Government

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide the House with a report on the state of the island’s roads and the various trenching projects ongoing and projected for the upcoming year.

The Ministry of Social Development and Seniors would like to advise the public that the K Margaret Carter Centre (KMCC) is closed and will reopen on Monday, March 28th.

There are several staff and clients currently in quarantine and subsequently, there are absences. As a result, the client-to-staff levels are presently unsustainable.

Parents/Guardians have been notified. The Department of Health will guide on the recommended closure period and testing to safely return to the facility.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to lay before this Honourable House the Bill entitled “Children Amendment Act 2022”. This Bill amends the Children Act 1998, to reform the current legal structure and broaden the responsibilities of the Child Care Placement Board.

Mr. Speaker, among the most expensive items we must buy in our everyday lives is gas or diesel for cars and bikes. We make time to work, we take our children to school, we take an elderly relative for a drive or we use a vehicle to ply our trade. Every Bermudian makes use of fuel and is impacted by an increase in its cost.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members and the public may have noted that in January there was an increase of 1.7% for gasoline and an increase of 3.2% for diesel. In February the increases were 4.9% for gasoline and 4.7% for diesel.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform this Honourable House of the results of the public consultation on single-use plastics that was conducted during the autumn of 2021.  Honourable members will be aware that a policy was launched in August entitled: “Regulating Single-use plastics in Bermuda:  Policy paper for public consultation”. I would also like to inform Honourable Members of the next steps that we intend to take to ensure the realization of this Throne Speech initiative.

MR SPEAKER,

An African Proverb says this “…If we stand tall, it is because we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors…”

MR. SPEAKER,

Often I hear in the community that Bermuda history is not captured sufficiently, that members of the public do not have a firm grasp of the Bermuda story, compared to other countries worldwide. This lack of understanding of our story can make people not appreciate or feel as attached to or proud of their island home.

MR. SPEAKER,

“Sadly, Bermuda has had another COVID-19 related death,” said Minister of Health, Kim Wilson, JP, MP. “I extend sincere condolences to the family and friends who recently lost a loved one in the circumstances related to this coronavirus. You are in our thoughts and prayers.”

Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received 3264 test results, and 105 were positive for the coronavirus, giving a test positivity rate of 3.2%.

These results are from testing done on:

§  Sunday: 14 positive out of 460 results (3.0% positivity)

Good afternoon.

Sadly, I begin my remarks today by reporting that since our update on Monday, Bermuda has had another COVID-19 related death.

I extend sincere condolences to the family and friends who recently lost a loved one in the circumstances related to this coronavirus. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

As I have said repeatedly, the pandemic is not over, and the omicron variant continues to circulate throughout our community. Our positive cases are increasing, and it is important to note that new cases are outpacing our recoveries.

The Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sport advised today that the Flora Duffy mural is close to complete.

A Ministry spokesperson said, “The vibrant artwork, which highlights all the various stages of Ms. Duffy’s Olympic gold medal achievement, is located on the Church Street side of the General Post Office (GPO) building in Hamilton.

The Bermuda Government is currently accepting applications for the 2022 Public Service Bursary Award Scheme. The deadline for applications is April 29, 2022.

The Public Service Bursary Award Scheme provides funding to Bermudians pursuing post-secondary academic qualifications in a discipline identified to meet future needs of Government Departments. This ensures a well-trained cadre of people to fill positions within the Public Service. The bursaries are valued at $20,000 per annum; not exceeding five (5) years.

The Minister of National Security, the Hon. Renee Ming, JP, MP, commented on the appointment of the new Police Commissioner, saying, “I offer my congratulations to Mr Darrin Simons on his appointment as Commissioner of Police.

 “Mr Simons’ experience and knowledge, gained from his twenty-eight-years of service, will no doubt prove invaluable in the years to come. I have enjoyed working with Mr Simons over the past six months, and I look forward to his continued leadership as the BPS continues their work to make Bermuda safer.”

Mr. Speaker,

I rise today to announce to this Honourable House that the Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) programme due to expire 31st March, 2022 will be extended to expire on 31st August, 2022.

Mr. Speaker,

This extension is another example of the Ministry of Economy and Labour’s unwavering support for Bermudians. 

Her Excellency the Governor, Ms Rena Lalgie, has appointed Mr Darrin Simons as Commissioner of Police of Bermuda.

This appointment was made following an open recruitment process in line with international best practice for selecting Chief Officers.  Eight candidates, of whom two were Bermudian, were shortlisted for interview.  

On Friday, March 11, 2022, the Minister of Education, the Hon. Diallo Rabain, JP MP, joined Bermuda’s public primary schools, along with the Warwick Academy, Bermuda Institute, and the BHS for the opening of “Is Bermuda Another World?”

Good afternoon,

Following the Budget Debate for the Ministry of Public Works that took place on the 9th of March, I would like to highlight the departments that were discussed in the house and provide a forward look to the completion of various ongoing projects.

