a neighbour of mine. He is one of the first —I think he is the first —mal e nurses that have graduated from the Bermuda College with his associates degree. And I talked to him a lot because we are actually neighbours. And I would like to ass ociate the Minister of Health —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThe whole House.
Mr. Michael A. WeeksWell, actually the whole House. And when I say “neighbour ,” he stayed in the same complex , he is really right next door to me so he would not let me rest if I do not take a minute to congratulate him on a job well done.
Mr. Michael A. WeeksYou know, and for those few remarks . . . but oh! Mr. Speaker , before I take my seat—Mr. Lawrence Hendrickson. Those that knew him well in Back o’ Town area in Pembroke knew him as “Stickers.” He was like a mentor to us. When I tried to learn …
You know, and for those few remarks . . . but oh! Mr. Speaker , before I take my seat—Mr. Lawrence Hendrickson. Those that knew him well in Back o’ Town area in Pembroke knew him as “Stickers.” He was like a mentor to us. When I tried to learn sailing, he was there. When I tried to learn Gombey . . . and I keep saying “tried to learn” be-cause both sports were short -lived by myself in trying to learn them. But Mr. Stickers Hendrickson was i nstrumental in teaching a lot of us guys in Back o’ Town how we sail and dance with Gombeys. And Shaggy Dog Wilson . . . who does not know Shaggy? Okay? So I would like to—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerTime . . . time has passed. Any other Member? I recognise the Leader of the Opposition. Ms. Gordon- Pamplin, you have the floor. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I would like to associate myself with the comments of condolences to the …
Time . . . time has passed. Any other Member? I recognise the Leader of the Opposition. Ms. Gordon- Pamplin, you have the floor.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I would like to associate myself with the comments of condolences to the family of Collins Smith, Marlene B -Landy, Larry Anderson (who is actually the father of one of my dear constituents and friends), Basil Carey, Shaggy Wilson (who we used to call “Sammy’s Boy”) —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: —and Stickers Hendrickson. I would also ask to be associated with the comments to the families of Deborah Tannock (who was a childhood friend and we lived not too far from each other), to the family of Larry Burchall, and the family of William …
Mm-hmm.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: —and Stickers Hendrickson. I would also ask to be associated with the comments to the families of Deborah Tannock (who was a childhood friend and we lived not too far from each other), to the family of Larry Burchall, and the family of William Boyle. I would like to extend special condolences and associate myself with the comments relating to the late Honourable Shawn Crockwell. Shawn Croc kwell and I were tremendously interactive colleagues. He was an individual whom I loved dearly as a son. And I think the respect was mutual as I was able to determine from people who were in his close circle after his death when they were able to convey to me the comments that he had made concerning the rel ationship that he shared with me. That is something that I will eternally treasure and I am appreciative of the friendship as well as the ability to have gotten to know Shawn as well as I did. Mr. Speaker , I would also ask that this Honourable House send a note of congratulations to Dr. Carika Weldon. Dr. Weldon is a 27- year-old Bermudian. She i s a lecturer at the De Montfort University in Leicester.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou should associate the whole House on that. Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: I would like to associate the whole House.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: She is 27 years old, on the faculty of De Montfort University teaching medical biochemistry.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Speaker , Dr. Weldon will have the opportunity this Sunday to pr esent . . . she has been brought in by Think Media u nder the auspices of Ayo Johnson and she is going to be presenting on molecular biology and cell …
Mm-hmm. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Speaker , Dr. Weldon will have the opportunity this Sunday to pr esent . . . she has been brought in by Think Media u nder the auspices of Ayo Johnson and she is going to be presenting on molecular biology and cell . . . stem and cell work and the like at Bermuda High School at five o’clock this Sunday. I think that to see that kind of . . . not just developm ent, but that kind of exposure for us as Bermudians —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: —she is instr umental in creating a local charity called the Bermuda Principles charity. And I think she has done yeoman work and has put Bermuda on the map. Her prowess and her intellect are second to none and I believe that everybody, if …
Mm-hmm. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: —she is instr umental in creating a local charity called the Bermuda Principles charity. And I think she has done yeoman work and has put Bermuda on the map. Her prowess and her intellect are second to none and I believe that everybody, if we have the opportunity on Sunday, ought to go out and support this young woman as she brings the rudiments of her work to the people of Bermuda. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Any other Member? I recognise the Member from Warwick [South East]. Mr. Lawrence Scott, you have the floor.
Mr. W. Lawrence ScottThank you, Mr. Speaker . I just rise to . . . I want to have this Honour able House send a le tter of condolences to the family of Tanya Boyles who was a constituen t of mine along Cobbs Hill Road. The Boyles family is synonymous with cricket …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker . I just rise to . . . I want to have this Honour able House send a le tter of condolences to the family of Tanya Boyles who was a constituen t of mine along Cobbs Hill Road. The Boyles family is synonymous with cricket in the—and Honourable Member Cole Simons would like to be associated—synonymous with cricket, and also she w as one that when I first went around canvassing she gave me a hard time at first, but then said that she needed to put me through my paces just to ensure that I was deserving of her vote. And she always did hold me accountable and I thank her for that. I also would like to be associated with the comments . . . the congratulations for PinkSand Entertainment —Mr. Jonathan Tankard and Zuri Darrell — and for their Made in Bermuda event. And I just want to associate the Minister of National Security and the Minist er of Education, [and] the Honourable Premier as well. And last, but certainly not least, I would like to just say a few words about the Honourable Member Shawn Crockwell, who I had the honour of being his Shadow. And I think that has probably been the best thing that has happened to my political career being as though . . . they say iron sharpens iron where m yself with him being . . . as it has mentioned, he was the best debater in this House, me having to go toeto-toe with him. And what happened was we would have our little political cut and thrust on the floor, but then afterwards he would come and help critique me and say, Lawrence, you could have said this. You might have wanted to word it that way. So, therefore, the skill that you see, Mr. Speaker , with me speaking on the floor of the House has been . . . is basically [due to] my mentorship through Shawn Crockwell.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Does any other Honourable Member wish to speak? I recognise the Member from constituency 28, Mr. Lister . You have the floor, Honourable Member .
Mr. Dennis Lister IIIThank you, Mr. Speaker . First off, I would like to start by offering condolences to the family of Mrs. Karen Graham, a consti tuent of mine from Warwickshire Drive. Next, I would like to offer congratulations to young Mr. Bakari Simons, a constituent of mine. He received a Government …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker . First off, I would like to start by offering condolences to the family of Mrs. Karen Graham, a consti tuent of mine from Warwickshire Drive. Next, I would like to offer congratulations to young Mr. Bakari Simons, a constituent of mine. He received a Government scholarship last month to co ntinue studying for his master’s degree at the British School of Osteopathy and aims to become the first Bermudian- born osteopath. I would also like to offer congratulations to the former Chairman of the Road Safety Council, who I served on with, Dr. Carlton Crockwell. Yesterday he celebrated 31 years of marriage.
Mr. Dennis Lister IIISo I would like to offer congratulations to that. Also, birthday congratulations —85 th birthday earlier this month to my grandmother, Ms. Norma Showers . And I would also like to associate [with] the condolences to Mr. Lee Holder. As a current football player, I have had the privilege of …
So I would like to offer congratulations to that. Also, birthday congratulations —85 th birthday earlier this month to my grandmother, Ms. Norma Showers . And I would also like to associate [with] the condolences to Mr. Lee Holder. As a current football player, I have had the privilege of playing while he has been the referee or linesman. So I have had interaction with Mr. Holder. Also, to associate with Shawn Crockwell, the many comments that have already been said about him. I did not know him personally, but I would like to associate with them. Also, to Mr. Mota. His daughter and I are good friends and, as Mr. Tyrrell said, she lives in Hamilton 52 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Parish, I believe, but she just felt the need to come volunteer at our school give- back. So I would like to pass those condolences on. Also to another constituent of mine, Dr. Carika Weldon, I would like to also associate with the congratulations. She is, as the Honourable Member Gordon-Pamplin said, she is back on- Island to help in a forum on a ThinkFest. It is all local Bermudians. It is about eight or so Bermudians that have come back to give i nformation and pass on what they have learned to local Bermudians. And as she said, at 27 years old, for what she has done at her age, we have to be very proud of her. Also, last but not least, to the PinkSand Entertainment for their, again . . . what was it again? Musicfest? Mr. Jonathan Tankard is also . . . I went to school with him —high school and college—so I know him very well and I would just like to pass on those congratulations.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Member. Any other Members? I recognise the Minister for Education. Minister, you have the floor. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , first, obviously, I would like to associate with the comments for our former colleague the Honourable Shawn Crockwell. As a …
Thank you, Member. Any other Members? I recognise the Minister for Education. Minister, you have the floor.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , first, obviously, I would like to associate with the comments for our former colleague the Honourable Shawn Crockwell. As a fraternity brother of mine I got to know Shawn in a different light than what we got to see up in this House and he was a dynamic, awesome person to know. And as from all of the wonderful words that have been said about him, he will be missed. Mr. Speaker , I would also like to send a letter of condolences to the family of Jahcari Francis. That was a young man that was —and I will associate MP Weeks as well. I will associate the whole House— it was a young man whose life was unfortunately cut short with a bul let a few weeks ago, and his family is still reeling from that loss. Mr. Speaker , it happened to be almost one year to the day, I believe, where a murder occurred in the exact same house as well. And so there is a . . . while those wounds were still open, fresh wounds were reopened with that. Mr. Speaker , I would like to send congratul atory comments to Barry Gibbons. Barry Gibbons is a young man in Devil’s Hole who has organised a fun day called the Devil’s Hole Family Fun Day that has grown exponentially in the last three years that it has been put on. And it is a wonderful thing to see young people such as Barry giving back to his community in the way that he has. I would also have congratulations sent to Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club, Eastern County Champion for 2017. Also, Mr. Speaker , I would like to have congratulations sent to —and these are fraternity brothers of mine who celebrate 60 years of continual service to Bermuda and to the fraternity of Alpha Phi Alpha Fr a-ternity, Incorporated— that is brother Edwin Wilson; Leon Simmons ; Cecil Smith; and of course the former Speaker of the House, the Honourable Stanley Lowe. And I associate the Minister of National Security . . . the—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe whole House . . . do the House. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: —whole House will be associated with that. And lastly, but not least, Mr. Speaker , I would like to send congratulatory comments to Raleigh I nternational. Raleigh International is an organisation that has done a yeoman’s …
The whole House . . . do the House.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: —whole House will be associated with that. And lastly, but not least, Mr. Speaker , I would like to send congratulatory comments to Raleigh I nternational. Raleigh International is an organisation that has done a yeoman’s work in getting some of our young people interested in doing things very positive within our community. Just recently a few . . . and just about a week ago, their latest group of young people returned from Borneo. And that would be Asanté Darrell, Sarzjae Minors, Andrea Burrows, Keisha But terfield, and Donnikae Baker, and Jawonday West. And that organisation deserves all the accolades that we can give it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Is there any other Honourable Member ? We recognise the Honourable Member , Mr. Famous. Mr. Famous, you have the floor.
Mr. Christopher FamousThank you, Mr. Speaker . As a proud pond dog I would like to associate myself with the comments for Mr. David “Shaggy” Wi lson and Lawrence “Stickers” Hendrickson, Sr. As we know, Mr. Speaker , the heartbeat of Bermuda is the Gombey drum and the Gombey dancers.
Mr. Christopher FamousAnd these two gentlemen carried the tradition from our West Indian heritage to this country and they made our country recognised, as the Honourable Minister De Silva spoke, recognised worldwide with the Gombey beat. I would like to give condolences to Mrs. May Jokeman, the mother of Mr. Tony Jokeman …
And these two gentlemen carried the tradition from our West Indian heritage to this country and they made our country recognised, as the Honourable Minister De Silva spoke, recognised worldwide with the Gombey beat. I would like to give condolences to Mrs. May Jokeman, the mother of Mr. Tony Jokeman and Mrs. Smith in the Bahamas. She is a constituent of mine . . . the other gentlemen want to associat e themselves. I met her briefly before while canvassing and she unfortunately passed shortly thereafter. But I had the pleasure of singing with her —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerUh, uh, uh, uh. Keep going, Mr. Famous, keep talking.
Mr. Christopher Famous—prior to the election. And as you know, when we do canvass we often end up seeing people in the paper thereafter. I want to give congratulations, first and for emost, to Angela Young who helped to coordinate work rallies to help to bring our schools up to scratch over …
—prior to the election. And as you know, when we do canvass we often end up seeing people in the paper thereafter. I want to give congratulations, first and for emost, to Angela Young who helped to coordinate work rallies to help to bring our schools up to scratch over
Bermuda House of Assembly the last few weeks. She has helped to reignite the community spirit amongst parents and people in the community. I want to associate and give congratulations as well to the Bermuda Regiment who have continued to serve our sister islands in the Caribbean i n their time of need. And lastly, Mr. Speaker , I want to give congratulations to our alma mater, the Berkeley Inst itute—
Mr. Christopher Famous—for 120 years of provi ding legacy and leadership to this country, and especially Gold House .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGreen House. Thank you. Any other Member wish to speak? I now recognise the Minister for [Government] Reform. Minister Foggo, you have the floor. Hon. Lovitta F. Foggo: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I stand brief ly to give condolences [regarding] a young man, Colin Smith, who …
Green House. Thank you. Any other Member wish to speak? I now recognise the Minister for [Government] Reform. Minister Foggo, you have the floor. Hon. Lovitta F. Foggo: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I stand brief ly to give condolences [regarding] a young man, Colin Smith, who recently lost his life. He worked for many years with the Corporation of Hamilton. Colin and his brothers and sister who are next door to me . . . and I can say that he was a fun- loving person and he will be sorely missed by all of those folks whose hearts he touched and indeed, no doubt, by his family. Mr. Speaker , I also rise today to make congratulatory remarks to the Mirrors Programme which over the summer hosted a camp for young, I guess if you will, preteens, in their early teens. And that camp emphasized the value in interactive education, if you will, and indeed by looking at education through a lens of fun and in so doing learning the concepts in a manner that they could appreciate more and apply long term to their life skills. It was an excellent programme and it taught those young folks another way of handling information that they receive academically and using that to benefit them through various avenues. So on that note, Mr. Speaker , I will take my seat.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Does any other Member wish to speak? I recognise the Honourable Member , Jeanne Atherden. Mrs. Atherden, you have the floor.
Mrs. Jeanne J. AtherdenThank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I would like to have condolences sent to the family of Mr. William Boyle. Mr. Boyle was one of my constituents and even though he had been away and not well for a while we, obviously, are saddened by his passing. Also …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I would like to have condolences sent to the family of Mr. William Boyle. Mr. Boyle was one of my constituents and even though he had been away and not well for a while we, obviously, are saddened by his passing. Also I would like to be associated with the congratulations for the PinkSands Entertainment. I went to that particular event with my sister and I must say she is not one of those individuals who takes you out on a treat like that, but we thoroughly enjoyed our-selves. And I was so impressed by the talent that we had there. And it just reminds me that Bermuda has so many talented individuals, and I must admit I had not seen Sia Spence for a long time. And also, Mr. Speaker , I would like to be associated with the condolences sent to the family of Deborah Tannock. I knew Deborah a long time ago and we keep forgetting that we know lots of people in different circumstances and there is a tendency for us not to remember that we have much more in common that we deal with each other on a regular basis. And the things that might divide us momentarily are things that we should put in their perspective. Because if I can have a husband that sticks up for St. George’s and I stick up for Somerset, we have to recognise that we have too much in common not to turn around and be appreciative of everybody. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Does any other Member wish to speak? No other Member wishes to speak? ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER HOUSE VISITOR
The SpeakerThe SpeakerBefore we move on, I would just lik e to acknowledge Mr. Place again. Congratulations were sent on to Mr. Place for his hundred—recently cel ebrated —100th birthday. And I feel it an honour to have you in our Chambers, Mr. Place. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSo I would like to join— [Inaudible interjection]
The SpeakerThe Speaker—101, 101 st birthday. Thank you. We wish you continued good health, Mr. Place. And, of course, I would like to be associated with the many remarks that were passed on to our former colleague, Mr. Crockwell. And, as has been said, his performance in this House will be one …
—101, 101 st birthday. Thank you. We wish you continued good health, Mr. Place. And, of course, I would like to be associated with the many remarks that were passed on to our former colleague, Mr. Crockwell. And, as has been said, his performance in this House will be one that we will remember for a long, long time and will be missed. Thank you.
MATTERS OF PRIVILEGE
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. 54 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. NOTICE OF MOTIONS FOR THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE ON MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS GOVERNMENT BILLS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes, we have two Government Bills. Premier? FIRST READINGS REAL ESTATE BROKERS’ LICENSING ACT 2017 CORPORATE SERVICE PROVIDER BUSINESS AMENDMENT ACT 2017 Hon. E. David Burt: Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I am introducing the following Bill for its first reading so that it may be placed …
Yes, we have two Government Bills. Premier?
FIRST READINGS
REAL ESTATE BROKERS’ LICENSING ACT 2017
CORPORATE SERVICE PROVIDER BUSINESS AMENDMENT ACT 2017
Hon. E. David Burt: Good afternoon, 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 Real E state Brokers’ Licensing Act 2017. Mr. Speaker , I am also introducing the follo wing Bill for its first reading so that it may be placed on the Order Paper for the next day of meeting: the Cor-porate Service Provider Business Amendment Act 2017.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. OPPOSITION BILLS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILLS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. NOTICES OF MOTIONS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWe would like to recognise the Ho nourable Member , Mr. Commissiong. Mr. Commissiong, you have the floor. JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE, REPORT AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A LIVING WAGE
Mr. Rolfe CommissiongThank you, once again, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I have the distinct privilege to give notice that at the next day of meeting I propose to move the following Motion:
Mr. Rolfe CommissiongWHEREAS it is acknow ledged that the increasing maldistribution of national income has facilitated the growth of income inequality and thus incipient poverty to levels not witnessed in over seven decades; AND WHEREAS, in addition, due to the near widespread utilisation of foreign sourced low cost l abour over the …
WHEREAS it is acknow ledged that the increasing maldistribution of national income has facilitated the growth of income inequality and thus incipient poverty to levels not witnessed in over seven decades; AND WHEREAS, in addition, due to the near widespread utilisation of foreign sourced low cost l abour over the last quarter century, wages in real terms once inflation has been factor ed in; have declined for many of Bermuda’s workers; BE IT RESOLVED, pursuant to the Parliament Act 1957 part IV, that a Joint Select Committee be appointed to investigate, report on its subsequent findings; and to make recommendations to the House of Assem bly with respect to the implementation of a li ving wage regime for Bermuda. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member Commissiong. ORDERS OF THE DAY
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWe are now at Orders of the Day where we will resume now with the consideration of the Speech which his Excellency the Governor was pleased to open this House session with last week. And I believe the Premier will now rise. MESSAGE TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR Hon. E. …
We are now at Orders of the Day where we will resume now with the consideration of the Speech which his Excellency the Governor was pleased to open this House session with last week. And I believe the Premier will now rise.
MESSAGE TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR
Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , may it please Your Excellency — I am reading this.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. Hon. E. David Burt: “May it please Your Excellency: “We the Members of the House of Assembly of Bermuda thank Your Excellency for the gracious speech with which Your Excellency was pleased to open the present session of Parliament.”
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. Would anyone like to speak to this matter? I think at this time we will recognise the Lea der of the Opposition, the Honourable Gordon- Pamplin. Honourable Member , you have the floor. B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. Patricia J. Gordon- Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe Replies are being distributed now. REPLY TO THE 2017 THRONE SPEECH Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker, I would first like to extend my deepest appreciation to the electorate who in 2012 provided the One Bermuda Alliance with the opportunity to serve them …
The Replies are being distributed now. REPLY TO THE 2017 THRONE SPEECH Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker, I would first like to extend my deepest appreciation to the electorate who in 2012 provided the One Bermuda Alliance with the opportunity to serve them as government. While our term was fraught with challenges during the past four and a half years, exacerbated in part b y the incompetence of the prior PLP administration which resulted in a mammoth financial hole from which the country had to climb, we did have many successes and launched initiatives that the new administration can build upon. The One Bermuda Alliance, now the Official Opposition, extends our congratulations to the Pr ogressive Labour Party on their success at the polls during the recent election. We have committed to working along with the Government, and to afford them support for those programmes and policies that are deemed to be for the better good of the country, a courtesy that was exhibited infrequently while they were in opposition. I wish to extend my congratulations to the hard- working colleagues on both sides of the aisle who worked to gain the trust of their constituents and to win their seats. Equally, within the Westminster sy stem of governance, where there is a winner, there is also an aspiring candidate who fell short. Unsucces sful candidates deserve appreciation for their efforts in engaging their constituents and advancing the dem ocratic process in Bermuda. Mr. Speaker, our responsibility today is to r espond to the Throne Speech, delivered last Friday, which was short on real solutions and long on studies. Government has said their Throne Speech outlines a vision for the future, but a vision without a plausible plan is merely a dream. Governments must be doers, not dreamers. The tenor of the speech suggests that government has either purposely elected to disregard the country’s tenuous economic position or has chosen to continually misrepresent the achievements of the former OBA Government . Rev. Jamaine Tucker, in delivering the ope ning prayer, quoted Charles Spurgeon’s sentiment that “A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” In the opening statement the government boasted of their numeric advantage. With so many additional personnel, we trust that the backbench will be able to hold the administration to a level of ac-countability that was deficient during the previous PLP administration. The deficiency was made manifest in the r elentless pursuit of power by the PLP Opposition which denigrated the entire political process to a level per-haps unprecedented in Bermuda politics, resulting in their leader bei ng subject to the criticism from his own membership that he operated with subterfuge and deceit. Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that the same approach is being perpetuated through the Throne Speech in an attempt to negate the positive things that were done for our community by the OBA admi nistration, cynically claiming that the OBA believed in trickle down whereas the new administration will focus on a so- called “ripple effect.” The record will show that the OBA Government restored much- needed conf idence in Bermuda. Due to the unprecedented debt and looming deficits created by the former PLP Government , the OBA moved quickly to rein in gover nment spending and did so without the massive layoffs seen in other jurisdictions. The OBA also focused on getting foreign investment to stimulate job growth, r evitalise tourism, construction, and business opportun ities as well as diversification across a range of sec-tors. The reference to crumbs from the table may appeal to the PLP base, however the reality is that when the OBA assumed government, there were no crumbs, the cupboards were bare, the table and floor had been swept clean, and little, if any had been made available to the people for whom they now pr ofess to have concern. Good governance and account-ability were also in short supply, as dramatically highlighted by the Auditor General in her various reports on government operations and finances. Mr. Speaker, we saw the misinformation m achine in full view when the stories grew like fish tales to cause the airport project to be depicted as some kind of sinister arrangement. We heard the challenge to the Desarrollos group and the untruth that they would take the beach away from St. Georgians. We saw it yet again when the OBA Gover nment was accused of pepper spraying seniors, when it is known constitutionally, that government neither gives direction nor orders policing policies. We saw the cowardice when the leader of the PLP encouraged through robo- calls and blast emails for protesters to attend Parliament, then some of the attendees pr oceeded to push seniors into the line of fire when the police department determined that law -breakers should be challenged. We therefore wholeheartedly support a committee to investigate the occurrences of that dark and unfortunate experience that will surely highlight — Hon. Michael J. Scott : Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I hesitate—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerHold on, hold on one minute. 56 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Madam Opposition Leader, will you take your seat? Honourable Member Scott, you have a point of order? POINT OF ORDER Hon. Michael J. Scott: Yes, if Mr. Speaker , you would recognise my …
Hold on, hold on one minute. 56 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Madam Opposition Leader, will you take your seat? Honourable Member Scott, you have a point of order?
POINT OF ORDER
Hon. Michael J. Scott: Yes, if Mr. Speaker , you would recognise my point of order. I am aware, as I know that the Leader of the Opposition is aware, that there have been reports in connection with this now “sacred” event of December the 2nd in the hearts of many people. And there has been no official report that is consistent with that egregious statement. And it is irresponsible to be contained in an Opposition Reply. It has no place in an Opposition Reply if it cannot be sustained with ev idence, a nd I call on you, Mr. Speaker , to direct that Member to stop offending the basic standing order of this House of [imputing] motives and distributing i nformation that is patently unsupported by evidence.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you for your comments, Me mber. As it is the written Throne Speech [Reply], I am going to let the Honourable Member continue with her written Throne Speech [Reply]. I am mindful of the concern that has been expressed and I would, if it was not a written speech, …
Thank you for your comments, Me mber. As it is the written Throne Speech [Reply], I am going to let the Honourable Member continue with her written Throne Speech [Reply]. I am mindful of the concern that has been expressed and I would, if it was not a written speech, I might ask you to change y our tone. But unfortunately —or fortunately, however you look at it ––it is a written speech and it is going to be a long night. I am sure when the Members get on their feet they will have the opportunity to address their concerns.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: And they will, Mr. Speaker . Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Point of order, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDeputy, yes? POINT OF ORDER Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Mr. Speaker , [Stan ding Order] [19](11)(d) says “It shall be out of order to use offens ive and insulting, . . . disrespectful la nguage.” And that is what the Leader of the Opposition is using. Yes, even though …
Deputy, yes?
POINT OF ORDER
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Mr. Speaker , [Stan ding Order] [19](11)(d) says “It shall be out of order to use offens ive and insulting, . . . disrespectful la nguage.” And that is what the Leader of the Opposition is using. Yes, even though it is a written record on here, those remarks must be withdrawn in the Hansard because we are not supposed to be here using that typ e of language. We want to have a decent decorum in this House. That certainly does not promote it. It is working contrary to what this House should be operating under.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you for your view, Deputy. As I said, on this one I am going to let it slide for the time being. If it continues to get worse, I will address it. But continue, Member. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . We therefore wholeheartedly support …
Thank you for your view, Deputy. As I said, on this one I am going to let it slide for the time being. If it continues to get worse, I will address it. But continue, Member.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . We therefore wholeheartedly support a committee to investigate the occurrences of that dark and unfortunate experience that will surely highlight the substantive part played in the debacle by those now calling for an investigation. We noted the PLP’s call for civil disobedience as being appropriate action, yet threw their hands up in disbelief when t he situation they created spun out of control and resulted in physical harm to both protes ters and the police. Mr. Speaker, we saw the vilifying of the America’s Cup, an event that rejuvenated our tourism i ndustry and helped a significant number of our people and businesses to obtain work, not for the short dur ation of the event, but during more than two years pr eceding, and the time following the event. We heard gross misinformation being perpetuated on a daily basis.
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Point of order, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , when —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDeputy? POINT OF ORDER Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: —one gets up in this House and makes such accusations like this here, when she says that we heard gross misinformation. Then that information must be produced in this House. You cannot get up in this House . . . it …
Deputy?
POINT OF ORDER
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: —one gets up in this House and makes such accusations like this here, when she says that we heard gross misinformation. Then that information must be produced in this House. You cannot get up in this House . . . it is against the rules to make those accusations without producing the evidence. I would ask that those remarks be wit hdrawn.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: That is nonsense.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Deputy, I have asked . . . I have indicated I am going to give some leniency only because of what it is and we will hold off for the moment, okay? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . We endured the constant barrage of negativity …
Mr. Deputy, I have asked . . . I have indicated I am going to give some leniency only because of what it is and we will hold off for the moment, okay? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . We endured the constant barrage of negativity in the formation of the Bermuda Tourism Authority and the Gaming Commission, and the successful impl ementation of both of these institutions were a test ament to the fortitude and the resolve of the OBA Government . It is said that politics make strange bedfellows. We will watch closely the developments of the
Bermuda House of Assembly questionable New York trip that was planned by an unlikely quartet with—
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberPoint of order. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: —would be gaming operators —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberPoint of order. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: —to determine the purpose of their meeting at the Four Seasons —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMember, Member , Gordon- Pamplin will you please take your seat? Do you have a point of order? No? Continue on, Madam. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I will repeat. It is said that pol itics make strange bedfellows. We will watch …
Member, Member , Gordon- Pamplin will you please take your seat? Do you have a point of order? No? Continue on, Madam.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I will repeat. It is said that pol itics make strange bedfellows. We will watch closely the developments of the questionable New York trip that was planned by an unlikely quartet — Hon. Derric k V. Burgess, Sr.: Point of order, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , one cannot get up in this House—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Burgess, Mr. Burgess, I am going to ask you to wait until I recognise you first, Deputy. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: I am sorry. I am very sorry, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOpposition Leader take your seat. Deputy, you have the floor. POINT OF ORDER Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Yes, Mr. Speaker , one cannot get up in this House and make accusations such as that without, again, producing the evidence. You have got to—
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYou are desperate. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Nobody is desperate. It is desperation . . . this is a desperation Reply to the Throne Speech and I would ask that this be stricken from the Hansard, Mr. Speaker . We are going to be up all day if this …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI will let her read on. I have ruled for the time being, Deputy. Thank you. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , this information was alrea dy published in the newspaper. We will watch closely the developments of the questionable New York trip …
I will let her read on. I have ruled for the time being, Deputy. Thank you. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , this information was alrea dy published in the newspaper. We will watch closely the developments of the questionable New York trip that was planned by an unlikely quartet with would be gaming operators to determine the purpose of their meeting at the Four Seasons, and the benefit to Bermuda, if any. Mr. Speaker, the OBA inherited a government that was mired in debt, and through its fiscal policies, brought the country back from the brink of financial disaster, setting it on a glide path to a balanced bud get. Admittedly, keeping the country afloat was our preoccupation when, within very short order of our election, the Finance Minister had to borrow more money to meet the payroll. Notwithstanding the pauc ity of funds, the OBA administration had significant achievements: • advanced plans to develop a new homeless shelter at Bishop Spencer building; • provided property and a start -up cash grant to support the Emperial Group’s mission of addressing the anti -social behaviour of some of our disenfranchised youth; • provided CashBack for Communit ies, $650,000 from proceeds of crime given to dozens of community groups across the i sland; • implemented Payroll tax relief for those ear ning $132,000 per year or less, representing about three quarters of the labour force; • maintained Financial Assistance at $53.5 mi llion, double the spend in 2008/09, showing concern for unemployed or underemployed; • enabled Reduction in Standard Health Prem ium; • provided In- Home care for seniors as a Standard Health Benefit; • stationed ambulances in the East and the West end f or quick emergency response; • worked with BELCO to reduce facilities charge for low energy users; • introduced Team Street Safe, a gang medi ation programme providing support and direction for people involved in, or susceptible to gang life; • introduced GREAT A nti-gang initiative cour ses; • supported the appointment of a Bermudian Commissioner of Education; • despite tight budget constraints, committed $3.2 million new money for school maint enance; • engaged in community consultation on Vision and Strategic Plan for education; • enacted Public Access to Information legisl ation to encourage Good Governance; • cut MP’s pay by 10 per cent; 58 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly • encouraged the Endeavour programme—a legacy programme of the America’s Cup team Oracle, allowing every middle school child in Bermuda to participate in a combination of STEAM and sailing; • instituted a ministerial travel website to enable transparency; • updated the Human Rights Act to include sexual orientation and age; and • passed the Bribery Bill. In addition, there were other highlights, such as: • commissioned the Fiscal Responsibility Panel to oversee government finances; • implemented the Tourism Authority which has shown positive benefits in air and cruise arr ivals, and encouraged sports tourism; • implemented the Tourism Incentives Act; • provided the environment to encourage hotel development at Morgan’s Point, the Loren, and the St. Regis ground breaking, creating jobs for Bermudians; • returned cruise ships to St. George’s and Hamilton; • passed Gaming legislation; • enabled a new airport to be built, providing employment, entrepreneurial opportunities and professional development for Bermudians. Mr. Speaker, the Bermuda Government continues to live on borrowed money. The electorate are not the only peopl e to whom the government must answer. Bermuda’s creditors are expecting us to fol-low through with plans established by OBA admi nistration to balance the budget by 2019 and thereupon pay down the debt. The expectation of sustained fiscal prudence is critica l to continuing recovery as the government cannot wish away the immediate economic, financial and international regulatory challenges that we face as a country. Any deviations from that plan, particularly, vague and poorly defined efforts to kick the can d own the road will be met with scepticism and discomfort by credit markets. It is crucial to under-stand that any further borrowing outside the road map already laid out will decrease our credibility in the credit markets, resulting in increased borrowing costs. The Fiscal Responsibility Panel which meets in October will be looking for evidence that the plan is to continue the roadmap set out by OBA administr ation. Their report will not be swayed by local politics. Mr. Speaker, we note the government’s i mmedi ate plan to increase personnel in the transport division, and their implication that the OBA failed to staff that department. Again, the stark reality is that this was the legacy of the previous PLP administration and the limitations on finance. Implementi ng the new bus schedule is an integral part of the maintenance strategy, whereby effective deployment of the buses will enable some vehicles to return to the garage and be properly serviced. It is up to the government to ensure the schedule is activated. N ew buses have a lready been budgeted for, so to fulfil the commitment to bring new buses on line is not a new challenge. Mr. Speaker, despite the storms that the OBA Government withstood during its term in office, and the toughness of some policies that wer e required based on the reckless prior PLP administration’s fiscal indiscipline, Bermuda’s international reputation has been vigorously defended. The electorate has made it abundantly clear that some of our policies were disappointing to them, and we take full responsibility and apologise for those disappointments. We note the new administration has decided to approach governance differently, and has determined that people will be better served by con-sultations and studies and rehashing of things that have already been completed. It is important, nevertheless, to recognise that courage to define and i mplement policy must be a goal for effective gover nance. Mr. Speaker, the Labour Advisory Council sub-committee, initiated under the OBA administr ation, not onl y deliberated, but just prior to the election, reported on their recommendations on the steps nec-essary to implement a living wage. A further sub- committee was tasked with examining unfair immigration practices, and these r eports are ready for dissemination which could alleviate the necessity to start again from square one. Mr. Speaker, the initiation of a Commission of Inquiry into questionable behaviour by some people closely linked to the PLP administration had its genesis in multiple reports emanating f rom the Office of the Auditor General. Pursuit of any questionable activity arising there from, if left unresolved, would undermine our CFATF review, scheduled for next year, and i mpose reputational risk for our jurisdiction. Subsequent to the election, the new admi nistration has adopted a rather “Trump- like” approach to undo many of the actions initiated under the OBA Government. In respect of civil recoveries and some of the ensuing criminal investigations that have been initiated in rather high profile m atters, we note the A ttorney General’s decision to delist at least one of these cases. Failing to recover money that legitimately belongs to the people of Bermuda is a dangerous precedent, and to fail to hold to account those who have perpetrated such inju stice on our people is not just unfortunate, it sets a dangerous precedent and can be interpreted as tacit approval. This hardly puts Bermudians first.
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Point of order, Mr. Speaker . Point of order.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerHave a seat, Member. Bermuda House of Assembly Deputy, you have a point of order? POINT OF ORDER Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Yes. When the Member says “to hold to account those who have perpetrated such injustice” —that is an indictment. That language needs to be removed from this …
Have a seat, Member.
Bermuda House of Assembly Deputy, you have a point of order?
POINT OF ORDER
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Yes. When the Member says “to hold to account those who have perpetrated such injustice” —that is an indictment. That language needs to be removed from this Statement . That is a very serious indictment. You do not have the ev idence— page 6, the last paragraph— if you do not have the evidence then you must withdraw.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you for your point of order, Deputy. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: It is the Auditor General’s Report, Mr. Speaker . Policing, Criminal behaviour, Gang Violence and Traffic Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Speaker, as the OBA Government, we committed to work on sol utions to help eradicate …
Thank you for your point of order, Deputy. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: It is the Auditor General’s Report, Mr. Speaker .
