Government

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.

 – Bermuda reaffirms its commitment to full tax governance and transparency

Hamilton, February 24, 2022 – The Ministry of Finance of the Government of Bermuda reports that the island´s commitment to exchange information with international tax authorities, as recommended by the OECD Forum on Harmful Tax Practices (´FHTP´) in November 2021, has been noted temporarily in the State of Play document (Annex II of the conclusions of the EU Council of Ministers). The island remains a fully cooperative jurisdiction committed to full compliance.

As part of the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme (BOPP), the Ministry of Home Affairs plans to introduce a comprehensive Marine Spatial Plan and Blue Economy Strategy for our 200-mile marine Exclusive Economic Zone. One of BOPP’s goals is to improve fisheries management, where appropriate, and partner with stakeholders to support Bermuda’s fisheries goals through consultations, scientific research, and economic analyses. 

The Ministry of Transport wishes to clarify any misleading information regarding cruise ship visitors to Bermuda. The Ministry reminds the public that as of 7 March 2022, children travelling to Bermuda by cruise ship who are 11 years or under will take the vaccination status of their parents or guardian. Visitors 12 years old and older must be fully vaccinated to travel to Bermuda. This means a full course of the recognized, approved vaccines, 1 or 2 doses plus two weeks.

Minister of Social Development and Seniors, the Hon. Tinee Furbert today issued an invitation to the public to apply for service on the Co-Parenting Mediation Council. 

Good afternoon, Minister, Madam Chair, our new Working Group members, Senior Youth Development Officer, Nadine Henry and members of the media.

In the Government’s 2020 Election Platform as well as our 2021 Throne Speech we committed to the establishment of the National Youth Policy aimed at fostering direct engagement with our youth in the development of government policies.

“..the prospects for Bermuda are bright..”

The 2021 Bermuda Fiscal Responsibility Panel Report (the Report) has been completed and is published today. It is available on the Ministry of Finance section of the Bermuda Government portal. (www.gov.bm) 

 The Ministry of Health advises the public of a false email message titled “PCR TEST RESULT: POSITIVE.”

Any official email for anyone who has tested positive will contain the name of the person tested, Test ID number and the date they were tested. Additionally, emails to persons who have tested positive do not contain a link. 

The false email doesn’t contain specific details, and if you click the link included in the email, you could put your computer/phone security at risk or unwittingly give up personal details.  

As is acknowledged globally, and as I have said many times before, educators are the single most significant in-school influence on outcomes for children (academic and otherwise). I recognise that schools cannot thrive daily without dedicated education professionals. We, as a country, will not achieve the ambitious targets that we have set for education reform without teachers and school leaders at the heart of this change. 

On behalf of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sport, I’m delighted to be here at the Bermuda National Gallery to formally open The African Collection: Our People, Our Places, Our Stories.

As you’re all aware, this exhibition is being revisited in celebration of the BNG’s 30^th anniversary, and this was one of the Gallery’s very first collections it showcased shortly after its opening.

I had the wonderful opportunity of touring the exhibition last week and I must say, it was truly a breath-taking experience.

The Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, Dr. Ernest Peets extended congratulations to Major Kenneth (Toki) Dill, Marjorie Pettit, the late Ted Ming, Paul and Penelope Leseur and Daren A. Herbert who were all honoured last evening at the Bermuda Arts Council’s (BAC) Annual Awards Ceremony.

These six Bermudians were celebrated for their significant contributions to the island’s arts and cultural scene.

“Sadly, Bermuda has recorded another coronavirus death since our last update,” said Minister of Health, Kim Wilson, JP, MP. “My heartfelt condolences go out to the loved ones of the deceased at this difficult time.”

Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received 6642 test results, and 107 were positive for the coronavirus, giving a test positivity rate of 1.6%.

These results are from testing done on:

§  Wednesday:  39 positive out of 1590 results (2.5% positivity)

§  Thursday: 19 positive out of 1479 results (1.3% positivity)

Good evening,

To those of you viewing from the audience today and to those who are viewing virtually and online, I extend my heartfelt greetings to you all.

I wish to also express my appreciation and well wishes to the Bermuda Arts Council for their commitment to ensuring that this event took place this year.

This occasion is particularly poignant because the arts have suffered tremendously during the last two years of the pandemic. So it’s wonderful that we can come together to recognise and highlight the importance of art in all its forms during this ceremony.

