Speeches by N. H. Cole Simons

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

74 words

The other issue that I think needs to be addressed in regard to our economy and our government is that capital should be allocated for industries so that we can find a way to address cl imate change and the threats that go along with cl imate change. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we know that our hurr icanes are becoming more …

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

283 words

The farm s in the summertime are being compromised. Our produce has been compromised through hurricanes. The farmers lose mi llions and millions of revenue. And we need to do our best and craft a strategy, as a Government, to ad-dress climate change in this country. It is something that we have to do so that we will not burden …

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

4 words

I only work there.

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

335 words

I am looking at this Union Deposit Company and, despite the fact that I would love to see it succeed, we had a Union Deposit Company once before in this country. And it had its challenges and, as a consequence, it wound up. I understand that the Minister has committed $250,000 to allow the Government to embark upon a study …

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

30 words

I know Cayman has more banks, but Cayman has more capital. They have more businesses. They have more revenue. Their economic pie is larger than Bermuda and continues to grow.

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

10 words

But they will get off like we got off too.

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

13 words

You mark my word. They will get off within the next six months.

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

150 words

Okay. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, as I said, in principle, there may be merit in having the Union Deposit Company. And I will be watching attentively to see how things progress. As I said, it is not just local legislation that one has to adhere to, the institution will have to address and adhere to international banking regulations as prescribed …

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

124 words

Did that, did that, just bear with me, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Oh, family Office legislation. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I do not understand why the Minister put this in. He knows better than anyone else that we a have family office in Bermuda, and we have had a family office in this country for years. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have private …

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

30 words

Mr. Deputy Speaker, in that regard . . . I have 10 seconds. Bermuda must tackle the top- line economic growth, resolve Bermuda’s i mmigration challenges — [Timer beeps] [Gavel]

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

5 words

—address shortfalls, and pensions —

28 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

8 words

—and health care. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

14 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

89 words

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been doing a lot of work for the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development], and we also know that the OECD and the BEPS Committee, which is the Base Erosion Profit [Shifting] Committee, has targeted the Overseas Territories, territories with low -tax and no-tax jurisdictions. My question to the Premier is, …

14 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

45 words

Supplementary. Can the Premier provide us with a comment in regard to their endeavour to enco urage Bermuda to adopt income taxes? Hon. E. David Burt: I am not entirely certain of the question that the Honourable Member is trying to get me to answer.

14 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

156 words

Okay. Has the BEPS C ommittee met with Government representatives to e ncourage them to introduce income taxes, to encourage Bermuda to introduce income taxes so that there is more harmonisation across the territories and the OECD members? Hon. E. David Burt: To the best of my knowledge, there have not been any meetings from the BEPS Committee with officials …

14 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

163 words

Okay. Supplemental based on what he just said. So where does the Government stand in r egard to setting the framework for digital taxation? Hon. E. David Burt: I think that when it comes to setting the framework for digital taxation, Mr. Speaker, I think that the Government adopts the position that we have always adopted, that tax competition is …

14 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

3 words

My last —

14 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

2 words

Second question.

14 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

153 words

Okay. My question is — 2970 14 February 2020 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly The Speaker: No, no, no, no, no. You have put your question. You are finished. You are finished. You are finished. The Member from constituency 23. QUESTION 1: BLOCK GRANT TO BERMUDA HOSPITALS BOARD Hon. Patricia J. Gordon -Pamplin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. …

14 Feb 2020 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly

215 words

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the Minister and his team for their commitment to addressing literacy in our schools. I note the pr ogrammes that they are implementing, Heggerty Phonemic Awareness programme and the I -PLAY pr o-gramme, and the professional development pr ogrammes. And I think they are all good. I note that …