This was a ministerial statements session where government ministers updated parliament on various initiatives. The Deputy Premier announced AI will be used to process 800 backlogged land title cases at a cost of $50,000, completing the work by January 2025. The Works Minister revealed that the troubled Bermudiana Beach Resort project is pivoting again - this time from a planned hotel to 94 rental apartments, after over $100 million has been spent on the project over 12 years. The Premier outlined new banking fee regulations and financial inclusion measures currently being discussed with banks.
AI technology being introduced to clear land registration backlogBermudiana Beach Resort switching from hotel to rental apartments after multiple setbacksNew banking regulations to cap over-the-limit fees and improve financial inclusionUN women's entrepreneurship program completion and achievementsEmployment law changes increasing severance pay for long-term workers
Bills & Motions
Employment Amendment Act 2024 introduced (increases maximum severance pay from 26 to 32 weeks for employees with 13+ years service)
Banks and Deposit Companies (Over-the-Limit Fees) Regulations 2024 to be enacted shortly (caps certain banking fees)
Notable Moments
Works Minister acknowledged the "incredible" $100+ million cost of the Bermudiana Beach project, calling it an "incredible set of circumstances" that led to multiple direction changes
Deputy Premier apologized to the public for delays in land registration caused by the 800-case backlog
Education Minister highlighted that PLP governments added over 400 housing units since 1999 compared to only 13 units added during the 2012-2017 OBA period
Debate Transcript
966 speeches from 29 speakers
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood morning, Members. Mr. Clerk will now lead us in prayer. PRAYERS [ Prayers read by Mr. Clark Somner , Clerk ]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Somner. Members , good morning. The House is now in session. [ Gavel] [ Inaudible interjections and l aughter] CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES [Minutes of 8 November 2024 ]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood morning, Members. A little humour to get us started this morning, eh? Members, the Minutes from the 8th of November have been circulated. Are there any amendments required? There are none. The Minutes will be confirmed as printed. Thank you. [ Minutes of 8 November 2024 confirmed] MESSAGES FROM …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SPEAKER OR MEMBER PRESIDING APOLOGIES
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWe have been informed by the following Members of their absence today: MP Ianthia Simmons - Wade, MP Scott Simmons and MP Curtis Dick inson have all indicated they will be absent today. OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL — FOLLOW UP OF PREVIOUSLY ISSUED RECOMMENDATIONS FROM SELECTED GOVERNMENT ENTITIES
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI have also received from the Office of the Auditor General the Follow Up of Previously Issued Recommendations from Selected Government Entities. That report has been received. MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE —SALARIES REVIEW BOARD FINAL REPORT AUGUST 2024
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI have also received a report from the Salaries Review Board, the Ministers and Members of the Legislature Salaries report that was done for Au-gust of this year. LONG SERVICE AWARDS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAlso, I would just like to take the opportunity to note that you may have noticed that Mr. Lamb is not with us this morning. Mr. Lamb is actually one of those being honoured today in the Long Service Awards taking place this morning. I believe the Premier is there …
Also, I would just like to take the opportunity to note that you may have noticed that Mr. Lamb is not with us this morning. Mr. Lamb is actually one of those being honoured today in the Long Service Awards taking place this morning. I believe the Premier is there as well. So , both are absent at the moment. [ Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Thank you. PAPERS AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TO THE HOUSE
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are three such papers. The first is in the name of the Minister of National Security. Minister . NATIONAL VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning. Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to attach and submit for the information of the Honourable …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. The next paper this morning is in the name of the Minister of Economy and Labour. Minister . 6 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS —LABOUR FORCE SURVEY REPORT NOVEMBER 2023 Hon. Jason Hayward: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I …
Thank you. The next paper this morning is in the name of the Minister of Economy and Labour. Minister . 6 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS —LABOUR FORCE SURVEY REPORT NOVEMBER 2023
Hon. Jason Hayward: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to attach and submit for the information of the Honourable House of Assembly the November 2023 Labour Force Survey Report .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. The next paper this morning is from the Junior Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Junior Minister . BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY 2023 YEAR IN REVIEW
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYes, thank you and welcome back, Mr. Speaker. I have the honour to attach and submit for the information of the Honourable House of Assembly a report entitled the 2023 Bermuda Tourism Authority Year in Review .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are no petitions this morning. STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS AND JUNIOR MINISTERS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe first Statement this morning is the Premier’s . But because he is not [back] yet from the Long Service Awards we are going to do the Deputy Premier ’s [Statement] and we will come back to the Premier’s Statement. Deputy Premier . Hon. Walter H. Roban: Just oblige me, …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSure. Yes, it is right there in front. It is right here. Yes. [Pause] Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you. Good morning, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood morning. INTEGRATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND TITLE AND REGISTRATION Hon. Walter H. Roban: Good morning, Honourable Members and the listening public. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members of the House and the people of Bermuda, I rise today to present an update on the …
Good morning.
INTEGRATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND TITLE AND REGISTRATION Hon. Walter H. Roban: Good morning, Honourable Members and the listening public. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members of the House and the people of Bermuda, I rise today to present an update on the integration of Artificial Intelligence [AI] and Machine Learning [ ML] within the Land Title and Registration Department [ LTR, or the Department ]. This significant step forward reflects our commitment to moderni sing land registry processes, enhancing efficiency and building a more sustainable future for the Department. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this initiative is to harness the transformative potential of AI and ML to address the backlog in land title cases. This integration not only meets an immediate operational need but also establishes a sustainable solution for the long- term management of Bermuda’s land registry. Mr. Speaker , the Land Title and Registration Department was established in 2006 with the core re-sponsibility of ensuring secure property ownership by maintaining official land title records. This enables indi-viduals to prove ownership, prevents disputes and pro-motes legal certainty in property transactions across the Island. Mr. Speaker, since 2020, the Department has faced an accumulating backlog of approximately 800 first registration cases. This increase was due to the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic, the surge in property sales and an increase in voluntary registrations. These factors highlight ed the need for an efficient and secure method of processing land title registrations. Mr. Speaker, our current resources have proven insufficient to address this increased volume of work. Although we have embarked on a project to scan deeds, this step alone is not enough to clear the backlog, as each document still requires a detailed review, verifica tion, and entry process, which is both time- consuming and resource intensive. Mr. Speaker, this backlog impacts not only our d epartment but also other critical services. It delays the flow of land tax information to the Office of the Tax Commissioner ; affects realtors , the Land Valuation Department and mortgage banks ; and has broader implications for our economy. Mr. Speaker, we have carefully considered several options to address this issue. Among these were offering overtime to existing staff, hiring additional staff at an estimated cost of $470,000, outsourcing to overseas vendors, using trainees and engaging retired legal professionals. Each option had significant drawbacks including high costs, risk of indemnity and resource constraints. After a thorough review, the Minis-try of Home Affairs determined that an AI -driven solution, like the model implemented by the UK Land Title Registry, is the most sustainable and cost -effective option. This approach promises to meet current needs while preparing the Department for future demands. Mr. Speaker , we are proceeding with a partnership with FluentData, an AI vendor. After successful testing, the AI system demonstrated that it could extract Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 7
Bermuda House of Assembly required information from deeds in seconds —a task that would otherwise take human officers several hours. This technology will streamline document pro-cessing, reduce caseworker workload and integrate seamlessly into the existing workflows. Mr. Speaker, the implementation process consists of several key steps. First , the backlog of 800 case files has already been scanned, organi sed and returned to the Department. Second, we have secured approval for a subscription- based Google AI service to process these digital files. We anticipate that the data extraction process will be completed within 12 weeks or sooner. Once the data ha ve been extracted, they will be imported into Landfolio, our existing registry system. The LTR staff will verify data accuracy before integrating [the data] into the official records. We also anticipate minimal ongoing maintenance through a con-sumption- based subscription model, ensuring updates are efficient and cost -effective. Mr. Speaker , the initial cost of AI implementation is expected to be approximately $50,000, with min-imal ongoing expenses. This is a far more economical solution than hiring additional personnel, [as it] provides a scalable model that addresses both immediate and future needs. The integration of AI and ML within the Land Title and Registration Department is a pro-gressive move for Bermuda. By leveraging this technol-ogy, we ensure a high level of accuracy, security and efficiency, while minimi sing risks to government indemnity and improving service delivery. Mr. Speaker, the rollout of the LTR AI solution is to take place by December 20, 2024, and the completion date is anticipated by the end of January 2025. Mr. Speaker, I must apologi se to the general public for any inconvenience caused by these issues. We are confident that this initiative, supported by the Department, and working alongside the Digital Trans-formation Team, will help us eliminate the backlog, fa-cilitate ongoing operations and position the Department to handle future workload demands. Thank you very much , Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Deputy. Now we will move on to the next S tatement, which is by the Minister of Works. Minister of Works . REFOCUSING BERMUDIANA BEACH RESORT
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchGood morning, Mr. Speaker. Today I report to this House on the refocusing of the Bermudiana Beach Resort pr oject, but first some history is in order so that there is a full understanding of the journey to this point. In 2007, the private sector Grand Atlantic Residences project was …
Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Today I report to this House on the refocusing of the Bermudiana Beach Resort pr oject, but first some history is in order so that there is a full understanding of the journey to this point. In 2007, the private sector Grand Atlantic Residences project was a 78- unit development to add additional freehold condos to the housing market. To assist the project’s progression in 2009, the Bermuda Housing Corporation [ BHC ] became involved to purchase the development once completed in 2012. However, Mr. Speaker, in 2013 the global crash of the housing market , including the decline in housing prices, decline in demand for housing and a false narrative over the safety of the Cliffs at Bermudiana Beach, to name a few , had an impact on unit sales . Only one was sold. The then- OBA Government elected to place the sale of condo units on the property on hold while a reassessment of the direction was considered. A request for information (RFI) on the property was issued in March 2013 with submissions due by May 2013, still under the OBA. After analysis, meetings and a review of the submissions, the then- Government entered into a memorandum of understanding [MOU] with the suc-cessful proponent to convert the property into a condo hotel. The MOU was initially for a period of 120 days and was then extended to March 2015. After the expiration of this MOU , the BHC negotiated with the bank to obtain a loan to refinance the original purchase of the Grand Atlantic condo unit s, still under the OBA. Mr. Speaker, following this , a second RFI was issued in May 2016 with submissions due by the end of June 2016. After analysis, meetings and a review of the submissions, a proposal was selected and approved in October 2016 to convert the property into a residential condo boutique hotel with units available for sale. All this activity —the pivot from condos to hotel—occurred under the then- OBA Government. In July 2017, an election was held which resulted in a change of Gov-ernment. The new PLP Government continued negoti-ations with the selected co- developer, who was approved by the previous Government to develop a condo hotel on the Grand Atlantic site. A nd up until 2019, the project progressed well , including the Government ’s announcing a brand arrangement with Hilton Hotels to increase the calibre and attractiveness of the property. Mr. Speaker, however, in early 2020 the COVID -19 pandemic started to take hold on the world, which made meeting sales targets virtually impossible. The pandemic resulted in those targets not being reached to meet debt financing conditions, and there-fore an alternative financing facility was negotiated with the bank. After this —and again attributed to the COVID -19 pandemic —in 2021 the co- developer which was selected in 2016 and the current Government agreed to an amicable separation. The Government and the BHC remained committed to the completion of this project, as at the time there was a need for addi-tional hotel beds. Mr. Speaker, more difficulty came with the startling post -COVID -19 inflation boom, which saw the cost of building materials soar over 50 per cent in some instances for basic supplies such as concrete and steel. Two loans total ling $35 million were secured to continue construction. T hey remain in place. Despite these challenges, the project continued ; but with pre- sales still not materiali sing and costs continuing to rise, the Government decided to investigate the business model 8 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly of the property. The Ministry of Public Works retained an expert who found that there was an inherent failure in the current business model. In general terms, the root cause of many of the issues associated with the project, including the lack of sales, stem from the direc-tion set by the former development partner. The former developer ’s projections were overly simplistic, and the current team followed the same plan, but lacked the experience to navigate what would have already been an extremely challenging brownfield hotel development project. Mr. Speaker , after this assessment, the Government engaged the international accounting firm Ernst and Young (EY), who have a unit that speciali ses in evaluating distressed hotel developments, to con-duct an evaluation to determine if the Bermudiana Beach Resort project was still viable in this current cli-mate. The assessment looked at four options : 1. Continue the existing course (a boutique hotel with condominium sales) . 2. Upon completion of construction, sell units individually as condominiums . 3. Upon completion of construction, run as a standard boutique hotel . 4. Convert units into residential rental apartments and complete construction. Mr. Speaker , based on this analysis of market dynamics, supply and demand trends, product fit, and strategic alignment with key initiatives, the two most viable uses were determined to be o ptions 3 and 4. In performing a financial assessment of the two most feasible options, the apartment scenario ( option 4) provides the highest net present value as a result of strong demand, limited comparable supply, high rental rates and significantly reduced operating risks as compared to the hotel option. While generating revenue to pay back outstanding debt remains a priority, the analysis indicated there was substantial resale value to be gained by holding the asset until cash flows stabili sed and returns from the apartment scenario approach sufficient levels to meet the G overnment ’s financial objective of retiring the $35 million debt in its entirety. I must note that the $35 million loans are not taxpayer funds , but rather a commercial loan entered into by the Bermudiana Development Company. Mr. Speaker , to accomplish o ption 4, there remains the requirement to complete the construction. Given the proposed product can fit with the current development profile, apartment rentals would help to min-imise capital investment with minimum additional expenditures required beyond the completion budget, while also providing the opportunity to reduce investment further by limiting some of the proposed amenity space. Therefore, the Ministry will provide the BHC with additional funding to the maximum amount of $5 million to complete the construction. This is compared to the approximately $9 million that would be needed for the hotel completion. Mr. Speaker , with this recommendation, and taking into consideration the recent announcement for the commencement of the Fairmount Southampton redevelopment project , which would see 593 new hotel beds becoming available by the end of 2026, and reflecting on the priorities and principles of this Government, a Cabinet decision was made to pivot the Bermudiana Beach Resort to residential rental units. This decision results in a separation from the Hilton agreement at a cost of $399,600. This was a difficult decision, as much effort was placed into converting the property into a hotel . But when presented with the data and the expert advice, the Government chose to change course yet again, [but to a course] that we believe is in the best interest of the country and one that will prove beneficial to the economy in the long term. Now, all of these changes come at a significant cost. Ove rall, $100 million- plus will have been spent on this property over the 12 years —an incredible sum that reflected the change in direction with each pivot of the project to respond to the prevailing circumstances at each juncture. Clearly, no one would set out to spend this kind of money on such a project . But at each juncture, those making the decision believed it was the right one and [that] funds would be recovered. An equally incredible set of circumstances have beset this project, and the aim now is to get as high a return as one can to mitigate the investment. Mr. Speaker , the challenge with housing impacts all segments of our community, which includes our international business [IB] sector as well. The need to house this sector puts pressure on the local housing market. The analysis indicates that this change in direction would provide a means to cater to this sector directly and thus indirectly free up the local housing market to be accessed by more Bermudians. The number one issue for IB now, based on their growth and expansion, is housing. The market demand is so great that in some cases a studio [apartment] is costing over $3,000 a month. Therefore, by December of this year, this new proposed direction will see 94 studio, one- , two- and three- bedroom residential units of beachfront property added to fulfil a market de-mand for additional rental housing. The Bermudiana apartments will be a multi -family community , catering to young professionals and couples , with amenities including beach access, indoor and outdoor fitness area, and a pool area, with the potential for a restaurant and spa in the future. Mr. Speaker , while no firm decisions have been made regarding rental pricing, we recogni se the added amenities, location, convenience and money al-ready invested will necessitate competitive market rates that ease the demand and also allow us to generate revenue. There are people presently on the Bermuda Housing Corporation waiting list who can qualify for this housing, and that analysis is currently underway. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 9
Bermuda House of Assembly Let me repeat a section of the recent Throne Speech on housing, Mr. Speaker. And I quote, “ The Government believes that every Bermudian should have access to adequate and affordable housing. That reality, coupled with the need to grow our working pop-ulation to support our ageing population, makes the expansion of Bermuda’ s housing inventory critical. As such, there will be a need for more housing to accommodate residents of Bermuda and a greater number of individuals living and working in Bermuda. “Bermuda’ s demographic shifts are exacerbating the challenge of affordable housing in Bermuda, as there are not enough young Bermudians to replace the seniors who are retiring from the workforce. As these seniors retire, the additional labour needed to sustain Berm uda’s economy often comes from guest workers. Given the fact that many of our seniors retire in Ber-muda, the guest workers who may fill those jobs require accommodation. This reality is just one of the factors in Bermuda ’s housing challenges. ” Mr. Speaker, in this Government ’s 2020 e lection platform under the category for “ Improving the Quality of Life for All Bermudians ,” this Administration pledged to continue increasing the stock of affordable housing throughout the country, expand rent -gearedto-income programmes and construct residential developments in Bermuda’ s exclusive economic zone to increase the supply of quality, affordable residential ac-commodation and drive down rental costs. Mr. Speaker , this move does just that. As the old saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats . And by adding to the housing market, regardless of the sector, we are helping to address the needs of all residents. If you remove a group of people looking for housing in the do-mestic market , you remove some of that demand and the price falls. Over the next several weeks as this new direction evolves further , there will be additional public announcements. Mr. Speaker, everyone has an opinion on this decision , and they are entitled to that opinion. We were faced with a very difficult decision and chose the option that will secure some return on our investment and meet the payback of the outstanding loans while also relieving some of the pressure on the rental market. I remind [listeners] of the work being done to increase the housing stock in other sectors , specifically the vacant and derelict housing rejuvenation being under-taken by the Housing Corporation, where every vacant and derelict unit owned by the corporation is under re-pair, with 71 of those units already back in service. The remaining 118 units are being brought back online reg-ularly. Additionally, legislation to address the privately owned vacant and derelict properties will be forthcoming. Mr. Speaker, since 1999, successive PLP G overnments have added over 400 units to the housing in-ventory , while during the period 2012 to 2017 under the OBA, 13 units were added.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchSo, we have a track record of delivery that cannot be denied. The people of this country can rest assured that we are working dili-gently every day to increase the housing inventory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Premier, would you like to go? I was going to let you do the wrap- up at the end, but if you would like to go now, seeing you rose early.
Mr. Premier.
Hon. E. David BurtpremierThank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I may, as I did inform, I do have to pop out for that meeting.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. We acknowledged that you were out earlier because of the Long Service Awards. And I am sure those who received it appreciated it, and we will allow you to do your presentation now, your Statement now. BANKING SECTOR REFORM Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. …
Yes. We acknowledged that you were out earlier because of the Long Service Awards. And I am sure those who received it appreciated it, and we will allow you to do your presentation now, your Statement now.
BANKING SECTOR REFORM Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this Ministerial Statement is to provide the House of Assembly with a report on policy discussions currently held with the banking sector regarding matters related to caps on over-the-limit fees charged by deposit -taking institutions , financial inclusion or access to bank accounts , and a general fee approval framework. Mr. Speaker, Members will recall that the Banks and Deposit Companies Act 1999 ( which I will refer to as the Act) was amended in 2022 to provide the Minister of Finance with a power to make regulations for the purpose of regulating any commercial or business fee, charge or penalty to be paid by clients of an institution holding a deposit -taking licence, pursuant to the Banks and Deposit Companies Amendment Act 2022. Mr. Speaker, subsequent to the a mendment, the Ministry of Finance, working together with the Authority, has developed a framework which provides for limits on fees which are charged on certain types of transactions should a person exceed an agreed credit limit, which occurs as a result of the relevant person’ s use of certain services, products or facilities provided by a deposit -taking institution. Mr. Speaker , it is proposed to enact the Banks and Deposit Companies (Over -the-Limit Fees) Regulations 2024 shortly. Key features of the proposal are as follows : Customer scope— 10 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly • It is proposed that changes should be applicable to all clients of a deposit -taking institution. This includes existing as well as new customers. Agreements — • There will be a requirement for the terms and conditions to be set out in an agreement. • Where a customer declines to accept the terms and conditions of an agreement, they will be required to confirm in writing that they will not have access to the product, service or the facility beyond the agreed limit. • It is proposed that over -the-limit fees would not be charged more than once per billing cycle per product, service or facility. • It is further proposed that an agreement be terminated in writing by the customer at any time prior to the termination date of such agreement. • Termination of an agreement shall not invalidate the over-the-limit transaction. Mr. Speaker , it is proposed that different provisions of the Regulations will come into effect on different commencement dates. It is likely that matters related to changes to client agreements will take effect on a later date, while the limits on the fees which may be charged will come into effect on the publication of the Regulations. Members are advised that the draft Regulations have been submitted to the Bermuda Bankers Association for final comment. Following consultation with the banking sector, Members should be aware that some institutions have already taken steps toward meeting this commitment , while others have advised that they may either withdraw the service or they will consider the impact on their operations based upon legislation which has been finalised. With regard to f inancial inclusion, Mr. Speaker , the Financial Action Task Force Guidance on Anti - Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Measures and Financial Inclusion [ the FATF Guidance] defines financial inclusion as involving the provision of access to an adequate range of safe, convenient and affordable financial services to disadvantaged and other vulnerable groups, including low income, rural and undocumented persons, who have been underserved or ex-cluded from the formal financial sector. Mr. Speaker , Members would be aware that the World Bank and the Financial Stability Board have documented the sustained deterioration of the provision of correspondent banking services by large inter-national banking groups. Members will be aware that the costs of compliance to ensure retention of correspondent banking worldwide have significantly increased as companies react to developments in global regulation. This in turn affects a bank ’s ability and willingness to provide banking services to sectors considered particularly at risk by large international banks providing correspondent banking services. In re-sponse, countries are encouraged to increase their communication and outreach on supervisory practices to further contribute to more differentiated risk decisionmaking by banks. Following discussions with the Bermuda Monetary Authority and the Bermuda Bankers Association, the Government intends to introduce a framework regarding matters related to basic bank accounts in accordance with the standards set down by the Financial Action Task Force and the National Anti -Money Laundering Committee. Although further discussions are required with the banking sector, the Ministry and the Authority are close to finalising a framework for discussion. Mr. Speaker , the framework will be guided by the general principle that persons who are currently un-derserved from a banking perspective, or persons who have been derisked for reasons other than the services banks are legally permitted to offer , should be provided with access to a bank account to facilitate their inclu-sion in the formal economy. This policy approach is in keeping not only with the guidance set down by the Financial Action Task Force but also with the World Bank definition of the t erm “fina ncial inclusion, ” which has also been defined to mean that individuals and busi-nesses have access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs —transactions, payments, savings, credit and insurance— delivered in a reasonable and sustainable way. Mr. Speaker , with regard to the announcement in the Throne Speech regarding the general fee ap-proval framework, f ollowing the approval of the over - the-limit fees, the Ministry of Finance, working together with the Bermuda Monetary Authority, intends to advance a proposal to address how other banking fees are addressed. Details of th is proposal will be released to the public in due course. Apart from the fee initiatives, work is also underway to determine how to enhance the banking sector ecosystem. Working with the Bermuda Monetary Authority, different reforms are currently under review to address the lack of diversification in the banking sector and the impact that the current state is having on consumers. Immediate touchpoints for customers range from the mortgage guarantee proposal to enhanced conduct rules, open banking and digital identification. As per the Government ’s normal custom a nd practice, the proposals are always shared with the Financial Policy Council and the Bermuda Bankers Association at various stages of the process to help the Government to better understand which combination of reforms would best meet the Government ’s objectives and what the aggregate impact would be. Mr. Speaker , Bermuda ’s banks and deposit companies are required to meet on an ongoing basis the minimum licensing criteria set out in the Banks and Deposit Companies Act 1999. The Act requires instituOfficial Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 11
Bermuda House of Assembly tions to conduct their business in a prudent manner, including that they maintain capital and financial re-sources commensurate with the nature and scope of their operations. The capital requirements imposed seek to appropriately reflect their size and the nature and scope of their business. There is no intention to modify tho se requirements. Thank you, Mr . Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Premier. Members, the next Statement this morning is that of the Minister of Economy and Labour . . . Oh, sorry. The Minister Youth, Sport and Development. (I got thrown off track that time. I let the Premier back in.) FINAL UPDATE ON THE UNITED NATIONS JOINT …
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Members, the next Statement this morning is that of the Minister of Economy and Labour . . . Oh, sorry. The Minister Youth, Sport and Development. (I got thrown off track that time. I let the Premier back in.)
FINAL UPDATE ON THE UNITED NATIONS JOINT PROGRAMME , “BUILDING BACK EQUAL THROUGH INNOVATIVE FINANCING FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT” Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to share with this Honourable House the accomplishments of the momentous United Nations Joint Programme, “Building Back Equal through Innovative Financing for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment” a lso referred to as the Building Back Equal Joint Programme. Mr. Speaker , the Joint Programme was fully funded by the United Nations Sustainable Develop-ment Goal s Fund and successfully implemented due to the collaborative work of the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors and the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, [ with programmatic ] and technical leadership from the UN Women Multi -Country Office, Caribbean, and the United Nations Development Programme Multi- Country Office, Jamaica. Mr. Speaker , the Joint Programme, initially launched in Bermuda on June 27, 2022, came to an end on October 18, 2024. The Joint Programme aimed to diversify Bermuda ’s economy through the empowerment of specific groups of entrepreneurs, namely, women, youth and persons with disabilities , by tackling the unique challenges they face in accessing finance and business support , particularly as our economy was recovering from the severe impact of the COVID -19 pandemic. Mr. Speaker , the Building Back Equal Programme is a first for Bermuda in entering a partnership with the United Nations and a first for the United Na-tions through its Sustainable Development Goal Fund to help advance the Bermuda economy and its people. The Joint Programme was designed to allow both T he Bahamas and Bermuda to build forward while consid-ering factors like climate change, natural disasters and pandemics that have [exacerbated] and will continue to exacerbate gender inequalities, socioeconomic vulner-abilities and risk reversing strong development gains that impact small island developing states. Mr. Speaker , 30 months have passed since the start of the programme. What have we achieved as a country during this time in partnership with the United Nations? First, let me say that the United Nations Joint SDG [Sustainable Development Goals] Fund invested approximately $1.8 million in Bermuda and The Bahamas to support the p rogramme. For Bermuda, this investment resulted in the following key achievements in promoting gender equality and economic empower-ment: • Gender -Responsive Business Practices . Training was provided to local financial institu-tions on understanding the needs of women- and youth- led micro, small and medium- sized enterprises [MSMEs ] and developing gender - responsive financial instruments . • Direct Financial Support . A total of 19 women entrepreneurs in Bermuda were provided with technical services and business inputs from specialist firms in Bermuda. • Mary Prince Women’ s Entrepreneurial and Leadership Conference. A two -day master class was held for 70 women entrepreneurs , and access was given to business sessions and activities designed to foster leadership and entrepreneurial skills . • The Mary Prince Women’ s Entrepreneurial and Leadership Public Lecture. Hosted to empower and inspire small -business owners, entrepreneurs, leaders and members of the public with invaluable knowledge to elevate their business and leadership capabilities . • Curriculum Development . A comprehensive curriculum was created for business accelera-tor programmes, ensuring adaptability to diverse audiences and industries . • Accelerator Programme. A dedicated fiveweek programme was launched to support [ enterprises ] led by women, youth and persons with disabilities to provide them with the tools and resources to enhance their capacity to scale and attract international investment . • Women ’s Empowerment Principles and the Gender Gap Analysis Tool for Business Growth. A series of virtual sessions were held offering guidance to private businesses, corpo-rations and government departments on how to advance gender equality and women ’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community . • Feasibility Studies . Consultants were deployed to undertake first -time feasibility studies for Bermuda on “ Financing Mechanisms for Gender Equality ” and “Financial Instruments for Women- owned MSMEs .” • Consultation and Engagement . Several focus group sessions were held with youth- owned businesses , women- owned businesses , suc12 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly cessfully established women- owned businesses and men- owned businesses. Consultation was held with organi sations that empower women, youth and persons with disabilities. There was engagement in site visits at entre-preneur ’s business establishments . • Policy Influence. Research and findings were gathered to inform national gender policies in Bermuda to further enhance a supportive envi-ronment for women and youth entrepreneurs. Mr. Speaker , in March this year, I shared with this Honourable House that as part of the terms of ref-erence for the Joint Programme, feasibility studies were to be undertaken on the business landscape of Bermuda ’s women, youth and persons with disabilities entrepreneurs. These reports are currently being final-ised by UN Women and will be made public once the reviews are completed. Mr. Speaker , the Joint Programme culminated with the development, design and implementation of an Accelerator Programme led by the Founder Institute. The Founder Institute was established in 2009. It is the world ’s largest pre- seed startup accelerator , whose mission is to activate and empower communities of entrepreneurs to launch meaningful technology startups worldwide. Our local entrepreneurs were directly connected to such a great resource organi sation. In September, the Founder Institute launched the Rise and Scale: Bermuda Business Accelerator Intensive FiveWeek Programme. An invitation was sent to entrepre-neurs , and a press release [was released,] encouraging entrepreneurs to participate in the programme that was designed to equip participants with skills and business tools that would position them to successfully pitch their businesses both locally and overseas for innovative financing solutions. Mr. Speaker , I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the 19 dynamic entrepreneurs representing women, youth and persons with disabilities who participated in the Rise and Scale: Bermuda Business Accelerator: 1. Joann Adams , with the Tea Bar ; 2. Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (ABWilson Consulting) ; 3. Maryem Biadillah ( The Bermuda Centre for Mindfulness) ; 4. Razia Billoo (aRDee) ; 5. Rickeisha Burgess (Dutch Pops Bermuda) ; 6. Courtney Clay (Courtney Clay Studio) ; 7. Anderica Gilbert (Bermuda Dental Studio) ; 8. Joyce Hayward (ReJoyce Experiences) ; 9. Antonia Holder (DigiRoo Inc.) ; 10. Donyae Hollis (D -LUX) ; 11. Shaneeka Hollis (Butterfly Crochet & Crafts) ; 12. Sherrielynn Lilley (Pneuma Counseling and Consulting); 13. Nikia Manders (Bermuda Dance Academy) ; 14. Mariana Parks (Hanna Health) ; 15. Zayne Sinclair (Sinclair ’s Seed Sowing) ; 16. Kelly Smith (KANS ); 17. Tricia Warner (Law4Teens) ; 18. Kristin White (Long Story Short) ; 19. Shari Young (Ida ’s Essentials). At the Rise and Scale Bermuda Business Accelerator 2024 Pitch Forum held at the HSBC Bermuda Harbourview Centre on the evening of October 17, 2024, attendees witnessed a series of compelling pitches that represented the future of Bermuda ’s entrepreneurial landscape. The entrepreneurs who participated in the pitch forum did an amazing job, and their growth over the five weeks was evident. Mr. Speaker , although the Joint Programme has concluded, there is more work to be done to build upon the achievements and sustainability. It is within this context that the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors is still committed to • advancing policy and legislation that stipulate persons with disabilities have access to sup-port and services to be successful entrepre-neurs ; • offering annual Women ’s Empowerment Principles training sessions to the public sector and businesses in the private sector ; • promoting the collection and reporting of entrepreneurship and finance data based on sex and age disaggregated data; • supporting the creation of a digital platform so all research products relevant to entrepreneurs are easily accessible; • supporting entrepreneurs in creating and sustaining a network so Women MSMEs can work collaboratively to enhance their businesses by tapping into the resources of other Women MSMEs ; and • increasing awareness around gender equality and women ’s empowerment by bringing topics such as unpaid care, domestic violence and access to funding to the forefront ; and • promoting the establishment of better professional networks/mentorships for youth entre-preneurs to access information, skills and services to enhance their businesses. Mr. Speaker , in closing I want to express my utmost gratitude to the technical teams at the UN Women Multi -Country Office, Caribbean; and the United Nations Development Programme, Multi -Country Office in Jamaica. They provided sterling support to Bermuda, ensuring the Building Back Equal Programme was a success. Mr. Speaker , under the leadership of Ms. Erica Smith, Executive Director, the team at the Bermuda Economic Development Cooperation [BEDC ] was highly instrumental in this entire UN Joint Programme partnership. Without their participation, the Joint Programme could not have progressed. I am profoundly grateful for the BEDC team and their commitment to work with the Ministry and the UN teams t o lend the requisite support to the very end. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 13
Bermuda House of Assembly Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I am truly thankful to the headquarters team in the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors. The team worked diligently with the UN representatives , planning and coordinating each step of the way as we journeyed through unfamil-iar ground to bring the outcomes of the United Nations Joint Programme with Bermuda , “Building Back Equal through Innovative Financing for Gender Equality and Women ’s Empowerment ,” to fruition. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Members, the next Statement this morning is in the name of the Minister of Labour and Economy. Minister. EMPLOYMENT AMENDMENT ACT 2024 INTRODUCING THE ACT Hon. Jason Hayward: Good morning, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce in the Honourable House today a Bill …
Thank you, Minister. Members, the next Statement this morning is in the name of the Minister of Labour and Economy. Minister.
EMPLOYMENT AMENDMENT ACT 2024 INTRODUCING THE ACT Hon. Jason Hayward: Good morning, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce in the Honourable House today a Bill entitled Employment Amendment Act 2024 , w hich proposes to increase the maximum severance allowance payment for long- serving employees from 26 weeks ’ wages to 32 weeks ’ wages. Mr. Speaker, the Employment Act 2000 [ the Act] sets the minimum requirements for employment relationships within Bermuda. However, there remain areas within the Act which require updating to strengthen labour policies that protect the rights of Bermudian employees while ensuring that persons can meet their basic needs and that assure accordance with international best practic e. Mr. Speaker , severance allowance provides employees with a level of financial stability when they lose their employment. It assists with covering essential expenses such as rent, food and health care, and gives employees the time and resources needed to seek new employment. This may result in better job opportunities , as employees will not feel forced to take the first opportunity that arises , out of financial necessity. Mr. Speaker, increasing the maximum severance allowance may help to avert the need for persons to rely on financial assistance. It may also reduce the stress and anxiety that undoubtedly follows the uncer-tainty that comes from being faced with sudden unemployment and loss of income. Mr. Speaker , the “ Consultation on Retaining the Local Workforce Position Paper 2024, ” which was tabled earlier this year by the Ministry of Economy and Labour, highlights the challenges of Bermuda ’s shrinking working population. It sought, amongst other initiatives, to put in place targeted measures to encourage and motivate working- aged Bermudians to remain in Bermuda. One such proposal was to increase the max-imum severance allowance payable from 26 weeks ’ wages to 52 weeks ’ wages. Mr. Speaker, the consensus of industry and our union partners to this proposal was that, while an increase is necessary, the rising costs of doing busi-ness in Bermuda should be taken into consideration along with the fact that the purpose of the Act is to set a minimum standard. As such, the Act should not include provisions that may have been considered as progressing beyond a minimum standard. Mr. Speaker, consultation on the position paper began on the 15 th of March 2024 and ended on the 15th of April 2024 and was open to the public via an online forum. Additionally, meetings were held with var-ious stakeholder groups , and a total of 57 responses were received. As a result of the feedback received and discussions held with our industry and union partners regarding increasing severance allowance, an increase from 26 weeks ’ wages to 32 weeks ’ wages was supported as fair and equitable to both employees and em-ployers. Mr. Speaker, the employees who will benefit from this Bill are long- serving employees who have been in continuous employment with an employer for 13 years or more. This new law will be accompanied by other legislative amendment s to remove the requirement to pay payroll tax on redundancy pay. This will help provide stability and fairness for employees during a time of transition. Mr . Speaker, it is envisioned that the impact of the Bill will continue to build upon the val-ues of the Ministry of Economy and L abour , which are to maintain a healthy, thriving and equitable commu-nity. The Bill will also create a more stable workforce within Bermuda by encouraging employers to engage in fair and responsible employment practices , and aid in the retention of employees and the reduction of em-ployee turnover. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Members, the next Statement this morning is in the name of the Minister of Education. Minister. Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, I believe I have two Statements.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOh, yes. That is right. Sorry about that. Do your second Statement. LABOUR FORCE SURVEY REPORT AND GOVERNMENT TRAINING INITIATIVES NOVEMBER 2023 Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to [table] the November 2023 Labour Force Survey Report and highlight for Members of this Honourable House the key findings …
Oh, yes. That is right. Sorry about that. Do your second Statement.
LABOUR FORCE SURVEY REPORT AND GOVERNMENT TRAINING INITIATIVES NOVEMBER 2023 Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to [table] the November 2023 Labour Force Survey Report
and highlight for Members of this Honourable House the key findings of the s urvey. The Labour Force Survey serves as an economic tool measuring employment, unemployment and the economically inactive population in the Bermudian economy. The current Labour Force Survey results show that Bermuda’ s labour [market ] remains robust, 14 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly with increases in employment and relatively low unemployment. The data indicate unemployment was measured as 2.8 per cent, slightly below the 3.1 per cent recorded in the same period of the previous year and a vast improvement from the 7.9 per cent recorded during the pandemic. Mr. Speaker, the unemployment rate for Bermudians stood at 3.3 per cent, a decrease from the rate of unemployment reported a year ago. This is another positive indicator , as economic and labour policies continue to support local employment. Youth unemploy-ment ( those 16 to 24) stood at 13.5 per cent, as this demographic group globally continues to experience the highest unemployment rates amongst all demo-graphic groups. Mr. Speaker, other relevant findings from the November 2023 s urvey include the following: a. The labour force stood at 36,619. b. The working population comprised 35,591 persons, of which 3,157 persons were underem-ployed. c. The working population distribution showed that 76.4 per cent were Bermudian. d. The labour force participation rate was recorded at 82.4 per cent . e. The average hours worked per week in the main job was 41.2. Mr. Speaker, for members of the public, the November 2023 Labour Force Survey Report is available online at www.gov.bm/bermuda- employment -statistics . Mr. Speaker, while the findings indicate progress in terms of a steady recovery and growth in the labour market, the Government will continue to press on with its effective policies and programmes that support Bermuda ’s workers. Currently, the Department of Workforce Development [the Department] is expanding opportunities for Bermudians in skilled trades and other essential careers. Registration has just closed for the Department ’s Skilled Trades Apprenticeship Training Programme. This initiative offers Bermudians an excel-lent pathway into high- demand trades like masonry, plumbing and carpentry, providing participants with the certifications and hands -on experience needed to succeed in technical and vocational careers. This pro-gramme is designed not only to address the demand for skilled tradespeople, but also to provide participants with a sustainable and rewarding career path. In collab-oration with stakeholders of industry in Bermuda, this programme will offer a unique blend of classroom in-struction and re al-world on -the-job training. Through partnerships with industry experts, we will be equipping participants with the critical skills required for fields like construction, facility management and maintenance. Mr. Speaker, this Apprenticeship Training Programme cannot be successful without our partners — our employers in plumbing, masonry and carpentry. We are delighted to work with those who have already stepped forward to participate, and we invite more em-ployers to support this programme by taking on an ap-prentice. By being involved, employers can help culti-vate a skilled workforce and gain motivated new team members ready to contribute immediately while aiding Bermuda ’s economic future. I encourage employers i n the skilled trades to attend an employer information session at the Department of Workforce Development on the 2 nd of December. We look forward to seeing Bermudians embrace this chance to advance in the skilled trades . Mr. Speaker, beyond this apprenticeship programme, the Department of Workforce Development is advancing several other initiatives. At present, there are 20 individuals in the PACE Administrative Profes-sionals course; five participants in the Small Appliances course who are currently in their second week attend-ing Fred ’s Appliance Academy in Cleveland, Ohio; and 30 individuals who have recently completed their heavy truck driver ’s licences, who can now access better employment opportunities within the heavy trucking industry. The public can also visit https://dwd.bm/courses/ to register for one of the monthly courses in Interview Prep, Money Management and Job Search Strategies, among others. Mr. Speaker, looking ahead, we encourage Bermudians to keep an eye out for registration for the Learn Through Experience Hospitality Training Pro-gramme and a Solar Installation Continuing Education opportunity for electricians. There is so much important work happening to equip Bermudians with the skills needed for successful careers. Mr. Speaker, t ogether we can build a skilful, self -reliant Bermuda ready to meet the demands of tomorrow ’s economy. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Minister of Education. EDUCATION REFORM UPDATE: 3-TO-2-TIER 2025– 2027 Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, colleagues. Good morning, listening au-dience. Mr. Speaker, to day I rise to update this Honourable House and the listening public on the latest de-velopments in the 3-to-2-Tier …
Thank you, Minister. Minister of Education.
EDUCATION REFORM UPDATE: 3-TO-2-TIER 2025– 2027 Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, colleagues. Good morning, listening au-dience. Mr. Speaker, to day I rise to update this Honourable House and the listening public on the latest de-velopments in the 3-to-2-Tier Plan , specifically the 2025 –2027 phase of the Bermuda Government ’s Education Reform mandate. This initiative involves a com-prehensive restructuring of the Bermuda Public School System as part of our broader education reform agenda. Mr. Speaker , in response to the public ’s call for an alternative to the middle school model, we embarked on a journey to phase out middle schools and establish a streamlined two- tier system. Under this structure, parish [primary ] schools will serve students from Years 1 through 8, with one school in each parish Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 15
Bermuda House of Assembly and two in both Pembroke and St. George ’s. Senior schools will subsequently encompass Y ears [9] through 13. In parish schools, Years 6, 7 and 8, known as Junior Pods, are designed to provide enhanced curriculum experiences that support a seamless progres-sion into senior schools. Once students reach senior schools, students can participate in Signature Learning Programmes. These programmes can comprise up to 30 per cent of a student ’s time, alongside core curriculum subjects such as English, Math, Social Studies and Science. Mr. Speaker , today I am pleased to present the next phase of our education reform plan, covering years 2025 to 2027, and to highlight key initiatives that support this ongoing transition. The next steps include • opening two additional parish schools at the Harrington Sound and Elliot Primary School sites by adding Year 7 students in 2025, Year 8 students in 2026]; • phasing out middle schools ; • establishing a third senior school at the Sandys Secondary Middle School site, hosting Signature Learning Programmes in Hospitality and Tourism, as well as Education Services ; • recruiting School Transformation Teams for the Somerset and St. George’ s parish schools ; and • accelerating the development of a Signature School for Exceptionalities. Additionally, the previously announced closures of Prospect Primary School and Gilbert Institute at the end of the 2025 academic year are being mapped out, with discussions already underway to ensure a smooth transition for students, staff and parents. Mr. Speaker , in September 2025, all primary schools will accept their usual P1 intake except for St. George’ s Preparatory School and Somerset Primary, which will not enrol new P1 students. Rather than opting for immediate closures of these schools, we have chosen a phased approach to support a smoother, less disruptive transition to the parish primary school str ucture. Mr. Speaker , in September 2025, the parish [primary ] schools in Smith’ s and Devonshire will open at the Harrington Sound and Elliot Primary s chool sites, respectively. They will start with Y ear 7 classes [ and add Year 8 in the following year ]. Community engagement events have provided the public with opportuni-ties to learn more about these plans. In October, School Transformation Teams from Harrington Sound and Elliot Primary shared their proposed features at critical locations within the public parishes, allowing residents to engage, ask questions and provide feedback. These teams, made up of committed teachers, parents and community members, are responsible for designing and prototyping the features of their parish primary school s to meet their communities ’ specific needs. I am grateful to these members for their dedication to this transformative process. Mr. Speaker , Sandys Secondary Middle School, Whitney Institute Middle School and Dellwood Middle School will continue to admit M1 students for now. Starting in September 2025, students who have completed M2 and M3 by June 2025 will transition di-rectly to senior schoo ls where they will begin their Signature Learning journey. Sandys Secondary Middle School is unique among our transitioning institutions, as it is Bermuda’ s only middle school set to become a senior school. The Education Reform Unit, Department of Education and Sandys ’ leadership [team] have worked diligently to prepare teachers for this shift, ensuring that they have professional development to implement the new curriculum and programme changes effectively. Over the summer, all Sandys teaching staff participated in speciali sed training in the Cambridge curriculum, preparing them to deliver a senior -level education. This upskilling will continue throughout the 2024/25 school year. Mr. Speaker , I am also pleased to report on ongoing professional development for our primary school teachers. During the October mid- term break, teachers from Purvis, Francis Patton, Elliot, and Harrington Sound attended a session entitled “Learner -Centred Curriculum Design and You,” led by the ERU [Education Reform Unit] . This session strengthened teachers ’ understanding of a learner -centred design approach and high- impact instructional practices that will enhance student engagement in parish schools. These sessions bring together teachers from established and transitioning schools to foster collabo-ration, strengthen support networks and promote consistent teaching standards across all parish schools. September 2025 marks the start of the five- year seni or school programme, with Y ear 8 students from Warwick and Hamilton Parish s chools and M2 students from all middle schools beginning this new structure. At the same time, the final group of M3 students will enter sen-ior school under the current four -year model, marking this as the last intake for the four -year programme. Mr. Speaker , all Year 8, M2 and M3 students recently participated in the Signature Taster Pro-gramme organised by the ERU. This programme concluded with hands -on immersion events at Bermuda College where students explored Signature Learning Programme strands offered at The Berkeley Institute and CedarBridge Academy. Additionally, students attended open houses at each Senior Signature School, giving them an in- depth look at each school ’s unique offerings. Allow me to share some reflections from students on their open house experiences: • A student from Purvis Primary stated (and I quote), “I liked that I was able to go to the different schools to see if we liked them or not .” • A student from Whitney Institute—“It ’s been a great time here [at The Berkeley Institute], looking at all the things that they have. It made me look and experience different things you 16 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly can do at Berkeley that you can’ t do anywhere else.” • A Francis Patton student stated, “I found the open houses very informative. I liked what was presented, and it made me excited to go to high school next year .” • Another Francis Patton student [said], “The open houses were very fun. My chosen signature, STEM, is at CedarBridge, and I learned more about what I will do once I go there. ” These reflections highlight the excitement and inspira-tion that this programme has sparked in our young people. Mr. Speaker , the Government remains committed to inclusivity and equitable education for all students. In line with this commitment, we are accelerating the timeline for establishing the new Signature School for Exceptionalities to support students and families better a nd address the growing demand at Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy. Mr. Speaker , as we have learned over the last four years, a reform of this scale brings challenges and valuable lessons that continue to shape our decisions. We are moving away from, in some cases, decades - old, entrenched practices. While I do not want anyone to automatically assume this means what has been practi ced during that time is wrong, instead, we want to always work with our educators to improve what they already know, along with the introduction of some upgraded skill sets. Our goal of a more personalised education system for students from a one- size-fits-all system is not a task to be taken lightly. Recently, there has been much press about staffing shortages in certain Signa-ture School subjects, staff discontent, communicat ion issues and other issues within our schools. As the Minister, I take these complaints seriously and pledge to address them as they arise. With the significance of the reform we are undergoing, it is impossible to get everything 100 per cent right. Howev er, it is possible to have a 100 per cent effect on implementing the processes to address these issues. While we celebrate our achievements, we also recognise that the path is complex and full of obstacles. At times, we have needed to pivot and adjust our approach to align more closely with our community ’s demographics and cultural nuances. Recent experiences have underscored the importance of thoughtfully adapting to ensure meaningful and lasting change. Mr. Speaker , some of these problems have been developed over the years due to custom and practice, and we are looking to implement long- term fixes that are not able to be put in place instantly in some cases. When we can address these issues immediately, we will do so a s quickly as possible. We must maintain open communication channels with union partners, educators, parents and students. Reform requires us to do the work of reforming while maintain-ing the continuity of the current system. This is not a task that can be taken lightly. We will continue to work with our union partners, educators, parents and students to identify prob-lems, develop workable solutions, manage expectations and, most importantly, maintain a safe environment that is conducive to learning. In the coming weeks, t he following are among the various tweaks we are look ing at as a result of the feedback we have been getting: • how we communicate with parents and educators and explore new ways to ensure our mes-sages are effectively communicated; • reassess how the Governance Committee meetings are conducted; • continue to look at the educator recruitment process es and how [those] can be improved ; and • perform an a udit of all current S3 Signature School students to identify any gaps in earned credits related to signature program mes. Mr. Speaker , as we progress with these reforms, the Ministry of Education is dedicated to maintaining open and transparent communication with all stakeholders. As stated, we will provide regular updates through revised means in addition to the multiple current channels that include social media, newsletters, radio and community engagements to ensur e that families, educators, students and community members re-main informed. The government website includes FAQs on the 3- to-2-Tier Plan to address common concerns and clarify some changes ahead. By keeping communication channels accessible and consistent, we aim to foster trust and collaboration as we work to-gether to enhance the educational landscape for Bermuda ’s children. Mr. Speaker , since our initial discussions on the 3- to-2-Tier Plan in April 2023, we have remained committed to a phased, deliberate approach, ensuring that each stage of reform is fully considered and attainable. Today ’s update covers the next two years as we continue on a path of steady progress, instilling confidence in families and communities about the readiness of our schools and the steps taken to ensure smooth transitions. Our guiding philosophy has been and will remain a Bermuda- led process —by Ber mudians for Bermudians. Yet we recognise that education is inher-ently global, and our children’ s success depends on their preparedness for an interconnected world. While this reform effort is grounded in Bermuda’ s unique strengths and cultural values, we also draw on insights from global experts to enrich our approach. This international perspective helps us build a culturally responsive education system that prepares our students to think critically, act responsi bly and engage meaningfully on a global stage. Mr. Speaker , we invite everyone interested in Bermuda ’s educational future to step forward and join Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 17
Bermuda House of Assembly us. Whether through the School Transformation Teams or as active voices in our communities, there is room for all who wish to contribute. This is a shared respon-sibility, and we firmly believe that education is the busi-ness of every Bermudian. As we move forward, I ex-tend my heartfelt gratitude to our teachers, parents, students and community members for their patience, trust and dedication. Mr. Speaker, our commitment is clear: to listen actively, engage deeply with our community and adapt as needed. Together we will continue to overcome challenges, celebrate our achievements and ensure every child in Bermuda receives a quality education. Reforming our education system for our children is not just a goal ; it is our collective duty. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Pause]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMembers, I just have a question. The access to SharePoint is all sorted out for everyone? [Inaudible interjection]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerIt is back up. Okay. There is going to be a little indulgence that I want to ask. There are two other [Ministerial State-ments] that should have been but were not on. We are trying to . . . now that we have resolved this first problem, we are going …
It is back up. Okay. There is going to be a little indulgence that I want to ask. There are two other [Ministerial State-ments] that should have been but were not on. We are trying to . . . now that we have resolved this first problem, we are going to see if we can hit the other two on there. Okay? If they come, we will do them. If they do not, we will pass by. Okay? [Inaudible interjection]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes, Ministerial Statements. There are two more. Give Mr. Lamb a couple of secs and see if we can get him started. If they come up, we will do them. If not . . . Ministers (the two Ministers know who they are), if we cannot resolve it right now, …
Yes, Ministerial Statements. There are two more. Give Mr. Lamb a couple of secs and see if we can get him started. If they come up, we will do them. If not . . . Ministers (the two Ministers know who they are), if we cannot resolve it right now, we are going to move on. Okay? Take a crack at it. [Pause]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAs Mr. Lamb was being honoured today for his long service, we lost the ability of having his ex-pertise here with us this morning. So even though we are recognising his good service — [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe Speaker—we caught the short end of it this morning. But he is back in the seat now, so he will get it resolved. [Pause]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOne is up. The second is being uploaded. I am going to ask the Minister who has the first one in the system right now if he has it. And seeking the indulgence, the other Statement is from Minister Weeks in reference to the matter that is being tabled today. …
One is up. The second is being uploaded. I am going to ask the Minister who has the first one in the system right now if he has it. And seeking the indulgence, the other Statement is from Minister Weeks in reference to the matter that is being tabled today. And he just wants to give a Statement in ad-vance of it being tabled and the reason for its being ta-bled. And the second is Minister Caesar, same thing. She has a matter that is being tabled, and the State-ments accompany both of those. The technical difficulties are being resolved, we are going to ask Minister Weeks to go ahead and present his. And then Minister Caesar — If it gets on, Minister Caesar. If it does not . . . Okay. Thank you for your indulgence, Members.
NATIONAL VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY, TABLING OF Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Thank you for your indulgence, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for your indulgence, Members. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to introduce into the Legislature the National Violence Reduction Strategy . This strategy is the result of months of collaboration, reflection and dialogue. Tabling the strat-egy today marks a significant step forward in this G overnment’s unwavering commitment to addressing the pressing issue of violence in our community. Mr. Speaker, as a nation we face a challenge that has deep and wide- reaching consequences. Violence in all its forms —be it youth violence, gang- related activity, interpersonal conflicts, psychological abuse or antisocial behaviour— affects every part of our society. It undermines the very fabric of our Island, placing at risk the safety, security and well -being of our families and the future of our country. But Bermuda is resilient. Together we can heal, restore peace and rebuild our Island on the principles of respect, empathy and unity. Mr. Speaker , the National Violence Reduction Strategy is not just another policy document; it is a testament to our collective will to put an end to violence in all its forms. It is the result of a two -day consultative workshop where key stakeholders from across the pub-lic and private sectors —faith-based organi sations, community groups, sports clubs and government agen-cies—came together to identify solutions and forge a path forward. We are deeply grateful for their contribu-tions and the robust dialogue that has shaped this plan. A special thanks must also go to the National Security Ministry ’s Gang Violence Reduction Team whose tireless efforts have been instrumental in crafting this strat-egy. 18 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report B ermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, this strategy is a call to action. It calls on all of us —government, community leaders, faith groups, families, individuals and young people— to unite in our collective efforts to reduce violence and heal our Island. Through collective efforts, we will real-ise the strategy’s vision of a safe, empowered community where violence is reduced to its minimum. Through collaboration and innovation, we aim for trust, oppor-tunity and justice for all. Together we envision a future where understanding and connection replace violence, fostering a brighter, safer tomorrow. Mr. Speaker , the National Violence Reduction Strategy outlines a comprehensive, multifaceted ap-proach to prevention, intervention and rehabilitation. By recogni sing the root causes of violence —whether they be economic hardship, lack of opportunity, social alien-ation or generational trauma—we aim to create lasting change. [The strategy] emphasi ses the need to empower our youth, to protect the most vulnerable among us and to ensure that those who commit acts of vio-lence are held accountable while also being given path-ways to rehabilitation and reintegration into society. This strategy is about hope, healing and the restoration of our communities. Mr. Speaker , a key component of this strategy is the focus on our youth, our future. We know that if we can change the mind- set of our young people and offer them alternatives to violence, we can break the cycle and prevent future generations from facing the same challenges. We are committed to expanding programme s that engage young people, promoting inclusion, mentorship and positive role models. By doing so, we can create a generation that chooses peace, under-standing and respect. Additionally, as part of our commitment to youth empowerment, I am proud to highlight the rein-stitution of the Bermuda Youth Counselling Services under the Department for National Drug Control. Origi-nally launched in 2002, this service will now offer tar-geted counselling and case management for young people aged 10 to 18 who are at risk of substance misuse and violence. This programme will help guide our youth through difficult challenges and provide them with the tools they need to build brighter, more ho peful futures. Mr. Speaker , the National Violence Reduction Strategy also includes important community -driven initiatives. We are expanding the Gang Violence Reduc-tion Team’s outreach programme, which helps young people involved in or at risk of gang activit ies. This programme will offer educational and vocational support including financial assistance for GED program mes, access to Bermuda College for those who meet the en-try requirements and expanded opportunities for ap-prenticeships, certifications and overseas training. Mr. Speaker, the G overnment also recogni ses the profound emotional and psychological toll that vio-lence takes on individuals and families. That is why we are expanding the Community Counselling Programme, which offers grief and trauma support to those impacted by violence. Whether it is a victim of a violent crime or a family affected by the loss of a loved one, this program me provides a crucial service to help people heal. This strategy is a living document, one that will evolve as we continue to engage with our communities and assess the impact of our efforts. We are not just setting out a plan; we are building a movement, a shared vision for a safer Bermuda. The National V iolence Reduction Strategy underscores our belief that through collaboration, education and accountability, we can reduce violence, heal broken relationships and restore peace to our I sland. Mr. Speaker , we stand at a critical moment in our history, and the decisions we make today will shape the future we leave for our children and our grandchildren. The National Violence Reduction Strategy is our commitment to a brighter, safer Bermuda where peace, respect and understanding replace fear, division and violence. I ask for the support of this Honourable House and the people of Bermuda as we embark on this journey together. Mr. Speaker, in closing I am urging all Honourable Members and the people who call Bermuda home to familiari se themselves with the eight strategic goals for the strategy and determine how they can join us in our mission to implement strategies that will reduce violence in Bermuda. Together we can create the Bermuda we know is possible, a Bermuda that is united, resilient and dedicated to healing. By working together we will reduce violence and build a future filled with hope and opportunity for all. Thank you, Mr . Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank y ou, Minister. Members, again asking your indulgence, we do have the second Statement up on the SharePoint for you now. Minister C aesar. PUBLI C ACCESS T O INFORMATION AMENDMENT BI LL, T ABLING O F Hon. C rystal C aesar: Go od morning, Mr . Speaker, and …
Thank y ou, Minister. Members, again asking your indulgence, we do have the second Statement up on the SharePoint for you now. Minister C aesar. PUBLI C ACCESS T O INFORMATION AMENDMENT BI LL, T ABLING O F Hon. C rystal C aesar: Go od morning, Mr . Speaker, and thank y ou for y our indulgence t o my c olleagues. Mr. Speaker, good morning. Today I am pleased to table for the consideration of this Honourable House the Public Access to Information (PATI) rights to records held by public authorities. PATI forms a part of a robust information rights framework that creates transparency and accountability. Mr. Speaker, this Bill includes the introduction of reasonable charges which places limits on the time spent by public authorities in responding to requests and provides for payment of requests where processing by the public authority exceeds this. Mr. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 19
Bermuda House of Assembly Speaker, this B ill will provide necessary updates between the Act and the Regulations , providing for greater clarity and alignment for the enhanced cohesion and implementation of processes , along with updates to provision of functions to the Information Officers and some provisions of functions and procedures regarding the Information Commissioner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Members, that brings us to a close on the Statements this morning. We will now move on. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. QUESTION PERIOD
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are no written questions this morning, so the questions will come from Statements that were given this morning. And Ministers, we do have Members who wish to put [questions] to you today. [I will] just acknowledge that the Premier does have a question down for him, but the Premier …
There are no written questions this morning, so the questions will come from Statements that were given this morning. And Ministers, we do have Members who wish to put [questions] to you today. [I will] just acknowledge that the Premier does have a question down for him, but the Premier has been called to an emergency matter that is being dealt with over the phone. So once he is finished, he will be back and we will come back to his question. But we will move on. The first [question] right now is [for] the Deputy Premier. Deputy Premier, you have a question from MP Campbell. MP.
QUESTION 1: INTEGRATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND TITLE AND REGISTRATION
Mr. Vance CampbellThank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to know, the Minister mentioned that since 2020 there has been an accumulating backlog of about 800 registration cases. Would the Minister be able to advise whether these include purchases by non- Bermudians?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Yes.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThis is your supplementary. SUPPLEMENTARIES
Mr. Vance CampbellGiven that a maximum of 2,500 acres is allowed to be owned by non- Bermudians, does the Minister have any concerns that that 2,500 acres may have been exceeded during this period of backlog?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Not at this time. But if I do get information that raises concern, I will certainly report it to this House.
Mr. Vance CampbellYes, final supplementary. If it is discovered, once they are fully back up to date, that the 2,500 acres has been exceeded, what is the course of action that the Ministry will take?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Walter H. Roban: At this point, as I said in my previous statement , if that concern arises I would report it to this House. There has been a process in the past where adjustments have been made to accommodate that. But certainly it is no intention that …
Minister. Hon. Walter H. Roban: At this point, as I said in my previous statement , if that concern arises I would report it to this House. There has been a process in the past where adjustments have been made to accommodate that. But certainly it is no intention that we will go beyond that number. And at this point . . . just one second. I may have a slight enhancement to that answer. The control of this matter is by the Cabinet, and . . . I will be just one second if you will oblige me, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. [Pause] Hon. Walter H. Roban: Mr. Speaker, in answer to the Honourable Member’s question, that matter is actually controlled under other legislation. [It is] not under and is not the responsibility of our particular department. It would come under whoever controls alien registrations. So that would be a matter …
Yes.