Policing, Criminal behaviour, Gang Violence and Traffic
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Speaker, as the OBA Government, we committed to work on sol utions to help eradicate the scourge of gang violenc e. Notwithstanding the constant barrage of criticism from the PLP, we are still committed to continuing to do our part to help eradicate this anti -social behaviour, as this problem falls beyond the scope of Party politics. The commitment to provide a Gang Violence Coordinator has already been undertaken; an indivi dual was identified, and was ready to commence his duties. But in accordance with its Trump- like tendencies, we would not be surprised if the government changes direction or chooses another individual to perform this function. Whatever the decision, it is i mperative that the individual be engaged forthwith in order to have effective direction in this vexatious matter. In the last House session, decriminalisation of cannabis for amounts under seven grams, received a fulsome debate on a piece of very poorly drafted legi slation which required several iterations to make it acceptable. We trust that the new proposed bill better reflects good legislative drafting. Mr. Speaker, the government has committed to creating a Police Authority, comprising Government House, government, police and laymen working t ogether to help establish policing priorities. We will wait to see how this will evolve and trust it will not lead to covert political interference in the P olice Service doing their job. This initiative by the PLP Government to es-tablish such an Authority confirms the reality that cur-rently, government does not interfere with policing strategy, thus the misinformation given to the public implicating the OBA G overnment in the December 2, 2016 incident, needs to be corrected. It is very co ncerning that the operational independence of the p olice may be challenged by the new approach and this is a proposed policy that requires careful thought and further consideration. The Bermuda Constitution clearly gives the Governor the sole responsibility for internal security, so for such an authority to have any executive power needs careful consideration. Roadside sobriety testing to combat the scourge of drink driving has been well advanced and we support its implementation. Mr. Speaker, we also note the promise of offering loan guarantees to clubs to allow enhancing of their infrastructure, but we acknowledge that such loans would require repayment. The government has justified this action by indicating that prior gover nments provided diverse guarantees for at -risk banks (we believe there was only one bank) and for hotel construction. The guarantees undertaken did not have a charge against the consolidated fund, and in the case of hotel construction, providing those guarantees assisted in the creation of jobs. The OBA policy of giving cash back to communities that is derived from proceeds of crime, which has benefitted many organisations, would have a far less burdensome impact on clubs, and we believe is worthy of continuance. Mr. Speaker, the government has promised to eliminate conscription. The OBA administration ended the annual conscription process, and the Royal Bermuda Regiment was successful in attaining a fully voluntary intake for the 2017 recruit camp for the first time in its history. We believed it be prudent to mai ntain a conscription option in the event of national emergencies should the numbers fall short, in order to truly enable safety and security of our people should the need arise. Finance
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: We are fully su pportive of the introduction of regulations for debt co llection agencies and their aggressive practices. Former Finance Minister Bob Richards has spoken several times conc erning the unhelpful practices of some financial institutions in not assisting consumers when they are in need, and their attitudes of working against access for people to be able to f inance their legitimate aspirations. We look forward to hearing the prop osals that the government may be considering. Mr. Speaker, the new government has pro mised to release the Caribbean Region Technical Assi stance Centre tax report for public scrutiny. Contrary to insinuations by this government, there is nothing sini ster in the report and it is pleasing to note that all the recommendations included therein, with the exception of V.A.T., have already been implemented. The government says it will increase outreach around the globe by staffing the now defunct Was hington, DC off ice and increasing engagement with the European Union in Brussels to ensure that Bermuda’s interests are represented as the UK leaves the EU. 60 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, it is the Opposition’s contention that there is little to be gained by the expense of staf fing a DC office. We believe it more appropriate to r etain an experienced DC lobbying firm and continuous outreach by senior government officials speaking di-rectly to appropriate congressional people on Capitol Hill. Close coordination with ABIR is critical in this instance. We would much prefer to see that energy and resources invested in immediate concern and action of going to Brussels, Paris and London to keep Ber-muda off the black list that threatens our very exis tence. The PLP Government has failed to consider t his urgency and thus far, has demonstrated a dangerous-ly lackadaisical approach to addressing it. Mr. Speaker, the government referred to the 2012 Code in respect of Project Management and Procurement that was left by the former PLP admi nistration. It was determined that the procurement pr ocess required a stand- alone Act to address some l egal issues inherent in that 2012 code. All contracts over $50,000 (changed recently to $100,000), after recommendation by the OPMP, were required to be approved by the OBA Cabinet, and during this oversight process, it was a prerequisite for obtaining approval that the successful company had demonstrated a commitment to hiring Berm udian employees. The OBA looks forward to examining the new code to ensure that the legal conc erns have been a lleviated.
Health Care
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: It was important for affordability and sustainability of our Health Care system to ensure that the Health Council implemented effective oversight. We harmonised the cost of Future Care premiums, and achieved a reduction in the Standard Premium Rate for the first time in nearly thi rty years. This was achieved by careful consideration of high- priced technology importation and limits on reimbursement of certain diagnostic charges. We i mplemented the STEP programme to encourage exercise and the ensuing benefit that contributes to wel lness, and embarked on an aggressive healthy eating advertising promotion. We supported the opening of the privately - funded Radiation Treatment Centre at the Cancer and Health facility and support the government’s promise to legisla te coverage for these services for clients on HIP and FutureCare. Mr. Speaker, we do note, however, the promise of a review of health care with the intended pur-pose of extracting savings throughout the entire sy stem. We doubt that this can be achieved unless there is critical oversight coupled with legislated restrictions on self -interested behaviour, in keeping with international standards. The Health Council membership, initiated by the PLP under their previous administr ation and deemed worthy of continuance by the OBA Government, is in the process of being reconstituted. We heard a call from some medical doctors that the Council should be overseen only by members of the profession, and suggest that any new appointments carefully consider the interests of the allied professions. Further, we support the advancement and employment of Bermudians in the healthcare system to ensure that Bermudians, who are qualified for pos itions in healthcare, such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, et cetera, are given every opportunity to be successfully employed. We must ensure that we continue with the registration of internationally qualified medical providers to provide care on island for our residents at the highest level of care possible for the best outcomes possible a nd to maintain care at home wherever possible. The OBA Government also advocated for i ncentives for local construction companies and devel-opers to build senior care facilities and to renovate existing ones. There is little mention of our seniors’ populatio n in the Throne Speech, but we in the OBA will not permit our treasured assets to be a neglected and forgotten segment of our population. The OBA Government began implementation of new protections through work on changes to the Senior Abuse Register, nursi ng home regulations and formation of an office akin to a Public Guardian. We enabled Personal Home Care as part of standard benefit, thereby helping elderly and home bound pa-tients to receive care in familiar and comfortable surroundings, and to save money . We also implemented a 5 per cent pension increase in 2016.
Immigration and Labour
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Speaker, according to the Throne Speech, the government, wor king in tandem with the Department of Immigration, the Department of Work force Development and stak eholders, will conduct industry -wide skills and needs assessment to identify areas where unemployed or underemployed Bermudians can be trained to fill or be promoted into jobs currently held by non- Bermudians. Much of this work has already been completed by the National Training Board through its work on the N ational Training Plan, which was developed under the OBA administration. The second, more substantive implementation plan was ready for dissemination, but for one small tweak which we trust will be completed and utilised for quick implementation.
Occupational Pension
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: We note the pr oposed update to pension legislation to require equal treatment for Bermudian and expatriate workers, while
Bermuda House of Assembly also updating labour legislation to ensure that labour disputes are handled more effectively and labour rights are protected. We support levelling the playing field for employment, and while it was initially thought that the one-sided pension application, which had been in effect for many years before the OBA administration, may create a disincentive to employers, we recognise that it is important to ensure equitable treatment for our Bermudian workforce.
Passports
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: The printing of passports for Bermuda residents has been assumed by Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO), a decision taken by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for all overseas territories. The application and renewal pr ocess has become expensive, time consuming and frustrating, and has resulted in difficulty for our people to gain uninhibited access to the United States when entering from destinations outside of Bermuda. We would encourage the government to continue to work on achieving a realistic and appropriate s olution to address this challenge.
Immigration Reform
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: The PLP Go vernment has committed to a consultative process for immigration reform and the establishment of a bi - partisan committee to overhaul the 1956 Act, as amended. For over a year, there has been a similar committee that has worked to fulfil the terms of engagement established between the Immigration R eform Action Group and the OBA Government. Part of their work relating to adoption of chi ldren has been completed and committed to legisl ation, while the matter concerning mixed status families has advanced with significant public consultation and gathering of statistical data to conclude a position. We trust that the government will allow this work to continue and to show sensitivity for children, families and persons with evidence of substantial connections to Bermuda.
Education
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Speaker, the OBA strategic plan created a vision for education, d eveloped by Bermudians, for Bermudians. It is based upon the core values of transparency, inclusion, en-gagement, and is community -driven. Accordingly, we are delighted that the PLP Government will continue the work initiated by the OBA Government, in regards to the new strategic planning exercise to transform the quality of education. The OBA believes that it is right for the Go vernment to continue to work with Bermuda College to support the trades and STEAM programmes which are internationally recognised. We also share the Government’s view that programmes of this nature should also be introduced in all of the primary schools, as they are already in the middle schools and senior secondary schools. While not surprising, it is disappointing that the government did not acknowledge that the process had already commenced for the implementation of Wi - Fi services to our schools. Both of our senior secondary schools have Wi-Fi services, and fully functioning IT infrastructure. One middle school is fully equipped, and another mi ddle school has been ado pted by one of our larger telecommunications companies who has agreed to pr ovide Wi -Fi at that campus, free of charge. Further, it should be noted the OBA Gover nment had entered into an agreement with a new wir eless internet company to provide Wi -Fi servic es to all of our schools. As a part of the remuneration package they would receive the rental of an arm on one of government’s communications towers, and the placement of their antennae on the top of our school buildings. Mr. Speaker, the repairs and renov ations that are sorely needed in our schools were identified in the SCORE report that was commissioned by the OBA administration. The state of disrepair was the result of years of rampant neglect predating the OBA admi nistration. The funding has now been budgeted, and we are pleased that the new administration will support addressing their neglect of our children and the crum-bling infrastructure that they left. The most radical change proposed by the PLP administration is the phasing out of the middle schools, which we have heard from them for the past nearly ten years. No education discussion should be had without ensuring that both teachers and principals are equipped with the tools to allow the best outcomes for our students. We will await government’s pl an to ensure that our students have a seamless transition from Primary Schools to Secondary Schools to minimise further challenges for our students, both developmentally and academically. We suggest that the PLP con-sider developing and implementing a compr ehensive transition process at Preschool through Primary 1, Primary 6 through Middle 1, and Middle 3 through Senior 1 to align with instruction to ensure student success, and that such transition process be ev idenced by the report which shows whether our s tudents have been negatively impacted by the system, or whether there could have been better teaching engagement to ensure their success.
Business Development
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Speaker, the government has pledged to establish an Econom ic 62 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Diversification Unit to include a small number of persons with a proven history of developing economies. While this programme is currently being undertaken by the Bermuda Business Development Agency, the Throne Speech is silent on whether this is gover nment’s manifestation of their controversial platform pledge to use government Pension Funds as seed money for start -up businesses. One ominous sign on this front is the recent peremptory replacement of the Chair of the Public Funds Investment Committee, th e committee responsible for public pensions. We trust that the government will make known its intentions in this respect. The pledge to transform the ACBDA (which was specifically formed for a particular major project) to the Bermuda Event Authority begs t he question as to how this will work with services being provided by the Bermuda Tourism Authority. The Incorporated Segregated Accounts (iSAC) legislation which exists in the Cayman Islands & Barbados, is a further development of the SAC leg-islation which was enacted in November of 2000. The further development was already under discussion with the BDA and industry sectors, and its implementation will have our full support. The Tourism Investment Act was tabled for discussion in the last Parliament and should be easily translated to legislation and implemented. We support the continuation of these initiatives. Government is reviewing energy proposals with a view to ensuring that Bermuda can realise the goal of reducing the cost of energy and the cost of living. We are pleased to report the progress of the OBA Government on this initiative: • Bids received, reviewed and a preferred ve ndor selected on a 6 Mega Watt Utility Scale PV facility at the Finger. It will provide up to 6 per cent of Bermuda’s peak demand. The very attractive cost per KWH of the bid, is si gnificantly below the current cost of BELCO generation, and will help to reduce the overall cost of electricity to rate payers. • A Fuels Policy Paper was completed and approved by the last OBA Cabinet to f acilitate the introduction and proper regulation of exis ting and new fuels, such as LNG. This will pr ovide an opportunity to reduce the cost of en-ergy through more effective regulation and oversight. The progress made by the OBA Government in this regard would put the country in good position to maximise savings by reducing energy costs and, with the advantage of having a head start, the process can be implemented in the shorter term. Mr. Speaker, a most interesting observation in the Throne Speech speaks to International events in Bermuda. Had the PLP Opposition not adopted such a churlish approach to the America’s Cup, or had they taken the time to discuss with their members who chose to take full advantage, they would know that unlike any event that they ever hosted in their 14 years, that event: • created more than 500 Bermudian jobs across a range of sectors; • created business opportunities for more than 80 small and large construction firms and subcontractors in setting up team bases and related projects; • created additional income for hotels, restaurants, hospitality -related services, taxis, ferries, minibuses, wholesale, retail, marine ser-vices, shipping and forwarding, telecommuni-cations, service providers, and real estate, to name but a few sectors posi tively impacted by AC35; • accelerated the construction of Cross Island and the renovation of many historic Dockyard buildings as a platform for future events; • created hundreds of rentals of apartments and houses, primarily in the west end; • through work with the BEDC helped launch a number of small businesses; • dramatically increased visitor numbers and spending; • brought more than 90 superyachts to Berm uda—many for the first time; • exposed more than 1,500 of our school chi ldren to the Endeavour programme and STEAM education; • spread the economic impact over 3 years, as opposed to normal brief event; • provided Bermuda with incredible experience and credibility to attract and host other international events (as an example, the World Triathlon Series WTS); • created the catalyst for hospitality infrastructure development; • received extraordinary live TV exposure that we could never afford to pay for; • provided a legacy that every Bermudian can be proud of —Bermuda was celebrated on the world stage; • enabled flawless executi on by the ACBDA, Bermuda organisations, security services, government departments and many volu nteers all working as a team, which can form the basis to bid for other international events.
Miscellaneous legislation
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Sp eaker, the OBA produced Vacation Rentals Legislation which is ready for debate and we obviously support its passage. Cyber Security Committee deliberations star ted over two years ago to address government’s cyber
Bermuda House of Assembly preparedness and institute the National Ins titute of Standards and Technology framework. Consultation and meetings already commenced with private sector to review critical national infrastructure cyber preparedness (such as KEMH, BELCO, telecoms, et cetera) and a Cybersecurity initiative with priva te sector now headed by a Subcommittee of ECAB working under the former Ministry of Economic Development Department of ICT. NIST Cybersecurity Framework Workshop previously arranged by OBA for September 20 th with a visiting NIST cybersecurity manager presenting, plus panel discussions with private sector. Missing from the legislative proposals in the Throne Speech are important matters relating to: • the bi -partisan committee which discussed and produced the report of the Boundaries Commission; • Absentee Balloting which was well advanced by the OBA administration in conjunction with the Parliamentary Registrar is ready for i mplementation; • the drafting and enactment of Super -yacht legislation to facilitate future growth in this area; • enacting Personal Infor mation Protection Act, and facilitating the support system needed for it; and • Broadcasting Reform —part of the second phase of telecommunications reform —to f acilitate the production of more local content and address discrepancies between over the air broadc ast and cable regulations.
Summary
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Speaker, this Throne Speech proposes many initiatives that were well underway. In our view, a ground zero approach to implementation is costly and time wasting. Many of the committees that have been proposed to examine topics can utilise the work already done to move to the implementation stage. We have expressed concerns with proposed legislation with which we have reservations, and have committed our full support for those that we deem to be appropriate and which enhance the good of our people, business partners and investors. We wish this Parliament success with its deliberations, because Parliament’s success is Berm uda’s success. We are committed to a collaborative approach, and tr ust that the pettiness of politics takes a back seat to cooperative and constructive debate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[Desk thumping]
[Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAll right. Sit . . . you, you, you, you, sit. Thank you. [Desk thumping] The S peaker: I will stand to my feet for one moment and I am going to take liberty at this time. I am going to compliment the last speaker on the tone in which …
All right. Sit . . . you, you, you, you, sit. Thank you. [Desk thumping]
The S peaker: I will stand to my feet for one moment and I am going to take liberty at this time. I am going to compliment the last speaker on the tone in which her speech ended. But I am going to take address to the way it began. In the last House there were a lot of occasions where there were innuendos and accusations that went back and forth in these Chambers without any factual base. We are not going to have that in this House. Let me say it clearly here today —it will not be tolerated. I allowed it today bec ause it was in a written speech but from here forward it will not be tolerated. Understood clearly from both sides of the House . . . I am asking you to understand it; I will not accept it. Now, we are going to continue on with today’s matters.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER
HOUSE VISITO R
The SpeakerThe SpeakerBut before [doing] so, let me acknowledge the presence of the President of the Senate. I apologise for not doing it sooner. DEBATE ON THE 2017 THRONE SPEECH AND REPLY
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAs we proceed now the first speaker gets an hour to speak and all Members after that will have half an hour to speak up until seven hours, and then we go to 20 minutes for each speaker after that. So whoever is leading off . . . and I …
As we proceed now the first speaker gets an hour to speak and all Members after that will have half an hour to speak up until seven hours, and then we go to 20 minutes for each speaker after that. So whoever is leading off . . . and I saw the Minister Brown, Minister Br own I am assuming you are going to lead off. You have an hour to speak. You have the floor.
Hon. Walton Brown: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . That is very generous of you. Mr. Speaker , let me first of all commend the Honourable Premier David Burt for the Throne Speech which was presented last week. It was a clear vision of what we want to accomplish for this country to benefit the people. It was robust in its identification of priorities and we set in that Throne Speech a clear path forward for what we wish to accomplish, along with the timeframe. I think the public are generally pleased with that Throne Speech and what I intend to do today, Mr. Speaker , is address a few of the matters that relate to my particular Ministry. I think I would like to begin, Mr. S peaker , with what I found to be perhaps the most telling comment 64 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly in the Honourable Opposition Leader’s Reply. And I believe this will help set the context for what we intend to do on this side as the Government. I refer to page 6, Mr. Speaker , the second paragraph, in which the Honourable Opposition Lead-er speaks to a level of disappointment on the part of the electorate, explaining why the election result on July 18 th was as it was. The Honourable Opposition Leader also went on to say that “the people hav e determined that they will be better served by having consultations and studies and a rehashing of things that have already been completed.” The final comment in this paragraph, Mr. Speaker , is where the Honourable Opposition Leader speaks to the need for “courage to define and implement policy” for the public good. Mr. Speaker , the entirety of that paragraph exemplifies the attitude that the OBA Government had during their term of office. They did not have time for consultation, they wanted to identify c ourage in the delivery of policy decisions, but without consultation. And that led to a series of upheavals, which led to a crisis of confidence. That crisis of confidence pr oduced the result on July 18 th. But I am not going to dwell on the Reply to the Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker . I am going to focus on what we intend to do and what we will do as Gover nment. And I will only tangentially comment on some of the remarks made by the Honourable Opposition Leader. Let me first speak to the issue of immigration, which falls under my remit, Mr. Speaker . Immigration, as we all know, has been fraught with controversy, division, it has a long and uncomfortable history of politically inspired, racially motivated, class -biased legislation. The former Government, without consul ting the public, tabled perhaps the most incendiary piece of legislation this country has seen in a very long time. It led to an unprecedented level of civil di sobedience. It led to the unprecedented shut -down . . . the shutting down of this Parliament by the people. It was an act of civil disobedience. And for those who question the merits of civil disobedience, let me say here today that civil disobedience is an inherent part of a strong democracy. It is concomitant with a strong democracy. And when the laws do not reflect the interests of the people, the people have a right to protest, they have a right to rise up and to address it. It is democracy in action. Let us not get confused, Mr. Speaker , this institution which serves at the pleasure of peop le 3,450 miles away is not the embodiment of democracy. The embodiment of democracy is over there, and over there, with the people, and we forget that at our peril. The OBA Go vernment forgot that and it was a perilous time for them. So what are we doing wi th immigration? We were able to get the Government —the OBA Gover nment —to push back on that disastrous, ill -conceived piece of legislation and we set about having a Wor king Group, which I was a member of, to bring about a level of reform. But it was not com prehensive reform. It was a stop -gap measure to achieve a short -term objective, to prevent a Bill from being passed. And so the Working Group chaired by Mr. William Madeiros has done remarkable work over the past year and a half. But its work was focused on three aspects: the issue of adoption —sorry, four —the issue of adoption, the question of mixed status families, the rights and privileges which should be extended to PRCs, and the rights and privileges which should be extended to a possible discretionary grant of Bermuda status. That is the totality of the mission of the Working Group. As Minister, I have directed that Working Group to continue to focus on those matters, but with a view toward identifying the principles by which policy can be amended and l egislation can be amended. That is not the totality of the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act 1956. So no one needs to be concerned that the work of the Working Group is going to be pushed aside. They have a mandate. They have until October 31 st to com e up with the principles by which those matters will be considered. And I am looking forward to their report and we will incorporate that into a further tranche of consultation, deliberation and policy development. But the Immigration Act, Mr. Speaker , as you will know, is well over 100 pages. It encompasses far more than PRCs, Bermuda status, and mixed status families. And so this Government will engage in a truly comprehensive approach to immigration reform by looking at the multitude of other issues that fall under the Immigration and Protection Act. We will do that, as we promised in our election campaign and as we identified in the Throne Speech, we will do so by ha ving a bi -partisan committee. I will be inviting the O pposition to participate in a truly collaborative manner to achieve the reform that we need. We need an entirely new Immigrati on Act . . . [the current Act] is 1956. It has been amended to achieve limited sets of objectives, but in doing those amendments it has created an entirely complex, intertwined piece of law, which only a . . . and no disr espect to people in this particular profession, but it only enriches lawyers who are trying to find ways to find nuance and an approach to achieve things that were not intended by the law. We already saw where one particular development arose that was completely unintended by law. This House refused to adjust it. But we will make the adjustment, Mr. Speaker . We will consult. The Opposition can dismiss the merits of consultation, but the more you consult, the greater the likelihood of buy -in, the greater the likelihood that you will have a harmonious approach toward improving legislation in this arena. Being strong and being tough by being petulant and refusing to listen only gets you in trouble with the people. We are here because of
Bermuda House of Assembly people so we will work with the people. And who are the people, Mr. Speaker ? The people come in all shapes and sizes, so they are the individuals who represent particular constituenc ies, but they are also the business commu nity, the cultural community. We will work to address a multiple of issues. Our approach is that Bermudians should come first in their country, but we also want to at the same time (and there is no inconsistency) . . . at the same time we want to ensure there is a robust env ironment for business growth, a robust environment for investment. But what is the point of creating a robust environment for business growth and investment if the very people who we are meant to serve are margina lised? The people felt marginalised under the OBA, Mr. Speaker . They were not disappointed, they were outraged. And to not accept that is not to accept the raison d’être for this Government, July 18th. As we complete and proceed with our process toward immigration reform, Mr. S peaker , there are many other areas that need to be addressed. Work permit policy, for example. That does not fall under the remit of the Working Group. It is a completely separate issue. The current work permit policy created in 2015 was the creation of three individuals from the private sector. There was no consultation with the public. There was no consultation even with the tec hnical people in the Department of Immigration. So what was the rationale? What was the thinking behind the formulation of that policy? To put business first and business only in a prominent position at the expense of the people, the very people who we are meant to serve. And therefore, Mr. Speaker , we saw an increased marginalisation of entertainers. Under the previous PLP Governm ent we had a policy in place that ensured that Bermudian entertainers had a fair shot at getting work, a fair shot. The 2015 policy of the OBA pushed that aside, marginalised the entertainers, so much so that they began to lobby, tried to influence the Gov ernment. But the Government never consulted them. In my first two weeks in office, Mr. Speaker , I met with the Entertai ners’ Union with a view toward identifying an appropr iate response to what many of us see as a highly i nappropriate work permit policy wi th respect to entertainers. So when we talk about comprehensive imm igration reform it includes work permit policy. We know that there is a level of concern expressed by some with regard to the requirement that employers must now submit police certificates when they make a work permit application. I saw some very harsh, reactive e - mails from people who were complaining about that. Here is my response, Mr. Speaker . The 2015 work permit policy required that all employers must verify that the work permit [appli cant] (the person who they want to give a work permit to) did not have a criminal conviction. That is a requirement. What is the only way of verifying that this person does not have a criminal conviction? Well, sorry . . . I thought I was giving a lecture at Bermuda College . . . I do not e xpect anyone to answer. The point is that the only way you can do it is by having a police certificate. Even more so, Mr. Speaker , when the work permit applic ation was submitted, the applicant had to tick a box to say they are in possession of that police certificate. But the policy in 2015 said, we will trust that the employer has it and there is no need to submit. All we did . . . all I directed my technical people to do was to now request that the [certificates] which are already in possession of the employer be submitted to the Department of Immigration so that the Government can verify that people do not have criminal records, not the employer. We have responsibility . . . or Mini ster Caines does, for security matters , and we have to honour that and respect that. Most employers have no issue complying b ecause they have all submitted, they have all . . . they are all in possession of those certificates. The ones who are, shall we say, operating in the gray area, they would have concerns because some of them probably were not collecting police certificates. So now that is a requirement. And it is designed to enhance security and it is something that was easily implementable b ecause people are already required to possess t hose certificates. One of the other issues, Mr. Speaker , which needs to be properly and adequately addressed in terms of work permit applications, is the whole question of the statements of employment. Just this mor ning I reviewed an application for a caregiver. So the prospective employer wants to hire someone to take care of the elderly, having a particular skill set — administering drugs and so on and so forth. It is not an unskilled position, not by any stretch of the imagination. But this would- be employ er had a contract offering to pay someone from an impoverished country $11 an hour. An outrage, an absolute outrage! And in the past those applications had been processed. They will no longer be processed, Mr. Speaker , because first of all, you are getting highly exploitable labour at a rate that is just indefensible, firstly. Secondly, it makes it much more difficult for anyone to even co ntemplate hiring a local. Because if you can get som eone from a poor country who is desperate to earn hard currency to s end back $50 or $100 a month back home, you are never going to hire a local. So when you protect those categories of employees you are also protecting Bermudian emplo yees. But you are also ensuring that there is a mini-mum standard that we will accept for how we treat people in this country. Now, some will see this as an impediment to business growth and so on. But not so. The good em-ployers —who value their relationship in Bermuda— the good employers want to see prosperity for Berm uda and they value Bermudian employees. So just last week, Mr. Speaker , I met with a leader in the interna66 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly tional business sector and looked at his corporate structure—a very high percentage of Bermudians. But what was most interesting was that he had a training programme for young Bermudians who had minimum experience in the area to get properly qualified. So I said to him, So you are able to take people who have no experience in reinsurance, train them, and give them opportunities? He said, Of course, we do it all the time. And that stands in sharp contrast to some of the comments that I have heard from other people in that same sector who say there are no longer any e ntry-level positions in the reinsurance world. So what is it? We want to see fair treatment for everyone. And anyone who does not believe that we need to have a fair, responsible, and responsive work permit policy does not believe that we need to treat people right. But this Government will treat people right, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , I would like to move on to the area of labour, which falls under my remit. We know there is a need for a collapsi ng of some labour legisl ation because there are far too many pieces of labour law, some of which are contradictory, that we need to bring into one document. But this is not purely an administrative exercise. We do not change laws just because it is easier to utilise. We want to change laws because it makes for better governance. But we have laws now that need to be enhanced to give greater protection to workers and ensure that workers are treated fairly. And you may hear an emphasis on workers because in a non- unionised environment workers have a one- on-one relationship with emplo yers; they are in an inherently weakened position. If you know any . . . well, Mr. Speaker , you would know a lot. But those who understand the hist ory will know that the progress in this country for wor kers has come with the trade union movement, unmi stakeably. You do not need to go back far. Look at the formation of the Bermuda Workers’ Association under Dr. E. F. Gordon, who has a daughter who sits as the Opposition Leader. And so the House knows well the contribution of Dr. Gordon, who, through his inspiring leadership, helped to create the first trade union legi slation in 1947 and led to the template for all kinds of reform to come later. The seminal Employment Act 2000, passed under the PLP Government, provided for a base of rights and privileges for workers, but we need to do more. We need to do more because when you have hard economic times, the employers know workers are weak; the employers know they can do things that weaken the ability of workers to make progress. I have on my desk, Mr. Speaker , as we speak no less than 10 matters that need to be adjudicated by a tribunal or an arbitration panel. I am hoping that we can find a way to get beyond that, but there seems to be a l itany of cases that come up because of an inability of workers, management, to figure out what the challenges are and come to a solution. But we have a process for resolution. Unfortunately, it is just pr olonged. Some of these cases go back more than five years. That is unacceptable. So we need to address that. While we do so, Mr. Speaker , we also need to address some of the labour practices that are simply unacceptable. I had a meeting in the last two or three weeks with the members who represent employers . And employers are telling me, Mr. Speaker , that they have identified a whole series of labour practices which need to be addressed. I challenged them to take the initiative. Rather than wait for Government to do everything, why don’t you take the initiat ive to a ddress some of these challenges? I will give you two examples. One, the issue of creating a set of requirements that you know no Bermudian is going to meet in order to bring in certain people —that is one. Second, that is pervasive and needs to be a ddressed, is the issue of gratuities in hospitality —not, I might add, in a unionised environment, because in a unionised environment, Mr. Speaker , all the gratuities go to the workers. In a nonunionised environment, it is very spotty and we have many exam ples where employers take substantial portions of the gratuities for themselves. But the def inition of a gratuity is very simple is it not, Mr. Speaker? You show gratitude to those who served you. You do not show gratitude to the people who own the busines s; it is the person who serves you. I can tell you many stories, Mr. Speaker , of people who work in hospitality —in restaurants and other places —who . . . the restaurant could be busy all week and their pay is the same as it was when the restaurant was slo w. So the gratuities are not being paid. But not all employers do that. There are some employers who give virtually all of the gratuities to the people who are working on the floor. A small percent-age might go for . . . 5 per cent might go for some administrative matters. But that is the standard that we need to have in place. We need to bring back di gnity in the workplace. We need to bring back dignity of work in all areas. We should not be making these di stinctions between what is called unskilled work and highly skilled work. All work is dignified. I proudly say, Mr. Speaker , that my mother was a waitress and my father was a bartender. We had a good living in the hospitality sector. So much so that I was able to get my lunch money every single day off of my father’s dresser. So it is dignified work, but you cannot treat people in ways that denigrate the work that they do. And part of my responsibility in l abour, Mr. Speaker , is to ensure a higher standard of conduct and a higher standard of perform ance for both the management as well as staff. Mr. Speaker , one area that causes great concern to people particularly during hard economic times is the whole question of the manner in which the debt
Bermuda House of Assembly collection agencies conduct themselves —a very, very sore matter for many. So imagine someone being in an unfortunate enough situation where they cannot meet their financial obligations. So they get sent to a debt collection agency because they are struggling financially —maybe they are under -employed, maybe they are unemployed. But they go to the debt collection agency because when they sign off on something . . . everyone just signs without looking and reading when they want to make that purchase, or maybe they were overseas for a while and did not realise about the data roaming on their phone and their bill all of a sudden is $1,300. My good friend and honourable co lleague, Minister Wilson, said, It sounds like it is a personal matter.
[Laughter]
Hon. Walton Brown: I did one time have a $700 bill. I was not ver y happy about it because I did not quite manage my phone properly and it automatically went on data roaming, but I took care of it.
[Inaudible interjection] Hon. Walton Brown: Sorry? [Inaudible interjection] Hon. Walton Brown: Yes, I did. But Mr. Speaker , the issue is that you have people who are in dire financial circumstances who are beset with these outrageous charges by the debt collection agencies —in some cases as high as 70 per cent. And it just baffles the mind that the courts val idate this . . . I am sure a lawyer is going to say, Well, you signed off on it and therefore you knew your obl igation. But something is fundamentally wrong when a company can extort 30, 40, 50, 70 per cent interest on debt that you have incurred. So we will do somet hing about that. In contradistinction to what the Opposition Leader has said, we are not going to just consult on that. We are preparing legislation as we sit here today to deal with that matter. It is an outrage and they need to be brought under control. There is no current legi slation dealing with the debt collection agencies, so we will address that with a level of urgency. It is not something that needs to be examined for long periods of time. It is outrageous and it will be addressed. How am I doing for time, Mr. Speaker?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThirty -four. Hon. Walton Brown: Thirty? Thirty -four, okay. So the next area that I want to focus on is the issue involving the municipalities, a vexing issue which raises the issue of the frailties of democracy, shall we say, because we have had a rocky road when it comes …
Thirty -four.
Hon. Walton Brown: Thirty? Thirty -four, okay. So the next area that I want to focus on is the issue involving the municipalities, a vexing issue which raises the issue of the frailties of democracy, shall we say, because we have had a rocky road when it comes to how to deal with municipalities. The old system was one in which only property owners could vote for the people who ran the Corporations of St. George’s and Hamilton. It was an old system reminiscent of the bad old days in Bermuda when you could only vote in our general elections if you owned property of a particular amount. So that system had to be changed. You have to move away from a system in which people who live in a defined area, in a corporation, did not have the right to vote simply because they did not own land. So we changed that and gave all residents the right to vote. The vote was taken away from the property owners so those who lived there could vote. That led to a very dem ocratic framework for the administering of the corpor ations but, as I said, it raised the issue of the frailt ies of democracy. And I will leave it at that. But Mr. Speaker , the subsequent change led to the businesses getting the vote back alongside the residents. And so that created a hybrid model of “democracy” (quote/unquote) in which business owners voted alongside residents. That did not raise questions about the frailties of democracy; it raised questions about the very essence of democracy that we would have businesses having the right to vote. It is not a practice that is widely in place. I believe there are one or two cities in Australia or I think Vancouver has it, and I am sure someone will get up and identify another city, but it is not a wide practice where bus inesses get the right to vote. So we are now beset with a challenge. This Government will com mit itself to, again, a consultative process. We will consult with the public; we will consult with stakeholders to identify the most appropriate framework for moving forward in terms of the relationship between the Government and munic ipalities. There is no inherent, preconceived position as to what it should be. But in terms of the objective, we want to ensure that there is a defensible fram ework in place, one that is rooted on integrity and r esponsiveness fiscally to ensure that the corporations can be a nd can realise the potential that they have; i.e., an embodiment as an economic engine for the development of this country. We have the waterfront close by, Mr. Speaker, which represents a wonderful opportunity for ec onomic development. We have had many proposals put forward, but currently it is not seen as a priority by the current administration at City Hall. It is not a prior ity. But if we are to make real progress in terms of economic development it needs to be developed. But what is the ideal framework for achieving that? We will come to a position, but our position will be rooted in consultation and collaboration. We will invite Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition to participate in that dialogue. We will invite them to help shape that policy. And I will t ake the Honourable Opposition Leader at her word that she wants to work with this 68 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Government to ensure what is right and best for this country. How we handle the municipalities will be a wonderful place to start, Mr. Speaker . I want to move on and talk a l ittle bit about food, fish, plants, and vegetables because the env ironment and food sustainability is a critical part of what we have to address in this country. We import almost everything in terms of food. Well, we import almost everything, particularly food. But we do not have food security. There was a container ship that was damaged, was it in New Jersey last week? And we had no fresh fruit. Oh, we had fruit which had been sitting in the freezer for a long time which some grocery stores were trying to put out as fresh fruit. But we had very little by way of fresh fruit because one ship was damaged and could not come to Bermuda one week. That shows the fragility of our society when it comes to food sustainability. So we need to make focused efforts to not just expand the availability of locally pr oduced food, we need to find ways to increase the yield per square hectare or per square mile of food production. I met recently with a young couple who have embraced some new technology that I first saw in New York where you take a container —a 20 by 40 foot container —and you have it equipped with all the appropriate technology to be able to produce food using solar panels and the UV light and so forth. The research shows that you can generate up to 10 acres of food per container. So I have encouraged them to proceed. I know they need to find some space to put the containers. I would not like to see those containers all on arable land, even though currently it is permi ssible to be on arable land. And so I will work with my Honourable Minister Burch to identify some publicly available space for this innovative technology. And if more people could do that, Mr. Speaker , through pr ivate enterprise, that will help to address, to some ex-tent, the fragility of our food s ustainability. We do not do enough and we need to look at ways in which we can address it. Part of the step along that way is to protect some of those spaces that are open. Developers want to develop and they do not always care about what is arable or what is restricted land. They just want it to be rezoned so they can d evelop. We are already one of the most densely populated countries on the planet at over 3,000 people per square mile. We already have a limited amount of open space for any kind of arable development. And so one of the matters that we will bring to this House in the coming year is legislation to ensure a legal pr otection of open space because currently there is mi nisterial discretion in terms of what is open space and what is arable land, an d people can make appeals to the Minister to have things waived. I believe, and we believe, that it is absolutely essential to try to find a way to properly protect open space, both for arable land and open space—period —for future generations. We should not be myopic, we should not be focused only on this generation, but we have a sacred duty to develop this country for the entirety of our population and for those to come. And the fact that I have the endorsement of the Honourable Member , Cole Simons, who I think has a vested interest because he just wants open space to ride around on his horses.
[Laughter]
Hon. Walton Brown: You might be a bit conflicted there, Honourable Member , but we can talk about that later. But we need to address that very seriousl y. We need to figure out what we are going to do about our fish stock. That is a key part of food sus-tainability. Right now, as a researcher, I was shocked to find out that almost the entirety of our fishing policy is based on self -reported data by fishermen. How do you formulate policy based on self -reported data? Every fisherman has to have . . . to be a commercial fisherman you have to put in 800 hours a year out at sea fishing. And so, okay, I am a commercial fisherman, so here are my 800 hours. We have no way of verifying it. Here is my catch. We have no way of ver ifying the catch. But there are scientific techniques to properly and carefully assess the available fish stock in a geographical area. Iceland is a pioneer in that and I have directed the technical staff to identify the appropriate modality so that we can properly do an i nventory of our fish so that when we formulate policy it is based on fact and not self -reported data. How on earth could you formulate policy on self-reported data? It is like . . . it is tantamount to doing a survey based on people who just self -complete surveys. You have not done a random sample so your results are inherently unreliable. If you are going to spend money from the taxpayer, we need to be sure that we hav e adequate, reliable data on which to do that. The question that we face in terms of monitoring our 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone [EEZ] is we do not really know who is fishing in our waters. We do not have the capacity now to properly monitor it. You w ill hear anecdotal stories of fishermen or boaters who see these large vessels out in our waters with all kinds of insignia on them, but we have no proper way of knowing who is out there and what they are doing. Because those who want to violate our EEZ, a ll they have to do (I do not know the textbook term, but you will get my drift, Mr. Speaker ) is turn off the indic ator that . . . what is it called?
