March 11, 2016

The Honourable Premier
just said that they have been in contact with members of the Caribbean association. Is the Honourable Pr emier aware that there are members of the Caribbean
association calling Minister Fahy a word you cannot
use in Parliament (you could outside) of being disho nest about the conversations? Is the Honourable Pr emier aware of that, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, would the Honourable Premier
agree, when one reads the sentence in his Statement which states, “immigration is one . . . issue that ignites
the passions of many,” would the Premier not agree,
by announcing on the day after the by -election, February 5th, the Pathways to Status, having not followed
the pledge which they made in their own Throne Speech of November 15
th, they have purposely ignited
those passions in the public?

Would the Premier not agree
that by not having provided an opportunity for the pu blic to consult or deal with the Government prior to this
1430 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report
B ermuda House of Assembly Bill being tabled, as the Government promised it
would do when it comes generally with immigration
issues, that they have not kept their commitment to ensure that immigration was handled in a calm and dispassionate manner?

The Chair will recognise the Hono urable Member from constituency . . .
Just a minute. I am going to give one . . . I notice some reaction by members in the Gallery. Let me just say that if you sit in the Gallery, it is a privilege and that there should be no reaction to anything that
is said in the House. Otherwise, you will be asked to
leave.
Now the Chair will recognise the Honourable
Member from constituency 17, MP Walton Brown.
QUESTION 3 : RESPONSE TO ISLAND -WIDE
WITHDRAWAL OF LABOUR CAMPAIGN

Thank you.
MP Brown, you have a supplementary?

Bermuda House of Assembly SUPPLEMENTARIES
Mr
. Walton Brown: Yes. Will the Pr emier appreciate
that dialogue rather than intransigence will lead to a
better result for all Bermudians?
Th
e Speaker: Premier?
Ho
n. Michael H. Dunkley: Yes, Mr. Speaker, and we
remain committed to that.
Th
e Speaker: Yes, Honourable Member Walton
Brown.
Mr
. Walton Brown: Yes. And given the Premier’s r esponse, will the Premier appreciate that genuine and sincere dialogue can only take place when people step back from brinkmanship positions?
Th
e Speaker: Premier.
Ho
n. Michael H. Dunkley: Yes, Mr. Speaker. And we
have always been committed to that and remain
committed to that.

Supplementary.
Th
e Speaker: No, you have already had two suppl ementaries, Honourable Member.
Yes. The Chair will recognise the Honourable
Member from constituency 18. Is this a supplementary?
Mr
. E. David Burt: Supplementary question, Mr.
Speaker.
Th
e Speaker: Yes, supplementary.
SUPPLEMENTARIES
Mr
. E. David Bu rt: Mr. Speaker, in the Honourable
Premier’s response just now, he says yes in the question about pulling back from brinkmanship. Given that the Honourable Premier just said yes, is he prepared
now to inform this House that his Government will
withdraw the Immigration and Protection Amendment
Act 2016 so that a consultative process can proceed?
Th
e Speaker: Honourable Premier.
Ho
n. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Speaker, I believe I
have already answered that question. Th
e Speaker: Yes, the second supplementary .
Mr
. E. David Burt: Supplementary question, Mr.
Speaker.
Th
e Speaker: Yes.
Mr
. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, the Premier just answered yes in response to pulling back from a brinkmanship position. Therefore, I will pose the question to give the Premier another opportunity. Can the Gov-ernment, can the Honourable Premier state whether or not he will, knowing that brinkmanship will only
cause more unrest —if he will pull back and reconsider
his Government’s position in regard to the Bermuda
Immigration and Protection [Amendment] Act?
Th
e Speaker: Premier.
Ho
n. Michael H. Dunkley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I
have already answered that question. But let me make it very clear. We are not in a brinkmanship pos ition. And we also note the level of threats coming fro m
certain Members on the other side through this whole
process.
Th
e Speaker: The Chair will recognise the Leader.
You have a supplementary, Honourable Leader?
Ho
n. Marc A. R. Bean: Yes, supplementary, Mr.
Speaker. Thank you.
Th
e Speaker: Yes.
SUPPLEMEN TARY
Ho
n. Marc A. R. Bean: Would the Honourable Pr emier confirm that the position of his Government is to
continue along the Pathway to Status initiative and he will not withdraw this legislation?
Th
e Speaker: Premier.
Ho
n. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Speaker, I have a lready answered that question.
Th
e Speaker: Yes, supplementary from MP, the
Learned Member from constituency 36.
SUPPLEMENTARY
Hon. Michael J. Scott: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Will the Premier confirm that he has received
written requests from the main union of this country asking that —
Th
e Speaker: That is a question, Honourable Member. That is a question.
1432 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Michael J. Scott: No, you did not let me finish,
because it is on withdrawing the Bill.

Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to go to the Honourable Premier’s Statement where the Honourable Pr emier said, a majority in support of the proposals. I will
pose the question to the P remier and hope that he will
answer with actual data to support it.
Can the Premier give us what data he is using
to state that a majority do support the proposals ?

Mr. Speaker, when asked to r espond to the data that he has to support that position,
the Premier said that it was o ur view. If the Premier says it is our view, then he must have data to support
his position. So I am going to give the Honourable
Premier another opportunity to tell the people of this
country and the persons who are listening on the
steps of Parliament, w hat data does he have to su pport the Government’s position that the position of his
Government is the majority position of the voters of
this country?

Premier.

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Speaker, I will co ntinue to answer all of the questions that are given to
me. And I do not consider that question to be som ething that I will expand on anymore, other than to say
that this Government is always open and willing to listen and communicate. I think Honourable Members
need to be aware that on issues of importance like this, people are always going to have strong positions
on both sides. And we are always willing to listen to
those positions.

The C hair will recognise the Honourable Member from constituency 35. MP Lister, you
have the floor.
SUPPLEMENTARIES

Hon. Dennis P. Lister: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Premier, in most of your responses this
morning, you refer to the fact that you are listening, you are hearing what the people are saying. My question is, Mr. Premier, at what point do your actions
speak to what the people are saying to you, or calling on you to do? Or are you just going to keep listening
without any action as a response to what they are r equesting of you?

Yes.
Hon. Dennis P. Lister: The question was not in r egard to the approach f rom persons on this side of the
House. The question was in response to persons outside of this House, the public who voted us into this
House, who in very large numbers are taking actions
to speak against the position that your Government is
taking.

The S peaker: Premier.

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I will reiterate that we certainly have no problem at any time with people expressing their concerns
about issues. And we will continue to foster and d evelop an environment where people ca n do that. That
means on these issues that people are going to agree
and disagree from time to time. It is our job as a government to make those difficult decisions as we turn
around the economy that is in bad shape. And it was
in worse shape in 2012.

Thank you.
The Chair will recognise the Learned Member
from constituency 36.

SUPPLEMENTARY

1434 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Michael J. Scott: To the Premier: Mr. Premier,
are you prepared to accept that this escalating situ ation will not be good for the economy, as I look at the
Minister for the Economy, Dr. Gibbons? It will not be
good for tourism, as I look to the Tourism Minister, who is not in the House? Do you accept that this continued escalation will not be good? And would a r esponsible government —would a responsible gover nment continue to dig in in this way?

Premier.
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Speaker, that question
I do not support in any way. Everyone’s opinion mat-ters, Mr. Speaker. But it does not mean we are going
to agree all the time. And if life was a bed of roses,
then we would be smelling them every day of t he
week and year, and that is not the case, Mr. Speaker.
Let me reiterate. Let me reiterate that this
country faces many challenges. And leadership r equires tough decisions that are going to please some
people and make some people unhappy. We are not
in this position on this side of the House to try to make
everybody happy, because if we do that, we will continue to be broke and will continue to have way too
many people unemployed without opportunity in their
homeland. And that is not acceptable.

The Spe aker: Thank you, Honourable Premier.
The Chair will recognise again—another supplementary? MP Weeks, yes.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, well, actually, Mr. Premier, I understand that everybody’s opinion matters. In this
situation which is of such importance, would it not be
better to have a collaborative effort from all walks of life, from different sectors of our society, so that we
could comprehensively look at immigration that is g oing forth for our children and our grandchildren?

Premier.

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Speaker, that is a
question that the Honourable Member should probably answer himself. People have diff erent ways of expressing themselves. And I would be surprised if pe ople who supported the legislation would be out there
at this time, because they are going about doing what
they have to do, because they have no reason to
come up here and express any opin ion.

Since we serve at the will of
the people, and the will of all people, and that a large
majority of the people are not in accord with the pending legislation regarding immigration, will the Premier,
in being a responsive Government, desist from their
own motion on this legislation and listen to those who may have very cogent reasons why we shou ld not go
forward at this point in time? Will the Premier at least


Bermuda House of Assembly give them that opportunity, since the Government of
today was not voted [in] on that mandate?

Mr. Speaker, in the Honourable
Premier’s Statement, the Honourable Premier said
that immigration is an issue that ignites the passions.
The question that I have to him is, Will the Premier
take this opportunity right now to denounce and di savow those of his supporters who have taken to the
Internet and to the blogs making demeaning, racist, and I would call unacceptable comments towards
Bermudians?

Premier.
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Speaker, yes. I do not
support comments from anywhere or anybody that are
based on a foundation of hatred and disrespect. I was
standing with an honourable colleague on Wednesday
at the lunch break, and I overheard th at honourable
colleague being slandered by somebody who walked by. So it is a two -way street.
And, Mr. Speaker, I think all 36 of us are (I do
not want to draw you into it) —all 35 of us in this place
can lock in hands and say that, as we deal with these difficult issues, let us be respectful. There is no place
to tear our brothers and sisters down. So, yes, I support you 100 per cent.

Yes. The Chair will recognise the Honourable Member from constituency 36, the Learned
Member Michael Scott.

SUPPLEMENTARY

Hon. Michael J. Scott: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Premier, is it being responsible as the
Leader of the Government of this day, is it being r esponsible to pursue a path that has unpredictable,
possibly unintended consequences for the entir e
country? Is it responsible?

Premier.

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Speaker, I do not
agree with the foundation of that question, because in
the position that we and Bermuda find ourselves in,
the decisions we make are always very difficult. And
the road ahead is always very uncertain because we
live in an fast -paced ever -changing world, and we
need to do what we can to improve the lives of all Bermudians.

Carry on.
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I made it very clear in my answer to the Honourable Member from constituency 18 just a few m oments ago that this Government does not support the
approach where people pull other people down. And
we will work with the Opposition doing all we can. And
I will make this comment right here. I will make this
comment right here, Mr. Speaker, that those who want
to take that approach, cease and desist! You have
nothing to add to a debate if you cannot conduct it in an appropriate, factual way.

Yes, absolutely, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, in the response that the Honourable Premier just gave, he just said that we would
hope that people would refrain from statements that would pull other people down. Then I will ask, why
would the Honourable Premier feel that it is appropr iate for his office to issue a statement causing the organisers of what is a mass demonstration, a wit hdrawal of labour , a vague organisation? Does he not
believe that is pulling people down?

MP De Silva. Okay, MP De Silva.

QUESTION 2 : RESPONSE TO ISLAND -WIDE
WITHDRAWAL OF LABOUR CAMPAIGN

Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Premier, on the first page of your Stat ement, second paragraph, you state, No one has di sputed the need for comprehensive immigration reform.
Mr. Premier, in light of the growing, overwhelming
concern by the People’s Campaign, the unions, call in
shows, concerned people who are outside of this
House today, the lady and her friends who have
camped outside on these grounds for the past three or
four nights . . . Mr. Premier, for the sake of our people
and our country, do you not think it is time to reconsider your position and agree to a joint committee between the OBA and the PLP to come up with solutions to this very, very crucial problem that we have in Ber-muda?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Premier, if you take a rethink on withdrawing the
Bill, it would not [make] you or the Government [appear] weak, per se. But it will go a long way in keeping
to the promises you made of being collaborativ e and
listening to the will of the people. Because all those
people out on the steps must be listened to, because
they are the backbone of our country, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
So the question is —

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Yes, I was waiting for that.
[Laughter]



Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Michael A. Weeks: So would the Premier consider at least listening to the will of the people, based
on the promises you gave coming into office?

Question number three is, going
again back to the majority do support the proposals, I
will ask the Honourable Premier this: Given the fact that governments must govern based on the mandates of the people whom they govern, can the Honourable Premier please state, based on what expression of consent from the people or the electorate of
this country does he feel that his Government has a
mandate to enact Pathways to Status?

Premier.

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Speaker, I will repeat
again for Honourable Members who need som e more
clarity. Governments are elected to lead. During the
course of the time in office between any elections,
there are many very difficult decisions to make. And
the Government is required to make them. And that is
what we will do to go forward.

The Sp eaker: Thank you, Honourable Member.
Yes, you have a supplementary, Honourable
Member?

Can the Honourable Premier
confirm to us and the listening audience that the mandate of the Government is (quote) “that it is how we
will continue mov ing this Government forward,” as it is
stated on page 3 but then wiped out and inked out in
ink.
I will ask the question more clearly: That the
mandate of this Government is to continue moving
this Government forward?

Mr. Speaker, the Honourable
Premier said that he gave a response, talki ng about
1438 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly over the course of the election, over the course of the
Government’s term in office. I ask a very specific
question: What does this Government feel gave his
Government the mandate to enact Pathways to
Status? A mandate comes from the people of thi s
country. The Honourable Premier, never . . . his Government disavowed granting of status before the election. The question that I have is, What mandate is he
claiming now to enact this Bill?

Yes. That is true. It is your second
question.

QUESTION 2 : RESPONSE TO ISLAND -WIDE
WITHDRAWAL OF LABOUR CAMPAIGN

Hon. Marc A. R. Bean: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, will the Honourable Premier confirm, as a result of their entrenched position regarding
Pathways to Status, and [since] there is the fact that
the One Bermuda Alliance Government has not received a mandate from the people of this country to
pursue this path, is the Premier now prepared to accept the consequences of the Government’s position
whereas the people now will require by force a man-date via the ballot box and the general election?

Perhaps I can reword the question so that I can have an answer. In the Statement, and I quote, “No one has disputed the need to a ddress the inequit ies that continue to exist in our soc iety [today].” These are the words of the Honourable
Premier. I would ask him to confirm, what are the i nequities that exist in our society to which the Honourable Premier and the Government are referring to?

Premier.
Hon. Michael H. Dunkl ey: Mr. Speaker, Honourable
Members on that side like to amplify their comments.
And I do not support those comments. I will repeat what I have said a number of times during the question period. We will continue to listen to people. We
will continue to tak e on board their concerns. But we
must make decisions to move this country forward.
And we believe this is the right approach.
And the escalation of the tensions that people
might feel and the emotions they might have? It is up
to all of us in the communi ty to make sure that we li sten and we also work to make sure that they do not
amplify it in any way. Because, Mr. Speaker, it does
not do the country or the people any good to go to that point. And the Opposition need to support that approach of responsibi lity going forward.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it abundantly clear, in case the Honourable Premier is [con-cerned] for whatever reason, that nobody on this side of the House would like to see any type of violence or
escalation of unrest. However, the actions of the Pr emier’s Government are what is leading to this conti nued escalation.

[Inaudible interjection]

Good morning.

Dr. the Hon. E. Grant Gibbons: Mr. Speaker, a number of Members of this House, including the Premier,
some of my colleagues and certainly a numbers of the
Opposition had the pleasure of attending the opening
ceremony yesterday of the 130th session of the Bermuda Annual Conference for the African Methodist Episcopal Church. And probably all Members would
like to send congratulations to the Bishop, Bishop I ngram, and all those who are providing leadership at
this po int in the 130
th session. I would ask that the
House do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Chair will recognise the Honourable Member Jeff Sousa.

1440 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Jeff Sousa: Good morning, Mr. Speaker, colleagues and those in the listening audience.
This morning I rise to congratulate my
neighbour, Rees Fletcher, on his retirement from
ACE. Actually, he has been the Chairman of Chubb
Bermuda recently, and he will be retiring at the end of
this month. Rees Fletcher started his career, or I
should say his employment, at ACE 27 years ago and
actually was the 21st employee at that company. And
along the way, he has encouraged and assisted many
Bermudians to work with this organisation, this bus iness, which has done very well in Bermuda and has
benefited many Bermudians. So I want to wish him
much success in the future. I would like to associate
MP Cole Simons and MP . . . actually, I would like to
associate the entire House on this side. I would like to associate the entire team on this side because there is no one on the other side in their seats. So, Mr.
Speaker, I wish him well in his retirement and would
like to thank him for the service that he has done to
international business in Bermuda. Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise just to send congratul ations to the graduates from the Dare2Be programme. This was a programme that was formerly known as
the Community Driven Development Programme that
started under the One Bermuda Alliance Government. And I would like to associate both the Minister of Education and the Minister of Community, Culture and
Sports because they were both present —well, the
Minister of Community, Culture and Sports was pr esent for the graduation. These y oung women actually
went through this cycle and went through job proc-esses, learning how to apply for jobs. I was lucky
enough to meet with most of them throughout the year
and talk with them. And they were in great spirits. So
at this time, I just want to send them congratulations
on completing that programme this year.

I would like for
the House to recognise the achievements of two di fferent individuals. One of them is Meagan Teixiera,
and the other one is Kidist “P inky” Emery. Pinky E m-ery happens to be the owner of Salon Pink, and I
would like to associate . . . I think this side of the Government would like to recognise Salon Pink and their
achievements. But, Mr. Speaker, the reason I have
stood to my feet today is to recognise Megan. Megan
graduated from Mount Saint Agnes a few years ago.
And during the process, or prior to her graduation, she
did an apprenticeship at Salon Pink. Salon Pink is r enowned in Bermuda for taking on young women and
young men as apprentic es to help them in their endeavours to help beautify the women and men of
Bermuda.
Now, Mr. Speaker, after Salon Pink’s management assisted Megan in achieving the application for the government bursary, which helped to pay for
her UK experience and her tr aining, Megan, after a
year in London, which was after, of course, graduating
from Mount Saint Agnes (then doing a year in Lo ndon), has finally returned back to Bermuda. And, Mr.
Speaker, that says a lot for our young people. And it is
up to the whole comm unity to come out and continue
to support each other in our own personal endeavours. And for that, Mr. Speaker, we recognise both
Salon Pink and, of course, young Bermudians who
come back to show their talents and to help us. Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.

The S peaker: All right. Thank you, Honourable Member.
Would any other Honourable Member care to
speak?
The Chair will recognise the Honourable and
Learned Attorney General.

Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise to give congratulations to the Vasco Da
Gama Club. Vasco Da Gama took the initiative to i nvite the Government to an information session last
night on Pathways to Status. It was attended by m yself; the Minister of Home Affairs, Michael Fahy; and the Junior Minister, Sylvan Richards. And we gave a
presentation there on Pathways to Status to a packed crowd at the Vasco Da Gama Club, I would estimate
between 150 and 200 people in the club last night.
It was very sad that the club saw the necessity to have some sort of police protection for a public
meeting in Bermuda, that the encouragement by people in the community, including Members of the O pposition, to civil disobedience has put people in fear of
their safety and their lives to the point that we had to
have police there. But nevertheless, the club were brave enough to have that meeting. And it was a very
informative session. The large majority of people there
were of Portuguese descent, Portuguese nationals.
But there was also a sprinkling in there of people of
English descent. There we re some people, I believe,
of Indian descent, some West Indians there as well.
There were also Filipinos there. It was a very interes tBermuda House of Assembly ing cross -section. And we not only gave a present ation, but we also took questions.
And we also heard heart -wrenching stor ies of
children who are now adults who were born here,
raised their whole life in Bermuda, know no other
place, and are really at their wits’ end. And I had to
relate to the people there that when I have spoken to
people, whether they be Members of the Opposition,
whether it be leaders of the unions, you know, when I
put the question to them, Do you accept the human
rights of people who have lived here for 20 years —

Honourable Member, we are not here
for speeches.

Hon. Trevor G. Moniz: I understand that, but no one
has ever disagreed with that. I have always received
full support from, whether they are Members of the
Opposition, whether they are union leaders, for these
people’s rights. And to have to go and hear these
heart -wrenching stories and to have people in fear of
their lives to even have a public meeting is a sad, sad
day for Bermuda. And I say that to congratulate the
Vasco Da Gama Club for putting on that meeting. It
was adjourned once, sadly, but we had the meeting
last night. It wa s well attended. And I encouraged
them, and I encourage other groups to have that same courage and not to continue to be fearful as, unfortunately, some groups have been. Thank you,

Thank you, and good morning, Mr.
Speaker and the listening audience.
I rise today to send congratulations to the A rtemis team. Last week Friday, I believe i t was, they
had their official opening of their new facility in Morgan’s Point. And when the Honourable Minister from
Economic Development first announced that the
America’s Cup would be coming to Bermuda, he laid out the various different venues that woul d be built,
particularly the one that went up first in Dockyard for Oracle. But truly, here is an entity that is putting bricks
and mortar in Bermuda. They have literally built a f acility, hired numerous Bermudians, rented numerous
homes, and have brought their families to Bermuda.
So, I rise to congratulate them. I also would
like to associate the Minister of Economic Development and the Premier on this great cause. Thank you.

Good morning, Members. We are
now in the Committee of Supply. For our listening audience, the heads to be debated this morning are
Heads 83, 6, 7, 13, 25, 45, and 88, and they fall under
the Ministry of National Security Headquarters, D efence, Police. Post O ffice, Department of Corrections,
Fire Services, and National Drug Control.
1442 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly The Premier will lead off on these debates.
Premier, you have the floor.

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, as you said, I am pleased to
move the rel evant heads here, 83, 6, 7, 13, 25, 45 and
88.
Mr. Chairman, since there is no one in the
Opposition, maybe I should just move them and we
can move on to Tourism and Transport. since no one
wants to hear this debate.
Mr. Chairman?

[Pause]

HEAD 83 —MINIST RY OF NATIONAL SECURITY
HEADQUARTERS

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: But I will continue on.
Ministry of National Security. Honourable
Members, I am pleased to present the current accounts for the Ministry of National Security Headquarters, Head 83, which can b e found starting on page B -
62 and finishing on page B -64 of the Estimates and
Revenue book.
Mr. Chairman, the mission of the Ministry of
National Security Headquarters is to protect and e nhance the welfare of our community effectively, eff iciently, and eq uitably. The Ministry’s departmental
objectives are to direct policy implementation and to
oversee programme management and departmental
operations within the Ministry. These include, but are
not limited to, providing leadership, oversight, and c oordination of the Department of National Drug Control,
the Department of Corrections, HM Customs, the
Bermuda Post Office, and the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service.
Mr. Chairman, the Ministry also facilitates d elivery of the policing strategy of the Bermuda Police
Service and promotes the role of the Bermuda Regiment. The Parole Board, the Treatment of Offenders
Board, and the Police Complaints Authority also fall
under the Ministry of National Security Headquarters’ remit. The Ministry of National Security Headquar ters
budget allocation is $1,297,000 for 2016/17 and represents a decrease of $63,000, or 5 per cent over
the 2015/16 budget allocation. This decrease meets
the mandated current account reduction set by the
Ministry of Finance.
Mr. Chairman, the Ministry of National Sec urity Headquarters has seven full -time staff members.
Salary costs of $735,000 have remain fixed throughout the preceding two fiscal years. Board and commission fees included in professional services have
decreased from $460,000 to $452,000, or 2 per cent.
Mr. Chairman, the following items should be
noted in this fiscal year: Local training remains at $1,000. Travel is reduced from $51,000 to $36,000.
Advertising and Promotion is reduced from $50,000 to $29,000. Communications is reduced fr om $11,000 to
$9,000. Materials and supplies is reduced from $29,000 to $17,000.
During Fiscal Year 2015/16, the Ministry of
National Security Headquarters has led the following policy initiatives:
• Amendments to the Defence Act 1965 and the
Junior Leaders Act;
• Consultative phase of the Fire Safety Act,
which was recently passed in these Chambers;
• Development of the policy surrounding the
Regiment’s assumption of the inshore mar itime patrolling role;
• The extension of the GREAT programme i nstruction to additional uniformed services;
• The management of the electronic monitoring
device contract;
• Coordination of the Cash Back for Communities grant initiative providing proceeds of
crime from the confiscated assets fund to go into community organisations.

Mr. Chairman, in the coming fiscal year, one
of the Ministry’s principal projects will be to develop an
RFP for the provision of joined- up radio service for all
uniformed services. This significant project will allow services to communicate more effectively, usi ng un iform equipment, and realise economies of scale in maintenance and supply. Additionally, a platform will
be created that can be extended to other areas within
Government, including Parks and divisions of the Mi nistry of Public Works.
Honourable Member s will recall this Gover nment’s undertaking to post a senior police officer within the Ministry Headquarters to be Bermuda’s national disaster coordinator and major event plan-ner/advisor. Inspector Stephen Cosham is the officer, and he is fully engaged in the development of and
revisions to Bermuda’s plans for natural and manmade disasters. Already, Mr. Chairman, he is working
with the organisers of the Bermuda Heroes Weekend to ensure that event is safely delivered for the enjo yment of all people.
That c ompletes the presentation of Head 83.

HEAD 6 —DEFENCE

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: I turn now to Head 6, D efence. Mr. Chairman, Head 6 comprises the Royal Bermuda Regiment. The Royal Bermuda Regiment —
this is the first time we have managed to say that in
this Budget Debate, Mr. Chairman. That can be found
starting on page B -265. The Regiment’s role is to pr ovide operational capacity to support the civil authority. It performs a number of critical functions including
natural and man- made disaster relief, internal sec urity, state ceremonial activity, routine and specialist
support to the Bermuda Police Service, military trai nBermuda House of Assembly ing, social cohesion, and youth development. The
primary legislation affecting the departments are the
Defence Act 1965 (most recently amende d in 2015);
the Royal Bermuda Regiment Governor’s Orders
2015; His Excellency’s Directive to the Commanding
Officer, dated July 2009; the Bermuda Volunteer (R eserve Force) Act 1939; and the Royal Bermuda Regiment Junior Leaders Act 2015.
Under the authorit y of the Defence Act, Mr.
Chairman, the Royal Bermuda Regiment’s mandate is
to be the military force maintaining the necessary
standards of manpower, training, and equipment to
enable it to perform its assigned roles efficiently and
effectively. The Regiment is continuously training to
remain at a state of readiness in order to accomplish
its important missions and tasks.
Mr. Chairman, the mission and roles of the
Regiment were confirmed by the formal reviews in 2000, 2006, and 2014. To support the mission stat ement, there are four main roles:
a) To provide regimental assistance to the civil
authority;
b) To provide regimental assistance to the civil power;
c) To provide regimental assistance to Ber-mudian society; and
d) to provide regimental assistance to the inter-national community.

Mr. Chairman, the total funding for the Royal
Bermuda Regiment for the coming year is $7,085,937,
an increase of $137,881. This new cash limit repr esents an increase of 1.98 per cent. The extra funding,
in spite of cuts elsewhere, is to s upport the transfer to
an all -volunteer force, and training for the band.
Mr. Chairman, cost centre 16000, Defence
Services, manages the processes for registering, s electing, calling- up, and deferral from service of Bermudian men. Recruitment provides the administrative
support and services to Regimental Headquarters, the Defence Board, Defence Exemption Tribunal, D efence Promotions Board, and Defence Medical Board.
Financial support and budget control round out this
cost centre’s responsibility. There are three full -time
staff paid in this cost centre, and two are civilian.
Cost centre 16010, Regimental Headquarters.
Mr. Chairman, all command and control functions and
associated costs are collated in this cost centre. All
administrative and policy functio ns in support of mil itary activities (less logistics) are funded through this cost centre, which also includes seven full -time staff
members. On the February 27
th of this year, Mr.
Chairman, command of the Regiment returned to a
Bermudian. And I would like to take this opportunity to
congratulate Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel
Curley, on his appointment and wish him all the best in all the work that he will do for the Regiment and
people of Bermuda. I would like to also take this o pportunity to thank the former Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Foster -Brown, for his service over
the past three years.
Cost centre 16020, Quartermaster. Mr.
Chairman, the Quartermaster’s Department provides
all material and logistic supply to the Regiment. All procurement is funded through this cost centre. In addition, this department is responsible for the maint enance of all military assets, from buildings to weap-ons. Of note, in August 2015, the Regiment replaced
its ageing weapons system at no cost to the Bermuda
taxpayer, with the kind gifting of 400 SA80 A2 wea pons by the UK Ministry of Defence. Mr. Chairman, I
had the opportunity to see them on parade with our
soldiers in the Regiment. And they are a great i mprovement as far as a weapon goes, but somewhat
more difficult to parade with, Mr. Chairman. There are
nine full -time staff paid in this cost centre, including
one civilian.
Cost centre 16030, Ceremonial. Mr. Chai rman, the Bermuda Regiment Band and Corps of Drums, along with Guards of Honour provided by
C Company, will continue to perform during parades
and state occasions that are expected and enjoyed by
our visitors and residents. There are two full -time staff
in this cost centre, which also captures costs assoc iated with routine state ceremonial occasions including
• Beating Retreat Ceremonies, which are held
from April through October;
• The Queen’s Birthday Parade in June;
• The Convening of the Legislature in November or whenever ordered; and
• The Remembrance Day Ceremony, in N ovember as well.

The costs of various community -supported activities carried out by the band in Bermuda throughout
the year are also reflected in this cost centre. These
include leading the Bermuda Day Parade, performing
at the annual Senior Citizens Tea, performing in support of Recruit Camp, performances at the request of
community organisations such as the Bermuda Inter-national Business Association [BIBA], supporting the Department of Tourism and convention groups, and
last year supporting the Regiment’s 50
th anniversary
celebrations with the spectacular Tattoo at Dockyard
in October 2015.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this m oment to congratulate the Organising Committee, specifically the Permanent Secretary of National Security,
Major Marc Telemaque, for a fantastic job in organ ising and making sure it came off seamlessly, and also
commend Major Telemaque for his dulcet tones throughout the days when the Tattoo ran. We enjoyed
our time up there, and certainly I enjoyed his dulcet
tones with a splash of humour.

[Inaudible interjection s and laughter ]

1444 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: No, some of us are embarrassed when we sing. But some sing quite well.

[Laughter]

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Cost centre 16040, Local
Training. Mr. Chairman, this funding is for the local
training costs of all part-time personnel in A, C, and
Support Companies for the training throughout the
year. Training begins with the annual two- week R ecruit Camp and then continues throughout the year via
drill nights and weekend camps, and consumes approximately a further 14 man- days of time per soldier
per year. The number of training days has decreased
since 2008/09, proportionally with the reduced budget and what can be done.
The training commitment is higher for senior
ranks and, of course, for specialist capabilities. Costs
associated with the Junior Non- Commissioned Off icers Cadre are included. This concentrates on deve loping leaders and managers, which is critical to any organisation. Those who complete this course go on
to become non- commissioned officers in the Reg iment. Many soldiers also find that their employers r eward their enhanced skills in the civilian workplace. This year, personnel on the cadre will attend their Battle Camp in April –May 2016, along with the remainder
of the Regiment (less C Company and elements of
Support Company) as they travel to Jamaica. There
are seven full -time staff paid in this cost centre.
Cost centre 16060, Bermuda Regiment Junior
Leaders. Mr. Chairman, this cost centre has been de-funded following budget cuts over the past year, but
this very important youth development programme
continues to operate effectively with charitable support. The part -time adult staff leads the work with the
support of parental and other contributions. As part of
the update to defence legislation in December 2015, it
received its own dedicated Royal Bermuda Regiment
Junior Leaders Act. Mr. Chairman, the Government
will continue to support this programme and look at
how to provide funding to continue the work of our
Junior Leaders.
Cost centre 16075, Overseas Camp. Mr.
Chairman, this cost centre captures the costs assoc iated with taking approximately 220 personnel over-seas for a mandated 14- day camp annually. Signif icant items of expenditure within this cost centre i nclude the cost of the aircraft charter, soldiers’ camp pay, and the provision of all resources to facilitate and
support this training. In April 2016, the Regiment will
deploy to Jamaica to undergo its annual training. The overseas camp is, of course, essential, as you know,
Mr. Chairman, in order to conduct training not possible
on the Island and to help ensure the Regiment always
keeps pace with international best practice.
Cost centre 16080, Courses and Attachments.
Mr. Chairman, overseas courses offer an opportunity to acquire specialised skill s and to maintain those skills that may be required for operations in Bermuda,
whilst also ensuring the Regiment conforms to modern military best practice. The cost centre is for the
continuation training, additional training, and special
training of all officers and non- commissioned officers
both locally and overseas throughout the training year.
Depending on the availability of personnel, the Reg iment sends up to 15 officers, warrant officers, senior
NCOs or potential officers to the UK, USA, Canada, or
Jamaica to attend a variety of military skills or military
knowledge courses. Subject to available funds, in pr evious years the Regiment facilitated volunteers to par-ticipate in various camps and exercises organised by
affiliated units such as the Royal

Anglian Regiment. In 2015, Mr. Chairman, two ind ividuals deployed to train in Belize for three weeks,
whilst USNORTHCOM [ U.S. Northern Command], as
result of a new affiliation, sponsored a number of
courses abroad at no cost (less wages) to the Regiment.
Personnel —Mr. Chairman, the Bermuda
Regiment currently employs 30 full -time staff, of which
all but three are military personnel. The three civilian
staff are employed in the administration of recruitment
and accounts payable, and grounds maintenance at
the Warwick Camp.
Due to historic reductions in cash limits since
2008/09, the total strength of the Regiment is being held at just over 420 full -time and part -time personnel.
Wages are the Regiment’s greatest expenditure.
Output measures and objectives —Mr. C hairman, the Regiment successfully completed its prepa-rations for the past hurricane season. In October, the
Regiment led and participated in the annual Joint Services Exercise, Joint Venture 15. The exercise, conducted with other agencies, had an internal security
theme, and included 200 soldiers and over 30 police
officers.
Major achievements —Mr. Chairman, in 2015:
• the Regiment again demonstrated its enduring
utility and relevance in October 2015 when
120 soldiers were deployed for Hurricane
Joaquin and helped clear 16 obstacles across
the Island;
• earlier the same month, Mr. Chairman, over
90 soldiers were committed to support the World Series sailing event in Hamilton with
security, marshalling, and ceremonial duties;
• whilst in January 2016, the Regiment
achieved the first -ever all -volunteer Recruit
Camp, with a record high level of 66 volu nteers forming two platoons, 16 volunteers of which were female. This exceeded the target set and was in line with the Government’s
commitment to phase out conscription, as articulated in paragraph (4) of the new Defence
Act passed in this Honourable Chamber in
2015. The historic all -volunteer recruit camp is


Bermuda House of Assembly possible due to high retention rates, meaning
fewer recruits were required to maintain numbers. I might add, Mr. C hairman, that sceptics
talked against this way forward, and we are delighted that the Regiment command has
made it happen. And we look forward to con-tinued success in future years;
• the proposal for a lead Regiment marine role
has been discussed for over 25 years and
was one of the key recommendations in the
February 2014 National Security and Defence
Review. A detailed submission was made in
July 2014, and Cabinet met on the 12
th of
January 2016 with a view to moving forward
this long- standing recommendation and p otentially achieving the transfer by May 2017,
before the America’s Cup. Specifically, Mr.
Chairman, an option which proposes an additional 14 full -time staff, a budget of just under
$1.7 million (against the current police budget of about $1.25 mil lion for a similar task) would
also provide a 200 per cent increase over the
existing marine police coverage. This role has been discussed for 25 years, but is now being
actioned and, it is safe to say, will significantly enhance the capability of our mari time nation;
• the Regiment continues to work closely with
the Bermuda Police Service, including with
the Joint Service Explosive Ordnance Team,
and has started the training of selected so ldiers trained as time- bound special const ables;
• the Regiment celebrat ed its 50
th anniversary
on the 1st of September last year, with 22
events including two Freedom Parades,
Trooping of the Colour, the Tattoo in Doc kyard, and a Royal visit.