“If we are to protect, preserve and promote broader awareness about our cultural legacy, it’s important for us all to learn as much as we can about our heritage,” said the Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, Dr. Ernest Peets recently, when he toured the Carter House Museum – one of Bermuda’s oldest cultural and historical attractions.

Located in St. David’s, Carter House is an Historic Protection Site and Listed Building.

The Hon. Kathy Lynn Simmons, JP, MP Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Reform, is pleased to announce that 47 families have received internet installation and one year of paid service.  

After COVID-19 forced schools online, Mirrors jumped in to support students in need with devices through an initiative entitled “Lighthouse Connect”. During the most recent remote learning period, the organization received requests from a host of families needing the internet for students to participate in online learning. 

On 26 November 2007, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared that 20 February would be celebrated annually as the World Day of Social Justice. 

Today, the 2022 theme of Achieving Social Justice through Formal Employment highlights that 2 billion workers, or over 60 per cent of the world’s employed population, earn their living in the informal economy. These workers are not regulated, registered or afforded the basic social and employment-related protections and benefits. 

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform this Honourable House and the general public that February is Teen Dating Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month. I would also like to take this opportunity to share what the Ministry of Social Development and Seniors has done in support of this initiative. While the month is targeted towards teens, it is important that all adults in our community who have healthy interactions with teens not limited to parents and guardians, lead the charge of having conversations with them on dating abuse.

The Department of Health can confirm that on behalf of Abbott Nutrition, the Bermuda General Agency (BGA) Ltd. is initiating a proactive product recall of “Similac” Pro-Sensitive and Pro-Advance plastic container options manufactured in Sturgis, Michigan, one of the company’s manufacturing facilities. 

This recall is after four consumers launched complaints in the US relating to Cronobacter sakazakii or Salmonella Newport in infants who had consumed the powder formula manufactured specifically in their Sturgis, Michigan facility.

MR SPEAKER,

I want to take this time today to provide updates on some COVID Related School Matters as we prepare to return to school next week Monday. Some have questioned the policies currently in place. More specifically, there has been a growing misconception that there is some disparity between Public Schools and Private Schools guidelines. This cannot be further from the truth, as the policies in place for schools apply equally to both public and private schools. Today, I will provide the necessary information to clarify some of these misconceptions hopefully.

The Minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Reform, the Hon. Kathy Lynn Simmons, JP, MP, today issued a public notice of the impending release, of sex offender TeWolde Mathin Selassie, who will be released from the Department of Corrections Farm Facility on 21 February 2022.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to update this Honourable House on our strategy to improve the protection of our marine resources within our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Bermuda is privileged to have a very large Exclusive Economic Zone. Our EEZ is approximately four hundred and sixty four thousand (464,000) kilometre square.  To put this in context, this is larger than the combined EEZs of the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands, which have a combined total of four hundred and forty-five thousand, five hundred (445,500) kilometre square.

Mr. Speaker,

I rise today to provide an update on the Automation Project already underway in the Department of Immigration.  We are extremely excited about these advances which will benefit both the Department, businesses and the general public.

Mr. Speaker,

Automation of Immigration Forms

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members,

I rise today to share with Honourable Members the Bermuda Health Strategy 2022-2027.

Mr Speaker,

This House will recall the previous Health Strategy covered the years 2014 to 2019.

In 2019, the Ministry of Health began work to create a new strategy for the next five years (2020 to 2025) which could provide a framework for a redesign of the healthcare system – the Government’s intention to transition to universal health coverage being a clear and stated goal by that time.

Mr Speaker,

“Bermuda has recorded another coronavirus death,” announced Minister of Health, Kim Wilson, JP, MP. “I extend sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased, and I pray that they find comfort in the memories of their loved one.”

Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received 3465 test results, and 70 were positive for the coronavirus, giving a test positivity rate of 2.0%.

These results are from testing done on:

§  Sunday: 18 positive out of 914 results (2.0% positivity)

§  Monday: 27 positive out of 1359 results (2.0% positivity)

The Ministry of Transport, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Marine and Ports Services are advising the public that an additional 17 abandoned and derelict boats – owners unknown – will shortly be removed from the water and disposed of. This is in addition to the recent notice to remove 37 abandoned vessels.