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Walton Brown: A transponder, right. All you have to do is turn off the transponder and then do what you have to do. We have seen tracking data where a vessel’s transponder was working fine, as
Bermuda House of Assembly they get close to Bermuda it goes off, and then maybe a day or two later the transponder comes back on. So we do not know. So I am very, very grateful to hear the Honourable Minister for National Security say that we are going to give the Regiment a greater policing or assessment capacity on our waters. Because there is no point in having an Exclusive Economic Zone if that Exclusive Economi c Zone is not giving you any ec onomic benefits. So we will work in tandem to try to ensure that we can get a proper count, a proper as-sessment, so we can formulate policy that benefits us. And there are, Mr. Speaker , great opportunities for Bermudians to partake in the fishing industry. We have not done a whole lot with long- line fishing because there are a whole lot of environmental concerns, but there are models of sustainable long- line fishing, and we need to explore it. We need to get out of our shell and believe that we can adjust policy and make changes to move in new directions. Mr. Speaker , let me talk a little bit about Planning and the Department of Planning. There has been much concern about the delays in getting permit applications approved. Part of the reason is that the pr evious Government froze so many positions. There are six vacancies in Planning. So you can freeze pos itions, you can show how you are reducing the size of the civil service, but if the price you pay is inefficiency, if the pric e you pay is a level of inertia that does not facilitate or encourage economic growth, how is soci ety benefiting other than to say, Oh, we reduced the size of the civil service? I will not comment too much on the areas ou tside of my Ministry, Mr. Speaker , but I have to make this one point and I hope I do not offend any of my colleagues. But you cannot say that you are reducing the size of the civil service if all you have done is take taxpayers’ dollars and give it to a private sector entity or an ostensibly private authority like the BTA, like this disastrous, corrupt influenced Aecon, like ACBDA. All of that represents taxpayers’ money to entities that are substantially private in their essence. But yet you say you can show a reduction in the size of the civil service. So we suffer in the civil service because of inefficiencies. The private sector takes taxpayer money and blossoms. I would like to do a comparative study. I wonder if the Honourable Minister of Tourism would even consider this, I would like to look at what the current strength is in terms of numbers of the BTA co mpared to the former Department of Tourism, as well as the level of middle management in the senior level positions. It would just be an interesting exercise. I have no idea what it is.
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Walton Brown: And the Minister would like to look at the hiring practices. So there is a lot to look at, Mr. Speaker . But when it comes to the issue . . . I diverged a little bit because sometimes you get caught up in th e moment, but the point is (to get back to Planning) that there is an inadequacy of staff. You have one person for the whole Island who goes around checking to ensure that the electrical installations are to code. How is that even defensible? Well, we are showing government efficiencies, we are going to cut back. But cutting back at the expense of service delivery cannot be a good thing. So I have directed my staff to hire to fill those six vacant positions because people want to start developing, building, and getting moving on their pr ojects. So they will do that. We also, Mr. Speaker , will make adjustments to legislation. Yes, we will consult, yes, we will assess, but we will also act. We will make adjustments to leg-islation so that those who wilfully vio late Planning laws are duly and properly held to account because the current practice is . . . I can go and build something tomorrow and not get a single bit of Planning permi ssion. I could build a house tomorrow without Planning permission. And then when Planning comes around say, Oh, yeah, I didn’t apply for that permission, but listen, I am going to put in a retroactive permission, and Planning considers it. Well, who would not do that? Many people have done that, Mr. Speaker , because the Planning enforc ement powers are too weak. So, as we go forward, those who wilfully vi olate Planning laws will find that they will not just be beset with a demand that they apply for retroactive approval; they will be told to take it down. You cannot wilfully violate the laws without consequence. So we will toughen the legislation with respect to Planning to ensure that those who do such things will face a much harsher penalty. It is the right thing to do and we will put it in place.
[Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr., Deputy Speaker, in the Chair]
Hon. Walton Brown: We also are going to adopt a more flexible approach, Mr. Deputy Speaker —nice to see you in that seat —we will also adopt a more flex ible approach when it comes to aesthetics. I do not understand why there is this belief shared by so many that every single building and every single house needs to look the same, have the same sort of template or structure. What is Bermudian? We need to try to make some adjustments to the 21 st century. I recently dealt with an appeal of a matter in which the neighbours opposed someone’s new design because it had too many windows. The fact that this actually came to my desk was disconcerting because that should not even be a basis for an appeal, that the design is too modern and has too many windows. So we will try to create a level of flexibility to ensure that 70 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Bermuda can enhance its image and look a little bit more 21st century in its approach. Mr. Speaker , the last issue that I will address relates to the issue of the Registry General. Recently that was a matter of focus in the media because of a decision I made with respect to an appeal. You will know that Preserve Marriage, which in 2016 was duly registered as a charity, had its charitable status r evoked in 2017. There was no material difference in the activities and focus of that charity between 2016 and 2017 —none whatsoever. The Charities Commission decided that the charitable status should be withdrawn and, therefore, they lost their charitable status. Pr eserve Marriage had sent in an appeal. That appeal reached the Minister’s desk on June 12, 2017. Mr. Deputy Speaker , you would know that [on] June 12, 2017 the One Bermuda Alliance was still the Government, and you would know that the current Opposition Leader was then [the] Mi nister responsible for such appeals. That matter sat on the desk of the Minister and was not addressed. On June 18, [sic] when I became Minister responsible — [Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Walton Brown: I said July. July 18 th when I became Minister (or shortly after when I became Mini ster) I had to deal with that matter. That matter was dealt with as all other matters are dealt with in this Government. We look at the law, we listen to the tact ical input of the technical officers, and then I as Mini ster (or any other Minister) render a decision. The appeal by Preserve Marriage was granted and they were re-awarded their charitable status. I want to put on record for this Hansard and this Parliament, Mr. Deputy Speaker , that it is obvious to all (but for the record I will say it), Ministers do not make personal decisions. So irrespective of their —or they should not be making personal decisions —they should consider the law, they should consider policy, and they should consider the advice of their technical people. Preserve Marriage conformed with the law. The law regarding charities says a charity can have a religious purpose. They have a religious purpose. And for all those who expressed vocal condemnation of that decision, I would ask them to consider whether or not they believe the law should be ignored and one’s personal position should prevail. If we allowed that to happen, Mr. [Deputy ] Speaker , we would have chaos and anarchy. We would have arbitrary power. And it is the very notion of arbitrary power that people have opposed throughout history. We have laws, we have rules, and we embrace those. What I did find disconcerting is that there are many matters that people consider to be of vital importance to a country in terms of rights and privileges. The Government says that you have to look at what the current policy is and the current law. So I stand by my decision, Mr. Speaker . I know it caused a great deal of concern in some quarters of the comm unity. It led to celebration in other quarters. But that decis ion was made dispassionately. And were the same facts to present themselves to me tomorrow, I would do exactly the same thing. So Mr. Speaker —I am sorry, Mr. Deputy Speaker —I want to conclude by saying the Throne Speech represents a vision for the future. It lays out a very clear set of policies and legislation that we will implement in the next legislative year. We are commi tted as a team to doing so. We fear not the difficult choices. We fear not the challenge that besets us with respect to the economy, w ith respect to a litany of le gislation (and I did not even talk about dog policy today and I did not talk about the fertilizer issues that pop up) because the public are preoccupied with issues on a multitude of levels. But we will confront those cha llenges head on, Mr. Speaker . We will assess those issues with great deliberation. We will get insight, we will get understanding, we will get the research done and we will deliver. Our mandate from the people is to act on their interests on their behalf. We wer e elected to do so. And over the next legislative year and years to come, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker , this is precisely what we will do.
[Desk thumping]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerAre there any further speakers? The Member from constituency 19, you have the floor.
Mrs. Jeanne J. AtherdenThank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . I know you want us to talk a little bit more about this Throne Speech and response, so I wanted to take the opportunity to do so. And I just want to say to everyone that I am actually pleased to stand up today, …
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . I know you want us to talk a little bit more about this Throne Speech and response, so I wanted to take the opportunity to do so. And I just want to say to everyone that I am actually pleased to stand up today, to rise as the Shadow Minister of Finance, be-cause it gives me the opportunity to talk about finan-cial issues as opposed to some of the other things that I might have talked about in the past. And I think everybody realises that anybody that is in this House here is doing this because we want to serve the Bermuda populace and we want to do things to make the lives of Bermudians better. And so I just want to say that from the get -go. And I just want to set some parameters and ground rules for me personally. By my nature I am a solution- driven individual. I like to look at consensus and I like to come up with what I call a win- win situ ation. By profession I am an accountant, which means that I am used to using resources effectively, I am used to tr ying to make sure that things balance, make sure that there are controls, and I am looking at, very importantly, I believe, measuring success by the outcomes that you strive to achieve. With that I also have what I call a family bac kground that says you s hould work hard, you should
Bermuda House of Assembly live within your budget, you should stay to the task, and you should make sure that you live within your means. So all of these things frame my outlook as I look at being the Shadow Minister of Finance and I also look at the gov ernment budget. So, I look at the Throne Speech as not so much the budget right now, but whether you like it or not, everything that we talk about has some sort of budgetary implications. So the Premier/Finance Mini ster has told Bermuda about what is going to happen under the PLP Government. And I understand that and I accept that. But I also recognise that when I went through and looked at the Throne Speech, I was struck by a . . . definitely an indication of the vision for the future. But I did not see as much of what I thought would be the clear policies. Now, I will accept, maybe after hearing the Shadow —I mean the Minister of Home Affairs —stand up and talk about some of the things, maybe as we go on today more of the Mini sters will talk about some of the policies. Because obviously the policies are happening back at the home ground, but it did not manifest as much in this Throne Speech as I thought it might. And that being the case, normally in the past we have seen some clear indications of things that would be done. And so when I looked at the Throne Speech, I saw lots of things that indicated there were going to be collaboration, people were going to go back and have a committee to look at something and to move things forward. Now, I cannot tell anybody how to operate because everybody has their own way of doing things. I guess for me I am one of those people that likes to try, and what I say, touch it once, es-pecially when you go through and you look at a lot of these items where they are all . . . things are already in train. They are either equivalent committees that are out there that you might have the opportunity to say, Okay, where are we —discuss with the technical people —where are we in this? Is it far enough that we can live with it and move it forward? because you are never going to have perfection. But a work in progress allows you many times to get on and deal with the solution, especially if you believe that some of the things are important to have happen. Okay, so my only concern was I saw so many things where it said this committee was going to be put together, they were going to go out and get these individuals involved, et cetera. I accept the fact that broadening your consultation and getting people i nvolved is a good thing. But I also think that I would like to suggest to the Government that maybe you might want to jump start some of these things and say we have progressed this far with what the former Government had produced —because remember we were not doing this in isolation, we did have technical pe ople there that were advising us, et cetera. So it might be an opportunity to say this is an issue, it is important enough to the country, let us see where we are and, therefore, let us talk about leverag-ing this where we have gotten so f ar and moving it forward so that we might be able to get some deliver-ables. Because I think the people of Bermuda want to see some of these problems solved and, therefore, deliverables might be of importance and significance to them. And I just want to say that. I also want to indicate that this is the fram ework that I want to set going forward, because I will have the opportunity, obviously, as Shadow Finance Minister to talk about many more financial things. And as I say, everything we do, whether [or no t] you like it, somehow it has a financial little tag in there. I recognise that in my role in Opposition now I had some choices as to what type of role I was going to play. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker , if you will allow me for just one minute, I just want to quote something right here because I think it sets the framework. I real-ised that I could be a constructive Opposition or a di sruptive Opposition. And I looked and I thought how does one define a “constructive” Opposition? And I found something which I thi nk really, to me, sets the framework on what one should want to do. This was from a [man] by the name of Rajendra Kumar Solanki who indicated that a constructive opposition would ideally emphasise more on discussion, ask more questions, look at resolution of problems faced, helped in amendments and passages of bills. That they will also unite with ruling governments on issues of national interest. As well as that the Opposition must warn or bring in focus issues that the gover nment is not addressing effecti vely at its level. And I think that is fair enough. I would also indicate that a disruptive Oppos ition opposes everything for the sake of opposing. Well, that is not the way I operate. To me, it is essential that the Opposition play a watchdog role, espec ially concerning financial matters and the need to stim ulate democratic and public debate. So that is the role that I want to do. I want to represent a strong Oppos ition. I do not want us to be a weak Opposition that could lead the ruling government into being compl acent. We know that you have the numbers. That is why I was quite intrigued today to hear the shadow backbench asking a number of questions about what had happened on statements that had been made. I must admit (facetiously) those questions, the way they were asked, were very much framed to make sure that you did not, if you will, challenge the statement. But they were designed to get a point across as it r elated to what had happened in the past. But I would like to think that going forward when things come up, that the backbenchers of the ruling party will take the opportunity, when something comes up that they believe is important to them, that they will ask questions if they do not understand—
[Inaudible interjections ]
72 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Mrs. Jeanne J. Atherden: Mr. Speaker , Mr. Speaker , I am indicating that we on our side will definite—
[Inaudible interjections ]
Mrs. Jeanne J. AtherdenWe on our side will also do that. Mr. Speaker , we will turn around and we will make sure that, as the Opposition no w, we will do so. And I am . . . All I am suggesting is . . . and I have lamented to my …
We on our side will also do that. Mr. Speaker , we will turn around and we will make sure that, as the Opposition no w, we will do so. And I am . . . All I am suggesting is . . . and I have lamented to my colleagues that it would have been an opportunity for backbenchers, regardless on which side they are on . . . and when I say backbench . . . if you are not a Minister or if you are not one of the Shadow Mi nisters, remember that there is a role that everybody plays in terms of getting information and making sure that the Government is accountable. Now, Mr. Deputy Speaker , I also recognise that when I started to have so me discussions about my response to the Throne Speech, I am dealing with finance and I wanted to be able to give some of my comments, my opinions, as to what had happened. Unfortunately, the Throne Speech, while it lays out some of the things that the Prem ier and the Finance Minister and the ruling party intend to deal with, there is a flavour of things that happened that are just not here in the Throne Speech. The flavour is what is happening out there in terms of the statements and what has been made. So I have been a little concerned when . . . before the Throne Speech the Premier and Finance Minister was talking about things that he might have to do because he was indicating that he might have to borrow money because something had come up and it was an o verrun. And I thought, Oh, am I going to have to, as the Shadow Finance Minister, remind all of us that the OBA actually had indicated that it was ontrack before the election to balance the budget by 2019? And then to start to pay down the debt. And it is important that we remember that because the debt is so significant and balancing the budget is so signif icant to Bermuda turning around and getting itself into a situation where Bermudians can turn and have the benefits of what we have done. So, I was a little concerned when there was an indication that there might be borrowing just because there were some items that might not, at this early stage, have been accounted for. Now, I must admit that, as my Leader pointed out in our remarks to the Throne Speech, that it is not only important to us, but it is important to Bermuda’s creditors that our economic recovery goes as expected because they are looking and hoping that the revenues are going to materialise, the expenses are going to be where we think they are, and also the pr ojects and priorities that we put will actually be deli vered. Because it is not just about the money, it is ac-tually about the programmes that we are actually tal king about. So, I was pleased when in Wednesday’s p aper the Premier and Finance Minister . . . it said (and I am reading the headline, so I am not being disr espec tful) Burt explains funds for Throne Speech plans. So, I am relating this back to the Throne Speech in case some people over there who work with him were not sure what I was talking about. I am saying that it is important because we have to understand that the programmes that are in here, the vision is going to cost money. And at the same time we have to make sure that we can find the funds that are going to be available for these things. But as I keep reiterating, we have to make sure that the outputs and the things that we want from this we deliver. Because money spent without delivering the goods or giving the people of Bermuda what they need is, to me, a waste of money. So I am pleased to hear that. But I also get a little concerned because sometimes I hear something that seems to be a commitment to spending money and making sure and then the next minute I hear something that almost says, Well, okay, we need that and therefore we are going out and borrow money. And I am sure we all understand that borrowing money is . . . you cannot borrow your way out of debt. You have to turn around and you have to save and you have to turn around and make sure that you put your-self on a firm footing. Also I must admit, Mr. Deputy Speaker , that, you know . . . so when I saw this Speech and the questions being asked I thought, Okay, he intends to fund a number of initiatives through existing money. And so that, to me, said maybe I could feel happy and the Bermuda public could feel happy that there was going to be a prioritisation because he actually said (if you do not mind me quoting here), “ we’re not looking to expend extra funds, but the role of Government is to reprioritise funding, and there’s been places and times where we’ve found some funding which can be stopped and can be used for things to accomplish this Government’s priorities.” Which to me was . . . I said, Right on! because I believe that this is the way go vernments [should] do and that is the way successful governments perform. So when I saw that I thought, Bermuda public , this is looking good. And from my perspective of deciding that I am going to try and be a constructive O pposition, I felt encouraged. Now, I must admit though . . . I have to say that he sounds like he is going to follow a good fiscal policy, but I have to worry because if there is a r eversion to borrowing to manage budgetary needs, this will take Bermuda back to the dire financial situation that we inherited, unfortunately, when the PLP came into power in 2012 . . . when the PLP left and the OBA came into power in 2012. So, if we are going to stay in economic shape by 2019, then the Minister of F iBermuda House of Assembly nance/Premier has to look at ways, as he said, to find savings and to reprioritise. Now, the reason I want to emphasise this is the fact that if everybody remembers when we talked about some of the things that the OBA did and, whether you like it or not, the OBA did do some things that were good, some things that will have some las ting benefits. You know, I am at least sensible enough to say that we are not talking about everything that we did, but anything that we did I believe we did with the interest of making things better. I do not think that we had any mal -interest. And that is the point that I think . . . there is a difference between not achieving ever ything you want [and] having mal -intent. And so, Mr. Deputy Speaker , there are three things that I just want to point out because I think that they tie into what has happened with respect to what the OBA did and what should happen going forward. In terms of the significant achievements (because this is important) we implemented the payroll tax relief for those earning $132,000 per year or less. That represents three- quarters of the labour force. I believe that is important because we know that a lot of people out there at that lower end wer e hurting. And I can tell you personally, I had conversations with the Minister of Finance because I knew (with my accounting hat on) that it was important for us to be balancing the budget and it was important for us to not do an ything . . . and to hold t ight purse strings. But I also knew that we had to try and do things to help those people who were hurting. So when we were able to turn around and do this I felt encouraged. Now, does that mean I wish we had been able to do more? No, it means that we started and I would like to think that if we continue to keep this budget balanced we will be able to do some more things. Also, I think it was important that we understood when we first came in that we were going to try and create the jobs and that would he lp those people who were on financial assistance to get off. Unfort unately, that did not result in what we wanted. So, we had to then turn around and maintain the financial as-sistance and we doubled it up to the $53.5 million . . . the spending doubled over the 2008/09 because that was our concern for the unemployed or under - employed. I am glad to see the suggested change about what we are going to do in terms of people who are on financial assistance and if they try to get a hustle or a small job. I am gl ad to see that we are going to turn around and not force them off. That was something that we had in our platform because it is all about . . . when I was on the doorstep you are talking to people saying, We don’t want to be on financial assistance ; we would like to get off of it. But if I do something then they turn around and say I’m cutting you off. So this was a good reflection and a good initiative because we know that Bermudians are proud people by and large who want to work. They do not want handouts . They want to be able to say, If I work for this, I have got money. And they want to feel proud when they go home to their families, regardless of what job they are doing. They want to feel that they are appreciated and they will do a good job. So, to me, I was pleased that this was happening. And also with respect, obviously, to our seniors and the people at the other end, I was pleased that we were able to come up the reduction in the Standard Health Premium and provide the in- home care for seniors as a standard health benefit. There is another thing that we did that I think people will not understand totally how it is benefiting them, but the proof will be in the pudding, not just last year but in the year coming up. Because we commi ssioned the Fiscal R esponsibility Panel to oversee government finances. This was important because it enabled us to turn around and you have someone that could come and look and give us, what I call, a bit of fresh eyes and come up and make some recommendations. Sometimes you can get so close to the action that you can get tunnel vision. And so I believe it was important that we had this Fiscal Responsibility Panel. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker , I just want to o bserve two things. This is the Fiscal (financial) Responsibility Panel. There are statements from 2015 when they came with their report, right? So that was the last time they were here—2015. They are coming back in October and they said that “reducing government debt and debt service costs mitigates” the risk which is . . . and they were talking about . . . there was a concern that “the current level of government debt —combined with very large potential liabilities from government guarantees” could actually create shock. And they were saying that “reducing government debt and debt services costs [could] mitigate these risks and make the island’s economy more resilient to [any] such shock.” And I think that is what we want. We want our economy to be more resilient. Bermuda . . . we are not going to suddenly be able to grow any big forests, we are not going to get more land, so we have to turn around and we have to start looking at all of the types of industries that we use so that we can be more resi lient. But they did say that . . . they did talk about . . . they suggested “in 2015/16 there was a current prim ary surplus and in the current year the debt to revenue ratio is expected to fall slightly.” And they acknowledge that these were “important milestones,” but they also recognised and told us that they “en-dorsed the Government’s aims of achieving a balanced budget in 2018/19; and over the longer term meeting the targets set for the ratios of debt and debt service.” And I say that because not only are our cred itors expecting this, this Fiscal Responsibility Panel also knew that this was what you had to be on, if we are going to be on the road to recovery. And therefore 74 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly it is important that they also reminded us that it was important for us to raise our revenues by 3 per cent of GDP and it was also important to make sure that we had the balanced budget by 2018/19. So, as I say, I am pleased when I hear the Premier and Finance Minister saying that he is going to look at some of these things. It sounds good. The one thing that I must say that I did not see anywhere, I did not see an indication of whether the current Government was going to actually pr ogress the General Service Tax. And because . . . remember there is an expectation of some more rev enue changes, some payroll tax changes that were supposed to come into—
Hon. Walton Br own: Point of clarification. [Crosstalk ]
Mrs. Jeanne J. AtherdenI will yield, in the collabor ative manner that I am thinking about. POINT OF CLARIFICATION Hon. Walton Brown: Honourable Deputy Speaker , the Honourable Member will know that matters invol ving finance will come with the budget and this is a Throne Speech deliberation. That is ill -suited for …
Mrs. Jeanne J. AtherdenMr. Deputy Speaker , I would have said that. But in view of the fact that this morning we heard so many things about supplementaries and things that one would normally not talk about until budget in February, I take the position that, Hey, let’s get real about this. Okay? …
Mr. Deputy Speaker , I would have said that. But in view of the fact that this morning we heard so many things about supplementaries and things that one would normally not talk about until budget in February, I take the position that, Hey, let’s get real about this. Okay? So right now ev ery time someone comes up and they are talking about new programmes . . . they are talking . . . this vision has new programmes, they are talking about new people that are going to be employed, they are talking about other things . . . this is going to result, potentially, in more expenses unless there is a c ommitment to turn around and to try and control the costs. So it is, and as I said before I started, ever ything that we do, whether we like it, has some financial impact. And, therefore, that takes me to the other thing that I just wanted to remind oursel ves, that crit ical to balancing the budget is the continued control on the civil service spending. Now I know that the Mini ster was just up a minute ago, he was talking about positions being frozen and the price you pay is ineff iciency or inertia. I just w ant to say to you that the ot her side of freezing positions is also the opportunity to think outside of the box and come up with different ways of doing things and, as a result, be able to turn around and produce the goods with less than you had. I am not saying that you can use this for ev erything, but I also have a concern . . . and I am saying this to the Government and to the Government Mini s-ters. Please look at your open positions because it is not just about freezing stuff. Many times it is by the time you actually get to recruit these posts . . . the r ecruitment process is fraught with time delays. Ther efore, as I have talked about touching things earlier, if we are able to turn around and improve our recruiting process that will also help our effici ency. And I know that everybody wants to deliver the goods. So it is not just about open positions. Many times positions are funded . . . because I looked at some of the things that are in the Throne Speech and it talked about hiring different persons, and I went back and I looked at the Blue Book and I said, There are a number of these positions already in there, which means that they could have been hired because the money was in there and the funding was in there. I am not going to turn around and get i nto a discussion about that because I just want to say, as we go forward, controlling the spending, try and look to see whether there are other ways in which we can find the goods or the positions because sometimes it is reallocating positions because if w e do not control the spending we are not going to be able to get that budget under control. I must admit, and I have to say that I think the thing that caused me some worry was [when] the r esults were put out for the first quarter and it indicated that th e revenues were up. The expenses were down, but yet there was in one particular area something that . . . it came in over budget so it was . . . there was a concern that there was a budgetary increase. And it was written that they might have to look at bor rowing. And I thought, Hey, whoa! You’re only three months into the budget, it’s already indicated that your rev enues are up and your expenses are down. Most times persons take the long vision and start to talk about, Hey, what can we do to re- jig something in the next nine months to see if we can turn around and get ourselves . . .? Because, as I said before, budgeting r equires us to look at things so that you do not want to turn around and borrow, especially if you are in a sit uation where your revenues w ere up and your expenses were down. Now, I know that everything is not a straight line, that it does not come in nice little lumps. But I am certain that, you know, we should be looking at things a little more closely and we should be trying to say, What can we do to make sure that we produce these plans? Because, as I say, the Government has its . . . it is their requirement to come up with their vision, to produce these things that are going to help the people of Bermuda. And a lot of them we support bec ause they were things that we were already doing. So you will not find us objecting. But I do say to you what you will find us doing is being watchful about how they are implemented and raising questions about whether they are delivering on the goods.
Bermuda House of Assembly I say that because I am more . . . and I would like to think that I could say to all of us. I am focused, not so much on expenditure right now; I am focusing more on the outcome. I believe as we go forward we should be talking about what we tried to achieve an d whether we achieved that outcome, not how much money we spent. We have had a tendency to look at money and not whether we . . . and I worry that when I—
Mrs. Jeanne J. AtherdenOne minute? I worry that when I see that, you know, you have a programme and the people who least need it are taking advantage of it. So all I want to say is the fact that . . . for me, I want to be sure that the vision …
One minute? I worry that when I see that, you know, you have a programme and the people who least need it are taking advantage of it. So all I want to say is the fact that . . . for me, I want to be sure that the vision is there, that the pr ogrammes are going to be supported. I will be a constructive Opposition, especially as it relates to finance. I will speak up about things that I believe are not going to deliver because it is important for us to make sure that Bermuda goes forward and that we turn around and we do not go bac k to a situation where we have a bad outcome. I thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker .
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member. Any further speakers? The Chair recognises the Member from constituency 6. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . First off, I would like to congratulate our Premier and commend the Premier and his team for such a great Throne Speech. It was stimulating, …
Thank you, Honourable Member. Any further speakers? The Chair recognises the Member from constituency 6. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . First off, I would like to congratulate our Premier and commend the Premier and his team for such a great Throne Speech. It was stimulating, invigorating, and you have never heard so much clapping from those who were in attendance. I have not heard that as long as I have been in politics. Now it may have happened in 1998. I excused myself from visiting in 1998, it was a bad year for me, and I did not attend. But every year since then I have been there and I can tell you right now that I am sure th at everyone who attended realised the clapping from those in atten dance were applauding the Government for the mes-sage that was being sent in the Throne Speech. As a matter of fact, there was so much clapping I thought I was going to have to be there for at least four hours because every sentence was being applauded. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker , I am not going to stand here and let the Opposition lecture us on what we should do. I do not know if they realise that on J uly 18 th they were fired. In other words, th e public said, We do not like what you’re doing. We don’t like what you’re doing! So why am I going to stand here and let the Shadow Minister of Finance lecture us on what we should or should not do? As a matter of fact, we should not be even listening to what they say. And the Opposition Leader was telling us what legislation that we should bring forward. I am not interested in hearing what they have to say, to be honest with you. We have got 24 Members in this House and you have got 12. As a matter of fac t, very soon you will be run out . . . you will run out of people who are going to speak, so—
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Well, you know, Mr. Deputy Speaker , the Opposition Leader has not changed. She has not changed. She says —and the word starts with “A” —as much as she was before. She was arr ogant. In other words, I did not want to speak out and say something else. And that is why the people r ejected the Government. And despite [that], on the Saturday before the election, they all thought they were going to be winning. In fact, the Royal Gazette had us losing . . . it was like somebody realised that they were on the wrong train. So the Government has presented a vision and, as I said, when they presented the Throne Speech, even the Governor was clapping by . . . because he was sweating so much. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker , what has the Go vernment presented to its people? And the priorities stand what the people asked us to do. This Throne Speech prioritised the issues that we will grow — international business, inspire our children, protect and respect our seniors, restore confidence to our public education (and the Minister of Education will speak soon), and ensure Bermuda is in the best place to meet the challenges of the modern information age. We know what the goals are. Do not try to tell me at the end of the day what we are supposed to be doing. Let me speak to one in particular. The Mini ster said that all we were doing in the Throne Speech was setting up these commissions or setting som ebody to be talking about it. There are action plans within this particular Throne Speech. The Government said that it will re -establish the Bermuda First Think Tank. That is not a setting up . . . that was talking about . . . let us set up something so w e can work t ogether. What they fail to realise, Mr. Deputy Speaker , is that they lacked consultation for five years. They thought that they were the all and be all. They thought it was them —it was just me—the frontbench. And I warned them sitting over in t hat seat. That is a bad view over there. I remember sitting over there last time. It was a bad view, those who are looking across from me now. When we sat over there looking . . . and I warned them that they were going to lose the elec-tion. Every week I said they were going to lose it. They kept looking at me like I was talking nonsense.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: And you are so great, what Ministry did they give you?
76 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Hon. W ayne L . Furbert: T he Honourable Member said that they di d not giv e me a Ministry. W e hav e so many good batters on this side that it was not my turn to bat. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon-P amplin: Yes, okay. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: But you are lacking so many batters, which this is why you never changed your backbench. And the Shadow Minister was a Minister every year. Every year the Minister was changing— Minister this, Minister that —you never knew what ministry she was in. Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Clever. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: So that shows that the Mini ster . . . the Premier was lacking concern about where she stood. [ Crosstalk] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: So but I am not going to deal with the Opposition Leader. They lost. They got fired. And that is accepted. Okay? So the Government said they were going to set up a think tank and that is important. We have to combine our talent with our international businesses and our labour partners and just ordinary individuals, or where do we go forward from here? Because we recognise that we do not have all the answers on this side, as much as they thought they had all the an-swers. So we have to be sure that we are working together and moving Bermuda forward. Now, a Tax Reform Commission . . . it is high time to accept that the tax system in Bermuda may not be working for all of us. And so the Government is saying we are going to set up a Tax Reform Commis-sion. Now, it may end up being exactly where we are, but we recognise that there are individuals out there that are probably not paying the proportion of taxes they should be paying. And I am always giving an example to the Minister of Finance of this one. And my honourable colleague on my far right agrees with me, that individuals who own businesses around town, own buildings around town, have what they call this London lease. In other words, all the expenses are passed on to the person that is leasing the property — every single bit. So if the rent [I charge] is a million dollars, I get a million dollars because everything is passed on [to the renter] —land tax, corporation tax, and so on. But maybe, maybe, maybe they should pay a portion of that $1 million rental income that they have been collecting all these years. There is nothing wrong with that. So, there is nothing wrong in looking at tax r eform that we are considering. Why should a person that owns 99 houses not pay something when the a v-erage Bermudian who makes $1,000 pays taxes on everything they own? Now, I am not talking about i ncome tax. We would never . . . do not get up and talk about Wayne . . . the Royal Gazette prints that W ayne Furbert talked about income tax, like they talked about independence and my friend and honourable col-league, Senator Hayward. I am not talking about that. I am talking about a fair tax system so we can do some things better. So the Shadow Minister of Finance is talking about she is worried about the revenue side, we are too. And we are saying maybe there are some revenue portions that are missed. And so by just arbitrarily . . . and the Minister looked at the tax last year and said, I will give up 9.5 per cent for our international business, and the projection was, I think it was, 11.5 [per cent] in the next budget in 2018. And then they had a Corporate Service Tax, I believe, that was coming on. But why would Appleby and some of the accounting firms . . . maybe they do not do the work here. They do the work somewhere else and that is not being charged that corporate service fee. We may even lose bus iness for providing that type of tax charge. So what we need to do is sit down with the i ndustry and ask what is in the best interest of us mov-ing forward. My Premier and Minister of Finance has said that payroll tax is a disincentive for hiring people. That might be true, you know. That might be true. And so can we find a way to either decrease payroll tax f or hiring people or remove it? I do not know, but that is why we need to set up a Tax Reform Commission to look at it. It is time . It is really time ; we have been in that system for 400- plus years. I am not sure that anybody has ever sat down and looked . . . and if they did look at it, they always looked at it [from the perspective] of how they will not be hurt . In other words, those who had the additional money have always found a way of ducking and weaving, where the average person . . . you always say, Well, how can I ensure that either payroll tax goes up and the average person gets a hit. So I applaud the Government for being creative and looking at ways going forward instead of doing it the piec emeal way that the OBA Government did last year. I mean, there comes a point in time where the international business has to consider and, like I said, it went from 9.5 per cent this year to 11.5 per cent — that was the projection for the former Government —I am not sure whether the current Minister of Finance will do the same. There comes a point where the i nternational business asks, Is it worth it ? High electric ity costs, high food costs, high rent costs, high taxes, why am I in Bermuda? I might as well do that in some other jurisdiction. There is beach and sand and sun somewhere else. Some of the same things that we have . . . these places have mastered some of the things that we have put in place—some of our own tax structures, some of our own legal requirements to make sure that businesses run effectively.
Bermuda House of Assembly We are not the masters of this anymore. We are not. People now can do their business from home. That is why we have got people in India doing bus iness for Bermuda, whether it is on IT or whether it is doing some reinsurance business. I know a company I was l ooking at and they told me that they were, you know, you have got to train these guys out in India. Times have changed. So we have got to make it . . . and, yes, they had the 30 per cent deferral or tax . . . they are only paying tax on — [Inaudible interj ection ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: No, not on . . . on the prem iums that are written. There comes a point where you say Oops! Breakeven; I am going over. What is the sense? What is the sense of being around here? So why we are saying this, then? What we want to do is make sure that everybody is happy. We want to make sure that international business is happy so they can hire more of our people. Why are they sending a lot of people back over? I know you accused the Progressive Labour Party for years for a policy that was put in place. No! The competition changed, the rates became very difficult to deal with, all despite that we have these storms happening in Texas and other jurisdictions —like Florida or where ver—the rates are not there. They are not getting the premiums that they used to get. So we have got to find a way to ensure . . . and then we have got to look at . . . I will touch on that later on. So we have got to move forward and look at our whole tax reform sy stem. Well, vacation rentals. The [former] Gover nment says we have done this vacation rental legisl ation, you just laid. Well, we may not agree with what you wrote. As a matter of fact, what you were talking about . . . I remember some discussion took place. We may not agree with what . . . why I a m going to lay down what you laid? You got fired. There is a new sheriff in town; there is a new Minister in town. He has got to get time to take a look at it and see whether he agrees with it, whether Cabinet agrees with it, whether caucus agrees with it. That is how it works in our sy stem. I do not know how it worked with you guys. But we may not agree with your legislation. So I do not expect the Minister to say, Ah! The OBA did legi slation on vacation rentals, and he just takes it up and lays it before Parliament. It is not going to happen. What we have said is that we will have a light touch on a regulatory approach. Yours may be tougher, I do not know, making it hard. At the end of the day, people will not want. They passed the Tourism Investment Act. And I will tell you right now when I was Minister . . . no, in 2012 we talked about revitalising the tourism legisl ation with the one that we had. I had been out when it was done by David Allen, the late David Allen. That was a long time ago, in 1998 or 1999. So some changes had to be made. So what took you so long from 2012 to 2017 to bring this particular Act to Parliament? And you still have not brought it. So now the Minister has to take a look to see whether it is in keep-ing with the policies and the programmes and the advances that the Progressive Labour Party stood on. Is it putting our people at a disadvantage more than what we want? I am not just going to lay something down so at the end of the day the Minister can say, I’m going to take a look at that and bring it forward. Now, establish an Economic Diversification Unit. I think that is brilliant —brilliant! Brilliant! I mean, we put together the Bermuda Development Agency, which is currently existing, which looks at current businesses. It looks to make sure that international business is happy. It makes sure that shipping and aircraft, and making sure the captives and everything else are in place. So what we are saying now is what we need is an established Economic Diversification Unit to make progr ess . . . and they plan to make pr ogress on this urgently. And it says, “This permanent organisation will consist of a small number of persons with a proven history of developing economies. Their mission will be to identify new opportunities for ec onomic diversification” —we have to diversify our economy. We just cannot rely on reinsurance, that is shrinking . . . it is a shrinking market, everybody is buying each other out. So we lose our staff and our people are sent back because they do not need all the staff anymore, Bermudians are laid off. So to create this Economic Diversification Unit . . . and it could be a technological park down on Southside, it could be something else. But this body will take time and sit down and look at what can be done and int roduced in Bermuda. I think that is brilliant, brilliant! I congratulate the Minister of Finance and Premier for coming up with that idea. Now, Mr. Deputy Speaker , price control. Now, do not expect . . . do not run around and think that we are going to for ce . . . you know, we recognise that the market has to work, okay? The market has to work. But explain to me why a watermelon that costs $15, you cut into one- eighth pieces and they cost $8.