[Pause] Hon. Walter H. Roban: Mr. Speaker, in answer to the Honourable Member’s question, that matter is actually controlled under other legislation. [It is] not under and is not the responsibility of our particular department. It would come under whoever controls alien registrations. So that would be a matter for another Ministry. I do believe it to be the Cabinet Office or possibly the Department of Immigration that handles those matters.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. That is your two supplementaries. Do you have a second question?
Mr. Vance CampbellI will hold on to any questions in this area for now. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. No further questions from anyone? Thank you. 20 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Minister Weeks [sic], the Opposition Whip would like to put a question to you. I mean, sorry, not Minister Weeks. Minister of Works, sorry, Minister of Works. QUESTION 1: REFOCUSING BERMUDIANA …
Mr. L. Craig CannonierThank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning and welcome back. On page 2, the Minister mentions that the Ministry of Public Works retained an expert who found that there was an inherent failure in the current business model. I would like to know when was this expert taken on.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, he was not “taken on.” The reason why I have not mentioned his name and will not mention his name is because he did it as a favour to the Government of Bermuda. He is an expert, a local expert, in running a hotel of this type. So …
Mr. Speaker, he was not “taken on.” The reason why I have not mentioned his name and will not mention his name is because he did it as a favour to the Government of Bermuda. He is an expert, a local expert, in running a hotel of this type. So he looked at the documentation that supported this exercise and gave us an opinion. Based on that opin-ion, as I indicated in my Statement, we then went and hired a professional EY [Ernst & Young] to actually do an assessment of the project .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary? SUPPLEMENTARIES
Mr. L. Craig CannonierYes, supplementary. Would the Minister consider that to be unusual, that we would take on, as stated here, an expert to give free advice on where a policy goes for the people of Bermuda? [Inaudible interjection]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierOn where policy goes for the people of Bermuda, to then lead them to an assessment by EY? It is just a bit irregular that we would allow someone to counsel Government on decisions to be made, and we do not make it public other than just to say “an …
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchIt is not unusual. You have experts who sit on government boards. You have people that have expertise in particular areas whom you seek advice from and guidance. And based on that advice you then go to the organised route of hiring somebody to do a deeper dive than what …
It is not unusual. You have experts who sit on government boards. You have people that have expertise in particular areas whom you seek advice from and guidance. And based on that advice you then go to the organised route of hiring somebody to do a deeper dive than what they did from reviewing the documents.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Supplementary, Mr. Speaker?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary, yes. SUPPLEMENTARIES Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes. Minister, would you agree that the expert whom you relied on for free was similar to the expert advice the OBA received for the America’s Cup? [Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThat will call for the Minister to have factual information on what was done. Does the Minister have factual information? The Minister indicated he does not. [Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAny further questions? Second question, yes.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, no it was not. What the Government did in deciding on EY was look at who of the alphabet group of consultants who do this type of work had expertise in this area, looking at distressed hotel assets. In the case of EY, they have a whole division …
Mr. Speaker, no it was not. What the Government did in deciding on EY was look at who of the alphabet group of consultants who do this type of work had expertise in this area, looking at distressed hotel assets. In the case of EY, they have a whole division that is based in The Bahamas that does this work specifically. So from The Bahamas they Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 21
Bermuda House of Assembly provided input to the local EY office to be able to assess the project and give an opinion. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Supplementary, Mr. Speaker?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Minister, was this expert whom you used the same expert that former Minister, Mr. Cannonier, used? On the same project?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSecond question. QUESTION 2: REFOCUSING BERMUDIANA BEACH RESORT
Mr. L. Craig CannonierWow. Minister, also on page 2, [it] mentioned that after this assessment the Government engaged an inter-nation accounting firm, Ernst & Young. When did that take place in relation to when the expert whom they retained was taken on? So, first part of that is, When was this Ernst & …
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, I do not have the exact dates of either one of these activities with me. But the advice from the professional was re-ceived one week, and I think the next week or two we decided to hire EY.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary? SUPPLEMENTARY
Mr. L. Craig CannonierSupplementary, yes. [The Minister] gave a Statement that on the eve of opening up this hotel, Thursday, and November 1 was the following day or two that the hotel was to open. So it did seem a bit abrupt. My question is, The Minister must have some idea of when …
Supplementary, yes. [The Minister] gave a Statement that on the eve of opening up this hotel, Thursday, and November 1 was the following day or two that the hotel was to open. So it did seem a bit abrupt. My question is, The Minister must have some idea of when that decision was made. To say that you do not know when Ernst & Young was taken on . . . when was the final report received from EY?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI think the question is, When was the final report received?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. That is the question out of that. Minister. He may have it, he may not. We will see.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, I do not know what the Shadow Minister is referring to when he said a day before the hotel was due to be opened. The work and the construction work have not yet been com-pleted. That is due to be completed in December. But the date of the …
Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the Shadow Minister is referring to when he said a day before the hotel was due to be opened. The work and the construction work have not yet been com-pleted. That is due to be completed in December. But the date of the EY report to the Government of Bermuda is the 20 th of September 2024. And so, I would suspect . . . actually, no I may not suspect. Let me see if it gives a date in here. [Pause]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchSo, I think EY took six weeks to do the report. So, you take six weeks from the 20 th of September, that puts you sometime in August. I would suspect that we got advice from the expert at the beginning of August. There was not a great deal of …
So, I think EY took six weeks to do the report. So, you take six weeks from the 20 th of September, that puts you sometime in August. I would suspect that we got advice from the expert at the beginning of August. There was not a great deal of time between the recommendation that he made and then the decision to hire a professional accounti ng firm.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Any more questions? No further questions. Thank you, Members. Thank you, Minister. The next Statement that has questions this morning, and before I call on that . . . ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER HOUSE VISITOR
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI would just like to acknowledge in the Gallery former Speaker [Randall] Horton. Welcome to the Gallery, sir. [Desk thumping] QUESTION PERIOD [Continuation thereof] 22 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Good. All right. And the next Statement that has questions is the Statement …
I would just like to acknowledge in the Gallery former Speaker [Randall] Horton. Welcome to the Gallery, sir.
[Desk thumping]
QUESTION PERIOD [Continuation thereof]
22 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Good. All right. And the next Statement that has questions is the Statement from the Minister of Youth, Sport and Social Development. MP Jackson, would you like to put your question?
QUESTION 1: FINAL UPDATE ON THE UNITED NATIONS JOINT PROGRAMME , “BUILDING BACK EQUAL THROUGH INNOVATIVE FINANCING FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’ S EMPOWERMENT”
Ms. Susan E. JacksonThank you. Good morning, Mr. Speaker. I would first just like to congratulate the Minister and her Ministry, and certainly Erica Smith, BEDC, who supported this UN programme over the last couple of years. It appears that it has been highly successful. I would like to ask the Minister whether …
Thank you. Good morning, Mr. Speaker. I would first just like to congratulate the Minister and her Ministry, and certainly Erica Smith, BEDC, who supported this UN programme over the last couple of years. It appears that it has been highly successful. I would like to ask the Minister whether Bermuda entrepreneurs in the programme had an opportunity to actually have any collaboration or training sessions with The Bahamas, who was the sort of sister country through this UN programme. Was there any actual integration where there was an exchange of ideas and learning and that sort of thing as the women entrepreneurs were going through the programme?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleague, for that question. Yes, there was an opportunity for that to occur. We had the opportunity for Bermudians to be repre-sented in a Multi -Country Office entrepreneurship training that was actually held in Jamaica. And we had a representation …
Minister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleague, for that question. Yes, there was an opportunity for that to occur. We had the opportunity for Bermudians to be repre-sented in a Multi -Country Office entrepreneurship training that was actually held in Jamaica. And we had a representation of Bermudians go to that conference — The Bahamas was also represented as well —where entrepreneurs had the opportunity to train and to share ideas. Actually, some of the feedback after we did our postmortem of the Building Back Equal project was that we wanted to have more opportunity for Bermuda and The Bahamas to collaborate. So that is definitely the feedback that we have gotten back through our postmortem as well. But they did have the opportunity. Probably not to the extent that we would have liked to, but they did have the opportunity in the initial stages.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. QUESTION 2: FINAL UPDATE ON THE UNITED NATIONS JOINT PROGRAMME , “BUILDING BACK EQUAL THROUGH INNOVATIVE FINANCING FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’ S EMPOWERMENT”
Ms. Susan E. JacksonI would like to ask the Minister whether this programme specifically, or anything similar . . . has this programme been a one- off or will we be able to reapply or have an opportunity to participate in any future, similar programmes for our next generation of entrepreneurs?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to remind our listening audience that this was the first time ever —ever —that Bermuda has had the opportunity to participate in the Sustainable Development Goals through UN Women and the United Nations Development Programme [UNDP]. We are so …
Minister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to remind our listening audience that this was the first time ever —ever —that Bermuda has had the opportunity to participate in the Sustainable Development Goals through UN Women and the United Nations Development Programme [UNDP]. We are so very grateful for that opportunity. And they have told us that . . . that we now have a foot in the door, basically, to be able to qualify and apply for further pro-grammes through UNDP. Bermuda is now part of their family. And they do recognise us as being beneficial to providing support, as well as Bermuda setting gold standards actually across other Caribbean islands of the work that we do here in Bermuda. And now they even want us to come and share some of the things that we do in Bermuda. So, yes, looking forward to further working with UN Women and UNDP.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary or new question? QUESTION 3: FINAL UPDATE ON THE UNITED NATIONS JOINT PROGRAMME , “BUILDING BACK EQUAL THROUGH INNOVATIVE FINANCING FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’ S EMPOWERMENT”
Ms. Susan E. JacksonI have sort of one final question. One was, and the Minister alluded to, is there an opportunity then that those who have gone through the programme are qualified to then be able to train and become a trainer for, whether their next generation in Bermuda or in other countries?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you for that question. Again, the door has been opened with relationship with UNDP and UN Women. UNDP and UN Women have met some great persons here in Bermuda, as well as entrepreneurships. So that relationship has been grounded. And they will be looking out …
Minister.
Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you for that question. Again, the door has been opened with relationship with UNDP and UN Women. UNDP and UN Women have met some great persons here in Bermuda, as well as entrepreneurships. So that relationship has been grounded. And they will be looking out for us in Bermuda to have opportunities with training and also cross- country initiatives as well.
Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 23 B ermuda House of Assembly Ms. S usan E . Jac kson: Thank y ou.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank y ou. Okay. The next S tatement t hat has ques tions t his morni ng is t he Statement b y the Minister of Education. Minister, MP Campbell woul d lik e to put a question to you. MP. [Crosstalk and laughter ]
Mr. Vance CampbellI’ve got a century on my bat today. QUESTION 1: EDUCATION REFORM UPDATE: 3-TO-2-TIER 20 25–2027
Mr. Vance CampbellMr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, for those students who may be at CedarBridge and Berkeley currently who wish to pursue the Hospitality and Tourism Signatures: Have provisions been made for them to be doing those specific courses for the Hospitality and Tourism Signature right now in …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister. [Inaudible i nterjections and l aughter ] Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Mr. Speaker, at CedarBridge Academy they have the Culinary Arts Programme. It is the only programme that will transition over into the Hospitality.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Supplementary? SUPPLEMENTARY
Mr. Vance CampbellYes, Mr. Speaker. So for students who are already at CedarBridge —and as two, or even as one, will they be able to have some accelerated programme in order to finish the necessary requirements under the signature once the Sandys Signature School has been opened?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Minister? Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the question. Mr. Speaker, the question demonstrates a fundamental issue that we find ourselves dealing with. And that is the lack of understanding of how signature pro-grammes do work among some people within our com-munity. The signature programme, …
Okay. Minister? Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the question. Mr. Speaker, the question demonstrates a fundamental issue that we find ourselves dealing with. And that is the lack of understanding of how signature pro-grammes do work among some people within our com-munity. The signature programme, as I said in the Statement, occupies about 30 per cent. And the process of signatures is to give our students a focused ex-posure to industry, so when they do finish school they have an exposure to that. However, they still earn credits for those classes that they do take. It h as always been explained that it is possible for a student to transfer to another signature school if they do wish. However, it really does depend on how far along [they are] in the particular signature they are do-ing. So, once you get past Year two, it would be very difficult to transfer to another school and do the signature programmes there and get the full scope of it. However, that is not something that we would deny anyone to do, but we will explain to them exactly what would happen. They would still gain the necessary credits to graduate, but they may not get the full exposure of being at the programme for the full, as it stands now, four years. (But as it stands come September 2025, the five years.) There are discussions of, once all of the schools are up and running, how we can provide access to schools while not having to transfer. But that is something that is being looked at and we look to imple-ment at some point in the future.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSupplementary or new question?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Members, actually there is one left. Premier. The last question this morning is for the Premier’s Statement. And that was from MP De Silva. MP De Silva, would you like to put your question? QUESTION 1: BANKING SECTOR REFORM Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes. Thank you. …
Thank you. Members, actually there is one left. Premier. The last question this morning is for the Premier’s Statement. And that was from MP De Silva. MP De Silva, would you like to put your question? QUESTION 1: BANKING SECTOR REFORM Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Premier, thinking that the colour of someone’s hair should not be the reason why Mr. and Mrs. Smith cannot get a bank account in the country, will you be looking at creating a financial ombudsman position to assist the people of Bermuda who are being disc riminated against by the banks? [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: It is common. It is common. [ Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. 24 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly The Premier: Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honourable Member for his question. And I know the Honourable Member is passionate about fair banking access in the country. What I will say, Mr. Speaker, is [that] as part of …
Premier. 24 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly The Premier: Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honourable Member for his question. And I know the Honourable Member is passionate about fair banking access in the country. What I will say, Mr. Speaker, is [that] as part of the broader measures of which the Ministry of Finance is taking on, there is a broader conduct measure of which the Honourable Member is alluding to. Whether or not that is in the form of a financial ombudsman or whether or not that is in the form of expanding those types of (I guess I would say) matters that would typi-cally be handled by a financial ombudsman to be handled by another particular agency, et cetera, those are things in which we are going to continue to examine and work with the Ministry of Economy and Labour, who has responsibility for consumer protection around there. And so, Mr. Speaker, I recognise the concern that has been raised by the Honourable Member. And it is something that needs certainly to be advanced, and we are looking to do it. I do not believe that will happen in this particular legislative year, but it is something that is, insofar as the planning, to make sure we get it into place. The BMA has already done some matters related to conduct and codes of practice, but on matters related to enforcement, on the matters related to how to handle complaints and the actual powers to address these matters under conduct, we just need to make sure we finalise which particular body may handle that, whether it is existing or a financial ombudsman. And then we will take it forward.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Supplementary question? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Second question, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSecond question. QUESTION 2: BANKING SECTOR REFORM Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Premier, will you be bringing legislation to create, and I quote, an “Unfair Contract Terms Act” similar . . . not similar, very similar, maybe exactly the way it is laid out in the UK and in …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will certainly take that matter under advisement, and I can certainly share it with the Minister of Economy and Labour who has responsibility for consumer affairs. Matters related to unfair contracts and practices will be largely …
Premier.
Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will certainly take that matter under advisement, and I can certainly share it with the Minister of Economy and Labour who has responsibility for consumer affairs. Matters related to unfair contracts and practices will be largely governed under existing consumer affairs laws and provisions, and too, see if there are any particular amendments or changes to make sure. But from a fundamental basis, the Government does not wish to be in a space where there are unfair contracts and terms. And we believe that citizens have recourse because we are a Government that believes in fairness.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Supplementary or further question? MP Jackson. SUPPLEMENTARY
Ms. Susan E. JacksonYes, I have a supplementary. When it comes to unfair contracts and such with the banks, I am curious, would this also include people who are not able to open up a bank account from the very get -go? So these may be folks that just, maybe it is around …
Yes, I have a supplementary. When it comes to unfair contracts and such with the banks, I am curious, would this also include people who are not able to open up a bank account from the very get -go? So these may be folks that just, maybe it is around a per manent address or whatever the situation might be that does not even qualify them to get into a contract.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Great question.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. Hon. E. David Burt: Well, I am not entirely certain where the Honourable Member is going. But let me try to reread the Statement of which I had given before, where it says that “ financial inclusion as involving the provision of access to an adequate range of safe, …
Premier.
Hon. E. David Burt: Well, I am not entirely certain where the Honourable Member is going. But let me try to reread the Statement of which I had given before, where it says that “ financial inclusion as involving the provision of access to an adequate range of safe, con-venient and affordable financial services to disadvan-taged and other vulnerable groups, including low income, rural and undocumented persons, who have been underserved or excluded from the formal financial sector. ” So in the case which I think the Honourable Member was alluding to, in regard to persons who may not have a permanent address or fixed abode and their inability to access financial services, those are precisely the measures of which we are seeking to corr ect, because it is important that persons have access to fi-nancial inclusion in the economy. And every single person should have access to basic banking. It is true we have seen in other jurisdictions where the global settings bodies have realised that the rules which they have put in place have led to a significant [number] of persons being removed from the financial system, which cannot solve the goals of a reduction of financial crime. And so we are going to make sure that these things are balanced properly and correctly so that we can get away from this space where people do not have access to banking services, which is unacceptable in this time.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Members. That brings us to the end of the Question Period. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 25 Bermuda House of Assembly Before we move on, let me just see where we are. CONGRATULATORY AND/OR OBITUARY SPEECHES
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier, you are on your feet. Premier, you have the floor. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It will be a lot today. First, Mr. Speaker, I would certainly like to associate all Honourable Members, as for the last two days we have been celebrating the life of …
Premier, you are on your feet. Premier, you have the floor. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It will be a lot today. First, Mr. Speaker, I would certainly like to associate all Honourable Members, as for the last two days we have been celebrating the life of the late Senator Leslie Robinson, whom we laid to rest yesterday. And certainly on behalf of the Government and all Members (whom I will associate but I am sure individual Members may have their own comments), we are certainly shocked by her passing. We know about her leadership in the international business sector and also in her church. We will greatly miss her ins ide of the Progressive Labour Party. And I will ask that the Honourable House do send a letter of condolence to her family. Mr. Speaker, I also wish to extend my deepest condolences to the families of constituents of mine. Mr. Ethan Arruda, who tragically lost his life due to violence a couple of weeks ago. And I will certainly associate all Members. But I do know particularly that the Deputy Premier, who knows the Arruda family, and the Minister of National Security went with me to visit the family shortly after Ethan’s tragic passing. We certainly did visit the family to express our condolences directly. It was a very heartfelt and tear -filled send- off service at the Catholic Church last weekend. But certainly again I would like to ask the House to send a letter to his parents, Alvaro and Monica, and his brother, Logan. And without question, the wider Mount Saint Agnes commu-nity and the Bermuda community on this tragic loss. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to send to condolences. I am not going to associate you, but I know that you may speak on this one later certainly to the family of the late Quinton Bean. A beloved taxi operator, true ambassador of Bermuda’s hospitality, known as “QB.” Mr. Bean shared his deep love and knowledge of Bermuda with countless visitors, setting a high standard. But of course, he was a dedicated member of the Warwick Parish Council, Salvation Army Band and a stalwart of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party. And I would certainly ask that this House send a letter to his family and certainly would like to associate Members with that. But they will certainly associate themselves if they do wish. I would, Mr. Speaker, please like to ask the Honourable House also to send condolences to the family of one of my late constituents, Mrs. Gloria Simmons of Mount Hill, who passed away in her hundredth year! She was married to her husband, Kenneth Simmons, for 73 years. I had the occasion of visiting them on their 70 th wedding anniversary. I know I was in this House and gave congratulations for that as well, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, further I would like to ask that condolences be send to the family of the late Elliot Williams, who was laid to rest earlier this month. Certainly I would like condolences [to go to] his wife, Dorothy, who was a principal to many persons, and certainly Curtis Williams and also Suzanne Williams -Charles, who are his children. Finally, Mr. Speaker, if I may I would like to ask and associate Honourable Members with heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Peter Green. Without question, we put out a statement from the Government. Mr. Green’s unwavering commitment to Bermuda was certainly evident through his investment in our tourism industry. But the biggest thing is, Mr. Speaker, that there are many Bermudians in this country who would not have had the opportunity to gain higher education were in not for the scholarships that were awarded by the Green family. It has touched many families personally; it has touched my family particularly as I know the members of my family have. And I want to make sure that we recognise that particular contribution as he has passed. So on beha lf of the Government and certainly the Progressive Labour, I would certainly associate the Opposition and Members of the whole House, we extend sympathies to his family, especially his sons, Al-exander and Andrew. May he rest in peace. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Timer chimes]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchWhen we miss this occasion in weeks past, we should double the time. Anyway, I would like to be associated with the condolences [for] Senator Leslie Robinson. It was an absolute joy to have her as a Junior Minister for Public Works and to work with her. Quinton Bean is …
When we miss this occasion in weeks past, we should double the time. Anyway, I would like to be associated with the condolences [for] Senator Leslie Robinson. It was an absolute joy to have her as a Junior Minister for Public Works and to work with her. Quinton Bean is a first cousin of mine, so I extend condolences to his family on his passing. He was a member of my branch and regularly gave me advice and instruction sometimes. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to ask that congratulations be sent to the Portuguese community of Bermuda on the occasion of their 175 th anniversary of their immigration to Bermuda. I attended the celebration at Spanish Point where the President of the Azores was present in Bermuda. It is a delight to see the work that they are doing at that location, which is now their headquarters. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to extend congratulations to Restoration Ministries, who celebrated 26 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly their 20th anniversary. You may know, Mr. Speaker, they are presently housed at T. N. Tatem as one of the anchor tenants. I attended their gala event, and one of the things that has impressed me about their outreach and their work in this community is not just how t hey concentrate and focus on young people. But about two years ago they entered into a partnership with Grace Point Church, which is a church that meets on Sundays. So their hall is used on Saturdays by themselves and on Sundays by another organi sation. And I told them in my remarks that they set the standard for what we should be doing in this country —sharing— as opposed to having things that are just for our own use. They are one of a number of entities housed at Tatem that do community work. And finally, Mr. Speaker, I attended last night’s Mosiah event at Bermuda College, which was put on by the Jamaican Association of Bermuda. It was a movie and a presentation in honour of Marcus Mosiah Garvey. And it was presented by a Jamaican lecturer, Steven Bruce Golding. He is probably the world expert on M arcus Garvey.
[Timer chimes]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Thank you, Minister.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchAnd hopefully the movie will be a series, because they only were able to cover a small portion of his life. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Members. I see there have been a lot of attempts to get the Speaker’s attention. I think I am going to let the young lady, if you gentlemen do not mind yielding to Minister Furbert. Minister Furbert, you have the floor. [Laughter] Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you, Mr. …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI thought that would get your attention. How’s that? [Laughter] Hon. Tinee Furbert: Mr. Speaker, I do want to also associate myself with the condolences to the family, and spiritual daughter Kelechi Jones, of Senator Leslie Robinson. I wanted to offer my condolences to that family. Also, Mr. Speaker, I …
I thought that would get your attention. How’s that?
[Laughter]
Hon. Tinee Furbert: Mr. Speaker, I do want to also associate myself with the condolences to the family, and spiritual daughter Kelechi Jones, of Senator Leslie Robinson. I wanted to offer my condolences to that family. Also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to send condolences to my constituent of St. George’s South, Ms. Dora Lucille Hollis, who departed us in her 100 th year. Mr. Speaker, we have people living longer and longer, and wanting to send condolences to her children and the whole community in Harlem Heights. And espe-cially her granddaughter, Sacha Andrews, and also her daughter, who took really, really good care of her in her home. Condolences to that family. And also wanting to send condolences to the family of 19- year-old Damitri Edwards —I associate the Premier with those comments and Minister Diallo Ra-bain—who tragically lost his life on our roads, Mr. Speaker. Also, Damitri Edwards is the son of Tanisha and Damon Edwards, and also the very best friend of my son. So, you know, I know it has been a very difficult time for many of those families who are out there grieving, but wanting to definitely offer our love and support to those families who are experienc ing such grief. Mr. Speaker, I want to take the opportunity to congratulate all of our public servants. Today we recognise them for the Long Service Awards, some getting awards for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 years —and I think 40.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberAnd 45. Hon. Tinee Furbert: And 45 years in the public sector. And that is a very long time serving the community in that aspect. And the civil service being one of the largest—I believe it is the largest employer of our people in Bermuda. We know that at times …
And 45.
Hon. Tinee Furbert: And 45 years in the public sector. And that is a very long time serving the community in that aspect. And the civil service being one of the largest—I believe it is the largest employer of our people in Bermuda. We know that at times it can get really tou gh, particularly with such a progressive government that we have. People are working over and beyond the call of duty, and we want to thank them and recognise them for the work that they do on behalf of the Government. I also want to take this time to congratulate, of course, Hamilton Parish Hot Peppers for winning the Dudley Eve Trophy in soccer —football. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[Timer chimes]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. MP Pearman, you have your three minutes.
Mr. Scott PearmanThank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to be associated with the remarks in relation to the passing of Senator Robinson. And I am sure all of my colleagues on this side of the aisle would like to be associated as well. It was a spectacular send- off yesterday for …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to be associated with the remarks in relation to the passing of Senator Robinson. And I am sure all of my colleagues on this side of the aisle would like to be associated as well. It was a spectacular send- off yesterday for those who were present. I cannot recall, Mr. Speaker, if we did have a moment of silence formally for her last week. If we did not, no doubt that could be featured in your remarks, but —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNot in this House. She did not sit in this House.
Mr. Scott PearmanWell, I leave it to you. It is in your hands, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerHer Chambers could do it, but I believe there was a moment of silence done that was scheduled at the trip . . . that did . . . Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 27 Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Scott Pearman: Indeed so.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe other Chamber will take care of it.
Mr. Scott PearmanIn your hands, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to be associated with the remarks for the Arruda family for their tragic loss that touched so many people on this Island. And hopefully [that] is not the way this Island is going. Again, we would like to be associated with …
In your hands, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to be associated with the remarks for the Arruda family for their tragic loss that touched so many people on this Island. And hopefully [that] is not the way this Island is going. Again, we would like to be associated with Premier’s remarks about the passing of Peter Green. He was a remarkable husband, father, businessman, philanthropist, art expert, raconteur, hotelier and a lover of all things Bermuda. On a personal level, he was immensely kind, considerate and very, very funny. And so to his sons, Alexander and Andrew, Bermuda owes you and your father, and his beloved wife Mary Jean, a debt of immense gratitude. And I hope that the whole House will join me (and the Premier indeed already) in sending our respectful thanks for all that he has done for this Island. And may he rest in peace. I agree with Colonel Burch. After we have such a long passing, it is hard to get these all in, given the time that has been spent absent from the House. But if I may also quickly mention the passing of Robert Rich-ard Rans, Jr., affectionately known by many Bermudians as “Bobby.” He died at the age of 77. He was a true character and a very successful Bermudian who flew the flag for our Island both at home and abroad. And to his boys, Brooks and Peter and their families, my heartfelt condolences. I would also like to offer condolences to the family of Anna Wenona Summers, who died in her 87 th year. And her funeral was this week, or last week ra-ther—or this week rather. She was a female leader in the world of Bermudian insurance in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. And there was certainly no glass ceiling for Anna at a time when there were not a lot of women in the boardroom, indeed at the highest echelon and highest levels of the boardroom. So to Anna’s children, Zoe and David, and to her stepchildren, G reg and Jillian, heartfelt condolences, love and affection for your mother, Anna, who was always funny, always there with a smile and always immensely kind privately. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[Timer chimes]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Minister of Education. You have your three minutes. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly do want to be associated with the remarks for Senator Robinson, for young Mr. Edwards and for Mr. Green as well. Mr. Speaker, I would like condolences …
Thank you. Minister of Education. You have your three minutes.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly do want to be associated with the remarks for Senator Robinson, for young Mr. Edwards and for Mr. Green as well. Mr. Speaker, I would like condolences sent to constituents of mine who have suffered a double trag-edy this year. We were here a few months ago announcing the death of Mr. Wilfred Hodson. His wife [Shirley Dianne Hodson] passed a few weeks ago since we have been here. So I just want to send condolences to the family, the Mary Victoria Road family, their son, Wilfred Jr., and their daughter, Linda. Surely she will be a miss up there at Mary Victoria Road. And I associate MP Swan with those comments, Mr. Speaker. And I will take the liberty of associating the entire House for condolences sent to the family of Canon James Francis, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there was a special relationship with myself with Canon. Canon was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. It was always amazing, no matter when I saw him he was happy to greet me, he was happy to talk fraternal business. Canon Francis reached a milestone that not many persons who join this organisation reach, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, he celebrat ed 70 years as a member of this organisation in March of earlier this year. That made him one of the few members who reached that milestone when you really, really think about it. He crossed at Xi Chapter on March 30, 1954, Mr. Speaker. And so I know his home- going service will be on Tuesday, and I certainly will be there to pay my final respects to my dear brother, Canon Francis. Mr. Speaker, on a lighter note, something that reminds me of how old I am getting, I want to send a congratulations to my nephew. Who has in the birth of his daughter, Demi, who was born between him and his partner, Denaysai. So I just want to say congratulations to them. Teasing my brother who has become a grandfather, but they tease me more becoming a great -uncle now. It is something perhaps one day I will aspire to actually witness that. But congratulations to them, Mr. Speaker. And again, just reflecting on Senator Robinson. I think it was Mr. Pearman, MP Pearman, had said the service yesterday was absolutely beautiful. It was breathtaking to listen to the singing, to listen to the speeches and everything. And it was very heartwarming to see her sent off in such a joyous occasion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Whip. Mr. Whip.
Mr. Neville S. TyrrellThank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I also wish to be associated with the condolences sent on behalf of Mr. Quinton Bean. His family, mother and aunt, live in my constituency. Mr. Bean himself would always be in the constituency, so he was always free with his advice …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I also wish to be associated with the condolences sent on behalf of Mr. Quinton Bean. His family, mother and aunt, live in my constituency. Mr. Bean himself would always be in the constituency, so he was always free with his advice to me. So certainly I associate with that. I also want to associate with the passing of Senator Leslie Robinson, who is a good friend of my 28 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly children, both Craig and Tina and Nikesha. So I do associate with that. There is a saying, Mr. Speaker, that It is better late than never . There is a constituent of mine, a young lady who celebrated a birthday. I do not normally do the celebration of birthdays in my constituency on the floor, but we were out at the time. A young lady, Ms. Rose Riley, she reached the ripe age of 95. And I di d promise her that I would send congratulations via this medium. So thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Whip. MP Foggo. You have your three minutes.
Ms. Lovitta F. FoggoI was going to stand up before the Premier, but I knew he was going to do [Senator] Leslie [Robinson] and I thought he should have that honour.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAha. [Inaudible interjection and laughter ]
Ms. Lovitta F. FoggoYes. Mr. Speaker, I just want to be associated with the remarks for our departed Senator. I would like to say condolences to Mr. Damian Simmons, who was the son of Dawn [Hanley] and Philip Perinchief, who tragically lost his life in Bailey’s Bay just a week or so ago. …
Yes. Mr. Speaker, I just want to be associated with the remarks for our departed Senator. I would like to say condolences to Mr. Damian Simmons, who was the son of Dawn [Hanley] and Philip Perinchief, who tragically lost his life in Bailey’s Bay just a week or so ago. Only in his 50s, and it still stuns us in terms of how that accident even took place. But I just want the House to recognise the Simmons -Perinchief family in the loss of their son. Mr. Cory Steede, from St. George’s, in his early 50s. I will associate [MP] Kim Swan, and I will associate [MP] Renee Ming. He lost his life to cancer at a very young age. Ms. Quillard Aiken, who is the great -aunt of Renee Ming. I will associate [MP] Kim Swan because she was a long- time . . . At one time she lived in the Wellington area. Mrs. Anita Fox, in her 89 th year, she was buried yesterday. And I attended her funeral so I could not at-tend the Senator’s. She made her home in St. George’s, but came from the Southampton area, so I was surrounded by people from Southampton. But I had the honour to speak at her funeral. A very strong, independent woman who will be a great loss. I would like to associate [MP] Kim Swan. She leaves her one and only son, Mr. [Seaward] Alan Fox. So condolences to him and his family. For those who do not know, she is associated with the S toneham family, a name that is recognised in that area. And lastly but not least, I would like congratulations to go out to Mrs. Fubler from St. George’s, who celebrated her 100 th birthday on November 1. The Premier, Member Swan and Member Ming did get to attend. But unfortunately, though invited, I could not attend because I had to go somewhere else. And so I just want the House to recognise Mrs. Fubler in her hun-dredth year and I do hope that a letter will be sent to her. She has all of her faculties. And we can clearly call her a matriarch of the East, being 100 years old. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[Timer chimes]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Deputy Speaker. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like the House to send condolences out to the family of Ms. Helen Marie Furbert, the wife of Pastor Dean Furbert from Gospel Hall in Hamilton Parish. Ms. Furbert was a very nice …
Thank you. Deputy Speaker.
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like the House to send condolences out to the family of Ms. Helen Marie Furbert, the wife of Pastor Dean Furbert from Gospel Hall in Hamilton Parish. Ms. Furbert was a very nice person, and her three children are just as nice as her. And her husband is very nice. Also to the family Sergeant Richard Warner, the brother of Esme Williams. And I would like to associate [MP] Kim Swan and the Premier and me —[Minister] Diallo Rabain, as he says. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Warner was a decorated Marine in the US Forces Bermudian. And he leaves to mourn his wife and two daughters and grandchildren. He will certainly be sorely missed by his family. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Oh, I am sorry, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to be associated with the condolences to [the families of] Mr. Green, Damitri Edwards, Dora Hollis and Canon Francis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Deputy Premier. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Yes, Mr. Speaker. I certainly want to be associated with the condolences to the Arruda family and the Edwards family. Perhaps what is most unsettling about having to give these remarks is that these tragedies were around young people. Parents do not …
Thank you. Deputy Premier.
Hon. Walter H. Roban: Yes, Mr. Speaker. I certainly want to be associated with the condolences to the Arruda family and the Edwards family. Perhaps what is most unsettling about having to give these remarks is that these tragedies were around young people. Parents do not want to be burying their children. And that is perhaps most unsettling about having to be associated with those particular condolences. I know the Arruda family very well, as been mentioned, but also the Edwards family are my constit-uents. So his mother, Tanisha, and the rest of the family are a family of the village, the North Village. What was comforting is that when one attended their residence to give condolences, they were surrounded by a lot of love and a lot good people. So that was very comforting to see. But certainly the loss is disturbing for a community to be losing our young people. I certainly want to be associated with [the condolences] already given to the late Senator. She was Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 29
Bermuda House of Assembly certainly a special member of our organisation. And her loss will be felt for a while. I have known Leslie since the late 1980s when she entered the insurance industry and even had come into acquaintance with her in Atlanta because we both were studying at the same time. So quite a loss to somebody who was just a wonderful person. Certainly also, Canon Francis, a pillar of Devonshire, formerly the Pastor for Christ Church Devonshire. Certainly something [for which] the Devonshire community will certainly remember him fondly. And Mr. Quinton Bean who I knew from a very young child. I knew Mr. Bean very well, having at one point lived in Warwick myself. In my younger years, I knew him very well. And certainly the 175th anniversary of the arrival of the Portuguese emigres was [a] very moving . . . celebration to be a part of —I attended all of the events and was honoured to, on behalf of the people of Bermuda, welcome the President and his delegation, the President whom I had met previously. So I wanted to ensure that there was a friendly face to we lcome them to our Island. And certainly I hope that such visits will become a normal fixture for not only Bermudians, but also Azoreans as we build stronger ties with the Azores as well for years going forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[Timer chimes]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Minister Weeks. Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerBefore you start, how many other statements do we have this morning? How many other Members want to make comments in regard to— okay. [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. Wait, wait. Before you do, before you do. I am going to ask that the Premier take us to the lunch period right now and we will come back. I was trying to get us all through condolences and congratulations before lunch so we could come back and started …
Premier. Wait, wait. Before you do, before you do. I am going to ask that the Premier take us to the lunch period right now and we will come back. I was trying to get us all through condolences and congratulations before lunch so we could come back and started the Reply. But it looks like there are quite a few hands going up. So I am going to ask the Premier to do that. However, Premier, before you get on your feet.
[Laughter]
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER
HOUSE VISITORS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI would just like to acknowledge in the gallery, in the Chamber sitting here this morning, we have Minister [Owen] Darrell. With Minister Darrell we have two officials from the Caribbean Tourism Association. I am going to stumble over names, but it is Ms. Regis -Prosper and Ms. Bovelle. They …
I would just like to acknowledge in the gallery, in the Chamber sitting here this morning, we have Minister [Owen] Darrell. With Minister Darrell we have two officials from the Caribbean Tourism Association. I am going to stumble over names, but it is Ms. Regis -Prosper and Ms. Bovelle. They are both here on a tourism- related matter with the Minister. And we would just like to acknowledge your presence here and trust that your time in Bermuda will be well spent and that you will go back with ver y warm feelings from being here in Bermuda. Thank you.
[Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. The Premier: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move that this Honourable House do now adjourn until 2:00 pm for lunch.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAny objections? There are none. The House now stands adjourned until 2:00 pm. [Gavel] Proceedings suspended at 12:31 pm Proceedings resumed at 2:02 pm [Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood afternoon, Members. I trust everyone enjoyed the break and are refreshed and ready to go for a while this afternoon, or this evening. [Gavel]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe House is now in session. When we broke this morning, we were still on condolences and congratulations. Is there any Member who wishes to continue? MP Campbell, you have your three minutes. CONGRATULATORY AND/OR OBITUARY SPEECHES [Continuation thereof]
Mr. Vance CampbellThank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also would like to congratulate Hamilton Parish Hot Peppers, on their victory in the Dudley Eve. That is their maiden, their first top -flight trophy. Many may not know, some of you may know, that a former Member of this House, Nandi Outerbridge, …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMm-hmm. 30 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, I also would like to congratulate Mr. Conor White, Mr. Kaden Hopkins and Mr. Nicholas Narraway, who had a successful stint in the Caribbean Cycling Championships. Conor White in the time trial won …
Mm-hmm.
30 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Vance Campbell: Mr. Speaker, I also would like to congratulate Mr. Conor White, Mr. Kaden Hopkins and Mr. Nicholas Narraway, who had a successful stint in the Caribbean Cycling Championships. Conor White in the time trial won the Gold Medal for Bermuda, with Kaden Hopkins coming in second. And Nicholas Narraway, in the under -23 time trial, came in second. He had a mechanical malfunction that I believe prevented him from winning that event. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I just want to congratulate the outstanding female sports administrators who were honoured this past weekend: Shequita Parson, Patty Petty, Katura Horton- Perinchief, Donna Raynor, Jamie Masters McDowell, Latonia Frey, Heidi Mello, Cat hryn Siddle on behalf of the late Judy Simons, Margaret Heyliger, Shona Palmer and Branwen Smith- King. Congratulations to those ladies! It is a lot of time required when you are administrator for a sport. And the sport is better off for individuals such as them who commit tons of their time so that others can enjoy the sport of their choice. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP Campbell. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution? Minister Caesar. Hon. Crystal Caesar: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to be associated with the remarks and condolences with regard to Canon Francis and my childhood friend, Tanisha Edwards, on the untimely …
Thank you, MP Campbell. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution? Minister Caesar.
Hon. Crystal Caesar: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to be associated with the remarks and condolences with regard to Canon Francis and my childhood friend, Tanisha Edwards, on the untimely passing of her son. I would also like to send condolences to my constituent, Mr. Charles Jeffers II, on the passing of his mother, Carmen. And associate all others. In addition to his wife, Antoinette, and her grandchildren, Courtney and Arrington Jeffers. On a lighter note, Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge two civil servants who were awarded this morning with 20 years of service: Ms. Victoria Cordeiro and Gabriela Richardson, both of whom work in my shop. So I wanted to acknowledge their contributi ons to public service and say congratulations in that vein. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Does any other Member? Yes.
Mr. L. Craig CannonierOkay. Yes. I would like to [send] my condolences to the family of Canon Francis. I heard it was mentioned just earlier, so I would like to add a few words of gratitude to a man who I felt was a wonderful man of God. In his later years he …
Okay. Yes. I would like to [send] my condolences to the family of Canon Francis. I heard it was mentioned just earlier, so I would like to add a few words of gratitude to a man who I felt was a wonderful man of God. In his later years he would always, and I know across the floor here, whenever he would see a spouse of an MP he would constantly always say, How is he doing? or How is she doing? His concern of course for the future of Bermuda and the work that we are doing here goes without mention. He was always and continuously, whenever I saw him, supporting us as we do the work that we do here in the manner that he knew best. And that was to pray for us. I would also like to add my condolences to [the family of] Dora Hollis. I recognise that the Honourable Cousin Derrick Burgess was there sitting in the front at the service with Minister Tenee Furbert. I know they did not see me, but Aunt Dora is an aunt of mine. She would be considered to be the last of the Mohicans . She comes from a string of St. David’s Islanders. There are a bunch of sisters; there was a whole bunch of them. Back when they had 10 kids. Six sisters, four brothers. And she is the last of the Mohicans who still knew the old St. David’s recipes for suck rock stew and the like. I do not know, as according to the service her daughters did not pick it up, “Simmy” [Simonetta] and them.
[Laughter]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierShe went to Bailey’s Bay, as traditional St. David’s Islanders —many of them found their spouses in Bailey’s Bay. I do not know what was in the water there, Cousin. They would not go to St. George’s, but they would go to Bailey’s Bay. [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierYes. I mean, m any of the PLP Members would know. They had the son of Aunt Dora, Stuart, Stuart Hollis. You would know him, staunch PLP [supporter]. We had many talks in the room together. I will not share those. But he is living away now, and he came …
Yes. I mean, m any of the PLP Members would know. They had the son of Aunt Dora, Stuart, Stuart Hollis. You would know him, staunch PLP [supporter]. We had many talks in the room together. I will not share those. But he is living away now, and he came back, so it was good to see the family, the Hollis family all together on this sad occasion. Where a stalwart, not just of St. David’s, but even in Bailey’s Bay well known for her cooking, her attitude and for her love for ice cream. She will be definitely, definitely missed. And I was very, very, very glad to see the Honourable Burgess there and Tenee Furbert, Minister Tenee Furbert. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Minister Weeks. Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start off my remarks by being associated with the condolences for Senator Leslie Clarke Robinson and her family. I did not know her long. But for the short time that I did …
Thank you. Minister Weeks. Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start off my remarks by being associated with the condolences for Senator Leslie Clarke Robinson and her family. I did not know her long. But for the short time that I did know her she really left an impression on me with her humbleness and her willingness to assist and her genuine caring for the community. Mr. Speaker, I also want to associate the condolence remarks for Mr. Ethan Arruda. Like the Premier Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 31
Bermuda House of Assembly said earlier, he and I and the Deputy Premier went to the home of the Arruda family. And we also went —well, I and the Premier went to the funeral. You know, every chance I get I just tell the public, If you know something, say something. This was a 17- year-old little boy who so violently lost his life. And the investigation is ongoing. So anyone out there listening to me right now, if you know any little thing, please assist the authorities in bringing the culprits to justice. Mr. Speaker, I also would like to associate the remarks for Mr. Edwards, the young man who that lost his life on our roads. That makes it six . . . no, now it is seven. Another one since him. You know, we have to be careful the way we ride and traverse these roads. So my heart goes out to his family. I would also like to be associated with Canon Francis, Mr. Speaker. He always —
[Inaudible interjection] Hon. Michael A. Weeks: I will ignore that comment. He was always a man who gave us as MPs support and encouragement. So that kind of encouragement is going to be missed. But, Mr. Speaker, on a more positive note I want to give congrats to Shane Powell and his group, the Taylor Made Peace group. They put on a peace concert over the November the 11 th holiday. And they chose that date obviously because it is Remembrance Day and to remember all those young men and women that have been murdered by gun violence. Mr. Speaker, I also want to be associated with the Marcus Garvey comments. I was one of those guys that way back in the day when I was in university, I was considered a Garveyite. I named one of my sons Marcus. So the impact of Marcus Garvey is something that we all should be considering. As I take my seat, I want to be associated with the Portuguese anniversary in Bermuda, the 175 th anniversary. I proudly say that my great -grandmother is from the Azores, so I too—
[Timer chimes]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberAssociate the whole House.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Hon. Michael A. Weeks: I will associate the whole House.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. MP Famous.
Mr. Christopher FamousGood afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Let me start off with the condolences to the Williams family for the loss of Mr. Elliot Williams. I associate with what the Premier said earlier. His son is a good friend, and his grandson is actually my cousin. Also Mrs. Maria Pacheco of Devon Springs, …
Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Let me start off with the condolences to the Williams family for the loss of Mr. Elliot Williams. I associate with what the Premier said earlier. His son is a good friend, and his grandson is actually my cousin. Also Mrs. Maria Pacheco of Devon Springs, very loving lady. Wife to Victor, mother to Susie and to Paul. I hear everybody talk about Canon Francis, but what they are leaving out many do not know. He was a pond dog. And he will proudly tell you, Don’t let these rogues fool you. I’m a pond dog. And he used to spend many of his mornings down in bottom of Collector’s Hill at Specialty Inn where he would always be holding court, whether it be with parishioners, fellow persons of the cloth. And the last time I saw him, he was with Rev. Jay [Jamaine] Tucker, someone he fought vociferously for to take over the Devon C hrist Church in Devonshire. I say that to say that that is a church that some people in here do attend that is a magnet for people from around the country. So I just want to thank the pond dog, Rev. Canon Francis, for all that he has done. Mr. Speaker, also the young man who passed, the latest road victim. His father is a former Legislator. But as importantly, he was a young man working down at Collector’s Hill Gas Station. He always had an engaging way recently with a lot of the people ther e. And it is always important . . . it speaks to, even if you are pumping gas, to engage with people. Which we as Leg-islators need to engage with people more, as well, Mr. Speaker. So I just want to leave that with you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Oh, I want to congratulate the Jamaican Association, as the Colonel said. And condolences to the people of America. Thank you.
[Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDoes any other Member wish to make a contribution? MP Ming.
Mrs. Renee MingGood afternoon, Mr. Speaker and listening audience.
Mrs. Renee MingI was associated with comments earlier for Cory Steede, but I wanted to just add my own personal link to that. Cory is a born St. Georgian. His family had been in St. George’s all of their life. We were part of the crew, one that all around that time …
I was associated with comments earlier for Cory Steede, but I wanted to just add my own personal link to that. Cory is a born St. Georgian. His family had been in St. George’s all of their life. We were part of the crew, one that all around that time play ed marbles together. And our families’ fellowship has been celebrated a lot together. He will truly, truly be missed around the town. He was always encouraging, always willing to help. But I hope that he knew that he meant a lot to us, especially us who came up with him, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to be associated with the comments for Carmen Jeffers. I know her son very well, and 32 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly I tease him all the time and say that, you know, he is a nuisance. But I think she really did great a job in terms of one, his sense of humour, and two, his level of respect that he has. And also how he respectfully speaks his mind. Also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to just give my own personal note [regarding] Senator Leslie who will definitely be a miss. And in a space where we do not have a lot of women, it always warms my heart when you see women step up to the plate and put themselves forward for servant leadership. She was a member of her church, a deep member of the Bethel AME Church. And in her other communities I am sure she will be missed, Mr. Speaker. As she will be missed by us as well. On a happier note, Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Ms. Rakaya Simmons. She is a new associate at Trott & Duncan, a young lady that I honestly and truly believe . . . keep your eye out for [her] because she is one of those up- and-comings. And also I would like to extend congratulations to another young lady, Jada Pearman. She is on the stage in New York with the Paul Taylor Dance Company. That is a huge thing when you hear about a young person from this little, small Island who is making waves in other communities. And I would like to associate Minister Caesar with that and the Premier as well. And also for all the recipients for the Women in Sport event that happened this weekend: Well done and congratulations ! Also, I know that she was already done, Ms. Viola Fubler, 100 years old, one of the staples in the St. George’s community. She will not even let you help her get out of the chairs. She has all of her faculties. She does a wonderful job. Her advice was to k eep moving no matter how old you are. And I think I will take that under consideration. And last but not least, Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the new executive management team at the Leopards Club, one of the clubs with a history that is deep and rich for us in our communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[Timer chimes]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP. MP Jackson, you have your three minutes.
Ms. Susan E. JacksonGood afternoon, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to send condolences to the family, the friends, the caregivers, the neighbours of Betty Vincent. She was a veteran here in Bermuda. She was a nurse during World War II. She passed away in her 99 th year. And I really applauded …
Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to send condolences to the family, the friends, the caregivers, the neighbours of Betty Vincent. She was a veteran here in Bermuda. She was a nurse during World War II. She passed away in her 99 th year. And I really applauded Mrs. Vincent for attending the parade every year, and this year she was definitely missed. We certainly send out our blessings. She also was a very keen member of the Anglican Church here in Bermuda and maintained friend-ships with a number of the senior members of the Anglican Church, who used to visit her on a regular basis. I was her neighbour for a while. During COVID -19 I lived next door to her. And I really have to commend Ms. Betty Vincent. She kept us with us. She read the newspaper every day, 99 years old. She had her finger on the pulse as far as what was happening in the political arena. And we would have a friendly conver sation and friendly debate about what was going on in the community. She is really going to be missed. She was a fixture. I would also like to be associated with [condolences for the family of] Canon Francis. He was a man whom I grew up with. He was a big part of my marriage, he was big part of the births and christening of my children, he was a big part of the death of my c hild. And so I have always held him very close to the family. My fa-ther certainly, as MP Famous had mentioned, was a member of that court. And my father would drive down and have breakfast on occasion. So, I do want to send out condolences to the family. And also too, I would like to be associated with the passing of Senator Leslie Robinson. I only met her socially, but I certainly enjoyed the banter around American football, and I certainly loved her food. She was definitely a very sociable and gracious person. And even though I did not have a chance to work with her in an official capacity in Parliament, she certainly was a beautiful individual. And she will be missed, as well. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Does any other Member wish to make a comment at this time? Any other? None other. Before we move on, let me just add my remarks to some of the condolences and the comments that have been expressed today. First, I would like to start with those that …
Thank you. Does any other Member wish to make a comment at this time? Any other? None other. Before we move on, let me just add my remarks to some of the condolences and the comments that have been expressed today. First, I would like to start with those that are expressed to [the family of] Mr. Quinton Bean. Many of you may not know, but I spent a lot of my childhood years in Warwick on Cedar Hill, which meant I was over at Salvation Army. And Quinton Bean was one of those young officers at that time who was helping to guide and lead us young people in the right way. So my history with Quinton go es back that far. And then when I came into the political life, his father was still a Senator in politics. And it was a similar experience of advice, being guided from his father as well. So I have a rich feeling for his family from many different perspec tives. But Quinton’s loss will surely be felt by many up and down and throughout Bermuda. I would also like to be associated with the condolences that were expressed [regarding] Carmen Jeffers, who is family to me. And we surely will miss her. And our thoughts will continue with her son and his family as they go through this time. And condolences [for] Canon Francis. Much has been said, so I need not add much to that other than to add my comments to those remarks. And that of the remarks that have been expressed on the passing of Senator Robinson. All that Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 33
Bermuda House of Assembly has been said today expressed the person who she was. The funeral yesterday, as already has been said, was a very touching funeral in that it expressed again the individual that she was and how she had touched so many of us. Yes, I shared not only from the public perspective but also as a relative. So our family does appreciate the remarks that have been expressed here today. On a couple of quick notes before we close, I would like to just add Ms. Silvia Smith. I was going to say Silvia Wilson, but Silvia Smith. I knew her as Silvia Wilson. Her son, Greg Wilson, and I grew up in the neighbourhood together and went to high school together and are still good friends to this day. And the passing of his mother, I would just like to express my condolence to him and his sister on the loss of their mother. And too, Ms. Cosette Durrant, who was another one from my neighbourhood whom I grew up with. I am shocked to hear that she passed just in the last recent days. My thoughts are with her family, her brothers, her children and her partner during this time. And lastly, a relative of mine, Ms. Marlene Swan, who was laid to rest whilst I was away. She is a cousin in the family, and my thoughts are with her chil-dren and grandchildren and her siblings during this time as they come to grips with her loss. Her fami ly has been deeply affected by that. And we just want to acknowledge those things, those remarks. And with that we will now move on.
MATTERS OF PRIVILEGE
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. NOTICE OF MOTIONS FOR THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE ON MATTERS OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are none. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS GOVERNMENT BILLS
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere are four Bills to be introduced today. The first is in the name of the Premier, Minister of Finance. BILL FIRST READING PAYROLL TAX AMENDMENT (NO. 2) ACT 2024 Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill, which, according …
There are four Bills to be introduced today. The first is in the name of the Premier, Minister of Finance.
BILL FIRST READING
PAYROLL TAX AMENDMENT (NO. 2) ACT 2024 Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill, which, according to section 36(3)(a)(i) of the Bermuda Constitution, requires the Governor’s recommendation so it may be placed on the Order Paper [at the next day of meeting]: the Payroll Tax Amendment (N o. 2) Act 2024. And I shall give a personal copy to Ms. Jackson.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWould you like to do your next one? BILL FIRST READING CONTRIBUTORY PENSIONS (AMENDMENT OF BENEFITS AND VALIDATION) ACT 2024 Hon. E. David Burt: No problem, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill for its first reading so it may be placed on the Order Paper for …
Would you like to do your next one?
BILL
FIRST READING
CONTRIBUTORY PENSIONS (AMENDMENT OF BENEFITS AND VALIDATION) ACT 2024 Hon. E. David Burt: No problem, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill for its first reading so it may be placed on the Order Paper for the next day of meeting: the Contributory Pensions (Amendment of Benefits and Validation) Act 2024.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAnd the next Bill to be introduced this afternoon is in the name of the Minister of Economy and Labour. Minister. BILL FIRST READING EMPLOYMENT AMENDMENT ACT 2024 Hon. Jason Hayward: Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill for its first reading today so that …
And the next Bill to be introduced this afternoon is in the name of the Minister of Economy and Labour. Minister.
BILL
FIRST READING
EMPLOYMENT AMENDMENT ACT 2024 Hon. Jason Hayward: Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill for its first reading today so that it may be placed on the Order Paper for the next day of meeting: the Employment Amendment Act 2024.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. The next Bill is in the name of Minister Caesar. Minister. BILL FIRST READING PUBLIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION AMENDMENT ACT 2024 Hon. Crystal Caesar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 34 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill for …
Thank you. The next Bill is in the name of Minister Caesar. Minister.
BILL
FIRST READING
PUBLIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION AMENDMENT ACT 2024
Hon. Crystal Caesar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 34 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the following Bill for the first reading so that it may be placed on the Order Paper for the next day of meeting: the Public Access to Information Amendment Act 2024.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. That is the last of the Bills to be introduced. NOTICES OF MOTION THAT THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE SUPPORTS THE REPORT ENTITLED “THE NATIONAL VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY”
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe next item on the order paper is Notices of Motion. And the Minister of National Security. Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on the next day of meeting, I will move that the following Res-olution be approved: BE IT RESOLVED …
The next item on the order paper is Notices of Motion. And the Minister of National Security. Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on the next day of meeting, I will move that the following Res-olution be approved: BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House supports the report entitled “The National Violence Re-duction Strategy.”
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. We will move on. ORDERS OF THE DAY
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAnd what we have been waiting for today is the Reply to the Throne Speech. So we are at that stage. And do you need any time to get set up? Hon. Jarion Richardson: No.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood. Okay. Well, Premier first. [Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier. The Premier : You tell me to slow down.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Premier will move us to that point before you get to the floor, Opposition Leader. MOTION THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO THE THRONE SPEECH WITH WHICH HER EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR WAS PLEASED TO OPEN THE PRESENT SESSION OF PARLIAMENT The Premier: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, …
Mr. Premier will move us to that point before you get to the floor, Opposition Leader.
MOTION
THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO THE THRONE SPEECH WITH WHICH HER EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR WAS PLEASED TO OPEN THE PRESENT SESSION OF PARLIAMENT The Premier: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move that consideration be given to the Throne Speech which Her Excellency the Governor was pleased to open this present session of Parliament.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe first speaker for this afternoon, we call on the Opposition Leader. Opposition Leader, would you like to present the Reply to the Throne Speech? Hon. Jarion Richardson: I would. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon to you, sir.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. Good afternoon to you. 2024 REPLY TO THE THRONE SPEECH SECURING BERMUDA’S FUTURE Hon. Jarion Richardson: Mr. Speaker , it is my distinct honour to start this debate on the Government’s Throne Speech, and I look forward to the contributions to be made by all. Mr. Speaker, t here …
Yes. Good afternoon to you.