Mr. Chairman, the Royal Bermuda Regiment
received the accolade of the Royal title for long and distinguished service as part of its 50
th anniversary. It
has been embodied, on average, every other year during its 50- year history and again demonstrated its
enduring relevance in the last 12 months with hurr icane and disaster relief followi ng Hurricane Gonzalo
and support to the World Series. It has also raised the
profile of Bermuda with the Tattoo in October, demonstrating, if proof were actually needed, Mr. Chairman,
that Bermuda can stage world- class events.
Over 9,000 Bermudians have been issued
regimental numbers, demonstrating the reach and the significance of the Regiment. It plays a vital role in the
life, safety, and unity of our country. The values it
stands for, duty and service, are the values that help
make Bermuda strong.

[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: I was one of the many who
was a volunteer in the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, which I am coming to later. I am pleased to see
that the Honourable Opposition has decided to debate the Bermuda Fire and Resc ue Service. So, Mr.
Chairman, thank you for that question.
Our young (and not -so-young) have been a nswering the call of service in even greater numbers and voting with their feet. As a result of their rewar ding experience and the benefits of regimental ser vice,
individuals have been volunteering to join and serve in
record numbers, to the extent that conscription was
not actually required in 2016. Notwithstanding this
historic success, the utility of the Regiment is set to
expand even further when Cabinet t akes forward the
lead regimental maritime role prior to the America’s Cup in 2017. And the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Ser-vice are exploring the possibility of soldiers being
trained as auxiliary firefighters, whilst in 2017, the
Regiment is preparing to support the America’s Cup
with a regimental deployment instead of its normal
overseas training programme. Mr. Chairman, the Regiment is thus well set to provide valuable service
as it moves to its second half -century and will continue to receive strong support from this Government.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity, as I close that head, to thank the leaders of the
Regiment for their commitment over the past number of years. I have had the pleasure of attending Passing
Out parades and various o ther events that took place
in the Regiment. And there is a strong spirit within the
Regiment, with people being trained at the highest
levels. And it is gratifying to see young men and
women getting involved and serving their country with enthusiasm and z eal.

HEAD 7 —BERMUDA POLICE SERVICE

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, I will now
turn my attention to Head 7, the Bermuda Police Service, which can be found on pages B -270 to B -274 of
the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure. Mr.
Chairman, the mission statement of the Bermuda P olice Service is Making Bermuda Safer by engaging in
three priority areas of operations:
• tackling crime and antisocial behaviour;
• engaging with the community;
• making the roads safer.

Mr. Chairman, the Bermuda Police Service
[BPS] continues to operate in austere times, along
with all other sectors of our community, meaning that
resources must be used and deployed strategically. It
is important for the police to be sharply focused on the things that present the most significant t hreats to public safety in Bermuda and those things that most i mpact on the feeling of community confidence in the police to keep us safe. To that end, the police have
1446 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly committed to the following priorities for the next fiscal
year:
Tackling crime and anti social behaviour —the
escalation of gang tensions during the past five years
led to unprecedented levels of gun violence, and the development of a Gang and Violence Reduction
Strategy in 2010 that provided a framework for an enhanced law enforcement approac h to reducing vi olence, coupled with the opportunities for partner
agency and community involvement in tackling the
problems from all angles. The BPS will refresh the strategy to ensure that it continues to reduce the harm
caused by the violence attributed to gangs and the
criminal use of firearms.
The BPS will continue to work in partnership
to target those criminals who pose the greatest threat
to our communities. The BPS will further invest in
government and community partnerships, and partic ipate in j oined- up offender management, education
programmes, and prevention programmes.
The BPS will continue to work with partners
within the framework of the Interagency Gang Task
Force [IGTF] and its associated levels: the Interagency Gang Enforcement Team [IGE T] and the I nteragency Community Response [ICR] Team. The
work of the Interagency Gang Task Force combines
strategy with enforcement and community support.
The BPS will assess risks and provide an appropriate intelligence- led policing response to local
nightlife activities and regular sporting matches. The
police will also mount highly visible and effective patrols wherever needed to reduce crime and antisocial
behaviour.
The police will also monitor trends in organised crime and continue the excellent w orking rel ationships that have been forged with international law
enforcement partners to protect against and mount
appropriate responses to threats from terrorism, c ybercrime, organised crime, and financial crime.
The BPS supports initiatives that prevent
crime and, of course, reduce offending. The police will
collaborate with its criminal justice partners and other
local organisations to help develop a system of r estorative justice in Bermuda.
In regards to engaging with the community,
the BPS will conti nue to develop and support Community Action Groups, particularly in those neighbourhoods that will benefit the most. Aided by the existing
police Community Action Teams [CATs], the BPS will
work to enhance public confidence by developing and
implementing l ocal solutions to local problems in var ious areas.
The Problem Oriented Policing and Partnerships (POPP) strategy remains as the cornerstone of police operations. CAT officers rely on partnerships to
build stronger communities; the BPS will, of course, make every effort to provide greater consistency in
providing local community officers so that relatio n-ships at the neighbourhood level are strong and e nduring.
Strong enforcement must be complemented
by strong education, prevention, and diversion efforts. The police will continue to deliver the Gang Resi stance and Education Training [GREAT] programme in
partnership with our Island’s schools in an effort to
weaken the grip of the gang culture on our young
people.
The BPS will also continue to support its
members to enhance youth engagement with the police and to volunteer outside of the police to serve with
other helping organisations.
Good communication sits at the heart of
strong relationships. The BPS will develop media strategies and expand the use of i ts website and s ocial media sites to keep the public informed and engaged with the latest news from the police.
In regards to making the roads safer, Mr.
Chairman, the BPS Road Safety Strategy is a community collaboration that is designed to save lives, to
make our roads safer, and to increase public conf idence. The police will deliver operational plans to r educe the total number of traffic collisions, with an emphasis on reducing the number of deaths on the
roads. Patrols will be targeted to disrupt criminal use
of the road and combat antisocial driving behaviours.
The police will aim to calm the roads and reduce the frequency of impaired driving.
The approach to road safety, Mr. Chairman,
will include intelligence- led data to analyse traffic “ hot
spots ” and areas that need attention. The police will
raise awareness of poor driving behaviour through
education in concert with key stakeholders. The Bermuda Police Service will engage in enforcement that
is combined with professional judgment and discretion
so that punishment is balanced with prevention.
Investing in people, Mr. Chairman—the Bermuda Police Service currently has a discipline system
which, at 40 years old, is not consistent with modern
employment practices and is devoid of effective stat utory perf ormance management arrangements to manage performance and attendance. Working alongside the Government legislative reforms highlighted in the
2015 Speech from the Throne, the service will impl ement a modernisation plan and deliver training to all
police st aff in relation to performance, conduct, and
attendance management.
The BPS relies on trained, competent people
to deliver efficient quality service at the highest pr ofessional standards. The commissioner and his team
remain committed to training and reinforcing a pr ogramme of transformational leadership that builds a
culture of shared leadership and decision- making at
the lowest appropriate levels.
Considerations of safety, health, and welfare
are priorities for the people engaged in our wor kplaces. The BPS seeks to foster a safe and healthy
work environment, with a strong focus on preventative


Bermuda House of Assembly measures. The newly formed Occupational Health
Unit provides a multidisciplinary approach to delivering complete physical, mental, and social well -being
environments for all of the staff of the BPS. Additional
training will be provided for the growing contingent of
internal and external volunteers who support the service as Critical Incident Stress Management [CISM]
professionals.
The BPS will streamline its organi sational
structure, with a particular focus on consolidating f acilities, assets, resources, and responsibilities within
the service. We will increase the ratio of constables to
supervisors through natural attrition to achieve greater
efficiency of supervis ion and to reduce bureaucracy.
To help us reach budget reduction targets while sustaining operational delivery levels, the Bermuda Police
Service will examine business processes to ensure that all police officers are engaged in police work.
They will work hard to avoid using officers for jobs that
do not require police training to perform.
The Bermuda Police Reserve provides vital
support to the regular service by harnessing volunteer
efforts from the community. They will continue to encourage recruitment efforts to increase their numbers
to 100 officers, representing an increase of more than
30 per cent. They will also seek to further enhance
[diversity] within their ranks commensurate with the diversity in the community that they serve.
Mr. Chairman, in regards to optimising tec hnology, the Bermuda Police Service will work to ensure that our technology infrastructure provides modern, automated assistance to their operations while
simultaneously delivering value for money. They will
consult with the Bermuda Government to invest in technology that makes all of us more efficient at our
job and contributes to public safety.
They will collaborate with Government on the
opportunities to expand the capability of the public CCTV network through the addition of new networks
and by enhancing video analytics that will enable fea-tures such as facial recognition, traffic compliance,
and speed cameras.
They will implement an electronic document
management system to improve electronic filing c apacity and to streamline compliance with the requir ements of the Public Access to Information [PATI] Act
and new disclosure requirements within the criminal
justice arena.
The Bermuda Police Service will work with the
Government and other emergency services to trans ition towards a modern radio system that will enable
better communications across government and emergency services on a shared platform.
Mr. Chairman, in regards to allocation of staff,
for ease of accounting, salaries for police officers are
allocated to the Commiss ioner’s cost centre, line item
17000. Police salaries for 2016/17 have been set at
$38,300,000. The budget provides for 416 police off icers (which includes 10 cadets). The allocation of these human resources will be divided into three div isions, each commanded by a superintendent. Specif ically, the regular police staff will comprise one com-missioner, one deputy commissioner, two assistant
commissioners, three superintendents, eight chief i nspectors , 25 inspectors, 66 sergeants, and 300 constables with the 10 cadets whom I mentioned earlier.
The commissioner has the authority to move staff according to the needs of the service.
Salaries and wages for the 90 civilian staff
who support the service in areas of finance, techno logy, human resources, station duty officers, as well a
garage department, are budgeted at $5,859,307.
Additional resources, Mr. Chairman—the var iances to be observed in most of the cost centres r eflect operational considerations that fall within the r emit of the commissioner, whose internal submissions
for funding are mission driven. However, I wish to
highlight for Honourable Members key additional el ements to the 2016/17 budget that indicate this Government’s support of the BPS and the role we ask them to play in the community.
Mr. Chairman, overseas investigative assi stance is allowed a budget of $1,034,538. In response
to the rapid escalation in 2009 in gang violence and
associated gun crime, the BPS implemented a number of strategies to build the extra capacity needed to cope with higher caseloads of serious crimes. This
initiative has run for six years and has resulted in a significant clearance of current and cold cases. The
significant reduction in gun crime can be partly attri buted to this increased capacity. The service is looking
for opportunities to employ Bermudians in an effort to
decrease reliance on this overseas assistance.
The funding allows for the employment of
temporary additional staff with specific expertise that
is not currently available in the service. The roles that
these temporary staff fill are criminal investigators,
financial investigators, intelligence analysts, case r eviewers, and crime scene investigators.
Specific initiatives 2016/17—Mr. Chairman,
the BPS has been allocated $445,000 in capital de-velopment moni es during the next financial year. This
funding will be used towards projects in the redeve lopment of the Prospect property. The BPS currently has a shooting range located at the Cooper’s Island Nature Reserve. That shooting range is, of course,
critical in the firearms officer certification process and
other tactical police training. The location of the range,
Mr. Chairman, is remote from the rest of the BPS
training facilities that are located at Police Headquarters in Prospect.
The current shooting range is not fully oper ational due to damage caused by storms and wear and
tear. Extensive repairs are required to bring the cur-rent 25- metre shooting range to the appropriate sta ndard. Rather than take that course, those funds will be used instead to relocate the existing range compo-nents to a new and improved 50- metre range at Pros1448 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly pect. The selection of the range will consolidate all
firearm training at a single and more appropriate ce ntral location.
Mr. Chairman, recognising the current period
of government debt, deficits, and the need to reduce
the BPS budget, spending on vehicles in 2016/17 will
be reduced by 60 per cent. Additionally, the BPS will
explore options to deploy more economical vehicles,
including electric or hybrid vehicles, and the provision
of vehicles through local sponsorship initiatives. The
BPS will give priority to vehicle purchases that enhance the operational priorities to provide highly vis ible front -line policing and to respond quickly to emergencies. The BPS will also increase the num ber of
motorcycles deployed to support making the roads safer.
Mr. Chairman, the Government is committed
to helping people find jobs, and the Bermuda Police
Service should be seen as a career of choice by
young people in the community. During the 2016/17
Financial Year, 12 cadets who joined the service over
the last three years have asked to join the service as
full-time constables. The BPS will hold a recruit trai ning course in June 2016, and these cadets will be
trained to become the next group of Bermudi an recruits in the BPS. Mr. Chairman, at the present time,
63 per cent of the officers in the BPS are Bermudian.
In times like these, we need men and women
in whom we can have confidence and to whom we can look for decisive action in the face of criminal activity. The Bermuda Police Service rises every day to
this challenge. The mission statement of the BPS is
Making Bermuda Safer , and for the men and women
who faithfully serve in our community every day, the
mission statement is so much more than a slogan, Mr.
Chairman—it is a calling. And as I close my comments
on Head 7, the Bermuda Police Service, I would like
to take this opportunity to thank the commissioner and
his staff for their work over the past years, often in
difficult circumstances. I would li ke to thank the BPA
for their openness and communication in discussions
that we have had back and forth. And I am pleased to
see that we remain committed to moving forward in spite of our challenges.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to turn now to
Head number —

That should be Head 13.
Hon. M ichael H. Dunkley: It is Head 13.

HEAD 13 —BERMUDA POST OFFICE

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, Bermuda
Post Office, Head 13. It is my pleasure to present the
budget for Head 13, the BPO. The BPO is governed
by the Post Office Act 1900 and the Post Office Regulations 1933. Postal services are provided from the
General Post Office located on Church Street, just
across the way, the Mail Processing Centre at the ai rport, and eight sub- post offices located throughout the
Island. The BPO’s vision is to be a more innovative,
customer -focused , and sustainable postal service. To
achieve this vision, Mr. Chairman, the BPO’s mission
statement is, Together we connect people and bus inesses by providing efficient, courteous and affor dable products and services .
The BPO works to ensure that mail is deli vered consistently within the delivery time frame of four
working days or less, and to meet the universal service obligation to provide access to affordable com-munication to all residents.
Accomplishments in 2015/16—M r. Chairman,
the postal industry worldwide continues to face chal-lenges in this digital age. Nevertheless, the BPO is
proud to have made several accomplishments in
2015/16.
The BPO’s current expenditure budget for the
April 2016 to March 2017 financial year has been r educed by $515,000 year on year.
The BPO’s 2016/17 budgeted staffing co mplement has been reduced from 161 to 152, or 5 per
cent, from 2015/16, through natural attrition and streamlining operations. It should also be noted that
the BPO’s staffi ng has been reduced by over 34 per
cent in the past five years, from 232 to 152 emplo yees. This reduction in staff numbers has necessitated
increased efficiencies in the way they operate.
The BPO closed the Paget Sub- Post Office at
the end of May 2015, m aking the building available for
Government to generate revenue via sale or rental.
The BPO launched commemorative stamp
issues in May, July, December of last year and Jan uary this year. The May issue featured the Bermuda Bluebird. July saw Bermuda in Bloom Part 1. Be rmuda Roses were featured in December, and in
January the Lefroy Botanicals were highlighted.
Stamp collection is a unique market, catering to local
and international stamp enthusiasts, which also sho wcases Bermuda’s rich history and heritage.
The BPO has made a significant investment in
staff, obviously its most important resource. The BPO
continues to provide financial support in the past year,
$25,000 to several employees who are furthering their
education and professional development.
The BPO sent employees overseas on trai ning, conferences, and other professional development


Bermuda House of Assembly opportunities, which were funded by the Caribbean
Postal Union and the Universal Postal Union.
In July 2015, Mr. Chairman, the BPO moder nised its postage rates. Thi s was a major project, as
postage rates had not changed or been adjusted
since 2000. The project was made much more difficult
due to the BPO’s aged information technology platform, which is to be upgraded and modernised during
the 2016/17 Financial Year.
The BPO arranged a one -year secondment
for an employee to work at Royal Mail in the United
Kingdom. The individual is currently the International
Manager in the Royal Mail’s International Policy Unit,
whilst simultaneously still working for the BPO. This
employee has led projects with the Caribbean Postal
Union and the Universal Postal Union. The second-ment finishes in August, and it is anticipated that the employee will return to Bermuda with international
experience, exposure and skills that, of course, w ould
not have been developed without the secondment.
In October 2015, the BPO celebrated World
Post Day by staff doing community service at the
Lorraine Rest Home and the Warwick Preschool.
The BPO produced a newsletter in January
and conducted a colleag ue engagement survey at the
end of November, which has given staff the opport unity to express their views and concerns in a confiden-tial manner. The feedback is being considered by management in decision- making.
The BPO completed repairs to the mail processing centre at the airport, following damage sustained during Hurricanes Fay and Gonzalo, and has
recently reoccupied the building.
Mr. Chairman, the BPO collected $600,000 of
outstanding terminal dues relating to revenue for per iods prior to 2015.
In regards to current account estimates, Mr.
Chairman, the current account estimates for Head 13,
the Bermuda Post Office, can be found on pages B -
279 and B -280 of the Current Account Estimates for
Expenditures for the year 2016/17. The BPO has
been allocated a total of $10,677,000 for the next f inancial year, and this represents a net decrease of
$515,000, or 4.6 per cent from the amount allocated
for the financial year, which was $11,192,000.
Mr. Chairman, the Post Office is made up of
the Corporate Services D ivision and the Operations
Division. The Corporate Services Division comprises Administration and Finance, IT Services, and Phil atelic Services. The Operations Division is made up of the Central Mail Processing Unit, the Sub- Post O ffices, and Courier Servi ces.
Mr. Chairman, the budget for the Corporate
Services Division for the last financial year was $2,474,000. The revised estimates $2,430,000. That
$44,000 variance is approximately 1.8 per cent less.
For 2016/17, the Corporate Services Division will f ocus on finding ways to generate additional revenue,
as well as increasing awareness of and satisfaction with the services provided by the BPO. The BPO will
continue to work with the Information Technology O ffice, E -Government, and the Office of Project Management and Procurement to upgrade the BPO Information Technology platform, which is outdated and hinders the BPO’s ability to introduce new revenue
streams and to be more efficient in collecting, r ecording, and monitoring the revenue it receives.
The Accounts Section will ensure that the
BPO continues to conduct its affairs in a manner that
is consistent with Financial Instructions and in the most efficient manner possible.
In 2016/17, Mr. Chairman, the BPO Philatelic
Bureau’s planned stamp releases and ac tivities include the following:
• April—90
th Birthday of Her Majesty the
Queen;
• May—Bermuda World War I;
• June— World Stamp Expo, New York 2016;
• August —Bermuda in Bloom Part 3;
• October —Lifecycle Monarch Butterfly;
• November —Year Pack 2016;
• February 2017— 25th Anniversary of the Bermuda National Gallery.

Programme 1310, Operations —Mr. Chairman,
the original estimate for 2015/16 was $8,718,000, with 134 employees. The estimate for 2016/17 is
$8,247,000, with 126 employees, a 5.5 per cent var iance.
Mr. Chairman, the Bermuda Mail Processing
Centre [BMPC] is the mail hub of the Bermuda Post
Office. For 2016/17, the BPO will commence a project
to amalgamate the mail processing operation into the
GPO, to cut staff costs, streamline operations, and
improve efficiency and effectiveness in the speed and
manner in which mail is processed.
The Quality Assurance Section will continue
to measure routes to maximise efficiency and address compliance issues. The Quality Assurance Section has been working steadily with other departments
within Government to ensure that Government has, as
best as possible, correct address databases of all
buildings and dwellings in Bermuda.
Mr. Chairman, I will now outline the BPO’s
projected expenses for 2016/17, as per the table that
honourable colleagues can find on page B -280 of the
Budget Book.

What page?

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Page B -280.
Mr. Chairman, 87 per cent of the Post Office’s
budget is salaries and wages. The Post Office budgeted staff numbers were reduced from 161 to 152, a
reduction of nine full -time equivalents, or 5.6 per cent.
This reduction is due to natural attrition and streamli ning operations. The total projected savings on staffing
costs year over year is $528,000, or 5.4 per cent.
1450 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly While reducing staff ing levels may be a new concept
for some departments, this is something that the BPO
has consistently done for the past five years.
BPO management and staff continue to i ncrease efficiencies, with a projected $13,000, or 1 per
cent reduction in operational expenses.
The Transport budget decreases by $10,000,
or 7 per cent, due to better route management. The
Travel budget remains stable, with a slight $1,000 i ncrease from the past financial year.
The Communications budget has been i ncreased by $11,000, or 14 per cent, and the Adverti sing and Promotion budget by $13,000, or 27 per cent.
This is to enhance marketing of existing as well as new BPO products and services.
Professional Services remains relatively the
same as last year. This line item is used for fees and
dues paid to the Universal Postal Union, the Cari bbean Postal Union, the Stamp Design Advisory Committee, and other related costs.
Rent for the Perot Sub- Post Office remains
the same, at $27,000 for the next financial year.
Mr. Chairman, R epairs and Maintenance expenses are forecast to increase by 5 per cent, or
$17,000, mainly due to increased costs of maintaining
an ageing infrastructure, namely, cycles, vehicles and
buildings, as well as additional costs for outsourcing cleaning services .
Insurance is expected to decrease by $3,000,
or 20 per cent.
Energy costs are expected to decrease in
2016/17 by $20,000, or 13 per cent, due to the Paget
Sub Post Office closure and other efficiencies, cou-pled with decreased energy prices.
The Clothi ng, Uniforms and Laundry budget
remains the same. Materials and Supplies are for ecasted to decrease by 3 per cent, or $8,000, the result
of the Paget Sub Office closure, as well as cost -
saving initiatives and economies of scale.
Minor Equipment Purchases is budgeted for
the next fiscal year at $15,000 to cater for replac ement of IT equipment and other equipment due to the move of the mail processing centre back to the airport.
The last line item on the Operating Expenses
budget is Other Expenses, which is expected to be in
line with the 2015/16 numbers.
Mr. Chairman, the BPO continues to be one of
the few departments that collects revenue. The BPO
does this while providing a universal service obligation. The BPO also collects a significant amount of
reven ue on behalf of other government departments
such as Customs, Education, Youth and Sports, Public Transportation, and Environmental Protection. This
revenue averages about $2 million each year, or over
25 per cent of the total revenue collected by the BPO.
This amount is not included in the revenue figures in
the budget estimates for the BPO, but is recognised in
the respective departments’ budget figures. The role of the BPO in this context, and the
BPO’s opportunity to increase efficiencies gover nment -wide, should therefore be considered any time
you review budget figures.
The total revenue estimate for year 2016/17,
Mr. Chairman, which can be found on page B -281 of
the Current Account Estimates for Revenues, is
$4,467,000. This represents a decrease of $190,000,
or 4.1 per cent under the budget of 2015/16.
The Post Office expects a slight overall d ecline in revenue. The global trend of declining mail volumes as a result of alternative communication continues to impact the bottom line. Nonetheless, Mr.
Chairman, some revenue line items are expected to
increase as a result of certain factors, as explained
herein.
Terminal Dues, which are the net revenues
received from other postal jurisdictions for delivery of incoming mail originating from those jurisdicti ons, are
estimated to decrease by $75,000, or 10 per cent from
the current budget year, mainly due to decreased mail
volumes.
Other Post Office Fees and Charges, which
includes Fax and Photocopying Charges, Tax Mail,
Customs Declaration Fees, Mail Redirection, and Hold
Mail Fees, are expected to decrease marginally, Mr.
Chairman, by 3 per cent or by $8,000, compared to
the estimates for 2015/16.
Post Office Licences, which include Business
Reply Services, Mail Handling, Postage Paid Permits,
and Business Reply Service, are expected to have a
net decrease of $39,000, or 51 per cent, mainly due to
a clean- up of the licensee register netted against i ncreased income from the revised mail handling fee
structure.
Mr. Chairman, Philatelic Revenue is antic ipated to be higher in 2016/17 by $34,000, or 28 per
cent, over the current financial year. This is estimated from the trends in the 2015/16 actual sales figures.
The trending for mail volumes over the last
several decades, Mr. Chairman, has seen a steady
decrease of approximately 600,000 pieces a year, or
7 per cent annual decrease, spread over different letter mail products, both local and international. In 2015,
the BPO saw a decrease of 12 per cent in mail volumes over the previous year of 2014. The reason for
these decreases on a local and global scale is the
direct result of the development of alternative comm unication methods, online statement providers and, of
course, increased reliance on social media for getting
the message out. Hence, Mr. Chairman, postal o rganisations around the world are continually looking to
decrease overhead and increase sales by implementing new products and services to remain relevant. The
BPO is no different as we anticipate these trends in
declining mail volumes to continue.
Accordingly, Mr. Chairman, stamp sales are
expected to decrease significantly in 2016/17, by


Bermuda House of Assembly $129,000, or 17 per cent. This decline is in line with
the trends experienced this current financial year.
Frankpost sales are anticipated to decrease.
The decrease will somewhat be offset by the increase
arising from the postage rate modernisation impl emented in July of 2015. The overall impact is ex-pected to be a marginal decrease, compared to the
2015/16 estimates.
Bulk Mail, Mr. Chairman, is expected to i ncrease in 2016/17 by $47,000, or 8 per cent, mainly
due to the postage rate modernisation. Bulk mail is
expected to continue to be a relevant revenue stream
as the BPO continues to offer businesses and char ities direct daily access to 39,000 residential and bus iness postal addresses combined.
The anticipated revenue from telephone cards
and Top Up, and packaging material are expected to remain in line with the current financial year budget.
The BPO anticipates, Mr. Chairman, a decrease in revenue from post boxes, which includes the
rental fee, late fee, and other related charges. The anticipated decrease of $24,000, or 3 per cent [year
over year] is partly due to the closure of the Paget
Sub Office. The late penalty fee [revenue] is also expected to decline, as the public are now more aware
of the payment deadlines.
Sundry receipts are not a major line item and
are expected to be in line with the current financial year estimates.
Mr. Chairman, the total estimates for Capital
Acquisition Expenditure for 2016/17 can be found on page C -14 of the Capital Acquisition (Schedule C).
The amount allocated was $27,000 for the purchase of cycles and computer equipment. This is against a 2015/16 allocation of $311,000, a decrease of
$284,000.
The BPO currently processes 60 per cent of
its $4.7 million annual revenues through various obs olete or unsupported software, Mr. Chairman. The
2015/16 capital budget allocation is currently being used to update this infrastructure for 2016/17 and beyond, and of course, it will enable the BPO to resolve
the issues that it has consistently experienced with its
software, to be more efficient, and to be able to han-dle new revenue initiatives.
Mr. Chairman, the BPO will be introducing
new revenue streams into its operations during the
2016/17 financial year, based on the implementation
of software enhancements.
The 2015/16 fiscal year was a very busy and
productive year for the BPO. Approximately 8.1 million pieces of mail were processed during that year. The
local market provided 5.8 million pieces or 72 per cent
of local delivery, and 2.3 million pieces or 28 per cent
was for incoming and outgoing international delivery.
The annual breakdown by volume, Mr. Chai rman, is as follows:
• 4.7 million pieces, or 58 per cent was local
business mail; • 832,000 pieces, or 10 per cent was local personal mail;
• 294,000 pieces, or 4 per cent was from Bermuda Government Her Majesty’s products for local delivery;
• 523,000 pieces, or 7 per cent was outgoing i nternational mail; finally,
• 1.7 million p ieces, or 22 per cent was incoming international mail.

Mr. Chairman, the Post Office continues to
work with its community partners to improve eff iciency, to impact delivery times, and move closer t owards a 100 per cent delivery standard within four
work ing days. The BPO continues to utilise mail sor ters, drivers, and delivery team members for optimal
performance. Bulk mailers have been issued proces sing guidelines and deadlines to improve quality of mail
delivered to the Post Office. All processes are continuously reviewed as the Bermuda Post Office aims
to ensure that the best possible service is provided to
the public.
Mr. Chairman, the Express Mail Service product is an international data express mail service for
documents and merchandise. Residents and bus inesses can drop off their documents or packages at
any post office in Bermuda and request that the E xpress Mail Service deliver them. Documents and packages will reach their international destination, in most cases, within five to seven business day s, for
nearly half the price of the courier companies. It is a service well worth looking at. It is a secure, conven-ient, and affordable service. Packages can be tracked
online via the BPO’s Track and Trace access, which
can be found at
www.bpo.bm . The BPO continues to
encourage other [government] departments to utilise this service for their international mailing needs, which
will be an overall cost -saving for the Government.
Mr. Chairman, the BPO continues to market
RPost, the registered e- mail service offered throughout the BPO.
The objectives, goals and future plans which
have been set by the Post Office for 2016/17, Mr.
Chairman, will move forward its vision for being a
more innovative, cus tomer -focused, and sustainable
postal service.
As the BPO continues to work with its stak eholders and business partners to embrace more sustainable documents, agreements, policies, practices,
and approaches to work,


Bermuda will eventually have a post al service that
meets the needs of residents while at the same time it
is sustainable.
Mr. Chairman, that brings to an end my comments on Head 13, Bermuda Post Office.

Yes.

HEAD 25 —DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: It is my pleasure to pr esent Budget Head 25 for the Department of Corrections. Before I actually get there, I would be remiss if I
did not thank the Postmaster General, Wayne Smith,
and his team for their dedication in the Bermuda Post
Office. And in Corrections, I would like to thank the
Commissioner of Corrections, [Lieutenant Colonel]
Lamb, for his work in Corrections, and their entire team at the East and the West Ends of the Island.
Mr. Chairman, the department’s mandate is to
administer sentences imposed by the courts under
conditions of safe custody and well -ordered comm unity life so that convicted persons can lead good and
useful lives on discharge. The main objectives of the department are as follows:
1. to protect the public by holding inmates s ecurely while providing safe, well -ordered, and
lawful regimes;
2. to provide a humane, but demanding, regime aimed at reducing reoffending, by offering i nmates a range of opportunities in which r eward is linked to effort (that is, incentives and earned privileges, Mr. Chairman), in order to
prepare inmates for life after release.

The departmental outcomes are as follows:
The Government of Bermuda endorses the aim of the
Department of Corrections to achieve and, where
practicable, Mr. Chairman, to exceed the United N ations Minimum Standards for the Treatment of Prisoners. Secondly, the people of Bermuda need to be sa tisfied that the Department of Corrections makes an effective contribution to public safety and, of course, the rehabilitation of offenders.
Mr. Chairman, the principal functions of the
Department of Corrections fall into two categories:
First, Custody —the Department of Corrections is authorised to accept and to detain all persons who are lawfully ordered to be detained by the courts. The main functions under custody include inmate r eception, release, security, visits, court escort security,
safety, and general daily operations.
Treatment and Rehabilitation—Mr. Chairman,
the second function is the treatment (intervention) r ehabilitation/habilitation of any offenders. The function can be challenging, as offenders, based on potential mindsets, attitudes or irrational thinking, often consider programmes unnecessary and irrelevant. Ho wever, this is always achievable through the provision
of offending behaviour programmes, cognitive interventi ons, life skills training, educational classes, skills,
and recreational development, which are aimed at
addressing offending behaviour and promoting pos itive change.
Mr. Chairman, the department is divided into
12 major cost centres. They comprise the f ollowing:
Corrections Headquarters (35000), Farm Facility
(35020), Co- Educational Facility (35030), Westgate
Correctional Facility (35060), Therapeutic Community
(or the Right Living House) (35090), Psychological
Services (35105), Social Services and Case Management (35106), Health Services (35107), Educ ational Services (35108), Vocational Services (35109), Recreational Services (35110), and Chaplaincy
(35111).
Mr. Chairman, the department’s mission
statement is To empower inmates to be r esponsible
and productive citizens . Additionally, the department’s
core beliefs are as follows:
1. Those in custody have the potential to
change;
2. Our staff are our greatest asset in the
achievement of our mission, and they have
the potential to bring about change;
3. The Bermuda Department of Corrections is an
integral part of the entire Bermudian comm unity; and
4. We should always operate the department cost efficiently while retaining our mission.

Mr. Chairman, the department has a responsibility to adhere to the following legisl ation:
• Treatment of Offenders Board Act 1979;
• Prison Act 1979;
• Prison Rules 1980;
• Young Offenders Act 1950;
• Senior Training School Rules 1951;
• Prison Officers (Discipline, Etc.) Rules 1981;
• Sections of the Mental Health Act 1968, and
portions of other legi slation;
• Sections of the Parole Board Act;
• Sections of the Criminal Code Amendment
Act.

Mr. Chairman, the total current expenditure,
which is found on page B -284 of the Budget Book, is
estimated to be $25,337,000 for the next financial year. This represents an increase of $471,000, or
2 per cent higher than the budget of 2015/16. This
increase will provide for hiring of new staff and a pr ovision for inmate health insurance.
Mr. Chairman, the 2016/17 budget provides
funding for 244 full -time employees, as shown on
page B -285. In addition to full -time employees, it will
fund facilitators and teachers for inmate programmes.


Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Chairman, cost centre 35000, Headquarters, represents $3,872,000, or 15 per cent of the total
budget. Corrections Headquarters, under the general
direction of the commissioner and assistant commi ssioners, provides directives to a decentralised organisation. Staff administer and coordinate the training,
security strategies, human resources, financial r esources, and policy direction f or the department. This
budget will fund salaries and operating expenses for
the Corrections Headquarters.
Mr. Chairman, cost centre 35020, the Farm
Facility, represents $3,538,000, or 14 per cent of the
budget. The total budget for this will allow for s taffing
of the Farm Facility, operating expenses, and inmate care. The Farm Facility is an adult [male] minimum -
security facility with a capacity to house 93 inmates. The prerequisite for inmates housed at this facility is completion of their core sentence plan requirements
and classification of minimum security.
Treatment continues to be provided focusing
on relapse prevention. Inmates are also involved in work release programmes, charity programmes, community service, and other ongoing projects within
the facility. Mr. Chairman, this past year 26 were enrolled in the work release programme, and 55 inmates
participated in the charity work programme. The plan
for the upcoming fiscal year is to increase the number
of inmates on work release and charity, wit h the charity work programme being geared more towards facil itating requests from government entities.
The Farm Facility garden, Mr. Chairman, has
supplied all of the facilities with fruits and vegetables.
These crops include beets, onions, carrots, cabbag e,
bananas, and potatoes. (And it is getting near lunch,
so we get a little hungry as we get closer.) This has
provided a cost -saving measure and a very good r elease and educational opportunity for our inmates.
Initiatives for the upcoming year include expansion of
the animal and farming programmes at the facility.
Mr. Chairman, the Farm and Animal Pr ogramme currently has been suspended while it is being revamped; however, it will be reintroduced during
the 2016/17 budget year. As I mentioned recently in
my comments, it provided a food supply, and it also engaged inmates in productive and meaningful work.
The Bee Innovative pilot programme will fully commence again in April and will involve the production of honey to be used as an alternative to sugar.
Mr. Chairman, cost centre 35030, Co- Ed F acility, represents $3,254,000, or 13 per cent of the t otal budget, and provides funding for 39 staff and operational costs. This facility, with a capacity of 64, has
separate and distinct provisions to house 32 adult females and 32 young male offenders between the ages of 16 and 21. The programmes provided are similar to
other facilities, based on the assessment of needs
and available resources. Young males can prepare for
their General Education Diploma and gain skill s in
carpentry and computer classes. The females are provided with computer classes. Sewing and cognitive
programmes such as anger management and su bstance abuse are provided as well, Mr. Chairman.
During the 2015/16 budget year, two inmates
participated in the work release scheme and 90 per
cent of the female inmates participated in community
projects at Lorraine Rest Home and WindReach. The
benefits, Mr. Chairman, of charity work are enormous
to the community and also allow inmates to gain i nvaluable exp erience by giving back to the community.
This initiative will continue during the current and f uture budget year.
Key performance indicators for the [Co- Ed]
Facility include:
• to conduct random mandatory screening of at least 10 per cent of the population on a
monthly basis;
• to provide training and development to 75 per
cent of the population to reduce the risk of reoffending; and
• to minimise the risk of escapes from the faci lity by reinforcing controlled movement for i nternal and external escorts, and perf orming
security checks as per policy.

Mr. Chairman, having said that, before I go on
to the next line item, this might be a good time to a djourn for lunch.

The [microphones] were off, just to
reiterate for those listening on the radio, we are r esuming the debate on the Ministry Head of National
Security. The Premier will lead the debate and we are
on Head 25, which is Corrections.

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: I forgot where I was so I
am going to start all over again at the beginning.

Go ahead, Mr. Premier.

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: I was on Head 35060, the
cost centre for Westgate Correctional Facility.

35060—Westgate Correctional Facility

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, the budget
for this area in the coming financial year is set at
$10,061,000, or 40 per cent of the total budget. The
Westgate Correctional Facility, as all colleagues are
aware, is an adult male establishment with the design
capacity to house 208 prisoners in conditions of
maximum and medium security, and represents over
60 per cent of the entire Department of Corrections.
The majority of inmates fall within the medium s ecurity
classification. The majority of assessment and treatment programmes for inmates take place at this faci lity.
Mr. Chairman, I have gone through the var ious areas of Corrections, and let me just state for honourable colleagues, that at the present time, give
or take a bit, because these numbers are not housing numbers for today, but the total capacity of the Corrections Department, as I just said, is over 300—

You can resume, Premier.
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Thank you.
So at the present time there are 182 people
housed throughout the various Correct ions areas: CoEd has 12; the Farm has 33; Right Living House has
10; and Westgate has 127, for a total of 182.
Mr. Chairman, one of the highlights from the
last budget year was the department’s entry in the Bermuda Day parade and I think all colleagues can
recall the wonderful float. Inmates, including those from the Lifeline Group, a support group for inmates
serving life sentences, constructed a float representing Bermuda and it was entitled “An Atlantic Garden.”
The float received the Ruth Thomas Heritage award
and the Best Government Department award. Addi-tionally, the Lifeline Group continued the bike refurbishment programme and presented students from
various schools with “new” bikes.
I have been delighted to see this programme
and all the other programmes, but two years ago I
was at the Westgate Corrections Headquarters to take part in this presentation. It was just truly humbling to
see inmates bursting with pride for fixing up the bikes
and our young people bursting with pride to have their
set of wheels.
Mr. Chairman, the annual activities day for
inmates and their children has been held prior to F ather’s Day the last couple of years and this is certainly
a very good programme that the Commissioner’s co lleagues put on in fostering strong relationships b etween inmates and their children when quite often
they do not have the opportunity because they are incarcerated. So I congratulate the Commissioner and
his colleagues for all of these programmes which help
to make life meaningful for inmates and all ow them to
grow and to improve on how they conduct themselves.
The Westgate Work Programme has now
been extended to another community partner with a total of six inmates participating in 2015/16.
Mr. Chairman, I take the opportunity on a
regular basis to visit the Corrections facilities and I
have to say for Honourable Members in this Chamber
and for people of Bermuda who are listening, that I continue to be energised by the work that our inmates
do, whether it is in the Farm Facility in the workshop
down there which has sustained some damage from
the hurricane but has been fixed up, or whether it is
out in the gardens, or whether it is two inmates now
who are over at the Co- Ed Facility and they take care
of all of the gardens and all of the grounds and al l the
painting— both of those inmates have done a fantastic


Bermuda House of Assembly job of keeping that facility in good condition; or it is
inmates up at Westgate who get stuck in over there
and they have a pretty good workshop up there and
they fix up a lot of Government equipment that needs to be fixed up from the Parks Department or other areas.
So thank you for all of the inmates for getting
involved in those work programmes and the day r elease programmes that they do. And thank you for the Commissioner and his team for making it happen because obviously, Mr. Chairman, as you are well aware, these type of programmes take organisation,
they take coordination, and they take resources to get
the inmates to get off property in appropriate ways. So
these are the really rewarding programmes that we
have.

35090—Therapeutic Community Centre (TCC)

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, cost centre
35090, is on page B -284. The allocation for that cost
centre is $1,284,000, or 5 per cent of the total budget.
The Therapeutic Community [TC ] is also known as
“The Right Living House” and is located on the nort hern perimeter of the Farm Facility and is a segregated residential Substance Abuse Programme with a c apacity to house 18 residents. The programme is de-veloped for adult male offenders w ith a history of substance abuse and associated criminality. The mission
of the Right Living House is to provide a drug- free,
safe, and structured environment characterised by two
central qualities —mutual peer support and mutual
peer accountability. The tr eatment environment is one
where residents live and work together within a sup-portive and habilitative framework of mutual self -help.
Residents move through three phases: Orientation,
Primary Treatment, and Re -entry which transitions the
offender through a n intensive 9- to 12- month treatment, wholly dependent upon their demonstrated
clinical progress. Aftercare treatment is provided to residents once they leave the structured TC and while
fulfilling the conditions of their sentence or parole.
To date, Mr. C hairman, there has been an a verage of 12 residents in the Right Living House per
month. The goal of the Therapeutic Community is to
return residents to our broader community with an
increased potential for a life free of drugs and crime
by providing them an opportunity to realise their potential for change, as well as the inherent potential for
health and success in every person. This funding pr ovides for staffing, operational costs and inmates’ pr ogrammes.
During the 2015/16 budget year, residents
participated in various community projects including:
• Partnered with St. Paul’s Anglican Church in
Paget and assisted with minor work on pr ojects at the church; • Assisted other Government departments i ncluding Marine and Ports and Department of Works and Engineering with road works;
• Assisted on various projects at Serenity Palm
Rest Home; and
• Fifteen inmates have been involved in the Charity Work Release programme and one
inmate has participated in Work Release.
Mr. Chairman, Inmate Services and Pr ogrammes are alloc ated this year a budget of
$1,284,000. Inmate Services and Programmes are
designed to meet the needs of inmates that are ident ified in their individual case plans. The programme
team is multi -disciplinary and provides various services and programmes. These include psychological,
social and case management, health, educational, vocational, recreational, and chaplaincy programmes.
Funding for inmate services is essential to the rehabilitation of inmates as the programmes provide val uable tools and resources f or offenders to assist them
in returning to society as productive and contributing
citizens.

35105— Psychological Services

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, cost centre
35105, still on page B -284, represents a budget of
$429,000. This funding provides for salaries for three
psychologists (including one temporary additional)
who provide psychological services to offenders at
each of the three facilities: Westgate, the Farm, and
Co-Educational Facility. It must be noted that currently
the department onl y has one psychologist; however,
they are actively recruiting to the other posts.
Mr. Chairman, I think we are probably aware
from our time in public service that psychologists are difficult to retain in any position and we have been
blessed to have some good psychologists within Corrections and we will go out and hire to meet that need as we move forward. One has just left us and we are
actively recruiting.
The psychologists complete various asses sments on offenders including assessments of criminogenic need (areas of risk associated with offending),
emotional well -being, and adjustment. They also look
at personality factors and cognitive functioning. The
findings of these assessments assist in determining
the holistic needs of the offender, they also deter mine
motivation for change, treatment priority and treatment
interfering factors, evaluating the best fit of treatment
options, adjustment concerns, and risk management
approaches. In addition to assessments, the ps ychologists focus on the provision of int ervention to
meet offender needs. This can be both group and i ndividually based, utilising expertise in the application of research into what works with offenders. Interve ntions can include but are not limited to the following: Substance Misuse Programmes (i.e., Drug and Alc ohol Education); Drug and Alcohol Treatment and R e1456 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly lapse Prevention; Violence Reduction Programme;
Sexual Offender Programme, and Cognitive Skills
Programme (Thinking for a Change).
The psychologists bring an evidence- based
approach to w orking with offenders which assists with
making more objective and risk -focused decisions.
Interventions can include but are not limited to: Drug
Education, Short -term Substance Abuse Treatment
and Maintenance, Violence Reduction Programme,
Sexual Offender Programme, and Cognitive Skills
Programme (Thinking for a Change).
Mr. Chairman, the Sycamore Tree project has
continued during 2015/16. This programme is a r estorative justice programme that brings together convicted offenders and unrelated victims from our co mmunity. The programme is facilitated by Prison Fe llowship Bermuda and comprises of eight sessions delivered once per week. Further development of the
Restorative Justice initiative saw two inmates volu nteering to meet in a conference with members o f the
community who had been directly affected by their
offence. This programme is in partnership with the
Bermuda Police Service and other agencies.
The intent for the 2016/17 Fiscal Year is to
deliver a variety of offending behaviour pr ogrammes/services to our inmates which will include:
• Drug and Alcohol Treatment Programme;
• Drug and Alcohol Education Programme;
• Drug and Alcohol Relapse Prevention;
• Violence Reduction Programme (VRP);
• Individual Work and Assessment including
Parole Board assessments, ment al health assessment, and one- to-one therapy;
• Peer Support Groups/Lifers Groups; and
• Restorative Justice Conferencing (in partnership with the Bermuda Police Service), which I just mentioned.

35106— Social Services and Case Management

Hon. Michael H. Dunk ley: Mr. Chairman, I now turn
my attention to cost centre 35106, Social Services
and Case Management, which represents a budget of
$705,000, or 3 per cent of the total budget. Funding
provides for staffing of two social workers and five
case managers/asses sment officers and inmate pr ogrammes.
The goal of this section is to improve the well -
being of those inmates and trainees who have dev iated from the norms of society and are in dissension
with the law. The department’s two social workers,
who are members of the department’s multi -
disciplinary team, assist inmates and trainees with
offence- specific associated problems and help to address behavioural, social, and financial problems, as
well as provide a variety of services to the inmates
and trainees includi ng the following:
• Anger Management —Controlling Anger and
Learning to Manage It (CALM); • Parenting Programmes (Fathers and Children
Together (FACT);
• Job Readiness/Employment Assistance;
• Housing;
• Life Skills Training;
• Risk Assessments; and
• Individual Counsell ing, which includes: financial, stress, adjustment, coping and grief.

Key activities that took place during the 2015/16
Fiscal Year included:
• Bridging the Gap IX was held at the Westgate
Correctional Facility. This is a community reintegration
fair aimed at bridging the gap between community services and Corrections. It provides offenders with an
opportunity to learn about community resources prior
to discharge and links offenders to resources such as
employment agencies, potential employers, housing agenc ies, and support services. The fair continues to
be a huge success and proves to be a benefit to those
inmates who attend.
• Father’s Day activities, as I mentioned earlier,
were held for inmates housed at the Farm Facility and
the Westgate Correctional Faci lity. The aim of these
activities was to strengthen the relationship between
fathers and their children.

Case Management, Mr. Chairman, is an int egrated system involving initial screening and asses sments, case planning and monitoring.
Five case managers /assessment officers pr ovide case planning that is a key element in managing
inmates as this process also ensures that inmates are
placed in the appropriate environment for treatment; the main objective is always to prepare them to return
to the community as law abiding, responsible, and
productive citizens.
Initiatives for 2016/17 include:
• Bridging the Gap Reintegration Fair X; and
• Reintegration programmes to assist inmates
in reintegrating into society.

35107—Health Services

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, cost centre
35107, Health Services represents a budget of
$1,505,000, or 6 per cent of the total budget. This
funding will provide for staffing and health care services for inmates. Health care services include:
• Physical examinations;
• Dental tre atment and hygiene;
• Chronic disease management —diabetes,
asthma, hypertension;
• Physiotherapy;
• ECG;
• Phlebotomy;
• Drug detoxification; and
• Drug screening.


Bermuda House of Assembly
Health Services is staffed by a senior nurse
and five registered nurses providing services to the
inma te population at all of the facilities. The extent of
services, i.e., basic to comprehensive are provided to
inmates is based on the inmate’s level of need and
length of incarceration. All inmates are seen upon r eception by a registered nurse within a 24- hour wi ndow. This process assesses the initial physical and
mental health of all inmates who are received at the
Co-Educational and Westgate Correctional facilities,
our main reception facilities. The mission statement of
Health Services is To respect human dignity and pr ovide the highest standard of health care within the correctional setting.
The correctional medical officer, Mr. Chai rman, usually sees the inmate within three to seven days after his or her arrival, and the psychiatrist sees
those persons assessed by the nurse or doctor within
one week.
Some highlights from 2015/16 include:
• Implementation of an assertive outreach pr ogramme for mental health clients. This i nvolved follow -up of clients up to one month after release.
• Also there has been a com pletion of the 15
th
annual Oral Hygiene programme in which 16
inmates participated. There have been ap-proximately 500 inmates who have completed
the programme since its inception in 2000.

Some of the targets for Health Services in
2016/17 are as follows:
• Reintroduction of HIP health insurance for i nmates. It is intended that this will reduce the
risks and costs of unpredictable health care
expenses and the overall healthcare budget.
• Prior to their release, 100 per cent of mental
health inmates are to be s een by the MidAtlantic Wellness Institute.
• Implementation of an electronic medical r ecords system.
• Continue Mental Health Clients in Corrections (MHCC) meetings with external partners such
as Mid- Atlantic Wellness Institute, Court Services, and Parole Board. This target was met
during the previous fiscal year.
• Certification of up to 25 per cent of inmates in
Basic Life Support including CPR, AED, and
first-aid. Two nurses have now been certified
as CPR instructors.
• And there will be a continuation of the A nnual
Summer Oral Hygiene Programme which is a
joint initiative between the Department of Corrections and the Department of Health.

35108— Educational Services
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, I turn my
attention to cost centre 35108, Educational Services,
still on page B -284, which represents a budget of
$300,000. This allocation provides for salaries and educational supplies. Educational Services provide the educational programmes at all Correctional Facil ities to those inmates who wish to pursue t heir General
Education Development Certificate, as well as to those who wish to strengthen basic numeracy and
literacy skills. Educational Services are designed to
enable inmates or trainees to achieve a higher level of education, enables inmates and trainees to participate
in other programmes, daily life activities, and to pr epare themselves for a vocation. The Educational C oordinator assesses each of the inmates or trainees in order to place him or her in the most suitable ac ademic or basic programme. A r ange of educational
programmes are offered for inmates and trainees and they include:
• Basic English;
• Basic Math;
• Basic Computer Skills;
• Social Science;
• General Education Development Certificate (GED); and
• College Level Courses.

During the Fiscal Year 2015/16:
• A personal development class was taught to
nine inmates at the Co- Ed Facility to help develop skills in the areas of self -esteem and
self-presentation;
• Eight soon- to-be released inmates partic ipated in the Fresh Start class, which is de-signed to provi de them with coping skills;
• Sixty inmates participated in all classes offered and while many have completed some
classes and programmes, others are diligently continuing. Mr. Chairman, these numbers take
into consideration that some inmates are i nvolved in more than one class;
• A new online testing format for the GED has been developed and the Bermuda College
has worked closely with the department to e nsure that the inmates have secured access to
the new format. This new testing format has
not been without a number of technological
challenges and impacted the GED pass rate;
however, Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to say
that four inmates have been working diligently
throughout this new process and thus far one inmate has been successful in attaining his
General E ducation Development Certificate.

I would like to thank Shawnette Somner and
her team for the great work that they do in this d epartment.
Classes that were held in 2015/16 will continue to be held in the next 2016/17 Fiscal Year.
1458 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly During the 2016/17 Fiscal Year, Corrections
will endeavour to implement the E -Learning pr ogramme for inmates. With the assistance of an external benefactor, this programme will allow inmates to
take pre- approved high school and college level
courses.

35109— Vocational Services

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, I turn now
to cost centre 35109, Vocational Services, which represents a budget of $299,000, or 1 per cent, of the
total budget.
Vocational Services functions as an integral
part of the programmes and services afforded to i nmates and trainees. These services are designed to
assist inmates/trainees in pursuing vocational interests with a view to increasing their employability upon
release. Persons enrolled in such programmes may
develop new, or enhance old, skills. Additi onally, persons may engage in vocational classes for therapeutic
or personal interest purposes. Funding allocated for
this cost centre provides for staffing and vocational
programmes, including in this some materials and
supplies. The vocational programmes and services
that are offered in the next fiscal year at Westgate,
Farm, and Co- Educational facilities are based on the
population and needs, and include Horticulture,
Graphics, Carpentry, Life Skills, Sewing, Crochet, Correspondence/Distance Learning Courses, Culinary
Arts, and Drywall, Mr. Chairman.
Highlights from the 2015/16 Fiscal Year i nclude:
• The department hosted two craft markets at
which inmates were allowed to display and
sell their craft items. These markets gener-ated great interest from both t he public and
visitors to the Island.
• Certificate presentations were held for i nmates who completed the Culinary Arts pr ogramme, the Graphics Course, NCCER Core,
and NCCER programme.
• The students who completed NCCER Core
are now participating in the NCCER Drywall
programme.

The vocational classes are designed in wor kshop, classroom, and independent/self -study formats.
Participants are assessed for baseline skill and apt itude levels, and further assessment is conducted during or at the completion of each pr ogramme as necessary. Mr. Chairman, inmates participating in voc ational programmes have assisted with the maint enance, repair, and the fabrication of departmental property. This affords the department expansive services at a very low cost with good, skilled labour. The
prioritised initiatives are not only targeting vocational
skill development, but are also intended to generate internal and external resources and create revenue
generating products.

35110—Recreational Services

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, cost centre
35110, Recreational Services, represents a budget of $49,000. The role of recreation services is to provide
structured leisure time activities in sports, hobbies,
and cultural events at Westgate, Co- Ed, and Farm
facilities to promote constructive leisure time activities
for offenders. Allocation of funds will provide for activ ities such as: Art, Ceramics, Wood Sculpture, Sports
and Penn Foster Correspondence Courses (amongst
them, Health and Fitness). This also includes the organising of annual Arts and Crafts shows to display
inmate/trainee artwork to the public. The aim is to a ddress the inmates’ social, physical, intellectual, and emotional needs in socially useful ways according to
their interests.
The facilitation of daily recreati on for all the
facilities is currently being managed by the individual
facilities and incorporated into the daily operations.

35111—Chaplaincy Services

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: The last item on page B -
284, Mr. Chairman, 35111, Chaplaincy Services, repres ents a $41,000 budget for Fiscal Year 2016/17.
This funding provides two part -time chaplains who
continue to offer spiritual enrichment and, of course, guidance to our inmates. The chaplains coordinate services and religious instruction from the various d enominations and also provide counselling to inmates. Prison Fellowship, whose focus is on restorative justice and religious programming, continues to partner
with the Department of Corrections in providing pr ogrammes for inmates. Some of these programmes
include:
• Angel Tree Programme, which provides
Christmas gifts for children of inmates;
• Back to School Programme, which supports
children of inmates to acquire necessary r esources and tools for school.

Recruitment, Training and Development

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Now, Mr. Chairman, I will
turn my attention to recruitment, training, and devel-opment. The Department of Correction’s strategy for
the fiscal year is to limit training to the local arena in order to best utilise resources and be efficient with
allocated funding.
Highlights of the 2015/16 Fiscal Year includes
the initial recruit training of 10 correctional officers (r ecruits) and subsequent deployment to facilities to fill
vacancies that have arisen due to retirements and/or resignations. These off icers were a welcome addition


Bermuda House of Assembly to facilities which in some cases were well below their
authorised staffing levels.

Performance Measures

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: The department’s performance measures forecasted for 2016/17 are out-lined on pages B -286 and B -287 and include some
information that is useful:
• The average daily inmate population;
• There were 72 admissions for the year which were first -time offenders who received cust odial sentences and this represents a decrease
of 25 per cent from the previous y ear;
• The forecasted outcome of inmates released on parole is 35. To date, 36 inmates were
successful in receiving parole. Mr. Chairman,
as you are well aware, parole provides an o pportunity for inmates to return to the comm unity under supervision and to receive the necessary support during their re- entry;
• There were no assaults (major/minor i nmate/inmate, inmate/officer or trainee/trainee) reported for the 2014/15 Fiscal Year, Mr.
Chairman. It must be noted that staff are chal-lenged constantly by inmates’ n egative behaviour and the department has a zero tolerance
to any assault of any category;
• Mr. Chairman, there were 707 inmates enrolled in development and treatment pr ogrammes aimed to address the offending behaviours, address educational and vocational
needs, and to improve skill development;
• The Department of Corrections calculates its
recidivism rates according to internationally
accepted practices. Based on these sta ndards, the rates include persons who have a
conviction for a new offence within one, tw o
and three years of their release. The actual outcome for 2014/15 is as follows:
o Year 1 was 14.37 per cent;
o Year 2 was 21.84 per cent.
These are, I think, commendable numbers and certainly trending in the appropriate direction.

Mr. Chairman, I want to t ake this opportunity
to highlight some of the department’s achievement in 2015/16:
• Continued use of the video conferencing at
Westgate Correctional Facility has not only
assisted in reducing the number of staff r equired for external court escorts during
monthly arraignments, but perhaps more i mportantly, it allows more efficient management
of inmates with gang affiliations during their
court appearance via video conference. • Staff training hours totalled approximately
5,939. Training was external and interna l and
included, but was not limited to the following:
o Introduction to new policies;
o Use of the CCTV cameras (and there has been a reinvestment in those
over the past year and that conti nues);
o Facilitator Training for Offending B ehaviour Programmes;
o Saving Children and Revealing S ecrets (SCARS) training;
o CPR and AED (which I mentioned previously);
o Baton Training/Defensive Tactics
Training;
o Various Department of Human R esources training courses; and of course, appropriately needed
o Understanding the Therapeuti c
Community.

• In June 2015, Mr. Chairman, the department held its 2
nd annual Corrections Week (2015).
A number of activities took place during the
week to better educate the public on Corrections in Bermuda, and, of course, to celebrate
all Corrections staff and showcase and cel ebrate the vital role they continue to play in our
community.
• The department remains heavily engaged in
community service and charity work. In addi-tion to having inmates work at senior citizen
rest homes and charities, inmates have a ssisted other government departments, such
as Parks and Works and Engineering, and
community groups throughout the Island. A dditionally, inmates have assisted in several
projects within our facilities, such as painting
and general maintenance.
• Mr. Chairm an, as you can imagine, security is
a major focus of our operations and we constantly endeavours to improve security measures to combat breaches.
o A new specialised security vehicle
was introduced to our fleet and has
greatly benefited the department in improved security and safety of staff,
inmates, and the public in general.
o As I mentioned, there have also been
upgrades to the CCTV system with
Phase 1 completed and Phase 2 at
80 per cent completion.
o The Co- Ed main security gate has
been completed which has greatly
improved the security of the facility and will limit access to the property.
o Portions of the Westgate fire alarm system were replaced due to health
1460 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly and safety concerns and that pr ogramme continues.

Mr. Chairman, despite the many challenges
faced by the Department of Corrections, staff remain
dedicated and seek ways to address those chal-lenges, including working with union representatives
and other stakeholders and partners in order to
achieve our mission and mandate.
• Security breaches remain a concern as there
have been breaches to the outer perimeter
that have been intercepted by Corrections
staff.
• Maintaining staffing levels due to resignations
and retirements. And the department has
taken advantage of legislation which allows
officers to be extended in service based on
the needs of the department.
• Management of high- risk inmates, particularly
those with gang affiliation, tends to be a challenge.

Mr. Chairman, the Department of Corrections
will undertake the following Initiatives for the 2016/17 Fiscal Year (and this is not all -inclusive):
• There will be a manning review of the depar tment’s staffing levels to ensure that staff deployment is consistent and allows facilities to
run effectively in a secure and safe manner.
• There will be finalisation of new management
structure, implementation of succession pla nning, and development of a training plan for
the department.
• There will be completion of a structural review
of the physical plants which will assist in d etermining long- term management and maint enance of the physical plants and equipment.
This will be done with the assistance of the
Department of Works and Engineering.
• Mr. Chairman, all programmes including i ndustries and work programmes and facility r egimes will continue to be examined and r evamped as necessary to ensure that those
programmes are relevant and a sufficient level
of quality is maintained in them. Changes will
be made to the facility operations to improve the daily regime of inmates, particularly for the
long-term inmates and young offenders.
• Mr. Chairman, activities are being planned to
celebrate Corrections Week 2016. This will be
the third year that that will be celebrated.
• We will continue to work to expand work r elease opportunities for qualified inmates at Westgate.

Mr. Chairm an, with those comments I would
like to now close by thanking Commissioner of Cor-rections Lamb and all his colleagues for the work that
they do 24/7/365 for the people of Bermuda.
HEAD 45 —BERMUDA FIRE AND RESCUE

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: I will turn my a ttention now
to Head 45, Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, Mr.
Chairman. It can be found on pages B -288 to B -290 of
the Budget Book.
I present this Head proudly as a long- time
volunteer in the Bermuda Fire Service (in those days).
And I still remember a lot of the skills, and I still recall
the time that I had to do my ladder training and being afraid of heights at certain moments.
I am pleased to have the opportunity to pr esent this budget estimate for Head 45.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY CHAIRMAN

HOUSE VISITOR

I would like to take this opportunity to
recognise the former Premier, Dr. Saul, with us here today. He is undercover with that little bit of a mous-tache and beard, but . . .

[Desk thumping]

[HEAD 45 —Bermuda Fire and Rescue, continuing]
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, the mission
of the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS) is: “To provide adequate fire protection and emergency
medical services for all areas of these islands. To extinguish fires, protect life and property in case of fi re,
road traffic accident, or other calamity as defined by
the fire service act or subsequent regulations.”
It also provides Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting [AARF] at the L. F. Wade International Airport.
The department’s objectives for Fiscal Year
2016/17 are among the following:
• To implement a Home Fire Service pr ogramme;
• To implement the new Fire Safety Act, which
was passed in this House after going through
I think at least 14 drafts;
• To continue re- certification in aircraft fire fighting for personnel attached to the Airport O peration Division;
• To continue core competency skills training
programme to all operational fire fighters;
• To continue Leadership training courses for
middle managers;
• To continue training courses for succession
planning for senior managers;
• To continue with specialised training for fleet maintenance and the repair of the airport
crash/fire apparatus;
• To re- validate all Emergency Medical Di spatchers in accordance with the Association


Bermuda House of Assembly of Public Safety Communication Officials
(APCO);
• To provide specialised Leadership Training
courses for middle management officers;
• They will also focus on specialised technical
training for middle management officers (in
areas where they need to improve slightly);
• They will continue with training cours es for
senior management to assist with a view for succession planning;
• The will implementation of Phase I of the organisational structure and staffing of the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service; and
• There will be installation of mobile data term inals in five fire apparatus.

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to provide a short
overview of the cost centres and their changes for
2016/17 as it compares to 2015/16.
The Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service
Budget allocation is $12,506,000 and can be found on page B -288, and this represents a decrease of 4.6 per
cent.
Due to budget reductions, the Bermuda Fire
and Rescue Service has made the appropriate adjustments in most of its cost centres to attempt to work
with the budget. I will highlight some of the most not able changes.

55080—Other Services Central

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Cost centre 55080, Other
Services Central, has a budget of $277,000.
This cost centre is responsible for the maint enance of all Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service veh icles and equipment. This division c onsists of four personnel who have the task to ensure that all emer-gency vehicles and related equipment are maintained to manufacturer and, of course, recognised safety
standards. Funding in this cost centre also includes
cost for the service’s cook who pr ovides meals to staff
weekdays and during emergencies. This cost centre
has been increased by $8,168, which also represents
a slight increase in the region of 3 per cent.

55060—Central Emergency Fire Service

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Cost centre 55060, C entral Emergency Fire Service has a budget of $5,468,000.
The Central Emergency Fire Service cost centre covers the provision of Fire and Emergency Ser-vices from the Hamilton Fire Station, a short distance
from here in King Street. This station responds to fire,
road traffic accidents, and hazardous material inc idents, and also provides support to all the other fire
stations in the east and the west when it is required.
The Hamilton Station has a total of 56 personnel,
24/7, with a four -shift system. This c ost centre has been increased by $111,435, which represents a
slight 2 per cent increase.

55070— Emergency Medical Service

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Cost centre 55070, Emergency Medical Service, has a budget of $157,000.
This cost centre, Mr. Chairman, sol ely repr esents salaries allocated to the chief fire officer for the
overall operational management of the Bermuda Fire
and Rescue Service.

55090— St. George’s Emergency Fire Services

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Cost centre 55090 is the
St. George’s Emergenc y Fire Services with a budget
of $1,204,000.
The St. George’s Emergency Fire Services
cost centre covers the provision of Fire and Emergency Medical Services for the Clearwater Fire St ation, located at Southside in St. David’s. This station
responds to emergency medical, fire, and hazardous
material incidents, as well as provides support to the
Airport Operations Division of the Bermuda Fire and
Rescue Service for any aircraft incidents. The Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service has partnered with
Bermuda Hospita ls Board to continue to provide the
Island- wide joint ambulance initiative. You will recall,
Mr. Chairman, that this initiative started in January of 2015. This division has a total of 13 personnel provi ding 24/7 emergency coverage on a four -shift system
as well. This cost centre has decreased by $122,869.
Mr. Chairman, before I move on, I would just
like to mention the Emergency Ambulance Service
has covered the Island from the east to the west, and I
think that so far it has been a great additional servic e
to Bermuda. And I have to commend the officers of
the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service and those at
the hospital for working seamlessly together to i mprove emergency service to the most extreme pos itions of the Island in a very cost -effective manner.

55100— Emergency Medical Services

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Emergency Medical Services, cost centre 55100, Mr. Chairman, has a budget
of $65,000. And in contrast to the centre that I just
finished talking about, this allocation covers the purchase of emergenc y medical supplies for the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service. This cost centre has
not increased in comparison to the 2015/16 budget. It
is anticipated that this cost centre may increase slightly in the next fiscal year due to further changes
within the Isla nd-wide joint ambulance initiative.

55120—West End Emergency Fire Service

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Cost centre 55120, West
End Emergency Fire Service, has a budget of
1462 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly $903,000. And this cost centre covers the provision of
services from the Port Royal Fi re Station, up in your
home country, Mr. Chairman, located at Middle Road
in Southampton. This station responds, like others, to
emergency medical, fire, and hazardous material calls and does provide support, when required, to the Hamilton and Clearwater S tations for emergencies. This
station has a total of nine personnel providing 24/7
coverage on a four -shift system. And the way, typ ically, that these stations provide support is if Clearw ater is called out for something, Hamilton resources will shift east and the same with the west end resources.
So if members of the public see a vehicle in the Shelly
Bay parking lot, that is what they are doing, they are
shifting —or down by the Rubber Tree.

[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: They are not hanging out,
well, they are hanging out, but they are doing a very
important service.

55150—Training

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, cost centre
55150, Training, has a budget of $113,000. Funding allocation in this cost centre represents costs ass ociated with the further development of officers and
NCOs throughout the various divisions of the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service. In February 2014,
four officers successfully completed the National Fire
Protection Association, Fire Officer Level 1 Manag ement Course at the Dallas Fort Worth Fire Training
Research Center, which is a wonderful facility. These various development programmes are designed to
prepare officers and NCOs for further promotion within
the Service. This cost centre has been decreased b y
$45,000 for the next fiscal year.

55030—Fire Prevention Training

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Cost centre 55030, Fire
Prevention Training, in contrast to the just mentioned
cost centre, this allocation covers the training costs for
the Fire Prevention Divi sion which consists of three
lieutenants. Mr. Chairman, the Fire Safety Act 2014
was passed in Fiscal Year 2014/15 and it is expected
that it will eventually generate revenue in 2016/17 for
new licensing fees, which are at an appropriate level.
The Fire Pr evention Division also hosts the yearly Fire
Prevention Week which promotes fire awareness in schools and the community.
Mr. Chairman, one of the keys for the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service has been fire preve ntion and fire training, which they continue t o do a good
job of to protect our community.

