Members
Parliament
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Ben Smith, MP

Ben Smith, MP

738
Speeches
138,286
Words Spoken
67
Sittings Active
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
58 words
So, once again, it is very interesting that we can talk about facts. When what is being provided is based off of incomplete data, we do not even know what the emigration number is. So, we are here today without the correct data. You think about this, Madam Deputy Speaker, yes, there hasn’t been a census since 2016.
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
117 words
But since that point there was a pandemic, and we know that parts of our population have decided to opt -out. Don’t you think it would have been kind of a good thing for us to make sure that our numbers were right when we were making the decisions that we have to make for the future of this country? …
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
14 words
That’s an interesting one because most people did not vote. [Laughter and crosstalk ]
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
185 words
So, the issue is this, Madam Deputy Speaker. They have the mandate. They have the Government. They want to talk about what the OBA did not do, but it is eight years. It is your record that is on the line. It is you who has to put the things in place. You are the ones who have to make …
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
27 words
The only pie that seems to be growing is the one that the Labour Minister sees. That is the only pie. Hon. Jason Hayward: Point of order.
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
8 words
And it is a pie in the sky!
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
23 words
Madam Deputy Speaker, with the rest of my time I am going to continue on with the fact — [Laughter and inaudible interjections]
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
9 words
Oh, yes. Okay, Labour Minister. Because guess what —
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
8 words
—you are going to have an opportunity. [Gavel]
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
74 words
Correct. He is going to have his opportunity to talk about why all of these people are going out and becoming “belongers,” because they don’t get the same safety net that they are looking for. He can tell us what those numbers are. He can tell us how many of those processes he is getting at Immi-gration. He can talk …
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
163 words
But don’t pluck all the feathers of that goose. Because they can go to other places. And what we are saying is, make sure that you understand that. And we will continue to push for the economy to grow. Grow for everybody. Because when you walk around this city, right in front of us, how many of those restaurants are …
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
55 words
Yes, so with the rest of my time I am actually going to focus on Bermuda and the Bermudians who are living in the actual economy not whatever the Labour Minister would like for me to discuss. But he will have his opportunity to do so. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Economy and Labour.
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
156 words
We have to grow. Those are the facts. He talks about 8,000 jobs but he doesn’t want to talk about 8,000 people. I got it. Because it is not helpful for him to say 8,000 people. I got that. But without the extra people going around this community, those are the ones who fill the restaurants and then have a …
9 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
150 words
Become more efficient. Actually do the work. Don’t put the numbers down and say, This is the plan. Implement the plan. Make sure you are getting it done and stop worrying about what happened seven, eight years ago and worry about what you are doing right now and how you are going to move for3 The Royal Gazette, 30 April …
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
7 words
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning.
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
47 words
Thank you to the Minister for his Statement this morning. Will the Minister or Ministry support requests for expansion of the coverage from community clubs and from neighbourhoods? Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Mr. Speaker, just give me a second. I will go right back to my Statement.
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
53 words
Please. Thank you. Yes, a supplementary. Will they support that increase in expansion? I know there have been requests. But will the Ministry actually support an expansion based off of those requests? 162 28 March 2025 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: Minister. Hon. Michael A. Weeks: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
2 words
Further supplementary.
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
23 words
The cost of that expansion, will that be borne solely by the Government or will this be in collaboration with those sports clubs?
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
57 words
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Statement from the Minister, there was quite a bit about moving and getting our people to start to move more. I am wondering if the Minister will let us know whether there has been any communication, collaboration with the Ministry of Edu-cation to increase physical education classes within schools?