2024 REPLY TO THE THRONE SPEECH
SECURING BERMUDA’S FUTURE Hon. Jarion Richardson: Mr. Speaker , it is my distinct honour to start this debate on the Government’s Throne Speech, and I look forward to the contributions to be made by all. Mr. Speaker, t here is a Bermuda where new opportunities are being generated every day by stable families, active community clubs, and thriving Bermuda- based and Bermuda -owned businesses. A Bermuda where there are bustling shops, an entertaining nightlife, organised transportation, safe neighbourhoods, affordable food, health care and housing, and a financial path to secure pensions and no national debt or interest payments. In that Bermuda, Bermudians do not have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet, our public schools provide students with a world- class education, creating a pipeline of talented individuals with the skills to attain any job they desire. In that Bermuda, young people look forward to accessib le home ownership, a decent standard of living and affordable health care throughout their lives. Mr. Speaker, w e will not get to that Bermuda if we let this Government continue to drive us down the road they have been navigating for eight years. This year’s Throne Speech overcomplicates, misdirects and does not fix the actual cause of our problems. The Premier likes to say, Promises made, promises kept . Take a quick look around at our families, our jobs, our pay, our buildings, our roads, our communities and everywhere else. These things tell us that those promises were broken. It is time for an election. The One Bermuda Alliance can fix this. Mr. Speaker, we are calling for an election. Mr. Speaker, Bermuda is very dependent on what happens in other parts of the world. As the saying goes, if the United States sneezes, we catch a cold. The election of a new President in the United States, the world’s only superpower and on whom we are en-tirely dependent, clearly indicates a very new direction Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 35
Bermuda House of Assembly of travel for that country. The President -elect said he is looking at reducing the US corporate income tax to the same level as Bermuda. This could directly impact the Government’s projected revenues from the newly introduced corporate tax. Should the President implement the tariffs he promised during his electi on campaign, the inflationary pressures will increase the already high cost of living in Bermuda. Further, global advances in technology and labour shifts continue to reduce the need for jobs in Bermuda. The United Kingdom, responsible for our defence and diplomatic relationships, as well as the home to growing numbers of Bermudians fleeing our economy, just had an election. That new government is grappling with new ideas and a shortage of funds to execute them. If the US is eyeing our financial potential, it is not hard to imagine the U nited Kingdom doing something similar. Further afield, we have seen the enlarging of the Israel -Hamas conflict, drawing in Iran and the United States, and expanding the battlefield all the way from Lebanon to Yemen. This could easily affect fuel prices. The war in Ukraine, a major centre for wheat and [other] agricultural products, now involves the heavily sanctioned and global pariah, North Korea. This could easily affect food prices. Mr. Speaker, w e are already living through dramatically high prices of food, energy and housing in Bermuda. These g lobal events can easily increase all of those prices. There is a global pushback against these risks. The United Nations will attempt to tackle some of these issues in Santiago, Chile, in December 2025. Global trade will continue to be challenged by the US–China contest, while the European Union tries to survive the rising authoritarianism that plunged that region into war in the early 20 th century. The G20 and G7 will meet, as will the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. But cybersecurity already challenges even the richest countries. And we have yet to deal with our own breach that disabled the g overnment. Closer to home, we will be adjusting to a new Governor , while the UK Parliament continues to explore ways to modify our C onstitution. This Government last year reiterated its intention to adjust the C onstitution of Bermuda, though was conspicuously silent on the subject this year. Navigating these risks requires the focus and discipline our Government has yet to demonstrate. Mr. Speaker, Government’s first priority is to preserve and enhance the well -being of Bermuda and Bermudians. Given the state of the Island, it is clear that this Government got distracted and committed itself to other matters. Otherwise, it did all this intentionally , and that is too horrifying to imagine. Instead of dealing with disaster after disaster, the Government has let our fam-ilies be scattered across the globe while our savings dwindled and our pay cheques paid for less and less things in Bermuda. Promises made by this Government have been broken by this Government. The OBA can fix them. It is time for an election. Recent by -elections have shown that most Bermudians want to move past this Government. Mr. Speaker, w e have to move past the politics of disdain for those who are different. Year after year, we have been told how much we are valued by this Government. Cabinet Ministers have said they do not need our vote and are confused why anyone who disa-grees with them would bother to speak, since they will do the opposite of whatever is stated. The Government has made it clear it sees the world as split between us and them. And the them should either go away or not speak. The them should pay taxes and let the us receive, especi ally to make up for the past. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that spending time on that battle has distracted the Government from providing for and protecting Bermuda. The Government spent eight valuable years letting this I sland slip into this state. This Government had multiple opportunities to change course and chose not to. For years, the Government reduced the budget for maintaining and upgrading the roads. For years, the budget and manpower for those who police those roads shr ank. The less money and time we invested these issues, the faster they deteriorated. The buildings that have trees jutting out of them started as buildings that needed only a lick of paint . Roads that now feel like a ride at Coney Island started as cracks and chips in the asphal t or were perfectly fine until ripped up and slapped back together with neither care nor diligence. What started as a few patches of grass have become overgrown side-walks, forcing walkers to share the road with cars and bikes racing by. The absent roads -policing started as a few vacancies in the police service. All this is now a disaster. Too many authorities told us it is okay not to do anything about those buildings that needed paint. Too many authorities told us it is okay to not do anything about the cracked and chipped roads. Too many authorities told us it is okay to not do anything about the grass growing on footpaths. It is okay when the police reported there are fewer and fewer of them. It is okay when our kids told us they did not have a teacher in class. It is okay, and , You do not need to do anything about it, Mr. and Mrs. Government. These are not big deals; it is all minor. Promises were made, promises have been broken. The OBA can fix it. It is time for an election. Mr. Speaker, h ow do we explain the number of derelict buildings? They did not appear to look like this overnight. They were falling down for years , with trees growing out of them years before that. How about $3.5 billion in debt with $125 million in interest payments a year? That could pave all of our roads in one year. Again, that di d not happen this morning. How many piles of illegally dumped trash, family houses with ply-wood over the windows, unusable sidewalks, closed 36 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly businesses and violence increasing every year ? None of this happened overnight. A distracted Government cannot hold people in authority accountable. How many Government members to this day would rather blame the wrongs of the past than accept the conditions of the present? How many of them shrugged when the parliamentary calendar was manipulated to remove the Throne Speech? Integrity and accountability are key. It is a damning indictment when it is clear the governing party got access to our personal details , which we did not share with them. Bermuda is dying by a thousand cuts, each one explained away or ignored. Promises made, promises broken. The OBA can fix it. It is time for an election. Mr. Speaker, c onduct on Bermuda’s roads has become unsustainable, encouraging the undisciplined amongst us to drive without care. Our standards have slipped , across the I sland. The kind of conduct that gets a fender -bender in Bermuda ends with death on the German Autobahn. There is a universal standard of skilled driving that we must re- establish in Bermuda. We have to be okay with no notifications for drunk driving checkpoints. We have to obey the speed limit and road signs. We have to pay attention to th e roads while driving. That is the standard in other countries w here we would like to drive. Bermuda has promised addressing this for years. The Government has promised addressing this for years. Promises made, promises broken. The OBA can fix it. It is time for an election. Mr. Speaker, t he first step to rebuilding Bermuda is overcoming the greatest challenge this Gov-ernment left us —the general sense of powerlessness, which has rotted into apathy and cynicism. We have been fed a steady diet of Be quiet, do as your told for so long that some of us actually believe that is how to get by in Bermuda now. We have been fed You don’t deserve a voice, so we believe we should not speak. We have turned our attention away from the civic participation , or should I say, been pushed away. And we are so far from having participated in civic discourse and politics, many of us forgot that it is both a right and a duty. Some of us actually believe— and get this — White people do not belong in politics . Some of us believe that elections do not matter. Some of us have surrendered our hard- won rights. Some of us actually believe that Bermuda is so feeble, so weak and so lost that we cannot change out the G overnment. Significant numbers of us no longer believe that politics is for decent, civil exchanges of ideas and the prompt resolution of problems in the community. Mr. Speaker, US President Bill Clinton’s Labour Secretary , Robert Reich, recently said, and I quote, “ If we allow ourselves to fall into fatalism, or wallow in disappointment, or become resigned to what is rather than what should be, we will lose the long game. The greatest enemy of positive social change is cynicism about what can be changed.” Bermuda now has a fantastic opportunity at this historic inflection point. We can continue down the road we have been travelling for 20- plus years . Or we can navigate in a new direction. That is what happens when we unite not against an imagined enemy, but against our common problems. Mr. Speaker, a Roman Stoic philosopher, Seneca, once said, “If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favourable.” What is the destination of the good ship Bermuda ? The long game is a Bermuda where new opportunities are being generated every day by stable families ; active community clubs ; thriving Bermuda- based and Bermuda- owned businesses ; bustling shops ; an active nightlife; organi sed transportation; safe neighbourhoods ; affordable food, health care and housing; a financial path to se cure pensions ; and no debt or interest payments. We can get there through a back -to-basics approach. Let us make the systems of Government work again. Let us make living in Bermuda easy again. Mr. Speaker, we have got to move past the story of the foreign bogeymen. It has been an incredibly successful political talking point, but it is leading to ruin. The Government has misled us over and over again. It is trying to frighten us. How is it right to frighten Bermudians when the Government needs overseas labour? Did not the Government say we’re going to need 75 per cent of labour on the Fairmont Southampton to come from overseas? Obviously, we are going to need tax experts to staff and run the Corporate Income Tax Authority. How are we supposed to teach new topics in Signature Schools without overburdening our already overworked teachers? Without immigration, three additional promises made, three additional promises broken. First, yes, people have used and abused immigration to the detriment of Bermudians. Yes, some peo-ple will still try to abuse immigration to enrich themselves and diminish the role and values of the Bermudian community. Second, there never has been nor will there ever be enough born -Bermudians to sustain our population and community. We need people from overseas to permanently join our community, marry into our families and have Bermudian children. Third, our economy now is so advanced that experienced, skilled specialists are needed to sustain and grow our primary economic driver, the international business sector. Mr. Speaker, w e now need to have a mature, insightful discussion about these realities because we know the approach to stigmatise, isolate and reject persons from overseas has only inflicted harm on our economy and our community. To give an example of a successful immigration impact, think of our Portuguese- descended friends and family. This year we celebrated the 175 th anniversary since Portuguese emigres brought additional depth, variety and richness to our shared culture. Only the most unkind person would say that the Portuguese descendants are not real Bermudians. History is full of Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 37
Bermuda House of Assembly wrongdoing, and in their introduction and success into Bermuda, we do have plenty of stories. But history is not the future. It is by definition a thing that has already happened that none of us here today had anything to do with. I recently told a story of a Portuguese boy who moved to Bermuda quite young. He made friends and found that he had some skill in football. He played for Dandy Town and attended Dellwood Primary. He spent his whole life on Parsons Road, going to school, packing groceries and doing what the average Bermudian youth does. Having qualified to represent Bermuda internationally, he was told he could not play with his teammates overseas because he was not Bermudian. However, he was Bermudian enough to be conscript ed into the Bermuda Regiment, and yet had to go through hell over high water before he could receive the full rights and privileges of being recognised as a Bermudian. I am genuinely perplexed as to why, when we have access to Portuguese language, cuisine and culture, our schools teach French, Spanish and Latin before, but not Portuguese. A quarter of Bermudians are of Portuguese descent. There are a dozen more groups of persons from other countries —St. Kitt’s and Nevis, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Philippines, Dominican Republic, India, Sri Lanka, Canada, America and the United Kingdom— who have similar stories of enhancing our communities. To thrive in the future, we will need n ew friends , not old enemies. We are going to have to rid ourselves politically, culturally and economically of the foreign bogeym en. Mr. Speaker, l et us review, discuss and debate the specifics of this year ’s Throne Speech. We can describe the Throne Speech as having four themes. First, the Rehash of Old Promises ; second, the Taking the Ideas of Others ; third, Some of the Ideas Are so Bad, They Must Be Politically Motivated; and fourth, There Are a Lot of Things Just Missing. Mr. Speaker, y et another year goes by with yet another promise of a grand, unifying strategy to reduce violence. We have been here and heard this before. How is there still gang violence after all these strate-gies, projects and plans over the last two decades? How many more will this Government employ before it realises that it has to staff and equip the police to prevent, detect and deter crime? The OBA will provide social services to ensure gang members can be freed from that lifestyle. And we will prioritise community and roads policing. Government promises made, Government promises broken. The OBA can fix it. It is time for an election. Mr. Speaker, it is mind -boggling to think we are going to expand the Signature School experiment when the Bermuda Union of Teachers is warning us of an im-pending disaster. This experiment has effectively shifted millions of taxpayers’ dollars from social services into consultants ’ pockets. And distressingly, the proponents of this experiment seem to have failed to realise that our kids are not lab rats. Give the school leaders the authority and resources to run schools. Let the teachers teach. Government promises made, Government promises broken. The OBA can fix it. It is time for an election. Mr. Speaker, u niversal health care is a pipe dream until we have enough of a population to spread health care costs. The $125 million needed to pay for this is being used in interest payments on the burgeoning debt every year. The hospital is treating patients in corridors and, very distressing for a first -world international business jurisdiction, we ran out of key medical doctors in the field of oncology. As we hand out more and more health benefits, we do not seem to mention who will pay for them. We need to address the hospital funding model while reducing the cost of health care through targeting excessive charges. Government promises made, Government promises broken. The OBA can fix it. It is time for an election. Mr. Speaker, t he Government is failing as a property developer. Instead of enriching construction company bosses with taxpayer money , we ought to focus on creating the economic conditions where developing housing is feasible. It is clear that the reduced housing inventory has more to do with the choices of landlords . They clearly have something to say about the whole matter. The Government’s scattered approach to housing has resulted in over $100 million being spent on affordable housing —no, wait—hotel development —no , wait—high -end housing on the same piece of land. And Bermudians rightly take exception to the excuse that the Grand Atlantic failed because opponents did not want Black people on South Shore. It is across from Dunscombe Road, not even five minutes from Astwood Walk and Williamsholme Drive, where plenty of B lack Bermudians live. If this Government was not so busy living in the past , it might be able to participate in the present and plan for the future. Sell the Bermudiana and stop throwing good money after bad. Government promises made, Government promises broken. The OBA can fix it. It is time for an election. Mr. Speaker, a number of proposals within the Throne Speech are clearly taken from others. In June 2024, The Royal Gazette made a troubling report. “In 2010, the Bermuda Census identified 82 people expe-riencing homelessness. By 2016, that number had risen to 138 . . . As of December 31, 2023, Home” (a non-profit charity that initiated these projects ) “recorded Bermuda’s homeless population a t 811.” Our economy has forced Bermudians off Island to the United Kingdom. Can you imagine how many more homeless there would be in Bermuda if we did not have that escape hatch? 38 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Thankfully, H OME and its sponsors and donors saw the issue, spent the money, made the connections and conducted the research to address this growing problem. Government thankfully did not get in their way. But that is very different from doing the work yourself. The OBA would address the causes of homelessness in Bermuda, including the landlord –tenant imbalance, property inheritance, making climbing the property ladder easier and increasing the incentives for private enterprise to build. Government promises made, Government promises broken. The OBA can fix it. It is time for an election. Mr. Speaker, w hile it is heartening to see that Government will ring- fence tax revenue coming from Corporate Income Tax [CIT], it is frustrating to note it voted against that measure in the House of Assembly when the OBA tabled that amendment. It is also frustrating dealing with the politicking used in this space, instead of reason. The Tax Reform Commission has yet to issue any reports , so it can hardly be said to have recommended anything. Further, there are numerous risks around the CIT that can reduce what we will earn. It is entirely possible that we will have to pay funds long before we receive them. The Government is implying a promise that we can pay off the debt in 10 years ; this is the next broken promise. Mr. Speaker, as previously mentioned, many landlords have stopped renting their properties. The landlord– tenant relationship is so imbalanced that landlords risk their investment when they rent. This has removed substantial housing stock from the market. We see in the news and courts where [when] landlords do rent, they get burnt if the tenant turns out to be taking advantage. We identified this issue and raised it at our town halls and in our platform. We appreciate the com-pliment of co- opting OBA ideas, but there are pieces this Government is missing. There are myriad reasons landlords do not want to rent, including the legal process, fees and regulatory pressures. If we really want to increase housing stocks and keep rents affordable, we have to address these issues. Mr. Speaker, i t is galling to see that this Government is playing games with St. David’s again. After multiple Government Members of Parliament permitted dumping medical waste there without consulting the community , as well as standing by while St. David’s fought back against the closing of a historic school in the community, the Government has promised a St. David’s Plan. This seems awfully convenient , as it takes place after the OBA candidate for St. David’s, Maurice Foley, with no government assistance or official position, launched multiple projects to reinforce his community and start the long road to acknowledging St. David’s as a full, proper historical treasure unique in all of Bermuda. The St. David’s Plan was started the day when a community organisation stood up against being abused. The OBA will finish that fight by giving St. David’s its own parish and ascertain how the organisation can manage its own land. [Inaudible interjections and laughter]
Hon. Jarion Richardson: Mr. Speaker, t he same can be said of cheering the adoption of a United Nations Convention or of finally paying attention to youth mental health only after a non- government independent doctoral student organised multiple public events on the issue. Like Masterworks’ adoption and restoration of the historic Superintendent’s building in the Botanical Gardens, the Government wilfully ignores an issue, waits for others to address it and then holds a press conference to take credit. Mr. Speaker, s ome of the ideas in the Throne Speech are so bad, they must be solely politically motivated. The Government seeks to reduce the powers and authorities of the Office of Project Management and Procurement [OPMP] . Streamlining the Code of Practice sounds admirable, but there are already myriad exemptions and loopholes which can render the code useless. It is difficult to see how getting less oversight and transparency in a Government notoriously comfortable with the sleight -of-hand and pushing t he edge of credulity will improve anything. OPMP’s powers should not be reduced ; they should be audited. Let the facts tell us what needs to be fixed, not our interests. Mr. Speaker, as previously mentioned, the Tax Reform Committee has yet to issue its report. And yet this Government continues to make statements relating to its findings and recommendations. The c ommittee members could not be blamed if they resign because of the pigeon- holing of their already difficult work. This Government could do well to remember that the committee is not its servant but its colleague. P lease stop using them to justify the decisions of this Government before they can present their findi ngs. The OBA will leave the Tax Commission and all similar groups alone to get the job done by a certain date. We will not paint them into a corner by making public announcements about their work. Mr. Speaker, equally, the Government says that the 2023 cyberattack has driven a number of actions. Yet it is entirely unwilling to share the report into the incident with Parliament , and the Joint Select Committee has not yet been given the chance to undertake the work assigned to it by this Honourable House. The Government has not informed Bermudians and residents what if anything was stolen, to what extent , or what we can do to protect ourselves. The Government is clearly executing its own agenda withou t public scrutiny whatsoever. It seems to be borrowing from the Winston Churchill playbook, where he said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” If the OBA w as to act before the J oint Select Committee could finish its work , we would publish the necessary reports that influence Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 39
Bermuda House of Assembly those decisions. Only where demonstrably necessary would we redact portions of those reports. That information is the natural property of the public. Mr. Speaker, easing seniors’ ability to work is a powerful pivot from the sad, underlying fact that seniors have to work. Despite the multiple accolades the Government gives itself for astute financial stewardship and economic management, the fact that seniors must work to sustain themselves is an indictment on [the Government] itself. They must work because they must pay for food. They must work to pay for health care. They must work to secure their housing. In other countries, pensions pay for these expenses. Pivoting away from this fact is further proof that this Government is aware of its failed obligations to the seniors of Ber-muda. The OBA would expand social programmes to reduce the need to work, while seriously addressing the key drivers increasing the cost of living for seniors especially. We will also enable our older citizens to live independently with easier access to health and social services within their communities. Our seniors can not wait four more years. We definitely need an election. Mr. Speaker, w e hope this Government will refrain from continuing its assault on transparency and accountability by amending the Public Access to Information [Act]. While at the point of drafting they ha d not made clear their specific actions, previous public statements did indicate that this Government was not enthused or supportive of the public access to g overnment information. You should not need a privacy commissioner to force the Government to release your information to you. The OBA would launch a comprehensive open data portal where government financial rec-ords, meeting minutes and performance reports are publicly accessible. This will re duce the amount of information which is accessible only via the Public Access to Information requests. Mr. Speaker, t he overly complicated and outdated legislative immigration framework continues to enable the Government’s anti -foreigner policy. This Government continues to say that we have an ag eing demographic and we need more people, while doing everything it can to reduce the number of non- born Bermudians. At some point the Government must concede that Bermudians can be made by paper as well as by birth.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWhoa. Hon. Jarion Richardson: And until they make that turn, all Bermudians will continue to suffer as our population dwindles under the weight of our increasing fi-nancial obligations. The OBA would restart immigration consultation aimed at identifying and eliminating the risks that immigration poses to born Bermudians. This especially includes …
Whoa.
Hon. Jarion Richardson: And until they make that turn, all Bermudians will continue to suffer as our population dwindles under the weight of our increasing fi-nancial obligations. The OBA would restart immigration consultation aimed at identifying and eliminating the risks that immigration poses to born Bermudians. This especially includes s ignificantly increasing the quality of education to prepare students for the best jobs in trade and services in Bermuda. Mr. Speaker, t he Government went after sugar with the infamous sugar tax . Now it is going after trans fats. No rational person would disagree with the scientific evidence of the link between trans fat and heart disease, stroke and other life- threatening conditions. The problem is that we have yet to see any evidence that this Government has fulfilled its promises in using the sugar tax revenue. Bermuda has no faith that a new health intervention will end in success. The OBA will collaborate wi th health care professionals and payors to deliver efficient and effective care with streamlined administrative processes to produce favourable health outcomes, including targeting a reduction in chronic illness. But our first priority will be to axe the sugar tax. Shortly after that, you can expect us to axe the Air bnb tax. Mr. Speaker, of the 16- page Government’s Throne Speech, the first two are self -congratulatory and the last was written by Her Excellency the Governor. In the 12 intervening pages , the Government attempts to convince us that they have many ideas. We have addressed some notions at length, but we should address what was missing. In 2023, the a geing demographics report indicated that our workforce is reducing just as our seniors are increasing to nearly a quarter of people. The Government said, “Bermuda is facing a demographic crisis that requires strong decisive leadership and urgent action to be taken.” The Government said it will “aggressively” implement initiatives to “increase Bermuda’s working population. ” The only action they have taken is the ir saying, We need more working population, but let’s be scared of those who come from overseas . How will we get the people from overseas to volunteer in our schools and charities, keep our clubs open by joining, coaching, starting charities of their own, et cetera? Given the crisis, its urgency and Government’s commitment to “aggressively” attend to it, I am shocked to see no mention of it in the Throne Speech. Undoubtedly, it is a genuine crisis and incredibly difficult to resolve given the Government’s stance on non- born Bermudians. But this is a crisis of the Government’s making, having implemented disastr ous immigration policies over the last 20 years. We definitely need an election to address the is-sue. Mr. Speaker, i n last year’s Throne Speech, seniors were barely mentioned and the youth were clearly being courted. This year it is vice -versa. While we can not be sure why the extreme pendulum swing of focus from youth to seniors, it is nonetheless disconcerting. While seniors are a more reliable voting bloc, the youth are quite literally the future of our country. Their multiple concerns are clearly being ignored. And it appears to [be to] attract voters from a key demographic. We will not neglect the yout h. We will encourage youth employment by cutting payroll tax for businesses that hire young Bermudians. We will ensure more creative spaces are created. 40 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, the Government proposes to add more powers to itself to, quote, “tackle the challenge of derelict residential units .” This seems to be a case where the Government should take the plank out of its own eye before removing the speck from another. Ber-mudians buy homes, fix them up, maintain them and take pride in them. Then the Government does not maintain its own properties within those neighbourhoods. Vegetation, potholes, cane grass and rodent infestations on g overnment land then reduce the value of those private propert ies. The Government would do well to take care of its own obligations before reminding others of theirs. Mr. Speaker, simultaneously, the Government could do well to remember that the reason for a lot of derelict properties is because the Government’s archaic and slow probate system means that it takes years for families to take possession of inherited properties. So those properties deteriorate under the custody of the Government. The cause of derelict homes is a dysfunctional g overnment process , and the Government’s solution to reduce derelict homes is to take those derelict homes that they themselves caused to be derelict. It is hard not to see intent in such a callous arrangement. The Government should just mow its own lawns, facilitate the speedy resolution of probate mat-ters and then enforce the pre- existing laws that allow the Government to demand the care of roadside hedges and the like. Mr. Speaker, in previous years, the Government mentioned infrastructure. This year, as the roads fall into disrepair, the Government has been conspicu-ously silent on th is matter. It has also failed to mention the plan for the bridges , especially the Bailey Bridge, a temporary structure which is now getting suspiciously bowed. Having picked a fight with the United Kingdom over specific provisions in the proposed cannabis laws, it seems convenient now to drop the matter entirely. If the Government authentically meant to facilitate the le-gal consumption and production of cannabis, including cafés, why is it now silent on the matter? Equally, CARICOM does not feature in any meaningful way. Despite hailing the project as the vision of Dame Jennifer Smith, the Government seems to view that commitment as not worthy of a second mention in the Throne Speech. The Government ’s not mentioning these matters this year whatsoever begs the question whether it ever considered these matters as important. Mr. Speaker, so all of this combined now has 75 per cent of our neighbours and family to have considered, or are considering, leaving Bermuda. They broke it, we can fix it. It is definitely time for an election. Mr. Speaker, undoubtedly the question will be raised, What would the OBA do differently? S imply put, the OBA would take care of its responsibilities to the public first before trying to intervene in the private lives of the public. Pave the roads, make sure the single as-phalt plant and incinerator always works, balance the financials, pick up the trash. Just d o the things that people expect government s to do well. More of our ideas can be read at www.oba.bm/platform . Mr. Speaker, Bermuda is locked in a storm of this Government’s making. There is no more meat on the bones of this Government. It is now a square peg trying to get into a round hole. We can end this storm and, like every hurricane in our history, we can come together and fix what is broken. The way to fix this is an election. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Mr. Opposition Leader. Before we acknowledge the next one, you have all the cameras shut off?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Cameras are shut off. The next speaker will be Minister Hayward. Hon. Jason Hayward: A pleasant good afternoon, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood afternoon. DEBATE ON THE 202 4 THRONE SPEECH AND REPLY Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, I heard clear calls for an election. And I think the most important thing that we need to do when entering an election is have an informed voting populace. But before I go into …
Good afternoon.
DEBATE ON THE 202 4 THRONE SPEECH AND REPLY Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, I heard clear calls for an election. And I think the most important thing that we need to do when entering an election is have an informed voting populace. But before I go into the substance of my comments today, I would like to inform the population that that Reply was filled with misinformation and inaccuracies. Secondly, it is very rich for a party to call for an election when they produce a Throne Speech Reply that lacks 36 candidates. It seems as though they need to get their own house in order first and foremost.
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersYes, yes. [Inaudible interjections and laughter] Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, I stand here as a proud Member of the Progressive Labour Party. Let me remind the public that we are the first political party in Bermuda. Founded by visionaries in 1963, we were founded on the principles of ensuring …
Yes, yes. [Inaudible interjections and laughter] Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, I stand here as a proud Member of the Progressive Labour Party. Let me remind the public that we are the first political party in Bermuda. Founded by visionaries in 1963, we were founded on the principles of ensuring a fairer Bermuda, on ensur ing that there is social and economic justice for all. A party that was committed to securing equitable taxation for the people of Bermuda, a party committed to securing economic parity for the people of Bermuda. A party that provides social protections to our seniors. A party that will ensure that we have accessible and affordable housing. A party that takes pride in ensuring Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 41
Bermuda House of Assembly that we have a first -class education system for our children. A pro- workers party. A pro- labour party. A prounion party. A party formed from the people for the people of Bermuda. A resilient party that fought in Opposition for 30 years before we won the Government in 1998. For 30 years we were fighting for justice before we became the Government. And in 1998 when we accomplished that, we have been making steady and meaningful progr ess, positively impacting those who call Bermuda home. And we will continue to fight and persevere for a fairer Bermuda for all. We will continue to strive for a Bermuda where Bermudians come first and where our youth can fulfil their dreams and aspirations. Mr. Speaker, this Government remains steadfast in our commitment to serving our youth, the workers of Bermuda and our beloved seniors. Rest assured, Mr. Speaker, we are fully cognisant [of] and recognise and understand the challenges that Bermuda currently faces. But we are addressing those challenges head on. We have not shied away from our responsibility to the people of Bermuda. We continue to prioritise opportunity, fairness and real measurable growth and progress. The One Bermuda Alliance, with their thin, veiled tactics of concern for the people of Bermuda, lack any real substance. And we know they lack substance because they put out a pamphlet that informed the population that if they were Government, this is what they would do, a trite election platform that if implemented would not change the dial of the reality in Bermuda. It is clear that this is a group of individuals who lack foresight, lack the fundamental tools of what is required to govern a country. The Opposition Leader asked a number of questions. But, Mr. Speaker, let me pose a question to the voting population: Do you believe [the OBA] are ca-pable of governance? The second question is, Do you believe that they have changed from the lacklustre governance that they demonstrated last time they were in power? You see, this doom- and-gloom narrative that they continue with, it is all part of a political strategy. I do not believe from my lens it is rooted in genuine concern. They are eternal pessimists, continually preaching sermons of doom and gloom. They know where every crack in the road is. They know where every bush that is untrimmed is. But there are a few things that they do not know. These pessimists want Bermudians to believe that everything is doom and gloom now, and they are going to come in as the knights in shining armour and make everything great again.
[Laughter]
Hon. Jason Hayward: But as a famous author once wrote, Mr. Speaker, a pessimist complains about the wind. An optimist expects it to change. The leader ad-justs the sails. And that is certainly what this Government does when faced with challenges. We adjust our sails and we respond accordingly. So no, our Throne Speeches are not going to be fluid year to year. And so no, you are going to see new initiatives coming up. A pessimist may not understand the tactics that we are using because they simply sit back an d criticise about the wind rather than tactfully adjusting their sails to navigate the wind. Mr. Speaker, this Government has been dedicated. We have been resilient; we have been hardworking, and we have played a central role in navigating through those challenges. Each time challenges have come up, this Government has responded. Mr. Speaker, as the Progressive Labour Party canvasses, we also hear from constituents’ concerns. We have the advantage of listening to more constituents because we canvass more constituencies, because we actually have candidates for each and every constituency. And so when we are faced with a global challenge of rising prices, this Government has responded. We have responded by freezing fuel prices. We have responded by reducing payroll tax for the majority of workers in this country.
Some Hon. Member s: Yes, yes.
Hon. Jason Hayward: We have responded by increasing seniors’ pension in the years 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and in 2023.
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersYes, yes.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWhen did they increase it? In 2012? Hon. Jason Hayward: We have not increased government fees across the board, Mr. Speaker. We have eliminated duty on essential items to lower the burden on households and maintain purchasing power. When electricity prices increased, we reduced the tax on fuels. We changed …
When did they increase it? In 2012?
Hon. Jason Hayward: We have not increased government fees across the board, Mr. Speaker. We have eliminated duty on essential items to lower the burden on households and maintain purchasing power. When electricity prices increased, we reduced the tax on fuels. We changed law s to cap banking fees. All of this in the effort to respond to the rising cost of living. That is a responsive government. Understanding what the concerns are and adjusting your sails so that you can provide relief to the residents and t he voter base within this country. See, our policies are human- first, people- first policies. We have also demonstrated that by ensuring that we empower Bermuda’s workers. Like I said, we are a pro- worker party, a pro- labour party, a pro- union party. This is the party that has implemented Bermuda’s first minimum wage rate. This week is [National Anti-Bullying Week ] Week, where a number of organisations have rallied together to highlight the importance of preventing bullying and harassment. But this Government can boast that in our Employment Act we ensured that every single employer has a workplace policy against workplace bullying and harassment. Most countries cannot boast about doing that. We are tackling the issues head on. 42 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly We have increased compensation for workplace injuries. Mr. Speaker, during our tenure we have increased both maternity and paternity leave. Mr. Speaker, we ensure that employees receive meal breaks. Mr. Speaker, the Progressive Labour Party went out there and protected workers’ tips and gratuities from employers who were disadvantaging those workers. We also increased leave provisions for persons who had worked under six months, ensuring that there is mandatory compensation for redundancy. [We] created guid elines so that workers do not enter employment with precarious contracts. This is the work that we have done. We have a clear record of fighting for the workers of this country. We have demonstrated our commitment to the workers of this country. A glaring gap in the Throne Speech Reply is, what would the OBA do differently as it pertains to the workers of this country? Mr. Speaker, I heard chirping about have jobs . We have increased jobs year over year. Mr. Speaker, Bermudian unemployment, according to a report reproduced today, was down from a year ago— was down from a year ago. Mr. Speaker, they say, Are they in the UK? Well, employment of Bermudians has increased year over year. Mr. Speaker, there are some facts we cannot refute: Our economy is d oing well, jobs are increasing, unemployment is decreasing. And we continue to have economic activity that creates more jobs. And more jobs are on the way, Mr. Speaker.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes. Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, [the OBA] can continue to try to paint a picture of an alternative reality. But the facts are the facts. The OBA cannot make up and change the facts. We have positive economic statistics. We have positive labour market statistics. We are responding in …
Yes.
Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, [the OBA] can continue to try to paint a picture of an alternative reality. But the facts are the facts. The OBA cannot make up and change the facts. We have positive economic statistics. We have positive labour market statistics. We are responding in a meaningful and measurable way. And the external agencies that come to Bermuda and provide an assessment of Bermuda state the exact same thing. Mr. Speaker, this is a Government that supports our seniors. This is a Government that has eliminated land tax for care homes. We ensure that there are interest -free loans for home improvements. We are executing on our national senior strategy. We are supporting seniors who have dementia. We are supporting those with disabilities. For those individuals on financial assistance, we have increased the benefits which they can receive. We have expanded the coverage of services that they can receive. This is a G overnment that cares. This is a Government that has demonstrated its commitment to the well -being of our seniors. What I have been mentioning thus far, Mr. Speaker, is the hallmark of our Government which is a human- centred approach, ensuring that we put people first. Ensuring that we do not create further levels of inequality in our society. Ensuring that we progres s a fairness agenda. Ensuring that we progress a social justice agenda. Mr. Speaker, while we have done much work, we equally recognise that more work needs to be done. And that will continually be the narrative in this ever - changing world. It is important that we recognise the good work that we have done, but it is equally important to keep our eyes on the future and put policies in place that will lead our people to a more prosperous Bermuda. Some accuse the Government of not listening. Others say that we are out of touch with the people. But it is important that we recognise the work that has ac-tually been done. When the voters of this country go to the polls, it is important that they have the facts about the Progressive Labour Party’s track record: the work that we have done for our youth, the work that we have done for our seniors, the work that we have done for the workers of this country, the work that we have done to have a business envir onment that allows businesses to thrive. Mr. Speaker, you see the Opposition is in a very vulnerable position. They cannot rely on any economic statistics to support their narrative. They cannot rely on their track record.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNo. Hon. Jason Hayward: Because it was abysmal. So they—
Ms. Lovitta F. FoggoAsk them how they left the country, what state they left it in. Hon. Jason Hayward: They cannot rely on much. Except for fearmongering. But, Mr. Speaker — [Crosstalk ] Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, while Members continue to argue back and forth across the floor — [Laughter] Hon. Jason …
Ask them how they left the country, what state they left it in. Hon. Jason Hayward: They cannot rely on much. Except for fearmongering. But, Mr. Speaker —
[Crosstalk ]
Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, while Members continue to argue back and forth across the floor —
[Laughter]
Hon. Jason Hayward: —and while the shortest -serving Premier continues to chirp— [Inaudible interjections and laughter]
Hon. Jason Hayward: The Throne Speech initiatives that we put forward are a further testament of our being committed to moving forward. Mr. Speaker, you see, we have some important things that we are putting forward and some serious things that we have to consider. We have to ensure that our society is more inclusive for those persons who have disabilities. And in this legislative session we aim to advance a Disabilities Act which will ensure equal access and protection. I think it is good that we are going beyond the provisions which are set out in the Human Rights Act to ensure that we target this population, Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 43
Bermuda House of Assembly to ensure that we ensure that goods and services are accessible to this population. We want to ensure that this population have fair access to employment. It is demonstrating that we care, that we want to leave no man behind. We will also provide a $100 monthly allowance to our seniors on financial assistance. Primarily those in our rest homes who need to have access to additional personal care items that neither the home nor their families or friends can support or supply on a regular basis. The rest of the world, Mr. Speaker, is moving forward with banning trans fats from their food supply, something that is detrimental and harmful to our health. And so it is a responsible Government who is now saying we no longer want this poison in our food supply. And we are working to reduce it from our food supply. Why would not the Opposition simply support such a proposal? Why would not the Opposition simply desire a healthier population and support those policies that actually lead us to a healthier population? We will also establish a domestic violence court on a very serious issue. We need to support those persons who find themselves in the unfortunate situation of violence in their home. You see, Mr. Speaker, it is difficult enough for a person to navigate the wider world that we live in, [and then] having to go home [where] there are friends or relatives dealing with domestic abuse. It should not be tolerated. We should have a collective voice against it. And we should all proudly support a domestic violence court that can adjudicate matters in a sensitive but timely manner. I am wondering if this is one of the misguided policy positions that the OBA is talking about. Or could they not simply stand up and support stronger provisions that would assist those who find themselves in the unfortunate situation of domestic abuse? This Government clearly set out that we will revise the Landlord and Tenant Act, changing the relationship between landlords and tenants, because we understand that many landlords and tenants feel aggrieved by our current laws. Something we have acknowledged, something that we have talked [about] to the population, heard their concerns and [something that] is on the front line of addressing. Instead of simply supporting that policy, they doubled down and told us that the problem we acknowledged is actually a problem. But they do not want to support the solution. Mr. Speaker, if I say we will revise the law to ensure that there is greater fairness in the process, you should expect that the Government will put out a policy paper outlining those changes so that the Opposition is fully cognisant of the work that we are doing, so that the people of this country are fully cognisant of the work that we are doing. Mr. Speaker, there will always be a need to have strategies against antisocial behaviour and gang violence. There will always be a need to revise your strategies and approach. Why would the Opposition criticise the Government’s desire to address the root causes of gang violence? We have agencies that have come together collectively to ensure that we put active steps in place to address this very complex situation. And anybody who actually has taken time to look into this matter knows that there are various different scenarios and circumstances that led people to antisocial behaviour and gang violence. It is a multi -pronged approach that is actually required. There is no overnight fix. Mr. Speaker, when I look within the Ministry of Economy and Labour and the work that we are tasked to do in the Throne Speech, we will increase Bermuda’s minimum wage. Bermuda’s minimum wage is currently one of the highest in the world, but we will increase that further to better support the workers within this country. Mr. Speaker, prior to the Progressive Labour Party’s implementing a minimum wage, there was no wage floor in Bermuda. It meant that employers could pay their workers anything. When we looked at the data, there were some despicable, undignified poverty wages being paid to employees in this country. This Government has always had a desire to implement a wage floor. We have done that. Now it is time for that floor to progress. Mr. Speaker, in this legislative session we will also advance greater protection for workers in the issuance of tribunal awards. You would know, Mr. Speaker, that tribunal awards are binding awards according to our laws. But many employers attempt to skir t around the responsibilities to provide the employees with compensation, rehiring and the remuneration that they are due. It is an outright shame that we have to further strengthen the laws when two parties commit to engag-ing in a process of adjudication, and when you lose in the adjudication process you fail to live up to your end of the bargain. But who is disadvantaged? The person who, number one, had to endure the injustice in the first place; and then there is a further injustice because during this process, sometimes their life is in limbo. And just when they think they can get things back together, because they have received an award, the employer reneges on their responsibility, further victimising the victim. This Government will not stand for it, Mr. Speaker, and so we will strengthen the provisions of the tribunal. I did not hear any acknowledgement from the Opposition in their Throne Speech Reply that this is something that is fundamentally needed in our society. Or was it one of our misguided Throne Speech initia-tives? [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, we will eliminate payroll tax for Bermudians over the age of 65, incentiv-ising retaining flexible working arrangements and things of that like. We put out a policy paper in terms of retention of the local workforce. But I was also privy to a committee that worked on the original paper which we 44 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly put forward to the LAC [Labour Advisory Committee] regarding increasing the retirement age. And in that paper we recognised that there was a desire for able- bodied Bermudians to continue to work after the age of 65. We have to stop this premise that when s omebody meets the age of 65, automatically discrimination kicks in and they are no longer competent enough to continue in the workplace. Now, there are a number of factors. And if we are being honest, why do persons want to continue past 65? Not all of it is financial; but some of it is financial. But that is nothing new in this day and age. Retirement income has always been a challenge. That is why we have the social protection of financial assistance. That is why the majority of our seniors have been on financial assistance, because we recognised that there was a gap. But now what we are seeing is that there is this arbitrary age of 65 tha t prevents somebody from continuing in the workplace when they are capable of continuing. It is also more pressing because of our ageing population. We have more persons reaching the age of 65 than ever before. When we look at the job numbers, there are more persons working after the age of 65. If a senior who retires requires additional support from the Gov-ernment because their pension is not sufficient, this Government has expanded social protections so they can get that additional support. So if a senior does want to put their feet up, this Government has made provisions so they can. But if this senior wants to continue in the workplace, we are making provisions so they can. So the choice lies with the senior, Mr. Speaker. [Desk thumping]
Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, today we increased the maximum allowance for severance pay from 26 weeks to 32 weeks. Mr. Speaker, you have individuals who have committed their entire life to an organisation. Those individuals are then made to retire after 20, 25, 30 years of service. And then they are made redundant. Their employer has been paying them the minimum due in the Employment Act. The Employment Act is designed to be a minimum standard. It is not designed to be the one- sizefits-all standard in our economy. And because we see the need of [rectifying] that particular injustice, where somebody can go to work after 30 years, sit in an office, be made redundant and then escorted out by security—with somebody else packing up their stuff at their desk. We say that in that person’s period of transition they should receive better compensation. And additional to that we will remove the requirement to pay payroll tax on that redundancy pay so that that employee is left whole. That is a Government that is responsive to the concerns and challenges of our population. That is a Government that is adjusting sails. Recognising that there is a problem and pivoting. Mr. Speaker, we will continue to invest in Bermuda’s workforce. I stated in a Statement this morning how we are expanding a number of workforce development initiatives. Strategic priority five in our Economic Development Strategy is specifically designed for in-vesting in people. And that is what we have been doing. For those able- bodied persons on financial assistance, we assisted those individuals with personal employment plans. We are expanding apprenticeship opportunities. And so we are enrolling people in basic construction training. Then they have the option of whether or not they want to go into the stream of plumbing, masonry or carpentry. We recognise that it has to be a continuum from our school system right to employment. So we are working on a career pathway that will lead persons to the skills trades and receiving the vocational training that they require. This is a strategic shift from how we had the National Training Board set up to shift into the National Certification and Apprenticeship Board. And you are going to see the fruits of the work of the Department of Workforce Development. On the back end of that training is human beings, Bermudians whom we are actually developing to be productive in today’s world of work and the future world of work. Mr. Speaker, when we restrict and close occupational categories from an immigration standpoint, some persons complain. But I am able to go up to Bermuda College and talk to the bartenders and say, As long as you apply yourself, there is a job waiting for you , because I would not allow a non- Bermudian to come in and do that job. And those young people in that course are very much appreciative. The Opposition may not care for it, but the people whose lives we have impacted positively certainly appreciate it and have said as much. We have a number of major construction developments coming up, and we want to ensure that we maximise the [number] of Bermudians who want to take advantage of that opportunity by ensuring that we prepare those individuals. We are also taking existing electricians in our economy and upscaling those individuals by providing them with solar panel training. Those persons who have signed up and enrolled in that programme are very much appreciative of the work that the Govern-ment is doing. We will work with the Bermuda Hotel Association to ensure that we accelerate hospitality training. In our Workforce Development Advisory Board meetings, this is one of our principal areas of focus, and we will ensure that training is provided for those persons who want to expand their competency in occupa-tions associated with hospitality. There will be a need for a growing number of Bermudians. We witnessed a groundbreaking this week which will create opportunities for many Bermudians —and not directly just within the facility, but businesses that support that particular facility as well. Mr. Speaker, we will also launch a new career development platform. What we recognise is that there Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 45
Bermuda House of Assembly is greater alignment that is required between ensuring that persons are knowledgeable about careers within our economy, ensuring that persons understand what the educational experience required for jobs actually are. Ensuring that persons know what the experience requirements are. Ensuring that persons know what resources they can get to progress within their careers. Mr. Speaker, the launch of this new career development platform will replace the current Job Board system. But it means we will do it in a more efficient and effective way [to] connect people with jobs. This, Mr. Speaker, is what our population actually appreciates, the direct work that we do that supports them. Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege this year of again providing recipients who were awarded scholarships from the Department of Workforce Development. Just like we increased our Summer Internship programme, Mr. Speaker, just like we have increased our Summer Employment programme, Mr. Speaker, we increased the allotment of funds that we place toward scholarships. Mr. Speaker, we have provided more and more young people in Bermuda with opportunities. Those families who are recipients of those funds are very muc h appreciative, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can go on and on about the policies that we have implemented, how they connect with empowering people, how they connect with ensuring that we have a fairer Bermuda. A Bermuda that does not continually place profit over people, but a Bermuda where people are actually valued, where they have an opportunity to contribute. I hear a lot of talk about what we have failed to do around immigration. But we have been extremely measured yet progressive in our immi-gration policies. We have connected mixed -status families. We have connected mixed- status families. We have created avenues for PRCs that did not exist in the past. Mr. Speaker, this narrative of our being anti - foreigner is a fallacy. Mr. Speaker, I put out a position paper which talked about the challenges of our ageing population. I acknowledged that we will not have enough workers to fuel our economy. I acknowledged that we need to ensure that we have an efficient way of securing the talent that companies require to thrive in Bermuda. And I have committed to doing so. Mr. Speaker, this anti -foreigner Government that they are trying to coin us to be has been criticised for increasing jobs for non -Bermudians. The two are not in alignment, Mr. Speaker. Both cannot be true. We put out policy papers that embrace utilising im migration as an economic tool. We created the Economic Investment Residential Certificate to attract people to our shores to invest in Bermuda. We implemented the Work from Bermuda Digital Nomad policy to attract persons to come and live and integrate with in our economy. The bogeyman has to stop with the rhetoric. Mr. Speaker, there has to be a balance, but we have to be measured around this. And so the Ministry of Economy and Labour put out a policy paper called “Retaining the Local Workforce.” And in that policy paper, I proposed to further lowering the requirement for PRCs [Permanent Resident Certificates] to look at seven occupational categories and reducing t he requirement for how those individuals can obtain PRCs. I went and I did consultation with a cross sector of the community to see what they felt about those policies. Mr. Speaker, this is a serious matter now. The pushback that I receive did not come fro m the halls of the Progressive Labour Party. It did not come from what you would consider to be our base. They came from Bermudians employees who work in industry. And here is what was said. That there was a lack of equity in terms of pay, compensation and remuneration. There is a lack of opportunity for Bermudians and when it comes to career advancement. There is a good job with getting persons in the door, but then there are challenges with allowing persons to progress up the rung. There is manipulation when it comes to securing overseas talent when there are suitable and capable Bermudians to do the job. And so my next step was to have direct conversation, not in the public, but with industry stakeholders to explain to them that things have to change within their shops. That diversity, equity and inclusion cannot be buzzwords in Bermuda. That we have to make meaningful progress as it pertains to advancing careers for Bermudians in the IB [international business] sector. That this Government will not be prepared to move forward with changes for eligibility to PRC before they address the way Bermudians feel w ithin the industry. And so this Government will be moving forward with policies and law changes that advance pay trans-parency and pay equity. We will not sit idly by while glass ceilings are placed on Bermudians. Mr. Speaker, there are disparities between men and women. There are disparities between Blacks and Whites. And there are disparities between Bermudians and non- Bermudians. But if you are a Black Bermudian woman, you feel it the most. And I have met with competent Black women in industry. I have heard their concerns. U nfortunately, in one of the meetings they [expressed that they are] resigned to the position that men simply are willing to push the envelope beyond where they are prepared to push it in the corporate world. And as a result, that is why their compensation remains lower than their male counterparts. But, as the Minister responsible for Economy and Labour, that reality does not sit well with me. So we will actively work to advance the careers of Bermudians within the international business sector. There are more Bermudians working now in international business than any time in our past. There are more workers within the international business sector in Bermuda currently, Mr. Speaker, than at any time in our past. The previous peak was in 2008, and we have exceeded that, Mr. Speaker. 46 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly If you want to give us credit, give us credit for continually growing industry. If you want to give us credit, give us credit for continually expanding the economy. If you want to give us credit, give us credit for continually creating jobs. If you want to give us credit, give us credit for continually expanding social protections. If you want to give us credit, give us credit for continually expanding labour protections. If you want to give us credit, give us credit for expanding union rights. If you want to give us credit, give us credit for our ethos of social justice. Give us credit for the work that we have done to support our seniors. Give us credit for the work that we have done to support our youth. Give us credit for the increased contribution of sc holarship funding and financial assistance to our students.
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersYes. Yes. Yes. Yes. [Desk thumping] Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, elections are about choices. If you want to give them credit, give them credit for a failed Morgan’s Point guarantee.
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersAh! [Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Jason Hayward: If you want to give them credit, give them credit for cutting public service workers’ sal-aries while we increased public workers’ salaries. And I hear some chirping. But when they cut those salaries, when the unions came for a partnership, they reneged on …
Ah! [Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Jason Hayward: If you want to give them credit, give them credit for cutting public service workers’ sal-aries while we increased public workers’ salaries. And I hear some chirping. But when they cut those salaries, when the unions came for a partnership, they reneged on the partnership and wanted to extend those cuts. And they said that we could not increase salaries because Bermuda will fall apart . But guess what? Those salaries got restored and Bermuda did not fall apart. You know what fell apart? The OBA’s governance.
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersYes! [Desk thumping] Hon. Jason Hayward: Because they lost the election shortly after.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThat is right. Hon. Jason Hayward: There will be other Members who can graphically describe what that loss looked like. But the reality was the population rejected what they were trying to do from an immigration standpoint. Now they want to stand up and preach about what is required from …
That is right. Hon. Jason Hayward: There will be other Members who can graphically describe what that loss looked like. But the reality was the population rejected what they were trying to do from an immigration standpoint. Now they want to stand up and preach about what is required from an immigration standpoint. Well, I thank the OBA because it is a lesson learned, that you cannot move beyond what the people are prepared to accept, that you ensure that you inform the population clearly about what you intend to do. I am not sure this is an OBA candidate, but an OBA candidate coined in the paper began to say about privatisation, and us selling things off . . . or the Government selling things off to Canadians. Well, what happened to our airport? Hon. E. David Burt: Aah!
Hon. Jason Hayward: Did the airport not get sold off to Canadians by the OBA?
[Laughter]
Hon. Jason Hayward: You can’t make this stuff up, Mr. Speaker. We cannot live in alternative realities. The facts are what they are. [Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, the facts are what they are.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Jason Hayward: So Mr. Speaker, the Progressive Labour Party will continue to prioritise policies and initiatives that support growth and development. We will continue to move forward with our social justice agenda. We will continue with programmes that are in the better ment of all in Bermuda. We will move forward in a steadfast manner. The Premier will call an election when he is ready, not when the OBA says so. [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Hon. Jason Hayward: What is clear, Mr. Speaker, is that our people want progress, not pessimism. Our people want solutions, not soundbites. Our people want hope, not hype.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes. Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, if we stand for justice, if we stand for the workers, if we stand for the youth, if we stand for seniors —and they are fighting against us —then who do they stand for?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberAha! [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Jason Hayward: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution at this time? MP Pearman. Give me one second just to sort this out. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 47 Bermuda House of Assembly MP Pearman, you have the floor.
Mr. Scott PearmanThank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the last speaker for his alliterations. [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Mr. Scott PearmanThat is an hour of my life I am not going to get back. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanMr. Speaker, this morning was the Prayer Breakfast. And it was a lovely opportunity to sit with Members on both sides of the aisle and be reminded of our duties here as parliamentarians and what we really are supposed to be doing up here. And I do wonder sometimes if …
Mr. Speaker, this morning was the Prayer Breakfast. And it was a lovely opportunity to sit with Members on both sides of the aisle and be reminded of our duties here as parliamentarians and what we really are supposed to be doing up here. And I do wonder sometimes if whoever schedules that breakfast intentionally schedules it on the day of the Reply to the Throne Speech to try and soften up the Opposition, so we are all nicer.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanI am assured by MP Derrick Burgess that is not the case, but thank you. Thank you. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanAnyway, the theme this morning was Unity in the Community. To stick with the alliteration that we just had from the last speaker, Unity in the Community. And I have to say, it did soften my heart, Mr. Speaker, because ultimately, I am someone, foolish though I may be, who …
Anyway, the theme this morning was Unity in the Community. To stick with the alliteration that we just had from the last speaker, Unity in the Community. And I have to say, it did soften my heart, Mr. Speaker, because ultimately, I am someone, foolish though I may be, who believes in the idea of bipartisanship. Foolish though I may be, I believe in the idea of people working together to solve common problems. And foolish though I may be, I continue in the hope that there are solutions.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanNow, I hear MP De Silva, chirping in and doubting me. But he will have his time to speak later, should he wish. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanNo doubt we will all look forward to whatever it is he may have to say. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanAnd now he is calling me consistent. Well, I take no shame in being consistent in my bipartisanship. Foolish though I may be. [Laughter]
Mr. Scott PearmanSo Unity in the Community, Mr. Speaker, and boring though it may be, each and every time I have stood up to [debate] a PLP Throne Speech, I have tried to make observations as to any elements in the Throne Speech that are positive in nature because I do believe …
So Unity in the Community, Mr. Speaker, and boring though it may be, each and every time I have stood up to [debate] a PLP Throne Speech, I have tried to make observations as to any elements in the Throne Speech that are positive in nature because I do believe in bipartisanship wher e it can be achieved. And more importantly than my belief, I believe Bermudians want to see bipartisanship from their leaders up here. And so one of the things I will do today is try and find some positives. I know the last speaker before me asked some questions about why the OBA doesn’t support this or doesn’t support that. Well, actually, we would. But we need to see the facts. We need to see the meat on the bones. You cannot just make a bare promise and not give any facts and not actually achieve anything before people can decide how they may cast their democratic vote in this Honourable House.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanAnd then I have MP De Silva chirping in again, but there we are. You will have your time, don’t worry. Then I will offer our constructive observations, or at least my constructive observations. Constructive criticism it may well prove to be because frankly this was a rather thin Throne …
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWhat? [Laughter and inaudible interjections ]
Mr. Scott PearmanBut before I do either of those things, I am going to go to my wheelhouse, which is Shadow of Legal Affairs, and touch on the Legal Affairs matters that were highlighted in the Throne Speech. The largest of those (or at least the one that came first) was the …
But before I do either of those things, I am going to go to my wheelhouse, which is Shadow of Legal Affairs, and touch on the Legal Affairs matters that were highlighted in the Throne Speech. The largest of those (or at least the one that came first) was the idea of introducing older jurors to our criminal justice system. That is page 13 of the Throne Speech. Now, the Attorney General previous, is gone from this Chamber, and the Attorney General present is now in another place. But what I would ask of her when she comes to speak in that other place on these topics is to explain where this idea originated and what the views were from the Office of the Director of the Public Prosecution as to whether this was a good decision or a bad decision and what consult ation, if any, occurred. And I will leave that for the other place. For my part, I accept the notion that allowing for older jurors is not a bad idea. And I think I have said it before in the context of other conversations, but 70 is the new 40, 80 is the new 50; right? So, if there are those who are ready and willing to serve on juries, well, why not? But as I say, I am not the expert here and I 48 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly would be curious to know what the Attorney General thinks of the Office of the DPP’s views on this proposal. Now, the reality of 70 being the new 30, is that people are working longer. And one of the proposals in this Throne Speech was to allow people to work longer. Now, Mr. Speaker, allowing people to work longer is not a bad idea when you have people who are working longer because they wish to do so. The unfortunate situation is that Bermudians are being forced to work longer because they have to do so. And that should not be forced upon them. It should be a true choice. And I am afraid in today’s Bermuda it s imply is not.
[Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Scott PearmanI do support the idea of an increase in those who would sit on our juries. And I hope that that will take some strain off the jury process. As to the other Legal Affairs’ points, in this rather thin Throne Speech, there is a rather cryptic state-ment at page …
I do support the idea of an increase in those who would sit on our juries. And I hope that that will take some strain off the jury process. As to the other Legal Affairs’ points, in this rather thin Throne Speech, there is a rather cryptic state-ment at page 12 where we are told, and with your leave, Mr. Speaker —
Mr. Scott Pearman—I quote, that “ Accordingly, Government House and the Government of Bermuda will work together to develop a revised legal framework for accountability in senior constitutional positions. ” I will repeat that. “ . . . develop a revised legal framework for accountability in senior constitutional positions. ” Now, that …
—I quote, that “ Accordingly, Government House and the Government of Bermuda will work together to develop a revised legal framework for accountability in senior constitutional positions. ” I will repeat that. “ . . . develop a revised legal framework for accountability in senior constitutional positions. ” Now, that is a rather cryptic statement and so again, as the Attorney General is not in this Chamber but sits in another place, I will respectfully invite her to elaborate upon what that actually means. Who is that in fact directed at? And perhaps those answers can be given to the other Chamber on Wednesday when there is a debate on this matter in the other House. Sticking with the Legal Affairs’ brief, we heard a lot last year, and indeed the year prior, about constitutional reform. And as the Opposition Leader pointed out in his speech earlier to this Honourable House, where has it gone? Now, there is a reference at page 12 of the Throne Speech to taking up the issue of “belonger [status]” which the courts have decided it does not really make clear what it is that this Government wishes the policy to be. And again, if the Premier is not minded to answer that quest ion in this Chamber, then perhaps I could again respectfully ask that the At-torney General address it in the debate in the other Chamber. The additional point, again in the wheelhouse of Legal Affairs, is the suggestion of a domestic vio-lence court. You may have heard from the Honourable Minister who spoke just before me, rather surprisingly, that apparently the OBA is against that concept. I do not know where he got that from. I think the idea of a domestic violence court is long overdue. It is something that people have called for. But the practical reality is when will it get done? Will it before or after the Ottiwell [A.] Simmons [International Arbitration] Centre? Is it going to happen at all? Or is it merely a promise made, and a promise broken? The additional element, again within the Legal Affairs’ portfolio, at page 8, was the suggestion of landlord and tenant reform. Now again, the speaker who spoke just prior to me on that not only praised his own Government’s actions in this regard but took the opportunity to try to smack us down on our position. And I find that a bit cheeky because, again, with your leave, Mr. Speaker, I will read you what they have actually said at page 8.
Mr. Scott PearmanIt is a quote. “ For the last year, the Government has been working on changes to the Landlord & Tenant Act to ensure fairness for landlords and tenants. ” Okay. What does that mean? If you have two sides who are at issue and you are promising fairness to …
It is a quote. “ For the last year, the Government has been working on changes to the Landlord & Tenant Act to ensure fairness for landlords and tenants. ” Okay. What does that mean? If you have two sides who are at issue and you are promising fairness to both, are you actually changing anything? And so I do not think it is unreasonable, before the Honourable Minister demands our support in this regard, for t his Honourable Government to share with this Honourable House what it actually plans to do. Indeed, it might be thought sensible to withhold judgment until you actually know if today’s Government, the current government, has a plan in this regard. Now moving on to another point, slightly outside of my wheelhouse, but other elements in the Throne Speech. There is something that I would like to agree with, and I very much do agree with, in fact. And that appears at page 14, where looking at the situation in Bermuda as a whole, this Government or whoever wrote this Throne Speech, has said this. Again, with your leave, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Scott PearmanQuote. There is “ a worrying consolidation in key industries has occurred in Bermuda. ” “[A] worrying consolidation in key industries has occurred in Bermuda.” That is often a consequential fac-tor in a troubled economy. Because people look around, people fail, businesses fail, and you see consolidation. Now this Government …
Quote. There is “ a worrying consolidation in key industries has occurred in Bermuda. ” “[A] worrying consolidation in key industries has occurred in Bermuda.” That is often a consequential fac-tor in a troubled economy. Because people look around, people fail, businesses fail, and you see consolidation. Now this Government in this Throne Speech makes that point in relation to the supermarkets. They make that point in relation to health care providers. What they do not do is stop and pause to look at our largest sector, international business. Because if y ou look at that sector there is —and I very much agree with the Government in this regard—a worrying consolidation in key industries in Bermuda. And that is a problem, Mr. Speaker. It is a problem just like it is a problem that the president -elect of the United States has advocated for Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 49
Bermuda House of Assembly a 15 per cent corporate tax. These are serious, serious hurdles. There is turbulence ahead of us and we need to be ready. And we cannot simply say, It will be fine. Nor should we ever mislead the Bermudian public by assuring them that things are well when they are not. This is serious and it applies to all of us. So, as we seek consolidation in that sector, we see job losses. And that means fewer jobs for Bermu-dians. And so that is a concern— Hon. E. David Burt: Point of order. Point of order, Mr. Speaker. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. E. David Burt: I will not let the Honourable Member mislead the House. All of the employment statistics have shown year over year increases in employment for Bermudians and especially in international business. So, the Honourable Member is misleading the House and …
Point of order.
POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Hon. E. David Burt: I will not let the Honourable Member mislead the House. All of the employment statistics have shown year over year increases in employment for Bermudians and especially in international business. So, the Honourable Member is misleading the House and he must withdraw this comment. He can make his comment around consolidation, but he cannot say that it is leading to a reduction of jobs for Bermudians. That is out of step with the facts.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe point was that the statistics prove that it is going up— [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAh! Ah! Ah! The point is that the statistics have proven otherwise, and he is just asking you to keep in mind that the statistics are saying that.
Mr. Scott PearmanI am grateful for that guidance. The point I was making is that consolidation will lead naturally to job losses. That is a future- looking statement. It was a future- looking statement, and it has nothing to do with the statistics, accurate or otherwise, that the Premier may have just …
I am grateful for that guidance. The point I was making is that consolidation will lead naturally to job losses. That is a future- looking statement. It was a future- looking statement, and it has nothing to do with the statistics, accurate or otherwise, that the Premier may have just refer red to. So, it is forward- looking. Turning now, Mr. Speaker, to the other portfolio that I hold in Shadow, namely Home Affairs. There are two points I just want to touch on there. Namely, the announcements by this Government that we are going to see two pieces of legislation. Firstly, we are told at page 15 that there will be a Clean Air Bill. Now, again, let it be said, I like bipartisanship. If there is a good Clean Air Bill produced by this Government, the Opposition looks forward to supporting it. This is an issue that has troubled Bermudians, particularly those who live around our energy generation centre for too long and we look forward to seeing what this Clean Air Bill will say. Whether we choose to support it or oppose it of course depends on the detail. And of course we do not have any detail as yet. A slightly different approach however I would take on the proposed Public Access to Information Amendment Bill. We have had some statements from the Honourable Premier as to what this may look like. We have had a statement from the Honourable Premier that he did not like the restrictions of PATI [Public Access to Information Amendment] and the fact that peo-ple were able to obtain information. If this information is intended to prevent members of the public from gaining access to information, we would not s upport that.