55170—General Administration
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Cost centre 55170, Ge neral Administration, has a budget of $930,000. And as the name suggests, it provides for general administr ation at the Southside Hea dquarters and the Hamilton
Station. The General Administration section ensures that the entire operation of the Bermuda Fire and
Rescue Service are managed professionally; namely,
the budget, salaries, inventory, and staff leave. This
cost centre currently has seven personnel.

55190— Emergency Dispatch

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Cost centre 55190, Emergency Dispatch, Mr. Chairman. This cost centre pr ovides Emergency Dispatch coverage for all 911 emergency calls covering all of our nine parishes. This cost
centre has 14 personnel. Each year all emergency
medical dispatchers are required to be re- validated in
accordance with the Association of Public Safety
Communication Officials (APCO).

55200— Airport Fire Station

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Cost centre 55200, Airport
Fire Station, has a budget of $2,572,000, and this
provides Airport Emergency Rescue and Fire Fighting
Services at the L. F. Wade International Airport, as is
prescribed, Mr. Chairman, by the Overseas Territories Aviation Requirements [OTAR], Part 140, and the
Bermuda Department of Civil Aviation. This cost centre has 24 personnel. Additionally, this cost centre
was reduced by $617,357 which represents a 19.35 per cent reduction.

55110— Eastern Volunteer Division

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: And lastly , cost centre
55110, Eastern Volunteer Division, has a small budget of $7,000. Funding in this cost centre represents costs associated with the Eastern Volunteer Division which
currently consists of seven volunteer fire fighters. And
these volunteers conti nue to support the full -time staff
during emergency incidents and they provide a very
valuable service in particular when there are aircraft
incidents or hurricanes.

Capital Expenditure

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, on page C -
14, Capital Expendi ture, you will note that there is no
expenditure required for the next fiscal year.

Manpower
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: In regards to Manpower,
the full -time complement has decreased from 133 in
2015/16 to 128 personnel for the next financial year.
This new complement represents unfilled and u nfunded posts in addition to loss through attrition, r eBermuda House of Assembly tirement or, unfortunately, death. Notwithstanding, the
Fire Service has recruited six fire fighter positions during the fiscal year 2015/16.

Performance Measures

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, the D epartment’s Performance Measures can be found on
page B -290. Members will note that the Output Measures in the Budget Book are presented in sequential
order by cost centre. I would just highlight a few not able achievements that you have seen there.
The average response time per call is seven
minutes, which I think is very good. If you look through those performance measures you can see some i nteresting numbers on the East End Emergency Fire, West End Emergency Services, and the Emergency
Dispatch and the Central Emergency, about the percentage of calls and numbers dealing with that. They
have information on the Airport Operations Division as
well as Medical Dispatch.
Mr. Chairman, in 2009 the Bermuda Gover nment requested the services of the Office of the Chief
Fire and Rescue Advisor (United Kingdom) and this
was done to conduct a review of the Bermuda Fire
and Rescue Service. The review was completed and
a report was prepared and approved by Cabinet a
couple of years ago. The Chief Fire Officer in conjunction with the Ministry of National Security has deve loped a strategic plan which is ongoing.
The Service continues to encourage its personnel to undergo career development and skill cert ification opportunities bo th locally and abroad, where
appropriate. During the past year, the following per-sonnel have successfully completed the respective
training:
• Senior Fire Officer Lieutenant Troy Furbert
completed the International Brigade Command Course.
• Fire Fighter Mark P acheco, I believe whose
father used to be the Deputy Chief, and Fire
Fighter Phillip Bailey, attended the International Fire Training Centre in the UK, and successfully completed the Crew Command—
Incident Command Course.
• Lieutenant Mark Taylor and Sergeant Robert
Fox travelled to Dallas, Texas and received international certification as Fire, Arson, and
Explosion Investigators from the National A ssociation of Fire Investigators.
• Lieutenant Albert Donawa, Sergeant Scott
Quinn, and Sergeant Allan Wilkinson s ucces sfully completed the National Fire Protection
Association, Fire Officer Level 1 Management
Course at Dallas Fort Worth Fire Training and
Research Centre.
• Divisional Officer Morris White and Divisional
Officer Dana Lovell travelled to Hanover,
Germany to attend the Interschultz Interna-tional Exhibition for rescue, suppression, di saster management, and fire safety. This is the largest event of its kind and is only held every
four years.
• Watch Commanders David DeCouto and
Damon Smith, Fire Fighters Dwight Tucker,
Phillip Bailey, Paul Hollis, and David Lambert
successfully completed Aircraft Rescue Fire
Fighting Re- certification Course at the Fire
Emergency Services Training Institute in T oronto, Canada.
• In October 2015, seven Recruit Fire Fighters
attended the Fire Emergency Services Trai ning Institute in Toronto, Canada and received
National Fire Protection Association Certific ation as Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighters, and after
further additional examinations, they all earned three professional accreditations from
the Institute of Fire Engineering, a first for any
Recruit Class.

Mr. Chairman, I pleased to advise that six
personnel are continuing with their aspirations of
working towards achievement of Bachelor’s Degrees
in Fire Science and Management discipl ines via longdistance learning. To date, one officer has attained a
Master’s Degree in Public Administration, and a
Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Science. One officer will
soon attain a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Safety and Health Fire Science with a c oncentration in
Fire Science, and another a Master’s Degree in Public
Administration.
Mr. Chairman, as Honourable Members of this
House are aware of the fiscal challenges we face, the
Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service will continue to
endeavour to provide emergency services at the hig hest standard of operational efficiency. The dedication
of the entire team, led by Chief Lloyd Burchall, has
been confirmed on numerous occasions by letters of
appreciation from members of the community for the
emergency services and community service efforts.
So I would like to take this opportunity to
thank and congratulate Chief Fire Officer, R. Lloyd
Burchall and all of the members of this Service for
their continued efforts on behalf of the people of Bermuda. And Mr. Chairm an, I can personally tell stories
where I have been [contacted] directly by members of
the public and overseas people commending the
Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service for the work that
they have done.
So, Mr. Chairman, that concludes my comments on the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, Head 45.
We are in the final Head, Head 88, the D epartment of National Drug Control.

HEAD 88 —DEPARTMENT FOR NATIONAL DRUG
CONTROL

1464 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Again, I am pleased to
present the current accounts estimate for the Depar tment for National Drug Control (DNDC), which can be
found starting on page B -291 of the Estimates Book.
The department has been allocated the sum of
$4,179,000, which is an increase of $258,000.
The Department for National Drug Control
plays a key role in the Ministry for National Security with respect to addressing one of the foremost social
issues affecting Bermuda today —substance misuse
and abuse. The Department for National Drug Control
provides leadership and policy coordination for the
planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive national system of alcohol,
tobacco, and other drug prevention. It also provides treatment and rehabilitation services. In its leadership
role, the Department for National Drug Control is
charged with facilitating collaboration with all agencies
involved in the national drug control effort, including
supply reduction and demand reduction efforts. The
department is also responsible for establishing targets and standards of performance for initiatives suppor ting the National Drug Control effort.
Subsequently, the mission of the department
is to lead efforts to reduce alcohol abuse and drug
misuse.
The strategic goal of the department is to advocate for the adoption of effective measures to sup-port substance abuse prevention and treatment of
drug dependence on the Island, and the employment
of a balanced approach to supply and demand reduction efforts. In support of the strategic goals that the
DNDC lays out, such as:
a) They will be guided by the Nat ional Drug Control Master Plan, the DNDC will coordinate the development, management, implementation,
and the monitoring and evaluation of all n ational -level drug control efforts including the
formulation and implementation of national
drug control policies and national strategies,
incorporating supply and demand reduction
activities through a balanced interagency/departmental approach;
b) It will strengthen and develop sustainable
drug prevention and drug treatment services
by providing policy direction and t echnical
oversight guided by the National Drug Abuse
Prevention and Treatment Strategies;
c) It will continue the development and maint enance of the National Drug Information Network (BerDIN) to provide comprehensive i nformation on the drugs phenomenon in Bermuda and drug- related issues affecting specific community groups and the overall soc iety; and finally,

[Mrs. Susan E. Jackson, Chairman]
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, as we
change and have Madam Chairman—
d) To provide support, advocacy, and resources
to stakeholder ministries, departments, and
community partners to enhance efforts in achieving goals in the National Drug Control
Strategy.
The DNDC manages and administers both
grant funds to partner agencies providing prevention and treatment servic es as well as a budget for core
administration functions, drug prevention, drug treatment, community development, and, research/policy
initiatives. Funds are also allocated to assist in the
implementation of the National Drug Control Master
Plan and its ac tions.
The department has 27 staff. The National O ffice is presently staffed by a director, six technical off icers, and one full -time administrative staff. Direct staf fing support to the Nelson Bascome [Centre for Substance Abuse Treatment] facility in the West End is
provided by 19 clinical and support posts currently
assigned to the Women’s Treatment Centre and, of course, to the Men’s Treatment Centre, Madam
Chairman. There are currently six vacancies within the
treatment programmes. All vacancies have b een approved and will be filled permanently within the fiscal
year 2016/17.
Over the next fiscal year the DNDC plans to
do this among other things:
• To continue to monitor active initiatives ident ified within the revised National Drug Control
Master Plan 20 13–2017, and to provide an
update to the public on relevant activities,
progress and challenges.
• It will continue to promote and disseminate
public information about the health and social
consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs
via all forms of media t hrough March 2017 i ncluding Facebook, YouTube, and text messaging.
• They will continue the implementation of drug
prevention programmes, such as Al’s Pals
and Teen Peace, in collaboration with the
Ministry of Education which is supported in
the National Prevention Strategy.
• They will continue to train educators and retrain those currently staffed to ensure the f idelity of the programme and its continued i mplementation.
• They will continue on the National School
Drug Policy to assist in the management of
drug- related issues within our schools.
• They will operate the male and female res idential drug treatment programmes at the Nelson Bascome [Centre for] Substance
Abuse Treatment facility.
• They will ensure that both programmes in the
Nelson Bascome [Centre for] Substance
Abuse Treatment facility continue with their i nBermuda House of Assembly ternational accreditation with CARF International as per the National Drug Control Act
2013.
• They will develop and implement regulations
addressing licensing and registration for drug
treatment and drug prevention facilities to
support that Act.
• They will continue to lead efforts in impl ement ing initiatives to address underage drinking, Madam Chairman; and
• They will support efforts to address drunk/drugged driving through DUI programming following nec essary changes to the legislation.

Key policy focuses will be on alcohol abuse
and road safety (driving under the influence) with a
continued emphasis on the underage drinking and on
a National School Drug Policy.
Key legislative initiatives will include amendments aimed at the management of drunk or drugged
driving and synthetic cannabinoids, along with the i mplementation of regulations to support the Liquor Licence Amendment Act 2014 as it relates to TIPS and
to the NDC Act 2013 as it relates to licensin g and re gistration of facilities, centres, and programmes.
Madam Chairman, during the Fiscal Year
2015/16, the DNDC concentrated its efforts on the continued implementation of the National Drug Control
Master Plan, its Action Plans, and the implementation
of elements of the Demand Reduction Strategies for Prevention and Treatment in alignment with the NDC
Act 2013.
They have achieved much during that time,
Madam Chairman, they have:
• Continued the implementation of the After -
School Drug Prevention Programme for mi ddle schools, called “Teen Peace” at four mi ddle schools.
• They have continued with the Al’s Pals pr ogramme in collaboration with the Department
of Education, with the majority of public and
private pre- school teachers and P1 and P2
teachers in the public schools, providing the
programme in their classrooms. Approx imately 237 students across 8 of the 10 Gov-ernment pre- schools have participated in this
programme.
• They have continued with drug prevention education and training with: presentation on synthetic drugs; education of parents and
young people about the facts of marijuana
and the negative consequences of adolescent
marijuana use; and the displays of drug facts
in public buses.
• They have continued the provision of residential substance abuse tr eatment for adult males
and females at the Nelson Bascome [Centre
for] Substance Abuse Treatment facility. • They provided supportive housing for females
through the Women’s Treatment Centre for
nine clients, while supportive housing for
males continued to b e provided by Focus
Counselling Services who have been assisted
by a grant dispersed by the DNDC.
• The Men’s Treatment programme, Madam
Chairman, is located in the Nelson Bascome
[Centre for] Substance Abuse facility and has
achieved their accreditation. The Women’s
Treatment Centre and the Bermuda Hospital’s Board, Turning Point Substance Abuse
Treatment Programme have maintained their
accreditation status of a three- year award.
CARF Accreditation is spearheaded and
funded by the DNDC in support of the Mast er
Plan.
• They continue with solid working relationships
continued with the Bermuda Police Service
and HM Customs as partners in the National
Drug Control Master Plan.
• The Bermuda National Drug Information Network (BerDIN) continued with the collection of
data from key stakeholders. Cabinet has approved the implementation of the data management system to be implemented to en-hance the data collection and analysis process for all stakeholders. Phase I went live at
the end of January 2016 and it is hoped that Phase II will be completed in 2016/17. The
annual BerDIN meeting was held with all network members in November 2015. This an-nual event, Madam Chairman, has greatly i ncreased understanding and information sharing within the network.
• They continue with consumer satisfaction surveys, stakeholder feedback surveys, and
quality records reviews which were completed
within the DNDC, Women’s Treatment Centre,
Men’s Treatment Centre, and the Right Living
House under Corrections.
• TIPS Regulations were developed and pr ovided for drafting with the Attorney Generals Chambers, and work has commenced on the
development of regulations to guide licensing
and registration of substance abuse treatment
centres/facilities.
And finally, Madam Chairman, the DNDC pr ovided grants to five stakeholder agencies to support
the efficient and effective delivery of prevention and
treatment services. Agencies included: PRIDE, CADA,
Focus Counselling Services, Salvation Army Harbour
Lights/Salvation Army Community Life Skills, and the
Bermuda Addiction and Certification Board (BACB).
Funding was sourced from fiscal year 2014/15 and no
funding was made available in fiscal year 2015/16, but
money was given out of Cash Back [for] Communities.
1466 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Madam Chairman, I am pleased to be able to
provide an analysis by cost centre of the changes for
2016/17 compared to 2015/16.

98000— Administration

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Administration, the est imate for 2016/17 is $960,000, an increase of
$283,000 over the previous year.
Administration obviously provides the organisational framework in support of the mission and mandate of the department. Its resources are aimed
primarily at recurrent expenditures and Grants and
Contributions to the treatment and prevention pr ogrammes.
[An amount of] $677,000 of the $960, 000
covers employee expenses and other operational expenses. The 42 per cent increase in this cost [centre]
is representative of funding provided for grants in the
amount of $283,000. You can see in the Budget Book
the successful implementation of the admi nistration
functions will be based on the performance measures
that are listed.

98010—Community Development

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Community Development,
line item 98010, on page B -291, the estimate for
2016/17 and for 2015/16 is $270,000.
The allocat ion to Community Development is
the same. Funding is allocated to facilitate activities that are primarily targeted towards public education,
community development, information dissemination, and to support the grant to CADA (which you can find
on page C -20, Grants and Contributions).
The goal of this unit, Madam Chairman, is to
educate the public about the harms of alcohol and
drug use; to ensure the provision of clear and sustained messages to our young people that “no use of
alcohol, tobacco, or other d rugs is acceptable”; and to
involve families, schools, and community organis ations in alcohol/drug prevention efforts.
Madam Chairman, I do not think I can say that
forcefully enough to show the critical importance of
the work that has to be done in that area.
CADA works in close collaboration with the
DNDC to provide community education on alcohol as
well as to provide the server training programme
(TIPS) which is mandated within the Liquor Licensing
Act Amendment 2011. A grant of $100,000 is all ocated to CADA to support these activities within this cost [centre]. Other initiatives for the Community D evelopment unit are to assist in highlighting drunk/drug
driving and road safety initiatives through public ed ucation, and to continue awareness campaigns directed at underage drinking and adolescent drug use.
Madam Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to thank CADA for the great work that they do in our community. I think it is often not focused in on, but they do make a difference and it would be
great to see more members of our community, esp ecially the corporate community, to get involved. There
are many members who show their support, but with
more we can have more success. So thank you to CADA and the National Drug Control for this pr ogramme.

98020— Prevention

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Prevention, line item
98020, on page B -291, has a budget estimate for
2016/17 of $219,000, a 10 per cent decrease from the
last year.
Obviously this is to provide support in the
Prevention Unit. Funds will be utili sed to improve co verage of drug prevention measures within the com-munity, to improve opportunities for school -based pr evention initiatives, and to increase access for young
people to targeted prevention programmes. Funding
will also be utilised to support the implementation of
the National School Drug Policy and for the continued
training of facilitators for the Al’s Pals programme.
The Prevention Unit facilitates the Teen
Peace programme initially in five public schools, and also supports the implementatio n and integration of
the Al’s Pal Programme at the pre- school and primary
levels. Funding is allocated within the cost [centre] to support facilitators and also to allow the purchase of
resources in an effort to sustain these programmes.
The successful im plementation of the Prevention Unit functions will be based on performance
measures which you can find in the Budget Book.

98030—Treatment

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Madam Chairman, Treatment, page B -291, has a budget of $397,000 for
2016/17, the same as i n the current financial year.
This cost centre has allocated that money to fund a llocation throughout our facilities for the implement ation of key activities geared towards achieving the goals of the National Treatment Strategy, including
the CARF Accredit ation fees and resources; addiction
specific training and AccuCare Client Management
system licence and training. Funds allocated to support the grant for the Bermuda Addiction Certification
board (BACB). This fiscal year, their focus will remain
on maintaining CARF Accreditation for the Men’s
Treatment programme, the Women’s Treatment Centre, and Turning Point (which is operated by BHB) as required under the NDC Act 2013, which we passed
here.
Continued efforts will be directed at consol idating the use of the AccuCare Client Management
system in all drug treatment programmes. The
$100,000 grant provided to the BACB provides inter-national certification testing for both prevention and
treatment professionals and some funding to support


Bermuda House of Assembly addiction -specific tra ining to enhance workforce development in this specialty area.
Performance measures can be reviewed in
the Budget Book.

98050—Research and Policy Development

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: In regards to Research
and Policy Development, on page B -291, line item
98050, the estimate for the coming financial year is
$305,000, a decrease of $15,000 from the current f inancial year.
Madam Chairman, the Research and Policy
Development Unit cost [centre] is a 5 per cent reduction. The funds will be used to facilitate information
gathering and analysis, monitoring and evaluation, as
well as any relevant legislation and policy develop-ment initiatives prioritised within the Ministry. The pr imary activities of the Research unit will be geared t owards collection and dissemination of reliable data
through the Bermuda National Drug Information Network (BerDIN), identifying emerging trends and pa tterns of drug use, evaluation of the current drug control efforts, and providing coordination and implementation of the important National Drug Control Master
Plan and Action Plan. The budget reductions could
decrease the number of community surveys, but i nformation will still be effective to provide services.

98060—Men’s Treatment

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: In regards to Men’s
Treatment , line item 98060, on page B -291, the
budget is unchanged from the current financial year to
the next financial year of $890,000.
This provides the operational and staffing cost
required to provide outputs to meet the treatment and rehabilitative needs and goals of adult males needing
residential treatment at the Nelson Bascome [Centre for] Substance Abuse [Treatment] facility in the West End. This programme is CARF accredited.
The effectiveness of the Men’s Treatment
programme is based on the performance m easures
which you can find in the Budget Book.

98070—Women’s Treatment Centre

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: In addition, the Women’s
Treatment Centre, 98070, the budget is unchanged at
$1,103,000.
It provides the services at the same Nelson
Bascome [Centre for Substance Abuse] Treatment
facility for women. It is also CARF Accredited, and
currently, Madam Chairman, has the “gold star” international accreditation rating for 2014– 2016.

98080—National Drug Control Master Plan
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: The National Drug Control
Master Plan, line item 98080, on page B -291, the
budget remains unchanged at $35,000.
And this is to provide for the effective impl ementation of the Master Plan; cross -ministry initiatives
with the Police, Customs, and Corrections; evaluatio n
of the Master Plan and, as always, to encourage c ooperation and involvement of other Government de-partments and civil society in the implementation of
Master Plan initiatives.

Grants and Contributions

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Grants and Contributions,
which I have mentioned briefly, on page C -20. The
department for National Drug Control is established in
part [as a] service delivery unit but cannot provide all of the needed services required within the community.
The DNDC, therefore, depends greatly on purchasing
services in the treatment and prevention areas to realise its mandate. It is anticipated that the allocations for fiscal 2016/17 of $482,000 listed under Grants and
Contributions of the Budget Book will be used towards
providing grants to CADA, the Bermuda Addiction
Certification Board (BACB), PRIDE, and Salvation
Army (Harbour Light and Life Skills programmes).
CADA and BACB provide essential activities required by legislation. CADA’s TIPS programme is mandated
under Section 39B of the Liquor L icence Act 1974.
PRIDE provides Life Skill programmes within the pr imary school levels to support drug education and pr evention and Salvation Army provides residential drug
treatment and life skills for males, which are very i mportant.
In closing, Madam C hairman, the Department
for National Drug Control will continue to work collaboratively with other key ministries such as Health, Ed ucation, and departments such as Corrections, Court
Services, the Police, and Customs to ensure the i mplementation of a balanced approach to efforts made
in achieving a healthier and drug- free Bermuda.
With those comments closing off Head 88, I
would like to take this opportunity to thank the Director
Joanne Dean for the excellent work by her and her
team in the Department for National Drug Control.
And this brings to a close my presentation on the Mi nistry of National Security and I invite comments and
questions from Members of the Honourable House.

Thank you, Premier and Minister of
National Security.
I just wo uld like to say that this debate ends at
4:45, so we have about an hour and a half.
Would anyone like to speak to the Heads?
The Chair would now like to recognise the
Shadow Minister of Public Safety, MP for constit uency 15, Mr. W. H. Roban.

1468 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Walter H. Roban: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this d ebate.
I think there is one thing we can be sure of.
This is a very large Ministry with quite a far reach. It is,
I think, the third largest Ministry in Government i n the
amount of expenditure— which is about 13 per cent of
the Government’s expenditure—dedicated to this par-ticular budget. [It generates] 1 per cent of revenue. It
may not be a big revenue earner, but certainly its reach is quite far, with 2 per cent of t he capital expenditure and 1,300 employees. That is a considerable
amount of persons who work under this Ministry.
So its reach and influence on the Government
operation is far and wide. It ranges from law enforc ement, as we have heard, down to managing tr eatment
and drug policy for the Government, and areas outside of defence, such as, we have the Fire Service
which the Premier did not -too-long ago describe. So it
is a Ministry that has quite a far reach, so its signif icance should not be underestimated.
It also is a Ministry that, irrespective of the fact
that it spends a lot, it ensures a lot. It ensures the
safety and security of the country. It ensures the
proper delivery of communication throughout the
country as in the area of postal. And it certainl y ensures that people are cared for, not only from the
standpoint of just general care of the community, but
also that persons with risky behaviours get support
through the variety of organisations that it [provides]
its funding to.
I would like to start on page B -261, noting that
the budget is $142 million, because I suspect that for
those that may have been listening this debate started
in the morning so some of the information, the basic
information, has already been dispensed with quite
early. But just as a sort of recap of the budget for the
Ministry, the overall budget is $142.7 million. Rev enues are $4.8 million, and capital expenditure is
around $2 million.
As I look at some of the interesting points I
would like to first address around this partic ular Head
83, the Ministry of National Security, under 8301, General. Overall expenditure seems to be down about
$1.29 million, and overall under the general head of
Administration, Parole Board, Treatment of Offenders Board, and Police Complaints Authorit y, that budget
has gone down about $63,000, or around 5 per cent.
A question I have is, has there been a decrease (and this is in reference to . . . under that 8301,
this would be the Parole Board, 93002) . . . has there been a decrease in the number of applications to the Parole Board?
Now, I ask these questions and I would like to
apologise to the technical staff and to the Minister [because] I was missing when the Ministry Head was presented. So if I am asking questions that were answered in the brief, I sincerely apologise to those concerned. But I am going to go through these questions anyway because I did not have the opportunity to hear
the brief.
So, yes, my question on that particular head
matter is, has there been a decrease in the number of
applications to the Board, which accounts for the account reduction. If there is an ongoing decrease in the
number, perhaps they found a way to have some savings as it relates to the . . . I am sorry, the Parole
Board, as it [has decreased] 6 per cent, or aro und
$5,000.
I think we can accept that the Parole Board
plays a positive role, Madam Chairman, as it gives
those persons who have made a mistake some opportunity to see that there is actually a process upon
which they can begin to remediate their behaviour and
their conduct and an opportunity to bring themselves
and sort of submit themselves to the appropriate body, they can find that they can have a second
chance, a process to a second chance outside of the
unfortunate reasons they may have found themselv es
incarcerated. So this Board plays a positive role with
giving a clear prescription to persons who have of-fended and how they can find their way out of the sy stem.
So, though the budget is small for that at
around $82,000 for this calendar year (it is not a large
amount) that plays a significant role with helping those who are incarcerated to find a way out. So I am inter-ested definitely in why that decrease has been inst ituted.
We also have next on that same page, B -262,
Treatment Offenders Board, 9303, which is [down] 22 per cent . . . I am sorry, yes, 22 per cent, down
$8,000. My question is, Has there been a decrease in the number of cases for the Board and that accounts
for the reduction? Is that because they are getting
fewer cases as well? I woul d be interested to know if
that is what might be responsible for the decrease.
As I move along, Madam Chairman, to page
B-263, I look at the budget under Subjective Analysis
of Current Account Estimates. I do note that motion in
the travel budget, which i s around $36,000, down
28 per cent. What are the travel obligations that are
expected this year for the Ministry? Are these sort of
things that are fixed that the Minister does on a regu-lar basis, or are there (for this particular calendar
year) any travel opportunities? And I am not trying to
in any way cultivate any sort of mischief here. I am
actually genuinely interested in it. Are there things
related with the Ministry and the duty of the Minister
that are planned for the year? [Is that] what that ex-penditure that [is] in place accounts for?
I note that it has decreased, which is always a
good thing, but is what is there—the $36,000— a part
of standard travel responsibilities related to the Mini ster and perhaps his team’s responsibilities abroad as it relates to the overall Ministry?
I see Advertising and Promotion, Madam
Chairman, is experiencing quite a substantial cut —


Bermuda House of Assembly nearly in half. What exactly will be the Advertising and
Promotion for this calendar year? Are there specific
projects that the Mini stry has contracted for? And are
there specific campaigns related to national security
or some of the other responsibilities under the Ministry
that the Minister and the team have actually contracted for? Also, are these particular activities going
to be done in- house, or are they going to be privately
contracted for? I would like to know what will be the
plans around there.
Madam Chairman, as I move through to page
B-264, Performance Measures, I always like to take a
bit of time to flesh out this particul ar page. But I am
going to make a partial complaint and observation.
There seems to be an inconsistency throughout the
Budget Book, although I am dealing with specifically
National Security at the moment, Madam Chairman. But there is always this mix between percentages and
actual numbers. What we see even in here is a range
of percentages. Under business unit 9300, particularly
Administration, we see a range of percentages. Well, I
am going to refer specifically to the one at the top of this particular page, Percentage of current year
Throne Speech initiatives that have been impl emented.
Well, the percentage is nice; but how many? I
do not quite understand why that number has not
been given. If a number was given based on last year, give me the number and t hen I can fairly assess if that
is accurate. I can know, Well, they implemented that
many, and they have an original forecast of 100, (because I am sure everybody wants to fulfil all of their
initiatives) but they have 80 per cent. So, clearly, from
the respect of the Ministry, some were not completed,
but I am not sure what those are.
But here is what I am going to do, Madam
Chairman, I am going to go through a number of Throne Speech initiatives that I gleaned from the last
Throne Speech. Perhaps I can get some answers
from the Minister as to which of these were actually attributable to the Ministry, because I would do a very
general observation of anything that deals with the
police, or with anything that the Ministry touches on,
that is in the Throne Speech.
So I am going to (if you will just give me permission) read some of the initiatives that I gleaned from the November 2015 Throne Speech so I can get
some clarification from the Minister as to which ones
of these are related to the Ministry and were ac tually
completed. I have about eight that I gleaned from the last Throne Speech that are related in some way to
either police duties or some aspect of what is under
responsibility of the Ministry of National Security. So if
you will give me permission to r ead those.
This one was from page 9 of the last Throne
Speech: “Further protective measures will be examined, including the admissibility of police interview ev idence for vulnerable witnesses and their cross -
examination by video link.” That is on page 9. Now, if this is not particularly related to an ything with the Ministry, I accept that. But the police are mentioned, so I am going to glean out of there that,
okay, this may be something the Ministry is involved
with. I do not know, and I am sure I will get the proper answer from the Ministry because, you know, they are
good at answering these things. So I have no pro blem. But for the benefit of the public and for our debate, I am referring to these because this is what I
gleaned may have some relation to t he duties of the
Ministry of National Security.
“Facilitated by the Ministry of National Sec urity”—that certainly is quite clear by that statement —
“the GREAT Programme will be enhanced with additional instructors from other uniformed services to d eliver th e programme’s positive message to Primary
and Middle School students.” And that was on page 14 of the Throne Speech.
So I would like to know what the cost of this
actually is, especially the training, because it speaks about training of additional instruc tors. That is the i ntention that is expressed here, Madam Chairman. And
how many instructors will be trained for this fiscal
year? So that seems to be one that is directly assoc iated with the Ministry, which is an intentional expression in the Throne Speec h, so perhaps we can find
out some of the details of that.
I did not hear the Minister mention the expansion of the Island’s CCTV network. This was in the
Throne Speech on page 14. “The Government will
provide funding for the expansion of the CCTV network to Dockyard as part of the infrastructure” and
also St. George’s, on page 14. I would like to know
how much in this fiscal year’s budget is going to be
dedicated towards that.
Let me just state, Madam Chairman, I am not
looking to blow out the Government on these things. November was not that long ago. I am not expecting
that they started any significant work on this project since November, but this is an intention. They may
have started some work on it, but November was not
that long ago, so it may be that the process of even
tendering and selecting an appropriate contractor has not been quite completed yet, but it is an intention of
the Ministry to do that, and I accept that. So by next
fiscal year they may have a report and the Minister will come with hi s next budget presentation and tell us
what he has done in this.
I am not looking to blow out or find an aha
moment from the Minister on this. I am just genuinely
. . . I am looking at things that were in the Throne
Speech where there was intention expres sed, and this
was one. So I would like . . . and the CCTV camera
system has been of great interest to many people because over the past couple of years the Government has spent substantial funding —at least $6 million or
more dollars —on the overall breaking out the network
across the country.
1470 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly I know that the Minister did express in the
budget an interest in adding additional cameras to that
network. Let me just say that I have expressed some
interest even beyond what the Government has expressed that they ar e doing with CCTV, to actually
looking at providing the support for this sort of network
in other government facilities, not just in our general
area around the community, but there are areas such
as some of the government assets, like buildings. I
specifi cally talked about schools, on school grounds.
Now, I want to be clear that at no time when I
talked about CCTV cameras on schools did I mean that there would be cameras down the hallways. I
meant on the perimeter of the school properties that
seemingly h ave little security coverage, and maybe
are potentially weak access points for prowlers and
others.
And we have had over the past year, Madam
Chairman, incidences where the security of our
schools was broken. We had an incident at, I believe
Dalton Tucker, where a gentleman was apprehended
on the property and had to be escorted away. We had
within this calendar year break -ins to schools, inclu ding a bomb scare at Whitney.
So it would seem, Madam Chairman, that
there should be a consideration with the Minis try and
the Police Service working with the Ministry of Educ ation, to perhaps assess how the CCTV network, which is Island -wide, by adding an additional camera or two
to it can provide the appropriate support to those
Government assets.
I say this with th e greatest concern, partic ularly for expenditure. Is it more costly to install a ca mera rather than hire a security guard and then have
the Ministry of Education spend money on security
guards to guard schools, when a camera can pote ntially provide the cov erage by the police of that property? And also, the man- hours that would be spent
patrolling around those schools can be perhaps r educed because they have a camera there that sights some of the more sensitive security areas around
these school properties. And just, you know, because
there is nobody there, particularly this coverage can
be during the off -hours. Those cameras might be able
to be shut down during the day; but during the off -
hours, when there is nobody around these buildings —
quite valuable assets to the government stock —are
given coverage.
So I raise those comments because I think it
is important that these investments that the Gover nment makes do maximise their opportunity for us. And that if there are ways that it can be expanded, as the Gove rnment seems to be doing with CCTV into St.
George’s and into Dockyard, that they can be expanded in ways that are valuable to everyone. And
maybe just this little bit of coverage here and there around some of the school properties that have sec urity risks can be dealt with. That was my third point from the Throne
Speech. I have a fourth one which has to do with “the Fire Safety Act” which “will be brought into force, i ntroducing new standards of fire safety for Bermuda.” That was on page 14 of the Throne Speech.
If it is in force, when did it go into force and
are there any impacting costs to service that this new
Fire Safety Act and the new standards . . . is it e xpected that there will be some cost implications for
doing it? I am assuming that these sta ndards were
also going to be taken on by Government as well as
private sector, because certainly Government facilities
are not immune to abiding by these new standards,
Madam Chairman. So I am asking that for the benefit
of finding if there are any project ed cost implications in
implementing these new standards.
Number five, Madam Chairman, “the Government has commissioned a review to determine the
best means by which to close one of the minimum
security facilities.” That is on page 14 of the Throne
Speech. I did not hear, interestingly enough (and I am
jumping a little ahead here, Madam Chairman), in the Government’s presentation of its budget around Corrections any mention of the closing of facilities. But it
certainly is an expression here that there is an inte ntion to at least start a review. So what is the cost of
that review? Has there been any progress to the
study? And what is the expected completion of the study? And has there been any projection of possible
closings?
As I said, this is here in the Throne Speech. I
am asking for the obvious reason, as I said based on
the performance indicator on page B -264, that there
are a number of Throne Speech initiatives here. But since I did not know what number the Government
was referring to as having complet ed 80 per cent, I do
have to go through all of this, you know, to distil which ones are actually relevant to this current debate. And I
am sure I will get some sort of indication.
Madam Chairman, number six of my points is
related to “The continuum of care for those affected”
(this is a quote from the Throne Speech related to) “The continuum of care for those affected by drug addiction and alcohol abuse . . . The Department of N ational Drug Control will determine the model best
suited to the delivery of thi s service and will work with
organisations like Focus.” On page 14.
Now, I would like to know what the progress
of this particular action is that was mentioned in the
Throne Speech. I did not hear all the numbers on how
much money the Government is dedicat ing to organ isations like Focus, but I would note that I do recall in
the budget that . . . and maybe I will wait until I get to
National Drug Control to speak more about this, but I
do not recall any significant money going to Focus for
this calendar year , although Focus was mentioned in
the Throne Speech. But that mention came mere days
after Focus saying it was closing and they had lost
their government funding.