This year like last had resulted in diminished budgets across government with the position taken to strike a balance between services provided and the maintenance  of current staffing levels.

~ Public encouraged to support local talent at safely distanced open air midday concert ~

This Friday (March 18), the Department of Culture will once again host the open-air concert series, Creatives Live! – featuring singer Cindy Smith.

Happening on the City Hall steps, Creatives Live! will be safely distanced and take place from 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm.

Previous Creatives Live! events have provided an upbeat musical atmosphere in the City of Hamilton, and Friday’s performance promises to do the same.

Her Excellency the Governor, Ms Rena Lalgie, today announced the appointment of the next Deputy Governor of Bermuda, Mr Tom Oppenheim.  Tom will take over from the current Deputy Governor, Alison Crocket, and is expected to be sworn in at the start of June.

A very special good evening to Premier David Burt, my Ministerial colleagues, and to our award nominees, their families and supporters.
Welcome to the 40th Annual Sports Awards. 

The theme of this year’s ceremony is “‘Resilience, Accomplishment, Success”. 

After two years of not hosting this event in person, we are extremely delighted to be here with you to celebrate our amazing athletes. 

The Government is pleased with the outcome of the appeal, which confirms that section 53 of the Domestic Partnership Act 2018 does not infringe the constitutional rights of the Respondents in the appeal.

“The Government is pleased with the outcome of the appeal, which confirms that section 53 of the Domestic Partnership Act 2018 does not infringe the constitutional rights of the Respondents in the appeal.

“The Government will now take time to consider the full judgment and its impact.”

Below for your reference is the Privy Council Judgement given on 14 March 2022- Attorney General for Bermuda (Appellant) v Roderick Ferguson and others (Respondents) (Bermuda), and the Press Summary issued by the Privy Council:

Good afternoon and thank you for coming.

Today, I am pleased to share information on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ plans and initiatives for the 2022-2023 budget year.

For the fiscal year 2022/23, the Ministry of Home Affairs has received an estimated budget allocation of $18,777,000, which is $1 million above the fiscal year 2021/22. 

The Ministry’s budget includes the following Departments:

• Ministry Headquarters

• Registry General

• Department of Planning

• Land Valuation

• Environment and Natural Resources

• Energy

The Ministry of Education would like to advise the public of the islandwide initiative to improve STEM Education with LINGO STEM Coding Kit Lessons.

Recently (March 11), Premier David Burt and the Head of the Public Service, Dr. Derrick Binns recognized Mr. Todd Fox as the February recipient of the Public Service Excellence Award (PSEA).

The PSEA is a programme that recognizes outstanding achievement by Public Officers.

Mr. Fox has been highlighted for his exemplary work in the Department of Education as Principal for Francis Patton Primary School.

Mr. Speaker, I will provide the House with a report on the Short-Term Stimulus Program that was launched in December of 2020 in the wake of the economic downturn sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the program was to provide economic stimulus to the private sector in order to retain and boost employment within the community.

Mr. Speaker, the information I have shared today speaks solely to the impact of the sanctions on Bermuda and not the foreign policy behind the sanctions.

Mr. Speaker, further to my update to this honourable House on 4 March 2022, I now advise that the situation regarding the sanctions remains fluid. To date the Bermuda Shipping and Maritime Authority has not been impacted. However, I cannot say the same for the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority’s (BCAA) Aircraft Registry.

The Minister of National Security, the Hon. Renee Ming, JP, MP, said, “The shooting which took place last night at a local sporting club has left two young people injured. 

“ Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families at this time.
  
“I call upon members of our community who were in the area when this attack was carried out to contact the police.

“As the investigation gets underway, I strongly urge those who may have seen what happened not to turn a blind eye and to tell the authorities what they know.

Today, the Department of Marine and Ports has advised that the Rockaway Ferry Stop (Green Route) will reopen on Monday, 14 March. The regular service to Rockaway will resume with the first departure from Rockaway at 7:20 a.m. 

The ferry stop was closed in December 2021, while parts were sourced from overseas. The Ministry of Public Works had advised that barring any shipping delays, the repairs would be completed by the first week of March. 

As a reminder, the ferry schedule is posted at www.marineandports.bm

This evening, the Minister of National Security, the Hon. Renee Ming, JP, MP, shared a message of condolence following today’s road traffic accident in Hamilton Parish.

Minister Ming said, “I extend my deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the young child who we tragically lost today.

“This is such a sad day for their family and an emotionally challenging day for all of Bermuda.  

Mr. Speaker, on 14 May 2021, I informed this Honourable House that the propellers and rudder of the pilot boat St. David was damaged during a training exercise on 6 May 2021 and that the St. David was sent to the Gladding & Hearn shipyard in Boston for repairs.

Mr. Speaker, once the shipyard and Lloyds Classification thoroughly inspected the damage, it was determined that there was also damage to the hull and engine propulsion.