POINT OF ORDER [Misleading and Imputing improper motives] Hon. E. David Burt: Point of order. Point of order, Mr. Speaker. The Honourable Member is imputing improper motive and misleading the House. The Honourable Member should remember that the party that introduced PATI into place was the Progressive Labour Party. And I must also add, Mr. Speaker, that that Bill has been tabled so he may be previewing a debate.
Mr. Scott PearmanI fully accept that the PATI Bill was passed by the Progressive Labour Party. I think that is common knowledge and I do not think I suggested otherwise. What I was saying was that the amendment Bill— [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott Pearman—the amendment Bill . . . I hear some chirping from the left. You will have your time to speak should you wish. The amendment Bill. And we do not know what it says yet so we look forward to seeing it. We look forward to seeing it. But if …
—the amendment Bill . . . I hear some chirping from the left. You will have your time to speak should you wish. The amendment Bill. And we do not know what it says yet so we look forward to seeing it. We look forward to seeing it. But if it is intended to stifle access to information, we will fight that cause. If on the other hand it is merely limited to a statement, I believe the Honourable Deputy Premier made in this Chamber not too long ago about introducing a charge, that may be something which the Opposition could support as long as that charge is not an impediment to access. So, it has to be a reasonable cost that any member of the public could bear. So, I say that in the spirit of bipartisanship on that Bill. I am outlining where we would be very happy to support the Government and where our red line is. If we are going to st ep back 50 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly from PATI to prevent access to information for members of the public, that would be a wrong turn for Bermuda, no matter which Government may be in power, in my respectful submission. Stepping away then, Mr. Speaker, from the specific aspects of my Shadow portfolios, Legal Affairs and Home Affairs and just trying to look at this as an overview, I have already offended some on the other side, but I really do think this is pretty thin on new ideas. There is not a great deal here to get excited about. And indeed, there is an absence of inspiration. There is no real vision in this Throne Speech for a growing and prosperous Bermuda. And Bermudians who are listening to this debate, if any, sh ould ask themselves where is that vision from this current Government? Where is that vision for a growing and prosperous Bermuda? The other absent element, the missing elephant from the room, if I can put it that way, in this Speech is where is any plan for our youth? It is noticeable and indeed the Opposition Leader beat me to the point in his speech, but what is it that this Gover nment proposes to do for those who are Bermuda’s future? Where is the youth plan?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. POINT OF ORDER
Mr. Christopher FamousThe Honourable Minister Jason Hayward spoke extensively about apprenticeship programmes [in] skilled trades. So what do you mean, what are doing for the future?
Mr. Scott PearmanBecause Mr. Speaker, there will be an election. We hope it is sooner. Doubtless the Premier will push it later. But when there is, the youth of Bermuda will be called upon to take a decision between two competing visions. And our vision is this: As the Opposition Leader has …
Because Mr. Speaker, there will be an election. We hope it is sooner. Doubtless the Premier will push it later. But when there is, the youth of Bermuda will be called upon to take a decision between two competing visions. And our vision is this: As the Opposition Leader has already prefaced and stated in his Reply to the Throne Speech, the OBA will imple-ment payroll tax reform for young Bermudian jobs. And I think that is a great idea for getting more young Bermudians into work by incenti vising employers to hire them by getting rid or reducing payroll tax. And that is a substantive plan that I think I will be proud to see the next OBA Government implement. Mr. Speaker, coming on to another point that was made by the prior speaker. We heard a theme in his speech. There was a lot about boating. And it was about winds and who was trying to judge what and which way the boat is hurtling. And it is funny because before I heard his speech, I had also planned to men-tion something about boating, and it was a cartoon that was in the paper about a week or two ago. And it was a picture, Mr. Speaker, of four men in a little rowboat. Two men in the back, two men in the fr ont. And the rowboat is sort of sticking up out of the water. Perhaps because the two men in the rear of the rowboat are heavier. But the rowboat is sticking up out of the water and water is coming in and the two men in the back are bailing and the two at the top of the boat in the front, in the bow, up in the air are looking back at them and saying, Well, at least the hole is not on our side. [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Mr. Scott PearmanAnd I couldn’t think . . . I just . . . Mr. Speaker, to me, that is the attitude that is sadly too evident on this Island. Everyone needs to bail. Everyone needs to recognise the water is coming into the boat. Everyone needs to realise this is the …
And I couldn’t think . . . I just . . . Mr. Speaker, to me, that is the attitude that is sadly too evident on this Island. Everyone needs to bail. Everyone needs to recognise the water is coming into the boat. Everyone needs to realise this is the only boat we have. We cannot just say, It’s okay; the hole in the boat is on their side. Because the boat is going to go down. With that cartoon in mind, Mr. Speaker, let me speak briefly on the economy and the proposals in this Throne Speech. Mr. Speaker, I have actually said this before in debates in this House, but I will repeat it because I think it is worth saying again. It is very dangerous to make false promises to the electorate. It is very dangerous to say that money will fall from the sky because of CIT, the new Corporate Income Tax. It is very dangerous to overpromise and underdeliver because then you have a populace who are hoping beyond hope you are right and who will be very angry if you are wrong. And it is because of that danger that this Opposition has pledged that when we form the next Government, we will take our economic decisions without regard to the potential benefit of the CIT and any surplus that may flow from it. And that is the right and proper approach to take. The wrong approach, Mr. Speaker, is to go around promising that CIT money will mean this, and will mean that, and to over pledge three times that money. Because it may not come. And you know well, Mr. Speaker, that balance sheets from year to year, one year there could be a zero. The next year there could be a lot. So, you cannot bank on future promises. You need to deal with the here and now with the reality that we live in. And it is not right to make promises that cannot be kept or that may not be kept. It is unfair. It is unkind. So, promises of money falling from the sky needs to stop. And when you couple those promises with statements about how well the Government is doing, and I quote, “We are excellent stewards of the economy.” That was the last speaker in this very House. “Excellent stewards of the economy.” Wolf! Wolf! Cried the young lad. Wolf! Wolf! Misleading the people and misleading them repeatedly. And we all know what happened to that young lad, how he ended up. Mr. Speaker, we need to approach Bermuda’s challenges with reality and not spin. If you refuse to admit the problem . . . if you refuse to admit the problem, how in the world are you going to find a solution? How Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 51
Bermuda House of Assembly in the world are you going to find common ground for a solution if the person you are talking to denies the problem exists? That is not bipartisanship; it is foolishness. Mr. Speaker, our people are suffering, more and more of them every day. And it is not the OBA speaking doom and gloom to point out that hard reality.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanAnd I hear from MP Tyrrell that that is just doom and gloom on my part. Well, I tell you the people are suffering. And we are canvassing. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanTo tell them that all is fine is not just foolishness, it demeans all of us in the political crass because all is not fine in Bermuda. All is not well for Bermudians. And again, we at least need to acknowledge that there is a problem if we hope to …
To tell them that all is fine is not just foolishness, it demeans all of us in the political crass because all is not fine in Bermuda. All is not well for Bermudians. And again, we at least need to acknowledge that there is a problem if we hope to find a common solution. And not just find a common solution, Mr. Speaker, because that is only the first step. We then have to deploy it and deliver it or it is meaningless talk with no action. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that concern me most in this Throne Speech is the promise that we will repay our debts in full in 10 years. That is a remarkable promise, and it is a foolhardy promise.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanWe have . . . and I am now being told by MP Jache Adams that they did not say that. So now when he addresses this Honourable House, he can clarify what is meant. Because it does look rather like a promise to eradicate our debt in 10 years …
We have . . . and I am now being told by MP Jache Adams that they did not say that. So now when he addresses this Honourable House, he can clarify what is meant. Because it does look rather like a promise to eradicate our debt in 10 years using CIT income. If it is not that, MP Jache Adams can clarify to this House. But at the moment what I read looked like a reckless promise. Now, I am a lawyer and not an accountant but that means debt repayment of at least $300 million per year over 10 years. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanAgain . . . now I am hearing something from [MP] Anthony Richardson, so no doubt he will clarify. This being the man who could not add up the debt the OBA incurred on a single page of our Budget Book. [Inaudible interjections]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberCome on! Come on! Come on!
Mr. Scott PearmanMr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, if people are going to take a swing at me, I swing back. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. This is too important. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanThis is too important not to speak the truth. All right?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMembers, Members! Members! We have had a decent day thus far — [Crosstalk]
Mr. Scott PearmanI believe my line and length has been okay, Mr. Speaker. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanI believe it has been just okay. Anyway, what I am pleased about . . . again, trying to be bipartisan. This is the point I do like. I do like the idea that if there is any surplus after the collection of corporate income tax, that it should be …
I believe it has been just okay. Anyway, what I am pleased about . . . again, trying to be bipartisan. This is the point I do like. I do like the idea that if there is any surplus after the collection of corporate income tax, that it should be refenced for debt repayment. I like that idea. It was proposed by the OBA. It was rejected by the current Government. But if you have changed your heart, we’ll have you. We will work with you. Okay? Let’s repay that debt as a priority. Let’s try and stabilise the economy. Let’s plug those two holes in the back of that boat for the benef it of all to keep the boat afloat. Now, another one they are not going to like me talking about, but it is constructive criticism. The last speaker before me said a lot about the proposal to change severance pay. Now, I do not criticise you for that policy. What I criticise is your focus. We should be fighting to retain jobs and better yet create jobs rather than fiddling at the margins by paying someone more when they lose a job. We need to create jobs. We need more jobs. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanWe need to help them retain their jobs and so let’s look at a policy of job—
Mr. Scott Pearman—creation by growing the economy. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanAnyway, the increase in severance pay and the decision or the proposal not to have tax on severance pay is something with which we can respectfully agree and so we think that that is a good idea, that you should not tax severance pay when it is in the hands …
Anyway, the increase in severance pay and the decision or the proposal not to have tax on severance pay is something with which we can respectfully agree and so we think that that is a good idea, that you should not tax severance pay when it is in the hands of a former employer. It makes sense! 52 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanWhen this Government does stuff that makes sense, we support it. When they do stuff that doesn’t make sense, we don’t support it. Why? Be-cause we are not about spin. We are about calling it as we see it. We are about the reality of the day and we are …
Mr. Scott PearmanNow, what are we going to do about this? The problem with not focusing on job creation is that you are treating the symptoms rather than focusing on curing the disease. Hon. Jason Hayward: Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Jason Hayward: The Honourable Member is unintentionally or intentionally misleading the House, but the House is being misled. This Government has put out our entire Economic Development Strategy designed to increase economic activity and create jobs. Year over year we have seen …
Point of order.
POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Jason Hayward: The Honourable Member is unintentionally or intentionally misleading the House, but the House is being misled. This Government has put out our entire Economic Development Strategy designed to increase economic activity and create jobs. Year over year we have seen job growth. It is incorrect to say we do not have a plan to increase jobs in the economy or grow the economy.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMember, be mindful of the point that has been made.
Mr. Scott PearmanThank you, Mr. Speaker, I will be very mindful. Mr. Speaker, now I will pivot and move from my comments on the Throne Speech to a few comments that I have on the Throne Speech Reply. At the risk of being sycophantic to our Leader, let me just highlight a …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I will be very mindful. Mr. Speaker, now I will pivot and move from my comments on the Throne Speech to a few comments that I have on the Throne Speech Reply. At the risk of being sycophantic to our Leader, let me just highlight a few points that I thought were of import or part icular import. If I did not know better, I would say that the theme of the Throne Speech Reply was Promises made, promises broken. And I heard him call at least 10 times for an election, and with that I agree. But let me just pull up two points from the Throne Speech Reply which I thought were very important. First of all was the quote at page 6 by the Labour Secretary in the US. (I have about a minute and a half.) Which was this: “ The greatest enemy of positive social change is cynicism about what can be changed.” And I think that that resonates. And I hope that resonates with everyone because we can make things better and we can change things to the better. And then the other comment on that same page, page 6, with your leave, Mr. Speaker, is what the Opposition Leader has said, talking about how we are going to make that change. And he said this, quote, “That’s what happens when we unite, not against an imagined enemy, but against our common problems. ” And to me, Mr. Speaker, that was the most powerful sentence in this entire Reply.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Scott PearmanIt is on page 6. I hear MP Tyrrell asking what page it is on. It is the fourth paragraph on page 6 of our Reply. [Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Scott PearmanThere we go. There was another point that I just wanted to touch on in the limited time I have remaining. And it was another quote. This one is at page 8, and it was this. Again, the words of the Opposition Leader, but words with which I entirely agree. …
There we go. There was another point that I just wanted to touch on in the limited time I have remaining. And it was another quote. This one is at page 8, and it was this. Again, the words of the Opposition Leader, but words with which I entirely agree. “To thrive in the future, we will need new friends —not [old] enemies. ” And I think that really sums up some of my concern, the political position and where we need to get to. We need to realise, Mr. Speaker, that we have more in common than that which divides us. We need to realise that no one has a monopoly on the answers. And we need to realise that political gains need to stop so we can work to-gether to identify the solutions that are needed and solve the problems that exist.
Mr. Christopher FamousIn 1928, the Forty Thieves with names like Conyers, Dill, and you know who else presented— Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 53 Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Scott Pearman: Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Mr. Scott PearmanI am afraid the Honourable Member is misleading the House. He may not know this but the Pearmans are not Forty Thieves. I will just set the historical record straight for you. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Christopher FamousMr. Speaker, if the fish did not open his mouth, he would never have gotten caught. Mr. Speaker, let me repeat. In 1928, the Forty Thieves prevented Marcus Garvey from stepping on the shores of Bermuda. In 2024, Steven Golding, Ste-ven Bruce Golding, the son of the former Prime Minister …
Mr. Speaker, if the fish did not open his mouth, he would never have gotten caught. Mr. Speaker, let me repeat. In 1928, the Forty Thieves prevented Marcus Garvey from stepping on the shores of Bermuda. In 2024, Steven Golding, Ste-ven Bruce Golding, the son of the former Prime Minister of Jamaica came to speak about the legacy of Marcus Mosiah Garvey. His speech permit was signed by the great grandson of two Garveyites. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today as a proud grandson of people who worked alongside of Marcus Garvey, who invested in the Black Star [Steamship] Line. So when I hear people of means belittle people who are standing up for others, it really makes me say, Let me go through what they said. Mr. Speaker, I will go line by line with some of the OBA stuff. On page 3 they talk about recent bye-elections. So let’s talk about the most recent bye- election. After uncountable negative attacks in the media, after them pushing their entire party to canvass, after continuous attacks on the integrity of the Parliamentary Registrar, and after attacks on the AME Church of Bermuda, guess what happened, Mr. Speaker. [After] all of that effort the OBA came fourth in a four -man race. So I say to my people, Time to do what we do best. Mr. Speaker, page 5, they said White people don’t . . . they said that we said that “white people don’t belong in politics .” [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Christopher FamousPage 5, you can look it up. Look it up. Yet they are stacking the very few OBA safe seats with non- White candidates. Yes, think about it. Yet they are putting the few White candidates that they have in unwinnable seats. [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Mr. Christopher FamousSo if they wanted more White people in politics, would they not put them in the safe seats? [Inaudible interjections] Mr. Christopher Famous: Oh, it is clear as day, mate. Mr. Speaker, page 6, “How is it right to frighten Bermudians when the Government needs overseas labour?” Mr. Speaker, take …
So if they wanted more White people in politics, would they not put them in the safe seats?
[Inaudible interjections] Mr. Christopher Famous: Oh, it is clear as day, mate. Mr. Speaker, page 6, “How is it right to frighten Bermudians when the Government needs overseas labour?” Mr. Speaker, take your mind back to last No-vember. It was the FDM [Free Democratic Movement], the UBP under the guise of [Sir] John Swan, and the OBA under the guise of Michael Fahy who went on a rampage and said, Look! They are talking about CARICOM! That means that they are going to let all these people in from the Caribbean to come here and work.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Christopher FamousSo who was scaremongering about foreign workers? [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Christopher FamousWho was scaremongering, Mr. Speaker? Mr. Speaker, PLP family, time to do what we do best.
Mr. Christopher FamousMr. Speaker, on page 9 they say the PLP is “enriching construction company bosses .” Hmm. Their words. Mr. Speaker, as the Chair of the BHC [Bermuda Housing Corporation] I take ex-ception to that because every contract is put out to ten-der and Bermudian contractors apply. The thing is vet-ted …
Mr. Speaker, on page 9 they say the PLP is “enriching construction company bosses .” Hmm. Their words. Mr. Speaker, as the Chair of the BHC [Bermuda Housing Corporation] I take ex-ception to that because every contract is put out to ten-der and Bermudian contractors apply. The thing is vet-ted by project managers, not by politicians. And guess what, Mr. Speaker? Those Bermudian contractors some of them, most of them, have less than 10 staff, have built and renovated 70 properties for Bermudian families over the last year with more to go. So according to the OBA, we are enriching construction company bosses. So what? We should not pay these people? We shouldn’t build affordable housing for our people? Which one? PLP family, time to do what we do best. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Christopher Famous[Minister] Diallo, please. Hold it. Mr. Speaker, they talk about Grand Atlantic on the same page. In 2012, multiple OBA candidates bad - mouthed Grand Atlantic. Sylvan Richards, L ipstick on a pig. Nalton Brangman, It is going to fall into the sea. Ironically, in 2016, the same OBA put …
[Minister] Diallo, please. Hold it. Mr. Speaker, they talk about Grand Atlantic on the same page. In 2012, multiple OBA candidates bad - mouthed Grand Atlantic. Sylvan Richards, L ipstick on a pig. Nalton Brangman, It is going to fall into the sea. Ironically, in 2016, the same OBA put America’s Cup people up in that same place that did not fall into the sea. [Inaudible interjections]
54 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Christopher Famous: In 2016, whoever was the Works and Engineering Minister signed a contract to try to convert that to a hotel. Who was that? [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Christopher FamousWho was that? PLP family, time to do what we do best. Mr. Speaker, I see that the OBA candidate for St. David’s has left. How fortuitous. In 2011, they talked about dumping medical waste in St. David’s as if peo-ple just take syringes and throw it all on the …
Who was that? PLP family, time to do what we do best. Mr. Speaker, I see that the OBA candidate for St. David’s has left. How fortuitous. In 2011, they talked about dumping medical waste in St. David’s as if peo-ple just take syringes and throw it all on the ground and take off gloves and all sorts of amputat ed parts and just throw it all over the ground in St. David’s. What they did not say is that there is a purpose- built incinerator. What they did not say is that the incinerator is run by their supporters. What they did not say is by having that in-cinerator it saves BHB money. So let them not say we are dumping medical waste all over the ground. It is being incinerated. Mr. Speaker, on page 14, they talk about Bermudians by paper, which means giving out status, same way as Pathways to Status. They know how that turned out the last time. They do not want to say that word again. Mr. Speaker, OBA says Bermudians can be made by paper as well as by birth. So ask yourself peo-ple, Is the OBA trying to erase the value of Bermudian roots and heritage by just signing a paper? The OBA knows that this is the only way for them to possibly w in any election. That is why they keep pushing that agenda. It failed in 2017; it will fail all the time. Mr. Speaker, the OBA says there is a population decline. I want you all to listen to this. The OBA signed off on a Boundaries Commission Report stating that the population has grown. So you can’t on one hand say there is a population decline and then sign off on a report to say that the population has grown. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Christopher FamousNo, no, no. That is in public. That’s in public. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Christopher FamousThat’s in public. We had three . . . Mr. Speaker, we had three public meetings. The Boundaries Commission had three public meetings.
Mr. L. Craig CannonierPoint of order, Mr. Speaker. If we are going to go there, point of order, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierUnfortunately, the Honourable Member is misleading the House. He has been on two Boundaries Commissions and still to this day seems not to understand the gravity of what we were doing. In there we stated that there was a challenge with the numbers. So to say that we signed off …
Unfortunately, the Honourable Member is misleading the House. He has been on two Boundaries Commissions and still to this day seems not to understand the gravity of what we were doing. In there we stated that there was a challenge with the numbers. So to say that we signed off that there is an increase in numbers, we said that there were issues that were . . . but there was not a proper consensus . . . a census done, sorry. So how in the world are you going to come up here and stretch that far to say, Oh, the people who were signing the paper on the Boundaries Commission . . . Their role was not to say that, Oh, well, this is true numbers in population. I mean, it is just ridiculous.
Mr. Christopher FamousMr. Speaker, there were three public meetings [where it was] stated that the voting population has increased.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerLet me ask one question. And it may . . . I just don’t know. Has that particular Boundary report been finished and been made . . . been released to the public yet?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWait! Wait! I asked you, Has the report been released publicly? You said it hasn’t. So if it has not been released, you shouldn’t be talking about it on the floor of the House yet. [Inaudible interjections] Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 55 Bermuda House of Assembly The …
Wait! Wait! I asked you, Has the report been released publicly? You said it hasn’t. So if it has not been released, you shouldn’t be talking about it on the floor of the House yet. [Inaudible interjections]
Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 55
Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Either it has been released or it hasn’t been released. One or the other. If it has been released—
Mr. Christopher FamousMr. Speaker, I will repeat. There were three public meetings in which the Boundary Commission chair said that there is an increase in the voting population.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Okay. Let me ask you a question. Let me be clear about the question. My question is this: You are a member of the Boundaries Commission. Correct?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNo, no, no, no. Public meetings are different from the report. Has the report been signed off? Because you indicated people are signing this and signing that. Has the report been released publicly yet?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWhen a Member sits on anything that has not been released publicly, should not be speaking to it on this floor. [Crosstalk]
Mr. Christopher FamousMr. Speaker, my point has been proven. The voting population has increased. Mr. Speaker, moving on. On page 17, they speak negatively about CARICOM. Yet two weeks ago we had the Prime Minister of Nevis here, Mark Brantley. Last night we had Steven Golding speaking on the legacy of Marcus …
Mr. Speaker, my point has been proven. The voting population has increased. Mr. Speaker, moving on. On page 17, they speak negatively about CARICOM. Yet two weeks ago we had the Prime Minister of Nevis here, Mark Brantley. Last night we had Steven Golding speaking on the legacy of Marcus Garvey. Today right at your pedestal, Mr. Speaker, we had the General Secretary of the Caribbean Tourism Authority .
Mr. Christopher FamousTomorrow we will have the Prime Minister of Grenada. Does it sound like we are running away from our commitment to CARICOM, Mr. Speaker? Hon. Jarion Richardson: Point order, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Jarion Richardson: The Honourable Member is misleading the House. We did not speak negatively of CARICOM in the Reply to the Throne Speech.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI missed that point. Say it again for me. Hon. Jarion Richardson: Yes. The Honourable Member said that we were speaking negatively about CARICOM in the Reply to the Throne Speech and we did not speak negatively about CARICOM in the Reply to the Throne Speech at all.
Mr. Famous.
Mr. Christopher FamousMr. Speaker, meanwhile the FDM, the OBA and the UBP under the guise of [Sir] John Swan have all had nothing positive to say of CARICOM. Our actions are clear. Mr. Speaker, it is time to do what we do best. Now compare our track record, Mr. Speaker. [Over] the …
Mr. Speaker, meanwhile the FDM, the OBA and the UBP under the guise of [Sir] John Swan have all had nothing positive to say of CARICOM. Our actions are clear. Mr. Speaker, it is time to do what we do best. Now compare our track record, Mr. Speaker. [Over] the course of the time of the PLP we have built 700 affordable homes, 100 in the last year alone. The OBA have [built] zero. Mr. Speaker, we have cut payroll tax for workers. We have given six pension incr eases for seniors. The OBA gave one. Roads are finally getting paved. I agree with them. Potholes. Roads are finally getting paved. We are giving $100 to seniors on financial [assistance] for their personal hygiene care. We have given an 80 per cent reduct ion in payroll taxes 56 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly for taxi drivers. We are commencing a domestic violence court. We have an apprentice programme to teach our young people skills so that they can get those jobs and they can start doing businesses. We have increased air flights, increased cruise visitors. W e have returned the BMU code to our passports, which the OBA lost. Mr. Speaker, just yesterday BermudAir has expanded—
[Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Christopher FamousBermudAir . . . Bermuda Air, you know what I am talking about. [They] have stated they are expanding their gateway cities. This cannot be happening if an economy is declining now can it? And most importantly, Mr. Speaker, I looked on The Royal Gazette the other day . . …
Mr. Christopher FamousAnd I saw with my own eyes at least two of these Opposition Members at South P at the groundbreaking that they claimed would never hap-pen. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Christopher FamousHmm. So as Ismay Williams would say . . . repeat after me folks. Promises made, promises kept. Mr. Speaker, in 2012, since 2012, I have had one Ministry. The Ministry of winning elections. So I say to my Premier, and my fellow PLP MPs, time to do what we …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Member. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDoes any other Member wish to make a contribution at this time? None other? No? Whew! I was rising quickly that time. Gee. [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister Wilson, I was raising to get to my feet that time. [Inaudible interjection] Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, thank you. I . . . I . . . Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be brief. And I just wish to provide a few comments as it relates …
Minister Wilson, I was raising to get to my feet that time. [Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, thank you. I . . . I . . . Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be brief. And I just wish to provide a few comments as it relates to the Throne Speech entitled A Fairer Bermuda for All, particularly with reference to health care, health reform and the three items that are spoken about in the Speech from the Throne. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Health continues to remain committed to promoting healthy people and healthy communities. And a fairer Bermuda for all moves to address things like health disparities, addressing issues as it relates to inequality, ensuring that access is made available to all as it relates to quality care. And, Mr. Speaker, one of the things that has been discussed in the Throne Speech that we want to speak about deals specifically with our high instances of non - communicable diseases, such as heart attacks, strokes, cancer, dementia and other leading causes of death in Bermuda, as well as diabetes and chronic kidney diseases. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, you have heard me speak about the unhealthy lifestyle, statistics that happen in Bermuda that are regrettably causing increases in our health care costs as well as impacting adversely a person’s quality of life. Bermuda has the third highest incident rate of diabetes in the OECD. Mr. Speaker, 75 per cent of our adult population are either overweight or obese. Mr. Speaker, 50 per cent of our adults have at least one chronic condition which could either be diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease and one out of three persons have either high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol. Mr. Speaker, those are some dire statistics. And as a result, one of the initiatives that is listed in the Throne Speech again designed to ensure that w e have healthy people and healthy communities and creating a fairer Bermuda for all. Particularly with reference to our health system is the provision of laws that will remove foods that have industrially produced trans fats from our food supply. Mr. Speaker, you may know that trans fats have no scientifically proven health benefits whatsoever. In fact, they are the leading causes of heart disease, strokes, diabetes and other medical conditions that are taking people out far too soon. Mr. Speaker, we at the Department of Health are continuing to work with PAHO [Pan American Health Organization] and the UK Health Security Agency so that we could have the requisite lab equipment established so that we can perform local testing on these tr ans fats. Mr. Speaker, Bermuda is not alone in this. There are a number of other countries worldwide that are moving to eliminate the issuance of trans fats in the food that is being produced and sold. We see that from the statistics from the WHO [World Health Organization], Mr. Speaker, that a high intake of trans fats poses serious health risks. It increases the likelihood of death from cause by coronary disease by 34 per cent and it also increases overall coronary disease by 21 per cent. Just by utilising trans fats. And as I have said, Mr. Speaker, trans fats do not have any type of positive health benefits and unfortunately, they are only designed to extend the shelf life of Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 57
Bermuda House of Assembly things like margarine and other types of foods or to provide further elasticity and firmness with respect to shortenings and vegetable shortenings. But there is no benefit at all, Mr. Speaker, with respect to this. So we will be moving legislation to eliminate that. And we are following our CARICOM partners where the CARICOM ministers of trade and health have committed to enact law by December 24 with the removal of trans fats in the Caribbean foods by Decem-ber 2025. And we anticipate that Bermuda will also be doing likewise. And this legislative session we will see legislation [for] the removal of trans fats from our diets. Mr. Speaker, the second item that I would like to speak about, and I am referring specifically to page 5 of the Throne Speech, which speaks to the continuation of the Government’s commitment to provide for persons, to enhance mental health initiatives. Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunately a situation in Bermuda, and likewise worldwide, where we are seeing higher instances of mental health. A lot of that has been as a result of COVID -19; however, internationally the statistics support one in four persons will have a mental health challenge in their lifetime. And you would have noticed in the mid- year review, Mr. Speaker, we received an extra $2.29 million so that we can start to further enhance initiatives designed to not only address the . . . provide resources, further resources for individuals who are suffering from mental health (and I will speak about those in a few moments), but also more importantly, or of equal importance, my submission is to address the issue of stigma. Mr. Speaker, I am sure we will all agree that good mental health is indisputably recognised as an essential part of our lives in that it encourages and in-creases our own personal well -being whether it is through employment, academics and the like. And despite mental health playing such a fundamental role, Mr. Speaker, in shaping our life experiences, unfortunately, the stigma surrounding mental health and the fears of persons seeking help with respect to mental health still exists. And that is why part of those funds that I spoke about will be going toward initiatives to address the stigma behind mental health. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, stigma reduces . . . it causes discrimination. Persons are discriminated against with employment and so forth because of mental health challenges. Anti -stigma . . . sorry. Having a stigma with respect to mental health does not encourage persons to seek help soon enough. And t he reality is that a mental condition is no different than physical condition. And the reality again is that if you have a cold or an infection you would probably seek medical attention. Likewise, we are tryi ng to encourage persons to seek medical attention if need be if they have a mental illness. And again, one in four persons will suffer from a mental illness in their lifetime and we are trying to de-velop more resources, not only toward treatment but also t o address anti -stigma. Mr. Speaker, some of the other initiatives that we are speaking about with respect to this will include the following: Launching a mental health awareness campaign to help to educate the public and encourage help- seeking behaviours. Again, that is tied lar gely to anti-stigma campaigns. Not just for our adolescents, which is critically important, but also for our adult population. You may recall I brought to this House, I think about six months ago, the Adults Acute Mental Health Pathway so that we can continue to speak about the issues surrounding mental health and encouraging persons to get treatment and to stop this stigma surrounding mental health and that we can be more aware and have more literacy surrounding mental health and knowing what services exist as well as to being able to be comfortable about speaking openly about chal-lenges that persons may have with respect to mental health. Mr. Speaker, some of the other initiatives that will be advanced which are spoken about, again on page 5 of the Throne Speech, is implementing a suicide prevention strategy, establishing a community outreach programme. Again, tailored for support so that when we have, for example, the . . . oftentimes churches may have . . . the Seventh- day Adventist Church actually does it quite often, and they may have health fairs. We want to be partnering with those types of community events so that we can have mental health practitioners there as well. So when you are getting your blood pressure checked at one booth, you can talk to a mental health specialist . . . helping to normalise the discussion openly about mental health to again try to reduce the stigma. Mr. Speaker, we will also be providing support [through] mhGAP [Mental Health Gap Action Pro-gramme], which is a UK programme where we will provide integrated mental health services within the primary care. And primary care physicians will be provided with the tools that they require. Oftentimes when a person goes who may be suffering from a mental health condition, the first person they may discuss it with is their physician, their GP. So we will be providing through this mhGAP programme and MWI as well as UK. It is a UK pro-gramme. It will help to allow the medical practitioners to have more information about how to identify when an individual is perhaps suffering from a mental illness as well as to provide them with the resources that they need to provide to their patients. We will also be piloting a school -based health behaviour intervention programme. Mr. Speaker, just quoting from WHO, they recognise that promoting mental health during childhood and adolescence via school -based programmes is an effective intervention tool to address mental health challenges within our adolescent population, as well as, more importantly, to promote good mental health. Globally we are seeing depression, anxiety and behavioural 58 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly disorders constituting some of the most primary causes of illness and disability amongst adolescents. And an estimated 14 per cent of adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19, and again this is a WHO 2024 statistic, are experiencing mental health conditions. So we will be, as part of that $2.29 million which is referred to at page 5 of the mid- year review with the mental health enhanced initiatives, providing for a school -based pilot behaviour intervention programme. Mr. Speaker, in addition to that we will be on the subject of youth, hosting a youth mental health summit, as well as providing grants to support mental health organisations. Our third- party sector champions, Mr. Speaker, oftentimes provide throughout thei r work, mental health services. And we will be providing them with financial resources so that they can continue those endeavours. Mr. Speaker, the third thing I would like to speak about . . . again, I am still at page 5 of the Throne Speech, deals specifically with the path to universal health care. Mr. Speaker, we understand that persons who are on fixed incomes can [find it to] be incredibly challenging. And that while the rising cost of liv ing is becoming even more difficult for persons to manage expenses, and we do hear on the canvassing door-steps that persons are challenged with respect to cost of living but in particular issues as it relates to health care. And one of the items, Mr. Speaker, that is critically important that I want to speak about insofar as creating a fairer Bermuda for all relates specifically to the provision of affordable health care. For those persons who are either in the underserved gr oups, our vulnerable seniors, persons who are perhaps low -income families, and/or disabled oftentimes those individuals, Mr. Speaker, are on the government health plans which is either the Health Insurance Plan (HIP) or Fu-tureCare. And those vulnerable pop ulations, Mr. Speaker, we will be, as is indicated in this Throne Speech, providing more benefits for them in the provision of their insurance so that they will be able to receive (a) enhanced pharmacy benefits as well as (b) an annual physical where they will not have to pay. It will be part of their benefit. And this is for HIP and Fu-tureCare patients. This is whilst we continue on the road to Universal Health Coverage [UHC]. Those persons who are oftentimes more vulnerable than others on the HIP and FutureCare plan, again, our seniors, those persons on lower incomes as well as individuals who may be dis abled will see enhanced benefits this year in their plans and we will be bringing legislation to amend the Act so that they will have the benefit of increased pharmaceutical prescription drug benefits as well as an annual physical. Again, that will be for the persons who are on HIP and FutureCare. Mr. Speaker, these changes that will be introduced legislatively are all designed to enhance the provision of health care, make it more equitable, make it more affordable and again it is consistent with delivering a fairer Bermuda for all. Mr. Speaker, again, the roll -out of these . . . the HIP and FutureCare extended benefits will come this legislative session so you will see amendments to that. However, we will continue on the trajectory of Universal Health [Coverage] and the implementation of that. Unfortunately, we have hit a roadblock, which I have said I think most people have forgotten about, COVID -19. But the same people who are working toward the im-plementation of UHC obviously had a pause of almost three years to deal with COVID -19, but we are still working. That is still the North Star and we are working toward that, Mr. Speaker. But in the interim, as I have indicated, we have committed to expanding access for the most vulnerable persons who are part of our government health plan. Mr. Speaker, whilst we continue the journey to UHC we will see this year the core benefits package which is being modelled and finalised now with our health providers as we speak. We are anticipating getting the modelling of what that core package would lo ok like and the cost within the next several weeks. But, Mr. Speaker, in order to address the issue as it relates to reducing the cost of health care in Bermuda, particularly whilst we create a fairer Bermuda, I just want to remind individuals of the steps that the Government has taken heretofore to address the rising cost of health care as well as, again, emphasising our objective of creating a fairer Bermuda for all, which includes access to health services. Mr. Speaker, this is the third year in a row that the Government froze the Standard Health Benefit [SHB]. The actuary said that as a result of increasing costs related to a senior population, utilisation, et cetera, that we should be increasing the SHB so that we can cover the expenses associated with that. And the Government said no, we are not committed to increasing the cost of $45 per person per month for the Standard Health Benefit. So what we did is we took money from the excess borrowing fund (you will recall we spoke about that here in the House) so that we would not increase the cost of health insurance. The only part of the health insurance premium that the Government has control of, we have frozen three years in a row. Mr. Speaker, to me that speaks to the fairness of our party as well as the objective of creating a fairer Bermuda. Mr. Speaker, in addition, creating a fairer Bermuda as it relates to the reduction of health care costs, and making it equitable and essential as well as having access for individuals, we have established the drug formulary which helped to regulate the pri ces of certain medications that are highly used in Bermuda due to the chronic conditions that I have spoken about. So there are drugs that are on that drug formulary that have a regulated cost so that pharmacists cannot charge Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 59
Bermuda House of Assembly higher than that. That is something that the Government has delivered to ensure that we have access, and equitable access to all and not just some. Mr. Speaker, we have also increased the prescription drug benefits previously by providing $1,000 a year drug benefit to HIP and increasing FutureCare drug benefits from $2,000 a year to $3,000. And as I have just indicated, there will be further enhancements with this legislative session to the provision of prescription drugs for HIP and FutureCare. Mr. Speaker, we have introduced maternity benefits for uninsured and underinsured women. Uninsured and underinsured women should not have to go through the perils of trying to figure out how they are going to pay for the delivery of their child. We have added that as a benefit and it also includes well -baby checkups as well as education in pre, post, et cetera. Mr. Speaker, we have also introduced kidney transplant coordinators so that we can increase the number of kidney transplants with respect to that and we have expanded SHB (Standard Health Benefit) to include medical nutritional therapy as well as health education and expanded artificial limbs and appliance benefits. So we will continue to work to reduce the cost of health care in Bermuda. We will continue to work to ensure that there is access to health coverage in Bermuda and a fairer Ber-muda for all moves to address the health disparities. It moves to address the inequities. It moves to ensure that there is equal access for all to provide for the provision of quality health care, affordable health care as well. And we will continue to make these steps so that we can do what we can to have a fairer Bermuda for all, especially as it relates to access to health care, making Bermuda healthier. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. Does any other . . . Opposition Deputy Leader, MP Smith, you have the floor.
Mr. Ben SmithThank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, firstly I would like to thank the Honourable Health Minister for that informative state-ment that she just made. That contribution I think will be helpful to anybody who had the opportunity to hear it. That is the kind of contribution that I t hink …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, firstly I would like to thank the Honourable Health Minister for that informative state-ment that she just made. That contribution I think will be helpful to anybody who had the opportunity to hear it. That is the kind of contribution that I t hink is important for our community. She laid out some of the information that was in the Throne Speech that is going to help our community when it comes to the health of our commu-nity which with a population that has a high level of diabetes and heart dis ease and sickness, anything that we can do to try to alleviate that and to inform our population is important and we will be supportive at the continuation of that kind of information that she presented today. So I thank her for that. Mr. Speaker, now I would like to start my contribution on the Throne Speech and the Reply from the shadow Ministry that I have which is education. Mr. Speaker, I think everybody here when they knock on doors . . . it is interesting, [in] almost every household, education is one of the top three topics that is in that household. And it is interesting because many times that conversation is in a household where they might not even have children. And that is because everybody understands how important the education of our children is to the future. I have to say that the Minister has been in this position for a long time, in a very difficult Ministry. And I am not going to say that he does not want to see the best outcomes for our children. I have had conversations with multiple people who tell me t hat he is doing many things to try to get education on the track to help our young people into their future. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Ben SmithBut, Mr. Speaker, as we are looking at— [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Mr. Ben SmithAs we are looking at the Throne Speech, I note that there is a discussion on having an Education Authority, which obviously is something that the Opposition is supportive of. It is an initiative that was put forward by the One Bermuda Alliance but the important word that is missing …
As we are looking at the Throne Speech, I note that there is a discussion on having an Education Authority, which obviously is something that the Opposition is supportive of. It is an initiative that was put forward by the One Bermuda Alliance but the important word that is missing is “independent” Education Authority. Mr. Speaker, the reason why I say independent Education Authority as opposed to just Education Authority is because one of the problems that we have had in education for multiple governments, is the interference that happens from politics in education. What do I mean by that? Because the politicians’ cycle is on the cycle of elections but our students are not on that same cycle. They actually start at birth and they could continue in their education journey into their 30s. So Mr. Speaker, what I am actually referring to . . . I am going to go back to get to where we are today. Bermuda had a world- class education system. Some people might disagree, but as I look around this room the people in this room were produced by that w orldclass education system that existed. Mr. Speaker, when I talk to electricians and to electricians who own their own business in Bermuda, Bermudians who work hard and have been able to build houses and take care of their family, they came through a Bermuda education system that produced them and that was free. This country that we look around in with all these buildings and what else is happening in our country, happened through that education system. Mr. Speaker, I am going to say that political interference destroyed that system because poli tics looked at it and said there was a specific issue. If we go back, most of us here are old enough to know that there was too much pressure on young persons, 11- and 12- year old, to be able to sit an exam 60 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly that might make the decision of what trajectory they had in their future. But rather than deal with that problem, because I am going to say it again, if you look back on that system all the layers that we are trying to fix . . . all of the layers that the Minister is trying to put back in place already existed. Thirty years later that is what we are trying to do. When people talk about what was produced in the past, they are going to talk about a technical institute. You know, when I talk to those electricians and those carpenters and those plumbers, a lot of them went to Robert Crawford [School]. And it is interes ting because at the time a lot of people would have said, Robert Crawford? But those are the ones who are owning the businesses. Those are the ones who have been able to provide for their families out of that education. And when I had that conversation with them, I said, Well, can you give me some ideas of what was different? They said, It is interesting , because we might have been boys who got in a little bit of trouble, but we had strong men standing up in front of us in those class-rooms teaching us the difference, connecting the mathematics to what needed to be known for me to be able to be an electrician, be a plumber. And that role model allowed them to strive to be better.
[Ms. Lovitta F. Foggo, Acting Speaker, in the Chair]
Mr. Ben SmithBut, Madam Acting Speaker, that political interference said, I found a programme outside of Bermuda that looks like a fix. And then they brought it here.
Mr. Ben SmithWhy do I have to say who? I know I wasn’t in the Government because I am going to tell you now.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWhat is the context?
Mr. Ben SmithThe context was, I said, over 30 years ago when that bad decision was made to destroy the education system in Bermuda. And I am going to tell you that as a freshman at Springfield College, I sat in a class for early educa-tion and the professor stood up and …
The context was, I said, over 30 years ago when that bad decision was made to destroy the education system in Bermuda. And I am going to tell you that as a freshman at Springfield College, I sat in a class for early educa-tion and the professor stood up and said, One of the biggest problems with this particular system (and they laid out what that system looked like) was that the po-tential is you create gangs. So I immediately stood up and said, My country is about to do that right now. He said, Well, all the studies tell you that that is a bad idea. You have to remember what those decisions were back then because you do not want to make the same mistakes. Madam Acting Speaker, what needed to happen back then was an audit. When I say “audit” I am not talking about the financial part, I am talking about, What were the steps? Why were those decisions being made? Who was being impacted? Because we all have our thoughts on what that reasoning was. But the results that we are dealing with today came from that bad decision. When you closed down certain schools and you ended up funnelling everybody to a certain direc-tion, Madam Acting Speaker, what happened next was a lot of those schools that were producing our academ-ics, went private. Now you have to pay for that access. There are quite a few Berkeleyites in this Chamber. Berkeley used to compete on the academic level, one for one, with 11, 12, 13, 14 GCs, O-Levels, whatever way you want to look at it when you go back and look at where things were. And that opportunity was given to all of our people. You could choose to go private, but you could also choose to stay in that world- class, free education.
The Acting SpeakerThe SpeakerYour point of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonThis one, I assume that the Member is misleading unintentionally because the idea that the public system is no longer able to create students who achieve is not correct. At this point in time, people have to understand that many of our public school students, they actually go in the …
This one, I assume that the Member is misleading unintentionally because the idea that the public system is no longer able to create students who achieve is not correct. At this point in time, people have to understand that many of our public school students, they actually go in the Dual Enrolment Programme which means they are able to graduate at age 16, 17 and 18 with their first two years of education complete and then transfer overseas to university in their third year. And so to say or to imply that the public system has now failed is entirely incorrect.
Mr. Ben Smith—that everybody is failing. And we have to be very careful because we are talking about young people. All this time I have actually been talking about the damage that was done before and why we have to make sure that we are doing the right things now. And back …
—that everybody is failing. And we have to be very careful because we are talking about young people. All this time I have actually been talking about the damage that was done before and why we have to make sure that we are doing the right things now. And back then there needed to be an audit to make sure that you were doing the right things. Be-cause if that had happened then, potentially the damage that we are now dealing with would not have happened. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 61
Bermuda House of Assembly But, Madam Acting Speaker, as we are going through the reform today . . . the Minister talks about it. We have had uproar at school closings in the eastern end of the Island and the western end of the Island. We have seen what that looks like. But the problem is a decision was made to close certain schools and there was a reason for making those decisions. But when the pressure . . . and I am going to say political pressure, forced those decisions to change. This is the reason that you should move the polit ical part out of education.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of order. Point of order,
Madam Acting Speaker.
The Acting SpeakerYour point of order. POINT OF ORDER Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Madam Acting Speaker, a caring and listening Government cares when persons, in this case the electorate, asks us for certain decisions to be re- evaluated. There was no political pressure. There was a re- evaluation of the decision …
Your point of order.
POINT OF ORDER
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Madam Acting Speaker, a caring and listening Government cares when persons, in this case the electorate, asks us for certain decisions to be re- evaluated. There was no political pressure. There was a re- evaluation of the decision that was made. The re- evaluation looked at additional information that the citizens of this country asked us to look at and a different outcome was determined. If we did not do that, the Member opposite would be standing up saying that we don’t listen to people.
Mr. Ben SmithMy point does not change because as you are going through the process an audit of what is happening and why it is happening needs to continue to happen. And I do not mean an audit that happens in a room and no one knows what that was, what the …
My point does not change because as you are going through the process an audit of what is happening and why it is happening needs to continue to happen. And I do not mean an audit that happens in a room and no one knows what that was, what the re-sults are. It has to be transparent. You have to let peo-ple know what that process is and why. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of order.
The Acting SpeakerThe SpeakerYour point of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Again, the Member is misleading the public. When we announced that decision process, we held a minimum of two meetings per parish to discuss. We also held additional meetings in the par-ishes of St. George’s and the …
Your point of order.
POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Again, the Member is misleading the public. When we announced that decision process, we held a minimum of two meetings per parish to discuss. We also held additional meetings in the par-ishes of St. George’s and the parishes of Somerset. So to say that dec isions were made in a room without any consultation or without any input from anyone else is simply false.
Mr. Ben SmithWhat I was referring to is the evaluation, not what was happening at those town hall meet-ings. But as I move forward, the issue, and this one I will be very specific with, Madam Acting Speaker. Teachers take on that role as a teacher not because they look into the …
What I was referring to is the evaluation, not what was happening at those town hall meet-ings. But as I move forward, the issue, and this one I will be very specific with, Madam Acting Speaker. Teachers take on that role as a teacher not because they look into the future and think they are going to be a millionaire with that particular job. They do it because they love to empower that information to the next gen-eration. The hard part is when teachers do a sick -out, they take the blame. But just imagine how frustrated they had to be to get to the point to withhold the one thing that they love so much. When parent/teacher associations are having to go above and beyond to tell the Ministry, to tell the reform unit that they are not sure things are being done the right way, this is the reason I am saying an audit of that process is important. Because presently you have a reform unit that seems to be sucking up most of the oxygen of education. And the reason I say that is because over on the side where the actual teaching is happening, those teachers are feeling that they do not have the support level that they are supposed to have. Not enough substitute teachers. Not having the [paraprofessiona ls] that they need. Not having the resources that they need. This is not me saying it, it is what the union has said, and it is what multiple members from that particular industry are telling us in the public. And the teachers cannot speak out. So the only thing left for them to do was to withhold teaching. Once again, this is not about blame on the Minister. This is about making sure we are shining a light on this process, auditing so that we do not continue to make mistakes. Because the mistake that happened with political interference 30- plus years ago, t his country is continuing to pay for. One thought: As we reduce the number of public schools, are we continuing to create that problem that happened 30- plus years ago? And back then most of us are going to say it was done intentionally. What I do not want is for it to happen unintentionally, t hat we are hurting another generation of our young people. Because, Madam Acting Speaker, every time one of the schools closes, we do not get a lot of data that says, Where did they go? This is the kind of information that you need to know, because if every time we do that, we are actually pushing more of them into private school. And the feed-back that is worse than that is opting out of Bermuda in order to make sure that . . . because they cannot afford the private education, not willing to risk . . . and this is not me being critical. This is the feedback of parents. And the issue is, it is some parents. But we grew up in a place where we had the opportunity to go to all those multiple s chools and look at what they were able to produce for free. Why should you actually have to get on a plane and leave your country in order for you to make sure? 62 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Because the goal of the reform is correct. But until this process is complete, we do not know what that outcome is actually going to be on the other side of this. Because if every time you are moving forward on the reform the numbers continue to dwindle, as far as I am concerned we should be doing everything we can to make people excited to move to public education. Because that is the public education that this room grew up in. But auditing it, step by step, and making sure that you are being transparent on why we have teach-ers feeling the way they are, why we have parents feeling the way they are, because the same way that the comment can be that there are some parents who are feeling that way, it cannot just be some parents when you have teachers telling you there is a problem. I am going to say it again. Teachers do not lightly withhold teaching young people. This is not the field that that happens. They have to reach a point of frustration for us to get to, I am not going to go to work today. Because they know what the impact is. Parents have to take off work. They understand what that is. That is a cry out for help. Politics have to come out of our education system. We have ideas about a worldclass education to put Bermuda in that position again. And make sure that it is free. But, Madam Acting Speaker, I said this in another place. People having to make a choice, this is real. They do not want to risk their child so they actually take all of their money to put their child into private school. Multiples in our country, that is w here they are. Not because they have a lot of money, but they are sacrificing. There are several people in the Chamber that went through that process. But we have to be honest of what that is. For the people who are in the system and continuing to go through it, we on this side want them to have all the support for them to be the best version of our future. But what I will say is, we need to make sure that that system that we are producing is not going to mean that less and less of our children are participating in that public system and more people are opting out. And having an audit to let us know whether what I am saying is based on real numbers; I cannot actually give you the information beca use it needs to be produced within the education system. Madam Acting Speaker, along with the reform unit being the group that seems to be taking most of the oxygen out of education right now, we also have some people from overseas who have been paid a lot of money in order for them to guide us through this process. Once again, there needs to be measurables, deliverables of what it is they were trying to achieve. Because if you are going to say we are going to do education, and we are going to close this school and the people are going to move to the next school and t hat school has not been informed, and has not been prepared in the right way for them to be able to take in those children, you would think that that advice would have told us what that looks like because we are not spending $5 to get that advice. We are s pending millions to get that advice. So, once again, you have to audit that. Make sure we have measurables. Make sure they have deliverables. And if they are achieving them, these are all things that can come out to the public on a regular basis so they understand. Because we cannot just highlight some of what is happening. The classrooms that we are moving to, are those classrooms full? Once again, we need to know those numbers. The reason why we need to know that this system, this change that we are doing is working. Because I am going to tell you one thing that we should not be gambling with is our young people’s future because we do not have enough of them. And that is the comment that I was going to make earlier. Paying $22,000 for an education that used to be world- class and free, is birth control in this country.
Mr. Ben SmithBecause the second child now means you are at $40,000 . . . and most people in our country will never be able to give up $40,000.
The Acting SpeakerThe SpeakerYour point of order? POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonAgain, I truly am trying my best not . . . to remain in my seat, but I think the Member is, and I will say, unintentionally misleading the House in this case. I will go back to what I said earlier. The Member is making it seem as if …
Again, I truly am trying my best not . . . to remain in my seat, but I think the Member is, and I will say, unintentionally misleading the House in this case. I will go back to what I said earlier. The Member is making it seem as if everybody in public education (right?) is less than and that you have got to substitute your children for private school, and it is just not true. I mean, we all know, based upon our personal experiences, based upon canvassing, based upon all kinds of different things . . . Oh, I got to declare my interest. My wife is a school principal. Sorry. And so to give the impression that the public system is failing, failing, failing is just not true. I will give this quick comment. We were canvassing in [constituency] 36 recently and we even came across another students who are away in aucto-rial science and so I just want to make sure that we are not giving that impression that the public system is failing to the extent, that we are sacrificing all of our children, because it is simply not true.
The Acting SpeakerThe SpeakerOkay. Thank you. The point of order is that he thinks you are inadvertently misleading the House with your generalisation of the public school system. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 63 Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Ben Smith: Thank you, Madam Acting Speaker. But moving forward, if you …
Okay. Thank you. The point of order is that he thinks you are inadvertently misleading the House with your generalisation of the public school system. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 63
Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Ben Smith: Thank you, Madam Acting Speaker. But moving forward, if you actually have the audit that I am referring to, we will know.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of order.
The Acting SpeakerThe SpeakerYour point of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Jason Hayward: The school enrolment numbers are public statistics that [are] actually put out. You can actually see the number of kids in private school versus the number of kids in public school. And it is produced on an annual basis. …
Your point of order.
POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Hon. Jason Hayward: The school enrolment numbers are public statistics that [are] actually put out. You can actually see the number of kids in private school versus the number of kids in public school. And it is produced on an annual basis. To give the impression that somehow it is a vast growing number of kids in our public school system is also misleading. Our public school system has limited capacity. As a result, it cannot drastically grow to increase the number of pupils who actually att end in those particular schools. The number has remained relatively static as it pertains to the number —
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Jason Hayward: —relatively static as it pertains to the number of students in private school and the numbers will support that.
Mr. Ben SmithThank you, Madam Acting Speaker. And I am so glad that the Minister just made that statement. Because the truth is what has happened is multiple students have actually moved overseas, so the reason that the private number is static is because they are taking students from the public sector. …
Thank you, Madam Acting Speaker. And I am so glad that the Minister just made that statement. Because the truth is what has happened is multiple students have actually moved overseas, so the reason that the private number is static is because they are taking students from the public sector. So I am going to ask the Minister of Education to let us know that when they made the decision to close Somerset Primary, how many people applied for private school? Because what I am saying to you is, let’s audit what this process is doing. Because if it is putting more people in private school, we are not moving toward the world -class free education that I think everybody in this room wants. It does not matter whether we believe that the system that is being put in place is working. It is whether the parents think that that is the case.
The Acting SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Member. But here is what I would advise you to do. When you are making statements that sound like statements of fact, support it with your own factual evidence. Because otherwise you are . . . it comes across like you are making statements that you happen to …
Thank you, Member. But here is what I would advise you to do. When you are making statements that sound like statements of fact, support it with your own factual evidence. Because otherwise you are . . . it comes across like you are making statements that you happen to know for a fact when these are your assertions, as opposed to statements of fact. You are asking for evidence from the Minister to support what you are saying or not support what you are saying. But I am saying, when you make a statement, be clear that you are making a factual statement too. That’s all.
Mr. Ben SmithI am going to finish with this. I believe getting this information on a regular basis, making sure that the process that our children are going through, which is disruptive, and the Minister has said this several times, that he knows that this is disrupti ve. But we are seeing …
I am going to finish with this. I believe getting this information on a regular basis, making sure that the process that our children are going through, which is disruptive, and the Minister has said this several times, that he knows that this is disrupti ve. But we are seeing some symptoms that tell us that that disruption is causing issues. Having the actual information which, once again, I am not able to provide because the audit has not happened. That information has not been provided. What I am imploring is for that to happen, so that information can be provided. So that the symptoms that we are seeing, we can have clarity. Because you cannot keep having teachers sit out, you cannot keep having parents say that I have to move.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of clarification.
The Acting SpeakerThe SpeakerWill you accept his point of clarification? Yes. Minister. POINT OF CLARIFICATION Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Since the Member has asked for this information, which is publicly available, the number of students at Somerset Primary last year was 97. The number of students at Somerset Primary this year is …
Mr. Ben SmithThank you, Madam Acting Speaker. It is not actually the question I asked. What I said was, How many of them applied for private school? The school has not closed yet, so they have not moved yet. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of order. The …
Thank you, Madam Acting Speaker. It is not actually the question I asked. What I said was, How many of them applied for private school? The school has not closed yet, so they have not moved yet.
POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Point of order. The Member is misleading. The Member asked when the school was announced that it would close, what are the student num-bers? Or who went to private school? I stated that there 64 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly were 97 students last year and we announced the closure in May of this year. This academic year there are still 97 students there. So no students have left. [Timer chimes]
The Acting SpeakerThe SpeakerI recognise Member Burgess. Member Burgess, you have the floor. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Thank you, Madam Acting Speaker, Ms. Foggo. Honourable Acting Speaker, the Reply to the Throne Speech was given. They made no acknowledgements of the Southampton Princess deal that was signed. The ground was broken. [Inaudible …
I recognise Member Burgess. Member Burgess, you have the floor.
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Thank you, Madam Acting Speaker, Ms. Foggo. Honourable Acting Speaker, the Reply to the Throne Speech was given. They made no acknowledgements of the Southampton Princess deal that was signed. The ground was broken.
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: You know, Madam Acting Speaker, before that document was finally completed, we heard from the other side that it seemed like it was doom and gloom [and] that they did not want it to be successful. They wanted the deal to fail. That is what was coming across from the other side. They criticised it. [Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Oh, yes, they criticised it. They criticised it.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: And with all of the benefits that they knew very well that this country, even some of them that are in business, will . . . they will get from this deal. Madam Acting Speaker, I want to applaud that group, the Southampton Princess because during the closure, they closed for about almost three years, I guess, they kept 50 people employed, paying them. They didn’t have to, but they did. And presently when we were up there the other day, I think The Waterlot will open on the 4 th of December. They had staff up there training to go in that first -class restaurant down there. One restaurant has been open all this time, Boundary [Sports Bar and Grille]. So, I mean, if that was some other investor, with all the negative feedback they were getting, most of us would say, Man, I don’t need this. They would have gone somewhere else. But I want to thank Karim, Mr. [Chris] Maybury, Chris Furbert, our Premier/Fi-nance Minister David Burt, Marc Telemaque and Zane De Silva for keeping this thing alive and bringing it to fruition, [Madam Acting] Speaker. And even my cousin, Wayne Caines, I almost forgot him. I want to mention because this is his Sabbath. [Laughter and i naudible interjections]
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: But these folks played an important part in keeping that thing going. And you know, [Madam Acting] Speaker, the Princess did not ask Minister Hayward for any guaranteed work permits.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOh, oh. Bingo. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: They did not . . . like was given to St. Regis. I don’t even think St. Regis asked for it. I don’t think The Loren asked for it. I think they were offered that to get the deal going because it …
Oh, oh. Bingo.
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: They did not . . . like was given to St. Regis. I don’t even think St. Regis asked for it. I don’t think The Loren asked for it. I think they were offered that to get the deal going because it was another government.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: It could have been. I am not saying it was. [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: No, there is nothing wrong. That was their style. So it is not . . . I am not being critical of it. They were in Government; they did what they thought was right. But this group did not ask for not one. They are looking for Bermudians. They want to train Bermudians to work in these areas.