[Laughter]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: And then you cut it into a little piece and that is $4. Can someone explain it to me?
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I went down there and I wanted a piece of watermelon. I just wanted a piece of watermelon, all right? First of all, it was not ripe, and that threw me off. And then my cousin stopped and talked to me about a subject that everybody talks about, I did not w ant to talk about that today. 78 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly [Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I am talking about my cousin who said, I am your first cousin. I want to talk to you. [I said] I ain’t talking to you. So my point is it is $15 for a piece of watermelon and that, Mr. Deputy Speaker , they cut into eighths and they put it on a shelf and it is now $8. Can somebody explain to me why that is not a rip- off? Should we not be looking at that? And then there is a little small piece that is like a triangle, w hich was about —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberBite size. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Yes, bite- sized. And it would take one bite . . . one bite and it is $4. Something is wrong with that.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThat is the labour cost of cutting it. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: That is what it is. I said that is . . . is it only me that finds it wrong? I cannot even go and buy a full piece of watermelon without being . . . and I …
That is the labour cost of cutting it.
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: That is what it is. I said that is . . . is it only me that finds it wrong? I cannot even go and buy a full piece of watermelon without being . . . and I see $15. Well, here is a trick. I will tell all the Bermudians how to do it. What they do is sometimes they take the half watermelon, you find two halves and put it together and they will sell it to you for a whole one. So find a piece . . . that little small piece and put a little piece and glue it all together and they will sell it for $15. I guess that is what somebody will do. But that cannot be right, Mr. Deputy Speaker . So I co ngratulate the Government for moving for price control on how that will work. The other thing I want to speak to, Mr. Deputy Speaker , is the idea of a living wage. That is clearly something we have got to do. Now, I must admit it is not the easiest thing to come up with. I do not think everybody expects tomorrow that their salary is going up 50 per cent. I do not think we should be picturing that. So I look forward to the committee t hat is being set up by the Honourable Rolfe Commissiong to pr oduce . . . and I understand that there was a committee already in the Labour Department taking a look at that, and I think once we put both parties together to see what benefits [Bermuda] I think that we can move ahead. Now, debt collection. How much time have I got left?
[Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Debt collection. Well, let me tell you what I . . . most of you realise that I am an accountant too. So I was hired by a gentl eman to take a look at the funds he was paying out on his debt. I will give you an example of how some of these debt co llections are terrible. So September 5 th somebody pays $100 and you know they charge $7 . . . or 7 per cent, I think a month. But what t hey did in this case with this partic ular client . . . I am not saying everyone. I am not sa ying everyone, but this particular person posted the $100 at the end of the month in August. So they are paying more on the . . . what the outstanding balance was. So it was not calculated from September . . . let us say August 7 th. They posted it August 31st—31 days —and then they calculated 7 per cent. So the individual was paying more than what they should be paying. So anyone that has got any debt collection out there, check to see . . . go in there and ask them when they did the posting. Ask them to give you a break-down. Maybe somebody owes you a lot of money. Those are the type of things that we have got to put in place. That cannot be fair. And then the first t ime they get a bill they are charging 33 per cent, all right? I do not know exactly where we are . . . I am not sure whether . . . I cannot remember if it passed or not, but we lowered the charge rate from 7 per cent to 3 per cent. I do not know, did it go . . . I cannot remember whether it went through the Senate or not, but it has got to come back. So these are things that the electorate said to the Government, We want a party that has a heart. We want a party that understands my struggle. We want a part y that cares about us. And we want a Go vernment that is going to pay attention to some of our concerns. Now, we are not going to be economic . . . whatever it is . . . we are not going to be out there . . . and let me just say this to some individuals out there because the debt did go up, but let me just also say that the debt also went up for 1.4 [billion] or whatever it was in 2012 to 2.45 [billion]. All right? The Gover nment —the former Government —promised to reduce the debt, all right? But it went up from 1.4 [billion] to something 2- point [billion].
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberIn four years. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: In four years. And so were they smart or were they just . . . and then they blame me, they blame us, or the Government, on us for putting it up. Every year the Government was —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberBorrowing. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Borrowing. Every year they were borrowing. Every year and then they were going to borrow this year. The PLP Government is going to have to borrow this year because of the OBA Go vernment. It was in the budget. And then they were going to …
Borrowing.
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Borrowing. Every year they were borrowing. Every year and then they were going to borrow this year. The PLP Government is going to have to borrow this year because of the OBA Go vernment. It was in the budget. And then they were going to borrow in 2018, all right? And then they said magically it was going to happen in . . . well, you do not know what was going to happen in 2019. Som ething could happen where you may not have been able to balance the budget.
Bermuda House of Assembly Our Premier and Minister of Finance has said that we want to balance the budget in 2019. We said it also. But we have got to go through this tax reform situation, we have got to look at some of the expenses that are occurring with the Government, and then we will deal with that . . . let me deal with that financial assistance. They were so proud to realise that they increased the financial assistance from X -dollars to two times X —$20- some million to $54 [million] or whatever it was . But there were no controls in place. What do I mean by that? What do I mean by that? I am saying that the Government . . . and I will use an example because I was Chairman of the Pub-lic Accounts Committee. Let me use an example. So $10 million was spent on medical or pharmaceuticals. And so I asked them, Has anyone gone out to see whether . . . I have got $10 million of expenditure but I am going to go to the three large pharmacists and say, Look, I’ll give you $7 million if you can give me a 30 per cent deduction? Give me 30 per cent deduction or 20 per cent deduction (because pharmaceuticals make a good profit margin), but I am going to guara ntee you will get $7 million this year or next year, whenever the budget is. They said, No, we don’t do that. We j ust go there and spend your . . . spend your . . .on your pharmaceuticals. So, yes, you increased it. But what I am sa ying is you could have put better controls in place to ensure that the Government was getting a fair deal and the people . . . individuals were getting an a dvantage because they were getting the benefit of bu ying the goods, and then the Government will get a better deal because at the end of the day it is about finding a way to reduction. So if we do not find a way to ensure and control that $54 million, we will be up to $60 million in a very short time.
Mrs. Jeanne J. AtherdenI would just like to draw to the Honourable Member ’s attention that you are right, that is the type of thing that the Government did. We went out and we bought all of our drugs related to the HIV and those drugs, we bought them through the Global Fund …
I would just like to draw to the Honourable Member ’s attention that you are right, that is the type of thing that the Government did. We went out and we bought all of our drugs related to the HIV and those drugs, we bought them through the Global Fund so that we reduced the cost. It is like we . . . it is no t that we do not understand that you should try and reduce the cost of drugs, and we actually did that.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerCarry on, Member. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: No, no, no, no, you missed the point. Was that for financial assistance? [Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: No, no, no, no, not all of them. My point is that . . . where did you store them? No, they went to …
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMember, talk to the Chair. [Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Some did and some did not. I am just saying that I think that the Government could have done a better job in doing it, and I am sure you will admit it. I am sure the Minister will …
Member, talk to the Chair.
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Some did and some did not. I am just saying that I think that the Government could have done a better job in doing it, and I am sure you will admit it. I am sure the Minister will admit that better controls and a better way of spendi ng money could have been done as far as being creative in how the funds are being spent. And I am thinking . . . I am sure that our Minister and Minister of Finance will make that happen. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker , we have the perfect opportunity —this Government —to put in place and to make sure that . . . we have a very strong backbench that will keep the Ministers accountable, as you are aware, Mr. Deputy Speaker , which I think the failure . . . or part of the failure of the former Government is that the bac kbench was one of the weakest bac kbenches I have ever seen. They never got up in Parliament, except for my good friend . . . they never got up in Parliament on many things and said . . . as far as keeping them accountable. Now they may have done something in caucus, I do not know. But there should have been more checks and balances in place to try to stop the Government from doing silly things moving forward. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker , again, I would like to congratulate the Premier and the team going forward for the things that I see that are going to take place. I am encouraged by the progress I have seen thus far. The Minister of Works, his movements in our schools to make sure our schools are in place. I am encouraged by the Minister of Tourism and Econom ic Development. I am encouraged by Minister Brown. I am encouraged by Minister Zane De Silva. I have not seen the Minister . . . I mean, you cannot put any fault at the Minister of Immigration. He has taken and made some tough decisions, but I b elieve in t he best interests of our Bermudian people by, as we said in our platform, by putting Bermudians first. And there is nothing wrong in doing that. Many times we . . . people . . . I mean, they have some policies in place, I believe, in Immigration that were just carte blanche. The business people would send an applic ation to Immigration and like it was almost approved without really any digging. I mean, do you think . . . I heard the Minister . . . no, I am not, you may be able to correct me with a point of order.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Point of order. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Okay. 80 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly The Deputy Speaker: What is your point of order?
POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: The Honourable Member is misleading the House. That is not accurate. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker , what I am saying is that I believe that our Minister of Imm igration is going to be tougher and fairer. Do you think that this is the first time . . . he gave an experience . . . an idea of a company gi ven a résumé of five individ uals. Do you think it was the first time? I do not believe this is the first time they tried it. They probably go back and file . . . they probably got the same résumé last time. That is my point. But the diligence of the Minist er and what he has done, I believe, has sent a message that we are a fair government. But we want to make sure that Bermudians are taken care of. So again, I congratulate the Government and we look forward to the progress that will take place very soon. I am sure the 100 days will be laid out by the Premier on what they will have accomplished in their 100 days and they have got . . . July, August, September, they have got another probably —how many days left? —20 or 30 days left. And I am sure that they will meet that target. I have never seen a Premier (and I have been around a few years) that has worked so hard, day and night. The Premier works day and night on making sure that Bermuda—
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYou have got one minute. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: How much?
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerOne minute. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: One minute. Moving forward . . . So, again, Mr. Deputy Speaker , before I take my seat, I compliment everyone and unfortunately I cannot go through the whole Throne Speech, but as the peopl e applauded the Throne Speech at the opening of …
One minute. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: One minute. Moving forward . . . So, again, Mr. Deputy Speaker , before I take my seat, I compliment everyone and unfortunately I cannot go through the whole Throne Speech, but as the peopl e applauded the Throne Speech at the opening of Parliament down here at [the] Cabinet grounds, I applaud the Government going forward. Thank you.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you. That is the Honourable Member from Hamilton Parish, constitue ncy 6. Any further speakers? There are no further speakers? The Honourable Member from constituency 21. Carry on.
Mr. Rolfe CommissiongThank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . Mr. Deputy Speaker , on July 18 th the people of Bermuda reposed their confidence in the Progressive Labour Party to be the Government of this coun-try that we all love, the country we call home. They reaffirmed their trust in the Progressive Labour …
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . Mr. Deputy Speaker , on July 18 th the people of Bermuda reposed their confidence in the Progressive Labour Party to be the Government of this coun-try that we all love, the country we call home. They reaffirmed their trust in the Progressive Labour Party to advance their interests in a way that they felt was not being manifested by the former Government . Mr. Deputy Speaker , you may remember that in this House shortly before that historic election, Mr. Shawn Crockwell, the Learned Member at that time from Southampton, gave what now can be viewed as his final will and testimony in this House. And he made two critical remarks that the country appreciated. He made remarks that resonated powerfully all up and down this country. The first remark (and I may be paraphrasing here) questioned whether the Government would be won at the next election due to things l ike the Amer ica’s Cup, the airport deal or a new hotel, or whether the Bermudian people would have a referendum on the OBA Government at the time revolving around the question as to whether they truly, indeed, cared about the people. Certainly the answer w as a resounding no. The other observation —keen analysis — coming from that Learned Member was that he made a revelation that it was not until he became a part of the Living Wage Committee that he realised that there were, indeed, Two Bermudas characterised n ot just by class, but also race, and the way the two intersect within our Island home. Now I just have to reflect on that because I was only three feet away from him, across the aisle, where we sat in our positions. And I will be honest; I have been pondering how a man that came from a black working- class family could have been in any doubt as to whether there were Two Bermudas. I am still searching for that answer. I am even thinking now that, perhaps, for some whose experience may be a little different t han mine, those who may have attended all -black institutions, grew up in largely de facto segregated all -black neighbourhoods, who never had any meaningful contact with whites and/or white Bermudians until they were adults or maybe went off to college, may be that can inform why he said what he said. For myself, who at age six being the first African Bermudian to attend a historic white school, called Mt. St. Agnus, in 1963, I had a fairly different perspective from a very young age. But nonetheless, he did acknowledge that there are Two Bermudas. Certainly, the former Leader of the OBA in an interview on the 14 th of September (found in the Royal Gazette), I guess in a way acknowledged it as well. When asked about the crit icism that the OBA did not do enough to help black Bermudians, he said it was a fair assessment, adding that he would have liked to have done more. Certainly, we were reminded during the campaign, by way of Marisa Baron and Monica Jones, that for black Bermudians the reality of Two Bermudas was not an idle thought. Who would have thought that in 2017 you would have an individual, again by the
Bermuda House of Assembly name of Marisa Baron, say the following (and I quote): “Well, not right now . . . you black people may think you run this island. Trust me, your stupidit y is laugh able. Just because you went into the bushes and came out with your inbred children ‘to get the votes’ does not mean you ‘run this country.’”
[Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair]
Mr. Rolfe CommissiongMr. Speaker , as a young boy I remember those same type of thoughts as being more common in Bermuda’s white community than we would care to admit. And when I say “young boy” I am talking about in the ’60s growing up. What was astonishing about this . . …
Mr. Speaker , as a young boy I remember those same type of thoughts as being more common in Bermuda’s white community than we would care to admit. And when I say “young boy” I am talking about in the ’60s growing up. What was astonishing about this . . . we are not talking about a Marisa Baron who is 70 years old. The woman, as I understand it, has not even seen her 40 th birthday. Where did she learn this? These are the type of comments that were directed against people like Dame Lois Browne- Evans and Roosevelt Brown and all the other leaders of this country. Where did she learn this? At whose feet as a young child did she take on these views of black people? And as she ci rculated amongst the OBA at their conferences and parties and social gatherings, did those black m embers of the party . . . did they simply shake their head when she gave a more sanitised version of these type of comments? Did they simply say, Yes, I understand, Marisa? Mr. Speaker , allow me . . . again, and I beg your indulgence, but this needs to be said. Monica Jones, a lawyer, comments in the Royal Gazette and I . . . you know, I just found that . . . I said to myself when I saw these comments featured on page 4 prom inently, I guess if you have a title “lawyer” by your name that . . . you know, cert ain privileges are just waiting upon you. But with Ms. Monica Jones the headline was “Are we building bridges or reinforcing walls?” She went on to say, “ teaching young black children to hate white men” —wow! She did not even say “white people” here. She said “to hate white men” —“will only handicap those children throughout life as they isolate themselves further from people who may, in fact, be bringing them advantages .” This Monica Jones here reflected in her comments the worst form of traditional Bermudian white paternalism. If I may, Mr. Speaker , we are talking about July 15, 2017. I will just read a paragraph or two. She said: “My friend was telling me he taught his threeyear-old son that the white man is the lion. In other words, he taught him to hate and fear white men. He is doing it because he wants him to be safe. I believe the result of this teaching will handicap his son because: • “He will find it more difficult to learn from white schoolteachers • “He will miss out on special teacher/student relatio nships that children [should be taking advantage of] • “His teacher will be hampered in trying to teach the son and in identifying special needs and talents • “He will be limited socially, as he will not feel comfortable in relationships with white chi ldren, as most have white fathers, whom he will fear and mistrust • “When he enters the workforce, especially that of international business, where many of the companies have their roots in North America and Europe, he will struggle finding men-tors and role models i n white males • “It seems very unlikely he will ever realise his full potential unless he finds a way to surmount the internal legacy of fear and mistrust he learnt in his own family.” These are the type of people that confirm to us the work that still needs to be done. And so when the Progressive Labour Party in its platform and in its subsequent response in the Throne Speech affirms that there are Two Bermudas, there are Two Berm udas. And we need to address it; and we will. Mr. Speaker , I just want to add finally, I will give a final quote from a man named Kevin Comeau who I thought had a seminal lesson for the One Ber-muda Alliance. He has never been a friend of the Pr ogressive Labour P arty Government. He has consis tently, even as he did very mildly in this article as well, attacked us since pre- 2012. But after the election he seemed to have had a coming home to Jesus m oment, I assume unlike Ms. Monica Jones, and unlike Marisa Baron (I s uspect still today) and in the Se ptember Royal Gazette he went on to write this: “There were two seminal events during the OBA’s tenure that were bound to roil black Bermudians: the OBA’s a ppointment of Michael Dunkley as Premier and the Pathways to Status fiasco that followed. “While it is impossible for a white person fully to understand the myriad of ways black Bermudians think or feel about these racially explosive issues, I would argue that it is incumbent upon all those who care about the future of Bermuda to at least try to gain some baseline semblance of understanding by putting themselves in the shoes of a black Bermudian for a moment. “While the result may well differ for others, I can say that if my ancestors had been enslaved and subjected to rac ial segregation for 350 years by a group of 40 families that controlled the country, and if I, myself, had been subjected to a racial glass ceiling for 25 years under a political party controlled by those same 40 families, there is no way in hell” —his word s, not mine, Mr. Speaker —“I would ever vote for any political party that was controlled by members of those 40 families.” 82 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly You see, Mr. Speaker , my point is that this is 2017, but the problem we have and will have going forward is that we are still living i n the world that Sir Henry Tucker created. The modern Bermuda and its political framework is still chained within the context that came out of the 1960s. And what do I mean by that? The drive for universal adult suffrage, the drive to eliminate the propert y vote (which unfairly advantaged particularly white Anglo- Bermudians), the drive to ensure that there would be a broader franchise (a movement that was taking place all throughout the then- British Empire) caused the white power structure in Bermuda to seek to answer the following questions: How can we adopt an all open franchise while at the same time maintaining our control and dominance over Bermuda? And thus, the then- UBP was born, a party whose raison d’être —unspoken, unacknowledged— was for the maintenance of white dominance and privilege in Bermuda under the guise of democracy, under the guise of being inclusive, under the guise of creating a one Bermuda. A party whose design has always been based upon the following: that it was g oing to keep white vo ters “on the reservation” (as they call it), while appending to that a significant minority of black Bermudian voters as a minority partner to mai ntain their dominance. Mr. Speaker , we have a golden opportunity now to put an end to that. We have had 50 years of being constrained within these bounds . . . these ropes that have strangled us and our development politically. It is time for us to move forward and beyond the world that Sir Henry Tucker created because it was a world that was designed to maintain white priv ilege deep into the modern era to the disadvantage of black Bermudians. Let us not be under any illusion here. That is why the Government now has a responsibility to tackle these issues. I am very happy about the Throne Speech response—or I shoul d say the Throne Speech—that was laid out by the Gover nment. I think that there is a lot to be commended. But I just want to tell my colleagues that unlike in 1998 the challenges we face now make the challenges that the class of 1998 faced seem like a tea party, they pale in comparison, some of it by our Member, Mr. Wayne Furbert, from constituency 6 was outlined, and I just want to take some time out to outline a few myself. We have an ageing population. I suspect that by the time we talk about the census coming out in another couple of months (hopefully) it will indicate that the average age of a Bermudian will be around about 46/47 years of age, it may even be a little hig her. That is a very ageing population. The cons equences of that are going to be significant and we are already on that train and there is no way to get off it. Fertility rates have been declining here for the last quarter century or more. We have a society where income inequality is moving to such an extent that it is causing significant damage to our social fabric —a shrinking of the middle class, particularly Bermuda’s black middle class. And I might just add the income inequality I am talking about really has its roots in the mid- 1980s, but it was deeply exacerbated by the great recession circa 2008, ’09 or ’10 when it really took grip in Bermuda. But my point is, Mr. Speaker , that the impact of income inequality in Bermuda, as I said, is causing a lot of impact on our social cohesion. But the negative consequences of it are being felt al l throughout the society. In those cou ntries where we have high levels of income inequality you find . . . what do you find? High levels of violent crime. You will find the formation of gangs, the organised criminal activities; you will find all of these things. You will find a shrinking of the middle class and a country whereby national income begins to be more and more mal -distributed, where the rewards in terms of income within the society begin to accrue to a ever smaller group of people, in this case, the owner of capital and those within the professional classes. And so, some of the structural reforms that are envisioned in the Speech from the Throne should not be viewed lightly, because these are the critical issues that we are facing. And I do not s ee a concom itant attention to these issues (and have not for some years) with respect to our current Government. Maybe that is because so many of those who back the Government, who support the Government, have benefi ted from the status quo. But the status quo is no longer working for the majority, or near majority, of Bermudians. I have said this for some time. And I have heard somebody else on our side—it may have been the Premier —paraphrase this, that if you get to a point where Bermuda is no longer work ing for Bermudians, then what is the point? This is what income inequality begins to do. It begins to hollow out your society. And after a while the society, over time (and we still have a chance I think to arrest these trends) begins to r esemble those soc ieties you find in places like Central America and further south . . . like you find in parts of Africa below the Sahara. Countries which are fairly small, middle classes, again, most of the rewards from the society in terms of income accruing to those at the top— professional classes, the owners of capital —and a growing, growing, swath of people who can only be described as “working poor” living in low income households. But in Bermuda what you see is an intersection not only between class, socio- economic m argina lisation and race, because that is in our DNA from 16, 18, 19 or 20 to the present, okay? That is why when we talked about what is happening with our young men . . . and if you notice, and Brother Swan here can—MP, new MP and congratulations to him —
Bermuda House of Assembly An Hon. Member: He is not new.
Mr. Rolfe CommissiongWell, for us he is. Over this side of the aisle, and he is welcome here. He knows from me, I have never articulated it as talking about gangs and gang violence, okay? Yes, we have a national security issue to address. The fact that we must ensure that there …
Well, for us he is. Over this side of the aisle, and he is welcome here. He knows from me, I have never articulated it as talking about gangs and gang violence, okay? Yes, we have a national security issue to address. The fact that we must ensure that there is safety for our pe ople, that they are not going to be negatively impacted (nor their property) by criminality. But at the same time let us be honest Bermuda, out of all the victims of gun violence, so -called in this country, all of them have been black except for one individual. There was a young white guy, a young white boy, a young man, a teenager about a year ago, he lived just on the other border from my constituency down there on North Parsons Road , he was living in government housing— only one. All of these impacts then from rampant and growing income inequality have been ring- fenced around Bermuda’s black community. That is why I do not talk about gangs. That looks like you are talking about s ome alien. But we are not. We are talking about the same at -risk young black men that I have been talking about for the last 20 years. I had a joke the other day. I had one of our newly -minted Ministers who . . . he is, I guess, just like the Premier. He i s probably going near 40. And he says, But Rolfe you’ve been talking about this issue for a decade. I looked at him and I just smiled because it is more like two decades because people can remember who are old enough —over 50 or 60— when I started talking about this issue, I always talked about what was happening with our young black men. And even that caused me grief among some black people, because I said the word “black.” Look at the outcome the other day, those two young boys up there—one of them is through mar-riage kind of related to me. Yes, they robbed those two people and they deserve everything they are going to get in terms of law. But what happened in terms of how the victims went over and beyond what justice demands and could have actually killed t hose two boys? And this is not misplaced sympathy, but I suspect that what took place in the court was just a consequence that they were two young black boys which led to some of the result that we saw. I am talking about not in what they did, but in terms of the outcome. And I am not afraid to say that right here, right now. And so we need to tackle that issue. We see that both parties —the Government, the former Government, the Opposition —claim that they too were determined and had signed or had been right on the cusp of putting in place a gang violence coordinator (is that what it is called?) to deal with the intervention in terms of gang violence. We know that our party, or this Government now, today, has made a commitment to do the same thing. But I jus t want to say this here. The OBA Government made two key promises back in 2011 or 2012. One was the 2,000 jobs, of course, which we never saw. (Mr. De Silva agrees with me on that, the Minister.) And they also, by way of a candidate I de-feated in the 2012 election (who they later put in the Senate), made a grandiose claim that they would be the champions to eliminate gang violence. They touted Operation Ceasefire. Where is it? We did not hear any more talk about it right until at least three or four months before the present election. It disappeared after 2012 right to the present. I understand now he hurriedly made sure that he could sign a contract that would entail the beneficiaries of that contract, Oper ation Ceasefire, being able to receive fees over a mi llion dollars per year —and if I am wrong, I stand to be corrected— locking them in even while his Gover nment was being locked out, and now find themselves in Opposition. But this is what I want Bermuda to understand. We have to focus on the front end. And let me give you an example. Jahcari Francis, a young boy, when he was shot two days after the election in the midst of this euphoria, and god forbid . . . heaven forbid, that should serve as a very powerful wake- up call for us about the nature of the challenge we have before us. He was 20 years old. That means that Jahcari Francis was born probably in 1998, okay? Would that be correct? Born in 1997. Within months the Progressive Labour Party, near the end of the year, became the Government for the first t ime. By the time he would have been seven, eight or nine you would have had the beginning of the pr oliferation of the gun violence, although I would think that if you go back for me, as an amateur historian, we are talking about a trend that really begins with the horrific shooting of Shaundae Jones —I might have his name off a little bit —up in Dockyard, going back to that period, okay? But this young man would have been only about seven or eight years old when this phenomenon really began to become more prolific. The question is, what did we do? His life spanned not only a PLP Government, but the OBA Government. And our failure to tackle this at the b eginning of the process is what is hindering us, you see, because all of this is coming out of these low i ncome—most of it —poverty stricken neighbourhoods in Bermuda. Yes, we do have poverty growing in Ber-muda. Have any of you been canvassing over the last three months? Do not tell me it does not exist. We are seeing it in ways that Bermuda has not seen in over seven decades, going back to the 1930s. We need to tackle this from the front end. Mr. Speaker , how much time do I have left?
[Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Rolfe CommissiongGood. 84 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly So, if we know that income inequality is pr oducing this fruit, unripened, dropping from the vine, represented by our young black males, we know it is creating a proliferation of low income households characterised by economic vulnerability, …
Good. 84 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly So, if we know that income inequality is pr oducing this fruit, unripened, dropping from the vine, represented by our young black males, we know it is creating a proliferation of low income households characterised by economic vulnerability, particularly if they are single parents; then why would we be surprised with these result s? Even the education system . . . I had a conversation with some educators before the election and they want to talk about all their fancy new programmes. And no disrespect to them, I said, Listen, studies are now confirming that one of the surest predict ors of educational outcome is the socioeconomic status of the student. Come on! And you have a public education system — again, go back to what I said 15 minutes ago. I was the first black male to attend a white public school coming from a Bermudian middle- class family. But that started a migration of mostly middle- class pa rents—with the exception of what was going on at Berkeley —of sending their children to these private schools. And so you have a public school system which now is overwhelmingly catering to Bermudians from low - to lower -middle income households. I am not being deterministic here by saying that these are the only outcomes or these are the only causes of these outcomes, but believe me they do play a key role. And so we have a historic opportun ity, but it is not going to be easy for us to turn this ship around. Like I said, there are no more easy choices. And our Premier over the next few weeks —a great young man, a great new leader for this country . . . we should not try to undermine him. I hope he is listening. We need to support him, not uncritically, but in terms of objectively, support him. Because the challenges we face are just immense, and not just the local challen ges, but also those strategic and global challenges that have the potential to alter the way of life that we have enjoyed since the 1980s. That is what time it is. Mr. Speaker , I think the Speech from the Throne provides a fitting template—
Mr. Rolfe Commissiong—for our ability to begin to address these structural and systemic issues, including the unfinished business of racial equality in Bermuda. And we should not . . . we should not back off or be fearful in addressing them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Commissiong, thank you. Does any other Member wish to speak? I recognise the Honourable Member from Southampton [East Central], Ms. Leah Scott. You have the floor.
Ms. Leah K. ScottThank you , Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker , first of all, I would like to compliment all of our parliamentary colleagues who were successful —returning and new MPs. I would like to congratulate you on your appointment as the Speaker.
Ms. Leah K. ScottAnd Mr. Burgess on his role as the Deputy Speaker. Mr. Speaker , I am not here to pick apart the Throne Speech. I think that there are going to be enough people that do that or will have done that. I think that the Throne Speech does have some …
And Mr. Burgess on his role as the Deputy Speaker. Mr. Speaker , I am not here to pick apart the Throne Speech. I think that there are going to be enough people that do that or will have done that. I think that the Throne Speech does have some innov ative initiatives —some are new, some were started u nder the OBA —but all of them are for the betterment of Bermuda. Mr. Speaker , there is none so deaf as he who will not hear. On the 18 th of July the electorate spoke loudly. And while it was a disappointing loss for the One Bermuda Alliance Government, I view it as an opportunity. It i s an opportunity for us to do things di fferently. It is an opportunity for us to change. And yes, we did stimulate the economy. Yes, we did do some things to facilitate an economic turnaround. But the truth of the matter is that the end of the day the peop le of Bermuda did not care about that. What they wanted was to feel included, to be heard, and to be respected. Mr. Speaker , in 2012 when the OBA was elected, when we had our first session of Parliament, the then- Opposition Leader was Marc Bean. And one of the things that he said to us was that during their administration the PLP had made some mistakes. And he encouraged us, as a new Government, not to make those same mistakes. On the 18 th of July the people of Bermuda showed us how wrong we got that. Therefore, I would encourage this Gover nment to do what they said in both their platform and the Throne Speech. And that is: to make a fairer Bermuda for Bermudians; and also to put Bermudians first. There is a great opportunity to make positive change. I wo uld encourage them to ensure that they comply with all instructions, financial and otherwise, to make sure that they handle the public purse with i ntegrity, and to treat people with compassion and dign ity. I intend to work with my substantive Minister of Transport and Tourism. The Minister of Tourism and I have already had a conversation and I have agreed to try to work together collaboratively. Any di sputes that we may have we would like to settle outside of Parliament so that every time we come to Parli ament our discussions will be wholesome and fruitful and we will not waste time and energy going back and forth on silly disputes. My intention is to be collaborative with this Government to the degree that they will allow me to be. I will also hold this G overnment to account and ensure that they do keep their promise of creating a fairer Bermuda and of putting Bermudians first. I pray that the new Opposition Leader and the Premier will set a tone from the top that is not hostile
Bermuda House of Assembly and acrimonious, but one t hat is positive and collaborative and one that we can all work together. For the past four and half years we have shown the people a level of immaturity that as professionals and leaders we should not have displayed and I hope that as we go forward that wi ll change and that we will all be able to work together for the betterment of Bermuda because I believe that is why we are all here. People are expecting us to be different; people are expecting us to do better. It is [up to] all of us to promote effective, fair and mature leadership and we have the chance to change the course politically into a new direction. I think that there are some good ideas in the Throne Speech. And I think that we cannot just bat an idea down because it came from the PLP. That does not make it a bad idea; it makes it one that we all have to work together to achieve because we all have to be here, we all have to be together. So I would ask all of us in this House to work together and to be the change that this country wants and needs to see. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you for your comments, Me mber. Does any other Member wish to speak? We recognise the Honourable Member from constituency 36, Mr. Michael Scott. Honourable Member , you have the floor. Hon. Michael J. Scott: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What an honour it is to defend the 2017 Throne …
Thank you for your comments, Me mber. Does any other Member wish to speak? We recognise the Honourable Member from constituency 36, Mr. Michael Scott. Honourable Member , you have the floor.
Hon. Michael J. Scott: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What an honour it is to defend the 2017 Throne Speech of this new Government following the events of the general election in July. What an honour it is. So, Mr. Speaker, how do we reach the Vision 2020 that we plotted and gave statement to in Oppos ition benches through successive Throne Speeches and Budget Statements, and now, Mr. Speaker, as reconstituted and reiterated in this magnificent stat ement which was delivered on the grounds of the Cab inet in 2017? May I say right away that the idea has not been because of our circumstances that we currently face both fiscal and . . . largely fiscal. This is not an effort or a major initiative to trivialise the fiscal challenges that we face in Bermuda in 2017 but to r ecommit and rededicate ourselves to the proper management of these fiscal challenges. And in the hands of the Premier and Minister of Finance I know, I am confident, and all of the Members of the Government benches are confident in his ability, guided by the well-meaning and well -intended people of this country to ensure that we have a successful outcome in dealing with the fiscal affairs. But we need to do that in conjunction with a sensible and responsive response, Mr. Speaker, to the needs of Bermudians. Mr. Speaker, I am reminded of a speech I heard very recently in the caucuses of the PLP, by a distinguished senior member, where we were remind-ed that the legacy of that party is the legacy that is reposed and reposited in the members of this Pr ogressive Party to keep carrying forward and not to be forgotten. The legacy of our founding members, Mose Allen, Mr. DeJean, Mrs. Thompson, Mr. Quinton Bean, Ryo Richardson, the men and women who are our founders, these principles of progressive politics, justice, fair play, the economic development of the working and labour classes of Bermuda—black, white, or both races —these are our mandates. This was the legacy, Mr. Speaker, I mean to say, handed to us by our founders and to which we must remain true. So, how do we deal with envisioning and delivering on this vision? We do it by lowering the cost of living, Mr. Speaker, by dealing with and grappling head on in a bold fashion, the way that Lord Pitt urged us to do in 1971 when advising us of his recommen-dations and giving us guidance to act boldly in shaping our future by attacking monopolies in this country through wise competition laws across all areas of economic activity so that we create a fairer outcome . . . create more producers amongst the black me mbers of this community that conjoin and combine with the current status quo of producers in this country, which are principally white, that we exact from this new growth of new producers, innovators, from our young people to our existing entrepreneurs, mergers, we produce cooperation that will inure to the safety, security, peacefulness and unity, racial, economic and socially in our country. Dealing with monopolies in this country is a critical key plank in delivering the vision that has been stated in the Throne Speech of 2017. Mr. Speaker, a liveable wage and its implementation is also one of the spokes in the wheel to this vision’s delivery. Reform of education (as the speaker who just completed his presentation on the defence of this Throne Speech has indic ated) . . . education— obviously and plainly —and the strategic reforms that are contemplated by Minister Rabain are part of the package of spokes in the wheel for the delivery of the vision contained in the Throne Speech. Preparing our human capital, making it possible for our human capital to have the guarantee, even, the reasonable pr ospect, even, Mr. Speaker, of having engaged in pre paration in education, technical and otherwise, having the reasonable expectation, or the assured expect ation, that their pr eparation, training and readying of themselves for this community and for this economy will result in their being adopted and absorbed meaningfully in the economy. That is connected closely, obviously, with the outlay by our parents for their children in education and training of our youth. And we need to stop the disparate and uneven selective advancements that we have been seeing of certain set members of the r eturning students getting placed in sensible, well - meaning, well -paying, rewarding jobs, [while] in [other] cases [there is] no advancement of our young people 86 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly and those who are just engaging in re- tooling . . . no advancement of them into the lifeblood of this econ omy, uneven advancement of our human capital into the lifeblood of this economy. Foreign worker advancement over Bermudian human capital [has been] occurring in our economy. These are the legacies that we have been facing, and it is a game that must come to an end. It is a game that very singularly the Throne Speech is aimed at ending, a nd it is the reason that I commend the Throne Speech initiatives. Not so much a renaissance that is going on, but it is a reformation, a restatement of very tried and tested policies of the Progressive Labour Party from the days of our founders, Mr. Speaker (whom I mentioned), to the present carrier of the mantle and leadership of this Party, our Premier David Burt, and his able front bench and ministerial team who will and are committed to delivering this vision. Mr. Speaker, under the first topic of cost of living in our country, we have had some stories told about it. Many of us have lived it. I recall reading about it historically in . . . I th ink it was Mrs. Barbara Harris’ book, and it may have been Professor Quito Swan’s book, that the major developm ent in this community of the spike in the cost of living took place in the 1970s. What else was happening in the 1970s, Mr. Speaker ? Well, in our fine country, in our fine nation, Mr. Speaker, the rise of the working class was occurring. Labour laws were being introduced onto the books in response to an advocacy by the Progressive Labour Party of that day calling for better treatment, respect and advancement of labour. The development and growth of the working class and promotion of l abour rights and the s tability in our society of that construct was leading to a growth of a black middle class, and these were good days for us. But they were frightening for some—for the ruling class of this country, the white ruling class of this country. It was frightening. Co-occurring with the policy of cost of living spike in this country, co- occurring with it in the 1970s (and I remember this well as a young practising attor-ney) was the dumping of illegal Class A drugs into Bermuda. Now, and I have said this before in t his House, it was an agenda that was both deliberate and diabolic, and maliciously intended. But the dumping of Class A drugs will have had but one objective: to di slocate families, to stop a generation of Bermudians, and to spawn what we now have today as this awful state of gang violence, drug territory protection, killing of our lifeblood and young people in these internecine battles. And I do not say this or reprise this development in the 1970s with any embarrassment or apol ogy. The drugs . . . when I talk about the dumping of Class A drugs into this country, it was deliberate. It was dumping. It was organised, and it was funded. And it certainly was not funded by black traffickers. The young black traffickers who we found becoming connected with the arm of the law enforcement in this country were mere pawns in a funded— well-funded— creation of the reality of purchasing Class A drugs in large quantities, at costs that could never be met by the small traffickers on the streets, but only by those who had the capital and funds to do it. It resulted in, as I say, this dire consequence that we face which, predictably, was going to result in this, and this is why it is so diabolical. So, Mr. Speaker, the impact of this policy was to foment the breaking of a generation, to place stressors on the black working class and the growing black middle class. It was to degrade and postpone this 1970s development. Think about Radnor Road. Think about houses that were being built out of the incomes of our men and women who were involved in the hospitality industry, working hard, raising families, sending kids off to school, to university, with an expectation. These elements have come to a screeching halt. Today we see them occurring in an erratic fas hion and under the stress of the change of our society. This glide path of these progressive events on the Island that was developing in the 1970s, but was ha ving serious pressure being brought to bear on it, was an opp ortunity; it was the vision which we now seek to address in 2017 of creating more black producers, black entrepreneurs, black innovators who are occurring across the country, to align with the existing Front Street entrepreneurs, the “Front Street Boys” as they are called, or the “Forty Thieves” . . . that was the pr ospect that was possible, but which was postponed and then crushed. So the vision, no wonder, in this 2017 Throne Speech articulated, reiterated between 1998, really, and up to the loss of Government 2012, is today man-dated again by the voters of this country, our second mandate to carry on this vision. I am proud to stand here with my colleagues to deal with this mandate. I have no illusions about the fact that it must be a mandate delivered in conditions that require the management of the fiscal picture, but it must be done. And how should it be done? It is being done with the ope ning days of this Government taking on the small matters and doing the small things that matter to people. People have said to me, post -election and during the election, j ust do the right things for people and they do not have to be large capital projects. Mr. Speaker, they cannot be large capital projects funded by or sponsored by government. It was not possible, it was not appropriate. It was thoroughly inappropriate and irresponsible for large capital projects to be mounted by the OBA Government in 2012. But pros ecute them they did through the then Minister of F inance Bob Richards, the former Honourable Member of thi s House. I recall in one budget he laid out about 10 fi scal stimulus packages. We all remember them —some
Bermuda House of Assembly type of litany. They included the America’s Cup, hotel construction. It included the waterfront in Hamilton build- up. It included . . . so, America’s Cup, hotel building, hotel construction, the waterfront . . . and obviously the Financial Secretary said to him, Well, Minister, you know, you cannot pay for this. None of this can be paid for by this Government because of the debt we face. And so that is why it was inappr opriate. But despite these warnings by his civil servant handlers, he pressed on with the airport . . . Oh, the airport was obviously the other one. He pressed on with this airport deal. Certainly, he funded out of go vernment coffers the A merica’s Cup deal. All of these things were irresponsible. And the airport deal, notwithstanding the sorcery of language that that former Minister of Finance sought to persuade us of —that it was costing us not hing—is costing us a great deal; a great deal that we cannot afford. So, it is not to be done . . . that error is not to be committed. We get on with doing things that matter to people. I will list those things shortly in my presentation. Mr. Speaker, the other spoke in the wheel dealing with compet ition, access to capital to invest is a right of both a right -thinking initiative or an aspirant in our country, and this has been an area where we have failed miserably. We have seen monopolies con-tinue to thrive. We have seen banking institutions fail to make available capital and investment capital to other than the normal or traditional holders of the means of production in this country. Occasionally, s electively they have made access to capital possible. And whether it is across the board of capital to build domestic housing or a commercial enterprise, our banks have singularly failed to be honest brokers, encouraging brokers, and encouraging institutions to aspirants of creating new producers of both capital and businesses in our country. This must ch ange. This is part of our vision across former Replies to the Throne Speech in Opp osition and Budget Replies. But we take it up in this Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker, happily on page six where we are looking at means —and I am glad to see it present —the best m eans by which to expand banking options available to Bermudians and to increase the opportunities available to finance their legitimate aspirations in society. They are pleasant words, but with sensible policymaking they can be crafted into a thorough, eff ective, strategic policy of identifying new sources of lending in our country so that the trials and tribulations and the unfairness, frankly, of banking practices today . . . to help drive innovation across members of this community who have deep and wonderful and useful innovative ideas, plans to expand this economy to create more jobs and take advantage of and be given a lift with the absolutely necessary financing that is needed. Mr. Speaker, what we also saw in this country in the 1970s, in addition to labour laws protecting our people, the growth of the black middle class, the growth of the labour classes in this country was a very significant development of a bank that was the Bermuda National Bank, or the Provident Savings and Loan Bank (it turned into the Bermuda National Bank). It was all consistent with the growth to which I have been referring. It was all consistent with the black r enaissance, though certainly that was a renaissance which caused great consternation in this country and was later —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberMr. Montague Sheppard. Hon. Michael J. Scott: Yes, Mr. Montague Sheppard behind it. It was an opportunity for black bankers, as directors and shareholders, to go home to their f amilies and say, Today we advanced the initiative in our banking operations along lines of progress . But what happened? …
Mr. Montague Sheppard.