Bermuda House of Assembly I ask these questions because these are the
performance measures the Government has pr esented us with in Throne Speech initiatives that they
have implemented.
Madam Chairman, the seventh one is “The
Police (Discipline) Orders 1975.” “Government will introduce legislation to replace the old discipline process with a modern system that emphasises p erformance improvement and learning . . . The new system
will be more transparent and aligned with the princ iples of natural justice.” Page 15.
Again, what is the progress of this particular
initiative? And is there any cost with this process that the Gov ernment has an intention of instituting based
on the Throne Speech?
Now, certainly, I must congratulate the Go vernment on completing at least one of the ones I mentioned, which is number eight on my list, on page 15,
which are the amendments to the Defence Act. We
know that that has been implemented and the Regi-ment has proudly moved on since those amendments
to a new recruitment camp with volunteers and a new chapter in its history. So the Government is to be congratulated on the implementation of that par ticular in itiative.
I think I have one more (I thought I had nine).
“Government will work with the private sector to adopt
a cyber security framework for Bermuda. Protecting the Island’s digital infrastructure is a national priority
given its growing impor tance.” I do not know if that is
attributable to this particular Ministry, but it is a sec urity-related matter. If it is not I will happily move it off
my list of reference, but it was in the Throne Speech
related to security. I did not know if the Ministr y was
involved with this directly, but it is security related so I
put it up.
Madam Chairman, I will move on to the next
performance measure under National Security Hea dquarters, Percentage of current year Cabinet papers
that have been submitted in the cur rent year and have
been successfully approved. Again, I am certainly not
interested in knowing . . . We cannot possibly be told
the subject of those papers. But again, there is no i ndication as to how many papers were presented by
the Ministry so that one can assess whether 90 per
cent was actually approved or not. So perhaps some clarity [could be given] as to just how many. Were
there five, six, seven, eight done this year by National
Security? Of those, how many (if the Government is
obliged to disclose that)?
I appreciate as a former Cabinet Minister that
there are rules around disclosure of Cabinet matters.
But since it is here in the Budget Book, and it is being
used as a performance measure, perhaps [something]
other than a percentage might be helpful. How many
were actually done in this calendar year, might be
helpful.
Going down further in that same page B -264,
Madam Chairman, business unit 93004, Percentage of outstanding files closed out in the prior year. I believe this pertains to the Police Com plaint Authority.
They have a 75 percentile performance from last year
and their target for this year is 90 [per cent]. I do not
know if this is able to be disclosed, but how many complaints are outstanding in total? [That] might be
interesting to know. And what is the nature of these
types of complaints? What type of complaints are
they? And how often have the commissioner and
other officers appeared in front of the Police Complaints Authority? Has there been an increase or de-crease of complaints from year to year? I would like to
know, if that could be disclosed.
Madam Chairman, I am going to move on now
to Head 6, Defence, [page] B-266, Expenditure. And
we find that under this particular Head, under Defen-sive Services on [programme] 0601, that $281,000 in
total for Defence Services is the estimate for this year.
It seems as if, despite that under the revised there
was an uptick of sort of $90,000, that the goal is to
maintain the same budget for this year. I would be interested to know why the revised budg et ended up
being $271,000 over the . . . $281,000, and there cer-tainly is a goal for it to be the same for this year,
based on what the original goal was for last year.
Under programme 0602, Regiment, specif ically under Regiment Headquarters, 16010, I no ted
the budget for 2016/17 will be $1.03 million and an
additional $135,000, or 15 per cent. What does the
additional uptick account for? Ceremonial, Under
16030, has increased from the original $466,000 to
$610,000, an increase of around $144,000, or 31 per
cent. Again, what does this uptick account for? Are
there any additional ceremonies that are expected for
the Regiment this year? Are they associated with the
America’s Cup or . . . I am sorry, there is no real
America’s Cup activities this year; but ar e there additional ceremonial duties expected for this calendar year?
And what are the regular ceremonial duties
that the Regiment finds itself doing? You can just
name them, Minister. That will be fine, Madam Chai rman. I would be happy to just know that. But other
than “Beat the Retreat,” and a few other things that
the Regiment does, which are all absolutely apprec iated, I would like to know some more about those activities.
I have an additional question going down further in that programme, on programme 16060, Junior
Leaders. The budget for this year again is zero. And I
did hear the Minister’s explanation around this as to
much of what it. . . even though it is not getting funding it is getting a considerable amount of funding from
charitable support th at is helping to fund it these
years. Well, I do understand, and I think that it should
be commended that many people are prepared to
support the Junior Leaders, Madam Chairman. But I
am interested to know if the Government and the Mi n1472 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly istry are interested in the expansion of this pr ogramme because it clearly is a positive programme.
We brought a piece of legislation this year to
remake, to update the actual Junior Leaders Pr ogramme, which, ironically, had legislatively existed
long before the Regiment. So if the Government is not
putting any money into this particular programme, is
there an interest in expanding, perhaps being able to
take on more students than it already has from our
schools and other parts of the community?
It is clearly a programme that has proven its
worth, Madam Chairman, as it relates to the amount of young people that have gone through it over the
years. But are we going to see the Government give
more support to its expansion, since it was prepared to bring a Bill to modernise it? Let us see some expansion of the programme. I think if you are prepared
to support it, there should be an effort to give it some
funding so it can expand its successful programme in
areas where we need to have leadership development. So I do hope that the Government moves in some way from this zero position of funding.
I did bring this up during the debate when we
had the Bill, I think late last year. So I hope that some
change is made, because I do not understand why
this particular programme —if we are pr epared and
proud of it —is not getting funded.
Moving on to page B -67, I am particularly i nterested in (and I brought this up last year) the E xpenditure of Energy on page B -67. In the list of expenditure it is $158,000. I brought this up last year because we want to see if the Regiment can take on
some of the initiatives to sustainable energy. Certainly, if the Regiment facilities are supposed to be
self-sustaining and able to in certain times, for i nstance when power may be out, that it can be sustainable, if having solar and sustainable energy tec hnology on the buildings of the Regiment may help not
only with cost savings, but also have it operating sustainably, that would be a very good thing to invest in.
So I would hope that there is an effort to consid er that.
Moving on. I would like to move on to Police.
Madam Chairman, on page B -270, Head 7. And I
would like to go on to page B -271. We note that the
budget for this year is $64.5 million for the Police. I
see that the total employee complement is around
529,000 [sic] and the revenues for the Police are
around $350,000 a year from a variety of areas such
as licensing, firearms, explosives, security guards,
publications, and facilities.
A question that I have for the Minister is:
There has been an ongoi ng, I guess, union dispute or
discussion that has been between the Government
and the Police, which continues. We saw in December
that they marched to the Cabinet Office to deliver a
message to the Minister upon which they certainly were not received by th e Minister on the lawn, but the
Minister did invite members of the representatives’ association into his office. What is the status of this particular matter, as we have not heard anything
since?
Under the delegated authority that the Government has been given, this is an area which the
Bermuda Government has specific responsibility for. What is the impact at this point, financially, of that particular dispute?
I am also interested to know if there are any
legal disputes which the Government is expecting to have to, or has already paid out, over the last two
years. I think there has been something in the paper about certain legal matters that have come up for the
Police. Have there been any awards related to those
matters awarded thus far?
Madam Chairman, how much more time do I
have on this particular discussion?

Okay. I am going to rush
through most of what I have. I am going to now go on
to Head 13, which is the Post Office.
Madam Chairman, the Post Office which is on
page B -279, has an expenditure of $10.6 million and
revenues of $4.4 million. I have some serious co ncerns about the Post Office at this point, Madam
Chairman. We have seen a very interesting protracted
issue around the Post O ffice for the past calendar
year, Madam Chairman. It seems the Post Office has,
over a number of years, experienced a steady decline
in its staff. We have seen over the past year or so four
Post Office headquarters closed— Paget, Harrington
Sound, St. David ’s, and Somerset Bridge. Although I
do recall what the Minister said during this present ation, there seems to be a significant impact from these
closures, and this impact has not been very positive.
I can tell you that there is a concern that the
Government is in less of a position or posture to mai ntain the sustainability of the Post Office. But some believe that there is a process of liquidation. When it
comes to the Post Office, with the closing of the facil ities, with the decline in staff, there is a question about
the Government’s commitment to modernisation of the
Post Office rather than its (I will use the term) “liquid ation.” Certainly, I have been informed that there is
great concern amongst staff about this.
I think we have even heard in some cas es,
Madam Chairman, quite angry and frustrated citizens calling in to talk shows about the concerns of lack of
mail delivery, minimal mail delivery, and no mail deli very. Some people have been angry about where they
go to get their mail now that a number of post offices
have closed.
Now, there is also the concern, Madam
Chairman, around the Post Office, that there is one . . . Do you know that there is a parish that does not
have a post office right now, Madam Chairman?
There is one parish that has no post office. That is
Paget. There is no post office. Despite all the closures


Bermuda House of Assembly everywhere that have happened, there is still at least
one post office in all our other parishes. Paget has no
post office. Now, do we really believe that the people
in Paget do not care about that? I have not heard much about it.

[Inaudible interjection]

But I have not heard that much
about it. There are MPs who sit across the aisle for
Paget, but I have not heard that much about it.
Are these MPs concerned about the fact that
their parish has no post office? I cannot believe,
Madam Chairman, that these MPs —two of which . . .
Well, actually there are only Paget MPs on the other
side of the aisle. Paget has not been so welcoming to
this side of the aisle, I can assure you of that. The Members who sit on the other side of the aisle, I have
not heard anything in the media or otherwise about
their concerns about the fact that their parish has no
post office. This must be historic, Madam Chairman,
in the history of t he postal service in this country, that
a parish has been denied a post office.
And so those persons in Paget have to go to
Hamilton to pick up their mail. Hamilton is not in Paget, the last I looked. So I am wondering how the
Government is going to deal with this deprivation they
have brought on the Paget Parish.
And as far as I can see, whatever Gover nment is doing to this particular post office, which has
resulted in . . . and I am, here again, on page B -79
talking about Sub- Post Offices 345. So it is clear that I
am speaking about something in the budget. This lack
of a post office is not a good reflection on the state of the Postal Service.
And I am also interested in finding out b ecause as we look . . . and I will move on from that. But
I think that is a serious question. Why have we not
heard more about this deprivation that the Gover nment has brought to the people of Paget? No post
office. And there does not seem to be much fight
about it coming from the people of Paget, as far as I
can see. Now, I remember in a previous time when
there was even a suggestion—

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Point of inform ation, Madam Chairman, if the Honourable Member will yield for a brief second.

Yes. I will move on, Madam
Chairman.
There seems to be a situation with the Post
Office that the Government . . . I guess they are listening. They say they are listening. But when it comes t o
this situation there are people who have a consider-able amount of concern.
But I will move on, because I assume that the
Minister will have some sort of thing to say about the
Post Office and what they are doing to address, not
only this deprivation, but how they are going to ce rtainly answers to my questions as to how they are going to deal with that situation.
Give me a moment, Madam Chairman.
I am going to move on now to the Department
of Corrections, Madam Chairman, and just a few points to make on Corrections. The Clock Tower is budgeted for . . . and I am looking at page C -26. It has
to do with expenditure on rentals. The Clock Tower rental is around $310,000 for Corrections and seems
to be the same for this year. If I could know when that
lease will be up, I would like to know, certainly if that
information can be given.
Is there still the use of officers —retired off icers—when it comes to supplementing the needs of
staff? Are there any retired officers who have been
retained to come back and work in the Corrections
system to fill any gaps that they may need over a period of time? If that is going on and if it is going on is it to continue?
I did see that there is expenditure on page B -
14, under Capital Works and Acquisitions. On the s ecurity syst em, are they replacing the system or are
they just repairing the system? I would like to know. That is line item on page C -14, 776957. And also on, I
am sorry, page BC -5 for Corrections. There are minor
works that are being done. The original estimate was
$350,000 and it is reduced $24,000. What specifically
are those minor works?
I would like to know, since there was some
concern expressed about the integrity of the perimeter being damaged during the recent hurricanes of Fay and Gonzalo, whether or not that work has been rect ified at this point.
Moving on to Fire, Madam Chairman, on page
B-288. I would like to know just a few points in relation
to Fire. A question about the Fire Prevention Training amount of $15,000 that has been the same through 2015/16, is this training that is done annually for off icers or is it overseas training? Or is it just local trai ning in reference to the actual training that is done un-der Head 45, page B -288, programme 53030, Fire
Prevention Training.
And under 55080, Other Ser vices Central,
which was $268,000, what exactly are these services?
1474 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly What are these services that are provided, the other
services for Central?
Under Performance Measures on page B -219,
again, I was not able to assess truly the performance
measures without any numbers. So perhaps some
numbers can bring some clarity to the performance
measures of the Fire Service. I would really apprec iate . . . it is all really just percentages that are there,
but there is no clarity on what actually . . . more than
sort of just percentages . . . I would like to have more
information [to] understand what actually is the
achievement on what specifically they are achieving
on.
Moving on to Head 88, National Drug Control.
I am coming to the end of my presentation, Madam
Chairm an, and I will leave it to some other Members if
they have any questions. My main question around National Drug Control, which has an expenditure this
year of $4.179 million, an uptick of about just over
$250,[000] . . . there was a commitment by the Government to explore much more fully the issue of cannabis and decriminalisation. I am assuming that it is
under this particular department that that explanation
would go.
Now, we know that there was an outside
committee that did a report, Madam Chairman. But
beyond that, the only step that the Government made to even deal with that was instituting some more li beral framework for some additional cannabis products. But the very issue that decriminalisation came up, the
Government seems to have run away from, that is, the
question of how criminalisation through cannabis is
affecting the young men and young women of this community and cutting them off from opportunity and
creating criminality, promoting criminality in the community, often from [the] very consequences that we
find young people in when they are very young coming into confrontation with the law. And it dramatically
changes their lives forever.
Then it impacts them in their own relationship
with authority, with the police, with opportunity to go
away [overseas], because their name has appeared in
the paper with a minor drug conviction at, let us say,
17 or maybe 18. And maybe seven years later when
they are in their 20s and they want to go away to
school or to pursue some other opportunity overseas they cannot, or they are limited in a way that makes it
costly or prohibitive.
And even the other side of the coin with how
we invite our visitors here, with how we seem to have
over the years created an image of being a place that
takes visitors off cruise ships and then convicts them for small amounts of what may be just sort of recreational use of marijuana. I was hoping that through the
initiatives that the Government was talking about that
we were going to see some movement in these areas, but we have not.
So what role does the National Drug Control
department going to play in this? Are there still initi a-tives to move in this direction for the Government? If
so, where are they being funded under this budget?
Because I do think that the Government seems t o
have run away from the Cannabis Review Committee report that it presumably invited members of the community to put together, but has not moved in any
way further on it. So, I think it is important that some
clarity be given.
I will go back to another question as to how
many agencies under the National Drug Control’s r emit benefited from Cash Back for Communities and
what those amounts were. I would like to know that
because the Minister did mention that in his brief.
What will be the situation for Focus and their
funding? Focus, for all intents and purposes, has told the country that they are closing down because of lack
of Government funding, and presumably their funding would come under National Drug Control with the
other groups such as PRIDE and other s that they also
provide support for. So if the Minister can make avai lable information on what the intention is around Focus
and other agencies, but particularly Focus as to their funding under NDC.
What support are this department and the
Government going to give to a process of decriminal isation, which they presumably were interested in getting some feedback on and committed to changing the
dynamic around that in this community, which would not only impact this particular department but also
impact our policing strategies because some of the
money that we are putting to policing around drugs
could potentially be shrunk and put elsewhere if it is not funding drug interdiction at levels that will be seen
to be legally not necessarily.
So, I look for those answers from the Government and from the Premier and the Minister of N ational Security.
That is my contribution in this area on this
budget and I certainly hope that there are others who
wish to raise further insights around this budget with
the Government.
Thank you very much.

Thank you, Shadow Minister of Public
Safety.
Would anyone else like to speak to the
Heads?
Premier, Minister of National Security.

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Thank you, Madam
Chairman, and I thank the honourable colleague for
his presentation and for his questions. Even though I
left the Chamber for five minutes, I think the Perm anent Secretary was staying on top of it and handed
me some notes, so I will give you some answers, in
no particular order. But if I do not cov er them all you
can keep going because we do have some time left.


Bermuda House of Assembly In regard to the caution policy, that Bill has
been tabled. I think it was tabled on Wednesday, so
we will debate that on Monday.
In connection with the Police Complaints A uthority, complaints have gone down. The Commi ssioner sent through some notes: in 2009 there were
52 complaints, and in 2014 there were 26, and in
2015 there were 20. So there has been a decrease
and I think we all should commend the Commissioner
and his colleagues for an improved approach in this
area.
I think you can look at it in two different cat egories —the more serious offences and the less ser ious offences. The less serious offences would involve
something perhaps, you know, officers being rude,
which would be dealt with in an informal process such
as an apology or things like that. The more formal
process would deal with serious allegations such as
assault. But I think we have made some good pr ogress and I would like to thank the Police Complaints Authority and the Chairman, Mr. Jeffrey Elkinson, for
the work that they have done, which allows Bermuda Police Service to be looked at in a high regard.
The honourable colleague talked about the
negotiations and discussions between the BPA and the Government negotiating t eam, they have come to
a resolution of those issues and a statement is being prepared by both parties to release. So it would be premature for me to make any comment on it, but o bviously the Government has agreed to the position
reached and there should be a statement very shortly
that will clear that issue up and answer your question.
He asked questions about the CCTV. In St.
George’s the value of the work done is about $97,000.
In WEDCO, the value of the work done is about
$144,000.
You also asked questi ons in regard to Corrections. The fencing has been fixed from the hurricanes. I have been up to the West End and the East End r ecently, I think I was there early February at both facil ities (I try to go around on a regular basis just to stay in
touch and s ee what is going on, and talk to inmates).
And, as I alluded to in my brief, I have been very i mpressed by the maintenance, especially in the Co- Ed
where those two inmates are now being accomm odated there full time. And that place is looking really,
really good. Westgate has had repairs done from the
hurricanes, the fences have been fixed, cameras are in much better condition now with the installation of
new cameras because of budgetary support from the
Government, and the fire alarm system. So we are
gradually looking at some of the challenging spots and
doing all we can to put them in good operating order.
In regard to the . . . I believe he asked a question on the report on the closure of a facility. That r eport will be received shortly by the Ministry of National Security and then considered. The Commissioner is
working on that. Comments about the Post Office. Your comment in regard to Paget not having a post office is cor-rect. That situation, obviously, is another tough dec ision we had to make and we made the decision based on a number of different factors. Paget is very close to the main post office in town, they also have a good
post office in Warwick that they can use, Paget only
had one post office, a small post office, and we decided to close that post office because it was only being used by and large by people with post office
boxes. There was very little traffic in that office there, and so all box holders, or the vast majority of the box
holders, who had them in the Paget area have either
had the opportunity to move their box to Warwick or
Hamilton to take care of their needs.
I think you started out your presentation as king about decreases in costs associated with Parole
and numbers in paroling too, that is simply because of
a decrease in the pri son numbers. There has been a
significant decrease in prison numbers now, we have
been below 200, in total, for many, many months, and so that will have a knock -on impact in other areas.
I think you asked the question about Adverti sing and Promotion. This relates to the GREAT Pr ogramme and it was managed in- house mainly with the
assistance of DCI.
Throne Speech initiatives, Police Evidence
falls under Justice. GREAT Programme has been
completed. The CCTV extension has been done;
[those at] Dockyard were a j oint venture with WEDCO.
I answered the question about the report.
The Police discipline you referred to, that was,
I think there was some discussion publicly about that. A gentleman from the UK who specialises in this area
visited Bermuda, his name was V ictor Marshall. He
came and conducted workshops and a consultation
process. Draft revisions have been prepared and they
will be presented shortly. That was covered in the
Throne Speech. Total cost at this point is about $38,000.
You made a comment about the revised
budget, the increase for the Defence Head, that sp ecifically relates to increasing expenditure because of hurricane embodiment and the costs around that.
I covered the ceremonials list in the brief on
Head 6.
We will, as I mentioned, with Junior Leaders
we will continue to provide the support by working with
the community and also consideration in other areas, perhaps Cash Back, but we will also do it through
some internal virement of funding.
Energy, I think you asked a question about
solar—

[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Yes, that is an interes ting—

1476 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly [Inaudible interjection]

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: —at the Regiment, an i nteresting option going forward, but to do that the buil dings will have to be modified so they can fit in there
and that is something that could be considered.

[Inaudible interjection]

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Are there any questions I
did not answer? I think I . . . unless I got some that
came across on my e- mail.

[Inaudible interjection]

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Okay, Madam —

There was a question about
the Focus funding. I do not know if you mentioned that
and also . . . Focus funding and also under NDC
about t he issues concerning any further work on decriminalisation, which was coming out of the Cannabis Review Committee report under NDC.
I think those are some of the questions I
asked.
I also, I do not know if you are prepared to
answer, I did ask about the number of Cabinet papers
that would have been produced by the Ministry for the
calendar year, as how many you actually did for the year and how many —well, you do not have to tell me
how many were passed, just how many were done for
the year, but you do giv e a percentage as to how
many were successful, but perhaps you can give some clarity to that.
So, yes, NDC questions and the Cabinet paper question as well.

Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Cabinet papers average
15 or 20 annually. Recently it has been a bit mor e.
In regards to Focus, Focus has done good
work in our community and we try to support it in
every way we can. The challenge we have with treat-ment is that it is a need that has to be provided and
we are looking to make sure we efficiently use all the
resources we can, so we are bringing Focus together
with the Department of National Drug Control to get them to look at the best model they can. And at this
point I really cannot say what that approach is going to be, but I believe that Focus can work closel y with
Nelson Bascome [Centre for Substance Abuse]
Treatment facility to do what they have to do. And you
know that money was invested in that facility under the previous administration and it is a really good faci lity and it has the capacity to treat pret ty much all of
the demand that we would have in the women’s and the men’s side, and so right now we want to make
sure that those resources are used in the most eff icient way and we do not have competing needs wit hout the full demand being used in those needs.
Okay, Madam Chairman, with those questions
now being answered I move all of those Heads that
we debated today be passed and I would just like to
take the opportunity to close out the debate to thank
the honourable colleague for being well prepared for
the brief and to thank PS Major Telemaque for his good leadership of National Security. We often hear complaints about work in the civil service, but I have
been blessed to work with such a professional for the
last three years and I appreciate his guidance at all
times. If I pick up the BlackBerry at eleven o’clock at
night, he is on the end of the phone. I did not text him
though when Arsenal played Manchester United. I left him alone that night.
So I move all the Heads be passed. Heads
83, 6, 7, 13, 12, [sic] 25, 48 [sic] , and 88.

All right.
It has been moved that Heads 83, 6, 7, 13,
25, 45 and 88 be approved.
Is there any objection to that motion?
No objection.
Agreed to.
[Gavel]

[Motion carried: The Ministry of National Security,
Heads 6, 7, 13, 25, 45, 83, and 88 were approved and
stand part of the Estimates of Revenue and Expend iture for the year 2016/17.]

Not well.
Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs.
Honourable Members, we are now in Commi ttee of Supply for further consideration of the E stimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year.
Head 48 will now be debated.
I call on the Minister in charge to proceed.
Minister, you have the floor.

MINISTRY OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND
TRANSPORT
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you,
Madam C hairman.
Madam Chairman, I would like to move Head
48 from the Ministry of Tourism Development and
Transport.


Bermuda House of Assembly

—so 8:25.

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: —at 8:25.
Thank you, Madam Chairman.

HEAD 48 —BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Madam Chai rman, let me first start by saying that I am standing in,
deputising, for the Mini ster responsible for Tourism
Development and Transport the Honourable Shawn
Crockwell, who is unwell. And I would certainly like to
take this opportunity to wish him better as we carry
the brief relating to his department for Head 48.
Madam Chairman, the health of the Bermuda
Tourism industry is a vital component of the economic
turnaround that is underway in Bermuda. Government
regards this as a national economic imperative and is
making a concerted effort to support the industry with
new initiatives such as the Casino Gaming Act, the St.
George’s hotel development, America’s Cup, new ho-tel concessions, plus the formation and maturing of the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA).
Madam Chair, since April of 2014 the BTA
has successfully built a high- functioning destination
management organisation which has set a new standard of tourism management excellence in Bermuda.
In 2015 the BTA’s emphasis was on launching
an aggressive new destination marketing strategy f ocusing on experiential and adventure travel. The
strategy celebrates authentic Bermuda experiences
and its people and is supported by activation across
the organisation. This sales and marketing focus r elies heavily on utilising inspiring visual assets and digital channels, which reflects the new standard in global
tourism marketing.
As of 2015 the organisation had all new
agency relationships including PR, social media, advertising and creative website, group sales and data
management. These relationships enable us to target
consumers at every stage of their travel decision ma king process.
Madam Chair, further supporting this purpos eful movement to marketing excellence, the organis ation has developed more timely and meaningful metrics, key performance indicators, and business intell igence tools. It is impor tant to note the BTA’s new
marketing strategy, underpinned by solid data, played
a defining role in Bermuda winning the America’s Cup
35 venue designation. Additionally, the BTA played a
key technical and financial role in the successful conclusion of the St. George’s hotel development process and continues to play a strategic role in improving ai rlift on an ongoing basis.
Madam Chair, despite the financial restraints
placed on the BTA in 2015, the organisation is ac-complishing what Government and Island st akeholders envisioned for the industry. In 2015 we slowed
the decline in vacation air arrivals and, for the first
time in several years, with PACE Reports for 2016,
they are trending in a positive direction. In addition to
vacation air arrivals the cruise line component of our
business also continues to improve. Visitation in this category is up 4 per cent year over year. And in 2016
Bermuda will see additional occasional cruise ship
calls which will bring in additional tax revenue and
increase the economic impact. The Island will see r ecord numbers of visitors from our regular callers as the cruise lines deploy larger vessels to our shores.
Madam Chair, our visitors have repeatedly
told us that Bermuda must improve its product offerings. In this regard the BTA has continued to focus on
and fund new and improved product and experience offerings by providing over $1.7 million in product development grants to emerging Bermuda businesses
and entrepreneurs. In 2016 that amount will approach
$1 million.
Madam Chai rman, 100 per cent of the funds
directed to the BTA by the Government comes directly
from visitors. Annually visitor paid cruise, air and hotel
taxes total an estimated $51.4 million and the BTA’s
budget for the last year is equivalent to 42 per cent of
this amount. Based on estimated visitor taxes to be
collected by Government in 2016, this equates to only
44 per cent of tax revenue reinvested into the prom otion of tourism each year to sustain and grow the i ndustry. The tourism industry as a whole contributed $194 million in tax revenue for the Government in
2014.

Return on Investment (ROI) in a Competitive Landscape

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Madam Chai rman, in a competitive environment requiring a greater
investment to stay relevant, other destinations have
increased, not reduced, their tourism budgets and expenditures. The budgets of our competitors have completely bounced back and now exceed prerecession funding levels as the average tourism
budget hit a record high in fiscal year 2015. These
positive indicators are the opposite for Bermuda,
where tourism spending was at its lowest point in 30
years. In fact, the Caribbean region saw record growth in 2015 as most destinations have seen record budgets. In this environment, if Bermuda stands still we
actually fall further behind.
Madam Chairman, the BTA has proven that it
can efficiently manage and maximise the return on
investment from Government provided funding. In a comparative study the BTA’s return on investment
1478 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly was higher than in 2007, a year that is considered
excellent for the industry. In 2015 the BTA’s return on
investment was 16 per cent higher than in 2007. R egrettably, adjusting for inflation, the purchasing power of the Island’s tourism budget has declined by 57 per cent since 2000 and 43 per cent since 2010.

Situation Analysis

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Tourism remains
a critical component of Bermuda’s economy contributing 22 per cent of the total government revenue and 8
per cent of total jobs in Bermuda in 2014. Tourism
performance in 2015 has been mixed. While vacation
air arrivals for 2015 were down 1 per cent compared
to 2014 (from 141,509 to 139,820), total air arrivals
were down 2 per cent compared to 2014. Business air
visitors declined by 4.7 per cent and those visitin g
friends and relatives declined by 6.8 per cent.
Cruise arrivals for 2015 were up 4 per cent
over 2014 to 370,756. Average air visitor expenditure per person has decreased 6 per cent versus 2014,
and the average cruise visitor expenditure per person
has increased 19 per cent versus 2014.

Bermuda’s Competitors

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Madam Chai rman, a recent analysis of other destinations which
compared their source markets and personas of tra vellers attracted, as well as perceptions in the mar ketplace, reveal that Bermuda’s current competitive set consists of:
• Cape Cod
• US Virgin Islands
• St. Lucia
• The Bahamas
• Seychelles
• Cayman Islands
• Hawaii
• Miami
• Aruba
• Barbados
• Puerto Rico
• Jamaica; and
• Turks and Caicos.

These destinations most closely aligned with
Bermuda in the types and source markets of travellers interested in visiting Bermuda.

Need Periods and Seasonality

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Madam Chai rman, Bermuda’s seasonality remains both a challenge and an opportunity. Hotel occupanci es reach peaks
during June, July and August. While airlines are able to adjust capacity to keep load factors steady, hotels need additional volume in the months of November to
March.

2015 Breakdown of Air Visitors
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: For th e full year
2015, 64 per cent of Bermuda’s total air visitor arrivals came to Bermuda for vacation, 20 per cent for bus iness and 14 per cent for visiting family and friends.
This breakdown remains fairly consistent with prior
years.

2015 Vacation Visitor Arrivals by Source

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: In 2015, 72 per
cent of vacation arrivals came from cruise ships. This
is somewhat higher in 2015 given that air arrivals have remained flat while cruise arrivals have seen
growth. Twenty -seven per cent of vacation visitors in
2015 arrived by air. The USA was the largest source country for air vacation visitors in 2015, making up 78
per cent of the total. Canada and the UK made up 10 per cent and 8 per cent respectively.
Eighty -seven per cent of cruise visitors came
from the USA, 5 per cent from Canada, 3 per cent from the UK and 3 per cent from Europe.

Sales and Marketing Performance

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Madam Chai rman, the Sales and Marketing Division’s key perfor mance metrics for 2015 are as follows:
• Total visitor spending influenced by the BTA through promotions, partnerships and group
sales totalled $45.9 million. This was an i ncrease of 25 per cent or $9.2 million over
2014.
• Total room night influenced by the BTA in
2015 increased 22 per cent compared to
2014.
• Earned media generated in 2015 totalled
$26.4 million, and there was coverage in a t otal of 178 top 100 outlets.

BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY —MISSION
AND VISION

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Madam Chai rman, the BTA Mission stat ement has not changed as
the organisation goes into its third year of operation.
And that is: “The Mission of the Bermuda Tourism A uthority is to increase income earned by the Island
through tourism and ensure the industry is econom ically, socially and env ironmentally sustainable.”
Our Vision: Mr. Chairman, the Bermuda Tourism Authority is an independent, modern and leading
tourism enterprise, dynamic, entrepreneurial and v ibrant. We have a singular voice that continually i nvolves Bermuda as a world class t ourism destination.


Bermuda House of Assembly We partner with the Government of Bermuda to grow
tourism and create jobs. We develop creative and i nnovative ways to make Bermuda a highly desirable
destination for visitors and tourism investment.
We are results oriented, accountable and
transparent to our stakeholders. We allocate our r esources strategically, take select risks, and move
quickly to capture the opportunities afforded by a
growing global tourism demand. We pursue strategic
initiatives and actions that add value to Bermuda tourism. We empower our people to be customer focused,
proactive, solution- oriented, and to make decisions in
the best interests of Bermuda as a tourism destination. We have a fun and positive workplace culture
that generates pride in Bermuda. We are im passioned
in our communication to the world that Bermuda is, indeed, open for business.

Organisation Structure

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Madam Chai rman, the BTA is meeting is objectives by providing core functions through the operation of the foll owing
divisions:
• Investment: Attracts investment, facilitates and manages the tourism investment process.
• Product and Experience Development: Manages tourism product enhancement and development to maximise performance of exis ting tourism products and add new tourism products on the Island of Bermuda.
• Sales and Marketing: Develops and executes
the sales and marketing strategy to build a
unique and competitive positioning for Ber-muda.
• Research and Business Intelligence: Con-ducts research on customer behaviour ,
trends, satisfaction, and on- island product.
The division also measures brand and advertising performance and return on investment
in key markets on an ongoing basis. The div ision is responsible for measuring and for ecasting the economic impact of touris m in
Bermuda.
• Operations: Responsible for the operation and
administration of the Bermuda Tourism A uthority. The division provides an environment of business excellence and efficiency by performing the administrative functions for the
organisation. Operati ons works to best practice standards, ensures that its employees are
well motivated, and that the business support
elements are fully functional and effective.

Madam Chairman, each of these divisions has
clearly defined objectives as well as an approach a nd
action plan to achieve the goals of the BTA. However,
the divisions are not autonomous and collaborate to
achieve the broader goals of the BTA. The core val-ues of the organisation emphasise a collaborative,
entrepreneurial, dynamic, respectful and effic ient env ironment.

Human Capital

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: The BTA consists
of 39 full -time employees. The number of employees
by division is outlined following:
• Executive Division —1 employee;
• Investment —2 employees;
• Product Development —6 employees ;
• Sales and Marketing—18 employees;
• Research and Business Intelligence— 2 employees;
• Operations —10 employees;
• Totalling 39 employees over the six catego-ries.