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: I hear my cousin Cannonier saying to bail them out. Well, let me say this here. Investors do not invest in a country or something without getting some returns. I understand that. But there are some returns for us also, our people. And the Finance Minister, the Premier of Bermuda did the right thing in giving them the guarantee. That is what you are supposed to do. Because people are not lined up. We have said this before. People are not lined up to come to Bermuda to invest. They go in other countries; they get more than they ever get here. So we are glad that they came and this is going to be a first - class facility. That is what they want to trans form that into. Make it better than it was. So the Government did the right thing despite the back and forth, you know, it was going to be happening this time, it didn’t happen, but it did happen. And we want to thank all of them. Madam Acting Speaker, I want to talk about the health care costs. This Government is saving the Gov-ernment workers probably about $200 a month in health care costs. The premium is just over $400 a month for a single person when it should be about $600- and-something. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 65
Bermuda House of Assembly The Government has refused to put it up because it certainly would affect our workers at a time when the cost of living, the cost of food is going up. Not only in Bermuda, worldwide. In fact, you go in some places in the United States and some items up there are more expensive than Bermuda. And we are at, you know, we are not . . . we do not have the volume to compete or even compare prices that you can get them cheaper in the United States or other places. We do not have the volume here. You know, you can . . . you might have the suppliers of avocados have a deal, but those have a lifespan on them. We cannot always take that. And the more you get, the less cost to them and consequently less cost to the consumer. So Madam Acting Speaker, this Government must be recognised for what they are doing to do eve-rything in their power to save money and put more money in the pockets of our workers, payroll tax and all that there. In the last four years I think the average payroll tax savings was about $5,000. That is what it was. And one thing I like about this Government, what we do, and it probably started many years ago, before us, when our people retire they pay the same premium. No benefits are taken from them because they are 69 or 79. And the reason I make that point is because a senior stopped me in the streets the other day, he is retired from a local firm, and he said, When I go to the doctor my co- pay is more. And they were really blaming the doctor. And I said, No, it’s not the doctor. It is that your company has decreased the benefits that you were afforded some years ago without even telling you. So you are paying more to your doctor and co- pay. So we are urging those firms, do not decrease the benefits to your retirees. And you know, Bishop Lambe, last Friday, I want to quote from him. When we talk about retirees, if I may? He said, Retirees are not tired. May they not let their age be their cage. But let it be their stage. He was right. Because we think, and Minister Hayward talked about it earlier, because somebody goes a certain age you want to get rid of them. What makes you good at 67 and when you come just over 68 you got to go home? What makes you? Because let me tell you. The retirement age of 65 was put in place i n the 1950s. And it was at a time when the average length of life was probably 61, 62. So they were scoring and they have not changed that 65 retiree age. Been there a long time. And the point that Bishop Lambe was saying was that, Hey, don’t send these people home. You are going to need them. They have got all their faculties. They are producing. They even come to work when they are sick. They got a little headache; they are still coming to work . And they fight through it. And I am glad to see what our Government is doing. And the Throne Speech says we are encourag-ing you to keep these people in your employ. And as a benefit, we are not going to charge you any payroll tax. And people would say, Well, what about the young? How are they going to get a chance? They are given a chance because there are less workers in their age group who are available for employment. And as you probably know, very shortly, about 25 per cent of our population will be people over 65. And in about two or three years’ time it will be about 30 per cent. So I think we are going to need seniors to stay in the field. And the other thing is don’t be so eager to put younger people in place and not be trained. Some come back with degrees and all that, that’s fine. That’s great, I encourage all that. But that does not give you the full scope of the job, all the experience. And this is why we can use some of our seniors to come in and run classes to teach our folks. I could name . . . Bobby Horton, Donald Scott, Judith Hall -Bean can run these classes for our civil servants to make them better than they are. And I think we have to do it because the Government is trying to . . . what they have said in our Throne Speech is that we want to make the wage so we can get . . . entice people to come and stay in government, pay them accordingly. I agree with that. I agree with that, just like I agree with we should be paying MPs. We should be paying Ministers. Ministers were . . . I think it was probably in [2010] they would decrease 10 per cent of their wage. And it has not been put back. And it should be put back. Not in the revenue it should be put back automatically. For the last 14 years they have lost that money. Probably about $10,000, $11,000 each year. They are human, like us. Backbenchers are even worse. When you go into the grocery shop, that stuff costs. And so you want the best Ministers, you want to get Ministers the calibre of the Jason Haywards and the David Burts and the list goes on, you should pay for them. That is what we should be doing. Make no apologies about it. We think that MPs should be up here for free? We have got families too. We want to send our children away to school too. We want to go to Las Vegas now and then to see, what is the name? Bell . . . Boll—
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: That’s it. Bellagio.
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: Bellagio. Whatever they are saying it is. You know. So then I applaud our Government for looking out for our seniors, giving $100 extra a month. But my concern there is that we do not want to make it so it is uncomfortable for them to go and get this benefit, because we have heard some stories and it need not be that way. But we want to make it comfortable because we have got a benefit there for them, they should get it accordingly, you know, to get it, accordingly. Madam Acting Speaker, in our Throne Speech we make mention of the disabled. I would implore our Government to hire more disabled people in government. And make it a mandate for the whole country that 66 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly we should be hiring disabled people. Not one, you know, we must come up with a system. Because those who can work and want to work, let them work. We can fit them in some jobs. We have got to do that. They are not . . . they are here with us. They breathe like me and everything else, eat. And I think they want to work. And this will give them . . . it will enrich their lives. And I think that is something we have to do. Now, the Ministry of Labour, Workforce and Development, they have got the apprenticeship scheme. So we can talk about education, about what we used to have, and that was true. But we still got it now because the Ministry, I know a couple of years ago they were paying people to learn how to be waiters. And the programme they got just the other day, they had to extend it because the interest was not there. So, yes, we had technical. Yes, we had Cunningham’s and Churchill’s and all those places. The programmes are still available and we need to take advantage of them. And let me talk about one other thing about health, sugar. In fact, it was probably about 20 years ago I was speaking to a top cardiologist out of Johns Hopkins. And I asked him, I said, What is the worst food one can consume that is not good for your body? He said, Sugar. So, obviously the Government must have known this because that is the most . . . that is why they . . . soda has got so much sugar in it. And people say, Well, I am going to go to juice. Thinking it is more healthier. Juice has got more sugar than soda does. I haven’t drunk sodas since was 18 years old, not very many years ago. But I haven’t drunk that stuff. It is not good for me; it is not good for you. It is a lot of sugar. And some people drink four or five sodas a day. That is a lot of sugar. And maybe we have got to do an incentive for following good habits, good health habits. Because some of the problems that people who consume more sugar and the trans fats, when you go and get those French fries and you do not know how long that grease has been there that they give you, that is a lot of trans fats. Not good for you. It will clog those arteries up in a minute. You know? And a lot of you like fried pork chops. Not good for you, you know. So we got to be careful. We are what we eat.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberFrom your head to your feet. Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: From your head to your feet. [Laughter] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: And one last thing, dementia. In Bermuda right now there are about 3,000 known cases of dementia, mild, whatever, whatever, whatever. And I believe we have to …
From your head to your feet.
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: From your head to your feet. [Laughter]
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: And one last thing, dementia. In Bermuda right now there are about 3,000 known cases of dementia, mild, whatever, whatever, whatever. And I believe we have to address this be-cause if things continue the way they are, that will increase. All the statistics will tell you. The surveys have been done. And I believe it is incumbent on us as a Government to give those facilities, rest homes, nurs-ing homes or whatever you call it, more money in their grants for the care of dementia pa tients because under the legislation you got one nurse per patient. But when it comes to the dementia patient, you need more help, because I have seen people suffer. I saw one . . . in fact, one lady, one of my constituents and her husband was very active gardening, painting, did everything. He was about almost 90 then he just came down with dementia. And she tried to keep him home and look after him. And then one day I went to her house, and she said, Brother Burgess, I am tired. She had been up all night because he gets up al l night , right. Anyway, they put him in a home. But by that time it had taken a toll on her and she didn’t last. He died and she didn’t last much longer after that. It is a tough job. I know we would all like to keep our loved ones home and if you could, I encour age you to do it. But it takes more than one person to care for people with dementia. My prayers, as always, would be a cure for dementia. Because when your loved ones do not know you, that is not a good feeling. And dementia can come in many forms. Some are very aggressive. And so we have to think of the nurses and the certified nursing assistants, all those folks, they have to care for these people. They are not paid enough. That needs to be ad-dressed to pay our nurses what they are worth because that is a serious situation that a lot of countries are dealing with, to see you alive and wel l, sound and then weeks later or months later [they] do not know who you are. And it seems to be increasing, and it is not only affecting people, older people, it is affecting some young people. And when I say young, probably in their 50s and 60s. That is young today. So, I would ask the Cabinet to discuss that, consider it, and do what is necessary to take care of those who have dementia. And most of all, help those who are caring for those folks. Thank you, Madam Acting Speaker.
The Acting SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Member. I recognise the Minister for Education. Member, you have the floor. Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Madam Acting Speaker. You do not have to start the clock. [Laughter] Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Madam Acting Speaker, we have had some good conversation today. I want …
Thank you, Member. I recognise the Minister for Education. Member, you have the floor.
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Thank you, Madam Acting Speaker. You do not have to start the clock. [Laughter]
Hon. Diallo V. S. Rabain: Madam Acting Speaker, we have had some good conversation today. I want to thank my colleagues, especially our opening bat for setting the stage and giving us a good wicket to come and bat on. Madam Acting Speaker, taking from what the speaker who just sat down went from, a caring government is judged by how they treat their seniors and how they treat their children. The most vulnerable persons Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 67
Bermuda House of Assembly in their society. And I do not think I have to go too deep into the seniors’ part because a lot of persons have spoken about that. We had the Honourable Minister of Health talk about the things that are happening with health care reform, with FutureCare and how those benefits are going to be increased. It is a matter of public knowledge that this Government has provided pension, cost of living increases every year since being voted in. The new one that was just announced about the personal health care allow ance for seniors who are on financial assistance. And there are many more. So we can talk a lot about that. But as the Minister of Education, I really just want to focus on education and some of the things that we are doing to ensure that our children get the benefit of the things that we need. Madam Acting Speaker, we were voted in, this Government was voted in in 2017 with a mandate to look at our education system and provide an alternative to what . . . all we are saying. And we may . . . some of us were saying it because that is what we heard. Some of us were saying it because we were actually in it. That it just was not working. You would recall because we used to do a lot of that when we were in Opposition, at town hall meetings talking about education and getting the feedback of the people. And what it is that they saw and what it is that they felt. So there was always the anecdotal in-formation that we had plus the actual driven data that said these are the things that do need to happen. One of the things that I can say with certainty is being in this position for now seven- plus years, has afforded me a lot of eye- opening things that I have seen. And it is . . . listening to my counterpart opposite, and he spoke about the removal of politics from education. And you get this. It is a buzz word you get coming from the One Bermuda Alliance when they are talking about Education Authority. First of all, as someone once told me, when both parties agree on something, something might not be right . And when they agree wholeheartedly on an Education Authority . . . Madam Acting Speaker, the idea of changing the governance of education is something that was baked into our plan as we thought forward, because you go look at our platforms and it always talked about increasing accountability. And so, when we took a look at Plan 2022, that is where it talked about actually putting in a different structure. It was not called an Authority, but that is just a name that we put there. One of the differences we do have between what we are saying and what we continuously hear from that side is independent. That term there. And it is interesting because the rationale that the One Bermuda Alliance [gives] for using the term “ independent ” is because they want to remove politics from education. That is what they say. The irony is they keep using the “independent” because it is a political term. It is to get the people excited by thinking there is something different. An Education Authority w ill be a quango that works at arm’s length from Government. An Education Authority will never be able to be completely independent because it will never generate the $140 million it needs to run education on its own. That is the only definition of independent. So, if they have an idea that somehow, someway this Education Authority will figure out to find money where it doesn’t have to report to Government on how that money is being spent and being accountable for how that money is being spent, it cannot be called independent . It is simple logic. That doesn’t mean it can’t work the way we intend, to work at arm’s length from the Government. Members opposite have been the Government, as briefly as they were, they understand how quangos work. They understand how authorities work. All we have to do is look at how the Bermuda College works. The Bermuda College is essentially an independent authority. It runs its own affairs. It gets its money from Government. There are requirements for it to report how it is using those funds, but there is very little G overnment interference into how the Bermuda College operates. It is simple. So when they continuously pull that thing . . . because I saw they had one of their candidates. I believe he sits in the other place. He had an op- ed out. He said, Great! I can’t . . . The Government wants to go toward an authority . But they miss out that one word, independent. It is just political red meat for their supporters. That is all it is. It doesn’t change the fact of what the entity that we are trying to create will create more autonomy at the school level. It will create more accountability at the authority level. And it will do the one thing that our education system lacks now, [which] is the ability to break free of the shackles of Government policies that are well -intentioned and work for government departments, et cetera, but just don’t really work for education. And the Shadow Minister did talk about . . . and he said . . . and I wrote it here. Students are not on political cycles. I want to enhance that. Our school system does not operate efficiently on the Government’s cycle. We all understand that. Removing it out of the Government cycle will allow it to operate in a more efficient manner. You know, the way school operates, if we do not get stuff done . . . and this is some of the criticism that we do get. If we do not get stuff done within a certain timeframe, we have literally lost a whole year, because summertime comes, everyone has gone home for the summer, and we are unable to get things done. And so really, we are working with about 10 months out of the year. And if we do not hit milestones in those 10 months we have to wait until the next year. And then there are things you cannot implement in the middle of the year like you could with any other government department. In the middle of the year you can implement a change. In schools we cannot do that; we simply cannot. So, this is why it works the way it does. And sometimes it just does not go with the way people would like for it to go because we are saying we have 68 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly to get these things done so we can move forward with education reform. So, the Member Opposite gave a very noble speech but it was a political speech, which was ironic because he kept saying about political interference. And I say political speech because he kept speaking about, W hat ifs? He kept speaking about, Well, I think. He kept speaking about, I hope this is happening. These are all things that are driven that can be datadriven that are at the fingertips of every single person in this country. We have annual statistics that come out. And I know my colleague opposite could correct me, the Bermuda Digest of Statistics comes out every year. Ten pages on education, how many students are in school, how many students are in private schools, how many students are in public schools, how many students are female, how many are male, what age groups they are. All of that information is public knowledge if you want to go and get it. I will say that there could be more and there will be more because that data comes from the data that is collected by the Department of Education. That has much more detail than what the Digest puts out. And I have made a commitment, and I believe I announced it publicly on several occasions, that we will start publishing that dat a because people need to see it. The Member opposite did speak about the Education Reform Unit. And he talked about measurables, and he talked about we are spending millions on that advice. And are classrooms full? Again, Madam Acting Speaker, since we have started this transition I have reached across the aisle to say Come talk to us. Whatever you want to know, come talk to us. Unfortunately, we continue to get, I won’t talk to you guys on what is happening, I will talk to every-body else. Again, politicalness. There is a WhatsApp group that I started with the Opposition. I send them education stuff all the time, when we do remember. Sometimes they respond, most times they don’t. So I don’t even know if they read it or whatever. But the Member opposite, I keep telling him, contact us. Come and sit down and talk with us. Because if he did, he would know that one of the working groups for educa-tion reform is called Data and Metrics. Specifically put in place because we do not have those data and metrics readily available for people to see. The idea is to have annual reports that say this is what is happening in education. This is what your students are learning. These are the numbers. All of that information is en train and we want to put it out there. It is something that has not been done in the past. And if you heard my Statement this morning, I said where sometimes we are battling things that have just been engrained operations that persons just do not really want to change. Now one of the things is nobody wants to show the bad information. There is lots of good and I want to thank the Member from [constituency] 7 who kept talking about there is a lot of good stuff that goes on in ed-ucation, but there is stuff that is not that good. We must share that information with everyone so they can see where we are and where we plan to g o. And we plan to do that. Again, if the Member opposite came and embraced our olive branches, he would come and sit down so he could find out everything that we are doing. He would know that. And he would not be able to get up and speak to it as if it does not exist. I will continuously admit that we will not get this right 100 per cent of the time. But I will not admit that we are not trying 110 per cent to get this right. We are going to falter. We are going to make mistakes, but we are going to own up to those mistakes and we are going to try and correct those mistakes. We are not going to make everyone happy. We absolute know that. I know, Madam Acting Speaker, you and I have had disagreements on education reform and such. And any one of my colleagues who sits in here can absolutely know that I am willing to argue for what I believe is right in education reform, even in the face of knowing that it is going to be something that is a political minefield. And it is very tricky to actually talk about. I am willing to go and meet with PTAs and parents and listen to, in some cases, not very nice language, and in some cases, you know, be very well welcomed. But that is the nature of this game. And when we talk about where we were and where we are going we have to recognise that what we had was unsustainable. Our system was not working for the people we wanted it to work for, and that is the most vulnerable of our society. And a change had to be made. People are not going to like change but it had to be done. So, when we set about this change the one thing that we mandated to ourselves was, let’s go and find out what happened during the last time. That was part of it. What happened during the last time? The bulk of our parents now, our parents who had gone through the origin of the middle school system . . . they can tell us exactly what trauma they went through, and why we shouldn’t do it this way; why we should do different things differently. And we try our very, very best to accommodate everybody in moving t his forward. As I said, we are not going to make everyone happy, but we are going to try. And so, when we make these moves forward, we look at historical data. The one thing that surprised me [was], and the Member and the Shadow Minister of Education mentioned it, he kept talking about, you know, we should have done an audit back then. We shoul d have done an audit back then. We did an audit for where we are now. There are tons of reports that stretch back, and I could show you the report that actually decided on the middle school concept. That report had about five options. And if you don’t believe . . . if you would . . . you would never believe that one of the options is very similar to what we are doing now. But somebody decided Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 69
Bermuda House of Assembly at that point that, you know, going to the middle school system was the correct thing to do. I am not knocking that decision at all because, when I look at it, it was a decision based on the data they had in front of them. And they felt it was a good decis ion. I would not say that it was . . . I wouldn’t say that it was implemented in a sustainable way. I think that’s what the big issue was with that. So, it makes me wonder that . . . and I am trying to stay away from the politicalness of this, but the facts are that the previous Government had four Minis-ters in four and a half years. Sure. That was just not enough time for anyone to actually read any of this documentation to make sound decisions on the things that needed to happen within education. So, what is needed with this critical Ministry is some stability. And someone who is able to sit there and say . . . and take the lumps and bumps while we ar e trying to move this change forward. I want to embrace the One Bermuda Alliance’s efforts with education and bring them along with us, be-cause, as everybody seems to agree, a public education system is much too important to leave up to the political whims of the electorate. [The] public education system is the only system in any country that is com-prehensive. It must find ways to educate every single child who shows up on the doorstep. Private schools do not have that burden. They have the luxury of say-ing, You don’t fit my model. You are going to have to find somewhere else to go. That is not me knocking private schools, because that is a business. It is a busi-ness model. The business model says if we do not have everybody doing this, people are not going to want to use my business. So, they have that ability. Public school has to c ater to everybody so we must all pull. One of the biggest issues that I wish the Member opposite was here to hear me say is one of our problems is not just the auditing of the system, it is the fact that our system worked for the time it was implemented. Education and the world around us changes constantly. And the way education is given must adapt to fit the world around us. Madam Acting Speaker, you were once an educator in the system. And I will tell you, when I talk about our education system must change to suit the world around us and how it just does not, because we got to a point where it was great! It was absolutely great in the 1980s. We changed in the mid- 1990s. In the 1980s it was working perfect. But can anyone stand up, hand on heart, and say if we took everything we did then and just dropped it in today, we would have a better system? I would posit and say no. And I will give you one example. Here recently there has been this thing about cell phones in schools. It has been a topic that came up. And these are things published in the UK and are published in the States. So we got a media query, obviously, to say, Well, what is your policy on cell phones? The Department of Education put out a . . . wanted to put out a notice that said our policy is within our [Code] of Conduct for schools. So, I went and grabbed the [Code] of Conduct. The [Code] of Conduct said if you are caught with a pager, Walkman, Discm an, walkie -talkie or cellular device . . . that is what I am talking about when I say things must change and we must be willing to change with it. Because almost every single school in Bermuda, from middle school to senior school, has a personal cell phone policy. So, the fact that we were going to put out a statement or attempt to put out a statement that says if you were caught with a Walkman or pager or Discman or walkie -talkie it would be confiscated, knowing that that does not happen now . . . that is what we are dealing with. That is the type of stuff we are dealing with now. How do you modernise a system that people got comfortable with and said it is working now so we are not changing anything? And the world passed us by — simply passed us by. And now we are pl aying catch- up. That’s where we find ourselves. Here recently . . . it just befuddles me. The fact that we know we need a teacher in a classroom. The Minister signs an exemption form (and you know what an exemption form would be) to exempt the teacher so they could be in the classroom and six weeks later we are still wait ing for the government to sign a contract. Ministers cannot fix that because that is Government policy, and how that works. And that is where I talk about the policies that we have in place for what works within government does not work with our students, because they cannot wait for six weeks for somebody to show up on the job. They need someone tomorrow. They cannot wait six months to recruit somebody because I am getting to it when I get to it. That’s where we are falling down. And that is the stuff that we are fighting hard to fix. But in the mean-while we also have to continue the education system while we fix those types of things. It is absolutely devastating to me when I get a report like . . . here yesterday I had a constituent of mine post on Facebook, There is no teacher in my child’s classroom and the Minister doesn’t care. That is absolutely false but what else can I say to this person? That I am fighting in the background to say, Please hire this teacher. And they are like, Well, we are waiting for this to happen. This person has to sign it and then it has to go over here for this person to sign and then it has to go over here for this person to look at it. The signature is wrong, so it has to go back . . . And this is what we are doing to our children. We will fix this! We have to fix it. But it doesn’t get fixed by having political banter and tinkering around the edges as some people think that we are doing. This is a major operation that we are doing to our education system. We are moving from a three- tier to a two- tier system. We are closing schools so we can utilise our resources within our schools better than how they have been utilised before. We are shif ting students 70 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly around and we are providing all of those resources and supports that we need. When we were in school, you know, there was no such thing as restorative practices. There was no such thing as ASD classes within the school. There was no such thing as functional skills. There was no such thing as functional academics. You know, these are all the things. There was no such thing as behavioural issues or behavioural therapists in school, behavioural therapist assistants. We did not even have [ paraprofessionals] in schools back then. But these are the things we have to provide now because we are a comprehensive system, and we have to provide these things for our children to thrive. And we cannot continue down the pathway that we have been going down if we want our children to thrive. It requires us, as I mentioned this morning, to have a system that is built by Bermudians, that is culturally relevant for Bermuda. But we also need to recognise . . . and this is one barrier that we cannot seem to get over. We need people with global experience to also give some input as well. And that is what we are doing. So, the Member opposite mentioned about spending millions on the ad-vice of our consultants. They are measured by their contract. Their contract states these are the things, these are the milestones you must hit or you do not get paid. It is simple. Those are the milestones that exist. This Government is a caring Government, Madam Acting Speaker. We will continue to move for-ward with education reform. We will continue to experi-ence these difficult points that we experience, but we will not give up because our children deserve us to keep our shoulders to the wheel and continue to move forward to provide them with the opportunities that they so rightly deserve. And that is an education system that will prepare them for wherever they wish to go, whether it is in Bermuda or overseas. Whether it is going directly into the working world after high school or going on to tertiary education. We will continue to move forward. We will continue to provide the funding for them to do that. We will continue to provide the resources for them to do that. W e will continue to work on modifying our system to ensure that they are able to say they have graduated from a world- class system. So, Madam Acting Speaker, I just want to thank you for allowing me those few minutes to speak. And I look forward to the upcoming year where we are able to move forward with the Education Authority. We have heard from Members opposite that they will suppor t, and I do certainly hope they will support. We have heard from Members opposite that they want to see education succeed. And I truly believe in my heart of hearts that they do. I do truly believe that everybody in these Chambers recognises that education is too important to not work for our children. But I would love for the invitation to come and sit down and talk with us and have a presentation. We have offered to have a presentation to the One Bermuda Alliance by our ERU [Education Reform Unit] like we have done with multiple people around because we want to hear their thoughts on what we are doing. Because that is going to help us be better at what it is that we do. With that, Madam Acting Speaker, I just want to thank you for these few moments, and I look forward to this legislative year. Thank you, Madam Acting Speaker.
The Acting SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Member. Are there any other Members? I recognise Member Jackson. Member Jackson, you have the floor.
Ms. Susan E. JacksonThank you, very much, Madam Acting Speaker. I would like to begin by recognising and thanking the Minister of Health in particular because she has such a large portfolio and so much responsibility and she is handling it well. And her presentation this evening certainly gave all of us a …
Thank you, very much, Madam Acting Speaker. I would like to begin by recognising and thanking the Minister of Health in particular because she has such a large portfolio and so much responsibility and she is handling it well. And her presentation this evening certainly gave all of us a good overvie w of where we are and how we can make things better. And as I read through the Throne Speech and identified things within Health and to be honest with you, I will also focus in on Transport, of which I shadow. You know, there were some things in here that really give support for our health, generally. I believe that it is going to be a good thing to recognise trans fats, and I would like to speak to that a little more later. And I also believe that it is a good thing that we are going to consider giving a little extra cash in the form of $100 for those on financial assistance who are seniors to have a little extra money for personal items. But there are some concerning factors in here too regarding Health. One of them is right on the first page. And that is that the Government has for three years frozen the Government portion of the Standard Health Benefit [SHB], but it has always been very transparent that the Government is able to afford to do that because we had extra money that we had borrowed and it was in the Sinking Fund and it was made available in order to keep the costs of our Standard Health Benefit premium at a . . . well, freeze it. To keep it where it was. But I do not know how long we can do that. And my concern is that when we do not have any more borrowed money that we can use to supplement the Standard Health Benefit, what are we going to do then? Are we going to be in a position where people are going t o have to then pay exponentially more or are we going to have to borrow more in order to keep individuals from having to reach into their pockets to pay the increase? Or maybe we will have Universal Health Care at some point, in which case this might be a moot point. But it is concerning and there are a number of things in the Throne Speech that I feel have this sort of “but.” You know, things are . . . we are going to work on this. We are going to deal with affordable housing. We are Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 71
Bermuda House of Assembly going to deal with wages. We are going to deal with the cost of living, but, but —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberBut what? Another Hon. Member: But what? But what?
Ms. Susan E. JacksonI am not the one who has to make that decision; and I am not the one who is deep in it and having to climb my way out either. One of the mentions in the Throne Speech is the minimum wage. And I don’t really want to get too …
I am not the one who has to make that decision; and I am not the one who is deep in it and having to climb my way out either. One of the mentions in the Throne Speech is the minimum wage. And I don’t really want to get too much into this other than the fact that as a woman raising children, people are working at minimum wage, they are working hard at it, but when we do the calculations, whether we like it or not, many families are re-ally looking at affordable housing that is around $800 a month. Really. And they have got a couple of kids as well. So really, we are looking at a two bedroom. And yet we are hearing from the Government that a studio, that is government -owned, that that person paid payroll tax toward, is $3,000 for a studio.
[Inaudible interjection]
Ms. Susan E. JacksonAnd it is worrying. And I don’t know how we are going to be able to balance this out. And although we have been using (and the Throne Speech is full of the term) affordable housing, what does that mean? And I believe that it is important for us to …
And it is worrying. And I don’t know how we are going to be able to balance this out. And although we have been using (and the Throne Speech is full of the term) affordable housing, what does that mean? And I believe that it is important for us to figure out what that is because what may be affordable on paper or maybe what is affordable to someone who is single or whatever, is a different definition. And when we are coming out in public and throwing out prices for housing, in particular, that does not always relate to everybody in our community. And so, it makes things feel unfair. Which is the theme of this Throne Speech. We are trying to find a fairer Bermuda. But I don’t know that we are all on the same playing field either. And it would be sensitive for us to recognise that as we move forward through this parliamen-tary session. One of the positives that I had mentioned was the Financial Assistance Regulations 2004 that is going to be amended to allow for $100 for personal items. And for the folks that I do canvass that are receiving assistance from the Government that $100 is a nice little touch. You know, they can get a little extra. But I also spend an awful lot of time in the rest and nursing homes and many of them, every dime, their financial assis-tance, their social security, [and] in some cases the last little bit of cash t hat their families have to spare is all used up in the rest homes. And our rest homes are struggling to meet their financial obligations. I don’t know how we are going to solve that problem, but living in a rest home right now is very, very expensive. And so, all right, we are talking thousands of dollars to reside at a rest home. But I am just going to peg this $100 for a minute. Especially for our senior seniors. Madam Acting Speaker, $100 to . . . I don’t know . . . a child, a member of the family who is not working who might see this money and decide that they want to take advantage of the situation could manoeuvre their way so that that $100 just does not ever really get to granny or papa, and there is nothing in t his Throne Speech that speaks to how we are going to protect our seniors. We have had years of Throne Speeches where there has been discussion about the Office of the Pub-lic Guardian. That would be, in my vision, a pro bono office . . . excuse me, an office with pro bono lawyers, who would be able to give guidance on powers of attorney and who gets to make decisions about the financial and the health and other matters related to the seniors and their family. And I don’t see that as a maj or cost factor for the Government, but a huge advantage for many of our vulnerable citizens. A nd it is not anywhere in here anymore. I would like to know why, because we certainly need that. And I also noticed in between the lines that there is not anything in here that really speaks in particular to our seniors being taken advantage of finan-cially through fraud and scams and outright stealing and what we can do from a legislative perspective to draft and pass a law that puts protections in place so that our seniors do not have to face the loss. And of course we have all read the newspaper and have seen and heard of the thousands of dollars, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars. People j ust didn’t even realise it was happening, and they are losing their money or their money is being stolen by criminals, especially online. And especially in situations in Bermuda where we have people who see either real estate that a senior may have or mayb e some savings and choose to take advantage and outright steal from our seniors. So I would have liked to have seen more on the Office of the Public Guardian and the possibility of some protection in the form of legislation around fraud. Madam Acting Speaker, there is now talk about trans fats. But before I speak to the trans fats, I would like to just have a word about the sugar tax. I believe that many, many people in Bermuda realise that that tax was put in place and they remember the promise that there was going to be some form of funding that would be used to assist in the development of programmes to help alleviate some of the strain from the health issues that occur because of the use and the consumption of lots of sugar. 72 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly I was in the grocery store the other day and there was a young girl, she was just barely an adult, maybe 18, and she was looking at the candy aisle and it was just a small candy, like maybe Mentos or something, and she said, I can’t believe this —$1.75! She was like, I remember when we were kids and we would come in with fifty cents and we could . . . for a dollar you could buy two. For her, it wasn’t so much that she was going to consume it, but just looking at the increase in the price. And if the person, the adult who was with her and been able to say, Oh, yes, but you know what? That extra seventy -five cents or that extra dollar is actually going into a fund and it is helping. And the Health Ministry has programmes that are identified as being paid for out of the funds and the taxes that are collected because of these products with lots of sugar. But there wasn’t that. And so there was a bit of hunching of shoulders and then the discussion of how expensive everything is in Bermuda. The sugar tax [from] the research that I had done was originally meant for countries that had manufacturing products, and I believe Ribena was one of the first, and the tax was actually placed on the manufacturer so that the manufacturer would be forced, or encouraged, to lower the content of sugar in, as an example, Ribena. And somehow governments snowballed this tax and all of a sudden it ended up coming out of the pockets of individual residents of various countries. And they (they, being the individual citizens) never saw a benefit. It is as if that sugar tax which had nothing to do, really, with them buying the candy off of the shelf. It had to do with how much sugar was actually in that candy. [They] ended up paying. So, now we are talking trans fats. And again, the countries that were originally targeted for trans fats were manufacturing countries. And they are trying to get those countries to say that any of the manufacturers in their country will no longer use trans fats in the manufacturing of their processed foods. And then all of a sudden it is as if governments just went, Woo- hoo! We’ve got some more money here. And they have now trickled back down to somehow it is going to cost the consumer, the individual citiz en in a particular country. Now, there are two sides to this. So we want to get the manufacturers to stop using trans fats in the production of food. And we also want to make sure (which is where I think Bermuda falls) that the manufacturing companies that are still using trans fats are not offloading that junk to countries that may be vulnerable or naïve to trans fats and they will sell it to what-ever country opens their doors and says, It’s okay. We don’t care about trans fats. And of course, the manufacturer does not care, and the country that is receiving the trans fats is getting sicker and sicker. [Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair]
Ms. Susan E. JacksonSo, I absolutely agree with the Government in the Throne Speech that we need to put a stop at the borders on trans fats. But there is a con-sequence to that, Mr. Speaker. And the consequence to that is that every single one of the people who is either producing …
So, I absolutely agree with the Government in the Throne Speech that we need to put a stop at the borders on trans fats. But there is a con-sequence to that, Mr. Speaker. And the consequence to that is that every single one of the people who is either producing food, whether it is a restaurant or an ice cream factory or whoever, fudge maki ng, or whoever is now going to be faced with the fact that they cannot get trans fats, is going to have to look for other products. And that is going to cost the consumer. Now, I went online and everything that tastes good in the world has trans fats in it. Let’s be honest. Burgers, French fries, chocolate cake, chocolate icing, chips —you name it! The good stuff! So now when we go in, instead of $23 for a hamburger, we are g oing to be paying $35 for a hamburger. Unbelievable!
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberMaybe they won’t eat it.
Ms. Susan E. JacksonAnd this is because there will no longer be trans fats in it. So, everybody can still eat burgers because they are not going to have trans fats in them anymore. But that burger is going to cost you five dollars more because they have to now find a substitute …
And this is because there will no longer be trans fats in it. So, everybody can still eat burgers because they are not going to have trans fats in them anymore. But that burger is going to cost you five dollars more because they have to now find a substitute in its place. And guess what? That substitute, just for the inconvenience of it, is going to be more expensive. And I would like the Government to at least consider looking into the consequence and what we can do to remove or get rid of the consequences when we decide we are going to close our borders to trans fat s. Mr. Speaker, there is one other piece that is worrying to me. And I really debated whether to bring this up or not, but within the Throne Speech there was reference to the fact that our young children, we are seeing increases in drug misuse amongst our children and the need to revitalise some of our programmes in order to address this. I don’t have any big issue with medicinal cannabis or anything like that. But we have run into another consequence, and that is that it is very easy for our young children to now consume edibles . . . you know, things that have cannabis -related products within them. And I understand that there are some products that are sold off the shelf in Bermuda that are quite potent. And if a child just sees a gummy, they are going to eat . . . who eats one gummy? Right? You are going to eat more than one gummy.
[Laughter ]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberIt depends on what is in it.
Ms. Susan E. JacksonWell, kids do not even know what is in it. What do they know when they see CB . . . what is it? Is it CBD? They just see a colourful package and pink and green gummies. We have a problem there and I believe that it is Government’s …
Well, kids do not even know what is in it. What do they know when they see CB . . . what is it? Is it CBD? They just see a colourful package and pink and green gummies. We have a problem there and I believe that it is Government’s responsibility to put some guidelines in place so that our children are just kept at a distance Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 73
Bermuda House of Assembly from the hazards and the risks of them getting their hands on that. Now, I know, as with alcohol, much of this starts in the home. And so we have to consider that as well. And it may be somewhat complicated. But we have opened our doors. We have opened our borders. We have allowed the products in. They are openly available and now we need to put some kind of guardrails in place to protect our children. I would prefer for us to be unpopular and put some guardrails in place to keep our kids away than to have to face the consequences of our children getting sick and dealing with long- term mental ailment because of it. From a Health perspective, the Throne Speech talks about removing the need to have a medical examination every 10 years. And I kind of get it because peo-ple can go into a doctor's office and pretty much pay the $40 bucks or whatever it is and the doctor f ills out the form and, yes, they know us because we go there for our annual physical and so they don’t really ask any questions. But there are things that happen, and my Honourable Member behind me just chirped about age and eyesight is a big deal. Right? So 10 years ago I was not wearing glasses to drive.
[Inaudible interjections]
Ms. Susan E. JacksonI now have to wear glasses to drive. [Inaudible interjections]
Ms. Susan E. JacksonI know it is not a big deal, but even if it is not a full medical certificate that is needed every 10 years at the renewal of a licence, I do believe that we should look at some of the things that are very important in order to drive …
I know it is not a big deal, but even if it is not a full medical certificate that is needed every 10 years at the renewal of a licence, I do believe that we should look at some of the things that are very important in order to drive safely on our roads. So whether that is that we need, you know, to just show evidence of an eye exam or if fainting or seizures have integrated into our health pathways, then those things need to be identified because it really has an impact on the safety of our roads. So, again, we can have it but I do believe that it is important for us to have some guardrails rather than just having this blanket, you don’t have to do it anymore. I know it sounds fun and people Rah -Rah, Yay - Yay. I love it! You guys are great! But on the other side of it we need to always consider the consequences of what could happen on our roads. And we as a Govern-ment will not have any defence to say, Well, that person was clearly at fault. They couldn’t see! Well, we did away with the medical examination so who is really responsible? Now I think that reducing the inspection of vehicles for the first five years for a new vehicle is an effi-cient choice to make. There is always this “but.” You know, we are living in an environmentally sustainable community. That is the new emphasis on where we should be for an environmentally cleanly perspective and we do not even check emissions at all. I don’t know if we ever did after the first couple of weeks that the emissions building opened and it has since well been converted into just a regular examination. But I am a little concerned, especially as we sort of move away from combustion engines, that we have something . . . even if it is just that we test for emissions and we do not have to worry about all of the other items like, whatever. I do not want to say scratches because I still think that it is quite nice to see cars in Bermuda that are not dented up and are in good condition.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberShould we fail them for scratches?
Ms. Susan E. JacksonEmissions. But not for scratches. But I have had my car fail for . . . I’m not supposed to be speaking to you. [Laughter and i naudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSpeak to the Chair. Don’t get caught up in the side chair. [Laughter and inaudible interjections ]
Ms. Susan E. JacksonNow, in Transport, in the Throne Speech, and I note that the Minister has re-turned to his seat. There is a delicate topic here about the payroll tax reduction. And it looks like this wonderful win but I, as the voice of those who are receiving this wonder ful deduction, …
Now, in Transport, in the Throne Speech, and I note that the Minister has re-turned to his seat. There is a delicate topic here about the payroll tax reduction. And it looks like this wonderful win but I, as the voice of those who are receiving this wonder ful deduction, and it is much appreciated, are a little put off. And one of the reasons why is that it was back in February of 2024 that the Minister first an-nounced this payroll deduction from $1,000 to $600.
[Crosstalk]
Ms. Susan E. JacksonIt was in February of 2024. It is now November of 2024. February of 2024 was the beginning of the budget season so there was an opportunity to lay the legislation there and then and have this payroll tax reduction available in September. And Mr. Speaker, there was a number …
It was in February of 2024. It is now November of 2024. February of 2024 was the beginning of the budget season so there was an opportunity to lay the legislation there and then and have this payroll tax reduction available in September. And Mr. Speaker, there was a number . . . there was quite a bit of confusion around who and what pay the payroll tax would be in September when it was time for the annual taxi relicensing. And I believe, unfortunately, many people, many taxi owners, had to pay 74 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly the $1,000. And it is just the idea that something was promised and it was not fulfilled. The promise was broken. And now here we are in November, after the annual licencing when the legislation has now been brought to the House of Assembly. And it will absolutely pass without any problem.
[Crosstalk]
Ms. Susan E. JacksonBut it just feels like the Government will give as a favour without actually addressing the elephant in the room which is the Motor Car Act and the Regulations. It is wonderful to get cash. But why are we kicking the can down the road when it comes to the …
But it just feels like the Government will give as a favour without actually addressing the elephant in the room which is the Motor Car Act and the Regulations. It is wonderful to get cash. But why are we kicking the can down the road when it comes to the Regulation and the review of the Regulation to bring it up to date? It is 1951 legislation. And no one has picked up the ball to say, Let’s sit around the table and sort this out. And there are groups of people who have done massive research, have debated it, have figured it out, have tried and tested and yet we are still not seeing it. And Mr. Speaker, I do not want to . . . I have written down on here, stay calm— [Laughter]
Ms. Susan E. JacksonAnd I want to leave you with something that really rattled me when it comes to fairness. In June of this year the Transport Minister brought a piece of legislation to this House in order to increase the size of electric cars in Bermuda. We all said yes. We came …
And I want to leave you with something that really rattled me when it comes to fairness. In June of this year the Transport Minister brought a piece of legislation to this House in order to increase the size of electric cars in Bermuda. We all said yes. We came back from our summer recess, Mr. Speaker, and the first day that we were back in the House there were at least a dozen brand- new electric cars in all of the Cabinet Minister’s parking spots with personal charging stations along the way. [Inaudible interjection]
Ms. Susan E. JacksonIs this fair? I do not have to answer that. It looked like Auto Solutions car dealership had moved to the House of Parliament. [Laughter]
Ms. Susan E. JacksonNow Mr. Speaker, we all know Ministers do not have to pay for tyres. They do not have to pay for suspension. They do not have to pay to realign their steering. And the rest of us have to drive around in that old car one more year because the …
Now Mr. Speaker, we all know Ministers do not have to pay for tyres. They do not have to pay for suspension. They do not have to pay to realign their steering. And the rest of us have to drive around in that old car one more year because the cost of livin g is so high. And because we have to drive on those roads with the potholes, the uneven payment, we have to pay out of our pockets to replace our tyres, to have our steering realigned, to have our shocks replaced. And I am going to leave you with the Throne Speech— A fairer Bermuda for all. Take a look on any Tuesday at the Cabinet Office and any Friday at the House of Assembly and you tell me, Are we really living in a fairer Bermuda for all? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP Jackson. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDoes any MP . . . MP De Silva, are you stretching, or are you looking to have your 30 minutes? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I am doing a little bit of both,
Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerWell, I will start the clock. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you. Thank you very much. Now Mr. Speaker, let me see . . . one, two, three, four, I think. A high percentage of the Opposition have spoken today. And I haven’t heard one of them— not …
Well, I will start the clock.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Thank you. Thank you very much. Now Mr. Speaker, let me see . . . one, two, three, four, I think. A high percentage of the Opposition have spoken today. And I haven’t heard one of them— not one— talk about their Reply. What? Why is that?
[Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Wow! So, they produced a Reply to the Throne Speech and not one of their repre-sentatives have talked about their Reply.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNot one. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I find that just amazing. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 75 Bermuda House of Assembly [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: It is just amazing. [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Right? It is amazing. Not …
Not one. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I find that just amazing.
Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 75
Bermuda House of Assembly [Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: It is just amazing. [Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Right? It is amazing. Not a dickey -bird. Not a dickey -bird.
[Laughter and inaudible interjection]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: So, just because —
[Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Okay. All right now, Honourable Member Smith. I like that one. That is a good one. I have heard sing for your supper before, but I haven’t heard work for your Ministry yet.
[Laughter]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Man, come on! I hope the Premier is listening. Maybe I will get that job back.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberCute, cute. Come on. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Okay. That’s a good one. But Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Member Pearman, when he was speaking he used a phrase where is the meat on the bones? Well, Mr. Speaker, if you read our Throne Speech and you happened to …
Cute, cute. Come on. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Okay. That’s a good one. But Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Member Pearman, when he was speaking he used a phrase where is the meat on the bones? Well, Mr. Speaker, if you read our Throne Speech and you happened to miss the complete butcher’s drawer of meat —
[Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: —all one had to do was listen to the Honourable Member Jason Hayward’s speech and you would have got all the meat that McDonald’s could store in their freezers worldwide. It is all right there. And guess what? It might even have no trans fat in it too. [Laughter]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: But I want to talk to the Premier because Mr. Hayward, the Honourable Minister, opens that quite often. But I am going to talk to the Premier about he has to let somebody else take the opening bat because every time he opens he leaves absolutely zero for us to talk about that he hasn’t already mentioned.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThat means we get out earlier. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: That’s right.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThat’s good. That’s a good thing. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: That’s a great thing. [Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: So maybe after I finish, we will go home.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou let me know. I will hit the gavel. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: All right. Okay. That’s a deal. Now, Mr. Speaker, my best friend’s daughter, who is my goddaughter, [her] ex -boyfriend— [Laughter and inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: —came to see me. So …
You let me know. I will hit the gavel.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: All right. Okay. That’s a deal. Now, Mr. Speaker, my best friend’s daughter, who is my goddaughter, [her] ex -boyfriend—
[Laughter and inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: —came to see me. So if I am confusing some folks. Why don’t I just say, my goddaughter’s ex -boyfriend.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOkay. Got that. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Okay. But I didn’t want to single any of my goddaughters out. That is why I said, my best friend. But my best friend’s [daughter’s] ex -boyfriend came to see me the other day. And he asked me and her father …
Okay. Got that.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Okay. But I didn’t want to single any of my goddaughters out. That is why I said, my best friend. But my best friend’s [daughter’s] ex -boyfriend came to see me the other day. And he asked me and her father if he could have her hand in marriage.
[Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: So I said, Wow! Okay. Okay. All right. Let’s see where this goes.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerHe asked you too? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou must help. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: He then went on to say, her ex-boyfriend was short.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOh, oh! Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: He was not liked by many. He does not have a lot of money. He lives with his momma. He has no car. And if the daughter would have married him, no one would have gone to the wedding. So I said, …
Oh, oh!
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: He was not liked by many. He does not have a lot of money. He lives with his momma. He has no car. And if the daughter would have married him, no one would have gone to the wedding. So I said, hold it. Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. So I had to stop him right there. So I said, You are spending all this time dogging on the ex -boyfriend, highlighting his faults — [Inaudible interjections]
76 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Now hang on, Mr. Speaker. And hang on, colleagues. Just hang on and listen carefully.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberI see where you are going. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: You see where I am going? Okay. [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I then asked him, Did you promise to love her? To protect her? To provide for her and her children?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberProvide for her children. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes. [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Did you outline a plan for her and her children in great detail? So, Mr. Speaker, today is not a day for soundbites, for scepticism, for sarcasm. So let’s look at …
Provide for her children.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Did you outline a plan for her and her children in great detail? So, Mr. Speaker, today is not a day for soundbites, for scepticism, for sarcasm. So let’s look at the OBA’s Throne Speech Reply title. Securing Bermuda’s Future. Like the man trying to marry my goddaughter. This OBA Reply does not show what or how it will ben-efit the people of Bermuda.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Just like my [goddaughter’s] ex-boyfriend, it has no details of what they plan to do or what is better. They repeatedly use the slogan, and I will quote, Government promises made, Government promises broken. The OBA can fix it. It’s time for an election.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThanks for repeating it. [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: But they miss one word.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNow! Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: No, not “now.”
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNow! Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: You are close. It is “how.” [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They missed a word. And it is the “how.” So, let’s go back a quick second. This is what they say several times. It probably took up a couple …
Now!
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: You are close. It is “how.”
[Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They missed a word. And it is the “how.” So, let’s go back a quick second. This is what they say several times. It probably took up a couple of pages in their Reply. Government promises broken. OBA can fix it. It’s time for an election. But they forgot that one word. How? Obviously, they do not know how because none of them have talked about it yet.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: You have former Ministers in their small Opposition. You had former Premiers in that Opposition. A former Government. Where is the detail? Where is the plan? So you had how many pages?
[Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: [There are] 17 pages. And I have not seen anything that resembles, anything that looks like or feels like or sounds like, a plan.
[Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: But they know how to do bad airport deals.
[Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They know how to sneak in the House in the cloak of darkness —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOh, no. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: —to do that deal. They know how to fail on the Morgan’s Point project.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes. Another Hon. Member: They did that well. Another Hon. Member: They just needed more time on South P. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes. Now the Honourable Member talks about South P. Don’t go there. Because I haven’t seen that and that is . . . the biggest …
Yes.
Another Hon. Member: They did that well.
Another Hon. Member: They just needed more time on South P.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes. Now the Honourable Member talks about South P. Don’t go there. Because I haven’t seen that and that is . . . the biggest project in this country’s history and it is not even getting a little . . . not even half a sentence in their Throne Speech Reply. In fact, if I remember correctly . . . I will say almost all of them (because they have a few new members now) were against the Southampton Princess Fairmont deal. I remember them saying, L ook, this is a bad deal for Bermuda.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberCorrect. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: A bad deal for Bermuda! [Inaudible interjectio n] Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 77 Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Oh, yes. The Honourable Member Ben Smith says not for the hotel. Oh, he was talking about …
Correct. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: A bad deal for Bermuda!
[Inaudible interjectio n]
Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 77
Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Oh, yes. The Honourable Member Ben Smith says not for the hotel. Oh, he was talking about the concessions for the hotel, but it is not for the hotel.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: No, no, no, no, no. No, Honourable Member .
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Hold it, hold it. I can table . . . Mr. Speaker, I knew that was coming. I can table it. It is right here. I will table it. This is a bad deal for Bermuda. The concessions are a bad deal . Nothing about condos, Mr. Smith.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Nothing about condos. You were in this Honourable House when that took place. Now, Mr. Speaker, before I get thrown off. This party has been committed to social justice from incep-tion. This party . . . this party brought one man, one vote. This party brought rehabilitation for offenders. This party brought maternity leave increases and paternity leave for our men, for our fathers. This party pushed to get rid of the property vote.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: How far do we go back? The Honourable Member Scott Pearman talked earlier. He had a bit to say about the domestic violence court. Let me remind the Learned Member that sits opposite, the Honourable Learned Member that sits opposite, that it was …
Yes.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: How far do we go back? The Honourable Member Scott Pearman talked earlier. He had a bit to say about the domestic violence court. Let me remind the Learned Member that sits opposite, the Honourable Learned Member that sits opposite, that it was the PLP that introduced alternatives to incarceration. That legislation was in 2001. This party. Alternatives to incarceration. It was the PLP that gave us the drug court. It was the PLP that gave us the mental health court. It was the PLP that gave us the driving while impaired court. That, Mr. Speaker, has given so many Bermudian s the ability to get mental health, to get drug treatment, to get alcohol treatment and to help get jobs. That is what this Government has done. So I will tell the Honourable Member Pearman that this domestic violence court is a continuation of our work to help protect our vulnerable, hold offenders ac-countable and provide the treatment that that offender may need while holding them accountable. That is the difference between the PLP and the OBA. Now, Mr. Speaker, I put the OBA in the same box as the ex -boyfriend who wants to come back.
[Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: The ex -boyfriend wants to come back.
[Laughter]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: And I can do the comparisons because I look at this. Back to bad deals. Back to furlough days.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberUh-oh. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Back to reducing the civil service. Back to cancelling scholarships for our children. Cancelling pension increases for our seniors.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberSounds like them. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Back to (I said it earlier) sneaking into this very House to pass legislation so that they could get in here before the people of the country object. Oh, it is true. We saw it. We lived it. First time in …
Sounds like them.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Back to (I said it earlier) sneaking into this very House to pass legislation so that they could get in here before the people of the country object. Oh, it is true. We saw it. We lived it. First time in our history. First time in our history we had a Government sneak into the House of Assembly under the cloak of darkness to pass legislation because they could not face the people of this country. And they say bring an election on . Sure. Let’s bring it on.
[Laughter]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: And of course we want to go back to hearing maybe the new, next Finance Minister tell our seniors what? Money does not grow on trees . Whereas this Government made a promise that we would increase pensions every year for our seniors. And that was a promise made and a promise kept. And they say, in that little cliché, they are going to fix it. The OBA is going to fix it. I say, fix it like what? Like the airport?
[Laughter]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Like Morgan’s Point?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOur award- winning airport which is making money now. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Which is making money . . . oh, the Honourable Member said the airport is making money. It surely is for the shareholders that live in Can-ada. [Laughter] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Paid …
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberCorrect. 78 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They sure are making money. [Inaudible interjections and crosstalk] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They sure are. They sure are. Mr. Speaker, let’s talk about fix it like Southampton Princess [sic] …
Correct.
78 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They sure are making money.
[Inaudible interjections and crosstalk]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They sure are. They sure are. Mr. Speaker, let’s talk about fix it like Southampton Princess [sic] support. I suppose when Elbow Beach comes on . . . I will show you another clip, if you like.
Mr. Scott PearmanFairmont Southampton. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Fairmont Southampton. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Pearman. [Inaudible interjection] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I am not afraid to be corrected, and I stand to be corrected. And I thank you for that because I want the record to be …
Fairmont Southampton.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Fairmont Southampton. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Pearman. [Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I am not afraid to be corrected, and I stand to be corrected. And I thank you for that because I want the record to be correct. So I am with you on that. But it is like Elbow Beach. Are they going to object to Elbow Beach like they did Fairmont Southampton?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNo, I hope not. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Well, I hope not too. But of course they objected to Fairmont. So are they going to object to that? Are they going to cut scholarships? Will they cut pensions? Will they cut day care? Will they cut Fu-tureCare? Because …
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberCorrect. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They have done it all before! [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They cut scholarships. They cut pensions. They cut day care. They cut FutureCare. Yes, and even their leader just this week slammed The MarketPlace. [He] said that, Oh, we …
Correct.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They have done it all before!
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They cut scholarships. They cut pensions. They cut day care. They cut FutureCare. Yes, and even their leader just this week slammed The MarketPlace. [He] said that, Oh, we shouldn’t have a monopoly like MarketPlace . . . compared MarketPlace to telecoms.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWait a minute. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Now, wait a minute. The MarketPlace . . . no, I am not drifting anywhere, Honourable Member. I know exactly what I am doing. Right? [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Now, you are talking about . . . …
Wait a minute.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Now, wait a minute. The MarketPlace . . . no, I am not drifting anywhere, Honourable Member. I know exactly what I am doing. Right?
[Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Now, you are talking about . . . the Honourable Member Jarion Richardson was on TV and objecting to MarketPlace buying Supermart. Slamming them for it. Well, first of all, before you go slamming MarketPlace . . . MarketPlace has 700- odd employees in this country. Would you prefer, Mr. Richardson, the Op-position Leader, would you prefer that Supermart closed down and we sent 120 people home? Maybe that is what the Opposition want. I do not hear crickets. Not a dick ey-bird again.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Twice tonight no dick eybirds. Is that what we want? You have MarketPlace. Yes, they have several grocery stores around the Island. But they also employ 700-plus of our people.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThat is not a point of order.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order? POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Mr. Scott PearmanThe Honourable Member from constituency 29 is misleading the House. He may wish to look at his own Speech from the Throne, page 14 —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberBut it doesn’t say that.
Mr. Scott Pearman“Recent local developments in food supply and financial services can have an ongoing adverse impact on prices, which this community can ill - afford.” . . . “[A] worrying consolidation in key industries has occurred in Bermuda.” [Inaudible interjections]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberGreat . . . so what are you talking about? Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Speaker, I am trying to figure out the point of order. I didn’t hear MarketPlace’s name at all.
Mr. Scott PearmanFood supply. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I didn’t hear . . . food supply? That could be BGA, that could be Butterfield & Vallis. It could be the restaurants. [Inaudible interjections] Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 79 Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De …
Food supply.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I didn’t hear . . . food supply? That could be BGA, that could be Butterfield & Vallis. It could be the restaurants.
[Inaudible interjections]
Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 79
Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: It could be any, any, any business. See, Mr. Speaker, that is typical. See the spin the Honourable Member just tried to put on that?
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: What he tried to do is protect his leader. Right? So, I don’t mind him trying to protect his leader. But it is just too far off base.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: My leader doesn’t need protecting. He doesn’t make mistakes like yours.
[Inaudible interjection and laughter]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: The fact of the matter is that the Opposition Leader was really slamming MarketPlace for the purchase of another grocery store. They very (to me) . . . there could have been very easily 120 people out of work. Very easily. The Honourable Member asks how. Well, if MarketPlace didn’t agree to buy it and he said, Well, look, I am just shutting down. That is 120 people. [Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Well, you go speak to Mr. Tredick Gorham and ask him what his plans were. That is all I am going to tell you.
[Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I asked . . . wait a minute . . . Yes. I asked the Honourable Member who just walked in, Mr. Cannonier, when he was the Minister . . . in fact, he gave out a number for the sale of Bermudiana when he was the Minister. And I stood on the floor of the House and I made him an offer for it and told him I would give him a depos it the next day. [Laughter]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThink of all the money we would have saved. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: That is right. For the taxpayers of this country, it would have been lovely. So, Mr. Speaker, let me say this. I gave you a little history. I told you a little story about the …
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberA good story. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: It was a good story, wasn’t it? Because it tied into this debate today really, really nice.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberCorrect. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: But I hope now that I have brought to light that no Member from the Opposition has mentioned one word about their Reply [to the Throne Speech] and what they are plan—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Mr. Scott PearmanThe Honourable Member is again misleading the House. I not only mentioned our Reply [to the Throne Speech], I quoted from it on several oc-casions.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: My oh my! [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I think . . . I think MP Jackson should—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMember — Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: —give him that note.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMember. Let me advise you all. Speak this way because you are getting a little off track here with the back -and-forth. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, Mr. Speaker —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSomebody is going to get themselves in trouble. This is leading up to that. [Inaudible interjections] 80 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Speaker, you will recall that the Honourable Member Jackson had a note next to her desk …
Somebody is going to get themselves in trouble. This is leading up to that. [Inaudible interjections]
80 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Speaker, you will recall that the Honourable Member Jackson had a note next to her desk and she said, I am not going to get angry today . I suggest she pass it back to Honourable Member Pearman.
[Laughter]
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I did not mean to upset him that much. I mean, for a Learned Member . . . I thought Learned Members were pretty cool and controlled. But—
[Laughter and i naudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Speaker, let me just bring about . . . if I could. I was looking at our Throne Speech and if you really, Mr. Speaker, and if the Opposition would be honest with themselves, and if you looked at our Throne Speech . . . and I have heard them say that it is a regurgitation. It is a repeat. It is a wash, rinse and repeat, you know, things like that they say. Well, guess what , Mr. Speaker ? It is. Because we are on a great track for the people of this country. I mean, it is an awesome track. If you look at all the things that we have done . . . and Minister Hayward, you left no stone unturned. You re-ally did not. And if one should go through that Throne Speech and think about it . . . and my message tonight would be to the voters of this count ry to have a look at that Throne Speech. Take your time and go through it and look at the litany of things that we have done for the people of this country in the last year. I am not talking about the five before that either because the list is huge. But i n the last year or two . . . go back to the pandemic which was handled I think better than any other country in the world. Which is why I think the people of this country voted like they did in 2020.
[Inaudible interjection] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, and we will do it again. And the next election is coming.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberGood. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: And if the voters of this country—
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberCall it tomorrow. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: —take a look at that Throne Speech and they see what we have done and what we plan to do, they can only vote one way, Mr. Speaker .
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Only one way. So, Mr. Speaker, with that . . . I have a couple of other things here, but . . . I think I may just stop right there because —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou have made your point. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, I have made my point.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerGood. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I think the Premier made his point. I think Minister Hayward made his point . . . for all of us. But I know that there are colleagues on this side that may want to emphasise some of those accomplishments because we know …
Good. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: I think the Premier made his point. I think Minister Hayward made his point . . . for all of us. But I know that there are colleagues on this side that may want to emphasise some of those accomplishments because we know what the Opposition does — the Combined Opposition— on a daily basis, whether in this place or outside. We know what they do. So when we do good things like we have done, the key is to keep reminding everyone that they are always in the forefront of our minds as we work every week for them. Thank you.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWell said. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP. Junior Minister, are you stretching, or are you getting your 30 minutes? [No audible reply]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerOh, okay. You almost got the floor that time. [Laughter]
Mr. Robert King—and Members of this Honourable House and the listening public. I mean, we have heard many things said today on both sides. We are hearing from the current admin-istration how great thou art. And, you know, when you are looking at the history . . . yes, they are correct. …
—and Members of this Honourable House and the listening public. I mean, we have heard many things said today on both sides. We are hearing from the current admin-istration how great thou art. And, you know, when you are looking at the history . . . yes, they are correct. The forefathers of the PLP, the founding fathers , did some remarkable things for this country, especially for Black folks.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOh, here we go.
Mr. Robert KingAh! Remember Nat King Cole, right. Would you agree that Nat King Cole and his daughter Natalie Cole were equally good musicians? Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 81 Bermuda House of Assembly [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Robert KingSo there is the difference, right. The offspring of the father is not quite as good as the father. I think we will all agree with that by the number of records and especially from the experiences that he had and what he created. So it is true. The history …
Mr. Robert KingNo, well, it is open to interpretation and, you know —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI actually like Natalie Cole quite a bit.
Mr. Robert KingYes, but still not as good as the father. I mean we could go from there to tribute bands, but the point is, we cannot rest upon the laurels of what came before us.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWhat are you asking?
Mr. Robert KingWell, what I am saying is — [Inaudible interjection and laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerJust talk to the Chair. Talk to the Chair and you will be all right.
Mr. Robert KingWhat I am basically saying there, Mr. Speaker, is there were a lot of nice things that were mentioned in the Throne Speech.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWhoa!