Hon. Michael J. Scott: Yes, Mr. Montague Sheppard behind it. It was an opportunity for black bankers, as directors and shareholders, to go home to their f amilies and say, Today we advanced the initiative in our banking operations along lines of progress . But what happened? That bank was eventually wound up. Also, on the scene encouraged by the banking band wave that was taking place was Sir John Swan, and his charter was executed to the point of readiness for implementation. But it is the clearest of evidence, Exhibit A, if you will, of the energy to crush these initiatives that Sir John’s charter was willingly by him bartered away. The bank that was in operation was wound up. But can we focus just on the 1970s and 1980s picture that was ours, that was once a reality in our country and has slipped away. The replacement, Mr. Speaker, the thing that has replaced it has been a most prominent display during the last four years where people have literally said we have been under siege. Remittances revolution is now commonplace. Remittances by foreign workers in our country living on slave wages here (but great wages in their countries) [which] are being sent back . These are the dislocation` ns that we found. These are the reasons why the Opposition who now occupy that side of the House were rejected, because they were presiding over the virtual march away from the 1970s and the march away from the visions of the f ounding fathers and mothers of the Progressive Labour Party to such an extent that peo-ple really have said that the country needs to be turned upside down. A young lady said just this to me: This country, Mr. Scott, go and make sure that you turn it upsid e down. Now, this was not a call to disruption. It was a reflection of how badly side up we currently have reached and that we need to be righted again. And to do it we have to turn this country upside down. We turned it upside down through these kinds of visions in the Throne Speech of 2017.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerFive minutes, Member. Hon. Michael J. Scott: My, how time flies. 88 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly So, Mr. Speaker, I said that the Throne Speech of 2017 represents reformation, a restatement of things we have been saying for many years and that we have …
Five minutes, Member. Hon. Michael J. Scott: My, how time flies. 88 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly So, Mr. Speaker, I said that the Throne Speech of 2017 represents reformation, a restatement of things we have been saying for many years and that we have an opportunity —thank you, Lord—for a second mandate from the voters of this country to d eliver upon, and we must deliver upon it. We must not disappoint. So, I was therefore pleased as I spoke about how we need not engage in irresponsible fiscal prac-tices of trying to raise major capital projects and facil itating them. Something certainly must be done about the Aecon contract to claw it back. But to watch the Minister of Public Works and the Minister of Educ ation, the Minister of Health or the Minister of National Security start off on their 100- day programmes, the first of readying the infrastructure in our schools so that our children return to schools that make them feel proud, driven and stimulated to start their new year in, resonates with the mothers and fathers and caregi vers of those children. Mr. Speaker, to have watched the education strategy, the good thinking—and careful thinking, I trust will be the watch word—going into education, strategic reforms in this country . . . I have heard Members try to pour cold water on what we seek to do. As long as we think strategically and carefully about education reform in the country, we will come out good. Mr. Speaker, close consultations with our u nions so that we ensure that part of our progressive legacy of ensuring that we uphold and champion the rights of workers has also been part of the opening 100 days of all Ministers with those responsibilities — the Minister of Home Affairs comes to mind, in partic ular. Mr. Speaker, redressing and reversing drugs, guns and social and economic stressors in our coun-try that were introduced in the 1970s —redressing it, removing it from our midst (Mr. Commissiong, the Member for Pembroke, was speaking of it) can take a number of iterations. It is not simplified by calling it gangs. The presence of drugs, the recent introduction of the presence of guns to enforce the drug deals and the social stressors that it has been placing on our community will be —must be—redressed . . . must be redressed . . . and that is the responsibility, frankly of the whole of the Executive, but it falls on the Minister of National Security to structure that response b ecause family dislocation is not acceptable. New sources of lending, new regulation of monopolies, better re gulation of all, and good gover nance across all of Government, including of this House, has been set out on page 16 of the Throne Speech by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Government reform, these are all good restatements of the way that we are go ing to use governance and good governance to ensure that we create the best platform for accountability in our country. Banking practices certainly need to be looked at. The courts and the administration of justice, the constant use of and improvement of the mental health court and the drug court and the family court to deal with the recovery of children’s maintenance arrears, as the Attorney General has recently committed herself to, are all part of the vision. These are the i mportant things, the little t hings that stabilise a nation and that cause a people to say we will continue to trust you. Decriminalisation of the small amounts of cannabis when presented in this House and its policy was made clear to redress the unfair prosecution of a specialised sector of this community has been included in this Speech. And so this reformation agenda of the Progressive Labour Party, Mr. Speaker, is our v ision. The last administration put this country under considerable siege and, Mr. Speaker, I conclude in this way —
[Inaudible interjection] Hon. Michael J. Scott: Is that it?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou are going to hear the buzzer. You have about four seconds. Hon. Michael J. Scott: All right —four seconds? [Timer beeps ] [Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThat is it. Thank you, Member, for your contribution. Does any other Member wish to contri bute to the debate this evening? Any other Member? I recognise the Member from constituency 2, the Honourable Kim Swan. Honourable Member , you have the floor.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanThank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker, I would like to once again congratulate your good self on your role here as Speaker of this Honourable Chamber.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Member. Continue on.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanAnd I would like to also congratulate the Progressive Labour Party on an outstanding victory at the polls. In fact, congratulate the people of Bermuda for seeing the wisdom of doing such. I want to say this, Mr. Speaker — Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Yes?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerUh, uh, uh, uh. Quiet down. [Gavel]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanI would consider . . . I would like to consider this my maiden speech. [Laughter]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanI know some will say no, no, no, no. But I can remember my maiden speech was some 10 years ago . . . was actually the Throne Speech Reply. The S peaker: We will consider this your maiden speech on your return
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanAnd, indeed, I consider myself born again. And as those who believe in such know that you must cast yourself of past robes and clothe yourself according to new beliefs and philos ophies and principles. So, I consider myself born again, Mr. Speaker . And for my purposes, this is …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou have been down in the water, eh?
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanI, Mr. Speaker, want to say that I myself, and also our Progressive Labour Party team, have spent four and a half years in the political wilderness. Contrary to how some would portray that, I would say from one who has toiled in the political vineyards many years myself, personally, …
I, Mr. Speaker, want to say that I myself, and also our Progressive Labour Party team, have spent four and a half years in the political wilderness. Contrary to how some would portray that, I would say from one who has toiled in the political vineyards many years myself, personally, I know that the Progressive Labour Party did good work as an Opposition. A critical eye would look at the way in which the Progressive Labour Party held themselves, con-ducted themselves on Parliamentary questions during the past four and a half years. It is my contention that they did as well as any Opposition in Bermuda’s hist ory during that period, Mr. Speaker . I listened on the radio. I never came up here, but I listened, and I was in awe of how prepared the Members were as they carried out the people’s bus iness. And those who are our detractors would have you think that the voters of this country are foolish and do not have a mind of their own, that they are sheeple and they drink Kool -Aid. Let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, as one who has been raised by many a hotel worker in this country as a young boy, by one who has been raised by many a carpenter or mason, as one who even when I sat on the other side looking into the sun has to give thanks and praise to the plumbers who gave me work, Mr. Speaker , I have to say that we have to take into consideration how the people of this country feel on issues, Mr. Speaker . I must say that I am . . . some people . . . my mate would say I am somewhat chafed by this Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker . I think it is a good one. I think when you look at the title in itself, it says “Building a Better and Fairer Bermuda.” Any inquiring minds have to ask themselves, Well, why would a Government coming in want to build a better and fairer Bermuda in the first place? And w hy would such a Throne Speech attract so much applause? Look, I have been around a little bit. I ran in 1983 when I was 25 years old. I did not get elected until I was 50 in 2007. And the good Lord saw it fit for me to come back, reborn again, in 2017. You tell me a time, Mr. Speaker, because you were around in 1980 and 1983 and 1989 and got in the House in 1989 . . . you tell me, Mr. Speaker, what other Throne Speech was so well received in the hi story of Bermuda? You tell me. And I want to say, Mr. Spea ker, it was not because the Honourable Premier just came up with the words that resonated with the people. It is because for four and a half years and right through the election campaign we were connec ted with the people. And when you are connected with the people, Mr. Speaker, they will tell you what needs to be said. And that is something that I think that, you know, every Member of this House needs to take to heart. I want to commend one of the Opposition Members who spoke, the Honourable Member from up there in Southampton. She did not speak long, but she had a different tone— quite different than the tone of the Throne Speech [Reply] that drew many objec-tions in the early stages, of which you had to speak to at the end, Mr. Speaker . I just want to say t hat we sometimes make the mistake of thinking that we know it all and the voters know nothing. Unfortunately, the governance that Bermuda experienced over the past four and a half years acted in that way, Mr. Speaker . They did not take to heart how the people felt. And as a consequence, one Honourable Member who spoke earlier said they had things in train. But on July 18 th, from their perspective, it was a train wreck! And you would not expect us just to pick up that train wreck and go on the same train wit h that. No! Absolutely not. You have to take stock and we have a responsibility to the voters [who] voted us in and to those who did not as well, as [we] represent all people. But with all due respect, you would not have had the unprecedented protests in t his country over the past four years simply because an Opposition wanted it. No. You had it because of the way in which the Government acted. Their actions spoke volumes and caused people . . . let me say this, Mr. Speaker . It is mentioned in our Throne Speech pointedly. It was December 2 nd, in that . . . and I was very happy . I cheered when this was said. I believe it is in the early stages when the Throne Speech made reference to 90 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly December 2nd and revealed that it would be looked into. And it needs to be looked into comprehensively. There is more unsaid than said, and we owe it to those persons. Let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, I knew many of the persons who were there found themselves nearly crushed. I would venture to say that the average age was older than me, and I go 60 soon. And so many persons in our community deserve to know what really went down that day. You know, you just cannot come here and ridicule in one breath what civil disobedience means and then quote Mahatma Gandhi in another voice —not to say that it was done so today. You know, Gandhi was a lawyer. He went around the world well -meaning, ended up in a place and found himself having to stand up against the sy stem. No different than persons who protested in Ber-muda. While we might trivialise (or persons opposite may trivialise what those persons stand up for), let me remind persons that for the most part there were many issues, but when immigration in your country is done so that within a five- year period, Mr. Speaker, the people that elected one Government in 2012, the whole cosmetics (for use of a word), the whole demographics of the electoral roll could be shifted to shift the balance . . . that is worth protesting for, Mr. Speaker . It is worth protesting for. And I am here to say that any j urisdiction would have found persons protesting if they knew that to be the case, especially those of us who sit here and know that all is not equal in Bermuda. It is not. I know, Mr. Speaker, having been one who has contested six elections over 35 years since 1983, that there are persons who sit in this House who know that whether or not they knock on doors, or are good canvassers, they are going to win. Some of us have never had that luxury, Mr. Speaker. Some of us have to travel a different uphill road. The path is tilted against some people. It is not equal. And whilst, you know, I may be fortunate enough to have been one to experience that unequal balance, it pales in compar ison to those elders who are 75 and 80, and even the gentleman that was in this House today who is 101 years [old] who knows what it really means to be up against an unlevel playing field. And whilst you keep going along doing the status quo and trivialising politics, we are politicians elected to do political business. If you want to do business, go work for your company or go form one. I say that respectfully, because we need businesses in our community. But politicians are elected to repr esent the political concerns of the people, and if you think governance in this country is ignoring those people, then you are doing them a disservice and you should take the advice of Mahatma Gandhi and go somewhere else and contribute —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberHear, hear! Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. Swan: —as you told that Minister that was there helping him (some advice that a former Member of this House told me to tell some people 10 years ago). Tell them to go somewhere else and help! I say that respectfully, Mr. Speaker, because …
Hear, hear! Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. Swan: —as you told that Minister that was there helping him (some advice that a former Member of this House told me to tell some people 10 years ago). Tell them to go somewhere else and help! I say that respectfully, Mr. Speaker, because if we are going to come here, we have to reflect reality. And reality is, Mr. Speaker, that on July 18th the shareholders of this company —the country . . . people understand that language more than they understand what they are actually doing. The shareholders of this country issued a mandate: Take what I feel to heart. And let me say this for persons who dare not respect the electorate of this country. This country is polarised. I have been saying this for years in private and in public forums. Okay? This country is polarised. It is polarised economically, it is polarised socially, we have 9 to 5 integration, okay? The people of this coun try who have really gone out of their way to int egrate is the black community. Look at all the instit utions in this country where blacks move towards, [then] our white cousins and brothers and sister s move away from. We have got to address this in a real way. We cannot have a country where 70 per cent of its people—not 70 per cent of its census (and that is another story for another day, you know, of A frican descent), and you cannot look around econom ically and see that representative in any leadership places. It is not right. It is socially unhealthy. And you know often you used to hear persons say well we are better than my cousins down in St. Kitts and Anguilla. Well, when the hurricanes miss us and hit them we might be better off . . . but we are family. We are family and we have not really captured the essence of that family for cooperative economic purposes. And we need to look in that direction. We really do because we cannot have baby Zinzy coming up here in 10 or 15 years’ time talking about economic empowerment. We need to have young Dennis Lister III coming up here in 20 years . . . I remember those speeches of Member Commissiong. I remember the Honourable Swan, you know, following him. And I am proud to say that the Lister family has grown from just having an insurance agency to a big company in f inance. You need to have dreams. You need to have a vision. Do not let nobody . . . young people, if you are listening today, do not let no one tell you that it is not good to have a vision or a dream. Where would I be without one? Lord help me, still up in White Hill playing euchre— good euchre, too. [Laughter]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanMr. Speaker, I would encourage persons coming here today in a r ole unlike that of which I am blessed enough to be able to help a Government for the first time in my political career. All my years in Opposition . . . now able to assist and Bermuda …
Mr. Speaker, I would encourage persons coming here today in a r ole unlike that of which I am blessed enough to be able to help a Government for the first time in my political career. All my years in Opposition . . . now able to assist and
Bermuda House of Assembly help a Government. And I am so happy to be on a backbench; very happy to be ther e. Carry the water; sit on the bench, if necessary. But let me say, it is time for . . . as people used to tell me, it is time for sol utions. It is time to take a page . . . and if you want an example, go back and look at some Throne Speech replies and som e Budget replies from 1968 to 1997, as I did when I first came in the legislature, and look at the solutions that an Opposition put forward and the Government . . . there is nothing wrong with some good solutions and bringing them here and the Go vernment t aking them up. Nothing wrong with that. That is called politics. But let me start with this. Let me start with the Throne Speech and say Bermuda First Think Tank. It is a good opportunity for collaborative contribution, most necessary in Bermuda today, Mr . Speaker . It was one I am very proud to have participated in as Leader of a former Her Majesty’s Opposition, one in which I collaborated with, indeed with the former Premier of this country, Dr. Brown. Although we may have butted heads across the aisle, w e worked collaboratively, and there are many things that you had to do to work through that because it was for the good of the country. And why was Bermuda First introduced in 2008? Why? Because Bermuda went through the worst recession ever. The worst time ! And through the efforts of the then head of HSBC at that time, and also the US Consul General at that time, Bermuda was able to enlist the assistance of all of the top exec utives in industry in Bermuda, international business and local business. That needs to happen again. And persons out there in the private sector hearing my voice, you heed to get on board and help this Pr ogressive Labour Party the same way during this time because the remnants of that recession lingered on a long time. And those in pol itical opposition, present speaker included, for political reasons would have had you think that, you know, to get to a billion dollars was all because of bad decision -making. No! If you go into a recession where companies start downsizing and exiting, it is easy for an Opposition to blame it on the Government. You know, one of my political mentors (I will not call his name) used to say, Listen, you are in O pposition. You do not have to be responsible, you know. You know, tickle ’em up. But let us look at it. If a Government enters into deficit spending because of the worst recession that this country has seen for 30plus years . . . a quarter of a [billion] dollars times four is a billion dollars. Now, I am not saying that is how you got there, but I want you to know that there were contributing factors to that. And I am saying that in the context of Bermuda First. We need that type of collaboration today and we need it forthwith and we need the help of the Opposition to participate. Why would a country lik e Bermuda need a li ving wage in the first place? There are too many ex-amples of Bermudians working but not being able to make ends meet. Any person that comes to this country from overseas . . . one thing they know [is that] they are going to have somewher e to stay, they are going to have some insurance coverage, and if their family is back overseas they could work maybe 50, 60 hours, get some sleep and go right back there. Any Bermudian trying to have a family is discouraged from doing that. We have got t o address that in a real way. We cannot have a country where Bermudians cannot af-ford to live in it. And after the worst recession and a Government that did not consider the people in the way in which it carried itself out that . . . in a way to convince people that they did something that said, Okay, we lowered the threshold of the tax you would pay . . . give me a break. That is not right. It has not been right, and so we, Mr. Speaker, really, really, rea lly need to address this in a real way. Child and F amily Services was mentioned in our Throne Speech and Financial Assistance. All of these intertwine in a real way. When your focus is on the people, you start to grapple with that it is just not one piece of legislation that can be brought. It is going to certainly take an ethos that ties into education that is going to address this. So when you have a Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker, that speaks to the fact that sporting clubs are going to know that they can receive some real assistance, some tangible assistanc e on a consistent basis . . . not just, you know, oh, wave my hand, I got the grant this year from the proceeds. No; a sustained support system. Then you can start look-ing at the type of social services that need to plug into those types of organisations, Mr. Speaker . I know [from] knocking on doors there are workers in this country who can offer us a great deal of good valuable input, whether it be input through us in the backbench or [input] directly to the Minister, that is going to help this Government that cares about people address their real concerns because any fam ily that is living below the poverty line in this community is really an at -risk family. And the statistics will show you that the middle class is shrinking every day. Shrinking! And when you have that happening in our society, Mr. Speaker, it puts us all at risk. The Honourable Member , Mr. Commissiong spoke, as well he should, in his constituency and that of the Honourable Whip, the Honourable MP Weeks, and MP Roban, and certainly on the outskirts of MP Brown’s constituency and others . . . the gang vi olence certainly has been in great proliferation and affected those families. So, we certainly need to put our resources into combatting and making no apologies about being a socially conscious, socially minded Government because we are a labour party and wor king-class people have put us there. People who would bake cookies because they . . . if they could, they would write the cheque. The love offerings up and 92 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly down the country, Mr. Speaker, are what we need to appreciate. Mr. Speaker, on that same vein, public transportation, in my estimation was a candidate targeted for privatisation. Best way to privatise something or to rid yourself of something is to defund it! Defund it! And we need to c ertainly do what we can, and that has been mentioned here and certainly in our Throne Speech. Good governance, Mr. Speaker . And I know, Mr. Speaker, as you appointed me to one of your committees already (thank you), and good gover nance has featured in our Throne Speech, as a Member of Parliament here I certainly look forward to participating in good governance. We even have a Mini ster whose role is good governance, and she can count on me, the Honourable Member from constituency 3, St. David’s, Ms. Foggo, a long-serving Whip for the then- Government and the Opposition, now for the Government. A Minister in good governance can count on support in the implementation of a code of conduct, as necessary, parliamentary oversight com-mittees . . . and, Mr. Speaker, let us not forget the CPA benchmarks that were introduced. I remember in another life tabling a motion to that effect, Mr. Speaker . It is important that we look at modernising our legislature to be able to pr ovide the necessary support. We talk about the le gacies of Bermuda. But it was not that long ago that the majority of persons that were in this House came from the ari stocracy. So, it was not necessary, really, Mr. Speaker, to have the type of machinery that is required today, where Members of Parliament come from diverse backgrounds —as they should! But, we certainly need for Members of this House to have the necessary support that is equivalent and consistent to what takes place in other juris dictions. And as I wind down, Mr. Speaker, let me just say—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou have just under five minutes.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanOh, my time is impecc able today. So why do you not just give me another 15, Mr. Speaker ?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNow, now . . . you are on line and length. Continue. [Laughter]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanThank you, Mr. Speaker, I am guided. Mr. Speaker, in this Throne Speech I think the Honourable Premier was speaking directly to me.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanUnhealthy foods and the impact that they would have on a community. More of us, Mr. Speaker, for whatever reason, can benefit from a change of mind- set when it comes to the choices of what our intake is. In a younger me (a long, long time ago), I was …
Unhealthy foods and the impact that they would have on a community. More of us, Mr. Speaker, for whatever reason, can benefit from a change of mind- set when it comes to the choices of what our intake is. In a younger me (a long, long time ago), I was far more active in my sporting trade and was able to burn off all those calories and think twice about what the intake was as it related to that performance. But to change the mind- set of a country who does not co nsume their foods with that in mind (of i t being fuel for the body and the mind) . . . I think we have a cha llenge on our hands. Just yesterday I looked at a plate that had . . . I went to a function two nights ago as well. You know, there was the great macaroni and cheese, lots of cheese. There were two types of rice . . . and at that time, Mr. Speaker, you know where my mind went? Where is the potato salad? [Laughter]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanAnd while I make light of that, Mr. Speaker, those of us who pass on those traits down the line are o nly fuelling future generations to be candidates for diabetes and other diseases that run rampant and are prevalent in our country, Mr. Speaker . And I really feel …
And while I make light of that, Mr. Speaker, those of us who pass on those traits down the line are o nly fuelling future generations to be candidates for diabetes and other diseases that run rampant and are prevalent in our country, Mr. Speaker . And I really feel that the effort must be made to curb that, to make it more attractive for persons to appreciate the importance of walking instead of going there, and the importance of their diet.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanAnd I speak from exper ience, Mr. Speaker, and I speak very seriously. It is a national problem, and we have to do our part . Even if it means that persons in an economic position may say you are hurting me. But you are hurting we, too and that …
And I speak from exper ience, Mr. Speaker, and I speak very seriously. It is a national problem, and we have to do our part . Even if it means that persons in an economic position may say you are hurting me. But you are hurting we, too and that is where our responsibility . . . Mr. Speaker, in closing, tourism is a very i mportant subject to me as a member of legislature and in my trade. And let me say, Mr. Speaker, that this little mention of encouraging more dwelling units and encouraging persons to turn a portion of their home into a dwelling unit, whilst it is also touted that it will create some construction work, it may very well be the type of solution that will help Bermudians get a greater stake in the tourism industry. Some 35 to 40 years ago up and down the country, Mr. and Mrs. Bermuda were a part of the tourism trade in that way and opted to move towards international company business for those long- term rental units that this brought. Today, with our greatest resource in tourism being our pe ople, bar none, we need a way to engage more people in the tourism industry. That is one way. And making sure that we see more B ermudians in management is another way. Mr. Speaker, I see you looking at your clock. I just want to say thank you for allowing me this opportunity to give my version—
The SpeakerThe Speaker—you managed your time very good. Any other Member? I see the Honourable Member Mr. Smith from constituency 31. Honourable Member , you have the floor.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberMaiden speech.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThis is his maiden speech, yes.
Mr. Ben SmithMr. Speaker, I would like to speak directly to the sport —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberMicrophone, microphone.
Mr. Ben SmithI would like to speak to sport and the impact that sport has on the country. We cannot mi nimise the impact that sport can have on a society. Most countries have embraced the idea that sport has a very important role to play in a country. Obviously, we have …
I would like to speak to sport and the impact that sport has on the country. We cannot mi nimise the impact that sport can have on a society. Most countries have embraced the idea that sport has a very important role to play in a country. Obviously, we have heard a couple of times tonight people talking about the health benef its and the things that we need to be doing as a country because we have, in essence, a sick country; a country that needs to be healthier. They need to work out more. They need to get more active. That is som ething that we need to start at a young age. We need to have our kids engaged in sport. But it is not just the physical part of sport that is important. There are the ideas that can be given to young people by coaches, by people who are involved in a positive portion of their life. As somebody that has been working in sport for the last 24 years, I know that you can have a huge impact on a young person’s life. When you have this opportunity to stand up in front of young people and talk to them about what they can do, goal setting, commitment, dreaming about their future . . . I think it is important that we start to support the people that are doing this on a day -to-day basis. There are a lot of coaches and managers and officials that have volunteered a lot of time over the last generations for us to s ee the results that we have been seeing from a very small country on a world stage over the last few years. Bermuda, as a small country, has been punching way above its weight performing in our region within our national sporting governing bodies across the world with world champions in multiple sports. There is now an opportunity for us to understand that we can build off of those succes ses. One of the mistakes that I believe has been made is a lot of times we look for our expertise from overseas. We have people in Bermuda who have been living this life, who have been working hard for Bermuda, representing the country well, teaching our young people. And we need to now start to have those people understand that they are supported. It is not just financiall y, but financially is important. The responsibility of sport has become even bigger because we have so many social ills in our country now. There are so many problems with our young people that we need to take this opportunity to have those young people understand that we have positive people in our country that can help them. So, my thought for this is that we have athletes that have gone around the world and have had great accomplishments worldwide. We need to spend time looking at those people to talk to the next generation. I will give you an example. Roy -Allan Burch, who accomplished more wins in swimming compet ition than any person who came before him. In his last year of competition, he blew out both of his knees. He could have given up, but he looked at it and said, I want to represent my country at the Olympic Games . It was the dream. I want to give back. I want the next person (as he would have said) in Somerset to realise that they can do what I am doing. Rather than making a choice to sit on the wall or hang out with the people that are doing what most of society is not looking for our country to do, he said, I want to represent the country at the highest level and be an example for the next generation. So, he fought back and he worked hard, and i n a year he was able to hit the qualifying time. But we should be telling that story in our schools. He is an example to many of the positive i mpact that can happen from people who grew up in this country, who worked hard and did everything that they could to get to the next level. But here we are. Multiple persons have asked him to speak in the US. He is travelling in different parts of the US to speak to young people in their country because they see the i mportance of his message. What I am saying is we need to start to understand that this message . . . if you are a young person in Bermuda, it makes more sense for you to hear the message from somebody that grew up where you grew up, who lived what you lived. They understand all the struggles that it is going to take to get to that next level. We also need to make sure that we are giving the support to the people who are giving this tireless work. Without asking for accolades, they put in the time to make sure that our young people are going to be success ful. We also need to make sure that we are in a situation where we hold up our athletes and young people that are doing well. We are more likely to see the bad decisions that are made. We are more likely to see the mistakes that are made than we are 94 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly to see the people that should be an example for the next generation. Mr. Speaker, I believe that we have a country that has a lot of young people who are looking for somebody to help them, to guide them to the next le vel. But with all the changes in our society, some of the coaches, some of the people who are working with our young people need now to have more guidance. They need more help. They need more support because they have to fill multiple roles. You are not just a coach anymore. You have to make sure that you are talking to them about nutrition, about strength and conditioning, the sport psychology. A lot of times you are the parent. You are making sure that they have got food. When you have that many things weighing down on these people that are giving t his positive message to our next generation, we need to make sure that we are supporting them so that they have the energy to continue on that path. Mr. Speaker, most countries have figured out that sport can lead to great things within their country. The national pride that happens when a national team is representing Bermuda . . . anybody that has been to a football game when Team Bermuda is playing, an yone that was at the America’s Cup and watched our Team Bermuda, which was brought together from di fferent walks of life, from different sports and were challenged to reach the highest heights and were able to win against teams that had been training multiple years before them . . . you could see the pride in the country. Mr. Speaker, I believe that giving more support to sport and giving more support to the people that can give that positive message to our young people is something that we should all be getting behind. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member , for your comments. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDoes any other Member wish to speak? I recognise the Minister of Education. Minister, you have the floor. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and welcome. And thank you to the listening public that is tuning in to this very important Throne Speech debate. But, Mr. Speaker, …
Does any other Member wish to speak? I recognise the Minister of Education. Minister, you have the floor. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and welcome. And thank you to the listening public that is tuning in to this very important Throne Speech debate. But, Mr. Speaker, it is obvious. From where I stand it is almost impossible. As a matter of fact, it is virtually unfathomable to take anyt hing that the Opp osition has said today about education seriously. Unfortunately, I find myself here having to waste time addressing erroneous statements. Unfortunately, if, when the Opposition was Government, they had act ually taken the time to pay attent ion to education and the state of our infrastructure, we would not be here listening to the rubbish that they have produced. They have the temerity to stand here today and pollute our and the public’s ears.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerKeep it clean, keep it clean. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Do not worry, Mr. Speaker, I will bring it back.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay, thank you. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: I am just a little upset at what I actually had to read today.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerStay on point. Keep it clean. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Speaker, the strategic plan that I spoke about this morning was initiated by the Board of Education. Again, I reiterate. If the former part-time OBA Education Ministers —I believe there were four in four and a half years …
Stay on point. Keep it clean.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Speaker, the strategic plan that I spoke about this morning was initiated by the Board of Education. Again, I reiterate. If the former part-time OBA Education Ministers —I believe there were four in four and a half years —understood an ything about the Ministry, they would know that the Government cannot initiate the process. It starts at the Board of Education. So, to suggest that this plan b elongs to the One Bermuda Alliance highlights the nar-row sightedness that this Government had —this former Government had— and why they are not sitting as Government today. Mr. Speaker, this strategic plan belongs to the people of Bermuda, not the One Ber-muda Alliance. Mr. Speaker, something else stands out in their Throne Speech [Reply]. Why do we not look at page 12, Mr. Speaker ? You know, the One Bermuda Alliance talks about they are disappointed that their efforts to install Wi -Fi in the school was not acknow ledged. Well, Mr. Speaker, let me fill my colleagues in. Let me fill in the listening public on the progress that the former administration did make with Wi -Fi so they can get the credit they rightfully deserve. Mr. Speaker, you will know that in the 2017 Throne Speech it was announced that Wi -Fi would be active in Purvis Primary and East End Primary b y the beginning of the school year. Well, colleagues and listening public, Purvis and East End Primary put in a request for Wi -Fi in March 2017. It was installed under this Government. It went nowhere under that admi nistration. And let me explain why they put in those r equests, Mr. Speaker . Purvis had wireless devices donated to them that sat in their computer lab useless because they did not have Wi -Fi to use them. At East End Primary, there is a student that is visually impaired that had a laptop donated for his use that required Wi -Fi. So, if the One Bermuda Alliance wants credit for what they did to install Wi -Fi, there you go. Take the credit. You did nothing. You did nothing for our children and they stayed with this equipment that required Wi -Fi from
Bermuda House of Assembly March 2017 when they first requested it until September 2017 when this Government made it possible. So, you know, when I read this, Mr. Speaker, I just wondered what was going on. But I can understand. When you are a part -time Minister, when your Government gives part -time attention to the Depar tment of Education and the Ministry of Education, these are the types of things you produce, this . . . absolute rubbish. Mr. Speaker, putting this in [their Reply] is something they are just trying to score some political points with. But I am here today, unfortunat ely, having to tell the truth of what really, really had to happen. So, Mr. Speaker, again, in the Throne Speech [Reply] on page 12, [says that] the OBA Government had entered into an agreement with a new wireless Internet company to provide Wi -Fi services to all of our schools. Mr. Speaker, this is not only erroneous, it is completely incorrect. There is no agreement that exists. But I will let the public know what they are r eferring to. So, let me address that statement. Mr. Speaker, the previous administration was approached by a new Internet company called Bluewave who presented them with a proposal to put Wi -Fi in our schools —a proposal, not an agreement, a pr oposal, Mr. Speaker . Nothing was signe d. I repeat, nothing was signed. In fact, Mr. Speaker, two other companies have approached the Ministry of Education with a proposal. But, Mr. Speaker, when I came into this pos ition and we talked about . . . the first thing I asked is What is going on w ith this Wi -Fi? I heard about Blu ewave, blah, blah, blah, and then the other companies came on board. But guess what, Mr. Speaker ? The first thing I asked for, as any intelligent Minister would ask for, is What is our Internet policy within our schools? To my surprise there is not one. It does not exist. So, we cannot put unfettered Internet access within our schools without an Internet and Wi -Fi policy in place. In fact, when this Government —who intends to follow every single rule . . . and we will get to not following the rules as I see the Member leaving the Chamber, we will get to that . . . When we follow the rules, the rule is that when we get unsolicited pr oposals, we send them to the Office of Project Management and Procurement and they came back and said—what? Guess what they said? We cannot judge any of these proposals because you do not have an Internet policy. So, Mr. Speaker, that is what we are working on, an Internet policy, because under the pr evious Government we would have had services i nstalled without any sort of checks and balances in place to ensure that the service being installed was delivering exactly what we wanted it to deliver, and that is an enhanced education product. So, continue to print erroneous statements like this. Cont inue. That is the reason why you are sitting over on that side. Now, Mr. Speaker, I understand in the rush to produce an election ploy, you know there were hasty movements to get this Internet, to say W e are doing something, after hearing [the PLP] say W hy do we not have Internet in our schools, why do we not have I nternet in our schools? As our Throne Speech stated, Mr. Speaker, we will have Wi -Fi Internet installed in all of our primary schools and middle schools by the end of the school year, period. A nd it will be done properly. It will be done according to the law, and it will be not done because we know someone who knew som ebody who might want to install antennas on our schools. Now, Mr. Speaker, a lot has been said about the state of our schools a nd about our infrastructure. As we stated, we will conduct a comprehensive buil ding survey of our schools —a proper building survey. Anyone who is in construction, anyone who is an en-gineer, anyone who knows anything about buildings [knows that] a proper building survey is not a cursory report, as the school report was. And I knew we were going to hear about the school report, Mr. Speaker, because that is their shining glory. But what they do not realise, and what they have not realised, and what they probably would never realise, [is that] the school report . . . and when I say try to use the school report to close schools, there is a reason why it failed. It failed because it is not a report that talks about what truly needs to be done with the infrastructure. It pr esents no data of what needs to be done, what it will cost to do it and how it can be done. Until we produce that, all we are doing is spinning our wheels. We need solid evidence to give to people to say what is it going to cost to bring this school up to scratch. That is what we need. Not a p olitical report that was done for political ends that, like most things that the now -Opposition presented when they were Government, failed. Simply failed. Like I said, Mr. Speaker, we will be doing things by the law. We will be doing things within the remit of the parameters that we have been given. Right now we are dealing with a case, Mr. Speaker, where apparently someone on that side, one of the Members on that side and then two of them (one in the Chamber, one has left) decided it was okay to verbally give a school agreement to say Go do those renovations, we will find you money . They are no longer the Government now and the schools now find themselves scrambling to find money for the repairs that someone over there verbally told them go ahead and do—over $200,000 worth of repairs, Mr. Speaker . Not one Cabinet paper put together —not one. Look at the estimates . . . just go do it and we will find the money . That is the type of opposition we had when they w ere in Government. They talk about this side and the way we manage our finances. That is what they were doing and that is what they were caught doing, with their pants down, Mr. Speaker . 96 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, our schools will be inspected properly. Our schools wil l have proper health and safety inspections done. Our schools will have proper maintenance done, and our parents, our teachers and our students will be very confident to know that they walk into schools knowing that their health and safety has been protect ed by this Government. Mr. Speaker, education is not a joke. Educ ation is an area that needs to be taken very seriously. The fact that we have had four Ministers in four and a half years from that side indicates how serious they take the education of our children. This Government has committed to education and putting the resources behind what needs to be done, and I make no apol ogies for that. Our students will get the best. Our st udents will get the best that we can afford to give them. For far too long our students have been the recipient of inadequate resources due to the previous admi nistration’s desire not to put our children first. Mr. Speaker, on July 18 th that side was rendered a verdict. A verdict that said we do not like what you do. We do not like how you have done it and we want change. When I read this . . . no lessons were learned. They did not understand that they were u nceremoniously dumped from Government. They are probably going back . . . when we used to say they will be a one- term Gov ernment if they continued down the path and they have not reflected on that. The only good thing they have done, Mr. Speaker, is recognise that that party will never, ever win with the former leader that they have. He is now what, 5- 0 as a leader of a part y in elections? Is it 5- 0 now? 0- 5?
