Speeches by Scott Pearman, MP

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

26 words

Of course, this is . . . those employees are not listed in employee numbers, so it is not something I can compare against prior years.

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

208 words

Yes. Thank you. I am very grateful. If that is the answer, that is the answer. I try not to ask too many leading questions. Right. So, here we are. That was my question on the FIA . And just still on the FIA and that increase, there was a quote by the Honourable Junior Minister and what he referred …

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

2 words

[Page] B-85.

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

1,106 words

There we are, [pages] B-84, B -85. Now, I have a very generic question arising from the objectives at page B -84. And this is driven , to some degree, by a prior budget presentation. B ut there was a lot of talk around the new court system. And let me be very careful. There are a lot of different …

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

107 words

But the point being , that we should charge fees, tiered fees, that are commensurate to the value of the case. And if we do that, we can increase revenue for our commercial courts . And that revenue that comes into our commercial court can then be used to offset other areas of the courts, for example, the family court, …

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

1,604 words

So, the question is being posed by the Honourable Minister of Economy and Labour as to whether it would increase the cost of doing business. I do not think so. Because if you look at it, the people who are here in litigation are almost here after the fact. And frankly, Bermuda's i nternational financial centre is a draw to …

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

3 words

So, thank you.

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

2 words

Great. Excellent.

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

90 words

Perfect. Well, this makes for a wonderful change. I am grateful to the H onourable Junior Minister . So those are my questions and observations in relation to H ead 3. Of those, the one that I would really welcome the most feedback on or answers in relation to is what is going on with the case management system and …

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

756 words

I do. And I said I was moving on from Head 3. But actually, I see I have one last question. That was [page] B-87, which is the full -time equivalent employee numbers. We see that there is an increase from 64 to 72. My understanding of these FTEs [full-time employees] is that these are roles that may or may …

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

226 words

—and the 2024/ 25 actuals. And again, looking over at the estimate, the greyed- out box, it is looking at 189. So, I appreciate that these are FTEs, full -time equivalents. These are roles. Could we perhaps have clarity on the numbers of actual employees and hires to see whether or not the nine hires that were referred to are …

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

67 words

So I have assumed that those hires would go up top . But maybe I should not have made that assumption. Perhaps they go into the West-gate Correctional Facility. Again, I do not know, and I would welcome an answer on that. I am delighted to hear that there are more eggs this year than there were last year. I …

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

20 words

Last year, there were 2,114 eggs. So, we hear there are more now. So, keep on going. Keep on trucking.

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

4 words

Which came first? [Laughter]

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

3 words

There we are.

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

439 words

Okay. On a slightly more serious note, this is line item 35060, which goes back to [page] B-95, and that is the Westgate Correctional Facility. And we heard during the presentation of the brief by the Junior Minister the concerns , which are repeated concerns , and not surprising , around a correctional facility of security, razor wires being fixed …

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

208 words

Now, I appreciate that this may not be the job that everyone is banging down the door to have. And maybe some people, it would be the job that they would bang down the door to have. But linking those two issues together . . . or perhaps I shouldn't. That's not . . . perhaps I shouldn't. Perhaps I …

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

207 words

So again, not throwing stones, but just trying to recognise that the Government has candidly noted what is happening, and what are the solutions proposed. While we are in the back of the Budget B ook, if we could also just fli p to the grants, which are on [page] C-17 for the Ministry of Justice. I have one quick …

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

60 words

Yes. So I am back at [page] B-95, Madam Chair man, and back at line item 35060 for Westgate, and indeed the other facilities are above. But the subject here is treatment. And if one looks over the page . . . no, it is just down below under inmate services. We see line item 35105, which is psychological services.

2 Mar 2026 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

381 words

And, during the brief, the Honourable Junior Minister commented on some of the treatments that were available in relation to the heading of psychological services. And he got onto the topic of sex offenders. And he was discussing something which he called Life Minus Violence , which I think is the programme. And then he said, after that sexual something, …