Mr. Robert KingThere were. There were some . . . it was almost like you were at a brainstorming session at a company retreat about we are going to go ahead and do this; we are going to go ahead and do that. The how we are going to do it . …
There were. There were some . . . it was almost like you were at a brainstorming session at a company retreat about we are going to go ahead and do this; we are going to go ahead and do that. The how we are going to do it . . . well, that actually wasn’t there. But we will get to that. Case in point: we had a gang tsar for, gosh, more than seven years. But after a two - day workshop, we have got a national gang strategy — a violence reduction strategy aft er a two- day workshop. And now, magicall y, we are going to be able to sort the problem out. A very serious problem —
Mr. Wayne CainesPoint o f order, Mr. Speaker . The Speaker: Yes. POINT OF ORDER
Mr. Wayne CainesThe Ministry of National Security has had a strategy for the last seven years. He said it was an update on the strategy and looking at new ways and new methods in which to deal with the gang crisis in Bermuda. There has always been a strategy. [They are] now …
The Ministry of National Security has had a strategy for the last seven years. He said it was an update on the strategy and looking at new ways and new methods in which to deal with the gang crisis in Bermuda. There has always been a strategy. [They are] now looking at it differently and upgrading their strategies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
Mr. Robert KingThank you. Thank you for the clarification. When we are looking at the strategy and the updates and improvements, the rates of serious crime, violent crime continue to increase. Bad behaviours on the road, domestic violence . . . things in general in this country are getting much, much worse. …
Thank you. Thank you for the clarification. When we are looking at the strategy and the updates and improvements, the rates of serious crime, violent crime continue to increase. Bad behaviours on the road, domestic violence . . . things in general in this country are getting much, much worse. But w hat we are hearing is that we are doing a great job. We are talking about . . . the current administration is talking about we are giving money towards this, and we are giving money towards that . Of course. I mean in terms of scholarships, education opportunities, we are in 100 per cent agreement in terms of the power of an education and what it can do for the country. I think we are also in agreement that financial assistance is meant to be assistance and it is not sup-posed to act as a stipend where people are not able to exit the system and there is no real strategy in how they are going to do that. We are talking about rehabilitation of offenders, Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) —I believe it came into effect February of 2001. I worked in the Department of Court Services for over 20 years, and I have worked at Westgate and overseas as well. And what I will tell you —
[Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Robert KingWhat I will tell you is I worked with the offender population, those persons who came from challenging circumstances. And this is what I will tell you. Yes, you have a drug treatment court. Yes, you have a mental health treatment court. Yes, you have a DUI court. But what …
What I will tell you is I worked with the offender population, those persons who came from challenging circumstances. And this is what I will tell you. Yes, you have a drug treatment court. Yes, you have a mental health treatment court. Yes, you have a DUI court. But what the court doesn’t know is that presently at Westgate they do not have a dedicated therapy room for the programmes that are meant to help reha-bilitate persons. What they will also not tell you—
Mr. Wayne CainesPoint of order, Mr. Speaker . 82 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Point of order. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
Mr. Wayne CainesThis Member is misleading the House. The Alternatives to Incarceration programmes are to prevent people from going to jail. In his soliloquy just now, Mr. Speaker, he said that there were no programmes in jail. The programmes to the Alternatives to Incarceration are to prevent people that have committed offenses …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerFor clarification and so we don’t go back and forth, he actually said there isn’t a room. He didn’t say a programme; he said a room.
Mr. Wayne CainesThe point, Mr. Speaker, is that it will never be in Westgate because we have programmes, the Alternatives —the literal word —the Alternatives to Incarceration prevents them from being in that room at Westgate, Mr. Speaker .
Mr. Robert KingThank you. Thank you for that point of order. And what we also know is that with the Alternatives to Incarceration, the fact is that persons have combination sentences where there was a period of in-carceration to be followed by probation and/or parole according to the Alternatives to Incarceration legislation …
Thank you. Thank you for that point of order. And what we also know is that with the Alternatives to Incarceration, the fact is that persons have combination sentences where there was a period of in-carceration to be followed by probation and/or parole according to the Alternatives to Incarceration legislation which made a person eligible for parole at one- third sentence. So those are the facts. What do we say to the persons who are at Westgate who are expecting to get programmes so that they can reintegrate and take their rightful place in the community after they have paid their price? What do we say to them when there is not a dedicated room s o that they can do the required programmes? What do we say to the persons who are on probation and parole when the current programme team is three people down? When we say . . . the Government says that it is about the people, and it wants the best. But it doesn’t resource the team whose responsibility it is to ensure the rehabilitation of offenders so that the community is pro-tected and they are empowered to provide for their families. It is one thing to say that you are going to do something. It is another thing entirely to have a strategic plan into how it is going to be operationalised. Making promises and not having a plan does not work. We are seeing what happens —
[Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerTalk to the Chair. Do not get sidetracked.
Mr. Robert KingWhat we are talking about is what is actually happening here. [Inaudible interjections] Mr. Robert King: If we look at the quality of life in this community, all you have to do is look around you. Driving on the roads . . . we have talked about the infrastructure; walls …
What we are talking about is what is actually happening here.
[Inaudible interjections] Mr. Robert King: If we look at the quality of life in this community, all you have to do is look around you. Driving on the roads . . . we have talked about the infrastructure; walls being pulled down by weeds. Railway trails. A friend of mine almost lost his life because he was riding his bike— involved in a healthy pursuit, riding his push bike—on the railway trail and because it was not properly trimmed he wiped out and had to get air- [lifted] out of here. Punctured lung , the whole bit. Right? Almost lost his life because of an infection, et cetera. Had to be air -[lifted] out. One month later, he is now recovering. [But] because of the condition of the trails , which are meant to connect the communities in a safe way so that we can exercise and enjoy good health. Something that seems simple, infrastructure, has an impact on the health and safety of this Island, its inhabitants (young and old), tourists, guest workers alike. And when we adopt the attitude that it is not important, through neglect it gets worse. Jus t like, you know, not checking bad behaviour that is in your home. Oh, he is just young. He will get over it . And then you wonder why he is caught in the system. The other thing, too, that is notable is the spending of the public’s purse when people are suffer-ing. How do we explain that the Bermudiana Hotel . . . well, not hotel. We already covered that before. Over $100 million . . . how do we explain that in the context of people who are struggling to keep a roof over their head? How do we explain that their business partner, Hilton, was not consulted prior to the press conference? Their trusted business partner. Right up until a week ago, you could go on the site and still book a room to go ahead and stay at the hotel. How can it possibly be okay when a person is investing in your hotel in the Island to not tell them that, oh, by the way, we are not going to do this ? And we wonder why people from overseas don’t want to invest in Bermuda. That is the sort of action that is going to damage our international business reputation when we do that to our business partners. So the question that I have, Mr. Speaker, if you are going to do that to your business partner, what chance do the rest of us have that you are going to be honest and open and transparent and take responsibility for what you are doing for the people of this country? Millions . . . hundreds of mil lions of dollars of taxpayers’ money and that is what you are going to do to your partner. The Minister said, Oh, he will find out after the press conference. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Robert KingHe will find out afterwards. The staff that were working for him had the expectation of the hotel opening, just like the developer, in March. Additional funding of $35 million and then, after the hotel is Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 83 Bermuda House of Assembly almost finished, …
He will find out afterwards. The staff that were working for him had the expectation of the hotel opening, just like the developer, in March. Additional funding of $35 million and then, after the hotel is Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 83
Bermuda House of Assembly almost finished, that is when we say, Oh, let’s go ahead and get some financial advice. It doesn’t make sense that that process would not have taken place and with the stakeholders. It doesn’t make sense. What is interesting as well is the fact that we know that we have a debt servicing responsibility of $150 million (approximately) per year.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Robert KingWell . . . no, no, no. It is fine. Let’s just say it is over $120 million. It is a lot of money that we get nothing for.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberEvery year.
Mr. Robert KingEvery single year. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Might be $200 [million] for Morgan’s Point.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberEvery year.
Mr. Robert KingAh! But Morgan’s Point . . . all we needed was another year, just like (what was it?) October 2020, when the Princess was closed. All we needed was a bit more time, Mr. Speaker . Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: You got it.
Mr. Robert KingJust a bit more time. So it was a matter . . . so these were external forces at work, not something that we had actually done to make it happen. [Inaudible interjections]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNo accountability.
Mr. Robert KingLet us look at another thing. Okay, basically the inference is that we are wasting money and we are not concerned about the people. Let us talk about the gaming commission. How do you explain that we are spending $16 million—
Mr. Robert KingSixteen million dollars and counting. How do we explain that to the people who have to choose between medicine or food? And then we give them $100 for hygiene products when they see somebody getting big salaries and continuing to get funded and receiving absolutely nothing in return while this …
Sixteen million dollars and counting. How do we explain that to the people who have to choose between medicine or food? And then we give them $100 for hygiene products when they see somebody getting big salaries and continuing to get funded and receiving absolutely nothing in return while this country suffers. Whilst families are losing kids to bike accidents, murders, et cetera. How do you explain that to the people of this good country? Now when we are looking at the new programmes, the Cross Ministry Intervention Team (CMIT) programme, Bermuda Youth Counselling Services, what the Honourable Member s will not realise (unless they worked in the field) is that those things existed before, under the current administration and beyond. And they worked extremely well because they addressed the very issues that this House and everybody will agree keeps peop le in the generational cycle of dependence on government services. But what was done? They dismantled the CMIT programme. Bermuda Youth Counselling Services was essentially defunded. And then big surprise when you see an escalation in antisocial behaviours in school, out of school, on the streets. An increase in serious c rime, property crimes, hopelessness being experienced on a daily basis in this community by kids whose only thought should be, What am I going to do after I graduate? What amazing things am I going to be able to create? How much money am I going to make to go ahead and protect, you know, to take care of my family? Those kids instead are tasked with the responsibility of, Which school am I going to go to because it is safe over there and not safe over here? Who can I associate with? Where can I go? And then if I do graduate, I do not see Bermuda as a place for me anymore. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Robert KingBack to basics. We already had the things that worked.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThat is a buzz phrase. Not a solution.
Mr. Robert KingNo, no, no. The solution was . . . you have got the systems in place. It is performance driven. It is data driven. You have experts in the field. There is accountability, transparency and responsibility for those positions whose mandate it is to protect t he kids, to provide …
No, no, no. The solution was . . . you have got the systems in place. It is performance driven. It is data driven. You have experts in the field. There is accountability, transparency and responsibility for those positions whose mandate it is to protect t he kids, to provide a way for them to reach their potential. Throwing money at a problem, throwing a lot of money at a problem does not solve it. In communications, it is 93 per cent of what is not said that tells you exactly what the truth is.
Mr. Robert KingPeople can make statements about all these wonderful things. However, if you were deaf and you looked around you, you would see it for what it actually is. Words are meaningless without honest action. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Robert KingThose are facts. 84 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: If you are deaf, how are you going to hear?
Mr. Robert KingThe point is, you have got other senses at work. [Laughter and crosstalk]
The SpeakerThe Speaker—coming this way and you will be all right.
Mr. Robert KingWhat we do needs to make sense. Case in point. Cybersecurity . . . I believe it is on page 9 or 10. The Government (that would mean yours) —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThe Throne Speech?
Mr. Robert KingYes. The Government has made some improvements to the system. The Government has made improvements to the system and the network is now more robust. Interesting, especially because I am on a joint select committee whose job it is to analyse and determine—
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberIs the report finalised?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWell, be careful. Be careful.
Mr. Robert KingBut the point is how can we say — Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Point of order, Mr. Speaker . [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI am watching very clear. I am watching very clear. Don’t worry. [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThere is a thin line that he can’t cross.
Mr. Robert KingMr. Speaker, the question is, How can we make a statement about the improvements when no investigation has been done? How can we make a statement that cannot be proven because there is no report?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYou can’t — Mr. Robert King: Yes. I caught myself. I caught myself there.
Mr. Robert KingThe point is, statements are being made that cannot be substantiated. We do not have audited financials so when we are talking about the health of the country and how great we are doing, basically we are being asked to take them at their word and what we have also …
The point is, statements are being made that cannot be substantiated. We do not have audited financials so when we are talking about the health of the country and how great we are doing, basically we are being asked to take them at their word and what we have also seen is they cannot be trusted. And it is time for election. Thank you, sir. [Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister, Minister, are you rising for your 30 minutes?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchI am going to talk about a few things that affect the Minist ry of Public Works. But let me just say something about Bermud iana Beach Resort. If you don’t stop the bleeding, you will continue to pay more money. And so the criticism is we spent $100 million …
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchI started by setting out the history of this project and there is enough blame to go around. [Inaudible interjections]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchThe fact of the matter is— Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 85 Bermuda House of Assembly [Inaudible interjections]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchThe fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, they could not close on a hotel. [Inaudible interjections]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchWe also agreed . . . I accept, we agreed when we came to Government to continue down that road. The circumstances have changed, as they did with them.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes! [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerTalk to the Chair. Talk to the Chair. Don’t get sidetracked.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchThe fact of the matter is that none of this would be in the public domain if this Government hadn’t decided to put it all in the public domain. All of it. And the fact of the matter is that faced with a decision, based on a recommendation from ex-perts, …
The fact of the matter is that none of this would be in the public domain if this Government hadn’t decided to put it all in the public domain. All of it. And the fact of the matter is that faced with a decision, based on a recommendation from ex-perts, we chose door number one. So that is their complaint. Now they are on the page of, It should have been a hotel . The object of this exercise now is to stop the bleeding, Mr. Speaker, and to generate some revenue to pay the indebtedness that the project currently holds. That is all I am going to say about that. Mr. Speaker, we would not, though, have to be celebrating the fact that 94 units are going to come on the market and have an impact for both locals and for guest workers. And so we are making lemonade out of lemons. Mr. Speaker, we would not be having the type of housing problem that we have today if they had spent more than an effort in their five years in Government , even thinking about housing in this country. They produced 13 new houses, Mr. Speaker .
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchEverybody knows that housing goes in cycles. When we first came to Government in 1998, they had not invested in housing and there was a long list then. [Inaudible interjections]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchDuring that time, between then and now, we have created more than 400 units, Mr. Speaker, so you cannot tell me that we are not serious about addressing the problem and taking steps to do that.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberTell them again, Colonel.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchBermudiana Beach is not the only game in town insofar as providing housing for Bermudians. There is a programme, I have repeated it over and over again, and I thought that you have to repeat it 10 times for the public to hear it. But you have to repeat it …
Bermudiana Beach is not the only game in town insofar as providing housing for Bermudians. There is a programme, I have repeated it over and over again, and I thought that you have to repeat it 10 times for the public to hear it. But you have to repeat it 10 times for the Opposition to hear it, Mr. Speaker .
[Laughter]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchThis Government is committed to doing things about housing. And I know that people are focusing on the fact that I am retiring from politics at the next election. And that I . . . that I . . . I do not know what . . . well, they …
This Government is committed to doing things about housing. And I know that people are focusing on the fact that I am retiring from politics at the next election. And that I . . . that I . . . I do not know what . . . well, they want me to go now. Sadly, Mr. Speaker, that ain’t going to happen.
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchAnd I shall spend every waking moment that I have left in this responsibility working as hard as I can to deliver on the mandate that the PLP has promised, Mr. Speaker . [Desk thumping]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, now let me talk about roads in the country. They did not invest in that either! [Laughter]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberCorrect! Another Hon. Member: That’s right!
Mr. Scott PearmanSorry, two million — 86 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Lt. Col. Hon. David A. Burch: And the fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, both Governments are guilty of not investing in infrastructure. They seem to forget that they had a role in it …
Sorry, two million —
86 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Lt. Col. Hon. David A. Burch: And the fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, both Governments are guilty of not investing in infrastructure. They seem to forget that they had a role in it for five years between our time, but for 400 before that.
[Laughter]
[Desk thumping]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchMr. Speaker, the problem is that the effort that was made in the . . . I am amazed at the things that are reported in this House, that a budget is allocated for, that they seem to know nothing about. In their Reply [to the Throne Speech] they talked …
Mr. Speaker, the problem is that the effort that was made in the . . . I am amazed at the things that are reported in this House, that a budget is allocated for, that they seem to know nothing about. In their Reply [to the Throne Speech] they talked about the Bailey bridges at the airport. When the fact of the matter is that there are two plans for both the Bailey Bridge and the Swing Bridge. The Swing Bridge is in the worse shape, so therefore we announced in this year’s budge t that we were advancing the replacement of the Swing Bridge and that we would replace the Bailey bridges because we do not have enough money to replace both bridges. Mr. Speaker, it is about establishing a balance. Now in relation to road paving, we paved all of Harrington Sound Road—
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchWe have paved one lane on Middle Road in Smith’s. That has come to a pause, and before people say we don’t know what we are doing, one of the utilities has to dig up the road. So, the simple process is not to pave it and then come and …
We have paved one lane on Middle Road in Smith’s. That has come to a pause, and before people say we don’t know what we are doing, one of the utilities has to dig up the road. So, the simple process is not to pave it and then come and dig up the road because then everybody calls you a jack-a— [Laughter]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchAnd so what we have done is to . . . we are going to areas that are the worst areas in the country. And so we are paving in Warwick at the moment. Part of that delay was BELCO’s pausing of the— [Inaudible interjections]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchIt was. BELCO’s pausing of the digging a hole every 800 feet of the road that they have trenched to pull cables. That process is re-starting on the 23 rd of November and so we expect for the timing to work out that we will follow BELCO up Middle Road …
It was. BELCO’s pausing of the digging a hole every 800 feet of the road that they have trenched to pull cables. That process is re-starting on the 23 rd of November and so we expect for the timing to work out that we will follow BELCO up Middle Road to Evans Bay. And the paving in the country will continue and eventually we will get to a point where we are back to where all the roads in the country are as smooth as they used to be, Mr. Speaker . The investment that this Government has made in the last three years, really, for housing, road paving and Tynes Bay, which was mentioned in their Reply to the Throne Speech, has stabilised Tynes Bay. You still are going to . . . we still are going to have to spend about $200 million replacing it. I am putting you on notice now. It is in the public domain that there has to be a balance between what y ou have in order to invest in infrastructure and what you are able to invest in infrastructure. But the key for this going forward is not to pause the investment. You have to have a means and a mechanism of providing funding to regularly contribute to the infrastructure in the country. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased with this budget. There were some things in it that came as a surprise to me because they are outside of Public Works. One of them is the business with banking in the country and I know that . . . governing is painful and long. [Laughter]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchAnd most of them have never served in G overnment , but when . . . well, I can’t even say when they do. They just have to observe from the sidelines. [Laughter]
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchBut the challenge always is the bureaucracy that just bumbles along and thrives off of delaying things. The biggest challenge has been being able to make forward movement. Some of my ministerial colleagues are jealous, quite frankly, and said why do I get so much money, extra money, in the …
But the challenge always is the bureaucracy that just bumbles along and thrives off of delaying things. The biggest challenge has been being able to make forward movement. Some of my ministerial colleagues are jealous, quite frankly, and said why do I get so much money, extra money, in the current iterations of budgets. And it is real simple. It has nothing to do with me. It has to do with what is the number -one issue, number -two issue in the country that is going to get the most money. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to make this contribution for this Throne Speech and we shall continue to press ahead with the work that we have started and are well down the road to completing and there will be an election. Nobody wants it to come sooner than me because it has a special opportunity for me.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerColonel, thank you for keeping this short. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI hope you set a tone for those who follow. Which Member would like to have the floor next? Junior Minister, are you stretching this time or are you going for your 30 minutes? Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 87 Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Jache Adams: No, …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou are going for your 30 minutes. I will start the clock for you. There you go.
Mr. Jache AdamsWhich as you know is the Government ’s legislative agenda for the upcoming year.
Mr. Jache AdamsI promise I will speak to some of the exciting things that we plan to do over the next 12 months. But, Mr. Speaker, my spirit after listening to what I heard today . . . my spirit will not allow me to go any further without addressing the Opposition …
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberUh-oh.
Mr. Jache AdamsYou see, I listened carefully to today’s Reply and my mind immediately went to 17 December 2012. The OBA had just won the election. They were filled with excitement and newfound energy. There were lots of uplifting promises and hope for the future.
Mr. Jache AdamsAnd now I fast -forward to today and I see that same party look so small. [Laughter]
Mr. Jache AdamsSo lost. So lost. I look across the aisle and I see that same party just deliver the worst Reply I have ever heard in my life. You see, no matter the rhetoric, the people of this country have not forgotten who they are, what they have done and what …
So lost. So lost. I look across the aisle and I see that same party just deliver the worst Reply I have ever heard in my life. You see, no matter the rhetoric, the people of this country have not forgotten who they are, what they have done and what they are capable of. Broken prom-ises, Mr. Speaker . I cannot believe they had the audacity to talk about broken promises! So if promises is the key word for today, then I will use my time to remind the public, and perhaps the OBA themselves —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThey have a short memory.
Mr. Jache Adams—of their broken promises. I will speak to some of the promises that the PLP have kept. And since the topic of the day is the Throne Speech, I am going to speak to some of the promises that we will fulfil in the future. Mr. Speaker, many will recall …
—of their broken promises. I will speak to some of the promises that the PLP have kept. And since the topic of the day is the Throne Speech, I am going to speak to some of the promises that we will fulfil in the future. Mr. Speaker, many will recall the OBA promised this country 2,000 jobs!
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Oh, yes, they did! What happened?
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Jache AdamsBut when they left office, they actually lost 2,000 jobs.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberTell them! Tell them!
Mr. Jache AdamsThe OBA promised to reduce Government debt. I want to quote them directly. They said [that], they would use annual surpluses to pay down our national debt . Stop right there. [Inaudible interjections]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberCome on now.
Mr. Jache AdamsBecause not only did they never achieve a surplus —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberCome on.
Mr. Jache Adams—the OBA instead gave us the two highest deficits in Bermuda’s history.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberUh-oh.
Mr. Jache AdamsThey were only in Government for just over four years and two of those years were the worst fiscal performances in Bermuda’s history. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Uh-oh. Wait a minute, you are going to get a point of order in a second.
Mr. Jache AdamsBut not only that, Mr. Speaker, they also ended up increasing our national debt by $800 mil-lion in 2013. Then increased it by a further $300 million in 2016. So it bothers me immensely when they try to blame us solely for this debt. I remind you, in 2013 they …
But not only that, Mr. Speaker, they also ended up increasing our national debt by $800 mil-lion in 2013. Then increased it by a further $300 million in 2016. So it bothers me immensely when they try to blame us solely for this debt. I remind you, in 2013 they increased the debt by $800 million, then followed up with an additional $300 million in 2016. Mr. Speaker, the OBA promised . . . the OBA promised that the taxpayer would not pay a dime for the airport.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Jache AdamsYet, somehow (because of their poor deal), the taxpayer has had to pay over $45 million. 88 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, the OBA promised to provide quality education. They promised to provide quality education yet then cut scholarship funding so that [fewer] …
Yet, somehow (because of their poor deal), the taxpayer has had to pay over $45 million. 88 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, the OBA promised to provide quality education. They promised to provide quality education yet then cut scholarship funding so that [fewer] Bermudians could receive the financial support to further their education. They could not even manage to get something as simple as Wi -Fi in the classrooms. They promised to ensure that our seniors . . . sorry, they promised to support our seniors, then re-fused to grant them a pension increase until the eve of an election. And they were directly involved with our seniors getting pepper -sprayed. Do you remember that?
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, I do! Several Hon. Members: Yes, I do.
Mr. Jache AdamsLet’s speak to broken promises because lest we forget the OBA promised Morgan’s Point would boost our economy. They promised that it would produce hundreds of jobs. And I quote; they said [that] it would be a $2 billion investment value . Now, Mr. Speaker, Bermudians are well aware of …
Let’s speak to broken promises because lest we forget the OBA promised Morgan’s Point would boost our economy. They promised that it would produce hundreds of jobs. And I quote; they said [that] it would be a $2 billion investment value . Now, Mr. Speaker, Bermudians are well aware of the enormous cost that taxpayers have had to bear because of Morgan’s Point —and [are] still bearing. But what is absolutely shameful is that they told us publicly that if given the opportunity, they would do it all again.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberShame!
Mr. Jache AdamsShame! Mr. Speaker, I want to then draw your attention to several weeks ago, on September 30. The One Bermuda Alliance unveiled their election platform. And from my perspective (and I am being serious), by the very next day no one cared. There was no one asking for further details. …
Shame! Mr. Speaker, I want to then draw your attention to several weeks ago, on September 30. The One Bermuda Alliance unveiled their election platform. And from my perspective (and I am being serious), by the very next day no one cared. There was no one asking for further details. There was no media scrutiny. There were no road shows or scheduled interviews. I mean it was as if it didn’t even happen!
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThey couldn’t even show the pictures.
Mr. Jache AdamsThey couldn’t even show the pictures. [Laughter]
Mr. Jache AdamsThen just several days later, just several days later, the OBA came last among four candidates in the [constituency] 36 bye- election.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberUh-oh.
Mr. Jache AdamsLet me remind the public that the OBA’s candidate was announced almost a year prior to anyone else. So in other words, the OBA had an entire year head start and still came last. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Last! [Inaudible interjections and l aughter]
Mr. Jache AdamsSo, Mr. Speaker, they can bring out all of the election platforms. They can go and bring out all of the Throne Speech [Replies]. They can roll out candidates. They can try to paint us however they wish— Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Can’t fool the people.
Mr. Jache AdamsThe reality is they know who they are. Our people know who they are— Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 89 Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: They do!
Mr. Jache Adams—what they have done and certainly know what they are capable of. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Yes, they do.
Mr. Jache AdamsAnd so, when it comes to the Opposition . . . I am just going to be bold and say it. Here we go, Minister Hayward.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberBe bold.
Mr. Jache AdamsWe are going to be bold. Since they want to call for an election —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Jache AdamsIt has gotten to the point where I am publicly calling for them . . . I am publicly calling for them, the remaining OBA MPs, to do the honourable thing and disband whatever is left of this party. [Laughter and inaudible interjections ]
Mr. Jache AdamsI urge them to disband this party! It is ridiculous. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Speaker, listen, do what Marc Bean suggested to do and just put your egos aside. Yes? I am urging them to cozy up with 90- year-old John Swan. How about they do the whole split -up-and-comeback -together thing? I mean, do whatever you need to do.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberTurn your lights out.
Mr. Jache AdamsBecause if today’s Reply [to the Throne Speech] is the best they can do collectively, then they are in more serious trouble than I thought.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberI agree with that statement.
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Speaker, that is enough about that. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Jache AdamsWe are going to get serious. Let’s get serious. Mr. Speaker, as— [Inaudible interjections and crosstalk]
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Speaker, governing is not easy. Every decision that we make has its ups and downs. It has its pros and cons. The people we serve are as di-verse as you can imagine. As a country we do not produce much and we are too small to really take advantage …
Mr. Speaker, governing is not easy. Every decision that we make has its ups and downs. It has its pros and cons. The people we serve are as di-verse as you can imagine. As a country we do not produce much and we are too small to really take advantage of any meaningful economies of scale. We have an ageing population. We have significant debt levels. We are incredibly vulnerable to climate change. We have had . . . we have governed through a once- in-a-century pandemic. [We have] had to pay over $200 million for Morgan’s Point —and still counting.
Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Still counting.
Mr. Jache AdamsThe Russia- Ukraine war has cost us directly almost $18 million a year in revenue. Yes. Yet still . . . yet still, Mr. Speaker, with these and other challenges we face, I am proud to stand with a Govern-ment that perseveres and continues to deliver. Mr. Speaker, we are …
The Russia- Ukraine war has cost us directly almost $18 million a year in revenue. Yes. Yet still . . . yet still, Mr. Speaker, with these and other challenges we face, I am proud to stand with a Govern-ment that perseveres and continues to deliver. Mr. Speaker, we are on track for the first fiscal surplus in over 20 years. Now, I get it. I genuinely get it. There are some people in our community that do not care about deficits or government debt or credit ratings or the fiscal responsibility panel. What they car e about is the cost of their electricity bill. The cost of prescription pills. The cost of groceries and mortgage rates. But to those individuals . . . but to those individuals, I say that in order to tackle those issues, in order to tackle those issues effectively, we had to first get our fiscal house in order. We had to stable the ship. Mr. Speaker, we had to balance the books. It is not just about treating the symptoms. It is about staying disciplined in order to set a foundation that protects and preserves our future. Mr. Speaker, we implemented a minimum wage. That is no easy nor small feat! Mr. Speaker, you know that included in the PLP’s very first election platform the PLP stated their desire for minimum wage legislation. And it was this Government , this administration, that brought it to fruition. We have more Bermudi-ans working in international business than ever before! For decades, many Bermudians have felt disenfranchised when it comes to international business. The sought -after high paying jobs and incentives and opportunities often fell out of reach. But now we have an environment where more and more of our people are getting those opportunities. And as a Bermudian, I could not be any more proud. We have the lowest unemployment rate in over 40 years. We have increased pensions every year. We have invested significantly in affordable housing. There are many families now that can breathe a sigh of relief because they now have more affordable living arrangements. See, that won’t make the headline news. It won’t travel as fast or as far on social media. We hear on a 90 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly regular basis how this is actually changing people’s lives. We have doubled our scholarship funding. Our tourism figures are improving by all measures. The Fairmont deal is now closed and we just celebrated ear-lier this week the groundbreaking. There is no more talk. This is not speculation. The deal is closed. The financing is there. The work has begun.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes, it has!
Mr. Jache AdamsBut, Mr. Speaker, as was said in the Throne Speech, we know that we have more to do. But I cannot allow the journey ahead of us to take away from the progress we have made thus far. And so in honour of my good friend, my colleague Senator Leslie …
But, Mr. Speaker, as was said in the Throne Speech, we know that we have more to do. But I cannot allow the journey ahead of us to take away from the progress we have made thus far. And so in honour of my good friend, my colleague Senator Leslie Robinson, I am actually going to quote a bit of scripture, if you would indulge me, Mr. Speaker . And it says, “ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. ” Now, Mr. Speaker, I have spoken about broken promises of the OBA and just some of the promises fulfilled by this Government . And so with the time remaining, I won’t be able to speak to all of the Government ’s forward- thinking initiatives that were outlined—
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYou need a week!
Mr. Jache Adams—in the Throne Speech, but I believe that they all embody our commitment to social eq-uity and financial stability. It also demonstrates that we remain steadfast in our commitment of uplifting all Bermudians . . . especially our most vulnerable. Mr. Speaker, I am excited to hear of a cross …
—in the Throne Speech, but I believe that they all embody our commitment to social eq-uity and financial stability. It also demonstrates that we remain steadfast in our commitment of uplifting all Bermudians . . . especially our most vulnerable. Mr. Speaker, I am excited to hear of a cross - ministry team aimed to focus on holistic support for high-risk families. I am excited to hear that this team will provide essential life skills, ensure stable housing, nutritious food and quality medical care. I don’t view this just as aid. I view this as empowerment. It is about demonstrating to a particular demographic that we have not forgotten them. That they are just as Bermudian as anyone else, and we are here for them as well. Mr. Speaker, the Government is adding $100 a month personal allowance for seniors on financial assistance —to help them with their basic hygienic needs. Because dignity for our seniors is a priority. Mr. Speaker, I also want to commend the proposed amendments to increase the maximum allowable severance pay and the elimination of payroll tax on redundancy pay. You see, by providing additional sup-port to those facing sudden unemployment it is a clear demonstration of our commitment to fairness and stability. We are a labour Government and I will never apologise for it. And so protecting the rights and the livelihood of our workers has to be at the centre of who we are and what we are all about. Mr. Speaker, if there is one thing that I have learned over the last few years is that our focus on re-tirement readiness . . . how do I want to say it? It is not where it needs to be, if we are being frank and honest. And so I am appreciative to see the Government actively taking steps to improve this gap. First, by actively working with pension administrators on financial literacy initiatives for Bermudians. I can say that the banking institution, or the banks themselves, have jumped on board. They themselves have committed to putting on programmes and initiatives that will help the finan-cial literacy of the people of this country. The Government is also introducing or implementing pension fee caps which will see the average worker having $700 less deducted from their account each year. Put simply, less fees means more money for you when you retire. So, Mr. Speaker, with the minutes that I have left —
[Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Speaker, with the minutes that I have left, I will close. I want to say that I am proud to be a part of a government that does not shy away from challenges. My hope is that as a country we do not get caught up in the areas …
Mr. Speaker, with the minutes that I have left, I will close. I want to say that I am proud to be a part of a government that does not shy away from challenges. My hope is that as a country we do not get caught up in the areas that still need to be improved, that we lose sight of the tremendous progress being made. Roads are being repaved. Fairmont Southampton deal is on it s way. Annual pension increases. The first fiscal surplus in over 20 years. The expansion of child day care allowance. Tourism figures continue to improve. I can go on, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker, I am proud of this Throne Speech because it acknowledges that we have more to do and articulates exactly what we are going to do.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Jache AdamsExpansion of affordable housing. Personal allowance for seniors and the disabled. Violence reduction strategy. Further steps towards universal health care. Further protection to safeguard Bermuda ’s waters. You see, the journey ahead will no doubt have its obstacles. But we are here to do the hard work, the necessary work, …
Expansion of affordable housing. Personal allowance for seniors and the disabled. Violence reduction strategy. Further steps towards universal health care. Further protection to safeguard Bermuda ’s waters. You see, the journey ahead will no doubt have its obstacles. But we are here to do the hard work, the necessary work, so that every Bermudian can feel the impact of our efforts. Mr. Speaker, we are not just a government of policies; we are a government of purpose. And our purpose is building a fairer Bermuda for all Bermudians. We are peeling back the layers of centuries of system-atic unfairness and are determined to deliver a future that our children and our grandchildren can be proud of. Thank you.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberHear, hear! [Desk thumping] Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 91 Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Thank you, Junior Minister. MP Caines.
Mr. Wayne CainesMr. Speaker , like . . . if it pleases you, Mr. Speaker — [Laughter and inaudible interjections ]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou are helping him out, eh?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAll right. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Wayne CainesLike Elizabeth Taylor said to her third husband, I won’t keep you long, Mr. Speaker . [Laughter and crosstalk ]
Mr. Wayne CainesI like something that my learned brother and my colleague has just said, Not a government of policy, but a government of purpose. That was not something that I had written but it is something that I would adopt. I won’t go into setting out everything . . . and …
I like something that my learned brother and my colleague has just said, Not a government of policy, but a government of purpose. That was not something that I had written but it is something that I would adopt. I won’t go into setting out everything . . . and I will go into a bit of it. But Minister Hayward set it out. We colloquially call it the opening bat. I was listening when I was driving from an appointment and to say I was proud is not the appropriate wor d. Sometimes we use words like saying someone has the gift of the gab. Another offensive terminology. I listened to a man that is committed to his country, committed to his gift, com-mitted to working hard as he presented a thought - through argument stating, extolling, outlining the plans of this Government . I am not going to sit here and expend time talking about that which the OBA did or that which the OBA did not do. That is not my purpose. I believe that every Government must do one thing and one thing only and that is to stand on its record. And we heard just now from MP Jache Adams what that record is. If you thought that I was going to stand here and say that we are perfect, that is not my stance. If you thought that I was going to stand here and say that we have not made mistakes, that is not my stance. But I can tell you this that every time we go to our respective corners, the main effort is not to find out how do we (and I use this word all the time) self -aggrandise , enrich ourselves. But it is a purpose. The creation of this party was based on social justice. The North Star that guides this party is social justice. I sat in the front lawn of Cabinet and I listened to everything live and direct like everyone else for the first time when the words came off the lips of our Gov-ernor. And at the end of the speech, I walked up into this room, looked the Premier in his eye and I said, Well done. That was a good speech. Now, when we come into these rooms, we go and we are pugilists. And at times we go to our red corner and the blue corner and we come out with our arms up and we are ready to fight. But those who are listening are not listening for fighting, they are listening for hope. Those people who are listening are not listening for empty platitudes. They are not listening for visions of grandeur. They are listening for hope. They want to see if the party of . . ., if the party of Dame, if we are still marching on tha t bearing to make the lives of Bermudians better. So I, who cannot claim to be neutral in this instance, have looked at what the plans are for this year. I have weighed them in the balance. I have looked at what is strong. I have looked at what would change, what would be seismic. And I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, it is not empty platitudes. I can tell you that the things which are proposed will affect our seniors. They will affect busi-nesses. They will affect the lives of the mentally challenged. That is what our purpose is. And so sometimes we have to remind the public that they are us and we are them. And that we are an extension of their hopes and their dreams. Sometimes we have to remind them when they listen into this room that they are not hearing a cacophony of sound; that they are listening to people who are purposed. That they believe that God placed them in this room to make their life better. The Blue Prosperity Plan and the [new] Marine Development Act to protect our EEZ. The corporate income tax, when many people think that it is a magic bullet, we know it is not a panacea. But we have looked at what the EU did and said and we have taken this as an opportunity to take advice and put together a corporate income tax structure to allow businesses that are doing business in Bermuda to play their rightful share. Why hasn’t Jack been given his jacket when we mention the corporate income tax and all that makes our country better? Fair banking services. We have heard about people who are not able to have banking services. Expanding the juries and making their ages longer. How many times have we heard about a jury pool of 36 people per a jury allotment being overrun and there not being enough jurors? The violence reduction strategy. There was some mention of that being knee- jerk and not thought through. Well, like with anything, it has to evolve. There have been a number of years since we have been in this malaise and respective governments have done their best. And sometimes we go forward and sometimes we go backwards, fratricide brother against brother and man against man. That is something that we all must continue to work on daily to make this country better and not politicise but understand that it is our responsibility to work together, to hold hands and to work with this Minister and his gang reduction strategy. We talked about expanding youth mental health services. We understand what is happening to 92 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly the underdeveloped brain with the misuse of marijuana. We have had these discussions ad infinitum and we have made a decision to make that a priority to make sure that our kids are getting the mental health treatment that they need. I will not be a purveyor of doom and look at what is happening in our prisons and the services that some people claim we are not having and lament and hold our hands up and be damned that our country is going to hell! I am an optimist and I believe in the people of this country and that we have that which is within us to make our country a better place. Expanding health services and insurance, preventative care and putting some price caps on medica-tion. Creating the domestic violence court as MP De Silva said, the domestic violence court is an extension of the vision of this party with the Alternatives to Incarceration legislation that stemmed from the Tumin report, that stemmed from the killing of Buck and Larry, that extended from the riots in Bermuda. The Judge Tumin Report, what did it say? It said that [there] was an unnatural amount of incarceration in Bermuda of young men for petty offenses and very little opportunities for rehabilitation. Keeping that in mind in 2001, the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act was passed and things like the drug treatment court evolved out of that, where men and women who have made mistakes that are able to come and get mental health treatment, drug treatment. Able to get community -based sentencing. The domestic violence court allows protection of our most vulnerable by holding accountable those who find themselves falling afoul of the law, giving them the necessary treatment that they need and the accountability that indeed requires that. The Disabilities Act enshrining that those with disabilities, those who need support, those who ned to have ramps, those that need to get in elevators, that those who need to have guard- rails put around them to protect them . . . those are the things that are in this Throne Speech. How cannot this country be a better place by putting legislation to make young people have mental health a priority? How could our country not be a better place if we are not looking to get a domestic violence court, if we are no t putting guard- rails to help support those with disabilities? Something as simple as digitising the TCD [Transport Control Department] licensing process. It has been a constant lament by those going down and saying that we need to digitise this. This is a start! This is an excellent opportunity for us to set a patter n with TCD to make this process easier. Expanding training and development programmes for trades, for people who want to go into the hospitality industry. Mr. Speaker, how can that not take our country in the right direction? You might not like the colour of the tie that I wear, but you can look and see that the lives of Bermudian s can and will get better if we execute on this objective. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Wayne CainesWhat does history say? History says that we march on that bearing and execute that which we have promised. What the pundit will say: these are the things that have gone wrong. And we say we accept that, but look what we have done and what we will continue to …
What does history say? History says that we march on that bearing and execute that which we have promised. What the pundit will say: these are the things that have gone wrong. And we say we accept that, but look what we have done and what we will continue to do. I went into a restaurant this morning . . . excuse me. I went into the barber shop this morning (I wasn’t going to tell this story, so I have to apologise to Liz Tay-lor). I went into a barber shop this morning and a gentleman was in there, a Caucasian vis itor to our Island. And he said This is the most beautiful place I have ever been to. The streets are pristine. He said . . . and my learned friend smirks. Clearly his passport isn’t work-ing. He hasn’t been around this world to see roads. Everybody wants t o paint Bermuda as a place that is going to hell in a handbasket. A man from a country comes to Bermuda and says that we have a pristinely kept country, and our people scoff at that fact. And we wonder why our people are not filled with pride when our very own are so caught up by being partisan that they do not understand that they live in one of the best countries on the planet. In paradise! This man who is visiting Bermuda , Mr. Speaker, spoke of how magnificent the country was. How pristine it was. How he was having a fantastic time. How he got on the bus and it was seamless. How we went on the ferry, it was awesome. He shared how he walked from one end of the Island. There was no crime. And then he said, watch this, Mr. Speaker . He said, It is a shame that there is so much corruption here. I didn’t tell him who I was or what I did, or what my responsibilities, roles in this Government , in this country were. I asked him a question. But before I asked him this question, I thanked him for his kind remarks about Bermuda. And I asked him specifically, What do you mean Bermuda is corrupt? He said the country is corrupt. And I said, Can you give me some examples of what you believe corruption is in Bermuda ? Mr. Speaker, he could not give me an example. He said to me, The host family that I am living with told me Bermuda’s politicians are corrupt .
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOh, mercy!
Mr. Wayne CainesI asked him, and he told me privately, the name of the family. And it all made sense. I asked him a series of questions because I will not defend foolishness by trying to justify and scream out to him that we have integrity. I asked him questions. How do …
I asked him, and he told me privately, the name of the family. And it all made sense. I asked him a series of questions because I will not defend foolishness by trying to justify and scream out to him that we have integrity. I asked him questions. How do you think the roads got that clean? How do you think that bus ran on time? How do you think you walked from one end of the Island and never once had any fear for your life, for your personal safety? It was this Government that put those things in place. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 93
Bermuda House of Assembly Everybody in Bermuda enjoying the vicissitudes that are contained therein but will never, ever give this Government credit for the things that are going well in this country. And oftentimes we listen and give safe harbinger to the things that are going wrong so much that we blind and confuse ourselves to believe that everything in this country is going wrong. It is a f allacy! We have things that we must work on. But why do you think the international companies are coming to this country in droves? Why do you think the hedge funds, ILS , capital compani es, why do you think they are in Bermuda? They respect that we respect the rule of law, the Bermuda Monetary Authority. That we are safe. That this is a legitimate jurisdiction. That we are a stable place. That happens because of the leadership in this Government . When we go forward and when we talk about the self -funding of the BDA. The revised legal framework. The revised legal framework for accountability for senior members in constitutional posts. We will provide $100 monthly allowance for seniors on financial assistance. We will ban trans fats. Expanding insurance coverage in preventative care. Increase of the minimum wage. Greater advanced protection for workers in the issuance of tribunal awards. Eliminate payroll tax for people over 65, incentivising retaini ng flexible working arrangements. Increasing the maximum allowable sev-erance pay from 26 to 32 weeks if you are an employee who has been employed with your employer for over 13 years. Removing the requirement to pay payroll tax on redundancy pay. Is that not an expansive, exhaustive, diverse, socially responsible, economically responsible . . . have we not looked at all different walks of life? But we are going to sit here and say this is the old, drummed up again? I would appreciate if we had the honest con-versation and someone say, T hese are the things that have made us stronger . This is an excellent way to go. These are the things that we can do to make this coun-try stronger. That is what the people in this country expect from us in this room.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Wayne CainesThe reality of it is that honour, integrity, hard work, discipline, forward- thinking are not limited to one hue or to one part or side of the aisle. This is an opportunity for Bermudians to understand. I agree with what was said in the OBA platform. It is time to …
The reality of it is that honour, integrity, hard work, discipline, forward- thinking are not limited to one hue or to one part or side of the aisle. This is an opportunity for Bermudians to understand. I agree with what was said in the OBA platform. It is time to call an election. It is time. But the people of Bermuda need to understand that the Progressive Labour Party does not have to get ready because we stay ready. We do not have to canvass and go out and roll out and figure out how we are going to put something together because we do it every weekend. Go by the old Warwick Secondary School. You will see DL3 sit-ting on his post. You go by Warwick Post Office, you will see Minister Darrell sitting on his post. You go up on Cedar Hill, you will see Colonel Burch and his team walking. You go up and down this Island with no elec-tion in sight, we do it all year, every year. Ask our constituents, How do we help to support them during Christmas? Ask them, What do we do for back to school programmes? Ask them, How do we help them? Who is by their side when there are funerals? Who is at the hospital with them when their loved ones get in accidents? It is the Progressive Labour Party. Not for votes! It is because that is who we are.
[Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Wayne CainesAnd so when the people in this country see this Throne Speech, yes, it is an election Throne Speech. But we have to tell you what we are going to do for you to help you, to motivate you, to protect you, to cover you, to inspire you. And guess …
And so when the people in this country see this Throne Speech, yes, it is an election Throne Speech. But we have to tell you what we are going to do for you to help you, to motivate you, to protect you, to cover you, to inspire you. And guess what? I will say it for the fourth time: we are not perfect. And we take the opportunity to grow stronger. This week we buried a Senator, a sister. And I looked around the room. Minister Roban said to me and to Minister Hayward privately, we have gone through this too much. In the last five years, I cannot count how many times we have sat in the room for Ministers and MPs that give it all for this country. Put it all on the line. Neglecting their families. Neglecting their personal health to work hard for this country. I wil l not sit silent while people denigrate the work of this party, challenge our efficacy. Challenge our efforts as if we do not give it all for the people of this country. I believe every word annexed in writing in that Throne Speech and I put my weight behind it. I put my brothers’ and sisters’ energy behind it. It is our respon-sibility as all Bermudians to understand that our unborn grandchildren, the legacy as former slaves, as Bermudians, us all . . . as all Bermudians, we have to work through this together. And I saw a Throne Speech that was balanced. That was fair. That talked about the constitutional posts. That talked about specific things with TCD and other parts. But more importantly, there is something to make t he lives of Bermuda better. Because guess what? That is who we are. Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP Caines. Would any other Member appreciate their 30 minutes?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMP Campbell, you have your 30 minutes.
Mr. Vance CampbellThank you, Mr. Speaker . Mr. Speaker, you look like you enjoy a good day on the water, on the boat.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. 94 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Vance Campbell: You know, there are different types of boats.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDifferent types of seas, too.
Mr. Vance CampbellA bit more time and is pretty complicated, relative to that speedboat. Now the economy of a country is not a speedboat. It is a supertanker. So just to address the com-ment about 2013 and what happened and what had to happen between 2013 and 2017. So as I said, …
A bit more time and is pretty complicated, relative to that speedboat. Now the economy of a country is not a speedboat. It is a supertanker. So just to address the com-ment about 2013 and what happened and what had to happen between 2013 and 2017. So as I said, the economy of a country is like a tanker. And to turn it around, it takes time.
Mr. Vance CampbellIn fact, it takes about 1.5 to 3.7 miles to turn that tanker around, depending on the size. Mr. Speaker, two key items are critical in turning that vessel around, in addition to the skill of the crew: a rudder and the thrusters. So when the One Ber-muda Alliance came …
In fact, it takes about 1.5 to 3.7 miles to turn that tanker around, depending on the size. Mr. Speaker, two key items are critical in turning that vessel around, in addition to the skill of the crew: a rudder and the thrusters. So when the One Ber-muda Alliance came into power in 2013 and they wanted to turn that economy around, they wanted to turn that supertanker around, they looked for the rudder and the thrusters and could not find them. [Laughter]
Mr. Vance CampbellHence the need to take out money to be able to meet the commitments. There was no rudder. They had to borrow money to buy a rudder. [Laughter]
Mr. Vance CampbellThey had to borrow money to create and repair the thrusters that were not working. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Vance CampbellDon’t have to be on the ship to see it. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Vance CampbellSo . . . I just wanted to put that out there and I can tell you were a boatsman, so you would understand, Mr. Speaker . [Crosstalk ] Mr. Vance Campbell: Now, having said that, and turning to the Government ’s Speech from the Throne, I could not stand …
So . . . I just wanted to put that out there and I can tell you were a boatsman, so you would understand, Mr. Speaker .
[Crosstalk ] Mr. Vance Campbell: Now, having said that, and turning to the Government ’s Speech from the Throne, I could not stand here in all honesty and fairness and say there are not some good things in this. You know, there are many good things in this and they have been high-lighted.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberDon’t try to come back now. Another Hon. Member: He’s not trying to come back.
Mr. Vance CampbellSee this is the difference, right? We can criticise constructively and also compliment. One of the positive things is the creation of the corporate income tax structure. But I will caution on that. We had the PwC Insurance [Summit] conference not too long ago. And the keynote speaker and . …
See this is the difference, right? We can criticise constructively and also compliment. One of the positive things is the creation of the corporate income tax structure. But I will caution on that. We had the PwC Insurance [Summit] conference not too long ago. And the keynote speaker and . . . in that he provided some warnings. And if you do n’t mind, Mr. Speaker, with your indulgence, I will read some of his comments.
Mr. Vance CampbellStephen Catlin, Executive Chairman and cofounder of Convex Group delivered a keynote address at the PwC Insurance Summit. “ Bermuda’s insurance and reinsurance sector faces an uncertain time as 2025 looms, a veteran industry executive told attendees at the PwC Insurance Summit . . .”. Mr. Catlin—
Mr. Vance CampbellCat-L-i-n—said, “ We’ve [still] got a residual problem on some insurance balance sheets which is going to come out in the next . . .” possibly within the next 10 years. “We're also living in a world which is probably less stable than it’s been since the Second World War.” …
Mr. Vance CampbellWith your indulgence again, Mr. Speaker, relative to the CIT again. “International business in Bermuda would have to rely on efficiency and flexibility to maintain a competitive advantage if Donald Trump, who has pledged to lower corporate income tax, wins the US presidential election.” We know that happened. These gentlemen …
With your indulgence again, Mr. Speaker, relative to the CIT again. “International business in Bermuda would have to rely on efficiency and flexibility to maintain a competitive advantage if Donald Trump, who has pledged to lower corporate income tax, wins the US presidential election.” We know that happened. These gentlemen are a part of the CIO investment club. According to Dany Bernier, “ Bermuda CIO reinsurance round table, the CIT will mean ‘companies will have to run super efficiently ’.” We go down further. “ Aileen Mathieson, group CIO, Aspen, said that transition measures in CIT rules enabled [insurers ] to soften the impact by establishing Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 95
Bermuda House of Assembly deferred tax assets that they can use to reduce their tax bill over the next ten years. ” She provided some example, that “ Athene Holding had set aside approximately $1.5 billion in a deferred tax asset, and [for] Arch Capital Group [ it was ] $1.2 billion. ” So my caution is, yes, we have the CIT. It is coming. But we may not see the type of revenue imme-diately if these companies have to use these deferred tax assets to reduce their tax liability. I think it is great that there are provisions in here to provide greater protections and greater inclusivity for persons with disabilities. That is something that I support 100 per cent.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYou better come back now.
Mr. Vance CampbellI support the cross -ministry team. In fact, the creation of that took place at the Bermuda Housing Corporation and it was the idea of Renee Brown. And, yes, I was the chair, but I am not taking credit for somebody else’s idea. [Laughter]
Mr. Vance CampbellAnd I wonder why it was discontinued in the first place because it is presented here as if it is a new idea. It is a great idea and I support it 100 per cent. Domestic violence has to stop. So I support the initiative in here to help reduce …
And I wonder why it was discontinued in the first place because it is presented here as if it is a new idea. It is a great idea and I support it 100 per cent. Domestic violence has to stop. So I support the initiative in here to help reduce that. And that is for both men and women. Because both are victims of domestic violence. Mental health. Very important that we come to grips and deal with that and provide treatment for those who suffer from that. Bermuda Youth Council. These are important initiatives and I have no problem supporting these things that the Government have included. And others that have been mentioned by Members on the other side. I do have a question around the plans to tackle the challenge of derelict residential units to help increase the housing inventory. Again, this is nothing new. But we discontinued it when I was part of the Housing Corporation because it was expensive and we would never see a complete return of the investment made in the property. So I am curious if this is going to be done through eminent domain where the Government uses eminent domain to outright purchase the property or some other method. I will support initiatives that help retain . . . attract and retain highly qualified people in the govern-ment ranks. So I think that is an excellent initiative as well, Mr. Speaker . There are a couple of others, but as I said, they have been mentioned by others so I will not go into any detail because it would be repetitive. Now, Mr. Speaker, with your indulgence, I would like to read seven quotes.
Mr. Vance CampbellThe first one. “It is the duty of a responsible new government entering parliament to prioritise reducing the cost of living, creating Bermudian jobs and growing Bermud a’s economy.” That is the first. Second. “[T]his government believes in ripple - effect economics .” “. . . this is what this …
The first one. “It is the duty of a responsible new government entering parliament to prioritise reducing the cost of living, creating Bermudian jobs and growing Bermud a’s economy.” That is the first. Second. “[T]his government believes in ripple - effect economics .” “. . . this is what this Government will do in Bermuda: create ripples, not trickles. ” Number three. “ The Government will ensure that Bermudians who were waiting for crumbs to fall will now have a seat at the table to share the full meal. ” Four. “ This Government will repair the relationship between the Government and the people by com-municating more, ” (I translate that as transparency) “serving more, and inspiring Bermudians to see the Government as a partner in the improvement of their quality of life .” Number five. “ This Throne Speech prioritises the issues that will grow international business, inspire our children, protect and respect our seniors, restore confidence to public education, and ensure Bermuda is best placed to meet the challenges of the modern information age. ” Quote number six. “ The core of the Government’s philosophy is focused on growing the economy while empowering all Bermudians to become full participants in the [ economic ] miracle that is Bermuda. ” And last but not least. “ The plans laid out in this Throne Speech are specifically designed to achieve economic growth by creating new jobs for more people to work and live in Bermuda who complement, not overpower, Bermudians in the workforce. ” Mr. Speaker, listeners . . . those listening in will be excused for believing that these were quotes taken from the Speech from the Throne that was delivered last week, Friday —the 2024 speech. But in fact, these were taken from the PLP’s 2017 Speech from the Throne. Keeping these quotes in mind, let us fast forward to 2024 because they are still appropriate. Let us look at them. The PLP Government has been in power for 22 of the last 26 years. And in the last seven years, [they] have had a majority for 24 to 12, from 2017 to 2020, and a 30 to 6 majority for most of the next four years. So there is no reason . . . why is that? There is no reason why they should not have been able to implement anything that they wanted to implement. We heard already that it took them 20 years to implement the minimum wage.
96 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly An Hon. Member: Mm-hmm.
Mr. Vance CampbellYes, it got done thankfully. But it took 20 years. Reducing— [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Vance Campbell—the cost of living. Let us look at number one. Reducing the cost of living. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Vance CampbellYou didn’t think I was going to come over here and not criticise the Government , did you? [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerSpeak to the Chair. Speak to the Chair.
Mr. Vance CampbellYes, I will speak to the Chair. Mr. [Speaker ], I really don’t think that they thought I would come over here and sit silently. Yes, I think they know me better than that. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Vance CampbellIf we polled the members of the public, what would they say has been the success rate of this Government in reducing the cost of living? Yes, to their defence, there was COVID -19 and there was the war in Ukraine. But we do have other things such as the …
If we polled the members of the public, what would they say has been the success rate of this Government in reducing the cost of living? Yes, to their defence, there was COVID -19 and there was the war in Ukraine. But we do have other things such as the sugar tax, the emigration which leads to greater tax burden on those remaining.
Mr. Vance CampbellCreating Bermudian jobs . . . fared no better than the One Bermuda Alliance.
Mr. Vance CampbellThat was brought out in an interview and then when it was . . . the information provided said there is really no difference between the per-formance of the two parties in that area, it was dis-missed as being but it feels that way . And feeling is more important …
Mr. Vance CampbellGrowing Bermuda’s economy. That is something that you could argue hasn’t happened. We have a shrinking workforce. We have an ageing population. We failed to address emigration and no meaningful changes to immigration policy to reverse that. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Vance CampbellRipple effect economics have failed. No seat . . . there is no seat to share the full meal. People are leaving — [Laughter]
Mr. Vance Campbell—to try and find that meal. Even if one person believes me, it was worth it. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Vance CampbellRepair relationships between the Government and the people by communicating more— [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Vance CampbellAh, maybe we should ask the taxi drivers about the communication of the Government . Or perhaps the farmers. Or perhaps the fisherman. Maybe the West End Warriors. St. David’s Warriors. The teachers. Serving more or self -serving? Inspiring Bermudians to see the Government as a partner in the improvement …
Ah, maybe we should ask the taxi drivers about the communication of the Government . Or perhaps the farmers. Or perhaps the fisherman. Maybe the West End Warriors. St. David’s Warriors. The teachers. Serving more or self -serving? Inspiring Bermudians to see the Government as a partner in the improvement of the quality of their life. Is the quality of life improved? Has it improved from 1998 to now? Has it improved from 2017 to now?
[Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Vance CampbellI beg to differ. I beg to differ. I have an article here that talks about the death of the middle class.
Mr. Vance CampbellI have here where a member of the public is complaining about everything that has not been addressed. Our roads, government buildings, prisons, sidewalks, schools, bridges, parks, hospitals, Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 97 Bermuda House of Assembly botanical gardens, Wantley, T uzo House, TCD, the Sessions House. …
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThere we go.
Mr. Vance CampbellBut we hear differently when they speak of their accomplishments. [Crosstalk]
Mr. Vance CampbellWell that is your life work, isn’t it? Pleasing your master. Mr. Speaker — [Crosstalk]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerKeep it flowing this way. [Crosstalk]
Mr. Vance CampbellPeople are emigrating to the UK because they have been unable to participate fully or to participate at all in the local economy. Which, again, is a failure that this Government glosses over. With that, Mr. Speaker , I will take my seat.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWhoa! [Inaudible interjections and general uproar ]
Mr. Vance CampbellBecause I do have confidence. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Vance CampbellHey, you want me to take up something? So let us talk about education, then. Let us talk about education.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThere you go, education! [General uproar ] [Gavel]
Mr. Vance CampbellAnd to quote Sir Winston Churchill who said, I have no fear of what history will say about me because I intend to write it. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Vance CampbellBut anyway, Mr. Speaker, I will not be baited in by my former colleagues.
Mr. Vance CampbellI will take my seat and thank you very much for the opportunity. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Does any other Member wish to . . . any other Member? Minister Furbert. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Speaker . One thing, Mr. Speaker —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberOne day Jesus will come. Hon. Tinee Furbert: One day Jesus will come. [Laughter] Hon. Tinee Furbert: One day, Mr. Speaker, what we know for sure is this Government operates always as a government in waiting. Even when we were the Opposition, Mr. Speaker , we were always preparing to …
One day Jesus will come.
Hon. Tinee Furbert: One day Jesus will come.
[Laughter] Hon. Tinee Furbert: One day, Mr. Speaker, what we know for sure is this Government operates always as a government in waiting. Even when we were the Opposition, Mr. Speaker , we were always preparing to be Government . I would say I would describe us as collaborators, innovators, progressive, researchers and chosen ones, Mr. Speaker .
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberChosen ones? [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Tinee Furbert: Well, didn’t we win the election? Several Hon. Members: Yes! [Gavel] 98 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly An Hon. Member: Landslide. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Chosen ones, Mr. Speaker . I was in a store earlier today and funnily …
Chosen ones? [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Tinee Furbert: Well, didn’t we win the election? Several Hon. Members: Yes!
[Gavel]
98 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly An Hon. Member: Landslide.
Hon. Tinee Furbert: Chosen ones, Mr. Speaker . I was in a store earlier today and funnily enough the song that was playing in the store was Lay Your Burdens Down. Now I would say make sure you lay your burdens down with the Lord, first.
[Crosstalk] Hon. Tinee Furbert: But the people of Bermuda, please know, you can lay your burdens down with this Government , the Progressive Labour Party.