An Hon. Member An Hon. Member[In] 2007. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: What 2007? 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017. He cannot even get a referendum right. Well, we know that narrative. Mr. Speaker, we owe our students 100 per cent. We owe our students 100 per cent of everything that we can do to make sure …
[In] 2007. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: What 2007? 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017. He cannot even get a referendum right. Well, we know that narrative. Mr. Speaker, we owe our students 100 per cent. We owe our students 100 per cent of everything that we can do to make sure that they have the best start in life, and this Government is the Government to do that. Everything that I have read in this statement highlights what the previous administration did in their four and a half year experiment as Government. Nothing has been said today that can even begin to suggest that they have learned a lesson, and they have learned a lesson from that spectacular defeat that they suffered on July 18 th. Mr. Speaker, after hearing our Throne Speech and the Opposition’s Reply, I am confident that the listening public are even more certain that they made the best decision that they could ever make on J uly 18 th. It is time for our students to come first and that time is now. Mr. Speaker, the PLP has clearly demonstrated that they are the one Government that has commi tted to do so, and they have always continuously committed to being the Government that will put our children first. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I am happy to stand here and say Dellwood Middle School will be open on Monday and all rooms that were deemed, or ignored, by the previous administration have been certified as safe for human occupancy. That is what we are about, Mr. Speaker, putting the shoulder to the wheel and do what needs to be done for the children of Bermuda and their education. Something that that side cannot even begin to hang their hat on and say that they even tried, Mr. Speaker . Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Does any other Member wish to speak? I now recognise the Honourable Member , Mr. Cole Simons, from constituency 8. Mr. Simons, you have the floor, Honourable Member.
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsThank you very much. Thank you very, very much. Mr. Speaker, I had planned to start my presentation on a different matter, but as the Minister of Education has just spoken, I think I will just go d irectly to Education. The way he spoke, one would believe that the …
Thank you very much. Thank you very, very much. Mr. Speaker, I had planned to start my presentation on a different matter, but as the Minister of Education has just spoken, I think I will just go d irectly to Education. The way he spoke, one would believe that the public school education is not producing anything positive at all. Truth be told, a number of st udents within our public school systems, be they pr ivate school, preschool, middle school and secondary schools, are doing really, really well. Can we do things better? Absolutely, we can do things better, Mr. Speaker . But, people would lead us to believe that our schools are not getting any resources. You would be led to believe that nothing is being done to advance the academic standards of this country. If you went to the graduation classes, if you went to Berkeley’s graduation, like I did, if you went to CedarBridge’s graduation, like I did . . . our school output measures are phenomenal. We have young people going to universities and world- class instit utions —world- class institutions —in Canada, the US, and the UK. Mr. Speaker, those students have met international standards. Mr. Speaker, if you look at the Bermuda College, you have the dual enrolment. We have young people who are getting associate degrees before they get their high school degrees. Again, a testament to what is going on in our public school education. So, I have listened to the Minister, and he can come down hard all he wants. But look at the output measures and tell me how you intend to improve them. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman, the Minister of Education, in his Throne Speec h talked about the middle school and how they are going to possibly phase it out over time. Well, Mr. Speaker, tell me . . . you tell me what empirical evidence this Minister has brought to this House or presented to the people of this country that would demonstrate that middle schools are not positive for our young people. What is
Bermuda House of Assembly happening to the students in our middle schools? Are they not up to scratch? Are the schools not perfor ming? And if they are not performing, what support are you providing them t o ensure that the middle school system that we have in place produces outcomes that will get the best for our middle school students? I would like to hear that. You cannot say you are going to look at elim inating middle school and then present no empirical evidence that they are damaging our young people’s academic careers, Mr. Speaker . And, if you are not satisfied, I think it is incumbent upon you as the Education Minister to ensure that those schools get the support, that those teachers get the support that they can basically provide the output and the quality of education that is needed for our middle school students. So, I ask the Minister to revisit and provide more meat on the bones so that this community can understand why they feel it is a necessi ty to phase out our middle school tuition and education. Mr. Speaker, we cannot talk about education without talking about teachers. Mr. Speaker, teachers are an integral part of education, as we all know. And I think they need more support as well, Mr. S peaker . I have to admit, I sat in the Ministry of Education as the Minister for four or five months, and it was an eye - opening experience for me. The Minister talked about part-time Ministers. Well, this part -time paid Minister did a full -time job and spent full- time hours in that seat.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberAmen.
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsSo, what you do in your full - time, I did in my part -time pay. [Laughter ] [Desk thumping]
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsMr. Speaker, let us get back to the teachers. Mr. Speaker, I am very sympathetic with the teachers in that the collective bargaining agreement has taken quite a while to consummate. Mr. Speaker, like other professions, these professions should be honoured. There should be dignity brought to this profession. And …
Mr. Speaker, let us get back to the teachers. Mr. Speaker, I am very sympathetic with the teachers in that the collective bargaining agreement has taken quite a while to consummate. Mr. Speaker, like other professions, these professions should be honoured. There should be dignity brought to this profession. And i n my humble opinion, I cannot understand why it has taken so long for the teachers and the unions and the stakeholders to agree on this collective bargaining agreement year after year after year after year.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of order.
The S peaker: Member from constituency . . . would you please yield? Minister, you have a point of order? POINT OF ORDER
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Yes, Mr. Speaker, the point of order is I want the former Minister to explain to us how he can make that statement when the teachers issued a work to rule under his Ministry when he was in charge which was lifted under this administration.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Member from constituency 8, Mr. Cole S imons, you have the floor. Continue.
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsMr. Speaker, at the end of the day, we are in the 21 st century and we have to basically have international teaching standards. And I believe that we need to do more to improve the standards with the input of our teachers, with mentor teachers, we need to have …
Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, we are in the 21 st century and we have to basically have international teaching standards. And I believe that we need to do more to improve the standards with the input of our teachers, with mentor teachers, we need to have high per forming teachers and we have to have programmes that provide support and get the best out of our teachers. I have heard very little in the Throne Speech in supporting our young teachers. In addition, I would like to ask the Government to consider a profes sional development centre for our teachers and administrators where they can get pr ofessional development, tailored training, and provide resources where they can grow and be the best that they can be. Again, not a thing mentioned in the Throne Speech on professional development, professional development centres —
POINT OF CLARIFICATION Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of clarification.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWill you yield, Member? Minister, you have a poi nt of order? Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Yes, Mr. Speaker —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order or point of clarification? Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of clarification. If the Minister would be so kind as to go and read our platform it spoke to schools of excellence for teachers. So, it is something that is on our radar. The Throne Speech is …
Point of order or point of clarification?
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of clarification. If the Minister would be so kind as to go and read our platform it spoke to schools of excellence for teachers. So, it is something that is on our radar. The Throne Speech is something that can be accomplished within the 12 months that go between Throne Speeches, Mr. 98 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Speaker, and we are only going to put things in there that we know we can accom plish—unlike that side—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAll right, thank you. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: —that they did not accomplish at all.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Mr. Simons, please continue.
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsThat gets to my point. If we are talking about education, a key component of edu-cation is the teacher. And the teacher should have as much prominence and priority as the students and the plans. And, so whatever you do in the first year — Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: …
Mr. N. H. Cole Simons—somewhere in there should be a plan for the development and support of our teachers. POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motives] Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of order —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Simons, hold on. Mr. Simons, are you going to yield? Minister, your point of order? Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of order is the speaker is imputing improper motive. That Member is imputing improper motive. If the Member would remember the strategic plan, if he was actually at …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMake your point. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: —the strategic plan speaks exactly to what he is talking about within the first year of implementation.
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsBut as he said, if this was important for education, teachers should be having more prominence in the first year of the PLP Gover nment. If you believe that this should be part of the strategic plan, you can say in your Throne Speech, Teachers, we have not forgotten you, …
But as he said, if this was important for education, teachers should be having more prominence in the first year of the PLP Gover nment. If you believe that this should be part of the strategic plan, you can say in your Throne Speech, Teachers, we have not forgotten you, we are working with you in the strategic plan and the issues that are important to you will come out in the plan. But again, no mention in the Throne Speech about what they are doing to support our teachers to get the best of our teachers and position our teachers to be the best that they can be.
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersPoint of order.
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsSo, he can talk about his manifesto all he wants. [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerHold on, hold on. Member, Mr. Simons, are you going to yield? Okay, your point of order? POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motives] Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Once again, that Member is imputing improper motive. Again, if he could read, and if he did understand anything he would see …
Hold on, hold on. Member, Mr. Simons, are you going to yield? Okay, your point of order?
POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motives]
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Once again, that Member is imputing improper motive. Again, if he could read, and if he did understand anything he would see in the Throne Speech it says the strategic plan will be i mplemented by September 2018 and he would know that the first year of the plan involves raising teacher standards. When you are a part -time Minister, you would not understand these things.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, Mi nister, when you make your point, just stay on to the point. You do not need the side little comments in this debate.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerExcuse me, take your seat, Minister. Madam Opposition Leader, do you have a comment you would like to make to me? Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: I beg your pardon?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDo you have a comment you would like to make to me as a Speaker? Hon. Pa tricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: I was speaking to myself.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOh, well, if you speak to yourself, say it so the rest of us do not hear it, please. Thank you. I did ask the Minister when he was on his feet to stick to his point. Do not make side comment s that are not necessary to make his …
Oh, well, if you speak to yourself, say it so the rest of us do not hear it, please. Thank you. I did ask the Minister when he was on his feet to stick to his point. Do not make side comment s that are not necessary to make his point of order. Did I? It
Bermuda House of Assembly does not need your comment to support what I have to say. Thank you. Mr. Simons, continue.
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsMr. Speaker, as the Minister has just indicated, the strategic plan is not f inished. The strategic plan is still developing. So, how can one say this is what we are going to provide the teachers with in the strategic plan when it is currently being drafted? It has not …
Mr. Speaker, as the Minister has just indicated, the strategic plan is not f inished. The strategic plan is still developing. So, how can one say this is what we are going to provide the teachers with in the strategic plan when it is currently being drafted? It has not yet been finalised, so how can he get up and say this will be done for the teachers in 2018 knowing fair well that it is still being developed — input is still being drafted in addition to having all these public meetings, and so it is not final. So, not hing—
[Gavel]
Mr. N. H. Cole Simons—nothing has been presen ted to demonstrate that the teachers have been a ddressed at this point during the Throne Speech debate. It has been silent and we will assume nothing, and that is why I am presenting this issue the way I am presenting it. [Inaudible interjection]
Mr. N. H. C ole SimonsMr. Speaker, the same thing applies to our principals. We want to support and we encourage the Government to support our principals. We want to encourage them to embed service standards throughout their schools and the departments. We want perf ormance goals, and we want to ensure that those schools …
Mr. Speaker, the same thing applies to our principals. We want to support and we encourage the Government to support our principals. We want to encourage them to embed service standards throughout their schools and the departments. We want perf ormance goals, and we want to ensure that those schools are run with efficiency and that the teachers are accountable and the principals are accountable for good performance. And that may mean giving principals more autonomy. It might mean allo wing them to consider hiring their own staff. It might mean basically having principal mentorship pr ogrammes. You have new principals, you have exper ienced principals, you have principals that have been around for years, and I think people would learn quicker and hav e a better in- depth knowledge of what is expected of them if they had a robust principal mentorship programme. So, I encourage the Minister to look at that as well. The STEAM programme, as was said in the Opposition response, Mr. Speaker, we agree that it should be given at the primary school. We want to applaud the Bermuda College for supporting trades and the STEAM programmes. We know the STEAM programme is already in the middle schools. We know they are also in the secondary schools. So, we have no objection to the Government presenting the STEAM programmes in the primary school. As for Bermuda College, we would like to see them have more articulation programmes, and we would also encourage the Government to give the college support so that they can have a broader selection of bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees i ssued from Bermuda though various articulation pr ogrammes from world- class universities here that are interested in working with our Bermuda Government. Mr. Speaker, the other issue that I would like to raise is the issue of preschools. Mr. Speaker, I would also encourage the Government to consider . . . and I think it is going to probably be, it may be, in the strategic plan. We may consider having a curriculum for preschools so that whe n our young people trans ition to primary schools through some performance standard, there are behavioural criteria, there are some academic standards that have been met, so the students go into primary school better prepared. As we know, the foundation ye ars are truly the foundation years and form the cornerstone for the rest of our young people’s education. As a consequence, we encourage the Government to have a preschool curriculum. In addition, we also encourage all four - year olds to be registered in a Bermuda preschool so that these young people can have the best foundation. There is a creative curriculum that encourages and develops creative thinking, cognitive thinking, and confident thinkers. Again, this is all embedded in the preschool curriculum, and we encourage the Gover nment to continue with that. I know that a number of schools have started that and I want to applaud them for the work that is being done in that space. Now, I would like to address some of the i ssues that were raised specifically . The Minister spoke about Wi -Fi, and I have to admit a couple of points I give him credit for. But when it came to Bluewave, I never said that we had a contract. I said we had an agreement. They came to us, we agreed in principle that we would work with t hem in exchange for an arm on the tower, and they said as part of the remuner ation package they would basically provide free Wi -Fi to our schools. It was an agreement in principle and more work was being done to develop a contract.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabai n: Point of clarification, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe Member has chosen not to yield this time. Let him continue his point.
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsBecause I am explaining what happened. We had an agreement in principle with Bluewave, and the Government and I had charged the Ministry of Education to draft up a contract so that it could be final. When I left, that contract had not been completed. And so, yes, I agree …
Because I am explaining what happened. We had an agreement in principle with Bluewave, and the Government and I had charged the Ministry of Education to draft up a contract so that it could be final. When I left, that contract had not been completed. And so, yes, I agree that there was no contract; but there was an agreement in principle to move forward, and that is what I am speaking to. 100 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly You also mentioned the Internet policy, the Wi-Fi—
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of order. Point of order.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWe will take your point of order. POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motive] Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Again, the Member speaking is imputing improper motive. There is no agre ement in place. There was nothing signed.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, Minister — [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, Minister, Minister, I think the former Minister was trying to give an explanation. He did agree that there is not a signed contract in place. He is giving his explanation as to where it was when he left. I was trying to let him finish so that we can …
Minister, Minister, Minister, I think the former Minister was trying to give an explanation. He did agree that there is not a signed contract in place. He is giving his explanation as to where it was when he left. I was trying to let him finish so that we can get a full explanation on that. Can we let him finish so that we can get a full explanation? Thank you.
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsAs I said, in business, before you enter a contract officially you have to have an agreement on something, and an agreement in princ iple on what will be covered in the contract. And, so, as I said — Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of order. There is no …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI have not recognised . . . I have not recognised your point of order, Minister. So please do not continue. I am trying to let the [Member] get through this so that I can get an understanding b ecause I know you have concern. If he can explain it …
I have not recognised . . . I have not recognised your point of order, Minister. So please do not continue. I am trying to let the [Member] get through this so that I can get an understanding b ecause I know you have concern. If he can explain it maybe we can get a better judgment on what he is saying before you jump up the next time. I am just trying to get him through his explanation.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: I do apologise, Mr. Speaker, but he—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThat is all. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: —he did say . . .
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsNow, let me m ove on to a nother point. So, I am not going to waste more time trying to repeat myself because it is taking up my time. The other issue that the Minister just raised is that there was no Internet policy or Wi -Fi policy in …
Now, let me m ove on to a nother point. So, I am not going to waste more time trying to repeat myself because it is taking up my time. The other issue that the Minister just raised is that there was no Internet policy or Wi -Fi policy in school, and that is what he was w orking on, and he was asking how we can have all these services pr ovided if we did not have an Internet policy or Wi -Fi policy. Well, I acknowledge that makes sense. But Berkeley Institute already has Internet and Wi -Fi. C edarBridge has Internet and Wi -Fi, and you just said Purvis and East End Primary will have Internet and Wi-Fi shortly. So, how is it that they can have those services and yet there is still no Internet policy, as you said?
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsNo, you have had your time. I am continuing, because I do not want to run out of time. [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, if you are not speaking to the Chair, you have to keep your comments to yourself please. Thank you.
Mr. N. H. Cole SimonsThank you very much. Now, I would like to just briefly go through some of the comments in the Throne Speech that are not related to my Ministry that I thought I would comment on. On page 3, you spoke to the “Government will increase Bermuda’s outreach around the globe …
Thank you very much. Now, I would like to just briefly go through some of the comments in the Throne Speech that are not related to my Ministry that I thought I would comment on. On page 3, you spoke to the “Government will increase Bermuda’s outreach around the globe by staffing the empty Washington DC office and increasing engagement with the European Union . . .” We had the Washington [DC] office staffed before. That Government did not feel that the output from that office was up to scratch. In addition, if we are to do it again, this time we need to have people in Washington [DC] who are connected to the top tier of Gover nment. What I noted from my time in my Gover nment’s tenure is that most of the meetings that are arranged in Washington [DC] were arranged by Cabi-net Ministers and business people here in Bermuda and they made the contact in Washington [DC] themselves or they made contact through their contacts in Washington [DC]. Historically, the Washington [DC] office has not been effective in allowing the shakers and movers of Bermuda to reach and get maximum benefit from the shakers and movers of the US Go vernment. Now, they also said on the same page that they were going to re- establish the Bermuda First Think Tank. Mr. Speaker, I remember when the Bermuda First Think Tank started, and I thought it was a splendid idea. We had all the business titans, all the heads of industry involved, all these various subcomBermuda House of Assembly mittees, and it was fabulous. Things progressed, they made recommendations, and now most of the me mbers have said that wasted their time because nobody was interested in implementing the recommendations that th ey spent hours and hours and hours of time on for the betterment of this country. They did report after report after report after report, and nothing was done with it. And so, if they are going to reinstitute the Bermuda First Think Tank, I think you need to make a commitment to being open -minded enough to accept the recommendations that they have put forward for the betterment of Bermuda. The other issue that I would like to speak to, Mr. Speaker, is the banking options. You know, I am a banker by profess ion. So I declare my interests. I would like to have seen more details on how they are going to provide more banking options so that we can increase opportunities and finances for Bermudians, legitimate aspirations in our society. I would love to hear more details on that. I welcome the bipartisan committee on imm igration. In fact, I am prepared to lend my support should I be invited. As for the issue of . . . I spoke to the middle schools already. Bear with me, Mr. Speaker . Oh, the sugar tax. The sugar tax, I think, warrants some merit but I would like to have more details. I know most sugar taxes address fizzy drinks. So, what happens with candy? What happens with chocolate? What happens with, you know, grocery stores that bring in chocolate pies? What happens with grocery stores that bring in, you know, fine desserts? Again, are they going to be covered under this sugar tax? So, again, I would like to have more details on that. In principle, I think it has some merit and I think it is worth continuing. The other issue that I would like to address is the decriminalisation of cannabis. That is an interes ting issue because you know a lot of that was driven by the stop lists (last time I said the blacklist, but the stop list). And, I had a chat with a senior US Gover nment official and they indicated to me that the US Government had not taken an opinion on whether de-criminalising cannabis possession for amounts less than seven grams, the Government has not said that that would remove the challenge that we face with the stop list. They have not had an opinion; they are studying it. So I am just hoping that the stop list is not the primary reason for decriminalising cannabis. Because if it is, it may not bear the fruits that they expect from the US Government. And this is based on a comment that I had with a senior US official, because they have not taken an opinion on it at all. Mr. Speaker, again, thank . . . oh, gover nance. The Honourable Member from St. George’s touched upon the point that was near and dear to my heart. And that is the CPA [Commonwealth Parli amentary Association] benchmarks. Now, on page 16 we spoke quite a bit about governance, including con-duct of parliamentarians. But as form er chairman of the Parliamentary Governance Reform Committee, I am hoping that this section will bring legislation to the House that will provide more independence to Parli ament so that we can meet our CPA benchmarks. I understand that the legislation is t hree- quarters of the way through, and I look forward to the day that it will come to the House so that we can t ruly refine the democratic and principles of governance to Parli ament. So, again, I look forward to that and if I can continue to play an integra l role in helping make that a reality in this country, I make myself available to make it happen. With those few words, Mr. Speaker, I will now take my seat and thank you for the time.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member . Does any other Honourable Member wish to speak? I recognise the Honourable Member from Warwick [South Central], Mr. Tyrrell. Mr. Tyrrell, you have the floor. Mr. Tyrrell, you are the 12 th speaker, so we are one- third through the Members today on this debate.
Mr. Neville S. TyrrellWell, better to be 12th than last, I guess. Thank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker, let me firstly congratulate you on your ascendency to the seat. I wish you well and I am going to make a promise to you that you will not have any problem with me. …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI will hold you to that. [Laughter]
Mr. Neville S. TyrrellMr. Speaker, let me start my presentation, if you will allow me to read it, with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi. “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vul-nerable members.” I may have to say that again as I go through my …
Mr. Speaker, let me start my presentation, if you will allow me to read it, with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi. “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vul-nerable members.” I may have to say that again as I go through my presentation, bu t I certainly rose, Mr. Speaker, to say that I came here today with great anticipation knowing full well (having seen the Order Paper) that we were going to get a Reply to the Throne Speech from the Opposition. And I have been greatly disappointed. I say greatly disappointed because . . . and again, please allow me to read from it, from page one, third paragraph, it says, “We have committed to wor king along” . . . no, no, no, I want to start even further. Paragraph one, I will just read a few lines. It says , “incompetence of the prior PLP administration which r esulted in a mammoth financial hole . . .”. Then they go 102 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly onto paragraph three, “We have committed to working along with the Government, and to afford them support for those programmes and policies that are deemed to be for the better good of the country, a courtesy that was exhibited infrequently while they were in opposition.” Still on page one, and then I hear “which was short on real solutions and long on stu dies.” They were talking about our Throne Speech. Mr. Speaker, they left me on page one. That is where I stopped right there. I am totally disappointed because it appears that the now Opposition . . . well, first of all, they believe that their problems started on the 18 th of July. It really did not. It started on D ecember the 2nd. That is when the death throes started. I cannot believe that they really thought that they were going to win this election having known what happened on December the 2 nd, and then they are all on to July the 18th. My l ast attention to that is in cricket terms, they got a two- to-one. Now, we all know what a two- to-one means when you get a two- to-one. I will leave it at that. Mr. Speaker, I am going to now direct some attention to the Throne Speech itself and let me giv e congratulations to my leader —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou say St. George’s is the one that’s got a two- to-one this year?
Mr. Neville S. TyrrellMr. Speaker, do not start me. I just told you, I promise that you will not be able to throw me out, so do not start me. You know I am a loyal St. George’s supporter. But anyway, let me move on, Mr. Speaker . Thanks for that, thanks for …
Mr. Speaker, do not start me. I just told you, I promise that you will not be able to throw me out, so do not start me. You know I am a loyal St. George’s supporter. But anyway, let me move on, Mr. Speaker . Thanks for that, thanks for that. There are a few points . . . As I said, I . . . oh, I thought he was standing for a point of order —
[Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerContin ue on, Member. Continue on. I did not take you off your trail when I mentioned that cricket analogy, did I?
Mr. Neville S. TyrrellYou made me laugh. Mr. Speaker, as I started to say, I congratulate my Leader, and obviously his speech writers, for putting together this speech from the Throne. And I certainly say it is a vision for the future. The people gave us a mandate on the 18 th of …
You made me laugh. Mr. Speaker, as I started to say, I congratulate my Leader, and obviously his speech writers, for putting together this speech from the Throne. And I certainly say it is a vision for the future. The people gave us a mandate on the 18 th of July, and so I think that this is a reflection of what it is that the people will expect us to be doing in our term. Now, surprisingly, I have had so many comments from people who hardly ever listen to a Throne Speech, much less tell me they have read our Throne Speech, probably in some cases, twice. And they are very, very happy. That tells me we are in a new day, and I really think that people need to understand that we are here to govern. We are going to govern de-spite the fact my colleagues on the other side are tr y-ing to teach us how to govern—geez, after four and a half years. But anyway, I believe that the people have given us a mandate and we are going to do the things that we have to do. Now, I am going to directly go to five points in our Throne Speech itself and just briefly speak to them. You know I do not talk for long, Mr. Speaker .
[Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Neville S. TyrrellThank you. On page seven it refers . . . I will read if you do not mind, again, “To ensure that workers can live in dignity and are not working simply to remain in poverty, . . .” That is a very, very strong statement, Mr. Speaker. And I …
Thank you. On page seven it refers . . . I will read if you do not mind, again, “To ensure that workers can live in dignity and are not working simply to remain in poverty, . . .” That is a very, very strong statement, Mr. Speaker. And I say that from my experience in ca nvassing, something that I have done a lot of because you will all realise that I won my election in December. So I would have been canvassing since about Oct ober last year. And I see people . . . in fact, let me t hen say something. We got turned down by us using the term “Two Bermudas.” Mr. Speaker, there are the Two Bermudas. If you canvass in this country you will u nderstand that there are Two Bermudas. Believe it or not. Whether you want to believe it or not, y ou can describe it how you want to describe it, but I am telling you there are some people who are working just to remain in poverty. They are hardly making it. They are hardly making it. So, I think with our attempt to pr esent Parliament with recommendati ons for implementing a living wage in Bermuda, I say hallelujah to that and I look forward to us having to debate that, and I look forward to my colleague—hoping that he still has ideas in place and we can move on with that. The next point in the Throne Speech, our Throne Speech, that I want to refer to, Mr. Speaker, is the Financial Assistance Programme. Again, I refer to the Two Bermudas. I did not realise how really bad things are. When I became an MP in December, my phone started ringing off the hook with people asking from Please assist me, to How do I approach dealing with . . . first of all dealing with financial assistance in the first place, I need to get on financial assistance because I do not have a job. I cannot se em to have a job. I have not had a job for about four years . Mr. Speaker, we have some issues in this country. So, we need obviously to do something with the Financial Assistance Programme so that the most vulnerable in our society can have some reform in their life. People are crying out for it. I can give you one example, and I think I may have said this before, where I canvassed this 80- year-old lady who had two apartments, I think, in her house. Her husband died about a year ago. Then all of a sudden her tenants just one after the other left her. So, this year her income . . . lost her husband, lost the income from the tenants, and she was almost crying to me. And I really felt weak that I could not help her, there was nothing I
Bermuda House of Assembly could do, obviously, but to help her to approach F inancial Assistance. And I am so glad to say that I am happy that she was successful. She is getting a little bit, enough to at least cover some costs that she has, but at least it is a little. So there are people out there, wheth er you know it or not, we know it on this side. So, again, I refer to the Two Bermudas that we talk about that we really need . . . that this Government certainly will give some attention to. Let me talk about seniors, because, obviously, most of you can see the grey that I have over here, so I need to be protective of my seniors. Persons who have worked hard all their life really need to live their final days with some dignity. And I say that, whether they go into nursing homes (if that is a term that I should be using), or whether they are at home in their own house with someone looking after them, these are the areas that we really need to be looking at. And with us saying that we are going to amend the Res idential Care Homes and Nursing Homes Act, to pr ovide standards, that is certainly something we as a caring Government must certainly look at. If I can talk about the Project Management and Procurement area, Mr. Speaker, I think for far too long in this country, small contractors, small bus inessmen, have not gotten their piece of the pie. They have not. And I think it is about time that they are ad-dressed so that, again, the Two Bermudas —you are going to be tired of hearing me saying that. This is something that I believe, and I said I believe it b ecause I canvass it; I see it on a daily basis. So, I know we need to address whatever we can do to shrink that distance between the Two Bermudas so that we can all live in peace. I mean, do not take me wrong when I say that there are Two Bermudas, because I k now there are rich and poor. I already know that, so you ain’t got to tell me that. But I think that it is those people who I again described as working, but they are working to stay in poverty. We need to help—
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThe working poor.
Mr. Nevi lle S. Tyrrell—the working poor. (Thank you for that.) I think my last point that I want to make in terms of the loan guarantees are to clubs. Again, something I was very passionate about having been a president of the Bermuda Football Association [BFA] for a number of years some time …
—the working poor. (Thank you for that.) I think my last point that I want to make in terms of the loan guarantees are to clubs. Again, something I was very passionate about having been a president of the Bermuda Football Association [BFA] for a number of years some time back. I know the plight of clubs. In fact, I am doing a licensing project with the BFA at this point in time where I am speaking to every club in Bermuda, every football club there is. And you should see the difference in t he sustainability in some of the clubs. I mean, I have clubs who have come to me where there is one person who does ev erything. He shines the boots, he cleans the field, he gets the jerseys, he does everything—just to cut costs. He would not survive, his c lub would not survive if he was not there. I think we certainly need to address those issues because I believe, as I think I heard my colleague over on the other side say in his maiden speech, that sports are going to help us in the community. It is something that I have always believed in. You get good sportsmen, you get good cit izens. It is as simple as that. So, again, this is something that a caring Government is going to take under its wing, and I look forward to supporting my colleagues in [addressing] those issues. Mr. Speaker, I am going to, I think, end there. I told you all I would try not to be long. But I wanted to make one more point . . . and I have lost my paper on it. Here it is; I am finding it. It refers to it would take a miracle. I think some of us might remember someone saying that it would take a miracle. Well, it is probably going to take a miracle. It is going to take a miracle because we have some issues in this country to deal with and I hope that it does not hurt us in the way that that person said it would take a miracle. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Tyrrell. Does any other Member wish to speak? I recognise the Member from constituency 20, the Ho nourable Member, Susan Jackson. Honourable Member, you have the floor.
Ms. Susan E. JacksonThank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to hit straight to the punch for me. I am most passionate about the vulnerable in Berm uda. And as you may or may not be aware, there has been a team of people which has be en working very hard to make …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to hit straight to the punch for me. I am most passionate about the vulnerable in Berm uda. And as you may or may not be aware, there has been a team of people which has be en working very hard to make sure that some of our residents in Ber-muda that are at a more vulnerable state than others are well taken care of and that we do everything that we can to address their needs and provide them with the support that they may need. When I think about what those next steps will be after we provide that quality of life, it is the protection. I noted in the Throne Speech that there was a reference to protecting the vulnerable. And it is late, so I am not going to flower my words. It seems to me that there are just a few pieces of legislation which were not a part of the Throne Speech that I would like to have on the docket at some point this legislative year that will move the cursor closer to an environment where we can create suppor t for our seniors, those who are living with di sabilities, so that they will have an opportunity to be protected from those who may want to threaten their livelihood or their means of survival as they either age or as they live in a vulnerable state. For the record, I am just going to list a couple of pieces of legislation. In researching and meeting with stakeholders I have found that these three pieces, in particular, if we were to address them, would begin to provide a more level framework, put a little teeth into how we might be able to protect our seniors, 104 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly in particular, and those living with disabilities: The Senior Abuse Register Act, a few amendments to that and we can strengthen our ability to protect; the Po wers of Attorney Act; and the Domestic V iolence (Pr otection Orders) Act. So these are just three that I am going to list. I look forward to amendments being made to those pieces of legislation. With those changes we would at least be able to look at the possibility of cr eating a space where we could provide support ser-vices for our seniors and the vulnerable. In the mental health arena, I certainly would like to see us continue to develop support services. I read in the newspaper just the other day that there could be much more research done in this domain. I encourage the Government to take a look at how we may be able to begin to collect data on mental health, especially on those who may be incarcerated, moved into the system, where we have an opportunity to pr ovide assessments and ask questions and start to collect some information. I commend our Government in our time that we able to look at the Human Rights Act and make sure that there is no longer going to be any discrim ination for people who are suffering with mental illness. I wanted to m ake sure that this is recorded and acknowledged. It was a major milestone for our Go vernment to come to that agreement and I want that to continue as we develop not only . . . there is right now a pilot programme in the court system that has been created t o support members of our community who are suffering with mental health [issues], but also how we may be able to continue to develop in that area. I just also want to talk a little bit about longterm care. I was a part of the Seniors Advisory Cou ncil dur ing the last term and a lot was done with a large number of people within the community who are pas-sionate about long- term care and how we may be able to support seniors as they age, and make sure that we are doing our best to keep them at home as long as we can. Again, I would like to acknowledge and give credit to those who have worked very hard to make sure that we were able to increase the benefits for the Standard Health Benefit and allow in- home care. When I was out canvassing, I ran into a woman who is ageing. She wants very much to stay at home and did not realise that she could actually claim on her standard health care for this benefit at home [which she] was paying out of pocket, which, of course, was dramatically stressing her budget. For her to be able to find out that she could have this benefit, again, created and gave her an awful lot of relief at home, which is the kind of direction I would like to see us continue to move in when it comes to health care for our seniors. I would like to end, Mr. Speaker, just talking a little bit about diabetes. A few years back there was an invitation for me to get more involved in how parliamentarians in particular can support diabetes [con-trol] in general and what we can do to create an env ironment that wi ll provide a healthier community. I am not going to go into a lot of detail now, because I look forward to the sugar tax debate, but I did want to say that there are so many people in our community that are suffering with obesity. I am not convinced that w e have done enough research and data collection on diabetes, and I would like to see us continue. I would like to see the Government continue to take a very specific look at the data we can collect, the kind of awareness around diabetes and other health is sues that are directly affected by diabetes, and make sure that the community is doing everything it can with open eyes and knowledge of the consequences of such a severe disease, of which so many of us in this community are living with. Diabetes is not an easy lifestyle to lead. So I look forward, again, to debating legisl ation that supports our seniors, supports those in our community who are most vulnerable and are living with disabilities, and those who are not well and how we may be able to address this community that we look, as best we can, to healing and recovery. I understand and believe that there are a number of i ssues, a number of traumas that are affecting members of our community and these oftentimes need to be addressed either at the same t ime that we are looking at the physical well -being of the community, but also to make sure that the mental health and the emotional health of our community is healing and in recovery. And with that, I will take my seat. Thank you,
Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThank you, Member. Does any other Member wish to speak? I recognise the Minister for Tourism, the Honourable Jamahl Simmons. Minister, you have the floor. Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good evening. Good evening, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the theme that this Government ran on in opposition …
Thank you, Member. Does any other Member wish to speak? I recognise the Minister for Tourism, the Honourable Jamahl Simmons. Minister, you have the floor.
Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good evening. Good evening, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the theme that this Government ran on in opposition was addressing bridging the gap between the Two Bermudas. While most got what we were talking about, most got that this was not a cyn ical attempt to divide people by race, most got this was not a cynical attempt to divide us by economics. They got it. And they said it quietly on Election Day, some, in terms of understanding that there had become a Bermuda where all of the worst elements of oppression and elitism and nepotism had been allowed to flourish; a Bermuda where who you know became even more important that what you know. Mr. Speaker, the Two Bermudas idea speaks to race, and it speaks to the diminished opportunities for people of African descent in this country as you look across our boardrooms, and you look across the ownership of our businesses, and you look across what are the models of so- called success. Mr. Speaker, the country is not content to point to one or two
Bermuda House of Assembly individuals and say, They have made it and so ever ything is fixed. So race is a part; but there is also the economic part of people who have done everything they can to participate in our country but are still being left behind. They cannot feed their families. They can-not pay their bills. They cannot make ends meet. They cannot see a future for themselves on these shores. So, Mr. Speaker, when I look upon the task ahead of us, it is summed up. Two Bermudas is what we are trying to address. But the real mission is to empower our people, all our people, to participate in the full range of opportunities in our economy. That has not happened. And, Mr. Speaker, one thing that I am very pleased to say as the Minister responsible for Economic Development, is that you have a Minister who does not have personal business interests t o protect. You do not have a Minister who has shares in companies to protect. So, Mr. Speaker, when dec isions hit my desk, it is not going to be about me. It is going to be about Bermuda, Mr. Deputy Speaker. [Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr., Deputy Speaker, in the Chair] Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: For the past few years, there are important lessons to be learned about what happened in this country —important lessons to be learned. Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, you have seen the o pportunity given [to] this Government by the people. And I have heard a recurring theme from so many people, all races, all ages, You are young, you are educated, and we know you can do this. Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, we represent the children and grandchildren who our parents sacrificed for, and our grandparents sacrificed for, to educate and send to school, and we recognise first -hand the underutilisation of the intellect and talent that exists across our country. We recognise it because we have lived it. We have seen it. We are the generation tha t had to train nonBermudians to be our bosses and had to go to work and not be threatening or intimidating, or make people [who were] less qualified, less educated and less tal-ented than you, feel threatened. So we get that. Our approach, particularly in the last few years has cast aside too much of our talent. We have told too many of our young people, If you do not fit the pink Bermuda shorts, boat shoes, blue blazer mind- set, attitude . . . look, you are of no value. That ended at with the result of the last election. That ended. We have an opportunity to empower our people to participate in our economy. We will make no apologies for that because there is too much talent in this country for us to put aside because we do not agree with them, or we do not like them, or we do not like the way they look. That is not going to be an i ssue. We will level the playing field. And it is critical; it is the most important issue of our day. It is interesting in this role, as you meet for the first time, build rel a-tionships for the first time, extend and renew relationships with members of the business community be-cause some get it. They understand that Bermuda’s prosperity can no longer be linked to just one ever - shrinking group holding larger and larger pieces of the pie. They are starting to get it. And they are coming together and recognising that they can be a part and should be a part of bringing our country together and moving our people ahead. They are getting it. Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, this is why it is unfort unate that the document that was read this morning does not reflect the conciliatory mood, the welcoming mood, the collaborative mood that is going through our country. Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, the parliamentary sy stem that we operate in, when it was first established hundreds of years ago, it was okay to say, We are going to send you byes off there, you know it all, you can handle it, and come back in five years and I will just vote for you again. We have so much talent, with access to so much knowledge and so much infor-mation. We have seniors whose talents were not used who have so much knowledge that we can tap into. A 21 st century government must be collaborative. It must include the intellect and brilliance of all ages and all Bermudians, because there is no such thing as a person who does not matter. We get that. So, when we look at things like Bermuda First, we look at pulling our best minds together. The full, rich tapestry beyond the business community, inclu ding our labour partners, including our you ng, including the talent that reaches the entire spectrum of our country and putting our heads around how we can develop our economy and grow it. That is the path forward. I am pleased to confirm what my Shadow Mi nister has said, that in Tourism and Business Deve lopment we will attempt to be collaborative. And we think it is important because I strongly believe that we have an opportunity to share our views, get our input, bring it back and let’s work on something together that will be of value. I think that is a better way forward. We have been doing it for many years in international business; we have not done it in many other areas. I think that the more collaborative we will be, I suspect the less acrimony there will be. I am hopeful; perhaps I am naïve. But again, the document that was read this morning concerns me. Not because just of the lack of understanding of what happened— not just on July 18 th, but over the past five years. There has been a repudiation of the status quo. There has been a repudiati on of business as usual. There has been a repudiation of father - knows -best government. It has been repudiated, cast aside. And so we must be governed by a different set of principles. I do not intend to come to this House and compare ourselves to the fail ed One Bermuda All i106 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly ance. They are nobody to be equal to. They set no standard for us. We have a higher standard. A standard of humility that we must adhere to, staying close to the people because the people . . . it is an old sa ying. I wish I could remember who said it. I must follow the people because I am their leader. We must have humility. We must have compassion. We must look at our brothers and sisters who are suffering and instead of using words of contempt and blame and disregard, we must seek to el evate their condition. That is what we have to be about. We must be honest. Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, we must be honest. The reputation of politicians is never good anywhere in the world. But the past several years have seen the reputation diminished even fur-ther because you had the hopes of the people, some who embraced it and decided to vote for a change with the One Bermuda Alliance and thought it would be a new way of doing politics, not knowing they would go back to 1980, 1983, 1985. They did not know they were going back to the future. And so you have seen some faith, some trust, some hope dashed. And the mood, the spirit that we are seeing in the business community, the spirit of a growing desire to collaborate and be a part of the progress . . .you are seeing it in the community. You see it in people’s spirits. There are people who were unemployed on July 17 th, and are unemployed today, but they have hope because they know they have a government that actually gives a darn about them. They know that they have a government that has walked where they walked. They have a government that has been mocked because we are not as rich as some people, been mocked because we do not the directorships that some have, and the shares and the interest that they have. But that is okay. It gives us phenomenal freedom to do what is right for all and not just a few. Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, it is clear that in tourism the full range of talent and ability in our country has not been utilised. You see it in the makeup of the or-ganisations that are entrusted to deliver more bodies to our shores. In the past year I have been pleased to see the BTA [Bermuda Tourism Authority] taking the approach of going for a younger audience. That is in line with where we want to go, because we understand something that many do not: That the face of wealth is changing. It is becoming younger. It is b ecoming browner. It is becoming more interested in experiences than in peace and quiet. And so we are very pleased to work with the community and work with the industry stakeholders to look at our nightlife and look at the things that we have in our country that are holding us back from becoming all we can be, that are stifling opportunities for our entertainers and st ifling opportunities for our nightclubs and our restaurants to grow and develop. So, we will study. The Opposition seems to have a problem with studying, analysing, and r esearching. But you know what? I do not have a prob-lem with it because we know we must include as many as possible going forward. The days of daddy knows best ended on July 18 th. You have a people’s government. —
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: You have a people’s go vernment. Mr. [Deput y] Speaker, a passion for me in my entire political career is economic empowerment, the empowering of our young black males and females to get a piece of this rock and call it their own. The c apacity to be able to build wealth for themselves and to employ others has been a passion of mine. We env ision a revitalised, rejuvenated, and reformed Bermuda Economic Development Corporation that will be capa-ble of providing red carpet service to Bermudians, just like we attempt to give red carpet service to everyone else. So that person who is made redundant and has that money in their pocket, has a dream, and an idea. We can help them facilitate that moving forward. Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, I heard a story during the election that broke my heart. It was a young man who had an interest in doing a business, and he spent six months bouncing from department to department to department to department until finally he was told, Oh, you can’t do this business because the product you are doing is illegal. Six months. That is n ot moving at the speed of business. If that young man had been able to go to a one- stop shop, and get the treatment that he deserved, the information he deserved, the help . . . because many of our black entrepreneurs, and would- like-to-be entrepreneurs, m ay have a product, they may have a talent, they may have a trade, but they do not have the capacity to start a business. They do not have the knowledge. And it is not spoon- feeding to help your brothers and your sisters to help themselves. And so we must pr ovide that concierge service that will help to guide peo-ple to getting up and running faster. I cannot promise success. All I can promise is that you will have an opportunity and we will not be in your way as a government. We will not be the ones putting roadblocks in your way. We will not be the ones saying, Well, wait, you might be competing with my ace boys, so I got to try and slow you down. That is not happening over here, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker. No, no, no! We exist in an economy where you have seen tourism jobs growing for everybody except Bermudians. That must change. It is our intention, as listed in our Throne Speech, to do island -wide, industry -wide skills and needs assessment to identify the needs of our stakeholders and to prepare our people, wor king in partnership with the Bermuda Hospitality Institute and Workforce Development, to get our people in, up, and running this tourism industry as we should.
Bermuda House of Assembly It is unacceptable, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, that I can travel to countries that have a lower base level education than we do and they are somehow capable of filling all of their businesses, from top to bottom, with their own people. It is unacceptable. It is unac-ceptable to come as a tourist to this country and get mediocre service from a person who i s here on a work permit. The best of the best is what we were told. We were told that if they are here it is because they are the best and no Bermudian could do it, or no Berm udian wants to do it. But look at the service level around our country. You cannot blame Bermudians too much anymore, you know. You cannot because most of us have been chased out. We have to ensure that we address these i ssues. We have to, because when the tourism industry works properly —when there is no prejudice, when there is no di scrimination, when there is no favouri tism—you can work your way up. And I have seen it here for some Bermudians. I have seen it here for a lot of non- Bermudians, where this has become the land of opportunity. You can come here, barely can read, cannot tal k, cannot even tie your shoes, but somehow you are more qualified than the man down the street who has been here all his life. We have to address that. We have to address that! What is part of expanding our tourism is allo wing and examining how we can get our people i nvolved. The Tourism Plan that the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party produced back in 2011 spoke of hubs, developing hubs throughout our Island. And one of the things that must be a critical part of our ec onomic development as a country is gett ing economic growth throughout the country. We have to move away from it being centralised in Hamilton. When we look at the hubs, there is a tremendous opportunity to identify the needs for those communities beyond tourism entertainment. What are the economic needs of those communities? What businesses should we be trying to attract and incentives created to get them in these places? We have to spur entrepreneurship, r emoving the obstacles, removing the impediments. We look forward to working with others. W e look forward to researching with others. We look forward to finding the best path forward so that those who have a dream have a chance. Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, this country is littered with the lives of Bermudians who did not have a chance. That must change. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Bermuda First, I think I spoke on it earlier. We need to talk about . . . I talked about immigration reform. (Mr. Deputy Speaker, how much time do I have?)
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Jamahl S. Simmons: Okay. Mr. Deputy Spea ker, the Event Authority . . . well, actually, I won’t speak on it. Let me go to another topic before I go to that. Someone pointed out to me a very long and meandering piece in a paper, which I do not read, where it was said that the Economic Diversific ation Unit is not needed because the BDA [Business D evelopment Agency] is doing it. Well, with all of the d iversification up and down this country I guess it is clear, it is not needed. And if you did not get that, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, I am being sarcasti c. We must diversify our economy. It must be more than things we allow in that we can funnel to this person, funnel to that business, funnel to that bank. It must be more than that. It must be more than that! We must be prepared to recognise that there ar e opport unities in this world and we must empower our people to go for them no matter where they are, no matter the colour of the person who is capable of bringing it. That is what we are talking about. When it is your job to grow and develop these things and empower people to do it, we are talking about expanding what the BDA does now, growing with them. They do many things well, but we are looking for more because Bermuda deserves more. The lack of diversification in our economy speaks to the need for mor e. So, we turn now to the transformation of the America’s Cup ACBDA into an Event Authority. Mr. Deputy Speaker, as a person with the tourism bac kground that I possess, I am very rarely satisfied with the events that come to our country. Not because I have any particular dislike of the nature of them, or I do not care for . . . whatever. I like results. I like r esults. I like knowing that an event is growing every year because it is attracting more people, not shrink-ing every year because the people that i t is attracting are dying off. I like events that enhance our brand. It brings in a younger, more diverse, more cosmopolitan audience. It extends us to be more than pink sand and pink shorts. But it also must be something that spreads the economic impact beyond those who al-ready have. And whether you like the America’s Cup or not, whether you think it was a success or not, its greatest failure, its greatest failure was that it was sold as a panacea to everybody and when people went looking for opportunities, they found many were gone before they even had a chance to get in the door. There are people who had micro loans who are now struggling to pay them back because the promise was not kept. You have people who went out and did all sorts of things in hope . . . and you know, no gover nment can guarantee success. But a promise was made and a promise was not kept. We need to draw events of cultural impact, economic impact, and global impact that now create an atmosphere around Bermuda that people say there is more than pink sand and pink beaches, there is more than reinsurance; there is more than someplace my great -grandma used to go to years ago, because we are capable of more. The level that we need to go to is not about being the North Carolina of the Atlant ic, 108 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly as some people like to say, or South Carolina. It is not about being the Martha’s Vineyard of the Atlantic, as some people like to say. We are so much more than that. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, we are committed to doing things differently and to making positive change that impacts on all. I have had so many people stop me and say, You guys, don’t make the mistakes you made last time. And I understand that, I understand that because mistakes were made. The only person who has not made mistakes in this worl d, they put him on a tree and put some nails in him. So, mistakes are going to happen. But, Mr. Deputy Speaker, this is a different team, and as so many people say, I like the talent that you have brought in. I like that you have people of experience who have been there, who can mentor and guide and train and take these young, educated, talented Bermudians and take this country to another level. Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, this Government as it is composed right now is the manifestation of the dreams and aspirat ions of our forefathers. This is what they sought —a government that represents them, a government that thinks about them, a government that cares about them, a government that is them. Thank you, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, the Minister for Economic Development and Tourism from constituen-cy 33. Any further speakers? The Chair recognises the Member from constituency 22.
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsThank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I would like to start . . . I do not usually do this, but I would like to start by commending the Opposition Leader for a Reply to the Throne Speech which I thought was very solid. And that may sound …
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I would like to start . . . I do not usually do this, but I would like to start by commending the Opposition Leader for a Reply to the Throne Speech which I thought was very solid. And that may sound like feigned praise, but I think that we on this side of the House understand that basically at this point after an election the public is probably not terribly interested in hearing what we have to say. They are probably more interested, and rightly so, in hearing what the Government has to say. But I thought that the Reply was certainly excellent in terms of pointing out some of the issues that the current Government, the new Government, is going to have to contend with. And also laying down some markers which I think are going to be very important as we see the new Government perform, or not perform, over the next few years. I think the thing that struck me about the Throne Speech particularly was the number of promises to study, to create committees, and to look at things. But these are not solutions, and simply stud ying or looking at t hings, I think as all governments have found out, may be a way to sort of fulfil promises because you can always say you set up a committee to do it, but on their own they do not necessarily deli ver what the people really need. As the Honourable Member fr om constituency 2, Kim Swan, said, it is a time for solutions. And I have say that I did not see, frankly, a lot of them in this particular Throne Speech. I think people will feel that I am just being political. But the fact of the matter is that I have pr obably now over 23- odd years seen a lot of Throne Speeches, have been involved in writing some of them, I certainly have written enough Replies [to the Throne Speech] in my time. But I think for a new government, I found this one to be fairly short, basically, on solutions. As the Honourable Member, my colleague, Patricia Gordon- Pamplin said, “ the Throne Speech, delivered last Friday . . . was short on real solutions and long on studies. ” I think that nails it fairly well. I was very interested to see the r eincarnation of the Bermuda First Think Tank. I will certainly say that I agree that consultation is really important, get-ting people who are involved and central to industries involved in the room is very important as well. But setting up a committee and setting up Bermuda First again, will not necessarily deliver real solutions. I say that because my memory of it was a little bit closer to my honourable colleague’s, Cole Simons, memory of it as opposed to the Honourable Member from St. George’s [West] who was when he was O pposition Leader for the UBP actually participated in the Bermuda First Think Tank. I think the Bermuda First Think Tank (and we will see) certainly produced some interesting suggestions, but I do not believe it accomplished very much in the end, through no fault of the contributors, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The problem was that a lot of the recommendations at the time, and I think —if I remember correc tly, the Honourable Member from St. George’s [West] said it was around 2008 —a lot of the r ecommendations at the time effectively were suggestions as to what the Government at the time, which was the Pr ogressive Labour Party, should or should not do. I r emember distinctly that there was certainly division in the PLP Government at that time. The then- Premier, Dr. Brown, who had (I think) constituted the Bermuda First, found that his Finance Minister was not terribly excited at all about the prospect of international bus iness, particularly, telling her what she should have to do. So, the Finance Mi nister at the time actually r efused to attend a number of the meetings and I think while, as I said, there were some good suggestions, and I think it was an interesting exercise, actually, in the end, it did not do very much to move things ahead. And what do I mean by that? The fact of the matter was that from then on the country went into a progressive death spiral from an economic prospec-tive. And it was, in the end, a real mess that the i ncoming OBA Government had to deal with.
Bermuda House of Assembly I noticed on page 1 of th e Throne Speech, there was a comment that “When there have been economic downturns, one segment of Bermuda suffers far more than the other . . .” And I would agree with that. I think basically it is the middle class and certainly those in the lower economi c echelons that suffer the most during recessions or downturns. I hope that the current new Progressive Labour Party Government recognises that they are inheriting a dramatically stronger economic set of circumstances that they have now inherited in 2017 c ompared to the mess that they left the OBA Government with in 2012. The Honourable Member who just took his seat talked about learning lessons. And I do hope that some of the lessons that were learned from poor pol icies and essentially things that were done in the 2009 to 2012 period have been learned by those Members on that side of the House. And there are a number of them who certainly were there in the previous Pr ogressive Labour Party Government because during that period, as Honourable Members will k now, almost 5,000 jobs were actually lost. And a lot of those lost jobs were Bermudian jobs and created a lot of ec onomic hardship and difficulty. In fact, some of those job holders, or those who lost jobs, probably (and I am sure they are incredibly frust rated) are still not working today. So, I think it is fair to say that the OBA Go vernment created a lot of confidence and brought Ber-muda back from the economic brink. On the same page, there is an interesting comment about the study from 2016, which said that Bermuda was the “most expensive country in which to live.” I am not sure that this particular study had a lot of substance behind it. It made for good headlines, but I think it is fair to say that Bermuda is an expensive country. Whether it is the mos t expensive country in the world is probably a debateable proposition. But that cost of living, that expense to live and do bus iness here, certainly did not develop overnight. I think it would be fair to say that I do not remember —well, it would be fair to say that I do not remember —but I do not think that the former Progressive Labour Party Government did much to contain the cost of living while they were in power. Certainly, the cost of medical care and other things went up dramatically over that particul ar period. I think it is important also, in terms of lessons, to remind the new Government that under the former Progressive Labour Party Government’s watch, from 2000 to 2012, some 3,700 Bermudian jobs were lost. It was an almost unblemished record of fai lure in terms of creating opportunity for Bermudians. So I hope that Honourable Members will recognise this. I know the Throne Speech points out that jobs conti nued to be lost after 2012, and that is a fair statement. But I think if you were to look object ively at the data you would find that while the job loss continued, it abated fairly substantially in the last few years. In fact, jobs started to grow last year. [Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsWell, you look at the stats. People are saying it is not so. But if you look at the stats there was an increase— [Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Dr. E. Grant Gibbons—and I am talking about overall jobs, not just Bermuda jobs. Certainly the loss of Bermuda jobs, or Bermudians holding jobs, go ing into unemployment, abated substantially. I think it is fair to say that the One Bermuda Alliance Government took a very balanced approach to fixing the economy, first …
—and I am talking about overall jobs, not just Bermuda jobs. Certainly the loss of Bermuda jobs, or Bermudians holding jobs, go ing into unemployment, abated substantially. I think it is fair to say that the One Bermuda Alliance Government took a very balanced approach to fixing the economy, first of all to contain the cost of government, and to control government spending. And ye t I think we certainly should be congratulated for avoiding, as the Throne Speech Reply says, some of the massive layoffs that occurred in other countries which were facing the same kinds of problems. I was disappointed to read this sort of accus ation tha t the One Bermuda Alliance Government believed in trickle -down theory. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I took this as simply the Progressive Labour Party pandering to their base in a very cynical sort of way. It is fair to say that the OBA certainly did not believe and did not work on the economic trickle-down theory. The OBA Government focused on what was really important at that time because of the horr ible economic situation, and that was getting foreign investment to stimulate job growth, to cr eate diversif ication, to revitalise tourism, construction, and bus iness opportunities across a range of sectors in the economy. And it was not an easy job. To quote the Honourable Member who just took his seat, It was certainly not business as usual. I think this whole issue of trickle- down is certainly very wrong- headed. In fact, the way it is supplied now in the United States is sort of in a Trump-like fashion. And that is, the theory being that if you cut taxes to the rich, that somehow that mysteriously will make its way down to the lower economic echelons. I think if you look at the record, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you will find that the OBA Government act ually increased taxes, payroll taxes specifically, on those of higher economic incomes and reduced taxes to the lower economic groups. And, certainly, that is not a trickle- down theory, in any way of speaking. In fact, I think when you look at the amount of financial assistance that has been provided over the last few years . . . and most of those on financial assistance (contrary to popular belief) are actually seniors and those who really are having a difficult time dealing with that life. But the fact is it was well over $50 mi llion. And I remember the days when it was around $10 million to $11 million. So, I think there are some other interesting comments in the Throne Speech, as well. The one that says “Government will ensure that Bermuda’s 110 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly success in attracting the most innovative companies from around the globe to Bermuda is increased and that the quality of life for Bermudians is also enhanced by the presence of those companies.” I think in some respects, and I do not think we always recognise this, we are actually rather fortunate in terms of the companies that we have actually managed to attract. While they are primarily in the financial services sector, they do a remarkable job (from my perspective) of employing Bermudians. As I think Honourable Members will know, the ratio is two Bermudians for every one non- Bermudian. I think the innovation continues in this area. When you look at a particular sector like the ILS, or Insurance Linked Securities, that business is the envy of the world right now. And that grew dramatically from 2013 onward to the present day. So, I think it is fair to say that in many respects, and I hope the Government appreciates this, Bermuda probably needs these companies more than they need Bermuda in a lot of ways, because there are a lot of choices out there these days. And I think it is going to be i mportant to make sure t heir confidence in a stable Bermuda and a stable government continues for all of our sakes. I also was interested in the Economic Divers ification Unit concept, which was referred to as a small number of persons with a proven history of developing economies. The Honourable Member who just took his seat sort of talked about some of the aspirations that he had for this particular group. Obviously, we will wait to see how that pans out. It will be interesting to see whether that means foreign experts or whether that is done locally. Having participated in a number of these over the years, and I think the first one I recall was back as far as 1992, when the Premier of the day, Sir John Swan, created the committee on competitiveness, which was a way of essentiall y looking at diversification. I have to say, while there was some interesting ideas that came out of it, it is a lot harder than people think to create diversification and to cr eate diversification, not in a sort of dabbling sort of a way, but in a way that actually has economic impact which is significant. I was also interested to see, and I think this was on page 4, as well, of the Throne Speech, where the Government essentially stated that “International events in Bermuda must deliver more than exposur e to our island’s beauty; they must deliver jobs and commercial opportunities for Bermudians, as well as a memorable experience for our visitors that will encourage them to return.” And I could not think of a bet-ter way to describe the contribution of the America’s Cup. And I will not go through all of the points that are listed, and I think rather well, in the Throne Speech Reply, but it is fairly clear that as an event the Amer ica’s Cup was remarkably successful both in terms of job creation and in terms of creating business opportunities across a range of different sector. I think as the Reply notes, there were over 80, mostly small businesses and construction firms that were involved in setting up team bases and related projects that got work as a consequence of it. It also accelerated a concept that the former Progressive Labour Party Government had talked about and made provision for. I think, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you were involved in this, setting up the whole concept of Cross Island, the reclamation of land up there. I think it is fair to say that it accelerated that project and has given Bermuda and certainly the current Government an interesting platform from which to stage future events. Not to mention the credibility that we received internationall y as a consequence of the professionalism from the ACBDA, Government departments, security services, and the many, almost 1,000, volunteers that were involved in actually carrying out the event, the almost flawless execution of the event, itself. But I think it would be fair to say that the Ho nourable Member who just took his seat, Mr. Simmons, was quite wrong in saying that the ACBDA was sold as a panacea for everyone. It certainly was not. As the Minister responsible, I can say that I often referred to it as a catalyst. A catalyst is not a solution for ever ything; it is not a panacea. It gets things moving. I think it would be fair to say also that the OBA Government saw the America’s Cup, in pure terms, as an economic stimulus, something that would prov ide . . . afford inward investment to Bermuda. Certainly the sponsorships were all paid in Bermudian dollars and were spent here, but it had a much broader effect than simply the event itself. I think it would be fair also to say that it was in many respects a catalyst, it was very helpful in getting some of the hotel infrastructure projects that the former Government was quite successful in getting star ted, whether it was the Loren at Pink Beach, the add itional investment by the Princess group, by the Des arrollos group, certainly by Morgan’s Point, Caroline Bay, and some of the others that got started because they saw, I think, hope in a rejuvenated tourism sector as a consequence of the America’s Cup. And it certainly facilitated broader investment and helped to r estore a lot of confidence. I think it is also interesting when you look at the number of new incorporations of companies over that particular period of time. And I am not talking about international business because that has sort of been up and d own. I am talking about local companies. When you look at the record from about 2013 on, you will see that new local business incorporations grew in many respects by 15 [per cent] to 20 per cent a year over that period, which is quite a significant growth. I think some of that was certainly as a cons equence of the America’s Cup. The tourism impact, which has not really been talked about at all, was also rather dramatic. The BTA [Bermuda Tourism Authority] provided numbers going back a month or two, and I think what we can see
Bermuda House of Assembly from that was air arrivals for the first six months were up in double digits, some 16 per cent. And spending in the first six months was up by an extraordinary 31 per cent, almost $40 million in additional spending on top of the $135 mi llion spent in the prior first half of the year. So, $40 million of additional spending injected into the hospitality sector is certainly significant. I think the other thing which was sort of interesting in the Throne Speech was also this comment that th e Government is interested in terms of transforming the ACBDA into the Bermuda Event Authority looking for events “that attract younger, more cosm opolitan and more diverse visitors to our shores.” I think the BTA made it very clear that, and I think the number was 83 per cent of the increase in visitors coming from other jurisdictions and the 78 per cent growth of the increase in visitors was actually visitors under the age of 45. So the America’s Cup did I think a rather remarkable job of providing new, ex citing and a very different positioning for Bermuda, which certainly helped the BTA to do the job they did. Superyachts have come up quite a bit. I know the BTA are very keen on basically taking advantage of that opportunity. There were more than 90 super yachts that came here, many for the first time. And importantly, many came with owners, unlike the fuelling stops that we have seen in superyachts com-ing before. So, I guess I would certainly urge the current Government to work with the BTA to put in place a foundation that is going to allow the kind of chartering and cruising that a lot of other jurisdictions have benefited from. And they can do that because that work on legislation had already been started and I hope that the current Government will conti nue that and take part of that opportunity going forward. I happen to agree with the concept of creating a Bermuda Event Authority. I think certainly as we looked at the ACBDA and we looked at the extraord inary experience and what they were able to accom-plish with the Ministry of Economic Development, I think it is important to take that experience and actua lly convert it into something that can be used going forward for other events. I know there will be an inter-esting question because the BTA is quite keen on taking on the World Triathlon, the WTS, the World Series Events 2018, 2019, and 2020. So, hopefully, som ething can be worked out there because one of the reasons we have this World Triathlon is because of the credibility we had as a consequence of hos ting the America’s Cup. Mr. Deputy Speaker, how much time do I have left at this point?
Hon. Dr. E. Grant GibbonsEight minutes. Thank you. Now, on page 8 of the Throne Speech, there was another interesting proposal and that was “a R equest for Information to establish a Technology Hub at Southside.” An incubator of sorts, if I understand it. The idea was to transform Southside into a technol ogy-based …
Eight minutes. Thank you. Now, on page 8 of the Throne Speech, there was another interesting proposal and that was “a R equest for Information to establish a Technology Hub at Southside.” An incubator of sorts, if I understand it. The idea was to transform Southside into a technol ogy-based community with living facilities. Now, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you have been around a long time, as well as I have, and you will r emember that . . . in a funny way, it is sort of ironic, that this is not a new concept. In fact, if you go back to the late 1990s, the BLDC at that time, with a former, former, former government, had actually zoned some 30 acres at Southside as a business technology park. Sadly, that never really got anywhere, but I think it will be interesting to see whether a technology hub is something that can be provided there. There have been technology hubs, there have been incubators in Bermuda before, and in fact, I think Coral Wells is managing one at the present time, so I hope that the current Government has a look at some of the stuff that she is doing, wh ich I think she has been quite successful at in terms of helping young entrepreneurs move some of their projects along. Cybersecurity is mentioned in the Throne Speech, and while it tends to be sort of the flavour of the month right now, I think it is a v ery important area. I think [it is] a sector where reputations are won and lost. I think you only need to read the news recently with the debacle of Equifax to learn that you can be quite credible one day and then you can have a huge break -in and find out that your credibility, as it were, shot to hell. I think the former OBA Government made some good progress at looking at the preparedness of the Government in terms of cybersecurity. There was a Cabinet committee that was set up, and it was going, running for a couple of years there, particularly looking at the NIST [National Institute of Standards and Technology] framework that the Government set up. In fact, I believe there is going to be a discussion/seminar over the next week, which will involve, at the former Government’s invitation, a couple of people coming in from the National Institute of Standards and Technology to talk about the NIST framework. This is also very important, and this work had started, as well, in terms of what we refer to as “ critical national infrastructure. ” Because, certainly, when you have a national grid, when you have a hospital, when you have security services, when you have telecoms, all of those in this day and age are susceptible to hacking and cyber instances of some sor t. And I think it is really important that work continue on the national strategy to do this. So I am pleased that the Gover nment has at least mentioned that they wish to proceed on this basis. I am going to end, Mr. Deputy Speaker, on the issue of energy costs. This is clearly an issue for ev e112 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly rybody, whether you are a homeowner, whether you are a small business or a large business. I think the Government says our energy costs are the highest in the world; I am not sure that is entirely accurate. But we al l know that our energy costs are certainly very high, and they do impede growth and economic advancement. The Government has a good platform to proceed on, with not only the Electricity Act, but also we have what I think is a very interesting use of opportunity in terms of a project which went out to tender some time ago. A technical committee reviewed the bids on it. And I am referring, essentially, to the use of the Finger to set up what is seen as a 6 megawatt - peak provider, a photovoltaic facility, whic h will pr ovide some 6 per cent of Bermuda’s peak demand. And as I understand it —I was not involved in the selection; it was a technical committee of civil servants —the bid was extremely attractive in terms of the price per kilowatt hour. And hopefully, not only will this provide some cleaner energy for us (assuming the project proceeds), but will also help to lower the over-all cost of electricity to ratepayers. There is a fuels policy, which was, essentially, produced. And I think there certainly was a lot of di scussion around the use of alternative fuels to the very expensive diesel and heavy fuel oil. Energy provided by LNG [ liquefied natural gas] is certainly a possibility there. But we recognised, as the former Government, that we needed to set in plac e an appropriate regul atory structure for a new fuel of that sort, which has some of its own challenges apart from the fact that, obviously, it is less expensive and a lot cleaner as a fuel. In closing, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I was a little disappointed not to hear anything about the further implementation of the Personal Information Protection Act [PIPA] legislation. That is an important issue for Bermuda because it will help to protect people’s personal information, whether it be health records, whether it be business records, whether it be any sorts of records —that those who have records and maintain them as businesses or otherwise will have to put in place certain protections and provisions, not only against cyber assaults, but certainly in terms of how th at information is handled. There was also nothing about the . . . so, in terms of the PIPA [Personal Information Protection Act] thing, I think the next step, as I recall it was being worked on with the Governor, is to put in place a commissioner of personal . . . a sort of privacy commissioner for the personal information protection. The other thing that I think was certainly underway, which I would encourage the Government to proceed with, was what we referred to as the second part of telecommunications reform. And that was looking at the whole issue of broadcasting and how we could do a better job to, essentially, take very old le gislation and regulations, which create a lot of discrep-ancies between cable provision of service and over - the-air broadcasts . So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am going to finish on that basis and simply say that I appreciate the o pportunity to contribute to this. And I think certainly those of us on this side of the House will agree when we think it is appropriate, and we will certai nly do our best to hold the Government to account, as I think the public would expect us to do. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, the Honourable Shadow Minister of Economic Development, from constituency 22. Any further speakers? We recognise the Member from constituency 29, the Minister for Financial Assistance [sic] and Sports. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Minister of Social Development and Sports. Mr. Deputy Speaker, there …
Thank you, the Honourable Shadow Minister of Economic Development, from constituency 22. Any further speakers? We recognise the Member from constituency 29, the Minister for Financial Assistance [sic] and Sports.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Minister of Social Development and Sports. Mr. Deputy Speaker, there is an old adage that sa ys, If you drop your books, you lose your lessons.
[Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Now, why do I say that, Mr. Deputy Speaker? You know why I say that, Mr. Deputy Speaker? Because the OBA have not learned their lesson! S o they have very clearly lost their books, Mr. Deputy Speaker. What part of 60 per cent of the electorate of this country do the y not understand? Mr. Deputy Speaker, I have to say I think I —not only I, but maybe this country —have seen the most atrocious, poor Throne Speech Reply by the UBP/OBA that we have ever witnessed.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberEver. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Deputy Speaker, oh, is it shameful. You know, Mr. Deputy Speaker, there was a time when if a Throne Speech or a Throne Speech Reply had contained some of the things in this Throne Speech Reply by the Opposition Leader, Mrs. Pat …
Ever. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Deputy Speaker, oh, is it shameful. You know, Mr. Deputy Speaker, there was a time when if a Throne Speech or a Throne Speech Reply had contained some of the things in this Throne Speech Reply by the Opposition Leader, Mrs. Pat Gordon- Pamplin . . . I have to say I wonder if it would have been allowed at all. The falsehoods . . . and I am not going to use the “L” word, but the fals ehoods in this document, which I will speak to, Mr. Deputy Speaker, it is just “unbelievable” (to use a word). Mr. Deputy Speaker, why do I say falsehoods ? On page 2 of the Opposition’s Reply, and I quote, “We saw the misinformation machine in full view when th e stories grew like fish tales to cause the airport project to be depicted as some kind of sinister arrangement.” Why is that a falsehood? Well, we have certainly seen that movie now, have we not, Mr. Depu ty Speaker? From pepper spray to all sorts of thing s down at that airport, Mr. Deputy Speaker, “deBermuda House of Assembly picted as some kind of sinister arrangement” —an arrangement that will put our people with no control over that airport, unless we change it, for 30 years. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the following paragraph gave me c ause for concern. And when I talk about falsehood, and I quote, “We heard the challenge to the Desarrollos group and the untruth that they would take the beach away from St. Georgians.” Well, if it were not for our colleague, MP Renee Ming, and ot hers, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I believe that that beach would have been taken away. But, thanks to her . . .
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerWhat is your point of order? POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: The Honourable Member is misleading the House. The plans for the Desarrollos development are now as they were then, and there has never been any indication that they would take the beach away. They have …
What is your point of order?
POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: The Honourable Member is misleading the House. The plans for the Desarrollos development are now as they were then, and there has never been any indication that they would take the beach away. They have always said that they would have access. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, if I may, there is no difference between the access that is now allowed than that which was allowed by the Park Hyatt.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerHang on. Hang on. The point of order has been put to us by the Honourable Member from constituency 1. POINT OF ORDER
Mrs. Renee MingThank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I just want to say that the St. George’s Resort Act of 2015 actually says that we will have reasonable access, reasonable access. [Inaudible interjections]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerCarry on, Minister. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And you know what, Mr. Deputy Speaker? Sometimes, reasonable access might be via a hel icopter, too. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, let us be clear. One thing we know is that beach will [be accessible] now, …
Carry on, Minister.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And you know what, Mr. Deputy Speaker? Sometimes, reasonable access might be via a hel icopter, too. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, let us be clear. One thing we know is that beach will [be accessible] now, thanks to MP Renee Ming. Mr. Deputy Speaker, when we talk about D esarrollos Group, I cannot help but think about the gaming fees for the Desarrollos Group. And let me remind this House and the people of Bermuda that that particular group . . . I had the luxury of meeting with them, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And they told me straight -up, There won’t be one shovel going in that ground unless they change those gaming fees, unless they take them away and make it good. It won’t happen. Of course, I was wearing a different hat , Mr. Deputy Speaker, and I declare my interest because they were talking to me about some work down there. And the reason I have to mention this, b ecause again I am talking about falsehoods and untruths . . . because you might recall, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that during a session not long before we r etired before the election, I stated in this House, and I challenged the then- Minister, Dr. Gibbons, to bring to this House the real truth with regard to Desarrollos. And, lo and behold, the next week, what happened, Mr. Deputy Speaker? We had concessions brought to this House by the Honourable Member, Dr. Gibbons, for the Desarrollos Group. And guess what they add-ed up to? Almost the entire gaming fee—almost the entire gaming fee, Mr. Deputy Speaker. So, there is another one. Now, Mr. Deputy Speaker, page 3 of the Throne Speech Reply. I was going to leave this, Mr. Deputy Speaker, because it was low —and I say as low as you can go —when the Honourable Opposition Leader speaks to “politics make strange bedfellows. We will watch closely the developments of the questionable New York trip that was planned by an unlikely quartet with” —and this is the kicker, Mr. Deputy Speaker; wait for it —“would be gaming operators to determine the purpose of their meeting at the Four Seasons, and the benefit to Bermuda, if any.” Mr. Deputy Speaker! The Honourable Oppos ition Leader has quoted something that was on (what do you call it?) the social media, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Or did she get it from maybe a friend in the police force, maybe, or somebody who had access to Mr. Shawn Crockwell’s phone, Mr. Deputy Speaker? So where did the Opposition Leader —and I will yield —get this information from? Would she like to do a point of order or a point of information?
[Inaudible interjection] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Oh! So it is no point of order. It is no point of information, Mr. Deputy Speaker. But it is in, believe it or not, the legislature of Berm uda! And words from the Opposition Leader in the Throne Speech Reply, Mr. Deputy Speaker! 114 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly An Ho n. Member: It is abominable.
[Crosstalk] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: And the Honourable Member says, That hurts. Oh, my dear.
[Gavel]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: It does hurt, Mr. Deputy Speaker, because the Opposition Leader, when we thought there might be a new day from those folks over at the UBP and the OBA . . . it is the same old story. Drop your books, and you will lose your lessons! Sixty per cent of Bermuda will show you that story over and over again. Mr. Deputy Speaker, what is really telling about this little piece in the Throne Speech Reply is that the Honourable Member, Shawn Crockwell, who predicted in this House in his very last speech in that seat right opposite me that the OBA would not win the next election because of all the skulduggery that was going on in those offices on Chancery Lane, Mr. De puty Speaker, he said in this House, he said they will not win it. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, this is proof. The man has not even had a chance. . . the paint is not dry on his grave. And they have t he audacity to put this in a Throne Speech Reply. And it is false, Mr. Deputy Speaker. They have no clue. From something that was taken off social media by whoknows -whom. Maybe they are consultants, maybe somebody who had a connection with someone who had access to Mr. Crockwell’s phone, who was up at Prospect, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Tell me how it makes its way into the Throne Speech Reply in this country’s legislature. But yet, today in congrats and obits, we hear how they are saddened by the death of one of their former colleagues, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Falsehoods, Mr. Deputy Speaker! On page 4, I highlighted one item: “Enabled Reduction of Standard Health Premium” in Bermuda. And I cannot help but say what they have done to a former Premier of this country with the reduction of fees for two pieces of equipment that only he has. Mr. Deputy Speaker, you talk about bold, bold actions by the OBA Government, to reduce those fees —and let us be clear: Bermuda HealthCare and Brown- Darrell Clinic —reduced those fees between 50 per cent to 80 per cent, Mr. Deputy Speaker! Who in this Island could survive with that kind of reduction in their paycheque?
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: But he battles on. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, on page 5, top of the page, they are boasting about “provided the environment to encourage hotel development at Morgan’s Point, the Loren, St. Regis ground breaking,” —and this is the kicker — “creating jobs for Bermudians”! My gracious, Mr. Dep-uty Speaker. First of all, we know Morgan’s Point started under us; it will finish under us. The St. Regis ground breaking? Wow! How much concrete has been laid, Mr. Deputy Speaker? I have not seen anything yet. And why did they not mention Ariel Sands? The former Premier jumped in a backhoe, and he and former Minister Fahey were down there with their hard hats on, kicking up, Yes, sir, Ariel Sands is going to . . . where is it going to? They learned a few things before they dropped the books ; that dealing with developers is not as easy a t ask as a government. They sure learned that one, did they not? Yes, they did. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I did not want to spend this much time on it. But let us talk about the next page, page 6, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Commi ssion of Inquiry. Now, they have no money for our seniors. They cut our at -risk youth programmes. They cut scholarships for our people. They cannot fix schools. They cannot do this, they cannot do that. But they find $2 million for a Commission of Inquiry, which we know now was an absolut e witch -hunt. How could you have a Commission of Inquiry with a former Leader of the OBA? But they are trans-parent, they are honest, everything is okay. You have a commissioner who calls one of our friends up in the West . . . it did not even call our for mer member of the board of trustees, said it was absolute fraud. A churchgoing man, Mr. Deputy Speaker , trying to make a living. He has an agency for warehouses. And yet, you have a commissioner on that inquiry who says it is absolute fraud. He has not even interviewed the man. That should have been grounds, See you later! Adios, amigo!, Mr. Deputy Speaker. But, no, we went through that. Good thing we did. I hope we know by the result of the election what the electorate thought of that Commission of Inquir y. It was yet but another . . . see, what they were hoping was that the Commission of Inquiry was going to be a free doc ument that they could use in the election.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: You had a former Finance Minister, Mr. Richards, who told our seniors that money does not grow on trees. But they found a couple of million dollars for the Commission of Inquiry. They found $77 million for the America’s Cup. The Amer ica’s Cup, which was the magic money tree, I contest. The magi c money tree, America’s Cup. Well, what happened, Mr. Deputy Speaker? You had some companies in this Island saying they had record sales! One company said they hired 23 young black Berm udians. Where are they now? So you have record sales for two months. You hire 23 young black men. Where are they today?
Bermuda House of Assembly The magic money tree called the America’s Cup. Well, as we know, our Leader, the Premier of this country, had to come for a supplementary today for $13 million —the great businessmen of the OBA. And, Mr. Depu ty Speaker, put a line under that. There may be more coming. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, also on page 6 . . . now, this had to be the absolute most embarrassing moment for this legislature, and I say all of us, because it is coming from the Opposition Leader. And I quote, page 6, the last paragraph, and this is what the Opposition Leader says, “Failing to recover money that legitimately belong” (they should have had an “s” on there) “to the people of Bermuda is a dangerous precedent, and to fail to hold to acc ount those who have perpetrated such injustice on our people is not just unfortunate, it sets a dangerous precedent and can be interpreted as tacit approval. This hardly puts Bermudians first.” Mr. Deputy Speaker, “legitimately belong to the people of Berm uda.” Money? What is she saying? That some people stole, Mr. Deputy Speaker? That is how I am reading this. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, she is saying that the Progressive Labour Party, no matter what Minister you are talking about, stole from the people of this country. That is what she is saying. That is the ult imate falsehood in this document, Mr. Deputy Speaker. This document almost in its entirety needs to di sappear. How much time do I have, Mr. Deputy Speaker?
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThirteen minutes. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you. Mr. Deputy Speaker, on page 15, at the top of the page, another highlight by the Opposition Leader, which she says they “dramatically increased visitor numbers and spending .” Really. I tell you what. I tell you what, Mr. D …
Thirteen minutes. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you. Mr. Deputy Speaker, on page 15, at the top of the page, another highlight by the Opposition Leader, which she says they “dramatically increased visitor numbers and spending .” Really. I tell you what. I tell you what, Mr. D eputy Speaker. For the sake of Bermuda, and you know I said this when I was in Oppos ition. For the sake of Bermuda, I hope that continues. I really do. But when you get rock -bottom, Mr. Deputy Speaker, there is only one way to go. And that is up. There is only one way; it is up. How many tens of mi llions of dollars are responsible for those visitor numbers rising? Mr. Deputy Speaker, we also had something called the zika virus. And let us not be fooled. A lot of those folks who [had planned to go] to the Caribbean, to our neighbours in the south, during that period came to Bermuda. So I hope, for Bermuda and Ber-mudians’ sake, that these numbers continue to rise. I really do. Now, Mr. Deputy Speaker, let us move on to a legitimate document, a document that we are proud of. And that is one produced by the Honourable “wannabe ” Premier, as was stated time and time again in this House by the former Finance Minister, a wannabe Premier , called him “ Boy” in this House many times. Well, now we have a boy Premier who i s leading this country! [Desk thumping]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Many times, wannabe Premier, wannabe Finance Minister. [Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: No, they do not understand, Mr. Deputy Speaker. They do not understand, Mr. Deputy Speaker. You drop your books, you will lose your lessons. Okay? Now, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Honourable Member who . . . well, he did not take his seat; he spoke and then just took off. I notice the former Premier took his bag, and he has gone, too.
[Inaudible interjection] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes. So long! Bye- bye! We will talk about that in a minute, too. On page 8 of the Progressive Labour Party’s Throne Speech, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Honourable Member, Dr. Gibbons, talked about the Technology Hub. I have something to say about that Technology Hub, and it was interesting listening to Dr. Gibbons because y ou might recall way back when, when he said a former -former -former government , what he meant to say was, The former -former -former was the UBP Government. And he was the Minister of Tec hnology way back when, you might recall. And all I am going to say is, m entioned three letters —TBI [TeleBermuda International ]. Some of us who have been around long enough may remember that the Minister and TBI had a little bit of a relationship, now, did they not? Okay, Mr. Deputy Speaker? Now, of course, what the Honourable Member did not do was declare his interest, because technology, to me, would, WOW, be considered as technology. Because I understand that Dr. Gibbons and one gentleman that hit the hea dlines earlier this year, Mr. Rick Olson, are partners. In what? Well, WOW [World on Wireless]! I wonder what they are partners in. WOW, W -O-W. So, I encourage the members of the media, you may want to do a li ttle bit of homework and find out why there has been no declaration of interest or no declaration of anything else with regard to WOW.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Throne Speech has been well documented today by my colleagues. But I would like to touch on a few of the things, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that touch on my area. And I know my time is limited, but I felt the Bermudian public needed to hear some of that infor116 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly mation, Mr. Deputy Speaker, because I did not want them to be led down the wrong street with regard to that document. (Thank you very much.) Mr. Deputy Speaker, you will know that in this beautiful document, which will go down in history, I think, and the reason I say that, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you will find . . . and I encourage the OBA Gover nment, and I certainly encourage the people of Berm uda, to hold us to account. You will find that this Throne Speech will probably go down in history in that ever ything in this Throne Speech, Mr. Deputy Speaker, with the assistance of the Almighty God, will be accomplished before the end of this session. Yes, they will. If He spares life I think you will see a lot of successes. You will not see in the next Throne Speech, Mr. Deputy Speaker, a repeat. You may s ee one or two, but you will find many of these, if not all, will be accomplished under this Progressive Labour Party Government. Because we are going to set goals that we can achieve. They will not be political notes to sweeten anybody, Mr. Deputy Speaker. They are going to be achievable goals for our people on behalf of this Government. Now, Mr. Deputy Speaker, there has been a little talk about Financial Assistance, and you even alluded to it in your very first Statement. Maybe we should change the Minis try. But, Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have, right now, here, as I sit, 361 able- bodied people on financial assistance. And my people have already said I am crazy, but I am going to get all of them in a room, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and we are going to have a conver sation. We are. And we are going to see if we can put our able- bodied people who are on financial assistance to work. And if they do not have any qualifications, we are going to try and get them qualifications, whether it be GED, and then from the GED, you want a bachelor’s? You want to be a welder? You want to be a plumber? We are going to get them some tools, Mr. Deputy Speaker, so that they are no longer on financial assistance. I have been tasked with that job. And guess what? We have some disabled folks on financial assistance. Guess what? I am going to get them in a room, too, because some of our dis abled and unfortunately challenged people, Mr. [Depu-ty] Speaker, can do other things, and they have other talents. And we are going to try and create opportun ities for them, as well. Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, I know it is a passion of our Premier to assist our football clubs, our community clubs. And I can tell you, I know it is a passion of his because he has called me in already three times and said, Look. W hat’s the update? It has only been like, what, how many days? Fifty? And I have had three meetings already. What’s the story? What’s going on? For a minute there, I thought the last meeting that I had, he was going to fire me, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker. I said, Partner, you’ve got to give me a little time. But, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, we will, as is stated very clearly in the Throne Speech . . . if this former Government can give millions and millions of dollars of guarantees to a developer, and we can give millions and millions of dollars of guarantees to a bank, no less, why can we not give support and guarantees for the communi-ty clubs, the life- red, the blood, the grass roots people of this country?
[Desk thumping] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: And, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, you know what that speaks to? If we can do that, because I think many of us on this side, many of those on that side, have spent time with our people, our grass roots people, in workmen’s clubs . . . we know what can be achieved. And we are going to help them, Mr. Deputy Speaker. We will help them. And it is not a political ploy. We are going to help them, Mr. Deputy Speaker. We have already met with many of them and said, You come back to us with your plans. You want to build a restaurant on your club? You want to increase your youth pr ogrammes? Because, you know what, Mr. Deputy Speaker? We spend $85,000 a year on a prisoner. Why the heck can we not spend $20,000 on every one of our youths in this country? But, you know what? My brother here, my colleague, Rolfe Commissiong, talks about it all the time. We need to peel back some layers! Why are our young black men killing each other? Why are those little white boys not killing each other? There is a reason for that! And we have got to peel back t hose la yers, and we have to . . . we know why. There is a ser ious wealth gap in this country. There are serious i ssues with not supporting our youth and all the little programmes for our black children. And we have to get there. I met with National Sports Centre yesterday, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And we talked about the support for BNAA [Bermuda National Athletics Association], now (it used to be Bermuda Track and Field) our black sport. Right across the wall is our swimming sport. Why is it that the swimmers get a hell of a lot more sponsorship money than those on the other side of the wall? And we had a few people in the meeting, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that did not like me to talk about it, There’s a reason for that. Why do we not . . . when you have the track and field championships, you look up in the grandstands and it is predominantly what? Black! But you have a rugby festival or a swimming meet, and what is the prominence that is seen? Rolfe? MP Rolfe knows. He talks about it all the time. And he hits it head -on. But I will tell you what the Premier has done, in his infinite wisdom. (Or he wants to punish me.) I tell you what. We have race relations under my Mini stry, too. And I am going to be calling on Mr. Rolfe Commissiong, and all of his years of experience, to give me a hand. Let me lay down that marker. So,
Bermuda House of Assembly folks, get ready. We had a big conversation not long ago; it seems like decades now. But you know what? That needs to come back on the table. How much time have I got, Mr. Deputy Speaker? The Depu ty Speaker: You have got a minute and a half. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: A minute and a half?
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Deputy Speaker, with regard to our clubs, because there may be a little mi sconception out there. They may be, Oh, where are you guys going to get the money from already? A lready had questions from the media: Where are you …
Yes.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Deputy Speaker, with regard to our clubs, because there may be a little mi sconception out there. They may be, Oh, where are you guys going to get the money from already? A lready had questions from the media: Where are you guys getting money from? It is a guarantee, Mr. Deputy Speaker. It is a guarantee. We are not saying we are going to give every club in Bermuda $1 million and say, Go knock yourselves out! But what we want to do is assist. And that assistance is going to be in the form of a guarantee if they require it. But it is not going to be without checks and balances. We ar e going to have individuals who are going to assist those clubs to put whatever they need to put in place, whether it is liquor control, whether it is management of whatever they have in the club. We are going to assist them. And I will lay down that marke r, because that is going to be a party for us, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Now, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you know I am not like my Honourable Member, Mr. Wayne Furbert; he is a singer. But I have to leave you and the people of Bermuda on the one note: There is a song that was laid before me this summer. And it went (I am not going to sing it), but I am going to say . . . Wayne, MP Furbert, could sing it. It went something like this: So long! Bye- bye! And the significance of that song —
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, the Honourable Minister of Social Development and Sports, from con-stituency 29. Bye- bye. [Laughter and desk thumping] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you very much.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThe Chair recognises the De puty Premier. . .
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersT urn on your microphone. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I made a promise to the Whip I will be brief. And perhaps I will have another opportunity in future sessions to be more descriptive and colourful and articulate on my presentations. But I wish to …
T urn on your microphone.
Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I made a promise to the Whip I will be brief. And perhaps I will have another opportunity in future sessions to be more descriptive and colourful and articulate on my presentations. But I wish to certainly start with congratulating my party, our team and our leadership, for the Speech from the Throne and all that was presented in it last week. I do believe that it is a symbol of a page that has been turned in our country and the start of a new beginning. And I want to make something very clear to the people of this country, Members of this House and those who are listening: The future is on this side. The past is on the other side. That is what is very clear. The voters, on July 18 th, voted for a future. They did not vote to retain the past of pain and suffer-ing which they have been experiencing for the past four and a half years. They voted at 60 per cent for the future —a future that will mean better education for our children; a future that is going to include Wi -Fi in our schools so our children can embrace the technologies and the needs of the future; a future that will include collaboration with our partners in business, in the unions and the community; a future that will i nclude greater economic diversification, Mr. Deputy Speaker; a future that will remove policies that prey on those who do not have as much as those who are part of the privileged, policies like in debt collection, pol icies in pensions that make it more attrac tive for e mployers to employ non- Bermudian workers over Bermudians, policies that will ensure a bipartisan and all - encompassing approach to the future of immigration. Like I said, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the past is over there with the Opposition. The future is with the Government, with the PLP Government. And the people embraced that future on July 18 th. And this Throne Speech given on September 8th outlined the first steps that that future is taking. This Government has made it very clear that it is going to take steps. Yes, we have had to come out of the blocks running. But those steps, even when we are running, are going to be careful steps. That is why this Throne Speech outlines an objective for a year that we believe we can achieve. It has not put flower y proposals; it has not promised lofty objectives way beyond the means of the current Government. Because let us not forget, Mr. Deputy Speaker, we were left with no money. And as the Honour able Premier has tabled a Bill to pay for things that could not b e afforded, he tabled a Bill in this House for spending that was not allocated for from a Gover nment, a former Government that said we had no money. So that is the reality. And that was done to paint a clear reality to the people of this country as to what the PLP Government is working with. That is not an excuse; that is a fact. But that fact does not change the optimism that we come to the House with and in our position as the Government of this country we are going to pursue. That optimism was embodied in the 60 per cent of those persons who voted for this Government on July 18 th. They voted for hope, as has already been said. They voted for opportunity. They voted for trans-parency. They voted for honesty in Government, a 118 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Government that will tell them l ike it is, not propose lofty promises that could never be achieved. And that is why we are here, and that is what we are actually going to ensure that we achieve on behalf of all of the people of this country. We have already begun our discussions with business, b ecause we consider them a partner. We have already begun our discussions with unions, because they are our partners. We have already begun our discussions with people in the community who lead efforts to ensure that this community is healthy and h appy, b ecause they are our partners. And we are going to be a Government of partnership, going forward. And we have been given a clear mandate, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker. It does not mean that we are not going to consult, because many of the things that we have outlined in this Throne Speech are about par tnership and even working with the Opposition. In some jurisdictions, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, having 60 per cent, you do not have to work with anybody. But that is not the philosophy of the Progressive Labour Par ty. It never has been. Sixty per cent, a histor ical mandate not equalled in over a generation in this modern Bermuda political environment. But we are going to partner. We are going to work with the people in this country. We are going to work with the Oppos ition. We are going to work with business. We are going to work with unions. We are going to work with our clubs. We are going to work with caring organisations that are working for our seniors, working for our chi ldren, working for those who are disable d, to ensure that the decisions and the steps made to improve Bermuda going forward will benefit everyone. Now, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, I believe I was given strict instructions by the Whip. And so, I am going to abide by those instructions, and I am going to take my seat. But I do believe that I have come late to the House, because I was in London doing business on behalf of the people of Bermuda. And I would just like to say one other thing, which is that Brexit is real. And the challenges that our country can face around that are real. And we as a Government and as a people must hold hands together to face the challenges of the United States and the administration over there, and what we are facing from Europe. And I do hope that we will have the cooper ation of the Opposition in that. Some of the things I have learned are real, and I do hope that, going for-ward, not only will the work that we do out of the Throne Speech will see great support from the co mmunity, but I do hope the steps that we know we have to take to ensure the protection of Bermuda as a safe, economically successful jurisdiction that will benefit her people will also be supported. Thank you.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Mr. Deputy Premier, Minister of Transport and Regulatory Affairs, from constituency 15. And thank you again for being brief. Any further speakers? We call on the Premier, who will be the final speaker in this debate. Hon. E. David Burt: Good evening, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And, Mr. Deputy …
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Premier, Minister of Transport and Regulatory Affairs, from constituency 15. And thank you again for being brief. Any further speakers? We call on the Premier, who will be the final speaker in this debate.
Hon. E. David Burt: Good evening, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have had a wide-ranging debate today on the Throne Speech, which was delivered last week Friday. And I think it makes it very clear what is the difference between the Government, Progressive Labour Party, and the O pposition, One Bermuda Alliance. And it is very, very simple. They are the past. And we are the future. Their ideas are from a bygone era, and our ideas and plans are for the future of this country. So whether it is the last person who spoke on that side, the former Honourable Minister for Econom-ic Development, who said he has been here for 23 years; or whether it be the former Premier, who, even though his last speech given in this place, from this exact seat, said that he would come back to Parli ament and defend his record against a vote of no con-fidence, went to t he polls and today could not even speak to defend his Government’s record; or whether it be the former Honourable Attorney General, who seems that we should take money that is promised to Cash Back [for] Communities to pay for his overseas lawyers —they rep resent the past, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And on this side, we represent the future. And it could be no more clear about the past when listening to the Honourable Member, Mr. Grant Gibbons, talk about our Throne Speech, which said, to listen to the Honourable Member talk about the less fortunate in society and say that we are pandering to our base when talking about trickle- down economics. Now, I can tell you what, Mr. Deputy Speaker. There are a whole lot of people in this country who would like to be in the position of sitting at the table of BAC [Bermuda Air Conditioning]; and Capital G; and Col onial; and Bermuda Motors; and Burrows Lightbourn; and WOW [World On Wireless].
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThere are more. There are more. Hon. E. David Burt: I am just saying there are a whole lot of people who would like to be sitting at that table. But most of the people in this country, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, are taking the crumbs. And our job is to …
There are more. There are more.
Hon. E. David Burt: I am just saying there are a whole lot of people who would like to be sitting at that table. But most of the people in this country, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker, are taking the crumbs. And our job is to ensure that they have a seat at the table, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And so, when I hear about the Honourable Member saying that we are pandering to our base, guess what, Mr. Deputy Speaker? The base is the 59 per cent of the people in this country who gave us 24 seats. And they are the ones who are the people who are calling the shots. As I said, the past and the future. And the disconnect continues, Mr. Deputy Speaker, because, as I mentioned earlier, not a peep from the former Premier today in here, of course. But it seems as though . . . and I will call him, because
Bermuda House of Assembly even though he is not a Member of the Shadow Cabinet, he seems [to be] the de facto Opposition Leader, because you see him taking his photo ops as always, posting his pictures, making his comments, doing all the rest. His Twitter is more active than the OBA’s Twitter —all that type of stuff, as though he is still there. But he cannot speak in here, it seems. And then he decides, during Parliamentary Questions, when he could have gotten up and defended his Government’s record, clarified what may have been ha ppening, takes t o social media to say, Well, the former Government approved $300,000 of community grants, and it is shameful that the new Government has spent the money elsewhere. Well, guess what, Mr. Deputy Speaker? There was not $300,000 to give! So, the former Government just engaged in fraud, promising everything to ever ybody before that election campaign in the hopes that they would be re- elected.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerWhat is your point of order? POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motive] Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: The Honourable Member is imputing improper motive. Nobody e ngaged in fraud. The Honourable Member needs to withdraw that comment.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMr. Premier, carry on. [Inaudible interjections] Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Well, let us put it this way, seeing that the O pposition Leader, I guess, is an accountant. So, if you tell somebody that you are going to give them $300,000, but you …
Mr. Premier, carry on.
[Inaudible interjections] Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Well, let us put it this way, seeing that the O pposition Leader, I guess, is an accountant. So, if you tell somebody that you are going to give them $300,000, but you only have $200,000 in the bank, what is that called?
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you. I rest my case. It is very simple. The numbers do not lie, and the facts are here. And, of course, we hear from . . . I will get to you, Madam Opposi tion Leader, in a little bit, because we hear her talking about disgusting. Well, you know what was disgusting, Mr. Deputy Speaker? Her Reply.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes, sir! Yes.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberFalsehoods. Hon. E. David Burt: That is what was disgusting. And it is so sad that they have not learned the lessons from the election campaign. Now, they sat there throwing mud, throwing mud, making up stories, throwing mud, sending out their henchmen, throwing mud, doing whatever they could possibly …
Falsehoods. Hon. E. David Burt: That is what was disgusting. And it is so sad that they have not learned the lessons from the election campaign. Now, they sat there throwing mud, throwing mud, making up stories, throwing mud, sending out their henchmen, throwing mud, doing whatever they could possibly do to distract away from their poor record of government, and it did not work. That is why they are over there. We know all the stories. Sending people out to record me secretly.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThat is right! Hon. E. David Burt: We remember all of it. We saw it all. [Inaudible interjections ] Hon. E. David Burt: Oh, yes! Oh, and the Opposition Leader looks at me in shock and surprise about pe ople are recording me secretly. Well, guess what the secret recording …
That is right!
Hon. E. David Burt: We remember all of it. We saw it all.
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. E. David Burt: Oh, yes! Oh, and the Opposition Leader looks at me in shock and surprise about pe ople are recording me secretly. Well, guess what the secret recording people came to ask me about? Oh, you know, about some supposed trip to New York. There we go. So, do not be too surprised unless the former Opposition Leader or the de facto Opposition Leader kept you in the dark. Or maybe the former campaign chair, former Minister Fahy, who now wants to be “ Honourable” Micha el Fahy —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNot an honourable man. Hon. E. David Burt: Maybe he kept you in the dark, Madam Opposition Leader. Maybe you have not realised how it works over there in the One Bermuda All iance. And even though you might sit in the seat, you may not really be in charge.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThey do keep some people out of the real picture. We know that. Hon. E. David Burt: But that is what happened. You would think that they would learn. But they have not learned. And then at the end of the Opposition Leader’s speech, she has the absolute nerve to …
They do keep some people out of the real picture. We know that. Hon. E. David Burt: But that is what happened. You would think that they would learn. But they have not learned. And then at the end of the Opposition Leader’s speech, she has the absolute nerve to say, and I quote, “[I] trust that the pettiness of politics takes a back seat . . .”
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersWow. Oh, my goodness. Hon. E. David Burt: Now, there will be some, Mr. Deputy Speaker, who w ould question the state of someone who could engage in pettiness for a full speech and then, at the end of the speech, say, I hope that pettiness takes a back seat. …
Wow. Oh, my goodness.
Hon. E. David Burt: Now, there will be some, Mr. Deputy Speaker, who w ould question the state of someone who could engage in pettiness for a full speech and then, at the end of the speech, say, I hope that pettiness takes a back seat. Well, I think that the Opposition Leader probably needs a new name, because I will call her , this evening as I go through this, “ the Princess of Pettiness .” Because when you want to come and talk about how we have put seniors to the front of the line in a protest, and you 120 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly have the audacity to talk about being petty in an off icial speech, when you have the audacity to talk about, and I quote, “[a] trip . . . with would be gaming oper ators”—
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWow! Hon. E. David Burt: It is below and beneath the dignity of this House!
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberAnd the office of Opposition Lea der. [Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair] Hon. E. David Burt: And when asked about it earlier, she could not even bring up anything to confirm this. But here is the thing, Mr. Speaker, I can tell you. There was no …
And the office of Opposition Lea der.
[Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair]
Hon. E. David Burt: And when asked about it earlier, she could not even bring up anything to confirm this. But here is the thing, Mr. Speaker, I can tell you. There was no trip to meet with, as I quote, what was this, “would be gaming operators.” It was a figment of the imagination of the One Bermuda Alliance and those persons of whom they wanted to put in the campaign. But it is no surprise, because she, the Honourable Opposition Leader, will put anything in her speech, just like there was a line that said that we i mplemented the Tourism Incentive Act. Mr. Speaker, search the records. There is nothing ever called the Tourism Incentive Act. It does not exist. The Honourable Opposition Leader made up an Act, put it in her Reply and said, This is something that the former Government did. Just made it up! [Inaudible interjections] Hon. E. David Burt: Made it up! Let us go on, because it is almost as though, when we are talking about beating the dead horse about the election campaign, on page 13 we see again, as though it did not work in the campaign, they figure, Maybe it will work now.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes, let’s give it a shot. Hon. E. David Burt: Talking about the Government’s plan to invest pension plan money i n start -ups. And then they have the audacity to question the credentials of the new Chairman of the Public Funds Investment Committee! Well, it just so happens that …
Yes, let’s give it a shot.
Hon. E. David Burt: Talking about the Government’s plan to invest pension plan money i n start -ups. And then they have the audacity to question the credentials of the new Chairman of the Public Funds Investment Committee! Well, it just so happens that that chairman, Mr. Barclay Simmons, the former Chairman of the Bermuda Monetary Authority, the former Chairman of Butterfield Bank, a member of your very own blue- ribbon panel on the airport, all of a sudden he is not good enough because we appointed him to chair a very important committee. Making things up. To imagine that they would actually call into question someone who is serving the country on a voluntary basis. But that is the nature of the One Bermuda Alliance, Mr. Speaker. And that is why I say it is the past versus the future. And it is as though they did not learn when we hear them t alking about the America’s Cup. Now, we were here earlier today. And I think that everyone who has a boat may have driven through the Great Sound and seen this wonderful $40 million empty piece of land. We talk about the legacy of, as the Honourable Opposi tion Leader said, 500 Berm udian jobs . My question to you, Mr. Speaker, is, where are those jobs now? It is simple—the past versus the future. Now, Mr. Speaker, I am not going to waste too much time on the Honourable Member’s Reply or the comments from those Members of the past, because what the people of this country voted for on July 18 th was a different vision. And that is what we provided last week Friday. That was the Speech from the Throne of which the Governor read, representing this Government. And it talked about things which, for some reason, the One Bermuda Alliance has found a way to criticise, collaboration. Well, guess what? The reason why you are over there is because you did not listen enough to the people and the stakeholders in this country . And guess what? We will not make that mistake. We will collaborate, and we will not make any apologies for collaboration. We will work with intern ational business and local business to grow this economy.
[Pause]
Hon. E. David Burt: (Oh. I thought people were excited.) We will have a Tax Reform Commission that will examine our system of taxation and that will make recommendations to make our system of taxation more fair.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerReminding the Members to have those technical items turned off. [Inaudible interjections and laughter ] Hon. E. David Burt: I know, right? [Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier, you can continue. Premier? Hon. E. David Burt: Sorry, Mr. Speaker. I was getting distracted. We will, as I said, the future . . . we will have an Economic Diversification Unit to diversify this economy, which we have been speaking about for so long, but actions have not …
Premier, you can continue. Premier? Hon. E. David Burt: Sorry, Mr. Speaker. I was getting distracted. We will, as I said, the future . . . we will have an Economic Diversification Unit to diversify this economy, which we have been speaking about for so long, but actions have not happened. And when I hear the questions about, Oh, we should just rely on a lobbyist in Washington, DC, here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. Again, it is the past versus
Bermuda House of Assembly the future. We are paying rent for an empty office in DC. [Inaudible interjection] Hon. E. David Burt: Yes, we are paying rent for an empty office in DC. Why not staff that office instead of paying a lobbyist, and t hat person can do more than just lobby? He can do business —he or she can do business development. They can do things to grow our economy and to assist. That is what we talk about, Mr. Speaker. It is the past versus the future. When we are talking about what happens in the European Union, which happens to hold great si gnificance, we are going to make sure that we tell our own story and not rely on the United Kingdom to tell the story for us. The past versus the future, Mr. Speaker. When we talk about communi ty club loan guarantees, criticised by the other side, even though they were perfectly willing to give guarantees to their friends . . . well, guess what, Mr. Speaker? It is the past versus the future, because the people inside of those clubs and those com munities want support from their Government, and they are tired of seeing their Government only support others and not their own. We talk about Financial Assistance reform —a whole lot of words from the Opposition, but they did nothing. We will make the ref orms which are required in order to get able- bodied people into work and to upgrade their skills because that is the only way that we are going to fix the issue in the long term. The past versus the future. There was a comment from the former Mini ster of E ducation, talking about what was the empirical evidence about middle schools and whatnot. Well, allow me to say something very clearly: It may not be the same in constituency 8, where that Member represents, because I suspect that a large number of his constituents are not in the public school system. But when I am on the hills of West Park Lane, when I am on Mount Hill, when we are inside of our communities, we hear what our constituents are telling us loud and clear. It was inside of our platform to rever t to a twotiered system, and this Government will keep its promise. We will consult. We will get it right. But we will do what is necessary to make sure that our young people have the best results. Because, Mr. Speaker, you have heard me before. I have pl edged that my chi ldren when they come old enough will be in the public school system. And I want to make sure that that sy stem is the best. There are many Members who sit to my left, to my right, and even some across who are Members of the Progressive Labour Party who all have their kids in the public school system. And in that case, we want to be sure that this system is working for us. So when we hear about the past versus the future, when we talk about the things inside of our Throne Speech, talking about developing apps for the Government, making sure that our young people at the Bermuda College are developing them instead of high- price IT consultants, again, the past versus the future. We, Mr. Speaker, are going to do things di fferently. We are going to implement a living wage. We are going to have bipartisan immigration reform that is going to assist to grow our economy and make sure that our system of labour regulation works better. We are going to remove the inequities from the pension legislation, wh ich we have spoken about for five years, but now have a chance to do, something that belatedly found its way into the One Bermuda Alliance election platform. We are going to make sure that we reform the child support system. We are going to make sure that we reform legal aid. We are going to make sure that we start regulating conduct in financial services, whether that be banks, insurance compa-nies, or debt collection. That is what we are going to do, Mr. Speaker, because that is what a modern democracy des erves. The past versus the future, Mr. Speaker. That is what we have had. So, as I get ready to close, I am reminded . . . oh, dear.
[Laughter]
Hon. E. David Burt: (I have got to make sure this new thing is working.) I am reminded that, as Bermudians, we need to have confidence in our abilities. We need to have confidence in the fact that we can be different, that we can do better, that we can make the changes that are required, that we do not have to be constrained by our small size or our past mistakes, that we can do it di fferently as we go forward. And the challenge that we have, Mr. Speaker, is that there are some persons in this country who, in my view, suffer from a collective sense of mental slavery. And it prevents them from thinking differentl y. It prevents them from thinking in a way that is not E uropean- centric. It prevents them from thinking that the ethos of which they have been told [can] be the only way, and they cannot think of something different. Mr. Speaker, the people voted for change. Whether it be the young people who I see, who say that July 18 th was the first time that they ever voted; or whether it be the 40- and 50- year-olds who registered to vote for the first time and came out to express their democratic right on July 18th, they felt motivated. They felt motivated to stand up for their children’s future and for their future. We will, as a Government, repr esent them. We will fulfil their hopes, their dreams, and their aspirations. We will make sure that we are a part of the co mmunities of which we represent. And we will not fall into the trap of allowing those persons who represent the past from keeping Bermuda from the greatness of its future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
122 15 September 2017 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. That brings it to a close, the item that we have been discussing, item 1, the Reply to the Throne Speech. The other items, Orders 2 through 7, are carried over. Correct, Mr. Premier, carried over? ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER SESSIONAL SELECT COMMITTEES
The SpeakerThe SpeakerBefore I call on you, Mr. Premier, there was one item that I forgot to do this morning that I would like to do at this moment. When I named the Standing and Sessional Committees, I forgot to name the Panel of Chairs . And the Deputy Speaker heads up …
Before I call on you, Mr. Premier, there was one item that I forgot to do this morning that I would like to do at this moment. When I named the Standing and Sessional Committees, I forgot to name the Panel of Chairs . And the Deputy Speaker heads up that panel as the chairman. The Honourable R. Ming, the Honourable S. Jackson, the Honourable R. Commissiong, the Honourable N. Simons, the Honourable L. K. Scott, and the Honourable H. K. Swan are the members who complete the Panel of Chairs for this session. I would also like to remind Members, partic ularly our new Members, that there will be the training session for new Members. It is going to be this Thur sday at noon, here in the Cham bers—for all Members, actually. Not just new Members, but for al l Members. A refresher course for some of the older Members.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. No Members wish to speak to that? The House now stands adjourned until next week Friday at 10:00 am. [Gavel] [At 10:07 pm, the House stood adjourned until 10:00 am, Friday, 22 September 2017.]