Governance
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Madam Chai rman, the BTA governance resides within the Board of
Directors. The Board is the highest level of approval,
responsible for the oversight and approval of all major
financial, strategic, legal and risk management dec isions.
The Board is comprised of eight individual
members, six reside on the Island of Bermuda, and
two members reside in the United States. Board
Members have three- year terms and may serve two
successive terms. The Board is served by an external
corporate secretary. The CEO reports directly to the
Board of Directors, specifically to the Chairman of the
Board. The Chairman has a direct reporting respons ibility to the Minister of Tourism and Transport.
The following committees have been chartered by the Board of Directors:
• Revenue Generation Committee. One of the
BTA’s stated goals is to achieve fiscal independence from the Bermuda Government and
the Committee has primary responsibility for
achieving this goal. The Committee will: (1)
develop and periodically review and assess a set of guidelines to govern activities of the BTA aimed at generating revenue and achie ving fiscal independence; (2) draft a plan to
achieve fiscal independence from the Ber-muda Government over a stated timeframe and have that plan approved by the Board
annually; (3) work with BTA staff as needed to
implement the Committee’s plan; (4) establish
key performance indicators to measure pr ogress towards the plan’s goals and to adjust
the plan as needed; (5) report to the Board at
least annually on the progress of the Commi ttee’s work set against its plan.

Sorry, Mr. Chai rman, I just have a —
1480 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly
[Mr. Rolfe Commissiong, Chairman]

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Maybe other
women; no, you would not be able to handle it.
Audit and Risk Committee: Mr. Chairman, the
purpose of the Committee is to establish formal and transparent arrangements to ensure accurate corporate reporting and risk management and internal control practices. The Committee will: (1) develop and
periodically review and assess a set of guidelines to
govern activities of the BTA; (2) make necessary recommendati ons for improved controls and mitigation
measures; (3) work with BTA staff as needed to i mplement the Committee’s controls and measures; (4)
report to the Board at least quarterly on the activities
of the Committee in relation to the release of the
BTA’s fi nancials to the Board; and (5) approve and
review the annual report and financial statements prior
to approval by the Board and subsequent release of
this information to any key stakeholder external to the BTA.

Take your time, Minister.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you. My
apologies, Mr. Chairman.
HR Compensation Committee: The Commi ttee will review best practices within destination marketing organisations (DMO’s) to ensure that the BTA’s
compensation and benefit packages are competitive
with other similar DMO’s. Additionally, the Committee
will periodically conduct compensation surveys to align employee compensation with other DMO’s who
have budget parameters similar to the BTA.

It is nice to see some bipartisan c ooperation taking place here between the Opposition
Whip and the Minister.

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Always, Mr.
Chairman, always. There is always cooperation here.
Additionally, the Committee will periodically
conduct compensation surveys to align employee
compensation with other DMO’s who have budget
parameters similar to the BTA. Furthermore, the Committee provides oversight on succession planning
and staff performance objectives.

Sources and Uses of Funds
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman, the
year three annual budget allocation will follow the Government of Bermuda’s fiscal year of April 1, 2016
through March 31, 2017. However, the BTA’s oper ational model adheres to a calendar year fiscal period.
Sources. The BTA receives funding fr om two
sources: A Government grant and Tourism Authority
fee collections. The BTA’s funding is granted every April at the start of the Government’s fiscal year. For
2016 the BTA will receive a Government grant of
$22.7 million to fund tourism activities on the Island of
Bermuda, a 4.6 per cent increase over the Gover nment allocation to the BTA in the prior year 2015/16.
The current Tourism Authority fee rate is 2.5
per cent of the rack rate charged by such hotel in r espect of such guest and it is collected on a monthly
basis. Hotel guests are charged 2.5 per cent of the
rack rate and hotel proprietors are responsible for
charging and collecting the fee from hotel guests and remitting such fees to the BTA.
The Tourism Authority has recently been
granted the ability to raise this fee to 5.5 per cent, but,
in concert with the Bermuda Hotel Association, the
BTA has decided to only increase the fee to 4.5 per
cent.
Mr. Chairman, the BTA has prepared initial
allocations for its 2016/17 grant of $22.7 million plus
the revenue generated from the Tourism Authority fee,
which will amount to a total budget of $28,000,196.
The planned allocations are as follows, uses by div ision:
• The Investment Division will be allocated
$939,115 representing 3.4 per cent of the total
expenses.
• The Product and Experience Development
Division will be allocated $3,176,066 repr esenting 11.3 per cent of the total expenses.
• The Sales and Marketing Division will be all ocated $18,513,610 representing 66.1 per cent
of the total expenses.
• The Research and Business Intelligence Div ision will be allocated $814,129 representing 2.9 per cent of the total expenses.
• The Operations Division will be allocated
$4,557,276 representing 16.3 per cent of the
total expenses.

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman,
before I speak specifically to the goals and objectives
of the upcoming financial year, I would like to highlight
divisional objectives and goals and accomplishments
in 2015.

The Executive Office and Business Intelligence.

• Higher management efficiency of the BTA
Board and Committees —and this is ongoing.
The Board remains extremely engaged in the
oversight and management of the BTA.
• Fully integrate performance objective management culture throughout the BTA —has
been completed. This goal has been accomplished as the BTA staff has adapted to the
performance objective approach to management.
• Better utility of business intelligence across
the BTA management matrix —this has been


Bermuda House of Assembly completed. All BTA departments are now rel ying on business intelligence in decision making and management practice. This is on both
a strategic and tactical level.
• To improve communication with on- island
stakeholders and general community —this is
ongoing and substantive progress has been made. But we are in continuous improvement
mode for this objective.
Investment

• Improve and expedite the investment process.
This has been completed.
• Various memoranda of understanding esta blished with key agencies of the Government.
• Participate in negotiations and discussions
with three curre nt and potential investors.
• Establish relationship with major and niche
hotel brands. This is completed. Relationships developed with Starwood, Marriot, Windham,
Choice, Apple, Hyatt and Hilton. Also attended Marriot’s new owners’ development seminar.
• Strengthen support for existing on- Island hotels and hospitality businesses. This has been
completed. [They] have held meetings with all
major hotels and medium -sized properties to
understand key issues and to provide assi stance where possible.
• Develop and implement a Horseshoe Bay transportation improvement strategy. This has
been completed. Cabinet paper presented in
November 2015 for approval for funding and
commencement of redevelopment project.

Operations

• The initial roll out of National Service Sta ndards for the hospitality industry has also
been completed. Four hundred and nine i ndustry professionals awarded Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) status in quarter two.
Quarter four programme is currently under
way.
• Achieve destination marketing organisation
certification through Destination Marketing Association International. This has been com-pleted.
• Full PATI compliance has been completed.
The BTA was in full compliance with PATI r equirements on 1 April 2015.
• Unqualified 2015 Audit —completed with no
materi al problems identified by the Auditor
General.
• End fiscal year within budget parameters. This has been completed.
• Raising awareness, maintaining support and
motivating all to speak with one voice across industry and community sectors. This is ongoing.
• The Director of Stakeholder Relations, o nboarded in January 2015.
• Strategy developed and implementation is ongoing.

Product and Experience

• Develop at least three new major signature
experiences for shoulder season. This has
been completed. We initiated programmes for
sports training camps, Executive Women’s
Golf Association (EWGA) golf school; Ant igua/Bermuda Classic Regatta; International
Women’s Keelboat Championships; and the
Plein Air Festival.
• Secure new calls by cruise ships to St.
George’s. This is ongoing. Strategic targeting
of premium and luxury brands has resulted in 50 occasional callers for 2016, an additional
15 calls versus 2015, a 43 per cent increase.
Five of these new calls will be to St. George’s.
Fred Olsen’s Boudicca ship will also berth in
the town for its America’s Cup cruise in 2017.
• Emphasis on St. George’s product exper ience. Implement strategic Cultural Tourism
Plan has been completed.
• Assure product experience investments align
with sales and marketing objectives. This is
ongoing. P lanning and update sessions are
held regularly, sales and marketing incorporated into experience investment application
process, new supported experiences provide
content for sales and marketing.
• Improve Visitor Information Services on I sland. This is ongo ing. In house management
of Dockyard VIC [Visitor Information Centre]
began on 1 April 2015. The challenge has been to balance the high demand for transportation passes versus focusing on VIC core
functions of providing visitor information.
• Comprehensive R OI review of BTA funded initiatives has been completed.
• Established strategy and system for ongoing
total quality management for products and
experiences. This is ongoing.

Sales and Marketing

• Build year round demand within targeted geo-demographic market s. This is a work in pr ogress.
• Gain significant ROI increases with Pink Sale
strategy to build bookings in quarter one
2015, Daylight savings promotion and
Launched “Buy Her Bermuda” test campaign
for quarter four 2015.
1482 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly • Execute integrated marketing and sal es stra tegy—a work in progress.
• Meet weekly with the entire team to build understanding and collaboration across the
channels.
• Execute strategy to layer group and leisure
demand.
• Redeploy sales team to focus on advance
group bookings and concentrated leisure
marketing efforts.
• Build capacity to better leverage external
partners.
• Introduce new cooperative partnership guidelines requiring partners to match BTA inves tments.
• Create new visual inspirational marketing assets. Worked with on- and off -Island partners
to secure new still photography and video assets to better tell Bermuda’s stories.
• Named new Marketing Agency partner to help
create new brand platform to launch in 2016.

Summary Outlook for Tourism

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman,
with hotel development progressing through the planning pipeline, an increased number of hotel jobs in
2015, new airlift capacity, and the bright prospect of
the 35th America’s Cup, our tourism industry presents
a positive outlook for the country.
Due to collaboration between the public and
private sectors, plus prudent marketing partnerships
between the airlines and the Bermuda Tourism A uthority, air arrivals are better positioned for growth in
2016. In the first quarter of this year airline seat c apacity will increase 18 per cent. This will help give v acationers easier access to the Island by air and, per-haps more importantly, provide a greater opportunity
to lure businesses and leisure groups —a performance
area that lagged in 2015 as a result of poor group
sales booked before the start -up of the BTA.
Mr. Chairman, tourism insiders know that
group travel is critical to a healthy tourism industry. It
provides a base load of business the industry can
manage against by layering in individual vacationers. That is w hy the BTA reorganised and redeployed its
group sales team in 2015. That has helped to get
group sales on the books for 2016 and 2017. These
bookings are essential to keep the industry’s emplo yment levels high on a year round basis.
Simultaneously, due to strategic targeting of
influencers in the cruise industry, more cruise ships
will call on Bermuda in 2016 bringing a projected 10
per cent increase in visitors and more occasional calls
for our ports in Hamilton and St. George’s. Those two ports will see v isitors with deeper pockets, and it is the
modern day trend for smaller ships in the cruise bus iness. Increased direct spending is anticipated across
the Island from cruise ship passengers in 2016. Mr. Chairman, entrepreneurs , some of them
funded through a competitive BTA investment pr ogramme, are at the core of the BTA’s rebuilding of our
tourism products and experiences. About $700,000 in
new investment for this initiative is allocated for 2016 and will generate jobs and returns for the overall
economy. M ost of these product and experience pr oviders are young Bermudians who have brought their
passion and ideas to the fore, stimulating visitor
spending, and giving our destination a new attitude.
This new attitude is part of the reason we see
improvement in tourism industry performance. It is
also part of the reason the BTA Marketing and Public
Relations team in 2015 generated over $26 million
worth of earned media in travel publications, newsp apers and websites across the United States.
A dive below the top- line numbers shows that
between 2013 and 2014 vacation air arrivals fell by
about 10,000 visitors. Between 2014 and 2015 the
year over year decline was 1,700. Numerically that is
absolutely a very clear picture of arresting the decline
of Bermuda’s touris m economy. Regrettably, the
weakness of the Canadian dollar in 2015 was a contributing factor in not pushing the air arrival numbers
into positive territory. Canadian air arrivals were down
17 per cent in 2015. If they had just remained flat, t otal air arr ivals would have been up for the year. That,
in and of itself, is a positive sign.
Mr. Chairman, the Government’s confidence
in the BTA continues to build. The BTA has finally
crawled out of business relationships which were less
than advantageous to Bermuda and its ability to mar-ket the Island in a highly competitive environment.
With a new advertising agency, a new PR firm, a new
social media and website platform, the BTA is well
positioned in 2016 to achieve its growth objectives for
Bermuda tourism.

2016 OBJECTIVES AND GOALS

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman,
measuring the impact and success of the BTA occurs
quarterly and within the BTA’s annual report. The BTA
continually monitors performance in three tiers: for the
destination market, for the organisation, and within
each division.
The BTA is committed to assessing and r eporting on the effectiveness of the sales and market-ing strategy as well as the organisation’s operational
efficiency as measured by timely and on- budget ex ecution of act ivities.
Throughout this plan we use the term “objectives” to indicate specific, tactical, measurable or tangible achievements. The term “goals” is used to describe a longer term strategy or outcome that may not
be measurable or tangible necessarily.

2016 Strategic Goals —Destination Market
Performance


Bermuda House of Assembly
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: The goals of the
2012 Bermuda National Tourism Plan are still relevant
for 2016, and include:
• building a unique and competitive positioning;
• reducing seasonality;
• rebalancing air versus cruise arrivals;
• increasing visitor expenditure;
• improving quality through tourism value chain;
• creating jobs and building pride;
• business development and attracting inves tment;
• building economic, social and environmental
sustainability.

The objectives of the BTA organisation for
2016 are:
• an increase in vacation air arrivals;
• an increase in cruise arrivals;
• an increase in vacation visitor spending;
• unqualified audit;
• balanced budget;
• full PATI compliance;
• increased return on experience measur ed by
visitor satisfaction, value perception, likelihood
to recommend or revisit Bermuda.

Mr. Chairman the following is a summary of
the 2016 key BTA orga nisational objectives and
goals —Management Metrics for each Business Unit .

Executive Office and Busi ness Intelligence:
• to continue to manage the Board to a standard of best practice;
• to better integrate sales and marketing with
our product and experiences efforts;
• assure the management of the BTA is positive and employees come first;
• continue to proactiv ely identify research
needs and effectively communicate intell igence across the organisation;
• streamline use of intelligence by rolling out
dashboard tools and integrating business i ntelligence and CRM tools.

Investment:
• review and modernise legislation t hat currently retards investment in tourism related i ndustries;
• operationalise the investment process, post
the passing of a new Tourism Incentives Act;
• work with Government to identify tourism designated assets;
• to market to international investors;
• expand, deepen and strengthen existing rel ationship with hotel brands and developers through attending conferences and/or indivi dual meetings; • work with on- Island hotels and smaller properties to increase investment in redevelopment through proposed incentive act;
• work with the Ministry of Public Works to
manage and deliver the Horseshoe Bay i mprovement project;
• create an investor handbook;
• expand the draft tourism infrastructure plan.

Products and Experiences:
• complete implementation of ongoing projects
from 2015;
• establish product and experience enhanc ements targeting specific local economy sec-tors, i.e. retail, entertainment and wellness, to
increase visitor arrival and/or spending within
each;
• leverage technology and influence transport ation enhancements to support quality service
for visitors;
• implement additional initiatives to enhance
Bermuda’s beach economy;
• establish experience development strategy for
the business and MICE [meetings, incentive,
conferencing and exhibitions business] sector.

Operations :
• introduce vocational rental programme initi atives;
• expand National Service Standards pr ogramme;
• lead community based tourism appreciation
themed “Call to Action.”

Sales and Marketing:
• increase total future spending, influenced by
BTA;
• increase ROI for m arketing companies;
• increase leisure room nights, influenced by the BTA;
• increase meeting and incentive leads generated;
• increase meeting and incentive room nights,
influenced by the BTA.

DIVISIONAL DETAILS FOR 2016

Research and Business Intelligence

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman, the
Research and Business Intelligence Division conducts
consumer research, tracks tourism trends, and measures customer satisfaction with on- Island product and
experiences. The Division measures brand and advertising performance in key markets on an ongoing basis and conducts both quantitative and qualitative r esearch on consumer and industry trends. The group
1484 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly also assesses competitive positioning, general tourism trends and new markets.
The tourism industry is a fast -changing, d ynamic market. Up to date and relevant research is
necessary to maintain an advantage against compet itive destinations and to become leaders in the market.
For the Tourism Authority and its stakeholders,
awareness of market trends, emergi ng opportunities
and challenges is critical for future planning and
growth.
Goals:
• Fully implement total quality management
(TQM) measurement, a strategy that has
been developed to measure all products and
experiences on- Island using aggregated
online rev iew data. All businesses in the tourism chain are covered using this technique.
Process will be implemented in 2016.
• Update Tourism forecast. The forecast will be
updated to reflect changes in expected hotel
inventory and economic conditions. Forecasts
will include: hotel inventory, visitor expend iture and arrivals by type.
• Integrate business intelligence and customer
relationship management (CRM) systems. I ndustry partners will be able to enter data and
access reports through the extranet when the
new webs ite is live. R&BI [Research and
Business Intelligence] will also work with ot hers on the BTA team to ensure robust training
of partners.
• Implement and roll out dashboard tool. All m ajor metrics used by the BTA to measure the
health of the tourism industry as well as organisational metrics will be accessible to any
user via the web.
• Provide analysis and assistance for airlift d evelopment strategy. Ongoing analysis will be
conducted on trends in air capacity, load fac-tors, new routes. PACE and future schedules
will assist the Government and the Airport
create an air service strategy for the future.
• Maintain and update online panel. Panel will be updated periodically and asked to partic ipate in relevant studies resulting from bus iness questions.

Objectives:
• Effective communication of research. Rel evant research and business intelligence fin dings need to be communicated to internal
stakeholders on a timely basis.
• Collectively identify research needs.
• Manage and execute research projects on relevant industry topi cs, work closely with
other BTA divisions to identify business questions, monitor trends and share leading industry information. • Maintain an up to date and accurate data
base of statistics. Inquiries of the R&BI team
are made on a daily basis from stakehol ders
and partners, both internally and externally.
Keeping our data base of statistics up to date
is necessary to answer questions on a timely
basis.
• Gather and analyse local perception. Biannual
polls will be taken to measure perception of
tourism and the BTA within Bermuda. Questions will be adjusted as needed and results
will help shape the communication strategy on
Island.
• Gather and analyse demand and conversion
data for sales and marketing initiatives. I ncreasing demand and ultimate conversion for
air passengers will assist the BTA in meeting
its main objectives. Analysing third party data
on personas and geographic regions can help
identify trends and optimise marketing spend.
• Assist the product and experience team in
analysing the ROI/ROE and identif ying gaps.
ROI an ROE will continue to be measured on
BTA supported initiatives. R&BI will support
with analysis and economic impact calcul ators. Exit surveys and TQM measurements
will assist in identifying gaps for future product
development.

Activities:
• identify, manage and execute research as
needed– ad hoc surveys , online panel surveys, internally executed or purchase of sy ndicated research;
• alignment of data captured with BTA objectives;
• streamlining data sources and analysis;
• periodic performance reporting, including arr ival statistics, hotel statistics, demand and
conversion, exit survey results, local percep-tion poll, ad hoc/online panel surveys, visitor
expenditure and satisfaction.
• economic impact and forecasting:
• total quality management (TQM) –implement
measurement strategy and results distribution.

Investment Division
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman, the
Investment Division is responsible for attracting, facil itating, and managing the investment process across
the full spectrum of the Island’s tourism economy with
specific focus on hotel investment.
The Goals:
• Modernise hotel related policies and legisl ation. Co -lead the review of the Hotel Concessions Act 2000 with the intent to introduce a


Bermuda House of Assembly new concessions model together with the Ministry of Tourism and Transport.
• Develop a hotel investor concierge service.
Co-lead the development and implementation
of a concierge service together with the Mini stry of Tourism and Transport.
• Develop tourism infrastructure strategy. Work
collaborativ ely with the Ministries of Public
Works, Economic Development, Tourism and Transport to identify key infrastructure inves tment and development opportunities.
• Develop and maintain a data base of tourism
investments.
• Identify and maintain a stakeholder data base
to strengthen relationships through meetings
and outward engagements in collaboration
with the BHA and Bermuda Hotel Employers Associations.
• Continue investor outreach strategy. Continue
to build strategic relationship with key investors and hotel br ands through direct meetings
and/or attendance at conferences.
Objectives:
• Implement a new Tourism Investment Incentive Act. A new Act has been reviewed, fina lised and passed in Parliament.
• New concierge service. A new concierge ser-vice for domestic and i nternational investors —
established and implemented.
• Investment data base. Tourism data base of
investment projects and opportunities.
• New capital investment fund. Fund to provide investment support for identified tourism r elated projects and/or assets.
• Investment Forum Conference. Host, follow
up investor and operator forum to understand sentiment towards progress in investment environment.
• Infrastructure Assets. Identify critical tourism
infrastructure assets for development and i nvestment.

Activities:
• Concierge service. Meet with Ministries of
Tourism and Transport, Home Affairs, Public Works and Economic Development to create an investor concierge service.
• Local stakeholder engagement. Meet property
operators responsible for the top 75 per cent
of hotel rooms to understand operating and
investment requirements. Meet with small
property owners and operators to understand
operating and investment requirements.
• International stakeholder engagement. Attend
various international hotel investment deve lopment conferences with at least one speaking promotional engagement. Engage through multiple avenues with luxury and other hotel
brands. Create an investor and hotel brand
data base outlining base requirements for i nvestment and operations; hold an Investor Operat or Forum.
• Capital Investment Fund. Consult with BTA
legal counsel and in conjunction with BTA o perations, to consider creating a separate legal
entity to own and manage investment fund
and tourism assets. If this initiative is ap-proved the investment sect ion will develop
and finalise fund operating and investment r equirements; develop and outline avenues for investment in the fund by interested parties. In
consultation with the Ministries of Tourism and
Transport, Public Works, and various local
agencies, identify potential tourism assets for
investment.

Product and Experience

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman, in
2016 the Division will focus on:
• completing implementation of ongoing pr ojects from 2015;
• establishing product and experience e nhancement, targeting specific local economy
sectors to increase visitor arrivals and/or
spending within each;
• leveraging technology and influencing transportation enhancements to support quality
service for visitors;
• implementing additional initiatives to enhance
Bermuda’s beach economy;
• establishing experience development strategy
for the meetings, incentives, conference and
exhibition (MICE) sector.
Goals:
• increase the overall attractiveness and competitiveness of Bermuda as a tourism destination;
• strengthe n tourism demand;
• reduce seasonality;
• approve and allocate experience investments;
• Develop the five tourism hubs —St. George’s
and St. David’s, Hamilton, Dockyard, South Shore and offshore Bermuda;
• Improve quality throughout tourism value
chain;
• Execute NTP product development initiatives.

Objectives:
• Hub 1: Secure expanded small ship service
for St. George’s for the 2018 season, as well as America’s Cup; implement identified prior ities and actions under Hub 1 Cultural Tourism
Plan—St. George’s and St. Davi d’s.
1486 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly • Improve services and revenue generation at
Dockyard VIC to bring Bermuda’s Visitor I nformation Services framework in line with
global best practice. Direct BTA management
of VIC’s also designed to yield efficiencies
and possible revenue generation.
• Produce regulatory and quality performance
assessments; achieve stakeholder engage-ment to maintain excellence in results –
Monitor ing of quality and competitiveness of
Bermuda’s visitor experiences, categorised by
local hospitality market sector. Implement
regular destination experience performance assessments (monitoring reports, stakeholder
engagement and incentives for continuous quality improvement. )
• Develop and implement specific new events and/or experiences targeting visitors in the r etail, entertainment and wellness categories,
targeting specific economy sectors to increase visitor arrivals and/or spending within each.
• Develop new signature experiences for the
arts and culture season that will include at
least two new sport signature experiences,
build o n golf and sailing, and at least two new
arts and culture signature experiences.
• Complete work to establish experience e nhancement and entrepreneurial opportunities
at Clearwater Beach, Horseshoe Bay, and Mangrove Bay implementing additional ince ntives to enhance Bermuda’s beach economy.
• Develop and implement at least one major signature experience focused on local food culture that significantly differentiates Bermuda’s culinary profile, designed to extend
food culture strategy, provide opportunities for local stakeholder engagement, increased vis itor arrival and spending.
• America’s Cup: Implement additional new
events, experiences and partnerships to further leverage AC for legacy purposes. Partic ular focus on sailing calendar events, for example, the Anti gua to Bermuda Race, Spirit of
Bermuda, Race to Bermuda Bespoke cruises,
et cetera.
• Leverage technology and influence transpor-tation enhancement to support quality service
for visitors. Focus on two specific areas in
conjunction with relevant public and pr ivate
sector stakeholders. Wi-Fi initiative and digital
delivery of experi ences, transportation– taxi’s
in particular.
• Analyse current customer satisfaction and
identify new or enhanced offerings to build on
Bermuda’s competitiveness for business and MICE v isitors. Conduct outreach and complete surveys with local and international business sectors to confirm priorities for ac-tion.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman, the
following key activities are targeted for 2016 by major
activity area and the timing of completion:
• Product development strategy. Review and
revise the experience investment application
process to address seasonality issues more effectively.
• Confirm relevant product enhancements
and/or on- Island experience partnerships with
cruise lines to support St. George’s service.
• Conduct outreach and complete surveys to
local and IB business sectors and confirm pr iorities for action.
• Develop and implement pop- up beach amenities to pilot at Clearwater and Mangrove Bay.
• Confirm action plan and r oll out for Horseshoe
Bay upgrades plus possible investments for
beach pop- up outlets with the investment div ision.

Culture and Leisure

• Implement Hub 1 Cultural Tourism Action
Plan.
• Implement partnership activities on- Island with
cruise lines under cruis e ship strategy to facil itate increased service to St. George’s and
target high- end cruise visitors.
• Identify and confirm at least two new signature experiences for 2016/17— A&C Sea son,
business case and budgets.
• Identify and develop arts and culture projec ts
with the greatest ROI/ROE based on BTA
goals.
• Develop and implement operational improv ements at Dockyard Visitor Information Centre.

Sports and Events

• Identify and confirm at least two new signature experiences for 2016/17— A&C Season,
business case and budgets.
• Develop and launch at least two golf exper iences, specifically targeting women golfers as
key niche markets.
• Identify opportunities and confirm VIP exper ience packages for America’s Cup Races.
Schedule of at least eight confirmed teams for
sport s training camps at the National Sports
Centre.
• Identify and develop sports projects with
greatest ROI/ROE based on BTA goals.
• Review and revise the experience investment application process to address seasonality i ssues more effectively.

Quality Management


Bermuda House of Assembly
• Develop and implement an appr oach for
stakeholder engagement – ensure BTA engages experienced operators, transportation
providers, restaurants, hotels and vacation
rental sectors on shared commitment to quality product and visitor experiences.
• Implement monitoring reports, stakeholder
engagement and incentives for continuous
quality improvement and industry update sessions.

Operations

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman, this
Division is responsible for human resources, finance
and accounting, information technology, facilities, real estate management, legal and contracts. The division
handles management and financial reporting, esta blishes corporate policies and procedures, plus oversees all corporate functions.
The division also has the res ponsibility for the
development and deployment of National Service
Training Standards and management of the BTA’s onIsland and stakeholder communications plus tourism appreciation initiatives. Goals for this division:
Corporate governance/General Operations :
• Ensure BTA complies with all jurisdictional r eporting requirements, utilising industry best
practice.
• Deliver an unqualified audit.
• On-Island communication stakeholder and
community advocacy – Grow third party e ndorsements. Develop and actively maintain
two-way community communication and education channels.
Tourism Appreciation
• Introduce neighbourhood beautification pr oject; continue to grow #lovemybermuda ca mpaign and develop revenue streams from r elated merchandise.
Training and Standards
• Develop and introduce industry wide service
standards.
• Implement BTA “ seal of approval ” across r etail, service and vacation rental property sectors.
• 400 additional Tourism Ambassadors across
industry.
• 75 per cent retention rate during CTA renewal
process.
Human Resour ces and I Technology
• Support internal brand alignment; objectives for this division: Corporate and governance:
• Continued compliance with PATI legislation.
• Stakeholder communications: Strengthen d irect community communication programmes
and channels. • Train ing and Standards: Partner with educ ational and training stakeholders to deliver expanded skills programmes under NSSP.
• Deploy additional BTA certified Tourism A mbassadors across industry sectors by June 30, 2016.
• Tourism appreciation: Lead stakeholder supported private/public sector beautification pr oject.
• Human Resources: Continue human resource strategy action items that support BTA’s internal brand promise.

Activities
General Operations:
• review all contracts for vendor compliance;
• maintain PATI compli ance;
• release corporate reports versus annual r eport;
Finance:
• audit preparation and developing financial
procedures for receiving vacation rental pro perty activity revenue.
Human Resources:
• support internal launch of BTA’s brand promise;
• identify most adv antageous health benefits
plans for BTA (renewal due);
• identify key positions for succession planning
and initiate relevant development plans;
• complete performance appraisals process;
• deploy satisfaction survey;
• BTA full team building exercises;
On-Island communications; revamp BTA corporate
website to support community and stakeholder communications across internal divisions subject to launch
of new website.
Stakeholder Relations:
• VRP programme introduction.
• Further develop tourism forward media outreach c ampaign.
Tourism Appreciation:
• deploy Phase 4 of Tourism Appreciation campaign;
• launch community service initiative;
• maximise reach of hospitality month;
• introduce #lovemybermuda merchandising
programme with revenue opportunities;
I-Technology: Full implem entation of customer rel ationship management system (CRM).
Training and Standards:
• National Service Standards Programme
(NSSP) cross -industry standards agreed.
• NSSP skills specific training introduced.
• CTA retention drive.
• Introduction of the BTA “Seal of Approval.”

Sales and Marketing
1488 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman, the
Sales and Marketing Division sets and executes the
sales and marketing strategy of the organisation with
the ultimate goal of generating incremental air arrivals to Bermuda. The focus is to deploy an integrated plan
targeted at key markets resulting in the greatest return
on investment for the Island and its partners. Goals for
this division include:
• arrest the decline in visitor numbers and value
perception; focus more resources in fewer key
markets for greater return on investment;
• increase air arrivals, spending and experience
on island, includes accommodation, food and
beverage sales, experiences and attractions,
transportation, jobs, taxes through optimum
occupancy and r oom rates;
• build differentiation for Bermuda;
• implement the new brand platform with more deeply integrated marketing and sales strategy, matching Bermuda’s authentic exper iences with the consumer’s desire for aspir ational escape;
• build year round demand; increase and layer
group and leisure demand;
• build internal capacity; better execute strat egies and increase efficiencies in house.
Objectives:
• increase total future visitor spending—spend influenced by BTA will be tracked monthly;
• increase returns on inves tment from marketing campaigns —ROI will be measured for
each campaign against visitor spend;
• increase leisure room nights —room nights i nfluenced by BTA will be tracked monthly;
• increase meeting and incentive leads gener-ated—leads will be tracked on an ongo ing b asis;
• increase meeting and incentive room nights —
room nights influenced by BTA will be tracked
monthly.

Enhancing Bermuda’s brand platform
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman,
Bermuda has many stories to tell and a destination’s brand creates an emotional bond between the place
and the people. With nearly 100 personal interviews
and key insights from research and conversations, the BTA has established a brand foundation to help guide
how we share Bermuda’s many stories.
Bermuda’s brand platform must connect em otionally, set Bermuda apart from the Caribbean i slands, be true to Bermudians, leverage Bermuda’s
mystique, change the conversation.
Bermuda’s brand promise: To the thrill seekers, explorers, romantics and originals among us,
Bermuda is set apart by its location and way of life. It is where people, cultures, and a certain mystique swirl together connecting you to a place far from your ev eryday life.
Sounds quite romantic.

Geographic Demand
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Top source markets searching online for hotels in Bermuda are:
• New York City;
• Boston;
• Washington, DC;
• Philadelphia;
• Orlando;
• Charleston;
• Chicago;
• Baltimore;
• Atlanta;
• Toronto;
• Los Angeles;
• Dallas;
• San Francisco;
• Hartford, CT; and
• Providence, RI

Brand platform opportunities and rewards:
• from Sun and Sand, to a year round destination tied to its attitude rather than its assets;
• from somewhere in the Caribbean, to an i sland set apart by its location and way of life;
• from old and stuffy, to out there it is full adventure and mystique, you never know what is
going to happen next;
• from a place I’ve heard about but it isn’t for
me, to a place that I’m drawn to, it’s where I
belong.

Brand alignment

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Bermudians –
position Bermudians as the keeper s and curators of
this lifestyle only made possible by the mix of cultures
and people.
Travellers —gives them an attitude and a personality to associate with Bermuda.
Meetings and events —positions Bermuda as
an island destination that stands out from the ot hers
by not focusing on its assets. I just want to relax,
translates into a place where they can unplug and get
away.

Leisure Marketing

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Activities in 2016
include marketing:
• introduce revised brand platform through all
channels;


Bermuda House of Assembly • focus marketing strategies on clearly defined
high-yield visitors to recover Bermuda’s lost
value;
• to integrate efforts across the board including
paid, owned and earned media along sales
strategies and touchpoints;
• create and produce compelling pr omotions
and campaigns —“Pink Sale,” “Summer Fr idays” —to generate incremental leisure demand; using the brand platform as a compet itive advantage to focus on Only in Bermuda
experiences;
• prioritise marketing strategies and select appropriate partners to hel p pull consumers
through decision making process from drea ming about a vacation to research and planning, booking, experiencing and sharing;
• create visual and inspirational asset content
throughout independent and collaborative efforts, building BTA’s inte rnal asset library;
• develop custom content distribution and explore appropriate syndication opportunities;
• develop and execute global content plan to ensure timely content addressing seasonal experiences and release dates in alignment
with consumer plannin g processes;
• seek sponsorships and partnerships with a ppropriate brands and events to position Ber-muda as a lifestyle brand;
• maximise the impact in alignment with major
events, such as the AC World Series Racing
event;
• employ promotions showcasing unique experiences;
• identify and nurture local and global influen-cers and personalities to help share Bermuda’s stories across multiple channels.

Mr. Chairman, the anticipated outcomes i nclude:
• raising awareness, desire and ultimately vis itation to the island;
• increasing visitation and spending due to
greater understanding about the island and her experiences.

Mr. Chairman, with regard to digital marketing,
the BTA will:
• complete new website to improve Bermuda’s digital footprint across all key markets;
• integrate social media with media, trade and
consumer marketing in all global markets;
• manage search engine marketing efforts and
optimise seasonally to drive round websites
traffic;
• manage a segment and grow a qualified consumer data base for direct marketing efforts; • implement a comprehensive CRM system and approach targeted specifically for different
market segments’ needs —M&I, Travel, Trade,
Press, Partners, et cetera;
• continuously measure and optimise digital
marketing efforts to maximise results;
• Create and di stribute monthly consumer enewsletter.

The anticipated outcomes include:
• increase visitation based on expanded know ledge about Bermuda and island experiences;
• more engaged advocates sharing stories, i mages and recommendations about Bermuda;
• Expanded bran d awareness of Bermuda.