[Desk thumping] Hon. Tinee Furbert: The Throne Speech of 2024 . . . a lot of comments we got from the public. They are proud of this one.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes. Hon. Tinee Furbert: Very proud of this one. So no one can tell us any different.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNot even Vance. Hon. Tinee Furbert: When we talk about what we do for our youth, when you talk about what we do for our seniors, Mr. Speaker . To our youth and to our seniors, you can lay your burdens down with us. The Throne Speech of 2024 is …
Not even Vance. Hon. Tinee Furbert: When we talk about what we do for our youth, when you talk about what we do for our seniors, Mr. Speaker . To our youth and to our seniors, you can lay your burdens down with us. The Throne Speech of 2024 is a snippet of what we plan to do this year. But we follow our Throne Speeches over the years, you will see there has been a lot that we have done, Mr. Speaker, but not only within the Throne Speeches, because we do so much more in between those Throne Speeches. And to hear Members of Parliament in this House speak to you why this Throne Speech did not address the Office of the Public Guardian and why this Throne Speech did not address seniors’ abuse, particularly financial exploitation, I just want to know what world they are living in because it has been addressed in other Throne Speeches, Mr. Speaker . And have the public to know that we are currently drafting the legislation to address both of those issues because we care about our seniors. And we care about fi nancial exploitation as it relates to our seniors. Mr. Speaker, in 2020 when I became a Cabinet Minister, and it was then the Ministry of Social Development and Seniors. I had three people in the Ministry,
Mr. Speakermyself, my PS and a policy analyst. And at that time we decided to head up (and this was in 2020) we decided to progress and move forward with issues as it related to homelessness. Now Government had done some work some many years ago in regard to homelessness. And …
myself, my PS and a policy analyst. And at that time we decided to head up (and this was in 2020) we decided to progress and move forward with issues as it related to homelessness. Now Government had done some work some many years ago in regard to homelessness. And in 2021 . . . so let me backtrack, sorry. I did go to my Cabinet members and said, H ey, you know, we need to be addressing the issue of homelessness . And while the Progressive Labour Party has a history . . . a history of addressing housing and I do want to take this time to thank Minister Burch because he is a stalwart in this area of addressing housing for our people. And so we have history and a track record. And when he speaks to the OBA having built 13 houses during their time—
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberShame. Shame. Hon. Tinee Furbert: That is stunning.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberShame! Another Hon. Member: Thirteen! Hon. Tinee Furbert: Thirteen!
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberShame. Hon. Tinee Furbert: I heard 13, right?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes. [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Tinee Furbert: One- three. That is just . . . heart - wrenching. But I also, you know, I need to address this issue particularly with the comments as it relates to the charity HOME bringing into fruition the issue of homelessness because that is definitely …
Yes.
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Tinee Furbert: One- three. That is just . . . heart - wrenching. But I also, you know, I need to address this issue particularly with the comments as it relates to the charity HOME bringing into fruition the issue of homelessness because that is definitely incorrect. While, you know, I want to give great gratitude and k udos to the charity HOME, and particularly Denise Carey —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes. Hon. Tinee Furbert: —who definitely champions this issue of homelessness. We also have to be very vigilant that if a charity drops down tomorrow, who is still holding the banter? And that is Government . It is Government always. Mr. Speaker, if you allow me to read something from …
Yes. Hon. Tinee Furbert: —who definitely champions this issue of homelessness. We also have to be very vigilant that if a charity drops down tomorrow, who is still holding the banter? And that is Government . It is Government always. Mr. Speaker, if you allow me to read something from HOME’s webpage. And it says, “ HOME is working directly with the Ministry of Social Development and Seniors, along[side] . . . the wider government, nongovernmental agencies, charities, [ philanthropies, ] religious and wider community, to create a collaborative, single plan to end homelessness in Bermuda. ” And so we are working collaboratively and an advisory group was actually established before HOME announced their opening of being a charity. Okay? And I also need to clear up some of the statistics as it relates to homelessness because this was a lot of work that we had done in regard to the new ethos and definition of homelessness. The 2010 census reports approximately 89 persons who were homeless. Please understand, Bermuda, that that definition was Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 99
Bermuda House of Assembly derived from persons who were rough sleeping and persons who were in the Salvation Army. Whereas the figure today of 811 represents a whole ethos of other terminologies of homelessness. And that could be people who are sleeping from house to house, persons who may be staying in temporary housing situations, but it is a whole host of definitions other than what was being compared to back in 2010. So, of course, if we would have looked at those definitions back then, I am sure the number would have been different.
[Crosstalk]
Hon. Tinee Furbert: Today, Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to give closing remarks for an anti -bullying campaign that was done with our youth through the Of-fice of Youth Affairs.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberHow did you like that talk? Hon. Tinee Furbert: It was great. It was great to be around our youth and to hear their comments as it relates to anti -bullying in their environment. But I want to share what this Government is also doing for its youth outside of …
How did you like that talk?
Hon. Tinee Furbert: It was great. It was great to be around our youth and to hear their comments as it relates to anti -bullying in their environment. But I want to share what this Government is also doing for its youth outside of what our education is doing. Last night I had two presentations from two of our youth who benefited from the youth investment grants that the Government provides for our youth. One young man by the name of Carter, he had the opportunity with this youth investment grant to go overseas and compete in a mathematic competition. And he shared . . . and he has a unique way of solving his math problems . He uses an abacus. Right? So we have heard of abacuses before. But appar ently in China, in the Asian countries, they use the abacus all the time to help them come up with the answers for the math prob-lems. He said to me, Minister , he said, you know (and his mom). They said that they had entered the room of hundreds of children who were mostly Asian and he was the only Black boy there internationally being represented from Bermuda. I want to say congratulations to Carter. But they spoke about the . . . how the youth investment grant had benefitted this opportunity for Carter to be able to compete and represent internationally Bermuda. And so this is what we are doing for our youth, Mr. Speaker. The other young gentleman who also benefitted from the youth investment grant was a young man, Christian, who is taking up classes and courses in aviation and how he has a desire to want to come back to teach other young persons about aviation. You know, aviation can take you . . . what we do know is that Bermudians like to travel. Right? And like to fly. And that is a career choice that I am sure would be beneficial to anyone who is interested in going into that field. But those are just two examples of what this Government is committed to doing, helping our young people. And those youth grants can be applied for every year for persons who are interested in putting an investment in their selves, our young people, putting an investment in their selves. I want to bring our attention to the National Youth Policy and every year we do a progress report. The National Youth Policy was put in place between the years of 2021 and it will go until 2026 until we add more to it. Because that is where we are right now. We are speaking with the young people to see what it is that they want to have included as recommendations for the National Youth Policy going forward. And two of the most concerning issues that our youth speak to is the issue of antisocial behaviour and they also speak to the issue of drugs in our country. And that is very concerning to them and how sometimes they don’t feel like it is a safe space for them out around their peers. The Minister of National Security this evening spoke to a national violence strategy which is a plan that this Government is looking to progress so that our youth know that we have a plan to address antisocial behaviours in this country. Our youth should also know that we have reinvested into support for drug use for our young people through the Bermuda Youth Counselling Ser vices which again was taken away but it has been very beneficial to our young people. And they know this and now it is coming back to be available for our young people. During the Throne Speech of 2024, we did have the opportunity to have two representatives —I believe they were from Youth Parliament. And I asked them at the end of it, you know , what could they pull from the Throne Speech that they really appreciated? And they definitely spoke to having available to our young people the Bermuda Youth Counselling Services come back. And they also spoke to the testing of persons every 10 years being very beneficial to young people. And that is up until the age of 70 for those . . . so for those people who are concerned about our seniors not being tested after 70, well, it is up until the age of 70. And so even our young people recognise the work that we are doing on behalf of themselves. I just want to speak to a couple of other things that this Government is doing. Today will be the first day in which the RFI goes out in regard to the domestic violence perpetrator programme. So we urge our com-munity to engage, and if you offer a particular service like that, please look out for that in the government ’s notices so that you can apply. We have also extended the hours of our community centres, particularly the centre in Hamilton where our working parents who work shift work are able to take advantage of child care for their children in the evenings. That has been a great asset to our parents. As well as extending the hours of the K. Margaret Carter Centre for parents who have to work because 100 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly prior to that the hours would be until 2:30. And now the day for those parents who have to work, or who would have sent their young people home without supervision, now have the option to have supervision until the workday ends which is at 5:00. So we want to inform the public that that programme has been truly phenomenal and is fully subscribed to. So we knew that was a need in our community and that our parents are utilising that particular service to have the hours extended at the K. Margaret Carter Cent re. I want to take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to speak to . . . I spoke about it earlier in regard to the Long Service Awards where we recognised many gov-ernment employees who do work on behalf of the government . And they work very hard. So, when I see comments like this, particularly this comment that is in the Reply to the Throne Speech, where it says that . . . it is speaking about the roads. And it says that roads have been “ripped up [and] slapped back” and done back “with neither care nor diligence.” Mr. Speaker, I want our public service to note what has been said about their work: ripped up, slapped back with neither care nor diligence. That is a public service work, Mr. Speaker .
[Inaudible interjections] Hon. Tinee Furbert: That is a public service work, Mr. Speaker . And so, you know, we must give gratitude to our public servants for the work that they do, by praising them and recognising the time that they do put in to try to repair and fix our infrastructure. I want to give them thanks. And I want them to recognise t hat this Government appreciates them. And we won’t say that they don’t care or are not diligent. But most importantly, Mr. Speaker . . . I am going to end with this because as I was out canvassing this past weekend. I am noting the comments . . . the last page where it says that the OBA would take care of its responsibilities to the public. And what my constituents are reporting back to me, Mr. Speaker, is that the Opposition is not even taking care of their responsibili-ties as an Opposition. So how could they take care of their responsibilities as a Government, Mr. Speaker ? These are not my words. This is what my constituents are reporting back to me. They are telling me that there is no Opposition. There is no one standing up for them —
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Tinee Furbert: Sorry. The Opposition is not standing up for them as they would like, Mr. Speaker .
[Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Tinee Furbert: But you are a government in waiting. Yes? [Inaudible interjections and laughter]
Hon. Tinee Furbert: A government in waiting, Mr. Speaker, must always be prepared. You cannot say you do not have any ideas or any policies or any legis-lation that you want to pass, Mr. Speaker . Actually, we have not seen much legislation come to this House— [Inaudible interjections] Hon. Tinee Furbert: Right?
[Crosstalk]
[Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr., Deputy Speaker, in the Chair]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThey have an idea. [Gavel] Hon. Tinee Furbert: They have an idea. Or they have the Government ’s ideas. [Crosstalk]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerLet’s have order. Hon. Tinee Furbert: But please don’t get mad at what the public is saying, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker . Those weren’t my words. That is what my constituents are saying. Okay? So I want to end, Mr. [Deputy] Speaker —
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. Tinee Furbert: —with what this Government has done to show and prove how we are making Bermuda fairer for all. It has been demonstrated time and time and time again with many Throne Speeches that we have produced to our citizens.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. Tinee Furbert: That we are a Government that cares. We are a Government that understands. We are a Government that will continue to fight for the things that our people need. Father God —yes. Father God, I am praying. [Laughter and crosstalk ] Hon. Tinee Furbert: Yes, we …
Mm-hmm. Hon. Tinee Furbert: That we are a Government that cares. We are a Government that understands. We are a Government that will continue to fight for the things that our people need. Father God —yes. Father God, I am praying.
[Laughter and crosstalk ]
Hon. Tinee Furbert: Yes, we are a Government , Mr. Deputy Speaker, that definitely recognises that we are making Bermuda a fairer place for all. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker .
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you. Are there any further speakers? Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 101 Bermuda House of Assembly The Chair recognises the Honourable Renee Ming from St. George’ s.
Mrs. Renee MingGood evening, Mr. Deputy Speaker , and listening audience.
Mrs. Renee MingI feel honoured that I can lend my voice to this debate tonight. [Inaudible interjections]
Mrs. Renee MingYou might not after my speech, though. [Laughter]
Mrs. Renee MingFirst of all, when I think in terms of Throne Speeches, they kind of remind me sometimes of budgets. And they have always been for me about people. So less about the numbers and more about the people, Mr. Deputy Speaker .
Mrs. Renee MingThe Throne Speech is a snapshot in some cases of the desire of the people and the agenda of the Government.
Mrs. Renee MingRight now if you actually talk to our people, believe it or not, they have political fatigue. And not just from Bermuda politics. They have it mostly from United States politics and the fact that we have a gen-tleman who is now, who will . . . who has won …
Right now if you actually talk to our people, believe it or not, they have political fatigue. And not just from Bermuda politics. They have it mostly from United States politics and the fact that we have a gen-tleman who is now, who will . . . who has won the presidency of the United States with the electoral vote, with the popular vote. He has the House, he has the Senate . . . it is almost like carte blanche, he can almost do what he wants with it. And so when you sometimes talk to our people, you hear that level of fatigue translate even the fatigue that they think they feel sometimes in terms of Bermuda politics. Our party mandate this year in terms of our Throne Speech was a fairer Bermuda for all . I actually felt that this was an important theme to have because historically, when we think about Bermuda, Mr. Deputy Speaker, there have been many unfair events. There have been many unfair policies. There have been many unfair laws. And if you take some time to speak to people, whilst we may live in 2024, there are certain aspects of those unfair events that still happen. And t his Government in terms of addressing the unfairness has to kind of take the bull by the [horns] and we acknowledge that some unfairness happens . I was schooled last week, or earlier this week I should say, by someone on the Remembrance Day Pa-rade. And we spoke about the unfairness that happened between Black and White soldiers back then, even in terms of the parade. They spoke about it in terms of the pensions and how long it took the Black soldiers to get their pensions. And we also spoke about the fact that the ex -artillery and the Royal Artillery Association (RAA) in St. George’s were the club for Black people and the Legion’s Club was the one f or the White soldiers. And so, we can go back . . . we have our history. If I had to describe it, I would say it is the good, the bad and the nasty sometimes. But, be that as it may, it is still our history. I am not going to touch, Mr. Deputy Speaker, on all of the things that have been said. Like we can talk about the roads until the cows come home. We could talk about the trees. We could talk about buildings. I think enough has been said by my colleagues on that. So my idea was . . . I took the time to . . . I just want to speak on some of the things that have been shared with me by my constituents on the areas of our Throne Speech that they felt were good. The first one I am going to touch on is employment, because we talk a lot about Bermudian jobs and Bermudians working. So, I think that it is important that our Government continues to commit to protecting Bermudians in their employment. Over the last year, maybe some 2024, 2023, we saw several redundancies happen in our Island. And in most cases these redundancies are Bermudian s who are losing their jobs. The fact that this Government has taken into consideration those persons who are made redundant . . . because I can imagine it is not a nice feeling to go into work one day and tomorrow you don’t have a job. Right? And though it may not have happened to me, I share in how that would feel with my colleagues, my friends and my family who it has happened to. And then the fact that while I am down on the ground, not even knowing where my next pay cheque is coming from, getting kicked further with payroll tax . . . that consideration in itself, Mr. Deputy Speaker, speaks volumes in terms of what we as a Government care about. Because that could be the difference of $10,000, $12,000, $5,000. But at the end of the day, it is still our money. That person now will have that money back in their pocket to use as they either look for a new job or in [whatever] way they feel. Like I said to you, they are already down at that stage. So this is just one way that the Government will ease that burden because that comes with stress. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the fact that the maximum redundancy pay time period . . . you know, I am always over-ambitious and an overachiever. So would I like to see 52 weeks. Yes. But 26 to 32 for persons who have done 13 years of continuous service is a start. And I think that as we continue to look at this and we look at trends and we look at data, we may decide that this needs a little bit more. But it is again addressing the need that we know we have redundancies in our Island. 102 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly We know that they come fast and furious. We don’t always hear about them because some employers are getting pretty smart. There are one or two, you don’t hear about it. But we get the mass numbers more than we get the smaller numbers. But just the fact that we have taken this under consideration and we have put it in our Throne Speech, which is part of our agenda, means that we will get it done. I know that there are many out there who were happy to hear that. And it may not benefit them at this time, and let us hope it doesn’t benefit them at all be-cause I don’t want anyone losing their job. But they do know that there is something a little more for them in their pocket should this sadly happen to them, Mr. Deputy Speaker . Our next steps may be to even closely look at how redundancies are even handled and why. And sometimes what happens afterwards. I think that it is important for governments to listen, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and sometimes you . . . most conversations I have had, believe it or not, they tie the redundancy side of it into immigration. And so that fact, that conversation of comprehensive immigration reform is still something that we need to talk about. And we may . . . you know, both [ the Throne Speech and the Rep ly] address the concerns about the number of residents that we have here. But there is no quick fix to that, in my opinion. That is a consultative thing that has to happen, Mr. Deputy Speaker . Bermudians cannot feel that in their country that they are being marginalised and they have to believe that their voice is being heard. I think that thinking it can be done [with a] quick snap of a brush . . . not going to happen and should not happen, and any responsible government should consider a strategy on how we move that forward. Another aspect I wanted to address, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is crime and gun violence. It is definitely not to be politicised. I just want to say that I read it in the Reply to the Throne Speech, and I just want to say that having sat in that seat for a short period of time, I don’t care how much money we give the Bermuda Police Service, they cannot fix that problem by themselves. And until such time that we actually are honest enough to say that this is a whole Island problem, we are not going to get the solut ions that we are looking for. And if we really want to look at it, right, not just in a quick snapshot, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the police are involved at the last part of it when you are arrested. You are going to jail or you are going to court or something like that. The part where we really need the solution is not to bulk up the police service and give them a whole pile of mor e money in there. We need to start talking to our parents because that is the first advocate, teacher, all of that, for our children. And maybe we need to give them the tools that they need to be able to identify when there may be an issue. Identify at -risk and be able to seek support somewhere. So I do not necessarily agree with the Op-position’s view of we need to equip the police service to prevent, detect and deter crime, because they just cannot do it. I don’t know where that comment came from, but it just would not happen, if we ar e really trying to be understanding of what the issues are here. We have a Gang Violence Reduction Team and I think that they have a lot on their plate. They prob-ably do more work than any of us know in terms of intervention, because that is not the type of work you come on and say, We did this many interventions. Because those things are private and discretionary. And so there is a lot of what they do that cannot make it into a public space. And to be honest it should not make it into a public space. There are some other matters I believe that we can do in terms of educating and training our teachers to be able to identify children that may be at -risk because I think the earlier we can arrest that problem or detect the problem, then the quicker that we can put in solutions to prevent children from being involved or in high-risk environments, or involved even in gangs at a later age. And so maybe that is something that as we go forward . . . I will continue to use my voice to advocate in that way and we can collaboratively work on solutions to address that problem. But like I said to you, it does not sit just with the police service. Health care always comes up, Mr. Deputy Speaker . And it think that as we move forward to universal health care the part that I would hope that we see in that is a cultural side of it as well. That we do not, you know, look at other jurisdictions, yes, for things that we can garner. But let us look at Bermuda for what we have. Like, we know we have some of the highest rates in terms of diabetes. We have some of the highest rates in terms of hypertension. And we also know that we have dementia and Alzheimer’ s issues as well. So as we move forward I plan to bring to the table what I get from my constituents in terms of those things, but also how we align our health care system to be able to either reduce or better deal with the chronic [diseases] that impact Bermudians on a whole. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the other thing that always seems to come up is education. I don’t think that there are too many of us that don’t think that we don’t need immigration reform . . . education reform, sorry. But I think that as we move forward we need to be working collabor atively, consultatively with our public so that we bring them with us as well. I will never stand up here and tell you that we get everything right. And my colleagues who sit with me know that I will use my voice anywhere I need to for my constituents and for my people. So, these are some of the . . . like this one . . . we have work to do. I am not running from that. The other thing— my last point, Mr. Deputy Speaker, because this Reply to the Throne Speech had 13 sayings of It is time for an election. I counted them. I am anal that way. Thirteen. And I thought about it and I said, I wonder if the Opposition Leader recognises that Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 103
Bermuda House of Assembly governing ain’t easy . And that when you say that . . . you know what, you could say well, you say it. But if you were actually put in that seat, what does that look like? Because I am going to say this here to you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that I served in the Senate from 2012 until 2017 and they were some of the most traumatic years of my life in terms of politics. I am going to qualify that to my old Senate Leader that . . . we cannot proceed when we don’t consult and collaborate. And in that short space of time I had 27 protests I went through as a Senator . So much so that I sometimes wonder how I sit here now as an MP because we were marched on—
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYou are a Ming from Hamilton Parish, I guess.
Mrs. Renee MingWell, you know, I am from St. George’s . I guess I have got tough blood. We were bum rushed (for lack of another word). We were marched on. We were every single thing. And my former Senate Leader knows that I kept every date, every protest, because I could …
Well, you know, I am from St. George’s . I guess I have got tough blood. We were bum rushed (for lack of another word). We were marched on. We were every single thing. And my former Senate Leader knows that I kept every date, every protest, because I could not believe sometimes what we were going through and in some cases surviving through. Right? We had many —27 protests in that short space of time. But what it did do was always let me know that when we became the Government that we wanted t o— I wanted us to—be more collaborative, more focused and definitely not find ourselves in that space because it was a very difficult, very, very difficult time. I think now that we are the Government there are many things that we would have learned from that. And we can learn. And I would hope that even for the Opposition (now Opposition, anyhow) there were many things that we can learn from that as well. There is a maturity, I believe, that comes wit h time in this space. So, with that we must, we have to, realise that we must collaborate with each other. We must communicate and we definitely have to consult because I would not want to . . . I say the trauma that it was for me, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and that was being a Senator. But I can only imagine some of the trauma that the country went through. And there are some who still talk about the various protests and what it was that they protested. I don’t think any of us are going to forget 2 December 2016.
Mrs. Renee MingRight? So, as we . . . you have to sit in this space. When you sit in this space, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you have to care. You have to care.
Mrs. Renee MingAnd I don’t think that I will say that any one person who sits in here doesn’t care. But we also have to make those efforts in what I said to you about those three Cs. And I think that what we have in front of us in terms of …
And I don’t think that I will say that any one person who sits in here doesn’t care. But we also have to make those efforts in what I said to you about those three Cs. And I think that what we have in front of us in terms of the Government ’s Throne Speech definitely has areas of showing that it cares. I think it is also important for my colleagues who may not be sitting on the front bench to continue to express and give ideas and solutions to the Govern-ment as well because backbench does not mean that you cannot talk and you cannot speak. I say it all the time when I sit in this space, that I honour my people in St. George’s . The fact that I can get up here and speak and use my voice and advocate is because of the trust that they put in me as their Member of Parliament.
Mrs. Renee MingAnd they know for sure that those are the things that I will do. But I think that what I speak more on this time is more on the collaboration thing and that we should continue to share ideas, continue to share suggestions. And even in terms of the Opposition. …
And they know for sure that those are the things that I will do. But I think that what I speak more on this time is more on the collaboration thing and that we should continue to share ideas, continue to share suggestions. And even in terms of the Opposition. I heard somebody earlier say, We are not telling you. Well, you should be telling us. If you have an idea. Why not? What? Are you going to hold it in your pocket until you become the Government? [Inaudible interjection]
Mrs. Renee MingRight. So, share those ideas if you have them now because at the end of the day it is about our country doing better and being better. So I don’t want to see somebody, like I said, holding onto something for the next 25 years, right, when you could share …
Mrs. Renee MingSo, Mr. Deputy Speaker, on that I will end my comments because I think I have said enough, and I would hope that I have given some points and nuggets for everyone in this space and the listening audience.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYou sound like your uncle Alabama. [Laughter]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you. The Chair recognises the Deputy Premier, Minister Roban. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . Once again, I am honoured to get on my feet and give a contribution to this important debate around the Throne Speech. Over certainly the last seven years, eight years …
Thank you. The Chair recognises the Deputy Premier, Minister Roban.
Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . Once again, I am honoured to get on my feet and give a contribution to this important debate around the Throne Speech. Over certainly the last seven years, eight years since we have been Government, it has been . . . one of the challenges has been —and it is actually a good challenge— is to follow a very talented and gifted team that sits — 104 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly The Deputy Speaker: Yes.
Hon. Walter H. Roban: —as members of the Progressive Labour Party. As you know prior to Government I was often the one that did a lot of the talking on my feet and often encouraged by yourself, Mr. Deputy Speaker . But it has been an interesting position, even though I have a leadership role, to have been a part of a team that actually has been excellent in how they deal with the business of the Government and that doesn’t . . . whether it is front or back where they sit, but also does its part of an excellent legislative team that is the Progressive Labour Party in this House. It is ironic to be . . . in some ways to follow many up- and-coming Members, but I am one of the outgoing Members as well. But the experience has been wonderful to be a part of . . . certainly since 2017 to be part of such an excellent team that does make it difficult to often follow in the debate. But I will speak to this Throne Speech.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. Walter H. Roban: Perhaps, obviously, the last one that I will speak to. But I will speak of it as a speech that I believe is extremely wholesome in the proposals it is bringing for our people.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes. Hon. Walter H. Roban: I don’t think any Member on this side, certainly, and those who support us could have listened last Friday and not heard a speech which they could honestly say didn’t identify the key areas that people want the Government and those who are in Government …
Yes.
Hon. Walter H. Roban: I don’t think any Member on this side, certainly, and those who support us could have listened last Friday and not heard a speech which they could honestly say didn’t identify the key areas that people want the Government and those who are in Government (which is all of us, 36 in this House) to be focused on. This has obviously been an extremely challenging time for Bermuda, the last four years. And it has meant the Government has been required to, as the Honourable Member who sits for constituency 17 said earlier as he opened, set our sail and sail the course. And we have. It has been perhaps . . . it has not been just sailing the course but having to, many times, adjust the sail and adjust how we are going to tack, how we are going to complete the journey. And often have headwinds that made you often have to pull down the sail.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes, yes. Hon. Walter H. Roban: And sense the wind and put your sail up in the right direction.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYou sail, too. You know your stuff! Hon. Walter H. Roban: But that is often how life is. And for anyone to criticise the requirement to do that, I be-lieve doesn’t really understand leadership.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerYes. Hon. Walter H. Roban: As the Honourable Member Hayward said earlier today, that is exactly what we expect governments to do when necessary. When confronted with situations, you should have the courage and the ability and not be so arrogant to not tell people, Listen, we have to adjust, …
Yes.
Hon. Walter H. Roban: As the Honourable Member Hayward said earlier today, that is exactly what we expect governments to do when necessary. When confronted with situations, you should have the courage and the ability and not be so arrogant to not tell people, Listen, we have to adjust, and this is why . That is why we came up with an economic recovery plan and an economic development strategy. Because there was a need for the country to reboot and to readjust our tack and our course because of what the count ry had gone through and what was required for our people. Very important. This Throne Speech has outlined a number of key initiatives that shows that we are moving in the right direction. The issue of housing. So we are looking at ways we can address housing aggressively. We have had to change course on a particularly significa nt project. That course is to ensure that we are dealing with the needs right now so that in the long- term housing issues are dealt with. And even looking at legislation, I am particularly pleased that we are looking at youth. There was a mention in the speech about youth mental health, and we have learned over recent years that this is an issue, that the mental health of our young people is crucial. We must not ignore that as an issue for us to address. And we are designing programmes to deal with that. Ev en as we deal with the monumental task of universal health care, there are key components of that that are crucial for us to ensure that the needs of our community are met. This throne speech does seek to deal with the right issues in a way that will ensure not only short -term performance but also long- term results. I will spend just a bit of the time that I am going to use to touch on the areas that are specific to my Minis try other than what I have already spoken on. The issue of the environment is important, extremely crucial to where we are now, but also to the future of this Island. It is not unknown to all of us that the issue of climate change is a global one, and as a small island in the middle of the Atlantic, we are impacted very, very severely by the changes around us. And for anyone to believe that, yes, Bermuda may be another world . . . But we are a part of a globe. We sit in the middle of an ocean. What happens in the ocean and the health of that ocean impacts us. It impacts our people. And the ocean has been crucial to our development as a settlement, as an island community and as a jurisdiction. And to believe that the health of that body of water around us is not integral to the health of our people is s omething that . . . If that is something that someone believes, they really need to set that aside. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 105
Bermuda House of Assembly The ocean has been a source of sustenance. It is how we get most of our goods and services. It has been where we have turned even in the colonial times to ensure our survivability as a community. Even when we were in the agricultural business over a centur y ago, we shipped those goods to other places. So being on the ocean was a source of how we extracted our wealth and our prosperity. And that continues to be today. Even though we are maximising our land mass to ensure our prosperity, the ocean around us is still crucial to our survival, and so it is important that we do what we can to protect this body, to ensure its health and prosperity. And as is listed in the Thr one Speech, there is going to be attention done to ensure there is greater enforcement in our environment for activities that do not contribute to the health and welfare of the ocean around us with the Marine Resources Enforce-ment Strategy which the Minist ry of Home Affairs will work on to complete within this calendar year. And luckily, we have great partners. Bermuda has developed positively on a number of platforms due to partnerships. So, partnership with the UK Government, partnership with the Waitt Institute, and even partnership with the United States Coast Guard is going to be helping us in that effort as we gain more responsibility for the ocean around us, our Exclusive Economic Zone. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we will have partners that will support and help us with resources, with technology, with training, and opportunities that will expand our own citizens’ role in that enforcement. Even as we speak now, our wardens go out with the United States Coast Guard and patrol our outer waters. So, we are working with them. They are benefiting from that experience with the United S tates Coast Guard, and they are benefiting from the partnership that they are building with Bermuda because as we enforce our own wa-ters, we also help protect the US jurisdiction as well. And that is why that partnership is strengthening. We are gaining technological and resource support from the UK Government to ensure that we can have the proper surveillance under the water and above the water through satellite and other technologies that are being made available to Bermuda to do this wor k. So, we will raise enforcement. And there are other tools and technologies that we are going to be deploying going forward with this enforcement plan that will help us to enforce all activities on the water within our inner waters and outer waters. And t hese are exciting opportunities for us. Bermudians will be involved di-rectly with them. And I look forward to this Government bringing them into place. The Blue Prosperity Plan, Mr. Deputy Speaker, which has been in the works now for three to four years and [is] a wonderful partnership that we have had with the Waitt Institute and BIOS [ Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences ], is an effort to transform our ocean into not only a body of water around us but also be a source of our prosperity going forward. In partnership with all of the stakeholders —fishermen, recreational fishers, ocean enthusiasts, scientists —the prosperity plan will contribute to the conserv ation of our reefs, the renewal of our seagrasses and our mangroves and all those areas that are needed to ensure building prosperity to create new industries that are associated with the ocean. And the opportunity for blue tourism is here. The Honourable Member who sits for constituency 14, Mr. Caines, spoke about the responses of a visitor on how Bermuda is so beautiful. Well, that is because Bermudians have worked hard to ensure it is that way.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerCan you pause a second, Minister? Minister, you have only 20 minutes, not 30 minutes. We started after 9:25, seven hours. My apologies for that. Hon. Walter H. Roban: That is all right.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerOkay Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you. I am going to come to a conclusion in the next few sentences, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am very, very optimistic about the future of our country. That optimism is emulated [by] this Throne Speech that we have given. But certainly, the areas …
Okay Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you. I am going to come to a conclusion in the next few sentences, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am very, very optimistic about the future of our country. That optimism is emulated [by] this Throne Speech that we have given. But certainly, the areas that I have responsibility for around the environment . . . Bermuda is a leader in environmental cons ervation protection. That is a story I have been proud to take all over the world. I will continue because I believe that Bermuda has the same potential around attracting people here for the environment and for conservation (and what we are doing whether i t be in renewable energy with expanding our Blue Prosperity [Plan] opportunities) as we have done in international business and tourism. This can be an area over time [where] we bring people here to see the Bermuda experience and miracle of what we have done to protect the oceans around us. And I am proud to have been somebody involved with this Government in trying to bring that about. And with that, Mr. Deputy Speaker . . . Again, my colleagues who have come before me have given me little space to go all over the place because they have covered all of the issues so well. But I am sure there are more wonderful, eloquent contributions to come from those who are left. Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you, Deputy Premier. [Desk thumping]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerThank you so much. Any further speakers? The Chair recognises the Honourable Minister Wayne Furbert from that beautiful place out in Hamilton Parish. 106 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I found it very …
Thank you so much. Any further speakers? The Chair recognises the Honourable Minister Wayne Furbert from that beautiful place out in Hamilton Parish. 106 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I found it very interesting listening to my former colleague who sat in the room with me every Tuesday. And these are the words that he said in February 2024.
[Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: He said that he praised the PLP for its economic measures, reducing payroll taxes, freezing government health insurance premiums —
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberI remember that. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —eliminating duties on staple goods [and] working to curb inflation. He referred to these policies as examples of the PLP's fiscal prudence and financial competence. He argued that the PLP demonstrated responsible — [Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —responsible Government. So, …
I remember that. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —eliminating duties on staple goods [and] working to curb inflation. He referred to these policies as examples of the PLP's fiscal prudence and financial competence. He argued that the PLP demonstrated responsible —
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —responsible Government. So, I was just wondering whether the real Vance Campbell would stand up. [Laughter]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Will the real Vance Campbell stand up? Mr. Deputy Speaker, it clearly shows that the Honourable Member really believes that the PLP is a Government of the day.
[Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I hear them talking about me and the United Bermuda Party, and one day I will come in this Honourable House and tell you how I ended up on this side.
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I will be glad to tell this Honourable House how I ended [up] on this side. But I can tell you right now, it was not the same way Honourable Member Vance Campbell did. [Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I can tell you right now. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, this is the worst —
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerOrder! Order! Order! Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —this is the worst Throne Speech reply I have ever heard. [Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I have been around, and it has gotten worse. And Mr. Deputy Speaker, I have been around for 33 years and counting. [Gavel]
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerOrder! Continue. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: There is no substance to it. There is no vision to it. It makes no sense at all for what the Reply is. Make . . . And you wonder. I heard an Honourable Member saying, Well, what will the public be saying the …
Order! Continue. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: There is no substance to it. There is no vision to it. It makes no sense at all for what the Reply is. Make . . . And you wonder. I heard an Honourable Member saying, Well, what will the public be saying the next day? The only thing they will be saying is, Call the election.
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: And you know, Mr. Deputy Speaker, in the honourable place in Hamilton Parish, I have no problem with them calling the election. [Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I have no problem with that. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, even in their election platform, I had to search high and low — [Laughter] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —to find [something] of substance that people can believe in.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: There is nothing there. And I will . . . Let me just deal with one particular topic. And that is transportation. There is nowhere in here they talk about transportation. There is nowhere in their election platform [that] talks about transportation and how they …
Mm-hmm.
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: There is nothing there. And I will . . . Let me just deal with one particular topic. And that is transportation. There is nowhere in here they talk about transportation. There is nowhere in their election platform [that] talks about transportation and how they are going to make people’s lives even better in the transportation industry.
[Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, they say they are not giving it. But Mr. Deputy Speaker, I can tell you right now, they will never be able to give it.
[Laughter]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: They will never be able to give it. They only got 29 Members sitting on the bench back here. You need another seven—
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberDo not worry about that. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 107 Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: You need another seven.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberDo not worry about that. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: And Mr. Deputy Speaker, I can tell you right now. I look at the faces right now, and the one, two, three, four, five, the sixth person will not be there. [Laughter] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: He will not be there. …
Do not worry about that. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: And Mr. Deputy Speaker, I can tell you right now. I look at the faces right now, and the one, two, three, four, five, the sixth person will not be there. [Laughter]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: He will not be there. And that is a promise made and a promise I will keep. [Laughter, desk thumping, and general uproar] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I can promise you that. Hamilton Parish will not be putting that gentleman into Hamilton Parish seat six. That is a promise I have made and a promise I will keep to this Honourable House.
[Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I am talking about it because you have got pictures back here. [Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Your Reply. You replied that you are going to put these people in.
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker — [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —Throne Speech Reply week, the platform week . . . And then the Honourable Member . . . And you know, I like this Honourable Member. She said she was going to stay calm. Yesterday . . . Allow me to read this Mr. —
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerContinue. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —Deputy Speaker . She said, This year’s PLP T hrone Speech promised taxi owners a payroll tax relief, but legislation still has to be tabled. Did we not just table that today?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberIt was delayed. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Sometimes, as you know, Mr. Deputy Speaker . . . And they know . . . sorry, they do not know because . . . Well, you were. You were in Government for a short time. Legislation takes some time to be drafted …
It was delayed.
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Sometimes, as you know, Mr. Deputy Speaker . . . And they know . . . sorry, they do not know because . . . Well, you were. You were in Government for a short time. Legislation takes some time to be drafted and in place. And then there is some— [Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —legislation that we want to put forward that is higher priority within the Govern-ment. So, there was timing. But it has been delayed to-day. And we will debate, and in due season. But Mr. Deputy Speaker — [Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —the Honourable Member talks about the $600 deduction as far as payroll tax for taxi drivers. Do you know what the average taxi driver was paying under the OBA Government? Three thousand dollars!
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWhoa! Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Three thousand dollars, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And in 2019, we decreased it to $1,000. And now we will decrease it to $600. And this is the party that says they care. Just like the 13 houses that they are talking about they built — [Laughter] …
Whoa!
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Three thousand dollars, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And in 2019, we decreased it to $1,000. And now we will decrease it to $600. And this is the party that says they care. Just like the 13 houses that they are talking about they built — [Laughter]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —and talking about they care about the people of Bermuda. You do not care about anybody but yourselves! You really do not. Mr. Deputy Speaker , they do not really care about . . . They do not care.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: And if they cared— [Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —you know . . . It clearly shows why you lost. [Inaudible interjections ]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYes. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: You are down to six. We are— [Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, not the Throne Speech. Mr. Deputy Speaker — [Laughter ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: So, 80 per cent. I heard …
Yes.
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: You are down to six. We are— [Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, not the Throne Speech. Mr. Deputy Speaker —
[Laughter ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: So, 80 per cent. I heard my good friend, Christopher Famous, mention this morn108 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly ing. There has been an 80 per cent deduction . . . reduction after these guys . . . three thousand dollars they used to charge the taxi driver. If you ask the question, Mr. Deputy Speaker, who cares?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberI do. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Who cares more about the taxi drivers than us? Because they have not laid out one idea on taxi drivers or any transportation at all.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberI did not see it. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Not one idea at all.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNot one. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: So how in the world do you say you care? [Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Me and the taxi drivers. Well, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you will never be able to see that. They will never be able to see that, Mr. Deputy …
Not one.
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: So how in the world do you say you care? [Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Me and the taxi drivers. Well, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you will never be able to see that. They will never be able to see that, Mr. Deputy Speaker . And then the Honourable Member said it has been five years since the PLP published the 2019 [Transport] Green Paper with over 80 recommen-dations and only two recommendations on it. [Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, let me just read a few things here.
The Deputy SpeakerDeputy SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I do not know where their recommendations come from, but it is called “Context .” That is where she got it from, [where] the Honourable Member got it from. And the first thing talks about ageing buses. We replaced buses in 2023 and 2024. That …
Mm-hmm.
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I do not know where their recommendations come from, but it is called “Context .” That is where she got it from, [where] the Honourable Member got it from. And the first thing talks about ageing buses. We replaced buses in 2023 and 2024. That is first, 1.1, Public Bus. [Section] 1.2, Public Ferry. We have ordered some new ferries that will arrive here next year that are costing this country significant funds. But we have moved forward on those ferries. Matter of fact, we gave ferries for some of you to ride across from Paget. [Laughter]
Ms. Susan E. JacksonI am just hearing this for the first time. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Oh, [this is] the first time you are hearing this? The Honourable Member knows that she catches the ferry across from Paget sometimes. And 1.3 talks about [the] impact of bus fare media, and we know . …
I am just hearing this for the first time. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Oh, [this is] the first time you are hearing this? The Honourable Member knows that she catches the ferry across from Paget sometimes. And 1.3 talks about [the] impact of bus fare media, and we know . . . They know that we put the digital fare media out there called ShoreLink. What are they talking about, Mr. Deputy Speaker ? Then they go on and talk about disabled parking bays. Well, we know the Corporation of Hamilton has increased a significant amount of disabled parking bays in Hamilton, and I am sure they will do more. That is section 1, section 2, section 3. We talked about community service or public services of commercial vehicle. They are aware of our harmonisation and modernisation of papers that we have been discussing around here.
Ms. Susan E. JacksonPromises, promises, promises. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, we talked about electric and hybrid technology. They are not aware, but my Cabinet colleagues and my caucus colleagues are aware that we are working on electric ferries.
Ms. Susan E. JacksonAnd brand- new cars, right? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: We are working on electric ferries. [Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Project Ride Training [Programme], the paper is in progress. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we talked about cruise ships. Let me tell you about cruise ships.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberTell them about cruise ships. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, in 2017, under the OBA Government, they had 418,000 passengers.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThat is pretty maxed out? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Maxed out.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberMaxed out. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: [In] 2024, under the PLP we did 539,000 passengers. Some Hon. Member s: Ooh! Ooh! Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Under the OBA the economic impact was $81,000,000 in 2017. You know what the economic impact [is] for 2024 under the Progressive Labour Party ? …
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNo point of order? [Inaudible interjections and laughter ] Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 109 Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: No, it was not. [Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Anyway, Mr. Deputy Speaker, actually under yourselves, you failed. [Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne …
No point of order?
[Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 109
Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: No, it was not.
[Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Anyway, Mr. Deputy Speaker, actually under yourselves, you failed.
[Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: You failed. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we are talking about noise pollution. Well, we replaced it for buses. We replaced electric buses, EVs, but they are the most quiet buses going around. I do not know what the Honourable Member was reading.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberI do not know. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I do not know what the Honourable Member is . . . That is why they cannot win an election, Mr. Deputy Speaker. [Laughter and inaudible interjections] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, and we go on from there. So, Mr. …
I do not know.
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I do not know what the Honourable Member is . . . That is why they cannot win an election, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
[Laughter and inaudible interjections]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, and we go on from there. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker — [Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —this Throne Speech is visionary. It is clear. It paints a picture. And it paints a path going forward.
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: There is no path coming from the Honourable Member s on that side.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberNone. [Inaudible interjections ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: You read, wake up the next morning, and say: What do we do? Where are we going? The Honourable Member did 13 houses. My Honourable Member here did 400 houses. [Inaudible interjections and laughter ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Four hundred! And …
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberDo your math. There are still more per year. [Laughter] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, so we move on from a whole bunch of things. We are looking at minibuses. We are talking [about] the legislation about minibuses. And we will bring the legislation forward. So, I do …
Do your math. There are still more per year. [Laughter] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Mr. Deputy Speaker, so we move on from a whole bunch of things. We are looking at minibuses. We are talking [about] the legislation about minibuses. And we will bring the legislation forward. So, I do not want to talk about the legislation, but it allows us efficiency within Government and allowed the minibus drivers to pay similar to taxi drivers at the place of TCD [Transport Control Department].
[Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: So Mr. Deputy Speaker, we talk about some of the Throne Speech Reply. The things that we had talked about as far as . . . There are some things that we want to . . . It is bureaucracy.
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Bureaucracy. And it happened under yourselves. It happens under us. But under this Government we plan to change some things. There is no way a person should come to TCD, have a little scratch on their car and it fails. Well, at least we are doing something about it. You never did anything about it.
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: You never did anything about it, Mr. Deputy Speaker . And we talked about . . . I am not going to talk too much about the medical check- up because we are the only country I know in the world that examines for a medical check. You know what they do in the UK, in the Caymans, in The Bahamas, in Barbados, and the list goes on and on? You have to fill out a form to say if you have any medical conditions.
[Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMm-hmm. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Now you are fined if it is found out that you are filling out the form incorrectly. It allows the director to actually do some checks. So, they were clearly . . . We are trying to make life easier for our people.
Ms. Susan E. JacksonWhat about the eyeglasses? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: We are trying to make these lives easier. And we will deal with the eyeglasses, but I am talking about that in the paper. But my point, Mr. Speaker, we are trying to make life easier for the people of Bermuda.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberAnd you are, Wayne. 110 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Another Hon. Member: There you go. You have got one friend. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: I have got a lot of friends. You are a friend of mine, are you not?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberAnd a lot of relatives. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: And a lot of relatives, yes.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWayne, they used to vote for you. [Laughter] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: No, no, no. None of them voted for me. No, no. And also, Mr. Speaker, we are all aware that you get a brand- new car.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWho? Who has got a brand- new car? Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: You all are getting a brand - new car. And let me talk about Ministers driving around cars. If you remember, the OBA Government said we will never drive a government car . [Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. …
Mr. L. Craig CannonierThat is not true. Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Yes, you did. And I remember saying, Mr. Speaker . . . And what happened was a permanent secretary was driving by, and a Minister was standing in a bus shelter. And [he] asked them do they want a ride down. [Inaudible …
That is not true.
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Yes, you did. And I remember saying, Mr. Speaker . . . And what happened was a permanent secretary was driving by, and a Minister was standing in a bus shelter. And [he] asked them do they want a ride down.
[Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: That is the truth. And then what they did to try to hide from the public, they did not put GP on the car. They put like 15785. So, all the ducking and weaving. [Inaudible interjection] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Yes, you changed the licence plate.
[Crosstalk ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: No, no. Several. It was several.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order POINT OF ORDER
Mr. L. Craig CannonierThe Honourable Member does not know what he is talking about. It was one car whose licence plate was changed. Some Hon. Member s: Why? [Inaudible interjections ]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierI do not know. I do not know. [Inaudible interjections and laughter ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Well, I . . . There were several that were changed. There were several that were changed. Yes, there were. Let me just start with my good friend, the Honourable Crockwell. [Inaudible interjections] …
I do not know. I do not know.
[Inaudible interjections and laughter ] Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: Well, I . . . There were several that were changed. There were several that were changed. Yes, there were. Let me just start with my good friend, the Honourable Crockwell. [Inaudible interjections]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: The Honourable Crockwell. That is one. Let me ask for the other Member, who was the Minister of Transport. That is two. And there were several.
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: So, you cannot count. That is why you can never be back in the Government because you cannot count. But Mr. Speaker, we are shifting away from—
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. Wayne L. Furbert: —essential . . . as far as safety standards rather than cosmetic issues, we are ensuring more meaningful assessments of road vehicle worthiness. That is what we are moving towards. So, this Government remains committed to upholding vital safety measures w hile eliminating regulations that are no longer necessary, reflecting our pledge to reducing red tape and improving efficiency. Mr. Speaker, through these reforms, the Progressive Labour Party is committed in its promise to reshape this Government’s policy for the benefit of all Bermudians. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Honourable Member . [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerDoes any other Honourable Member wish to make a contribution? Opposition Whip?
Mr. L. Craig CannonierYes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 111 Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Yes. [Inaudible interjection]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierNo, no. You do not want to do that. You do not want to do that. [Laughter]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierYes, interesting, Mr. Speaker, tonight there has been a lot of going back and forth, and I am not really going to entertain that in my speech. Maybe others may want to — [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Mr. L. Craig Cannonier—in some way interpolate in the background. I like a little back and forth—
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMake your peace, now. Make your peace.
Mr. L. Craig Cannonier—but I went to the prayer breakfast this morning, and I feel good. [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierListen, governing is no easy task, as we have heard. And I do not envy the position, having been in the position before. It is difficult. But what I continue to hear repeatedly over and over is that, you know, W e have to adjust. We have to adjust. Things …
Listen, governing is no easy task, as we have heard. And I do not envy the position, having been in the position before. It is difficult. But what I continue to hear repeatedly over and over is that, you know, W e have to adjust. We have to adjust. Things are coming. It is coming. And it does not matter whether you are [a] PLP Government or [an] OBA Gov-ernment. Things are always adjusting. But in some ways, as I listen to the conversation, it does seem a bit that the OBA is held at a differ-ent standard so that in four and a half years we are adjusting, we are trying to get things to where we believe they need to be. The intent has always been pure because we want the best for everyone in Bermuda, the best. So, we have had quite a few sermons. I have been accused of sermoning. Today is not a sermon day for me.
[Inaudible interjections ]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierI think that one of the challenges we have . . . And I will get to the Throne Speech, but what it appears to me is that we are spending so much time on benefits as opposed to opportunity. And why do I say that? Most of us, if …
I think that one of the challenges we have . . . And I will get to the Throne Speech, but what it appears to me is that we are spending so much time on benefits as opposed to opportunity. And why do I say that? Most of us, if I look around the room, come from a labour background —most of us, from a labour background. And the whole progressive move of labour was to ensure that it moved its people not just through labour but moved its people through coming out of just being in a labour position but to become owners, entrepreneurs, and the like. And so, my labour parents, just like many of us here in this room . . . my labour parents sacrificed so that we could get an education and come back and make a difference. And one of the paths that has been hugely successful for the local in Bermuda was entrepreneurships, owning their own businesses, whether it be an electrician or construction person, retail, the likes. And we progressed so quickly under a strong labour movement that many became pharmacy owners and the like so that if you look today, we have a remarkable progressive, and probably at one time, the wealthiest Black middle class in the world compared to othe r countries. They marvelled when they came to Ber-muda. They saw home ownership and the like. And so, I do not knock the Government for looking for opportu-nities for home ownership and these things. That is the roots of where we came from. My challenge is this: that when we put in place these benefits in an Island where cost is extremely high and increasing, the very people who were born out of that labour movement are now business owners, and they are struggling for many reasons. No blame c asting on anyone, but they are struggling. And so, when we say we are going to move from a 26 week to a 32 week severance pay, many of these businesses have to have redundancies or layoffs because they cannot survive. It is economically tough. And now rather than levy this on the larger international business, as opposed to the local businesses, what we have done is clumped them all together into one, and so the poor struggling local businessman is looking and saying: There is no way I am going to be able to make that. I got to cut back on staff because I cannot survive. The cost is so high. So, this becomes a real challenge. Governing is not easy because the effect of one move like this here could shatter a whole group of entrepreneurs, a whole group. And so, it has to be planned out. It has to be thought out. And we are beginning to see some of these tiered approaches to how we put in tax and the like, but some of these benefits are going to have to be put that way as well because these middle- class Bermudians are trying to survive at a time when it is diffi-cult. One of the other things that I think we need to be reminded of is that, I don’t care what capitalist system you come from, whether you are third world country, first world country, second world country, whatever you want to [call it], cost always increases unless there is a collapse, a complete collapse of the economy. So costs are always increasing. The balancing act of the turning ship, which my honourable colleague next to me here said, and manoeuvring throughout all of these challenges that we have is that we have to balance that off with an economy that is providing opportunity at a faster pace than the cost. No one, when we were making money, was complaining. No one was complaining 112 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly because we were making money. Every industry in Bermuda was thriving. But we are in a challenging time right now. And if we are to understand the complexities of our economy, and not to say that anyone doesn’t, or that the Government, doesn’t, but the complexities require fine tuning. And I think sometimes that we are now in a position whereby it feels like we are giving, and giving and giving, but the economy is not doing the same. We are outpacing ourselves so the cost of living is huge. It’s just huge. Our retailers in the supermarket area are still buying from the North American folks who are not helping at all with the cost that we have. And that is why people get vexed when they start seeing these mergers, because under our PLP Government what we are now beginning to see (and I spoke about it before) is that we have the insurance companies now merging together . They are buying into doctors’ offices and pharmacies and the likes , and now supermarkets, so we are moving back towards, it appears, these monopolies. And we should have been paying attention to the finetuning and recognising that this was coming, if we do not figure out how to improve the economy. Now, that is where the debate comes in on how we improve the economy. How do we stimulate the economy? We hear the comparisons in this room all the time. Ok, well, you know America’s Cup this and that , and, you know, the back and forth and going. We saw the benefit of having it here because it instantly affected most industries in Bermuda. So we are in a conundrum here and the more that the Government has to give without the economy improving at a greater pace, we are heading towards a potential disaster if the CIT [Cor-porate Income Tax] does not work, or it is not as lucrative as we want it to be. So, there is a challenge before us. I believe that in this House the opportunity is for us to debate these items and talk about what we think is best. But it also feels at times when we make suggestions , that I hear all the time, Well, give us a suggestion. I am beginning to get a little frustrated with that because a lot of suggestions have been given. But they seem to fall on deaf ears, quite frankly. And that is frustrating because costs continue to rise. And the reason our seniors are having challenges , and the reason their health insurance is their new mortgage now is because costs continue to rise. Now, if we look at the state of things right now, just of today, let’s just look at the state of things. And we heard some of this said before. You read the paper and you will see that the Salvation Army is begging for people to donate groceries. They are begging. The Salvation Army is showing their shelves empty. I am not sure of the last time I saw that, but we are seeing it. We see where the fishermen are basically saying, Listen, we don’t feel like we are being listened to. The taxi drivers have been bo ld and have said, Don’t vote for this PLP Government. That’s what they said. These are some of the things that are going on. The doctors are complaining and asking what is happening with the consultation. There is a common theme throughout all of this and that is whilst the PLP Government is implementing many things , which we agree are good, but if the people feel like you are not consulting with them —and we as the OBA recognised that was a challenge (we weren’t consulting as well as we thought we were) —well, guess what? The industries that are out there today are telling this Government that consultation is not what they thought it was going to be. And they are not saying, listen, it has to go all their way . They want to be at the table to feel like there has been proper consultation. And that is a constant theme throughout every industry that you can possibly think of because they have all been in the papers screaming that this communication or this consult ation is not what it should be. So, if there is any advice that I would give it is that we need to spend some more time with the indus-tries. And I am not talking about the international industries; I am talking about people who came out and were born out of this labour movement who own their own businesses who want a [seat] at the table. And all of us want them to have more, but we are in a position whereby they do not think they are getting enough, or getting their fair share of the pie. So we have to con-tinue to cut back on our taxes, on this, and cut back and cut back. And the more that we continue to cut back, guess what, Mr. Speaker? Out of all of those industries and even more, they are still complaining. It is not easy governing. Not easy at all. But there are solutions to these challenges. And it cannot be always that when we come into this House that we have something to say that all of a sudden now just because we are saying that we do not agree with something that it is contentious. It is not. I am very happy with some of the things that the Honourable Minister of Health is attempting to do in that sphere. I believe that more needs to be done. I would like to see legislation coming forward that is going to avoid some of these conglomerates, because if a doctor’s office cannot own a pharmacy why is the insurance company who presides over everyone owning a pharmacy and telling people, You have to come to me to get a generic drug for free, without a copay ? That is completely unacceptable. So, it takes planning. And looking at this, that is what is going to hurt us. And there isn’t a thing that a PLP or an OBA Government is going to be able to do about it because the mergers have already happened. They have already happened! So, the very thing that vexed us back in the labour movement, these monopolies, we are already heading back to them now. So there needs to be some urgency to get to and arrest the situation because people are upset. They are telling me that MarketPlace does not have enough. And we do not even have one major Black -owned supermarket in the Island. Not one! An industry that we have been completely left out of. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 113
Bermuda House of Assembly And lucrative. MarketPlace is only doing it because it is making millions of dollars. They can afford to buy the HSBC building that used to sit over here and now go after other supermarkets. The opportunity is there because, quite frankly, those folks who own these monop-olies and these big local businesses, their kids do not want any part of it. Go talk to the Gosling family ; they do not want to be here. They will tell you. So, at the end of the day we need to look at it and see that there is opportunity there. And that is why I am saying that we are spending far too much time on the benefits as opposed to having the opportunity outpace that . There is nothing wrong if you want to give 32 weeks of redundancy pay. But I can assure you that there are still businesses living on a shoestring. They might look okay. But if you talk to them they are going to tell you a whole different story. That is where I believe the Government of t he day needs to concentrate on more.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberHave you talked to the workers?
Mr. L. Craig CannonierAbsolutely. He is asking me, have I talked to the workers. I don’t think he recognises who he is talking to. I was a worker just like the rest of them; cutting grass, just like the rest of them. I had over 100 employees at one time, workers. I understand …
Mr. L. Craig CannonierYou are not me; and I am not you. So, I understand. I do understand. The question is, do you understand what the workers are saying? Because if you look . . . I don’t have to . . . if you look here, what I just said to you, …
You are not me; and I am not you. So, I understand. I do understand. The question is, do you understand what the workers are saying? Because if you look . . . I don’t have to . . . if you look here, what I just said to you, every good thing that you have done, Mr. Speaker, every good thing that you have done comes to naught because when every sin-gle industry that we have here . . . when teachers are sitting out en mass e because they fear that the consultation that is not taking place is inadequate— not taking place is inadequate— we have a pr oblem. We have a serious, serious problem. So, you can do a lot of good, and in one instance of not consulting with the industry all of your good work means nothing. And that is the fine line of governing. It ain’t easy.
[Inaudible interjection]
Mr. L. Craig CannonierIt ain’t easy. Just go on like that. But , yes, that’s good. But you got the message. I am sure you got the message. It is going to be tough going forward. I do not need to make personal attacks. I can joust with the best of them. No …
It ain’t easy. Just go on like that. But , yes, that’s good. But you got the message. I am sure you got the message. It is going to be tough going forward. I do not need to make personal attacks. I can joust with the best of them. No problem. But it is not necessary in this in-stance when we are having people who are struggling and are trying to find a way. And if you talk to the workers, and if you talk to the seniors, if you talk to people who are struggling, if you talk to those who are living on the streets you will hear a story of pain. A benefit may pacify the situation, but it is not going to fix it. It is just not going to fix it. It is going to take time. Sitting down, collaboration, and the tribal warfare that you see going on here does nothing for success. Nothing for success. It is all just noise. So, I have appreciated what has been put in front of us here, I just want to go to the . . . I did have a chat with the Minister of Health about one of the questions that I did have. And I am looking forward now to this new portfolio of having conversations with the Honourable Member. I do have a good rapport with her, so I will be voicing my concerns and also giving her accolades for the areas that she is doing well in. But this universal health care cannot continue on to say that COVID -19 was a challenge and these kinds of things. It has to get going. One of the challenges that that area is having is that all of the committees and the likes are meeting, and meeting, and meeting, and we are probably on our sixth rendition of this universal health care. We need to get going because the challenge is the economy is not keeping up with the costs. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I will get to Public Works, and say this here. Had the OBA Government come to the public with the same announcement that was made a few days ago, a week ago, whatever the case may be, just before November 1, we would have been crucified for making that statement, had we been in the same position. Crucified for making the same decisions. So I recognise that this Government has challenges. And that could not have been an easy task. I have to give the Minister accolades for being able to be bold enough to come and say, We did not quite get it right the first time, then the second time did not work, and give me some more money. And this third time I think we might have it right. That takes guts. But the public, not the Opposition, necessarily . . . I did voice my concern. The public are concerned because the Minister told us that it is going to take a hundred million dollars to fix our roads and now we are looking at a hundred mi llion d ollars that has been put into a project, plus the $42 million, $43 million that was spent be-fore to build the building, plus the interest on top of that . And the tally gets more. And that is concerning to everyone. So, I do agree, Mr. Speaker, that you have to cut bait if it’s bleeding. Yes. You have to figure it out. The challenge is that Bermuda is saying, Well, you didn’t get it right the first time, you didn’t get it right the second time, well, what is going to give me faith in the third time? So I hope, knowing that there could be an election any time soon, the Minister may be gone, but whoever sits in that seat can find a resolution to this challenge. Bermuda needs resolutions so that the benefits can increase. Increasing the benefits without making the economy work is futile.
[Desk thumping] 114 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Thank you, Member. Does any other Member . . . MP Jamahl Simmons, you have the floor.
Mr. Jamahl S. SimmonsThank you, Mr. Speaker, and good evening. I do not come to this Chamber and speak for business. They did not put me here, and they have got the OBA for that. But I will say is this here. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Jamahl S. SimmonsYou see, this is the problem with the One Bermuda Alliance. They make promises. I went to the prayer breakfast, I’m different. I feel inspired. [Inaudible interjections]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerLet the conversation flow this way, gentlemen.
