Government

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with section 35 of the Contributory Pensions Act 1970, I am pleased to table the Contributory Pension Fund (CPF or the Fund) Actuarial Report as at August 1^st, 2020.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members,

As I reflect back on the past 26 months, it actually pains me to recall the huge devastation caused to, and sacrifices made by, so many people in our community as we fought together against a pandemic never before seen in our generation as when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to provide an update to this honourable house on the issue of gangs in Bermuda.

Mr. Speaker, you will recall that I provided a statement to this Honourable House some three months ago where I addressed a number of matters relating to gangs in Bermuda including the root causes, our existing gang violence reduction programmes, proposed programmes and our multi Ministry approach. At that time, I did not speak to gang numbers or enforcement but will do so today as well as provide an update on the Gang Violence Reduction Team’s programs.

Good day to all members of the media and the listening public. 

Today I would like to address a number of concerns reported to the Ministry of Labour from employees and members of the public about mandatory vaccinations within the workplace and the perceived treatment of Bermudian employees as it pertains to layoffs.

Employees, and their representatives, from various industries, have voiced concern that many employers are laying off Bermudian employees at a rate disproportionate to that of Work Permit holders. 

The Government of Bermuda, as part of the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme (BOPP), is releasing a public report titled, “The State of Bermuda’s Marine Waters: A Snapshot of Bermuda’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from the Coastline to 200nm.” This comprehensive report, developed in cooperation with the island’s leading scientists, industry experts, and resource managers, will help identify priorities for Bermuda’s future development

As a small island nation, having the resources to manage and enforce our protections has always been a challenge. However, the public will recall the announcement last November that Bermuda became the first Overseas Territory to join Blue Shield, soon bringing this to an end. 

During their visit this week, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the UK Blue Shield Team consisting of Mrs Kylie Bamford from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Mrs Joanna Stockill and Mr Andrew Deary, both from the Marine Management Organisation.

The Department of Marine and Ports is advising commuters that the Rockaway Ferry Stop (Green Route) will remain closed for repairs. The ferry stop was closed in December 2021, while parts were sourced from overseas. The Ministry of Public Works has advised that parts and equipment have been shipped and will arrive in Bermuda within the next week. Barring any shipping delays, the work will be completed by the first week of March. 

With the exception of Rockaway, ferry services will continue on the Green Route to and from Watford Bridge and Cavello Bay ferry stops.

“Sadly, Bermuda has recorded another coronavirus related death”, said Minister of Health, Kim Wilson, JP, MP. “I extend my deepest condolences to everyone associated with the deceased.”

Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received 6199 test results, and 241 were positive for the coronavirus, giving a test positivity rate of 3.9%.

These results are from testing done on:

§  Wednesday:  80 positive out of 1823 results (4.4% positivity)

§  Thursday: 66 positive out of 1767 results (3.7% positivity)

(Hamilton, Bermuda – Friday, January 31 2022) – The Cabinet Office today announced that the Bermuda Health Council would continue to provide support to transition activities at the Bermuda Molecular Diagnostic and Research Laboratory (MDL), in accordance with the Bermuda Health Council Act 2004.

The Minister of National Security, The Hon. Renee Ming, JP, MP, attended a small gathering at Customs Headquarters on Wednesday, 26 January, to recognise International Customs Day.

The World Customs Organization (WCO) declared that the theme for 2022 International Customs Day (ICD) is“Scaling up Customs Digital Transformation by Embracing a Data Culture and Building a Data Ecosystem”.

The Minister of Social Development and Seniors, the Hon. Tinee Furbert JP MP would like to invite the public to attend the Domestic Violence Awareness Panel on Monday, January 31, 2022 at 6:00pm.

The event will be streamed live on CITV and the Government of Bermuda Facebook and will address key issues around domestic violence. This event also helps to launch Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month in February.

Today, the Department of Transportation (DPT) advises that the full bus schedule will resume on Monday, 31 January 2022.

A spokesperson for the Department said, “The regular weekday public bus schedule will resume operating as of Monday morning. We wish to thank the public for their patience and apologize for the inconvenience caused by the reduced service.

Today, the Department of Transportation (DPT) advises that the full bus schedule will resume on Monday, 31 January 2022.

A spokesperson for the Department said, “The regular weekday public bus schedule will resume operating as of Monday morning. We wish to thank the public for their patience and apologize for the inconvenience caused by the reduced service.