Government

The Department of Health is inviting nominations for the Public Health Awards 2022. This year the Public Health Awards will recognise an individual and an organisation for their contribution in preventing the spread of coronavirus for the safety and health of the community of Bermuda.

I am pleased today to provide an overview of the Budget 2022/23 for the Ministry of Social Development and Seniors.

For the Budget year 2022/23, the Ministry of Social Development and Seniors can announce that we have seen a slight increase in our budget from $24.2 million to $ 24.59 million.

When looking at the third sector, we recognize the need to assist social programs where there is a growing need, and therefore, require appropriate funds. These areas include: 

➢ Age Concern – $25,000

➢ Women’s Resource Center – $75,000

The Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sport is extremely proud of its role in ensuring that our culture and heritage is preserved and promoted; providing support for our young people; and nurturing and guiding the next generation of elite athletes. 

We recognize the fiscal challenges that have been caused by the pandemic. Like other Ministries, we had to ensure that there was a prudent allocation of funds for various services.

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Social Development and Seniors are pleased to announce that March is Intellectual Disability Development Awareness Month at the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy.

According to Principal Margaret Phillips, “Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy has adopted the celebration of I/DD Awareness Month to bring awareness about the work of the school, our students, and their families.”

March through April is the peak time for spotting humpback whales around Bermuda. As part of journeying from their breeding grounds in the Caribbean to their feeding grounds on the eastern seaboard of North America and as far north as Greenland and Iceland, the whales swim through our waters. For the public, watching these majestic animals, spouting, breaching or swimming along slowly with a calf is a thrilling experience, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) wishes to remind the public of how to observe the whales safely. 

Recently, the Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Walter Roban, JP, MP, visited another local farmer to continue discussing the increased incidents of theft and security strategies that have proved successful.

The Minister, who was accompanied by Principal Agricultural Officer Mr. Tommy Sinclair, also discussed the industry’s ongoing challenges facing farmers. The public will be aware of the term “night farming”, used to describe the theft of produce from farms and gardens, is usually carried out under cover of darkness.

On Thursday, 3 March, the Minister of National Security, Renee Ming, visited the Hamilton Fire Station to observe officers undergoing training for the Bermuda Fire & Rescue Service’s (BF&RS) new Aerial Ladder Platform.

The newest addition to the BF&RS’s fleet arrived on island last week.

Minister Ming said, “I’m extremely grateful to the team at the BF&RS for taking a brief pause from their training this morning to demonstrate the functions and capabilities of this state-of-the-art Fire Fighting Appliance.

The Governor, Ms Rena Lalgie, has announced the appointment of Mr Juan Wolffe as a Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Bermuda. 

This appointment follows an open and competitive recruitment process and a recommendation received from the Judicial and Legal Services Committee. 

The Governor said, “I am very pleased to appoint Mr Wolffe to this important role.  In particular, he brings valuable knowledge and insight from his extensive experience as a dedicated Judicial Officer in both the Magistrates’ Court and the Supreme Court over the last 16 years. 

Good Morning Mr. Speaker,

As the Minister of the new Economy and Labour Ministry, I rise today to update this Honourable House on the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan (ERP).

Mr. Speaker,

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform this Honourable House of the launch of a major study to identify the potential impacts and risks of climate change to Bermuda.

Mr. Speaker, the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA), is responsible for the regulation and safety oversight of aviation in Bermuda and all aircraft on the Bermuda Aircraft Registry (the Registry). As such, BCAA is currently assessing how the recent global sanctions imposed against Russia will impact the Registry.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker, I lay before this Honourable House the Bermuda Housing Trust (“the Trust”) Audited Financial Statements for the fiscal year ending March 2021.

Mr. Speaker, just like many other organizations in Bermuda, the financial year 2020-21 proved to be a challenging year for the Bermuda Housing Trust due almost entirely to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MR SPEAKER,

I rise today to update this House and the listening public on the amazing and exciting work that is taking place in education reform, specifically the work of Learning First. With Signature Schools set to open in September 2022, much work has transpired to ensure that students have an educational experience that prepares them for their future and connects them with industry and their community.

MR SPEAKER,

Recently (Feb. 23), the Deputy Premier, the Hon. Walter Roban and the Minister of National Security the Hon. Renee Ming visited the latest group of soldiers taking part in the first recruit camp of 2022.

Minister Roban and Minister Ming viewed the medic lesson being delivered to the new recruits and also had an opportunity to view the signals and communications lesson.

Good afternoon,

Thank you for joining me today for this rescheduled post-Budget press conference, which I’m conducting remotely.

I wish to assure the public that I am feeling fine, and I intend to conduct most of my engagements this week remotely, including the rescheduled Chamber of Commerce Budget Breakfast and the House of Assembly on Friday. I look forward to returning to the office next week to continue progressing the Government’s Agenda.

Following consultation with the Ministry of Health, the Minister of Education, the Hon. Diallo Rabain, JP MP, announced today (March 1, 2022), updates to the Quarantine Policy for Schools which are effective immediately.

The following updates have been made:

Vaccinated Positive Cases

-Quarantine for 7 days with test out with a certified Lateral Flow Test (LFT).

Unvaccinated Positive Cases

-Quarantine for 10 days with a test out with a certified LFT.

Close Contacts

Today, the Ministry of Economy and Labour released the November 2021 Retail Sales Index ( November 2021 RSI Report.pdf.

November’s retail sales fell 8.6% compared to last year. In value terms, retail sales fell 4.7%, which represents  an estimated $96.8 million compared to last year (November 2020).

Today, the Minister of Economy and Labour, the Hon. Jason Hayward, JP, MP, released the November 2021 Consumer Price Index ( November 2021 CPI Report.pdf) publication from the Department of Statistics.

The Minister explained, “In November 2021, Consumers paid 2.8 per cent more than they did in November 2020 for the basket of goods and services.”

“On Sunday evening following receipt of an email notifying me that someone with whom I was in contact last week had tested positive for the coronavirus, I took an at-home test where I tested positive for coronavirus.

“I immediately isolated and informed all persons with whom I had in-person engagements this week that they would need to be remote. I have also been in contact with the contact tracing teams from the Ministry of Health and persons with whom I may have been in close contact over the last few days.

The Ministry of Education advises that all school students and staff were COVID tested last week, with verified antigen tests, permitting all negative students to return to in-school learning this upcoming week.

Middle and Senior school students will resume twice-weekly antigen testing.

– Testing on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.

– Results may be logged at: https://bermudaschools.family/antigen

On Friday (Feb. 25), the Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, Dr. Ernest Peets participated in the“Remembering the Enterprise” commemoration event at Barr’s Bay Park. 

The event was part of the Department of Culture’s Bermudian Heartbeat’s Lecture Series, and recognised the February 11, 1835, arrival of the American brig Enterprise. 

History shares that the vessel was blown off course and arrived in Hamilton Harbour with 78 enslaved people aboard. Subsequently, a legal hearing led to their emancipation. 

Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received 7351 test results, and 67 were positive for the coronavirus, giving a test positivity rate of 0.9%.

These results are from testing done on:

§  Sunday: 14 positive out of 2361 results (0.6% positivity)

§  Monday: 29 positive out of 2499 results (1.2% positivity)

§  Tuesday: 24 positive out of 2491 results (1.0% positivity)

10 of the new cases are classified as imported with a history of travel in the previous 14 days.