Mr. Jamahl S. SimmonsMr. Speaker, I am going to speak to the people in this country who believe in fairness, who believe in justice, who believe that Bermuda can be better for the people who voted for me and who put me in here, and who put the Progressive Labour Party here. I …
Mr. Speaker, I am going to speak to the people in this country who believe in fairness, who believe in justice, who believe that Bermuda can be better for the people who voted for me and who put me in here, and who put the Progressive Labour Party here. I want everyone who is listening tonight who supports the Progressive Labour Party, who has sup-ported the Progressive Labour Party, who has desires to see Bermuda, not the way it is now, and be better for (and I will say it) the Black man, the Black woman, the Black child specifically, but the working and the poor in Bermuda in general. So I would ask each of you to close your eyes and cast your minds back to the day after the 2012 election. I want you to remember how you felt. Some of you supported the PLP. Some of you said, Well, the OBA is not the UBP, I’ll give them a shot. And some of you stayed home. And on December 18, 2012, you woke up with the OBA. And we warned you. I warned you. My colleagues warned you. My wife warned you. We warned you that the stories they spun, that the tales that they told would not be the reality. So, Mr. Speaker, as we cast our minds back to that time it brings us forward to this time where we have a Throne Speech Reply. They are saying many of the same things. As a matter of fact, saying many of the things they said in their 2012 Throne Speech Reply [sic]. But understand, a month later we had to march because the pledge around term limits was broken. We had to march when the plan that they never mentioned in their platform to take away full access to mammograms for women occurred. [There were] 27 marches. That is what we woke up to and what we faced the day after the 2012 election. So, to me, I have a very low value or opinion of OBA promises and pledges. Very low. Not to say there are not some good people, some nice people, and all of that. But the promises . . . they have a track record. A track record they have never apologised for, a track record they have never repudiated, a track record that they have, instead, double d down on in terms of we would do it, and we would do it all over again. So, understand when I first really, really, really wanted to get involved in politics, it was for two reasons. It was because of the injustice and unfairness I experienced due to immigration. And the injustice and unfairness I witnessed others born in Bermuda face due to immigration. I witnessed the discrimination. I witnessed the games businesses played to get in this friend or that person. [I witnessed] the job descriptions played with. I witnessed this. And that is one of the reasons I am in this Chamber . But I also sought to be in this Chamber because we were and remain a country where the Black man, the Black woman, the Black child specifically, and the working class and the poor in general, are treated the worst. So, we have on one side a Government that seeks to break down these barriers and make progress to overcome hundreds of years of White supremacy, hundreds of years of colonialism, hundreds of years of a business -first, profit- first, people- last mind- set. That is what we are working to overcome. Mr. Speaker, I have taken a very hard stance on immigration because I know what my people face and experience every day. And I know that Minister Hayward has done tremendous work to try to move forward and address that. But we have to recognise that there are people in this country straight up who would rather bring in somebody else, who straight up would rather bring in somebody who looks like them. And that is something that is a headwind we have to face and fight. I remember in the 1990s I had the misfortune of having a confrontation with somebody on the street. And this person said to me, I am more of a Bermudian than you are because I have a paper that says I’m Bermudian. So, that attitude existed in the 1990s. But then you flash forward to 2015. And a former senator of theirs said, and I quote, Mr. Speaker, “My Bermudian status is as a matter of adult choice. Maybe I’m not the same as that member because that member’s Ber mudian status is an accident of birth.” Never apologised for, never repudiated. I am just an accidental Bermudian. Now, today in their Reply, the OBA says, “Bermudians can be made by paper as well as by birth . . .” That’s what they said. Let me say it one more time for the people in the back. “Bermudians can be made by paper as well as by birth.” Mr. Speaker, I can trace my family back several hundred years. And I will say this: There is a mind- set Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 115
Bermuda House of Assembly and an attitude in this country that when they say “Bermudian” they mean “Black people” —and not in a good way. Bermudians are lazy. Bermudians don’t have any time. Bermudians this and Bermudians that. Yes. So, there is a devaluing of what Bermudian means. It has been historic up to the present. Bermudian is the only category that you can talk bad about and most people will not shut you down. So, we need to have a very firm conversation, a real conversation about what a Bermudian is. Okay? What a Bermudian is, what our culture is and how we can transform this country while maintaining our culture and our values. But, you know, a person who say s to me that there is no such thing as a Bermudian except a Cahow . . . Well, I am Bermudian. I have been here almost as long . . . my family has been here almost as long as the Cahow. So we are just going to have to deal with that, right? Now, I will say that for me politics can test your faith. Politics can test your belief. It can test your back-bone . It can test you on many levels because political change is perhaps the slowest change possible. You think about the process of drafting a policy, creating a Bill, bringing it to Cabinet, taking it to the caucus, bringing it to Parliament, taking it to the Senate. It is not fast. It is not a swift process. And the process does not always, no matter how you feel, or who you want to help and how you want to benefit, take the path the way you want it to. It does not always take the path you want to go. And when you are dealing with a system that we are dealing with the path is long, but is curves towards justice and fairness. I will be the first to say, and many people know that I am a critic of the way Bermuda is, the way things are handled and I always feel that my party, every member, myself included, can do better. But I think that what I do have when I look at my colleagues, and I look at our Throne Speech, and I look at everything, is that Bermudians are at heart. Everything goes back to Bermudians at heart. So, there will come a time very soon (well, the Premier only knows; I don’t know) when we will be going to the polls. I had to laugh because there was something that the OBA posted on social media that cracked me up. I had a good laugh over it. I am going to read this very quickly. Pay attention when people you have not seen on your doorstep for four -plus years suddenly come around smiling and bearing gifts. So, as my colleague mentioned 20- plus times they asked to call for an election. Mr. Speaker, it has been seven years since I have seen an OBA candidate. It has been four years since I have seen an FDM candidate. So thank you very much. When you roll out y our person, whoever it is, I will remind you that when a person shows up after four -plus years and hasn’t shown any interest or concern for you . . . be wary. Mr. Speaker, when we look at trying to elevate conditions and push things forward to build a better Bermuda it means investing in our workers as we are doing the Workforce Development training in trades and giving our people opportunities to acquire skills, get new skills, retrain to be able to participate in our economy. That is important. We are getting more pay and more rights for workers. That is movi ng us forward. We have stopped the theft of gratuities from workers. That is moving us forward. We are putting more money in the pockets of our seniors, whether it is through pension increases or giving them added benefits to be able to get the hygienic supplies they need. That is moving Bermuda forward towards fairness. Intervening to address and help at -risk families. That is moving Bermuda forward to a fairer Bermuda for all of us. Getting tough on crime and the causes of crime, while also giving our young men and women incarcerated in our system a pathway out to be able to be rehabilitated and reincorporated into society. That is moving Bermuda forward towards fairness and justice. Building homes, giving our people the opportunity to have affordable housing, a piece of the rock, that is moving forward. When we are prot ecting consumers from the potential damage of monopolies, that is moving Bermuda forward. When we are tackling injustice in banking, that is moving Bermuda forward towards fairness. Tax cuts for our taxi drivers, moving Bermuda forward for fairness. Expanding access to health care and lowering out of pocket costs, taking us closer towards fairness. Fighting for the mental health of our youth, taking us closer to fairness. If you believe in a better, fairer Bermuda for all of us, you know where our heart is. You know that we are trying to push us in a certain direction. And you know what the other choices are. We warned you before. We know what the other choices are. So, if you believe like I do, that we need to elevate the conditions of the Black man, the Black women, the Black child specifically, and the poor and working class in general, we need your support. We cannot do this alone. There is a quote from Kwame Ture that really resonates with me. And I will read it if you don’t mind, Mr. Speaker. “You vote once in four years and that’s your political responsibility? That’s the height of bourgeois propaganda, making the people politically irresponsible. Thinking their responsibility is limited to a one- day vote. Politics is every day.” So, for those of us who want to move Bermuda forward towards fairness and justice, to move it away from an approach that is always put profit over people, you need to get behind us, you need to get with us, you need to push us, you need to bring your ideas because the more disenchanted you are with Bermuda, the closer you need to be with us. So, Mr. Speaker, as I conclude, I would like to say thank you to the people of constituency 33 Sandys South. On Monday it will have been 10 years to the day since they first elected me to Parliament to represent and serve them. It has been the greatest honour of my life to be able to serve you. It is something I treasure 116 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly and value every day. And I want to thank you for the love, the support the prayers and encouragement that so many of you have given me. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP Simmons. Does any other Member? MP Anthony Richardson, would you like your 20 minutes?
Mr. Anthony RichardsonGood evening, Mr. Speaker. Good evening to my colleagues and the listening audience. Mr. Speaker, I too am privileged to be able to be here. I have said many, many times that I truly con-sider it to be an honour to stand here before the people of Bermuda, especially those …
Good evening, Mr. Speaker. Good evening to my colleagues and the listening audience. Mr. Speaker, I too am privileged to be able to be here. I have said many, many times that I truly con-sider it to be an honour to stand here before the people of Bermuda, especially those in constituency 7, Hamilton South, as the Progressive Labour Party representative. I have had the opportunity also, Mr. Speaker (and I going to smile now), to respond or to participate in the debate that happens to be the Reply of the OBA [Opposition] to the PLP Throne Speech. I am going to be polite, though, Mr. Speaker, and say that g uess what, yet again, we are at a point whereby there is not much to say in terms of substance, or lack thereof, that is in the OBA Reply to the Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a statement which says, and I will just posit this and come back to it in another point in time, that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And I throw that back to constituency 36 on the night of the election that, yes, you all got it right. MP, the Honourable Marc Bean did say he wanted to join his enemies (i.e., the OBA, and the Independents) to go against the PLP. And so, Mr. Speaker, I will commend the Honourable Jarion Richardson, because on the night of the constituency 36 victory he did say he was open to a conversation. He did say he was open to a conversation. But, thankfully, he has apparently taken good counsel and has come back now in the past couple of days, maybe the past couple of weeks, to say that his party has decided that they will go it alone, that they will not join with the OBM . . . I mean, sorry, the FDM, nor with the Independents, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerI thought you were trying make an alliance already.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonMr. Speaker, I have to stop— [Inaudible interjections and general uproar ]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou were trying to provide it . [Laughter]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonStay focused, Mr. Speaker. The one thing I am going to say, though, Mr. Speaker, is that what amazes me, Mr. Speaker, is that when we come together, especially today, we all got this Reply at the same time.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonWithout any consultation amongst my direct colleagues, Mr. Speaker, it was amazing that many of us came to the same solution. I skimmed this document, and what did I do? I came to the last page and I too realised that despite the rhetoric that is in the T hrone …
Without any consultation amongst my direct colleagues, Mr. Speaker, it was amazing that many of us came to the same solution. I skimmed this document, and what did I do? I came to the last page and I too realised that despite the rhetoric that is in the T hrone Speech Reply the OBA are clearly not ready for what they are calling for —an election. They are at least seven people short. [Laughter]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonYes, yes, you have somebody in my seat. Mr. Speaker, I will continue on. The other thing that I will say is that . . . and I want this [to go to] the listening audience, Mr. Speaker, is that some time ago and it was a sermon that I …
Yes, yes, you have somebody in my seat. Mr. Speaker, I will continue on. The other thing that I will say is that . . . and I want this [to go to] the listening audience, Mr. Speaker, is that some time ago and it was a sermon that I was listening to. And the minister said, I am responsible for what I say, but not what you hear. I am responsible for what I say, but not what you hear. And so, Mr. Speaker, what I am going to say right now is that they can laugh at the moment, but right now they should be quiet and listen.
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberWhoa -ho!
Mr. Anthony RichardsonBecause they said some things today, and I am going to tell them what I heard. And what I will say, and people know this also, Mr. Speaker, is that to the Honourable Jarion Richardson, we knew him before he was the Leader, and he has a certain personality and …
Because they said some things today, and I am going to tell them what I heard. And what I will say, and people know this also, Mr. Speaker, is that to the Honourable Jarion Richardson, we knew him before he was the Leader, and he has a certain personality and there are some characteristics about him that we all do cherish. However, with that, Mr. Speaker, he has to take responsibility. Clearly, he would not have written this entire [Reply] speech. But as the Leader he should have his eye over it and then be responsible for the final content. And here we go, Mr. Speaker. The quotes that I will look at, Mr. Speaker . . . look at pages 5, 6, 7 and Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 117
Bermuda House of Assembly 17 only. That is all I am going to look at tonight in this thing, Mr. Speaker. And the most, I will say . . . I am going to look at page 5. That is the first one I am going to go to. And if everybody in the listening audience gets a chance look at it. Look on page 5 towards the bottom, the last paragraph. One of the quotes in italics there is “white people don’t belong in politics .” That, Mr. Speaker, represents a dog whistle. I would suggest it is actually irresponsible, if not reprehensible. The PLP has never said such a thing. And it is actually true, Mr. Speaker, that in the business community many of them have now claimed or required some of —
Hon. Jarion Richardson: Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order? POINT OF CLARIFICATION Hon. Jarion Richardson: I did not say that the PLP . . . that I was not referring to the PLP in that statement.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThe Member has made a clarification.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonMr. Speaker, with your permission, I will therefore read what is in their Reply. As I said, the Leader should surely take responsibility for what is written. With your permission, Mr. Speaker, “ And we are so far from having participated in civic discourse and politics, many of us forgot …
Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I will therefore read what is in their Reply. As I said, the Leader should surely take responsibility for what is written. With your permission, Mr. Speaker, “ And we are so far from having participated in civic discourse and politics, many of us forgot that that is both a right and a duty. Some of us actually believe, and get this, ‘white people don’t belong in politics .’” This is a quote from the OBA Reply to the Throne Speech. Therefore, the Member will have to take responsibility.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonMr. Speaker, as I said, from the PLP, Mr. Speaker, we remain certainly as a party that is designed and focused on the people. The evidence is that the Government has maintained over the past several years constant fuel prices, because it wanted to make sure that those who drive …
Mr. Speaker, as I said, from the PLP, Mr. Speaker, we remain certainly as a party that is designed and focused on the people. The evidence is that the Government has maintained over the past several years constant fuel prices, because it wanted to make sure that those who drive and do what they need to do are able to have consistent prices. The Honourable Premier in his role as Minister of Finance has consistently reminded us all, of course, that the Government has acted to reduce payroll taxes on 80 per cent of everyone so now they are at their lowest possible point. And I do know from experience, Mr. Speaker, that when you are now paying less . . . well, you are paying one half of 1 per cent on your income. It is a significant reduction from what is used to be. And it also includes for businesses, Mr. Speaker. So that is a clear demonstrati on that the Progressive Labour Party Government is focused on making sure that the people do benefit. Mr. Speaker, I am going to come to that in a minute also because sometimes I get a bit confused when I listen to what the Members opposite say be-cause one of the Members who just took his seat, who spoke before me, said that we were focusing too much on the benefits, which I think means that we are doing too much for the people. But, again, that is what he said. I am going to clarify what I heard and let them come back to us and clarify if they choose to do so, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the things the PLP has also done is to ensure that seniors’ pensions have in-creased every year. Every year, Mr. Speaker. And they sometimes mimic it, Members opposite mimic it in terms of it’s not enough. But, Mr. Speaker, I challenge you or anyone else to walk down the street and see a $5 bill on the road. None of us would leave it there. So, whether the increase results in a $5, $10, or $100 increase, for that matter, it does make a difference. And in the instance whereby people say i t does not make a difference, that means that they are not in touch. Trust me, Mr. Speaker. For seniors and everybody else for that matter, every dollar does count. Mr. Speaker, the amazing thing for me and others certainly has been the child care. When it was debated the upper limit was $135,000 for the family income. And many Members opposite criticised that, Mr. Speaker. Why? They do not understand that even at that level there are many in this community who need assistance for child care. Why is child care relevant, Mr. Speaker? We know that the first probably four or five years of a child’s life are critical to their ultimate development, to the extent that a par ent is able to afford child care or day care, Mr. Speaker, it means so many things. First of all, that child can get good care and proper developmental experience, Mr. Speaker. But also, for the parent it means that they can be comfortable going to work each day knowing that their child is in a proper facility. Mr. Speaker, the other thing that is absolutely amazing is that the Government introduced the minimum wage. And the Minister did say that we are now going to move it higher because we know that the min-imum wage can be increased. And, Mr. Speaker, not to repeat but to reinforce what the Minister said earlier. I remain amazed that prior to the introduction of the minimum wage there was a young man who earned less than $6.00 per hour at one of our major hotel establishments. That means that he might have got lots of tips to make up his wage, Mr. Speaker. But when he went on vacation, or he was sick, guess what? His payment was reduced to less than $6.00 per hour. Whereas now, based upon what we have done, led by Minister Hayward, of course, his minimum will now be at least $16.40 which allows him to go on vacation, to be sick, and not to be overly distressed. 118 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Speaker, the other thing that happened which is amazing to me also, which affects our young people, everybody actually, is the now protection on the tips and gratuities. One Member on my side spoke about it as the previous theft that took place by emp loyers because sometimes the tips and gratuities that were left for the employees were actually used by management for other uses as opposed to going to those who provided the service, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not know if we fully understand the positive benefit of this next change that is be-ing proposed, and that is the increased redundancy and the fact that payroll tax is going to be exempted when it comes to your redundancy pay. I know that Honourable Member Cannonier, who spoke before me, spoke about the fact that we are focusing too much on the benefits. This, Mr. Speaker, is a benefit. And, Mr. Speaker, I would encourage anyone who has been made redundant to go back and look at their calc ulation and see how much payroll tax was deducted and know that, going forward, that would not take place. And if anyone finds themselves in that situation going forward, they can thank this PLP Government, Mr. Speaker, because that deduction will no longer occur. Mr. Speaker, as a nod to how the Progressive Labour Party works, we had significant caucus discussion about this. And if I may, to my colleagues I would dub this piece, this portion that talks about no longer having payroll tax deducted from your redundancy pay, as the MP Ming amendment. Mr. Speaker, she was one of those persons who forcibly talked about it on a regu-lar basis to ensure that we do as much as we can to maximise the funds that a person would receive upon redundancy. Mr. Speaker, one of the Members opposite spoke about, or alluded to the fact, I suppose, that they believed that the Progressive Labour Party should somehow reduce redundancies, not recognising, of course, that we live in a society where these are very often private sector companies. They make their decisions, Mr. Speaker. And I do not believe that the Gov-ernment will be able to go and say, Hey, don’t make this person redundant . They are going to say, No, I have made it based upon my business decisions. The Minister has already said that what they need to do is ensure that there is prior collaboration with the person so that they know what is going to happen. But, Mr. Speaker, certainly it is inappropriate if not irresponsible, if not . . . I can’t use the word “ignorant” but if not, just not knowing that it is not a government responsibility, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Government also made significant adjustments to maternity and paternity changes which benefit everyone. I do not know if it is thankful or not, but my children are older now. But I do remember that when my children were born that having t hat paternity benefit made a big difference because it meant that I could chose those days not to go to work and instead stay home and assist to do what I needed to do in many, many ways. And at that stage it was 10 days. I was able to break it up into hal f days and therefore I was able to be home on many more days, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, going back to the Throne Speech Reply, I would [say] that the call for election is, in fact, laughable. Why do I say that? Because I believe it is from the Regiment, but I know it is also from other uniformed services, there is this thing cal led five Ps . . . actually it is six Ps, but I won’t use the sixth P. So, I will say there are the five Ps. And that is that prior preparation prevents poor performance. That goes back to the back. Yes, there are six. And it is unparliamentary language, but the other P has four letters. I will call it seven, but anyway there are four letters. [Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Anthony RichardsonI will leave that one alone. But clearly, if you go to the back of the book, Mr. Speaker, I would say that they are currently suffering from those five Ps because they did not have candidates for all of these areas, which means that they are not quite prepared, …
Mr. Anthony RichardsonMr. Speaker, I stand very, very proudly as the representative for constituency 7, Hamilton South, knowing that I was the first PLP representative to win that seat. And, clearly, I have more than intention to hold that seat, Mr. Speaker. I go back to this idea on page 5 that …
Mr. Speaker, I stand very, very proudly as the representative for constituency 7, Hamilton South, knowing that I was the first PLP representative to win that seat. And, clearly, I have more than intention to hold that seat, Mr. Speaker. I go back to this idea on page 5 that the Honourable Jarion Richardson says is not his quote, but it is in his Throne Speech Reply. I go back to what the Honourable MP Caines said some time ago, which is that when we do these things they represent what I call the proverbial dog whistle. What is a dog whistle? A dog whistle is actually a whistle that is sufficiently high pitched so that a dog will hear it, but we will not hear it ourselves. What it does is represent a call to action. So, this idea that that they would put that in their Throne Speech Reply I would say again is absolutely reprehensible more than irresponsible, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know that they often refer (they, being the Opposition) to their so- called prowess when it comes to local development. We all know now that the most significant hotel development in Bermuda is now underway. There was a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday. We had a debate here in terms of the amount of Government support. If you recall, the Progressive Labour Party put forward a $75 million guarantee for the project and said how it would work. Members opposite did not agree. I repeat: They did not agree. Fundamentally, Mr. Speaker, to the listening audience that means that when the Princess moves on the One Bermuda Alliance cannot take credit for the employment, nor for the return of the hotel beds, nor for the return of Bermuda’s convention business, nor for Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 119
Bermuda House of Assembly the increase in transportation revenue, nor for the increase in restaurants, nor for the increase in airline travel, nor for the general increase in those persons who will benefit from all of those revenues. I say that to you, Mr. Speaker, and also to the listening audience.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonMr. Speaker, one of the fallacies of this OBA Reply to the Throne Speech is that recent bye- elections show a change in desire. But, Mr. Speaker, unless I am completely wrong, none of the bye-elections resulted in a change in terms of a different party win ning it. Mr. …
Mr. Speaker, one of the fallacies of this OBA Reply to the Throne Speech is that recent bye- elections show a change in desire. But, Mr. Speaker, unless I am completely wrong, none of the bye-elections resulted in a change in terms of a different party win ning it. Mr. Speaker, my recollection is that we have had three. One because of the resignation of the Honourable Cole Simons, another because of the resigna-tion of the Honourable Michael Dunkley, and the third because of the resignation of the Honourable Kathy Simmons. Mr. Speaker, in each of those situations the party prior to the bye- election held the seat. So, clearly, that cannot be looked at as an indication of a change. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that I always take umbrage to (if I am using the correct word) is this idea that the PLP is responsible for all of the things neg-ative right now. In my calculation, Bermuda has been founded for more than 400 years and the PL P has been in Government for 21 of those 400 years. And as we all know, when you build a house, first of all you build the foundation. Unless you then tear down that house, that foundation will stand no matter what renovations you make. I say that to say t hat we all know that the United Bermuda Party certainly ran Bermuda for quite a while, prior to that the Independents. And the PLP had no sig-nificant economic or political power except for 21 years. And I will always resist any comment that tries to attrib-ute Bermuda’s full current circumstances to the PLP. Mr. Speaker, within this Throne Speech Reply there was another irresponsible comment. And that was along the lines that we have somehow gained access to private details. Mr. Speaker, one of the fundamental hallmarks of the Progressive Labour Party that you would know about is canvassing. I remain amazed because when we canvass what do we do? Knock, knock, knock. Good afternoon, I am Anthony Richardson. I am the MP for the area. What is your name? Do you mind giving me your phone number, your contact information? Do you mind giving me your email address? And, Mr. Speaker, Bermuda is another world, because they will give it to me. And that is how we get this information, Mr. Speaker. It is based upon that great “C” called canvassing. Mr. Speaker, another one of those fallacies in the Reply which I think is a bit loose, but it is parliamen-tary, which is foolishness. That is, Mr. Speaker, that they claim that they cannot speak, or the Bermuda pub-lic cannot speak. Mr. Speaker, you would know for sure that if I speak out in Bermuda the PLP cannot stop me. The business community can try to shut me down. And in the past what has happened is that my mortgage might be pulled. But that can no longer apply. So, I will just say to the listening public that it is foolishness to believe that the PLP can stop you if you speak out. The last thing I will say in this section, Mr. Speaker, is that immigration has been abused for election purposes. Did you start the time correctly, Mr. Speaker?.
Mr. Anthony RichardsonMr. Speaker, immigration has been abused, not by the Progressive Labour Party but by the United Bermuda Party. And at another time I will show how the OBA is an extension of the UBP Government, so they have to claim, take responsibility for the abuse of i mmigration. [Timer chimes]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYou have the floor for the 20 minutes.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanThank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start off by putting a few things into context. OBA MP Campbell in his maiden Throne Speech with his new -found friends decided to talk about the party that he represented with his financial prowess as it related to turning …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start off by putting a few things into context. OBA MP Campbell in his maiden Throne Speech with his new -found friends decided to talk about the party that he represented with his financial prowess as it related to turning around a supertanker when the OBA took Government. I believe at that time he would have been, whilst not in Government, an official who would have been considered a financial advisor in somewhat of a way in which the young Junior Minister, my cousin colleague, would have done before stepping into that role. It is important when he uses those types of comments that he put it into context. And the context that I refer to when it refers to what the OBA came in and did in their four years of Government is that he did not make reference to the fact that prior to 2012 Bermuda was grappling with the most difficult recession that this country had had to endure. And the PLP Government, of which I was not a part of at that particular time, chose to look out for the people of Bermuda in much the same way the PLP Government, of which I am a part of, looked out for the people during COVID - 19. And in order to address what was faced, because many persons were not in agreement that a recession even existed . . . in fact it was the Bermuda Industrial 120 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Union in 2008 who led the way by encouraging hotel workers to in effect take a pay cut because of the imminent threat imposed to their jobs. And they showed great leadership in doing so, much the same way in which they showed great leadership at the forefr ont of what took place during the recession when Southampton Princess had closed and COVID -19 came about and plans to redevelop that became increasingly difficult. Then when this Government, led by Premier David Burt, who, after that had to take on the role of Finance Minister, came up with a solution that was, again, the Bermuda Industrial Union that stood strong with leadership and supported, as did those of us on these benches, the move to assist from a Government point of view as best we could whilst the private sector got on with putting together what is now the largest de-velopment project in the history of this country. It was not mentioned in this Throne Speec h Reply, much because this Throne Speech Reply is aimed at trying to get the people to focus on a negative message against the Progressive Labour Party. It is a pretty feeble attempt to do so because as one Member suggested, it lacks any type of solution. Now, I would have urged in prior discussions that an Opposition if it really wants to look like a good Opposition would look at two Oppositions in particular. One was in existence for 30 years while the United Ber-muda Party reigned in Bermuda. And whenever the Progressive Labour Party came to this House during that period, whether during the Throne Speech or Budget debates, it came with solutions. Many solutions. And they were taken up. This OBA Government has come with two Throne Speech Replies with no solu-tions. Maybe one or two. Maybe one or two— Hon. Jarion Richardson: Point of order.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanA lot of rhetoric. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading] Hon. Jarion Richardson: The Honourable Member is misleading the public. If anyone wants to flip through it, any time there is a problem statement there is a solution following the problem statement. [Inaudible interjections ]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanAnd, Mr. Speaker — The Speaker: Be mindful of his point of order. Address the Chair.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanThank you, Mr. Speaker. I remember my good friend , Brud os telling me, Come with some concrete solutions that a Government can take. We have had a Member on this floor say, We don’t need to get that ; you need to come up with it. That’s not responsible …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I remember my good friend , Brud os telling me, Come with some concrete solutions that a Government can take. We have had a Member on this floor say, We don’t need to get that ; you need to come up with it. That’s not responsible leadership on the part of an Opposition, because an Opposition needs to be forceful in putting forward those types of points. You know, they were quick to say in trying to turn around this supertanker that they negated the fact that the PLP had to recalibrate when the recession came about. And the fact is that the recession was not caused by the Government. It was caused by deci sions made within the private sector of which the OBA’s friends are many.
[Inaudible interjection]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYes. Very much so. So, from that point of view we need to take into consideration the type of governance that they provided during their opportunity when they cut scholarships. It goes to the ethos of what they really care about. Right? When they told the seniors, Listen, the money …
Yes. Very much so. So, from that point of view we need to take into consideration the type of governance that they provided during their opportunity when they cut scholarships. It goes to the ethos of what they really care about. Right? When they told the seniors, Listen, the money just doesn’t grow on trees, they turned their backs on the hurting that people really feel in this country. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that in this particular instance this $560 million going in circulation in this country is very significant. And I applaud our Gov-ernment for its stick -to-itiveness in doing so. I applaud the vision that allowed Bermuda to be able to have over 500,000 visitors coming by cruise ship to Bermuda. It happened because we have two cruise piers. We can transport people around this country because we have fast ferries. We can host the Bermuda Championship this week while we’re in the House of Assembly and be showcased around the world and receive messages from around the world even whilst I sit here because a golf course was redeveloped to the benefit of this country and hosted on a public course at that, Mr. Speaker. You know, Mr. Speaker, in the Throne Speech Reply it mentions and singles out the Portuguese community. Well, let me declare my interests. I grew up in Southampton. And I grew up in and out of the houses of the Portuguese community with many of my friends being the DeMorais and Marshalls and Medeiros and the like. And I can tell you the forefathers of the OBA, when a recession came, like it came to the PLP in 2008, when it came in 1993, 1994 time period, sent that Portuguese community home a- packing. And i t was the Progressive Labour Party in 1998 that introduced the PRC. [Inaudible interjections]
Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 121
Bermuda House of Assembly Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. Swan: Yes! Indeed so. I never . . . I never did what you did! I never ran away from who I am! I embraced it. And, Mr. Cannonier, you told the UBP to turn off the lights. You need to take your own advice and turn off the lights! And when they did, I did not run to another party, like my good friend Vance Campbell did!
[General uproar]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanI stayed the course. I served out my time as they elected me. And that is what persons of integrity would do when it comes to service. If you get elected as one thing, you serve it out.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanAll right? You guys left me by the side of the road. Dead for gone you did. But I can tell you what, right?
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanAnd sometimes . . . many a deal with the UBP! [Inaudible interjections and general uproar ]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanMany a deal. And you came up in this House and then you carried on even like the UBP on steroids during your doggone . . . Right? [Inaudible interjections and laughter ]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYou came on . . . you are the grandchildren and the inheritors of the UBP. And you know you are! Some of you are the sons of UBP candidates. Some of you are the grandchildren of UBP candidates. And I am telling you what — [Inaudible interjections and general …
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYou know, Bob Marley says you can run, but you can’t run away from yourself!
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYou can’t run away from yourself. You’re the UBP on steroids! But the unfortunate thing is that you try to deny it. And not one time, not one dickey -bird did I ever, did I ever come up in this House as a Progressive Labour Party and deny that I …
You can’t run away from yourself. You’re the UBP on steroids! But the unfortunate thing is that you try to deny it. And not one time, not one dickey -bird did I ever, did I ever come up in this House as a Progressive Labour Party and deny that I was UBP. Not once. And when a UBP member died, I would go to the funeral. And if I had a disagreement with them, I would, you know, respectfully, you know, just bow my head accordingly. But you sit here and try to pretend that you are something that you are not. You come up here in this House, and you know what you try to do when you formed the OBA? You try . . . You ran on —
Mr. L. Craig CannonierPoint of order, Mr. Speaker. Point of order, Mr. Speaker. [General uproar ]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. POINT OF ORDER
Mr. L. Craig CannonierI think the Honourable Member is going a little too far in inflecting on what he believes and who he believes people are. And he has no clue. He needs to stop. [Inaudible interjections ]
The SpeakerThe Speaker—can we get back to the business at hand?
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYes, we certainly can, Mr. Speaker. 122 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Thank you.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanThank you for helping me there. And you know what, Mr. Speaker ? I was on the Portuguese community as contained here in the Throne Speech Reply. And I think I am a little bit qualified to speak about the Portuguese community of which I embrace and love dearly. [Inaudible …
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanRight? When you come here, and you try to use dog- whistle rhetoric — [Inaudible interjections ]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanAnd they are disingenuous because you got supporters that . . . out there , the first thing they want to do is to bug the PLP: Oh, they are corrupt. Oh, they are not — Hon. Jarion Richardson: Point of order.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanIt is true! Hon. Jarion Richardson: He is just imputing improper motives —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerWait, wait, wait. You have to have your seat. Can I hear your point of order? [Inaudible interjections ] POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motive] Hon. Jarion Richardson: The intent that he is espousing is simply not true. At this point he is just demeaning the character.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMember, I said to you just now, you finally got it off your chest. Now speak to the matter at hand and address it to me, please.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have happened to have been around a long, long time. And one thing I always did when I . . . Whatever I did, I trusted my instincts. And I know when there is a disingenuous flavour in the air, when there …
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have happened to have been around a long, long time. And one thing I always did when I . . . Whatever I did, I trusted my instincts. And I know when there is a disingenuous flavour in the air, when there is a mystic blowing in the air that could be described as one that is harmful. And I can tell you that when I look across . . . And I know from my experience that persons would try to get people . . . They talk about change. Remember when Obama ran on change? There are persons who want other people to change how they perceive them when they kept being one and the same, one and the same. And I am going to tell you, it is not from what I am speculating. It is from where I sit, from what I know. [Inaudible interjections ]
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberDo not forget your history.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanAnd I am here to tell you that I am proud of the Progressive Labour Party and what we have been able to do navigating this country through COVID -19. You would come up here today and you would think that we arrived with a $560 million groundbreaking ceremony sitting …
And I am here to tell you that I am proud of the Progressive Labour Party and what we have been able to do navigating this country through COVID -19. You would come up here today and you would think that we arrived with a $560 million groundbreaking ceremony sitting on our hands. No, it is through partnership. They would not even get up here and give credit to the Bermuda Industrial Union for what their participation was to bring the workers along. No! And they would not even be able to reflect on the type of climate that they created that caused people to, as MP Ming said, march in protest repeatedly. And yes, Mr. Speaker, you know, governance is not perfect, and you cannot please everyone all the time. But I can tell you as this country looks to retool itself going forward, as we in our communities do what we can . . . I just want to say for just a short period of time, Mr. Speaker , you know, as it comes to service, you know, in tourism particularly, I said repeatedly on the radio on my platform hosting Tourism in Focus —I write about it —that Bermuda needs to grow winter business. And I am not going to s it there and not lead by example. And you know, when I said I have been around a long time, I have had some experience creating plat-forms that were taken up by others that exist today, 40 years later, that bring people to this country during the wintertime. And we cannot allow, and we cannot have the Princess be built and not have ourselves marketing and focusing really 100 per cent on those months between November 1 and April 30. We must do it because that is where the opportunity lies because we have less than 50 per cent beds sold during those time periods. And if we can fill this country up with over 500,000 visitors coming by air, and we have got by sea . . . and we are getting. . . And kudos to BermudAir, Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 123
Bermuda House of Assembly opening up new routes. Finding our place, right? With the right support. Seeing more air service in this country than ever before. It is not because of the airport. No! Because during COVID -19 we had to pay tens of millions of —
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. Swan[It was] $47 million? Forty - seven million dollars on . . . And some Member says, You got it back. You do not get $47 million that went out your door back. [Inaudible interjections ]
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanAnd listen. On the eve of an election, they cut a deal to try to build Morgan’s Point up there in that great area of Sandys and Southampton border up there in that beautiful area that this Government has had to try to dig out of the hole.
Mr. Hubert (Kim) E. SwanYes. And it is terrible the [number] of things that they will double speak on in that regard, Mr. Speaker. I am just here to say that I know I touched a nerve. I never in my life made any apologies for the fact . . . Well, I have …
Yes. And it is terrible the [number] of things that they will double speak on in that regard, Mr. Speaker. I am just here to say that I know I touched a nerve. I never in my life made any apologies for the fact . . . Well, I have apologised for the bad things the UBP did, but people did not accept it because they said the people that really need to apologise wi ll not stand up and do it. So, Swan, we are not accepting that. But I look over there, and I see the inheritance of the UBP trying to get people to believe they are different. They are one and the same, and their four years in Government proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, MP — [Inaudible interjections and desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Premier. Mr. Premier, I suggest you rise to your feet at this hour. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker .
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. Hon. E. David Burt: It has been a long week and a reasonably long day, and unfortunately it started with another (how would I say?) less than appropriate Reply to the Throne Speech. And it is something that we are used to. It is something that we are used …
Yes.
Hon. E. David Burt: It has been a long week and a reasonably long day, and unfortunately it started with another (how would I say?) less than appropriate Reply to the Throne Speech. And it is something that we are used to. It is something that we are used to. We are used to empty platitudes, no specifics, and calling of things that just demonstrates a lack of reality insofar as the way that Government works. But here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. I do not need to tear apart the One Bermuda Alliance ’s Throne Speech Reply because the Members of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party have done that just fine today. We have heard contributions from Ministers, from backbenchers who have spoken about what it is that we have done and what it is that we plan to do, Mr. Speaker. And this Throne Speech is a culmination of efforts. It is not my Throne Speech. Yes, it is the Gov-ernment’s Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker, but the fact and the reality is, Mr. Speaker, that this Throne Speech is comprehensive and lays out many things that we did. And what I found interesting is that someone said that the Throne Speech was short this year. They said that last year as well. And you know what is very interesting, Mr. Speaker ? Every year that we put something forward, every year we put something forward, Mr. Speaker, it is classified as an election speech. And there was one theme that was inside of the One Bermuda Alliance’s theme. It kind of echoed back to . . . It seems as though if they have gone back to the old UBP habit of hiring republican consultants —
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. E. David Burt: —to consult them on their plan. And here is where it is, Mr. Speaker, and oh, don’t worry. You know where I am going because it is exactly it. So, I remember the thing was very funny. It is very funny. I remember if people who were paying attention to the election that happened in the United States, there was no specifics from the victor. The only thing that they said was: Kamala broke it. Trump will fix it. No specifics. No anything. It is literally a parallel to what we say said 20 times in this Throne Speech Reply, Mr. Speaker. But here is the reality, Mr. Speaker. They have no specifics. And just like in 2012, what they are trying to do is to pull the wool over people’s eyes and say: Vote for change. Vote for us, but we are not going to tell you what we are going to do. If you are going to come in from the country, unveil big events, platform relief, getting ready for an election, and then release an eight -page pamphlet that is supposed to tell the country what you are going to do with no specifics again, talking about how we are going to reduce health care costs, and do this, and fund this, and all the rest, all things that sound nice, Mr. Speaker, but here is the thing. It is very easy to be in Opposition. It is a lot more difficult to govern. And let’s just remember, Mr. Speaker, what has this Government taken this country through? Not just a once- in-a-century pandemic, Mr. Speaker, but numerous threats faced overseas that at multiple times and occasions have threatened our international business sector. Let’s talk about US tax reform. Let’s talk 124 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly about EU economic substance. Let’s talk about Paradise Papers. Let’s talk about global minimum tax, all of these things, Mr. Speaker, that this Government has successfully navigated this country through. We remember the disaster that took place when the OBA was in power, Mr. Speaker. The people remember the fact that that party promised one thing and delivered something else. So here is what I am going to do because there will be an election, Mr. Opposition Leader. Rest assured, there will be an election. And when that election is cal led, Mr. Speaker, people will get to compare the records. And the records, Mr. Speaker, are very simple, very simple, Mr. Speaker . We can talk about their record when it comes to affordable housing, Mr. Speaker. And as we heard, 13 houses in four and a half years, Mr. Speaker. Thirteen! Thirteen! This Government since 2022—so we are clear, only two and a half years ago—has delivered 71 new units with 118 more on the way. You can compare those records, and the people of this country will know which Government or which party is c ommitted to making sure the resources are put toward affordable housing. Let’s compare the record on taxes, if we may, Mr. Speaker. Their record, Mr. Speaker : the highest tax burden on workers in this country’s history, highest tax burden. I hear all the chirping they are saying to each other. They do not like to hear it because they want to focus on anything else except for the record of their party, which this country remembers, Mr. Speaker. They know who the OBA is. That is why . . . that is why, as many Members on this side said, a week after their big fanfare and uploading their platform they finished fourth out of four, Mr. Speaker. Fourth out of four. So back to taxes: highest tax burden under the One Bermuda Alliance, and now workers in this country are paying the lowest level of taxes in history —
[Inaudible interjections ] Hon. E. David Burt: —lowest level. What does that mean, Mr. Speaker ? That means that the average family has paid $10,000 less in taxes to the Government than under them, Mr. Speaker. And let us not forget when we proposed to lower the taxes for workers and raise the taxes for high- income earners, who was opposed to that. The One Bermuda Alliance. Because at their core, Mr. Speaker, they are opposed to fairness. Opposed —
Mr. Scott PearmanPoint of order, Mr. Speaker. Hon. E. David Burt: —to fairness. POINT OF ORDER [Imputing improper motives]
Mr. Scott PearmanPoint of order, Mr. Speaker. The Honourable Premier is imputing an improper motive. He is better than that, and he knows it.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier, just be mindful of the point of order — Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, that was not any imputing of improper motive. They opposed raising taxes on high earners when we supported it. We wanted to make sure that we delivered fairness in this economy because that is …
Premier, just be mindful of the point of order —
Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, that was not any imputing of improper motive. They opposed raising taxes on high earners when we supported it. We wanted to make sure that we delivered fairness in this economy because that is what the Progressive Labour Party has been about since its founding. And here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. We had a strong majority. We were not afraid to use it to fix the historic wrongs that have ex-isted in this country. That is why, Mr. Speaker, when we compare the records . . . Let’s go to child care, Mr. Speaker. What was their record? After inheriting child care assistance, they reduced the eligibility of child care assistance. It was at $70,000. No, [it was] not about raising it for inflation. They cut it to $50,000, Mr. Speaker , making sure that students and children and parents did not have access to child care support. And what did we do, Mr. Speaker ? We increased that to $130,000 a year for a family, Mr. Speaker. Compare the records. It is clear which party is on the side of working families, and that is not the One Bermuda Alliance. But let me go on, Mr. Speaker. Let’s compare the record on seniors. And we all know what the record on seniors is, Mr. Speaker. One pension increase on the eve of an election from the One Bermuda Alliance after telling seniors that money does not grow on trees. And what has this Government delivered? We want to talk about promises? Well let’s talk about it. We promised to increase seniors’ pensions by the rate of inflation, and that, Mr. Speaker , is what we delivered. And that is the reason why when the persons of this country go to the polls, they will compare the records, and they will know which party stands for fairness. But shall we go on? Let’s talk about labour rights. We remember this party. We remember the marches. We remember. What was it? The Public Bodies Reform Act 2014 trying to break the unions inside of the public service, the peo-ple who break their back to deliver services for this country, which we saw during a pandemic. And what is our record? Strengthening labour rights, getting rid of free riders, and ensuring that we put in place this country’s first minimum wage, Mr. Speaker , something that is at the core of fairness which i s at the bedrock of the founding of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party . And while we are talking about our hard- working public officers, Mr. Speaker , let us not forget what they said: Take a pay cut. Go with less. Take a pay freeze. And what did we do, Mr. Speaker ?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberBorrowed. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 125 Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. E. David Burt: We kept our promise, kept our promise to make sure that we took care of our public sector workers who work day in and day out delivering services on behalf of the people …
Borrowed.
Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 125
Bermuda House of Assembly Hon. E. David Burt: We kept our promise, kept our promise to make sure that we took care of our public sector workers who work day in and day out delivering services on behalf of the people of Bermuda. Why don’t we talk about health care? This Government has made significant expansions to health care coverage since we have come into office—significant expansions —in addition to increasing the benefits for FutureCare and HIP, in addition to expanding the matters related to prescription drugs, making sure that caps were put in place, put in place a drug formulary. What did they do, Mr. Speaker ? Nothing. Nothing in four and a half years when it came to this matter. The only thing of which they did, Mr. Speaker, is say, We do not believe that there should be two levels of Fu-tureCare, and raised health insurance premiums on seniors, Mr. Speaker. That is their record. That is their record, Mr. Speaker. And they do not want to talk about it. And they will pretend that somehow it is going to be different this time around. Somehow the platitudes of which they lay out, Mr. Speaker, will be believed by the electorate who does not forget the carnage they inflicted on working people of this country .
[Inaudible interjection] Hon. E. David Burt: Yes, that is carnage. Now let us talk about some other matters maybe, Mr. Speaker , because I think it is important that we compare the records. They like to talk on that side about investments, love to talk about it, Mr. Speaker. Do you know what is particularly interesting in this Throne Speech Reply? There is not a single mention at all about tourism— not a word about tourism. On the week that we broke ground on the largest construction project in this coun-try’s history, a $560 m illion investment into this economy, the One Bermuda Alliance is silent. And Members said it before: some of them had the temerity to show up to the groundbreaking for a project that they opposed. Let’s be clear, Mr. Speaker. Let’s be clear. When the Park Hyatt (St. George’s) Resort Act 2008 and all those things came for down in the East End of the Island —
Hon. Jarion Richardson: Point of order.
Hon. E. David Burt: —did we oppose it?
Hon. Jarion Richardson: Point of order, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPoint of order. POINT OF ORDER Hon. Jarion Richardson: Yes, we were invited by the developer and I thought it rude to turn down the developer considering how important the project is. Thank you.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Hon. E. David Burt: Well, here is what I will say, Mr. Speaker. It is very interesting, very interesting after that party slammed the developer, the deal, the everything else—
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThat is not true. Hon. E. David Burt: Everything!
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberThat is not true. That is not true. Hon. E. David Burt: They then decide to show up. But here is the thing, Mr. Speaker, here is the thing. [There is] no mention of tourism in the Throne Speech Reply. And do you know why, Mr. Speaker? Because they are …
That is not true. That is not true. Hon. E. David Burt: They then decide to show up. But here is the thing, Mr. Speaker, here is the thing. [There is] no mention of tourism in the Throne Speech Reply. And do you know why, Mr. Speaker? Because they are not serious about it. They are not serious about it. The thought that they have a Shadow Minister of Tourism over there and they would have an entire Throne Speech [Reply] that does not make a single mention of it . . . You know the reaso n why? Because they cannot find the holes to pick.
[Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. E. David Burt: Because if they could, trust and believe they would. [Inaudible interjections ]
Hon. E. David Burt: Now let’s talk about something else. Oh, oh! I am happy that the chirping has started, because here is the thing, Mr. Speaker . . . And this is something that I think is really important for peo-ple of this country to understand. The Government has already made money from the Fairmont Southampton transaction, that $75 million guarantee, which means that no taxpayer money actually goes toward it. We have a guarantee fee of 1 per cent every year. So, we have already received $750,000. And we will receive $750,000 the next year, and the next year, and the next year until that guarantee is extinguished, Mr. Speaker. So, it is money -making for the Government in addition to all the jobs, all the investment, and all the benefits of which we will have, Mr. Speaker. So, let’s talk about something else, will we? Let’s talk about the record on international business be-cause as we have heard other speakers say today, they will never give the Progressive Labour Party Government [credit] for sound management of the economy. If the economy does bad, it’s the PLP's fault. If the economy does good, it has nothing to do with the PLP. You cannot have your cake and eat it, too. There is a reason, as Members have said on this side, that international business continues to expand. There is a reason 126 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly why there are a record number of jobs in Bermuda in international business and a record number of Bermudians working in international business. Do you know why that is, Mr. Speaker? Do you know why that is? Because of the investments this Government has made in its people. If we want to compare the records in education, let us remember it was that Government, Mr. Speaker, that party that cut scholarships, eliminated free Bermuda College, and left mould in our schools.
Some Hon. Members Some Hon. MembersHmm. Hon. E. David Burt: You cannot build a future workforce and make sure that your people are employed if you do not give them the tools to attain higher education. What have we done? People can go to Bermuda College. We doubled scholarships. We improved these things. And what …
Hmm. Hon. E. David Burt: You cannot build a future workforce and make sure that your people are employed if you do not give them the tools to attain higher education. What have we done? People can go to Bermuda College. We doubled scholarships. We improved these things. And what do we see, Mr. Speaker? Record numbers of young people entering the international business sector at the urging of this particular Government. That is our record, Mr. Speaker. And it is nothing that they can dispute because we all know their record when it came to jobs —promising 2,000 and losing 2,000 jobs. We understand, and the people will not buy what it is that they are selling just as they explained it in constituency 36 and the reason why the Reverend Emilygail Dill is sitting right there in that seat, Mr. Speaker. They are not buying what they are selling.
[Desk thumping] Hon. E. David Burt: So now they have changed their approach. They have gone from back to basics and pamphlets to Trumpism . Guess what? It is not going to work. It is not going to work. Now I want to touch on a particular item, Mr. Speaker, which I think is particularly important. And it is this matter of which people are discussing about corporate income tax. So let me just do a little bit of math for everybody. The projections that were put in place in the budget said $750 million is the estimate that will be collected by the Government of Bermuda on an annual basis. It could be higher; it could be lower. But the average that is expected is $750 million a year. If you take 10 years and y ou take $750 million, that is $7.5 billion of additional revenue. When the persons were going over and the committees that we set up . . . It was they who said that the Government would be in a position to pay off its debt and create a sovereign wealth fund for future investments. Now I know they do not like to hear it, but that is the reality. And here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. It is this Government’s sound economic management that has gotten us to a place of implementing a corpo-rate income tax in line with the global minimum tax initiative with support from our international business sector. And guess what, Mr. Speaker? Unlike the doom and gloom that was given by that side when that thing was debated—caution, worry, scare . . . No. Guess what, Mr. Speaker? Companies are moving to Bermuda due to what we have done. There is no exo-dus. There are companies coming to Bermuda to be a part of this regime, just like the insurance industry expanding, just like the funds industry expanding, just like the digital assets industry expanding. So are companies are coming here because of what we have done, Mr. Speaker. So, yes, when the election is called, people will be able to compare. And they will be able to compare what is being peddled by the Opposition and a record of delivery for working families in this country. And whether it is in record investments in affordable housing, record low taxes for workers, expansion on health care benefits, investments in education, Mr. Speaker, strengthening labour rights and union rights [in] this country, improving access for seniors, making sure we give seniors pensions, and als o providing for child care to support families, this country recognises and under-stands that the Progressive Labour Party is the party to vote for if you want a fair Bermuda. And with that, Mr. Speaker , I— [Desk thumping]
Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerPremier, would you like to move that out now? Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, before I close, which says that I move the following message be sent to the Governor —
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes? Hon. E. David Burt: I will just say one final thing.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerYes. Hon. E. David Burt: The Opposition says I say the same thing all the time. And here is the truth. Here are the facts. We say it because we have delivered what the people want us to deliver. And we will continue to repeat that, Mr. Speaker. And so, …
Yes. Hon. E. David Burt: The Opposition says I say the same thing all the time. And here is the truth. Here are the facts. We say it because we have delivered what the people want us to deliver. And we will continue to repeat that, Mr. Speaker. And so, what I will say is, I move that the following message be sent to the Governor: “May it please Your Excellency that we the Members of the House of Assembly of Bermuda thank Your Excellency for the gracious speech with which Your Excellency was pleased to open the present session of Parliament.”
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Thank you, Members, for your participation in the debate today. We will now move on to the next item Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 127 Bermuda House of Assembly on the Order Paper, which is the second reading of the Digital Asset Business Amendment Act 2024, …
Thank you. Thank you, Members, for your participation in the debate today. We will now move on to the next item Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 127
Bermuda House of Assembly on the Order Paper, which is the second reading of the Digital Asset Business Amendment Act 2024, and I believe the Junior Minister is going to lead this. Junior Minister?
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Speaker, I move that the Bill entitled the Digital Asset Business Amendment Act 2024 be now read the second time.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAre there any objections? There are none. Continue. [Inaudible interjections]
Mr. Jache AdamsI will go as fast as I can. BILL SECOND READING DIGITAL ASSET BUSINESS AMENDMENT ACT 2024
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Speaker, I am pleased to present the Digital Asset Business Amendment Act 2024 to this Honourable House. This Bill seeks to amend the Digital Asset Business Act 2018 to allow for the pay-ment of a fee to members of the appeals tribunal constituted pursuant to the A ct. Mr. …
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present the Digital Asset Business Amendment Act 2024 to this Honourable House. This Bill seeks to amend the Digital Asset Business Act 2018 to allow for the pay-ment of a fee to members of the appeals tribunal constituted pursuant to the A ct. Mr. Speaker, as Honourable Member s would be aware, usual practice is to remunerate members to sit on appeal panel tribunals. This Bill seeks to align the tribunal remuneration and allowances with the allowances and the arrangements in place for the tribunal established under the Insurance Act 1978 and the tribunals under the other Acts amended by the Appeal Tribunals (Miscellaneous) Act 2017. Mr. Speaker, whilst Honourable Member s will be aware of the importance of the Digital Asset Business Act [2018], it is vital for its ongoing credibility that an effective appeals process [is] in place. This Bill seeks to support this aim. Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, the Bill will make the following amendments. First, t he Digital Asset Business Act [2018] will be amended to allow for payment to the members of the tribunal , such remuneration and allowances as the Minister may determine after consultation with the Minister of Finance when another Minister has been appointed to administer this Act. Mr. Speaker, while today’s Bill is not a landmark change, Honourable Members will recognise the value of a robust appeals process to support the continued growth in our digital assets business sector. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Junior Minister. Does any other Member wish to make a contribution at this time? MP Pearman.
Mr. Scott PearmanThank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is quite late in the day, and I note that there are no technical officers present. I have one question for the Junior Minister, but I am happy to pose it and have him answer it at a later date if he wishes …
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is quite late in the day, and I note that there are no technical officers present. I have one question for the Junior Minister, but I am happy to pose it and have him answer it at a later date if he wishes to do so in the absence of the technical offic ers. Simply this: He has already said in his brief that the pay for these tribunal members in relation to the tribunal for the Digital Asset Business Act 2018 will be aligned (was his word) with the rate of pay for the tribunals in relation to the Insurance Act 1978 and the Appeal Tribunals (Miscellaneous) Act 2017. And I just want to know from the Honourable Minister, when he says aligned, is that the same as . And if you do not have that answer, I am happy to have it at a later date. That is our only ques-tion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerJunior Minister, are you going to answer? Or we can defer the answer for another time if you like. Well, right before that actually . . . Sorry. Does any other Member wish to speak? No other Member? Junior Minister.
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Speaker, I can say that we do mean aligned and the same. I can say that the chairman of the tribunal will receive the sum of $350 per hour, the deputy chairman will see $250 an hour, and other members of the tribunal will receive $50 an hour.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you. Any other comment before we move this to Committee?
Mr. Jache AdamsYes. Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill now be committed. 128 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Thank you. Deputy?
An Hon. Member An Hon. MemberYou are still here? [Laughter]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerNow don’t rough him like that. Don’t rough him up. [Inaudible interjection] Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: It is. It is my Sabbath. I am sinning, and I ask for forgiveness. I am around some not great people . . . But anyhow . . . [Laughter] House in Committee …
Now don’t rough him like that. Don’t rough him up. [Inaudible interjection]
Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr.: It is. It is my Sabbath. I am sinning, and I ask for forgiveness. I am around some not great people . . . But anyhow . . . [Laughter]
House in Committee at 11:34 pm [Hon. Derrick V. Burgess, Sr., Chairman]
COMMITTEE ON BILL
DIGITAL ASSET BUSINESS AMENDMENT ACT 2024
The ChairmanChairmanHonourable Members, we are now in committee of the whole for further consideration of the Bill entitled Digital Asset Business Amendment Act 2024 . Junior Minister Adams, you have the floor.
Mr. Jache AdamsThank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that clauses 1 and 2 be approved.
The ChairmanChairmanHow about let’s see if anyone wants to speak to them first.
The ChairmanChairmanDoes anyone want to speak to clauses 1 and 2? There appear to be none. Now you may go, Junior Minister.
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Chairman, I move that clauses 1 and 2 be approved.
The ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that clauses 1 and 2 be approved. Are there any objections to that? There appear to be none.
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Chairman, I move that the preamble be approved.
The ChairmanChairmanIt has been moved that the preamble be approved. Any objections to that? There appear to be none. Approved.
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Chairman, I move that the Bill be reported to the House as printed.
The ChairmanChairmanAny objections to the Bill being reported to the House? There appear to be none. The Bill will be reported to the House. [Motion carried: Th e Digital Asset Business Amendment Act 2024 was considered by a Committee of the whole House and passed without amendment.]
The ChairmanChairmanMr. Speaker . House resumed at 11:35 pm [Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair] REPORT OF COMMITTEE DIGITAL ASSET BUSINESS AMENDMENT ACT 2024
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMembers. Members, are there any objections to the Digital Asset Business Amendment Act 2024 being reported to the House as printed? There are none. The Bill has been reported as printed. Mr. Premier. Oh, geez. Junior Minister. Third reading. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDER 21
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Speaker, I move that Standing Order 21 be suspended to enable me to move the Bill entitled Digital Asset Business Amendment Act 2024 be now read the third time by its title only.
The SpeakerThe SpeakerAre there any objections? There are none. Continue. [Motion carried: Standing Order 21 suspended.] BILL THIRD READING DIGITAL ASSET BUSINESS AMENDMENT ACT 2024
Mr. Jache AdamsMr. Speaker, I move that the Bill be now read a third time by its title only and passed. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 129 Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: The Bill has been read a third time by title only and is now passed. Thank you. …
Mr. Speaker, I move that the Bill be now read a third time by its title only and passed. Official Hansard Report 15 November 202 4 129
Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: The Bill has been read a third time by title only and is now passed. Thank you.
[Motion carried: The Digital Asset Business Amendment Act 2024 w as read a third time and passed.]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMr. Premier. ADJOURNMENT Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know I will disappoint you because there are Members that are speaking on the motion to adjourn at this late hour. However, Mr. Speaker, I do move that this Honourable House adjourn until Friday, November 29 at 10:00 …
The SpeakerThe SpeakerMinister of Public Works, would you like to make a comment at this time?
The SpeakerThe SpeakerBriefly? FAIRMONT PRINCESS HOTEL GROUNDBREAKING
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchI will not need the 20 minutes. I only have one subject that I want to speak on. And I would like to offer congratulations —
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. Burch—Fairmont Princess Hotel. Mr. Speaker, over 1,000 construction jobs will be created at the Fairmont, over 800 jobs when the hotel opens. It is an iconic hotel —
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. Burch—and I think that at the very least the country should say thank you to the principal of Gencom, Karim Alibhai, and all of those people associated with this project, Mr. Speaker. It has been mentioned today that $560 million is going to be invested in this project. That is …
—and I think that at the very least the country should say thank you to the principal of Gencom, Karim Alibhai, and all of those people associated with this project, Mr. Speaker. It has been mentioned today that $560 million is going to be invested in this project. That is a lot of money. And clearly, the requirements and time that it took to bring it to fruition is what is required when you spend that kind of money. But I remember, Mr. Speaker, in this House and elsewhere, the criticism from the Opposition about how this Government could not close a deal, like it was our fault. The Premier mentioned it, but I was shocked and appalled to see, at the groundbreaking on Wednesday, Members of the Opp osition turn out to the event. I mean, I just think that it goes to the core of why people in this country do not trust them. You criticised the project up and down the land. You criticised the people that were involved. At some point you must say: Okay . That is my position. I stick to it. It reminds me, Mr. Speaker, of about a decade ago when we were going to build houses at Loughlands and the MP for Paget at the time, Dr. Grant Gibbons, criticised the project up and down the land. Even when the places were finished, he still criticised it. And I predicted and it came true that when he went and knocked on those 98 doors, every last one of the tenants said to him, Why are you here asking for my vote when you did not want me to live here in the first place? I do not know if they all voted for us, but I know none of them voted for him. And it is the same concept, Mr. Speaker. If I stand up and say I disagree with something, regardless of whether I get an invitation, that shows the responsibility and the integrity of the people at Westend Proper-ties that they invited them in the first place. But your position is you do not supp ort the project, so why turn up?
Lt. Col. Hon. David A. BurchThat is the whole problem, Mr. Speaker. Double standards. Congratulations to Westend Properties and Gencom. I am looking forward to— [Desk thumping]
The SpeakerThe SpeakerThank you, Minister. No other Member? Premier? Oh! Thank you, Premier! Thank you! 130 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly Members, thank you for your participation today. Thank you for the business that was done. And now as we rise to adjourn for this evening, I …
Thank you, Minister. No other Member? Premier? Oh! Thank you, Premier! Thank you! 130 15 November 2024 Official Hansard Report
Bermuda House of Assembly Members, thank you for your participation today. Thank you for the business that was done. And now as we rise to adjourn for this evening, I trust you all have a good weekend and enjoy the extra week next week when we are not here. I look forward to seeing you on the 29th. The House now stands adjourned.
[Gavel] [At 11:41 pm, the House stood adjourned until 10:00 am, Friday, 29 November 2024.]