Speeches by Dr. Douglas De Couto, JP, MP

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

108 words

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hereby table a report on the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Public Ac counts for the approval of this H onourable House, along with the Committee Members ’ Manual. We met eight times this year . We had a lot to work on. I would like to thank the Committee members and the staff for …

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

63 words

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House whether he receives any benefits as Premier outside of his parliamentary salary, health insurance and pension bene-fits, and, if so, what is the form and monetary value of such benefits for each of the calendar years 2023, 2024, and 20 25 to …

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

22 words

Yes, I have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. QUESTION 2: CONSULTANT AND ADVISORY POSITION CONTRACTS UNDER $50,000 FROM 1 JULY 2024 TO PRESENT

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

77 words

Will the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please provide to this Honourable House a list of all contracts for consultants or advisory positions ( including advisors to Ministers) that have been approved by the Head of the Public Service for the period from July 1st 2024 to the present, where the total contract amount is less than $50, 000, …

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

107 words

Ye s. Will the Honourable Minister please inform this Honourable House whether any additional Government financial grant or assistance to the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) may be needed to support the recent pay rise agreement between BPSU and the BHB? I only note that this question was submitted prior to the tabling of the s upplementals. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. …

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

12 words

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will be grateful for that response.

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

57 words

Yes, thank you, Mr. Premier [sic]. I mean, Mr. Speaker. The Premier's Statement referred to better than projected finances and fiscal space, and he deliv-ered the Supplementary Estimates with around $22 million of additional unbudgeted spending. Given that the budget had around $43,000 [sic] of surplus — Hon. E. David Burt: I believe it is $43 million.

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

23 words

—c an . . . Okay, $43 million of surplus. Can the Premier outline for us — [ Inaudible interjection and laughter ]

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

47 words

N o, thank you. I — [ Inaudible interjection] Dr. Douglas DeCouto: W ell, there's always that. Inclusive of the corporate income tax. Could the P remier outline for this H ouse the sources, the specific sources of this, as he called for, fiscal space? Thank you.

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

14 words

I guess the answer is No ; check back later . But new question.

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

41 words

New question. I suspect I know what the answer is going to be, which is going to be check back next week, Mr. Speaker. [ Laughter and inaudible interjections ] QUESTION 2: DELIVERING ON OUR COMMITMENTS—INVESTING TO MEET BERMUDA’S NEEDS NOW

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

204 words

But given all of this additional spending in the supplementals, should we expect to see that as additional current spending in next year's budget? Thank you. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, as we have always given in our mid -year reviews, it has been the habit that we do not do these things on one- time [expenses], i f …

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

26 words

You think it’s a joke. It’s not a joke. Hon. Michael Fahy: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. [ Inaudible interjection] Hon. Michael Fahy: Thank you.

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

181 words

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I would like to be associated with the comments regarding the Bet schart ’s, and I will leave it at that because the Member spoke so well. I would also like to send the House's congratulations to Noah D a Silva, Bermuda's most recent Rhodes Scholar. And if you took some time …

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

39 words

And associate the M ember there, please. Associate the whole House, please, Mr. Speaker, [regarding] Mr. Quin. And I want to send condolences to Mr. Quin's wife, [Annie] , and the rest of his family. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

292 words

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the [Junior] Minister for that introduction. Clearly, we definitely support this Bill. It is important that CIT works and works properly, and we are B ermuda House of Assembly very supportive, like the g overnment , of international business, for the benefits it brings to Bermuda and Bermudians, its jobs, its …

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

5 words

Point of order, Mr. Speaker.

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

22 words

I don't believe this report has been brought to the House to be discussed. Hon. E. David Burt: Ah! [ Inaudible interjections]

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

97 words

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, I'm not sure how he knows you would recall what you have read or not read, Mr. Speaker. Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: Mr. Speaker, it is a public document. [ Inaudible interjections] Hon. Zane J. S. De Silva: It's a public document. It may not have been brought to this House, but certainly …

5 Dec 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

5 words

Point of order, Mr. Speaker.