Mr. Chairman, with regard to public relations
and social, the BTA will:
• aggregate stronger and more comprehensive
editorial calendars by market segments and
season;
• create and distribute a quarterly media new sletter;
• conduct proact ive outreach to targeted journalists and outlets;
• host at least 40 qualified individual journalists’ trips throughout the year;
• host at least five press trips by key feeder
markets or themes;
• conduct media missions, desk side visits in
five feeder markets including New York, Boston, Washington DC, Chicago and Toronto;
• develop relationships with producers and travel correspondents featured on national,
regional and cable programmes to develop destination feature stories;
• research and qualify syndicated regional radio shows and TV programmes to broadcast live from Bermuda with a special emphasis on
seasons and themes to increase travel year
round;
• leverage film and production opportunities to
generate travel, production business, and u ltimately exposure for Bermuda;
• work with online stakeholders to streamline and improve film permitting and processing to
create more opportunities;
• identify and support new film and photo shoot
opportunities through targeted trade shows
and sales calls with decision makers and loc ation scouts;
• work with island partners and their PR reps to strengthen strategic PR efforts;
• proactively monitor social conversations about
Bermuda to engage with prospective visitors
and influencers; encourage influencer and
stakeholder engagement through a compr ehensive social strategy;
1490 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly • grow followers and engagement through all of
BTA’s social channels, blogs, Instagram,
Facebook and Twitter, et cetera.

The anticipated outcomes include:
• positive media coverage from targeted media
outlets;
• growth in aud ience and engagement in social
media communities;
• engaged advocates sharing stories and i mages on behalf of Bermuda.

Mr. Chairman, with regard to the travel/trade
partnerships, the BTA will:
• expand integrated partnerships designed to
target high yield customers to create incr emental demand, i.e. Virtuoso and Signature;
• work with market partners to leverage direct to consumer and tour operator cooperative o pportunities and bolster support for Bermudaspecific and twin centre holidays as appropr iate;
• levera ge Bermuda brand messaging through
strategic cooperative marketing agreements;
• leverage targeted trade shows or marketplaces to strengthen influencer relationships;
• facilitate Bermuda in- person and webinar -
based destination training and itinerary development for reservation/call centres for airlines,
vacation outlets, and other trade partners to update them on island positioning, seasonal
experiences and developments;
• build stronger relationships with key travel
trade through personal sales calls and regular
presentations to share updates on island d evelopments;
• host at least one fam tour for key trade par tners to showcase Bermuda’s experiences and
developments;
• evolve the Tour Operator/Partner Summit for
better engagements and results.

The anticipated outc omes include:
• increase travel partner support and particip ation in Bermuda marketing activities;
• better knowledge and confidence of agents and operators in recommending Bermuda;
• increase bookings from travel seller partners.

Sales and Marketing —Group Sale s Deployment
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman, in
2015 the BTA redeployed the sales team to be more
focused on specialty group sales markets that fit Bermuda’s profile, specifically the corporate/incentive,
association, social and golf market s. The organisation
also joined Global Luxury Alliance of the Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) to generate more
leads for Bermuda.
Within the group market, we are focusing on
specialty fields that have an affinity with Bermuda and
align with t he market profile, including: Insurance and
Finance, Pharmaceutical and Medical and Consumer
Product Sales (i.e. automotive industry).
On the leisure side, BTA focused one team
member to specialise in training reservation centre, call centre and travel age nts.

Sales & Marketing —Group Sales

Activities include:
• Research and analyse Bermuda’s group sales
data to identify opportunities and to launch a
new prospecting campaign.
• Continue to utilise the incentive fund to strat egically place new opportunities to group bus inesses in need years and periods.
• Leverage ALHI’s Global Luxury Alliance 60
person sales team to increase Bermuda’s presence in the M&I market and increase lead
generation.
• Create a Top 20 Target List for each market
segment, with input from industry partners, to
help focus sales efforts.
• Produce a minimum of two showcase events
in key target cities or around certain shows,
partnering with ALHI, Bermuda hotel and i ndustry partners.
• Target qualified multi -management companies to host executive management, client or board retreats in Bermuda (Leadership Summit confirmed for 2016). Others may include
Helms Briscoe, Conference Direct, American
Express, Smith Bucklin, Kellen Company,
among others.
• Implement a comprehensive CRM system and
approach target ed specifically for different
market segments’ needs (M&I, travel trade,
press, partners, et cetera).
• Work with partners to create experiential site
visits that wow and convert clients.

The anticipated outcomes include:
• increase group business to Bermuda, creating
a foundation of business further into the f uture;
• deliver more leads and referrals from the
group market to Bermuda’s travel industry;
• increase the knowledge and confidence of meeting professionals and third party planners
in recommending Bermuda to their clients;
• better efficiencies and ultimately better ROI in
sales efforts.

Group Sales (Marketing Support)


Bermuda House of Assembly
Marketing Activities:
• Create a few, select integrated partnerships
with targeted media partners in and around business travel that align wi th and can elevate
Bermuda’s position in the marketplace (i.e. BizBash, Travel + Leisure’s new BTAB, and Cvent).
• Familiarise clients with Bermuda by developing collateral, e- newsletters and webinars.
• Improve marketing technology and support for
convention sales process to increase our
competitive advantage.
• Enrich Bermuda’s digital footprint of content addressing the Meetings and Incentive market, as professionals are increasing the use of
Google and other search engines to discover new meeting locations.
• Create new tradeshow booth and graphics.

Outcomes include:
• increase market share of meetings and events
for Bermuda;
• increase knowledge and confidence of meeting professionals and third party planners in
recommending Bermuda to their clients.

PR & Social

• work with island partners and their US -based
reps to strengthen strategic PR efforts;
• research editorial calendars and create advertorials;
• expand relationships with key meetings mar-ket media through targeted press trips and
story pitching;
• build meeting professional and influencer advocacy and increase engagement through s ocial media outlets such as LinkedIn.
Outcomes include:
• positive media coverage from targeted media
outlets;
• engaged advocates sharing stories and i mages on behalf of Bermuda.

Partner Activation

• hold bi -monthly meetings with hotel sales
teams and key island business partners;
• use the “Bring it Home” campaign to encourage island stakeholders and friends to partic ipate in pitching appropriate groups to come to
Bermuda. Offer BTA services when they are
spearheading specific efforts that align with
BTA market segmentation and seasonality;
• explore partnerships at the island and intern ational levels with key influencers to create or hold targeted, high- profile industry meetings
or forums in B ermuda.

The anticipated outcomes include:
• stronger relationships and greater efficiencies
with BTA and industry partners;
• engaged and proud advocates working in
partnership and on behalf of Bermuda.

Mr. Chairman, the outlook for tourism in Bermuda for 2016 is promising and with the hard work of the team at the BTA an increase in arrivals and a
positive impact on the Tourism and wider economy
can be achieved.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and this concludes
my presentation of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, Head 48.

Thank you, Mr . Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to congratulate the
Minister for staying on her feet for so long and filling in
for the substantive Minister. I do not intend to keep
her in her chair as long as she kept me.
Mr. Chairman, first, I would like to beg in by
thanking the Bermuda Tourism Authority workers. And
I have to preface my comments by thanking the BTA
workers because I do not blame them for what is go-ing on. I do not blame them for what is going on.
Mr. Chairman, today the BTA issued a stat ement c ondemning the protestors outside. And as you
see, Mr. Chairman, I am talking about Head 48, Mini stry of Tourism Development, under which the BTA
falls. They issued a statement chastising the people
for protesting and [the BTA were] displaying anxiety
about the economic impact on the hotels.
But, Mr. Chairman, what we see here today in
this Chamber that the BTA cannot see, is the anxiety
in the eyes of Bermudians who are asking themselves when the BTA asks them, What about the impact to
the economy? They are saying, What economy? B ecause they are not working —many of them —they are
not seeing the turnaround and they know that we are
facing a 49- year record low in air arrivals, Mr. Chai rman.
Mr. Chairman, I think that the BTA does not
understand the anxiety Berm udians are feeling. And
that anxiety should not be laid at [the feet of] the pr otestors, it should be laid at the feet of the Honourable
Premier whose decisions have created this anxiety
and exacerbated those conditions, have created conditions that left unchecked, unresolved, will continue
to see these levels of disruption.
1492 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly So, Mr. Chairman, I do not want to be unkind
to the Premier because it is not all his fault for some of
the anxiety that we see in the people outside. Part of
the anxiety that Bermudians feel and the concern
Bermudians feel must be laid at the feet of the Mini ster of Tourism because of his failure to produce— his
failure to produce, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, the Honourable Minister was
part of a team that promised jobs in tourism. They
promised construction in tourism, hotel jobs in tourism, they promised increased air arrivals, they prom-ised increased cruise arrivals. But, Mr. Chairman, it
has not happened. For successive years it has not
happened, Mr. Chairman.
The Minister’s brief spoke of an economic
turnaround, but I would ask if the people outside share
the assessment that the economy is turning around
for them. For them is it turning around? I would say
no. And, Mr. Chairman, despite a 49- year low in air
arrivals, no one has been held accountable, not one
person.
Now, Mr. Chairman, I looked all through the
Budget Book and I saw no performance measures for the Tourism Department, the Ministry of Tourism D evelopment and Transport. And, Mr. Chairman, I understand that they would not have performance
measures in the book because they are not exactly a traditional department. But, Mr. Chairman, I do not
blame them for not putting performance measures in
here because the performance measures, if they were
honest, air arrivals, in particular, have not been good.
They have not been good. And yet no one has been
held accountable.
Mr. Chairman, the Minister with the 49- year
low in air arrival remains within impunity. Mr. Chai rman, the Chairman of the BTA with a 49- year low in
air arrivals remai ns with impunity. Mr. Chairman, the
CEO of Bermuda Tourism Authority remains not only
with impunity, but with bonuses, after a 49- year low in
air arrivals.
We are not addressing non- performance. In
fact, we are rewarding it, Mr. Chairman. How long will
the Premier give the Minister to turn things around?
How long will the Minister give the Chairman to turn
things around? How long with the Chairman give the
CEO time to turn things around? That is the question on many people’s minds. Because the Premier may
have confidence in the Minister, the Minister may
have confidence in the Chairman, the Chairman may
have confidence in the CEO, but if I ask the people
out there in the community do they have confidence in
any of those parties? I would say the answer is no,
Mr. Chairman. I would say the answer is no.
And, Mr. Chairman, we (give me a second)
. . . we continue to hear that it is coming, that it is
coming—the jobs are coming, the turnaround is coming. And like I said, I do not hold any issue with the
workers at the BTA and the people in the trenches
doing their best to turn things around because it is a monumental task. But we have recently increased the
cost of coming to Bermuda through departure tax,
through guest tax, we have made it more expensive to
come to Bermuda.
And, Mr. Chairman, when we look at the surveys conducted by the BTA, when they looked at the people who clicked on the websites, who clicked on
the Facebooks, who clicked on the Twitter, to go and
follow through to purchase tickets, the links dr ew them
in, the pictures drew them in, the marketing approach of the workers in the Bermuda Tourism Authority drew them in, but yet when they clicked through, they found
our hotels too expensive, our airline tickets too expensive. Those were the reasons gi ven why many people
who were lured in by the attractive marketing did not
actually close the deal.
Mr. Chairman, in good conscience, how can
the Minister continue to stay on in this role? How can he continue with this lack of performance and no accountabil ity?
Mr. Chairman, you know, in Bermuda, when
you travel as a Bermudian and you speak to people
about coming from Bermuda, what is the first thing
they ask you? They say, Oh, like the Triangle? The
Bermuda Triangle? And with this tourism and this approach to tourism it has been our cruise ships that are
lost in the Bermuda Triangle, it has been our air lift
that has been lost in the Bermuda Triangle, it has been our visitors that have been lost in the Bermuda
Triangle. But the “triangle” that has not been held accountable for it is the Minister, the Chairman and the
CEO. That triangle continues to sit there with impunity without being held accountable for non- performance.
Now, Mr. Chairman, if that does not motivate
the Premier to act, if it does not motivate the Minister
to act, if it does not motivate the Chairman to act and
hold someone accountable, then perhaps the Hon-ourable Premier could think of another triangle—the
triangle of the husband, wife, and child— who are rel ying on performance, the jobs that were promised, the
projects that were promised, the hotel opportunities
that were promised, that have not been delivered.
That is the triangle they should think of if we are not
going to hold people accountable, if people will sit in
positions with impuni ty and continue to not perform.
Someone must be held accountable, Mr. Chairman—
someone— and if not for the taxpayer, at least for the
families of Bermuda who are expecting performance.
If we are going to see any turnaround, tourism will be
key to that.
And, Mr. Chairman, if the Premier was in his
seat he would know cows cannot produce milk if they are not grazing. And right now Bermuda is not grazing
and the BTA is not grazing to the full extent under the
leadership that we are seeing from the Minister, the
Chairman and the CEO. Who will be held accountable? Who will be moving forward to address the lack of performance? We cannot continue on this path.


Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Chairman, every day that that triangle of
failure stands, every day that the Premier allows that
triangl e of failure to go without being held accoun table, to stand with impunity, is another day that our
people continue to not have jobs, they continue to not
see opportunities, they continue to bear the brunt of
non-performance.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The C hairman: Thank you, Shadow Minister.
Are there any other Members who care to
speak to this Head?
No? The Chair now recognises the Acting
Minister.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, let me just say . . . let me thank
the Honourable Member for his contribution. And let
me say, Mr. Chairman, that while he prefaced his
comments respecting the bulletin that was issued by
the BTA today expressing concern about the impact on the tourism industry, the Honourable Member went
on to say that the frustrations that were exhibited have
to be put back to the Government as a result of no
jobs in tourism, no jobs in tourism construction.
And I have to remind the Honourable Member, Mr. Chairman, that in a two- year—sorry in a
three- year period of time, the Tourism Department
created— it was then the Department of Tourism —
created the Tourism Authority, got it up and running, while it was in its embryonic stage and attempting to
put everything in place to ensure that they were sel ling and marketing Bermuda effectively and properly
for the benefit of all people, concurrently, Mr. Chai rman, there was the renovation at the Princess in
Hamilton, the Fairmont in Hamilton, which I believe
now is in its third stage, and it created significant jobs
in the construction area of tourism. We also have had
this past week, if not the week prior, the signing of the necessary documentation so that the hotel, the Desarrollos Group, can carry on and get on with their pr ojects. We have seen additional work being done at
Pink Beach and we have seen Coral Beach Club com-ing online and we have seen many projects that have
come down the pipeline in the tourism field.
Mr. Chairman, I understand that we come to
this Honourable House and perhaps feel as though
we hav e to, you know, open our mouths, or have to
take a politically adversarial position, which does n obody any good because if you take an adversarial p osition that is based in fact, Mr. Chairman, we are quite happy to deal with those facts. But when your posi tion
is misguided and misinformed, then I believe that we as a Government have to stand —

Thank you, Shadow Minister.
The Chair now recognises the Acting Minister,
once again.
Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, I believe that the Honourable
Member needs to listen to his own words. He says
there have been no jobs created in tourism, there
have been no jobs created in tourism construction, but
he is now qualifying his comment by saying that the
jobs that have been created are not permanent jobs.
Mr. Chairman, there is no construction job that
is a permanent job, irrespective, because at some point in time the construction project is going to come
to an end. So if you are going to make comments, at
least make sensible comments. And what we just
heard, Mr. Chairman, do es not qualify to be a sensible
comment.
But with that said, Mr. Chairman, I do not b elieve that the public of Bermuda thinks that we are not
trying to be able to bring jobs to the table. So when we
have the construction project that we hear all kinds of
criticism about, Mr. Chairman, it is almost as though,
Don’t get it done OBA Government. Don’t get it done,
please, because you will put people back to work and that defeats our narrative.

The Honourable Member is
misleading the House. Numerous Members of the
Opposition have repeatedly said that we want to see these projec ts succeed, which is why we want people
to be held accountable for a 49- year low in air arrivals.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

1494 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly The Chairman: Thank you.
The Chair now recognises, once again, the
Acting Minister.

Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Mr. Chairman, let
me just say (and I am not going to prolong this because I think the argument is just, it is probably one of
the most vacuous that I have heard from the Honourable Member), but let me just say that if there was
great need in embracing up the project, they had a
very poor way of showing it, as we had to sit and li sten to the criticisms of the developers of the Desarro llos Group, who were called everything outside of their
names, Mr. Chairman, that that does indicate that this
is somebody who is embracing and supporting the development of that project. But that project will go
ahead, Mr. Chairman.
We have Morgan’s Point which will go ahead,
Mr. Chairman. Some of the smaller projects will go
ahead in the construction phase, and those construction jobs, while they will come to an end, they will generate value for the economy during the currency of
those projects. Couple that, Mr. Chairman, with the
end product, once the projects have been completed,
there will be ongoing work for people. So employment
oppor tunities will be there and they will be there in
spades, Mr. Chairman. And it is that to which we are
looking forward.
Mr. Chairman, I understand the frustrations
that may have been exhibited in terms of the rapidity,
or lack thereof, with which informati on, or jobs have
not come to the market. I understand that. The frustr ation is there for all of us because we committed that
we would create the environment for jobs to be avai lable and we are working assiduously towards that
end.
When I look at some of wh at is coming down
the pipeline for next year, in terms of the reports that
will come out, in terms of what is staged to come
through, the increases and the improvement in the
results, let me just say that I am sure that we would all
hope that the results are better.
And when you have an embryonic institute,
Mr. Chairman, you would like to give them the opportunity to get off the ground. When we look at the
plethora of initiatives that they have indicated in this particular budget and the allocations that they will get
and the plans that they have, if we are committed to
ensuring that Bermuda succeeds, and if we are committed to ensuring that the people who find themselves frustrated for not having jobs are able to rectify
that situation, Mr. Chairman, we sho uld be embracing
one another to look forward to the success of our tourism industry, our tourism product, and our Tourism
Authority.
Mr. Chairman, you can be assured that we as
a Cabinet hold the Minister accountable. It is the Pr emier’s call as to who ful fils that space. But our Tourism Minister works so hard. I think he has probably worked himself into a frenzy to the point that now he is
ill and unable to carry his brief. And I know that he
would not want for me to have done it, Mr. Chairman,
he would ha ve wanted to do it himself. Because that
Honourable Member, the Honourable and Learned
Shawn Crockwell, ought to be proud of the effort that
he has put into the tourism product.
And we are going to support him, Mr. Chai rman. We are going to ensure that the results that are
expected, the results for which the Tourism Authority
will be held liable and accountable, will be delivered.
With that said, Mr. Chairman, I would just like
to move Head 49 [sic] .

Members, the Minister, acting on behalf of the substantive Minister, has sought t o have
Head 48 of the Ministry of Tourism Development and
Transport approved.
Are there any objections?
No objections.
Approved.

[Gavel]

[Motion carried: The Ministry of Tourism Development and Transport, (Bermuda Tourism Authority) Head 48,
was approved and stands part of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year 2016/17.]

Thank you, Minister for Finance.
It has been moved, Members, that the Committee rise report progress and ask for leave to sit
again.
Is there an y objection to that motion?
No objection.
Agreed to.



Bermuda House of Assembly [Motion carried: The Committee of Supply agreed to
rise and report progress, and sought leave to sit
again.]
[Pause]

House resumed at 6:05 pm

[Hon. K. H. Randolph Horton, Speaker, in the Chair]

REPORT OF COMMITTEE

ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE
FOR THE YEAR 2016/17

Then the Chair will recogni se the Mini ster of Finance.

BILL

SECOND READING

GOVERNMENT LOANS AMENDMENT ACT 2016
Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to now ask the Honourable House to give consideration to the Bill entitled the Government Loans Amendment Act 2016.
The Bill seeks to amend the Act to provide for
an additional source of funding for the Government
Borrowing Sinking Fund by means of the sale of Government property.
The Government Loans Act 1978 provides for
the Government’s authorit y to borrow money, the
maximum amount that may be borrowed, and the establishment of a Sinking Fund by which to repay such borrowing and related matters.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in the Budget
Statement, Government owns billions of dollars worth of ass ets so despite our precarious debt situation, our
assets exceed our liabilities. Unfortunately, this does not help very much until and unless some of these assets can be converted into cash to assist us in
meeting our obligations.
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members will also
recall that I advised the House that during 2015 Government conducted a survey of the assets it owns but
does not need for any foreseeable purpose. I noted that a number of properties have been marked for
sale by way of public auction and that this will be done
in an orderly fashion so as not to distort the market. I
also announced that the proceeds of these sales will
be placed directly into the Sinking Fund for debt r eduction.
Selling assets to lower Government’s cash
borrowing requirement or reducing debt is not a new technique. Governments across the world have long
been exploring whether they could use their non-financial assets, such as land and buildings, to help
ease their deficit and debt burdens.
Mr. Speaker, the Government realis es that the
sale of Government assets is no panacea for our def icit and debt problems as the Government can only sell an asset once. Nevertheless, for governments
that are serious about bringing their spending in line
with revenues and reducing their debt, properly regulated asset sales can be a useful short -term tool. It
can also allow governments to reduce their debt and
improve their credit ratings.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that the proceeds
from our asset sale programme be primarily used to reduce o ur debt rather than to fund new programmes.
To meet this policy objective it is proposed to amend section 2 of the Government Loans Act 1978 and to
1496 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly allow proceeds from the sale of specified Government
land and properties to be paid into the Sinking Fund.
Honourable Members are aware that all land
and property sales require the prior approval of Parliament in accordance with section 8 of the Public Lands Act 1984, which empowers the Minister r esponsible for Works and Engineering—I guess it is
now just called the Minister for Public Works —to sell
Government land. It is proposed to supplement section 8 with a new section 8(2A) of the Act. This section
will not apply to all land sold, but land identified as suitable to sell for the purposes of providing additional
sources of funding for the Sinking Fund.
This means that the Minister responsible for
Works would only use the provisions of section 8(2A)
where the Government has identified land which can
be sold with the objective of paying all or some of the
proceeds of the land sold into the Sinking Fund. The
Minister responsible for Works would be required, under the proposed subsection, to obtain the prior approval of the legislature before selling the land and with respect to the amount of the proceeds of the land
sold that are being paid into the Sinking Fund. Where
Government land is being sold, generally to pay the
proceeds of the sale into the Consolidated Fund, the
Minister responsible for Works and Engineering has to
sell the land under the current provisions of section 8(1) of the Act.
To provide for the necessary checks and balances, Honourable Members can anticipate the appropriate Notices of Motion in due course, including
this one.
Mr. Speaker, Government remains committed
to prudent and sensible fiscal management and the disposal of non- strategic assets as a potential avenue
to reduce debt and improve budget balances.
With these few remarks, Mr. Speaker, I would
like to read the Bill for the second time, the Bill entitled the Government Loans Amendment A ct, and to invite
Members to participate.
Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the only question
that I have for the Minister is that the Minister has r epeatedly said that the Government has identified
properties that are excess to requirements, yet we have not yet heard about these properties that are
surplus to requirements. So one would hope that the Minister, while we
are considering this, would at least allow and share
what those properties are if they have identified . . .
that we heard in the Bud get Debate. We heard that
here, and it would be useful to understand what ex-actly the properties are because we have not heard
that today.
However, that much being said, asset sales
are not something that is particularly new or that is particularly novel. The Government wants asset sales
to go into the Sinking Fund and not be used in the
regular budget. That much is fine. The impact overall
is negligible because, I mean, the fact of the matter is
if Government has to make up money for services,
they are going to have to borrow money and it is not
going to necessarily affect net debt if the money that
is received from the proceeds of the sale is inside the Sinking Fund. So it kind of washes, it does not matter
where you put it, but if the Government wants to put it
in the Sinking Fund, that is perfectly fine.
The challenge really is, what are they selling?
On our side we have advocated . . . the last thing we
would like to see is that Government assets that may be needed in the future are just sold off because the
Government is looking around to get more money into
the Sinking Fund, from that aspect. So it just needs to
make sure that it is careful and considered.
The Minister has said that there is a strategy.
We have not heard the strategy; there have been no
Ministerial Statements about what the strategy is,
what the review is. I am sure that did not come up i nside of the Minister’s long four -hour brief the other day
when we were talking about Works and Engineering.
So once again we are here passing a Bill , but not
knowing exactly what the strategy is behind the Gov-ernment, or the land which you are looking to dispose
of.
So I would hope that the Minister would, at
least, enlighten us as to the strategy which Cabinet is
approaching on this issue so we can have a better
understanding in the House as to which properties are
looking to be sold.
Thank you.

Thank you.
Any other Honourable Member care to speak?
The Chair will recognise the Honourable
Learned Member from constituency 36, MP Michael
Scott.
You have the floor.
Hon. Michael J. Scott: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to reinforce what the
Shadow Finance Minister has asked. I once held a
portfolio of Government Estates, Minister, and was
looking at similar proposals about sales of assets excess to the Government’s needs. And it does involve
in some cases, and in some quarters, some contr oversy about selling off Government land. And it is patBermuda House of Assembly ently answerable to the whole question of transparency that this House, who is meant to vote on this,
understands, therefore, given that it has the capacity
for controversy, to know what the assets are that have been identified. I say this because civil servants advi sing me when we were looking at this, it was the first thing that we did.
So it cannot be said . . . I dare say, it cannot
be said that we do not know yet. I hope that is not the
answer that the Minister of Finance will propose to the
House, that was driving the entire intelligent examination of the sale of assets excess t o the needs when
civil servants advised me in a prior administration on
this whole question. So I know that the whole issue of
identifying likely assets and land is what has been
done and is the usual protocol and precursor to this
whole question as a matt er of policy.
So I hope we are going to hear this inform ation shared with us.

All right. Thank you, MP Scott.
The Chair will now recognise the Honourable
Member from constituency 35, MP Dennis Lister.

Hon. Dennis P. Lister: Thank you, Mr. S peaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am getting on my feet to r espond based on the comments that the Minister made
in his presentation. And, Minister, your presentation has somewhat of a conflict compared to the present ation that was made by the Minister who is respons ible
for these properties, as far as the Minister of Works, when he did his presentation under that Head. I do not
want to go back to those earlier debates, rules do not
allow that.
But, Mr. Speaker, clarification in that during
the debate on Works and Engineering the Minister
made reference to the properties, that there would be
a list of properties, still we do not know what [is on
the] list or how large it is. My question is basically are
we talking about a handful of properties or quite a few properties? But to this date no indication has been
given about the number, size, or state of the properties, whether it is buildings or just open land, et cetera,
et cetera.

[Inaudible interjection]

Hon. Dennis P. Lister: Islands?

[Inaudible interjection]

Hon. Dennis P. Lister: Okay. So, see, because no
clarification has been brought to this, there is all sorts of speculation going on. The question is simply we
have been asking you all of this time to provide some
clarity so the speculation goes off the table.
However, my point for rising, Mr. Speaker, is
that during the Budget Debate, and when you look in the Budget Book there is a line in the budget under Works and Engineering that identifies a figure that is
going to be realised on the books of the Works and
Engineering Ministry, the department, from sales of
these assets. The Minister clearly indicated that that is
going to be a profit that we are going to be making and putting into the Works and Engineering budget
from the sale of these assets.
Clearly, Mr. Speaker, if these monies are g oing to be used as part of the revenue realised and put
on the books of Works and Engineering, how are they
now going to be put into the Sinking Fund? Because this here indicates that they would be going into the
Consolid ated Fund. It shows here in the Budget Book
as funds realised by that particular ministry for that
particular ministry, they are funds considered as part
of the Consolidated Fund.

[Inaudible interjection]

Hon. Dennis P. Lister: But the Minister now is sa ying
that those funds are going into the Sinking Fund. So I
am seeking clarity because the two Ministers seem to
be at odds on this, Mr. Speaker.

Are there any other Honourable Members who care to speak?
Then, Minister, you have the floor.

Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
To answer the last speaker’s question first, in
Government all cash transactions go into the Consol idated Fund by default. What we are trying to do here
is make a provision for these special sales to go through the Consolidated Fund into the Sinking Fund.
Because every transaction the Government does by default goes into the Consolidated Fund —through the
Consolidated Fund. So there is no mystery or conflict
as far as that is concerned.
If we sold a proper ty and it was, say, a million
dollars, that million dollars would go into the Consol idated Fund. But it would be earmarked to go into the
Sinking Fund because the Sinking Fund . . . the way
the Act is structured now, it is not structured to receive
that mi llion dollars because right now the amount of
money that goes into the Sinking Fund is either ac-cording to the formula of 2.5 per cent of debt or from
what we did two years ago, the result of the proceeds
of a new financing. So we made that change too. R emember we did that; we had to change the Public
Treasury Act to accept excess funds that we borrowed. So it is exactly the same sort of thing. So there
is no mystery there.
Insofar as which properties are concerned,
well, it is up to the Minister of Public Works to advise
Parliament what those properties are, and which properties are . . . I know that the Honourable former
Minister, Member Scott . . . I know from conversations that we had that he was actively involved in doing that while he was the Minister . But this is basically a con1498 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly tinuation of that, except that I did not want any pr oceeds of sales to get lost in the Consolidated Fund
and get re- spent. That is the difference here.

Hon. Dennis P. Lister: May I have a clarification?
Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richa rds: Sure.

POINT OF CLARIFICATION

Hon. Dennis P. Lister: Minister, Mr. Speaker, point of
clarification.
So for clarity for this purpose then, all funds
realised will go into the Sinking Fund from the sale of these properties? All funds?
Hon. E. T. (Bob ) Richards: Well, we have given ourselves some flexibility in that respect, and you will see
that there is flexibility to have not all funds. But I know
the policy intent is to have the funds from these properties that have been identified, the proceeds of those
sales to go into the Sinking Fund. But the way the legislation here is structured it does not . . . it gives us
some flexibility in case something arises where we do
not have to put all the funds in there. But yes, that is
the intent.
And the purpose of this particular legislation is
just to amend the Government Loans Act to enable this to happen. When the Minister of Works is ready to
proceed, then he will come back here and advise ev erybody which properties there are.
So with that, Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill
be committed.

Members, we are now in Committee
of the Whole House for further consideration of the Bill entitled the
Government Loan Amendment Act 2016 .
I call on the Minister in charge to proceed.
Minister, you have the floor.
Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: Thank you, Madam
Chairman. This Bill, the Government Loans Amendment
Bill 2016, seeks to amend the Government Loans Act
1978 to provide for an additional source of funding for
the Bermuda Borrowing Sinking Fund by means of the
sale, with the prior approval of the Legisl ature, of identified land, the property of the Government, the pr oceeds of which will be paid into the Sinking Fund; and
to make consequential amendments to the Public
Lands Act 1984.
Madam Chairman, there are three clauses. I
would like to move all three of them.

Are there any objections to moving
the three clauses?
No. Please proceed.

Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: Thank you, Madam
Chairman.
Clause 1 provides the citation for the Bill.
Clause 2 amends the Government Loans Act
1978 in section 12(2) to insert a new paragraph (c) to
provide for an additional amount to be paid from the
Consolidated Fund into the Government Borrowing Sinking Fund. The additional amount is to consist of
the proceeds from the sale of land belonging to the
Government and which has been identified as suitable
for sale for the purpose of providing additional funding
for the Sinking Fund by the Government as approved
by the Legislature.
Clause 3 provides for a consequential
amendment to be made to the Public Lands Act 198 4
in section 8 by inserting a new subsection (2A) to e nable the Minister of Public Works, with the prior approval of the Legislature, to sell land which is the
property of the Government and that land which has
been identified as suitable for sale for the purposes of
funding for the Sinking Fund. The amount of the pr oceeds of the sale of the land to be paid into the Sinking Fund may be all of it or part of it, as approved by
the Legislature.
Those are three clauses, Madam
Chairman.

Thank you very much, Madam
Chairman.
Madam Chairman, there is a just a little bit of
confusion on my side. And the confusion comes from . . . it seems as though . . . I am hopeful the Minister
can explain, because when we were . . . I will give you
a clause just so I do not get pulled up.
But if we go with clause . . . say, for inst ance,
three. And clause 3 says that the money shall be
transferred into the Sinking Fund, but there is, I guess,


Bermuda House of Assembly nothing in the estimates [of revenue and expenditure]
that shows money that might get transferred into the
Sinking Fund. It is recorded on the revenue side, but
there is nothing that shows the transfer.
The amounts for the Sinking Fund contribution
do not show an extraordinary amount of the Sinking Fund contribution. They do not show an increase, so
we basically see the revenue is being increased by
$3.4 million . . . I am sorry, by $3 million for asset
sales inside of the estimates, and the expenditure.
And when we look at the consolidation, on the Sinking
Fund contribution line, the Sinking Fund is 2.5 per
cent of net debt. So the contribution is 2.5 per cent of
net debt, which is [what it is] supposed to be. That
figure is correct; matched upon the net debt amount.
But the revenue is being recorded as the $3 million
into the Consolidated Fund as the Shadow Minister for Works said. However, we do not see a corresponding
increase in the contribution, or I guess, the transfer
into the Sinking Fund.
So the question is, are we double counting the
revenue or have we just ignored this whole $3 million
that is supposed to come insofar as the adjustment s
which are coming? Because some way it does not
look like the numbers were properly added up. And I
am hoping the Minister can help to explain how that is
supposed to be.
If the $3 million is supposed to go into the
Sinking Fund, and it goes to the Consolidated Fund first, then one would think that the Sinking Fund contribution would be increased by $3 million to show that
offset. So there would be an actual and accurate representation of what the net . . . the ending deficit
would be. But if you are putt ing the $3 million into the
Consolidated Fund and not increasing the Sinking Fund balance that means that you are reducing your
deficit, or showing what your budget deficit will be, by
$3 million when that is actually not the case.
So I am hoping the Mini ster can clarify that for
me.

Thank you very much.
The Chair recognises the Minister.

Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: Thank you, Madam
Chairman.
I mean, the Honourable Member has a point,
but the answer to the question is that the flow through
of the money, the proceeds, has not been anticipated
to go to the Sinking Fund in the budget. That is all. In
other words, if we sell the $3.5 million of assets (as I
said to the Honourable Member previous), by default,
everything goes through the [Consol idated] Fund. The
second step of transferring it into the Sinking Fund has not been accounted for in the budget at this time.
But it has not happened yet. And when it happens it
will get done. But we do not have the ability to do it
and this legislation gi ves us the ability to do it.

Thank you, Madam Chairman.
I will be quick, I guess. But I guess the challenge that I have is the fact that the estimates are then
not correct. Because if you are going to sell the $3
million and you are going to tell us that the Gover nment policy is that you are going to transfer the $3
million to the Sinking Fund, you should reflect that in your budget. But if you are not going to . . . that is
what is not making sense to me.
I understand what the Minister is saying that it
is not recorded. But the quest ion is, Are you going to
transfer it or are you not going to transfer it? Because
if you are, then you should have your numbers act ually reflect what the budget will actually be, and that
means that the deficit will be $3 million larger, if that is
what they are going to do.
They are counting the revenue into the Consolidated Fund; however, if they are going to transfer additional money out of there . . . so they are counting
the revenue into the Consolidated Fund but they are
not in any way showing the money that is going to be
transferred out of the Consolidated Fund.
If we are approving those estimates, then
what? Do we have to have a supplementary for a transfer to a different fund later? Is that what is expected? Because surely what we are approving inside
of the budget should be what is actually going to be
done by the Government.

Thank you, Member.
The Chair recognises the Minister.
Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: Madam Chairman, if the
funds were transferred into the Sinking Fund it would
reduce . . . it would be like an expense to the Go vernment. So that expense has not been shown.
But we cannot transfer those funds in the
budget until we actually realise the proceeds of the sale of the assets. So there is nothing sinister or my sterious about this because, you know, if it flows
through to the Sinking Fund, if we decide to take some extra money and put it into the Sinking Fund it
would increase the deficit.
You know, the contributions to the Sinking
Fund come out of Government coffers. So remember
this is accounting for the Consolidated Fund here.
There is nothing mysterious about this. It is a fact that we have not accounted for the removal of the pr o1500 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly ceeds from sale of the assets to the Sinking Fund and
we will not account for them until those proceeds m aterialise, and then they will be accounted . . . they will
be transferred into the Sinking Fund.
And so the estimates are accurate as we
speak. When that happens then it gets transferred
over there.

Are there any other Members that
would like to speak to clauses 1 through 3?
The Chair recognises the Member from constituency 35.

Hon. Dennis P. Lister: Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Minister, can you confirm whether the amount
that is indicated in the Budget Book that will be rea lised from sales is the full anticipated amount of that
complete list or is that number just a partial, it repr esents a partial figure of the total list to be sold? Or
does it represent the full list?

Thank you.
The Chair recognises the Minister.

Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: First, I would like to e mphasise that the $3.5 million is an “estimate” of what
the proceeds could be. All right? That is the first thing.

[Inaudible interjection]

Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: Okay, I thought it was
three and a half.
Anyway, it is an esti mate of what the pr oceeds will be. But that is an estimate of the aggregate
amount that we will realise from selling the properties that are on the list to be sold.

Hon. Dennis P. Lister: The entire list?

Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: Yes.

Thank you very much, Madam
Chairman.
Madam Chairman, I am not going to belabour
the point. I just want to make sure that we are clear
that the Minister is estimating revenue to come to the
Government but is not estimating the expenses of transferring that money to the Sinking Fund. And that
is fine, but that is what he is telling us here. So that
means that the estimates that are listed here are
probably a little b it off stated.

It ha s been moved that the Bill be
reported to the House—
Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: As printed.



Bermuda House of Assembly The Chairman: As printed.
Are there any objections to that motion?
No objections.
Agreed to.

[Gavel]

[Motion carried: The Government Loans Amendment
Act 2016 was considered by a Committee of the
whole House and passed without amendment.]

[Pause]

House resumed at 6:35 pm

[Hon. K. H. Randolph Horton, Speaker, in the Chair]

REPORT OF COMMITTEE

Thank you, Premier.
Any objections to that?
Please carry on, Premier.
Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, and Honourable Members of this
House, I rise this evening to introduce the Bill entitled
the Referendum (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2016.
The Bill seeks to require that a Referendum
be held on two specific questions regarding same- sex
relationships. It also seeks to apply to a referendum the same procedure for preparing and publishing the
register as it is used for a parliamentary election.
Mr. Speaker, you will know that the matter of
same -sex relationships is a highly emotive issue.
Honourable colleagues will recall that this Gover n-ment committed to hearing all sides of the issue relating to same- sex marriage and civil unions. Extensive
research has been undertaken to fully underst and
how other jurisdictions have addressed same- sex r elationships and the findings have been shared with the general public.
Mr. Speaker, it is agreed that this is a matter
of fundamental rights and freedoms of an individual. Further, it is accepted that all rights and views are
equally important and to this end we have made every
effort to listen and try to understand the divergent views expressed by the people of Bermuda.
That said, Mr. Speaker, we are also compelled to adhere to the Supreme Court ruling in the
matter of the Bermuda Bred Company v. the Minister
of Home Affairs and the Attorney General . In this r egard the Chief Justice ruled that the non- Bermudian
same -sex partners of Bermudians who are in a permanent relationship are entitled to live and work in
Bermuda free of immigration control.
Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that this ruling
has challenged our policies and legal framework and
added a new dimension to the same- sex relationship
discussion.
Though this ruling is specific to an immigrat ion
matter it has far -reaching implications. As a result of
the ruling, the Government was required to undertake
a wide ranging policy and legislative review so that we
might fully appreciate the implications and make necessary changes.
Mr. Speaker, honourable colleagues will a lready know that the Chief Justice imposed an aggres-sive timeline. His declaration in the Bermuda Bred matter came into effect on 29 February 2016. In r esponse to the court ruling the Government has taken two definitive steps. In February the Government t abled in this Honourable House the Matrimonial Causes Amendment Bill 2016 that seeks to confirm
that notwithstanding the Human Rights Act 1981, marriage remains exclusively a relationship between a
man and a woman. Further, the Government has ci rculated for consultation a draft Civil Union Bill 2016
that seeks to make provision for the formalisation and registration of a relationship between same- sex co uples to be known as a civil union.
This Government recognises that the people
of Bermuda are divided on the issue of same- sex rel ationships and the legal construct that should apply. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members of this Honourable House I also believe are divided on this issue. And
while broad agreements have been advanced for and
against the use of a referendum on the issue of samesex relationships, referendum power is conferred by
the Referendum Act 2012 and is subject to a r esponse to the question by 50 per cent of the regi stered voters.
Mr. Speaker, this Referendum represents a
form of direct democracy. The electorate will be i nvited to confirm their position on the Legislative
1502 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly framework that Bermuda should adopt to recognise
same -sex relationships. The questions are simple and
straightforward:
1. Are you in favour of same- sex marri age in
Bermuda?
2. Are you in favour of same -sex civil unions in
Bermuda?

Mr. Speaker, in May 2015, Ireland held a referendum on same- sex marriage. Globally the courts
have become actively engaged in opining on a series
of challenges to relating to this issue.
Honourable Members will know, as it has
been widely reported, that on June 26, 2015 the
United States Supreme Court ruled in the matter of
Obergefell v. Hodges that state level bans on samesex marriage are unconstitutional. Reports further
state that t he denial of marriage licences to same- sex
couples and the refusal to recognise those marriages
performed in other jurisdictions violates the due process and the equal protection clauses of the 14th
Amendment of the United States Constitution.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, in 2015 the Eur opean Court stated in Oliari v. Italy, that Italy was in
breach of Article 8 —the right to family life—by not
recognising some kind of union between same- sex
couples.
Earlier, Mr. Speaker, I spoke to the issue of
Bermuda Bred and the court ruling. Similar to other
jurisdictions the Bermuda Courts require Bermuda to
recognise some kind of same- sex relationship. The
Same Sex Relationship Referendum will allow voters
to express a preference with regard to same- sex ma rriage and civil unions.
Mr. Speaker, a number of issues will inevit ably arise in regard to the administration and logistics
of holding a referendum. It should be noted, however,
that this is not the first referendum to be held in Bermuda.
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members will recall
the Capital Punishment Referendum Act 1989. The
referendum was held on the question of whether or
not capital punishment for premeditated murder is f avoured in Bermuda. Honourable Members will also recall the Independence Referendum Act 1995. This referendum was held on the question of whether or
not independence is favoured in Bermuda.
Mr. Speaker, the referendum process will be
managed by the Office of the Parliamentary Registrar.
This Office is an election management body that is
charged wit h the duty of conducting free and fair elections and referenda whilst upholding an ensuring the integrity of the democratic process. Mr. Speaker, the
same process that the Office of the Parliamentary
Registrar applies to voter registration during the par-liamentary election process will apply to the referendum voter registration process. This will ensure clarity
and streamlined administration. Honourable Members can expect that the O ffice of the Parliamentary Registrar will extend a seven- day registration period once the notice for a
referendum is published by the Premier. Mr. Speaker,
it is expected that the number of polling stations will
not be as great as the number of constituencies, but
there will be Island- wide coverage. The number of
polling stations is expected to be in the region of 12.
Each polling station will be equipped to facilitate voting for at least 3,600 voters.
Mr. Speaker, in coming weeks the Office of
the Parliamentary Registrar will facilitate an awar eness campaign designed to educate voters. This
campaign will focus on educating the public on what it
means to have a referendum, the percentage of voters and the percentage of votes required before the question is taken to be answered in the affirmative or
negative, and how the results will be interpreted.
Mr. Speaker, the people of Bermuda are divided on the issue of same- sex relationships. Before
taking any further action the Government requires
some clarity. Holding a referendum on the issue of
same -sex relationships will provide this Hon ourable
House with a clear understanding of the will of the
people.
With those comments, Mr. Speaker, I now i nvite honourable colleagues to participate.
Thank you, sir.

Thank you, Honourable Premier.
The Chair will now recognise the Honour able
Leader of the Opposition from constituency 26, MP
Marc Bean.
You have the floor.

Hon. Marc A. R. Bean: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and
good evening to you and good evening to honourable
colleagues.
Mr. Speaker, I stand on behalf of the Loyal
Opposition to state that our position as a party is in
support of this Referendum Bill.
Now, let me also make something clear, Mr.
Speaker, that on issues such as this, there is usually . . . we remove the Whip, okay. So Members are able
to express themselves freel y about any ramifications
whether they are for or against. But generally speaking, as a party we are in favour, although you might
have some Members who get up and say that they
are against. But that is the nature of this type of Bill.
All right?
And so, Mr. Speaker, again, we encourage
the use of referenda on very serious questions. And that includes not just questions relating to one’s sexual orientation (if that is the right word to use), but also
on gaming, gambling and other issues of morality.
Unfortunately . . . unfortunately, the Government has seen fit to bring a referendum in this case. Yet, as you
know, Government has historically avoided referenda
even after a promise for it in other cases.


Bermuda House of Assembly That contradiction, Mr. Speaker, only the
Government can answer. But for our part, we think
that this is the best approach to really test the views of
the populace, because at this time if you were to listen to the media you would think that either everyone is
for or everyone is against. It all depends on what is
the lens you are actually looking through, Mr.
Speaker.
There are some issues though that even in
terms of the holding of the referendum and the question that you will find in clause 3. Some could say that
it is a question or questions that either could be set up
for failure or set up for success. In fact, because it is a
dual question I think there could be some uncertainty
as to how we measure the true feelings of the populace, because it is a dual question. You can have
some people saying, Yes, I’m fo r one, but not the
other . And then you have others who say, Yes, we’re
for both. And then the other group says, No for anything. So how do you get 51 per cent, I would think is
the—

[Inaudible interjection]

Hon. Marc A. R. Bean: Right? Fifty -one per cent of
the vote. I think that it is going to be difficult because a
dual question that really presents three different options might create some difficulty if the Government is looking for a response that is definitive from the people of this country.
But aga in, Mr. Speaker, that is something that
the Government is going to have to grapple with. Again, they have determined rather expeditiously, or
without too much thought, Mr. Speaker . . . all of a sudden they are now bringing this Referendum Bill.
But three or four weeks ago that was not the case. We
know that this was political expediency. We know that
there are issues on the other side in regards to this
topic. We have heard it; we have seen it.
And so it is going to be interesting to see what
type of cont ributions and what type of votes, whether
for or against, you will receive from the other side, because make no mistake, even though we have one
or two on this side whose position is clear, it is obv ious that it is absolute confusion on that side, Mr.
Spea ker.

[Inaudible interjections]

Hon. Marc A. R. Bean: It is confusion. Well, I am not
trying to . . . it is confusion. Okay? You can deny it.
They can deny it all they like, Mr. Speaker.
But it is confusion. And, Mr. Speaker, I can understand it. All right? That is what happens when you
dabble with major issues, when you have narrow self -
interest, or special interests forcing you to consider something that you yourself do not want to consider.
You find yourself [between] a rock and a hard place. But ne vertheless, regardless of the rock and
the hard place, Mr. Speaker, ultimately this Bill is go-ing to submit the question to the people themselves
and, obviously, we will have to govern ourselves accordingly.
Mr. Speaker, those are my brief remarks and I
am sure there are one or two other Members who
would like to contribute.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wanted to speak this evening
on this Bill. I do not believe that the Referendum Act is
the Bill for us to be expressing where we stand on
either side. I believe it is a discussi on around having a
referendum.
And, you know, the common theme that we
have heard from the Opposition over the last week or
so is that the One Bermuda Alliance Government
does not listen to the people. And they have been
saying that the One Bermuda Alliance does not consult the people and we do not consult the community.
Well, Mr. Speaker, I believe this issue, as ot hers, but in particular this issue is the one time that we
can definitely say that the One Bermuda Alliance has
listened to the people.
[Inaudible interjections]

We have had Ministers that
have put in hard work through their ministries to be
able to get information on civil unions and same- sex
marriages and the impacts they will have. The impacts
they have had around the world. And we have had
town halls and information sessions, and we have
consulted the people every step of the way, Mr.
Speaker, right up into the, I believe it was last week
when the Minister laid the information paper on civil unions so that people can have a look at what it entails before we even have a referendum.
So, you know, we are doing everything to
meet the people halfway here. And believe me, Mr.
Speaker, it is no easy task. We recognise that not
everybody will be happy with the decisions that we make, and it may not eve n solve all the legal issues
1504 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly that we find ourselves in. But what we are at least tr ying to do with this, Mr. Speaker, is gauge the comm unity to see where they stand on a very, very important
and difficult issue for the Government.
And there has been much talk in the comm unity about where people lay on, you know, where they stand when it comes to civil unions in the first place.
Are the majority in favour, are a minority in favour?
And I do believe that the referendum will bring some
clarity to that questio n that has been on the street.
And I have always stated internally and externally that
I do not believe personally that there is a majority on
one side, as people may believe. But I do not know.
We will see when we get to the referendum.
But, you know, I do not think that I have to talk
too long on this, but what I will say before I take my
seat, Mr. Speaker, is that through every controversial
issue that the One Bermuda Alliance has had presently and we find ourselves in, you know, the quiet
Opposition would have been able to do this under
their term, but they did not because they do not collect the . . . they do not have the political will to make the
hard decisions.

Hon. Marc A. R. Bean: Point of order. Point of order,

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, whether I am personally and/or
my constituents are supporting or opposing the referendum, at this point is neither here or there. The
ques tion that I do have is with respect to the fact that
we have two questions that some may argue could be
diametrically opposed. And what do I mean by that, Mr. Speaker?
When you look at the actual Referendum Act,
it speaks to the provisions as to . . . in S chedule 2 in
particular, how the questions are supposed to be laid out. And according to the Act, which we are amending, it says . . . for example, this would say, Do you
agree with same- sex marriage? Yes or no. So you tick
the box. And then question 2, Do you agree with
same- sex civil unions? Yes or no. And you tick the
box.
Well, Mr. Speaker, I am not a mathematician
but it seems as if we have at least 10 different perm utations possible with respect to these two questions that are requiring a yes or no answer.
Mr. Speaker, the substantive legislation also
calls for the fact that in order for there to be a “yes,”
you must have 50 per cent of the registered voters
participate in the referendum; and 50 per cent vote
yes. That would mean it would be an affirmative a nswer. Or, alternatively, if it is a negative answer, you
must have 50 per cent of the registered voters partic ipate and 50 per cent answer negative. So that prob ably ups the ante to at least 20 permutations that could
be possible with the two questi ons as [they] are
phrased.
For example, Mr. Speaker, we could have
50 per cent of the registered voters say “yes” to samesex marriage, and 49 per cent say “no” to same sex -
civil unions. Or alternatively, Mr. Speaker, we could have 51 per cent say “no” to same- sex marriages and
49 per cent say “yes” to civil unions. The point I am
trying to make, Mr. Speaker, is that there seems to be
a number of possible scenarios and possible permut aBermuda House of Assembly tions based on the two questions that are being
asked.
And when you read it with the actual Act, it
provides for how you can get an affirmative vote or a
negative vote. And I suspect that the Honourable
Member who is leading this debate will perhaps give
us some explanation or some further guidance b ecause I have been unable t o find examples in other
jurisdictions where there have been two questions that
can either be termed as diametrically opposed or sim ilar on a referendum ballot.
Oftentimes you might find one question r elates specifically to something like, i.e., the envir onment. And another question may relate specifically to
something completely unrelated to the environment,
such as a criminal code amendment or the like, som ething like that. But here we have a situation where we
know because this has been a hot topic item of discussion within our jurisdiction, there are some people
that are in favour of same- sex marriage and not in
favour of civil unions and vice versa. There are some
people that do not support either. And there are some people that support both.
So we ha ve a number of possible permut ations that can possibly result from this and I am just wondering how the Government can proceed with tr ying to get the pulse of the people when we have the potential of having so many different variables that go into this iss ue with respect to the two questions, when
you read the Act, sorry, this proposed amendment, in
conjunction with the Referendum Act 2012, which sets
out the parameters and the requirements for when
something would be viewed as in the affirmative and
as a negative.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I have attended a number of
public meetings on this topic. I have also attended a
number of private meetings on this topic. And one
pamphlet came out and it was issued by “Preserve
Marriage Bermuda,” Mr. Speaker, and a statement in
that pamphlet caused me t o believe that the referendum was the right thing to do.
And why do I say that, Mr. Speaker? If you will
allow me —

Basically it says, same -sex
civil unions will redefine marriage. It says the redefin ition of marriage results in a reordering of society, r estructuring the family unit, and a radical cultural
change. Everybody knows, Mr. Speaker, the family is
the cornerstone for our society. You get the family
right, you get society right. And in that light because it
is such a cultural change, because it is such a societal
change, I think it is only right that we have a referen-dum on this issue because it is going to impact many
generations going forward and it will change the face
of Bermuda. It will change our families. And I am not
saying whether it is going to change it for bad or
worse, or good. All I am saying is it will change.
Mr. Speaker, we will have to change some of
our curriculums in school. We will have to change some of the infrastructure in our buildings.
Mr. Speaker, we will have to change some of
our curricula in school. We will have to change some of the infrastructure in our buildings. And so, in the
end, I think it is only right that we present a referen-dum to the people of this country on suc h a topic that
will have an everlasting impact on the structure of our
families.
Mr. Speaker, I read an article by a young
Bermudian who is studying for his Ph.D. in Britain. His
name is Ben Greening. He wrote an article. And he is
doing his Ph.D. in Hist ory from the London School of
Economics and Political Science. He had a few comments that I thought were very interesting, if you
would allow me. He says, “In the long run, the Go vernment’s response must take account of Bermuda’s
political and social reali ties, as well as the need to end
unfair discrimination.”
He says, “rushing through legislation to
change the definition of marriage before the next election would be the wrong response.” He says we must, basically, as was said earlier, feel the pulse of t he
community. We must have a mandate to change the structure of our society, to change the structure of our
families, going forward. He said that way we can become more at peace with each other and will begin to
respect each other’s differences and also respect the differences as far as family composition is concerned.
Mr. Speaker, he said, you know, we just cannot rush into this. So in the end, as a gay man . . . and I am not speaking out of school, he says that he is a gay person, and he is in a gay relationship in London,
and that the only reason that he is not home is b ecause he could not bring his partner back here. B ecause he did not feel that he would have a comfor table life. And I respect him for his opinion.
Mr. Speaker, having said that and havin g
taken the position that I have, I believe that having the referendum is the right thing to do because it will
impact all of Bermuda and it will impact the structure of our families, moving forward. But I also have concerns about how do we address the mi nority? If we
have a referendum and the result is that gay marriages are not allowed, civil unions are not allowed,
how do we address that? Because these minorities
have a right to family life. They have a right to be with
1506 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly whom they want to be with. They have a right to enjoy
the benefits of other solid marital relationships.
Mr. Speaker, my other concern is that if we go
with the same- sex marriage as a result of the referendum or the civil unions, and there are adoptive chi ldren, how do we protect the chi ldren’s rights, Mr.
Speaker? Because we know that each child deserves and has a right to be with his mother and his father.
That is a right. In civil unions, in gay marriages, in
those cases it is about adopting a child, a child who
will be raised with fat her and father, or mother and
mother. Who is going to protect the child’s rights? The
parent couples have made a decision for themselves.
But what decision have they made to ensure that the
rights of their child are adhered to? What decisions have they made to ensure that the rights of their child
to be with his mother and father are protected?
Evidence has shown that a child does well if
he is raised in a loving environment with both parents,
mother and father. And I am not negating the fact that
you can have a loving environment to raise a child in a same -sex relationship. Because surely, Mr. Speaker,
we know that there are male- and-female traditional
marriages that have children and the environment is
not loving. And you know that this also has a detr imental effect on our children.
So again, I will support the Referendum Act,
Mr. Speaker, because this is a decision that will i mpact the structure of Bermuda’s society. It will impact
the structure of our families. In addition, Mr. Speaker,
what is the norm for us, our generation, our Baby -
boom generation is different from what our children
live and see. We all live in the same society, but we all travel in different spaces. I know that our young people, the Millenniums, they do not care. Same- sex rel ationsh ips are the norm for some of them. They have
been to school in England, they have been to school
in Canada. It is prevalent. It is again our seniors, pe ople who are more mature who have not been exposed to these types of relationships who are having challenges with this.
But again, it can be because of religious reasons. It can be because of, in some cases, fundamental principles. But at the end of the day, because this
is emotive and because this will basically impact the
structure of Bermudian families going forward, I will support the referendum on same- sex marriages. B ecause Bermuda must have a say in this important i ssue. And we must also, in having this referendum, not forget and not address the issues that face the minor ities, i.e., our children and those people who may
come out on the negative end of the referendum.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and
good evening, colleagues.
Mr. Speaker, how ironic is it that today of all
days we will debate and, presumably, pass this Referendum Bill when we have had a series of arduous events about the necessity of this proces s for deciding
a very controversial issue. Earlier this year, and I believe late last year, the substantive Minister respons ible for these matters had a series of public information
sessions. The Government had not come to a pos ition. And they had a series of meetings. I am not sure
how many, but there were a number of meetings in which people were able to express their views, share
their proposals, and encourage Government to undertake particular courses of action.
The Government recognised that it was a
complex issue. The Government recognised that it is an emotional issue. And therefore, it required a great
deal of consideration. If you juxtapose the Gover nment’s handling of this issue to another equally impor-tant and emotive and divisive issue, we see t wo co mpletely different pathways to addressing these respective matters, Mr. Speaker. And so, it begs the question, how is it that the Government can consider one
issue to be a matter of profound human rights and
adopt a unilateral position in terms of dealing with it,
and yet another —this one —decide that it should be
subjected to the will of the people by way of a referendum?
So the juxtaposition raises questions about
the seriousness with which the Government undertakes to address these issues. Mr. Spe aker, the Honourable Premier in his
remarks referred to two earlier referenda dealing with equally controversial issues. What the Honourable
Premier neglected to mention was the process in
1989 and then again in 1995 which profoundly af-fected how the refer enda were received by the community.
The first one was the referendum on the death
penalty. Every single survey that was taken around
that time showed that over 80 per cent of the popul ation supported the death penalty. The Government
had a referendum in 1 989, but because it was not
binding, all it was a very expensive public opinion poll.
I could have done that survey for a lot less money
than what the referendum cost. So what is the point of
doing a referendum if it does not bind the Government
to those r esults?
We had a second referendum in 1995, the ill -
fated Independence Referendum, which was a bizarre referendum, Mr. Speaker, because the Referendum
Bill was passed by a Government that was divided on
the issue and led to a division in the community. The
Opposition at that time, which is the Opposition this
time, found the referendum to be problematic in its
design, and therefore called on its membership to boycott the referendum —a very odd decision.


Bermuda House of Assembly I think history will record that that was a failure
on the part of the Progressive Labour Party, having
(as you know, Mr. Speaker) been in support of independence since its formation and having indepen dence enshrined in its constitution. Why on earth would
you actually boycott the referendum?
But the referendum had a 57 per cent turnout.
So it seems that the boycott campaign actually succeeded. And those who were against it got the victory that they believed that they desired, or that they
earned. But that was a binding referendum. And the
Premier at the time, John Swan, said that if the result
was not in favour of independence, he would resign
as premier! The result was the result that we all know,
Mr. Speaker. And therefore, the Premier resigned.
So, the first referendum was not binding. The
second referendum was binding. And I assumed, be-fore the Premier gave his remarks, Mr. Speaker, that
this referendum would also be binding. But I now hear
the Premier say the referendum will help guide the
Government in how it fashions its policy. So we are
having another expensive public opinion poll. If you
are not bound by a referendum, why on earth would
you do it? Why would you do it? It is a waste of money
on one level.
I have a few reasons why I oppose this referendum, Mr. Speaker. One is that it is not binding. And
that was not my reason when I came to debate this
issue, Mr. Speaker, because I assumed that it was
binding. So unless I have misunderstood the Pr emier’s comments . . . I would like to get clarification,
because it seemed to suggest that it is not binding. What is the point of having a Referendum Bill, a Referendum Act if the results are not binding?
Another problematic part, Mr. Speaker, is that
the Government is not leading on the issue. Leadership is not that you have a referendum. Leadership is
what is your position on the issue? And if the Go vernment can take a very controversial and emotive issue, as we have seen expressed inside and outside of Parliament of late, Mr. Speaker, why can it not do
the same for another issue that is directly related to
human rights? So I am baffled by this Government’s
approach to have a referendum on such an issue.
Three years ago, Mr. Speaker, when the
Amendment to the Human Rights Act was tabled in this Parliament by this Government the argument was
that, We the OBA Gov ernment will act where the PLP
failed. We will take controversial issues. We will take a
position on it, based on human rights. And so, the two
words and a comma amendment was made to include
sexual orientation in the Human Rights Act. But now we see the G overnment caving in to what I would
term, Mr. Speaker, a reactionary element in this coun-try, who do not want us to live in the twenty -first ce ntury.
And that applies to anyone who believes that
in twenty -first century Bermuda, we should not have a
legal f ramework for people of same- sex to live and be recognised by the law, by the courts. It is just inappr opriate that in the twenty -first century, we would subject
this to the will [of the people], by way of a referendum,
and the Government not take a position. I think that
that is appropriate.
There is a high probability that the referendum
will fail. And when I say “fail,” it will not pass. We will
look like a reactionary so- called modern government
in the twenty -first century, because there will be po werful forces mobilising against . . . what surely must be a just and appropriate response to twenty -first ce ntury sensibilities that you should recognise the rights
that people have irrespective of sexual orientation.
So, as we heard earlier this week, we wi ll
have our say, and somebody else will have their way. That is the way Government goes. I guess we cannot
really critique that a whole lot.
Mr. Speaker, we have two questions in this
Referendum Bill. (What is the wording again?) Do you
support same- sex u nions? and Do you support samesex marriage? We will get a very clear result because
people will vote yes or no to the first question. And out
of 100, it will be out of 100 per cent. So you will know
what the clear result is. People will say yes or no to
the second question. You will get a very clear result.
But the clarity of those results will not determine Government action. And that is the most troubling part about this particular legislation. What is
possible, Mr. Speaker, I am just thinking aloud. I am
not sure anyone has contemplated such an undertaking or a campaign. But it may well be that you get a
less-than- 50 per cent turnout. Because remember, in
the 1989 referendum the Premier did not give that
turnout in his remarks. I think the turnout was about
30 per cent, because it was a joke because it was not
binding on Government. I do not know why anyone
would participate in a very expensive public opinion
poll on an issue where the Government should really
be demonstrating leadership.
I would encourage people who want to see a
sane approach to recognise that same- sex relationships and couples and marriage and so forth not even to participate. Because even if you have a 50- plus per
cent turnout, and it is no, the Government will be
somewhat bound by that decision. If there is a less -
than- 50 per cent turnout, then it is invalid. So that
might one approach to take if this is a reactionary approach.
I know we have differences across the aisles
and so forth on this issue. But I will speak my conscience o n this matter, Mr. Speaker. I am disappointed that we are going this route, because I
thought we were becoming a more modern society.
And I am not sure if there is any room to change an ything. But this Bill will be passed. It will be an expe nsive opinion poll taken later this year, I suspect. And it
will have no determining impact on the Government.
So I am not really sure what the intent of this legisl ation is, other than to placate a reactionary element in
1508 11 March 2016 Official Hansard Report

Bermuda House of Assembly this community. And we certainly should not be
spending $0.5 million to placate people who do not
want to live in twenty -first century Bermuda.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Good evening, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much.
As the Honourable Member who just took his
seat, he is a learned guy, too . . . but he and I are of-ten ad idem on many things. And I know on this human rights issue, he and I are ad idem , as are a number of our other colleagues. And we are ad idem. And
I am ad idem with many of the things that he has said
tonight in this regard. And the Opposition Leader
touched on i t. He said, you know, it is a matter of conscience. He has announced that as a party his party
supports the referendum.
I join with the Member who took his seat in
that I wish we did not have to go through all of this. You know, for me, if it was a 99 per cent outcome
against a union or a marriage, it would not move me. I
know where I stand. I know where my conscience
stands on this.
I am taking the opportunity to speak because,
like what happened in Ireland. Nobody would have thought it, Mr. Speaker, of Ireland, because of its
steep tradition in Catholicism, that it would carry the
day. And it did—overwhelmingly. And my hope is that
in having a referendum we can demonstrate to the
world that as a people we are with the modern world,
that we are in recognition that it is the twenty -first ce ntury, that we recognise, as I raised the other night in
my speech, two things: One, the first question, Are
you a human being? (And these are questions I would love to see; I am being a bit facetious.) But, Are you a
human being? And the answer to that is yes. The
second question is, As a human being, are you ent itled the same rights as any other human being? to
which the answer is yes. Thank you. Good night .
How much further can you take it than that?
And I am going to speak on this on every single occ asion I am in this place, in any other place that I can,
and keep banging the drum, Mr. Speaker, that it is a
human rights issue! Whether you like it, because you
are heterosexual so it does not vibe with you and you
find it peculiar, whether you do not approve because
of your religious conviction, I do not care what your
reasons are for being against. I want people to start
on that question: Are you a human being? And then
go to question two, in my referendum, and say, As a
human being, are you entitled the same rights as
every other human being? So the reason why I will vote for the referendum (my party has brought it) is that it is on the basis
of a hope, on the basis of a hope that I could be part
of having and imploring people in this country to vote
affirmatively for this, on both questions, on both ques-tions. But I do not care. I said it the other night, because the law —and the law is going to trickle down to
here—commands that we ensure on a human rights
basis that t here is a framework for same- sex couples
to enjoy the same rights in a relationship, in a union,
in a partnership, in a marriage, as heterosexual cou-ples. And it is as simple as that.
And people need to put aside their prejudice
because it does not vibe w ith their lifestyle or it does
not vibe with their religious conviction, or whatever it
does not vibe with, and look at the age that we are
living in. And study a little bit of history and see, over the centuries, how much bigotry and hatred and wars
and v iolence and misery there has been in the exi stence of the world because one group of people said,
We are not to allow that group of people to have the
same rights that we have. We do not regard that
group as being on the same level as we are; that they are a different category of a human being.
What does the history of the world tell us
about that approach, Mr. Speaker? Because these are
the same arguments that are going on here in relation
to this issue of rights for gay people. That is how it
started. We only got to that last year on two words
and a comma in sexual orientation, and rights for
those people to enjoy the same rights as anyone else.
And I know . . . I know even in my own party —
I know in the other party, I know in the public —that
(hmm! ) there are no political lines on this one. There
are no political lines here. This is all over the shop.
That is the one thing I kind of like. There is a lot of
mix-up on this issue, on this one. That is why it has to
be this way. There is a lot of mix -up on thi s issue. And
it is kind of good to see, because at least that creates,
you know, the right type of debate amongst us all,
without having to draw any political lines on it.
So, fine! You know, here we go. We will go to
referendum. We will have people come back and have
the chance to express themselves and say, I’ll tick this
box, or, I’ll tick that box. I will not be moved. If it is
90 per cent, do you think I am going to go home and
rethink it? I am not. Do you think I am going to tell my
children or teach them something different? I am not.
Do you think I am going to come here and say, Oh,
well, colleagues. Now that this has gone a certain
way, I’m slightly moved. That will never happen while I
draw breath, because it will always be a human rights
issue. I t will always be, for me, and I think for right -
thinking people, a human rights issue, that there must
be a framework for same -sex couples to have the
same rights.
And this, to me, is about semantics, about
(what do you want to call it?) marriage, civil union. I
say marriage is a word and everybody gets hung up


Bermuda House of Assembly on it. The church marries you. Court divorces you.
Church marries you. You do not go to church and stand in front of the minister and say, Look. We’re
done. It’s not working, Minister. Can we have a reprieve or whatever? That does not work like that. You
go down there to the court. You know what the court
document says? The marriage is dissolved. The marriage is over. The marriage is terminated. That is what
it is. It is a legal word, a legal word.
But, you know, we have to go this route. And
like it happened in Ireland, they did it on the basis of saying, We want to have and make a statement to the
world. And there was a campaign for it. So I kind of
landed on the page of saying, Let’s have that. Let’s
have that, because the hope in my heart that the
Bermudian people will see it en masse as a human
issue. And then I will sing and dance on that day if
there is an overwhelming vote, an affirmative vote to
both questions as a yes. And I will be disappoi nted if
there is not. But it will not change the law; it will not change my view. It will not change, in my view, right -
thinking people’s view. It will not change the views of
people who, hand on heart, are for human rights first.
It will not change that.
So my support goes with having a referendum
on the basis of a hope and a prayer that we can dem-onstrate to the world, to all of our gay brothers and
sisters, to one another, that we are right -thinking as a
majority, that we put human rights first as a maj ority,
that we recognise in those human rights that all human beings are entitled to the same type of rights as
every other human being, whether you call it marriage
or civil union, or whatever you want to call it, that we
have to have that framework. And I hope this is not the last speech I will make on it. I know it is not. B ecause I will stand on the soapbox, Mr. Speaker, on the
corner, on the day the referendum goes off, and make
the same speech. I will pick any corner, Premier, any
corner where I am we lcome. I will be there. I will move
around corners.