Government

Good morning Bermuda.

I am joined by my colleague, the Minister of Social Development and Seniors, the Honourable Tinee Furbert, to highlight the initiatives for the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sport as outlined in the 2021 Throne Speech. 

The Minister of National Security, Renee Ming joins the community in expressing her “shock and outrage” following last night’s home invasion of one of Bermuda’s seniors.

Minister Ming said, “As this investigation gets underway, I am urging anyone living in the area, who may know anything about this incident, to please contact the Bermuda Police Service. This was an outrageous act committed against one of the vulnerable members of our population and we must see those responsible brought to justice. Our focus at this time is on the family and friends of the victim.”

The Ministry of Finance acknowledges the Auditor General’s assessment of the unemployment benefit programme.

Last Friday (November 12), Premier David Burt and the Minister of Health, the Hon Kim Wilson, JP, MP, honoured the 106 residents lost to the coronavirus by planting a Bermuda Cedar Tree in their memory.

The short tree-planting ceremony was held at the Botanical Gardens, near the 911 Memorial.

The Premier is in London with the Minister of Finance for the annual Joint Ministerial Council which will see the leaders of the Overseas Territories (OT) engaging in a series of bilateral meetings and joint sessions on issues as varied as climate change and the impact of the coronavirus on OT economies. 

Premier David Burt today chaired a meeting of United Kingdom Overseas Territories Associations (UKOTA), the political council of OT Heads of Government. 

Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received 4592 test results, and 5 were positive for the coronavirus, giving a test positivity rate of 0.1%.

These results are from testing done on:

•        Thursday: 0 positive out of 1516 results (0.0% positivity)

•        Friday: 4 positive out of 1711 results (0.2% positivity)

•        Saturday: 1 positive out of 1365 results (0.1% positivity)

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

The Ministry and Department of Education wish to provide the public with an update on quarantine measures for Bermuda Public Schools. 

 The Minister of Education, the Hon. Diallo Rabain, JP, MP, shared, “The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health have worked closely together to ensure that a more robust risk assessment policy is in place, and quarantine measures that strike a balance of both the safety of staff and students and our schools remaining open for in-person learning.” 

Good morning Bermuda.

I am joined by my colleague, the Minister of Labour, Jason Hayward, to highlight the initiatives for the Ministry of National Security as outlined in the 2021 Throne Speech. 

But first let me provide you with a quick recap of the initiatives that we were working toward in last year’s Throne Speech.

The Ministry of National Security had committed to creating a Police Authority to facilitate an open and collaborative forum to support the Bermuda Police Service and the communities they serve. 

Good day to members of the media and the listening public. Thank you for your attendance and for watching this Press Conference.

Following the November 5th Speech from the Throne, I would like to provide an update on last year’s initiatives and highlight how the Ministry of Labour plans to provide Bermuda’s youth with the support to train for jobs and introduce a digitised immigration application process to improve the delivery of services to our customers.

Introduction

Recently, Premier David Burt and Head of the Public Service, Dr. Derrick Binns congratulated Mr. Roger Parris, who is the Public Service Excellence Award (PSEA) winner for October.

Mr. Speaker;

Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received 6674 test results, and 20 were positive for the coronavirus, giving a test positivity rate of 0.3%.

These results are from testing done on:

·         Sunday: 4 positive out of 1526 results (0.3% positivity)

·         Monday: 10 positive out of 1909 results (0.5% positivity)

·         Tuesday: 5 positive out of 1764 results (0.3% positivity)

·         Wednesday: 1 positive out of 1475 results (0.1% positivity)

The Ministry of Education acknowledges the demonstration held today by the West End Warriors for Legacy group.  

The Minister of Education, the Hon. Diallo Rabain, JP, MP, expressed, “The Ministry of Education has welcomed and continued to hear the points and concerns raised by representatives of the West End Primary School community.” 

“The decisions on parish primary schools, which affect all primary schools, were difficult ones made after extensive consultation and engagement.” 

Mr Speaker and Honourable Members, in this year’s Throne Speech, the Government of Bermuda has reaffirmed its intention to implement universal health coverage for all residents.

Our vision for healthcare seeks to ensure that – “all people have equitable access to needed informative, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative essential health services, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that people do not suffer financial hardship when paying for these services and critical medicines.”

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to provide this Honourable House with a half- year report on the Government fiscal performance.

2021/22 Half-Year Fiscal Performance:

Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a material impact on the Bermuda economy and the Government’s fiscal position. However, significant work has been done by Government and the community to combat this virus and adapt to the “new normal”. As the half year results highlight, the ongoing work and actions taken to date, have had some positive results. 

Good Morning Mr Speaker,

I rise today to inform this Honourable House of the progress made towards the implementation of Bermuda’s Economic Recovery Plan (ERP).

Mr Speaker, Members of this Honourable House will recall the tabling of Bermuda’s Economic Recovery Plan by the Minister of Finance in March of this year and the subsequent debate on its contents. As a reminder, the Government undertook a three-phased approach to the development of the ERP.

Mr. Speaker, on the 23rd July 2021, I advised this honourable House of the payments made as set out in the Project Agreement between Skyport and the Bermuda Airport Authority. I wish to provide the House with an update on the latest MRG payment made to Skyport this month. 

Mr. Speaker, I rise to provide this Honourable House with an update on the St. George’s Marina Development Project.

Good afternoon.

Following the November 5th Speech from the Throne, as the Acting Minister of Public Works, I would like to provide an update on last year’s initiatives and highlight the critical status of the Tynes Bay Waste-to-Energy Facility and what this Government is doing to address it.
In the November 2020 Speech from the Throne, the Ministry of Public Works focus was on three initiatives:

1. Introducing legislation to grant leasehold interest in the St. Georges Club to the St. Regis Hotel developers;

Good afternoon.

[Thank you Minister Furbert].  As I begin my remarks today, I once again wish to acknowledge the continued contribution of our front line workers, to the protection and support of our community in the face of this unrelenting pandemic.

My remarks today are to provide some brief context on certain initiatives highlighted in last week’s Throne Speech that directly involve the Ministry of Finance.

Pension Fees

The Cabinet Office is advising the public that this year’s Remembrance Day observance will be a Covid-safe, limited in person event.

The observances start at 10.30 a.m., with the laying of wreaths by invited guests including, Her Excellency the Governor, Rena Lalgie and the Premier, the Hon. David Burt, JP, MP.

As a note, there will be no public admission to the Cabinet Office grounds. There will also be street closures in Hamilton for the duration of the modified, scaled down ceremony.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is pleased to provide a further update and share photos of the Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs, the Honourable Walter Roban, JP, MP, activities at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow Scotland.

Thursday 4 November

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

This Saturday, (November 13^th), will see the return of the popular Creatives Live! open air concert series, featuring Silver City on the City Hall steps.

The midday musical event, which is hosted by the Department of Culture, is aimed at showcasing and supporting Bermuda’s talented artists. 

Previous Creatives Live! performances have included Arijahknow Live Wires, The Unit Band, Joy T. Barnum and Olivia Hamilton.

The Ministry of Education wishes to provide the public with an update on the status of our Bermuda Public School Custodians. 

The Minister of Education, the Hon. Diallo Rabain, JP, MP, shared, “Yesterday a meeting was held with our Custodians and Mr. Arnold Smith, B.I.U Custodian Representative, to discuss the matter of outstanding overtime payments due to a recent change in how overtime requests are approved.” 

In this year’s Throne Speech, the Government of Bermuda has reaffirmed its intention to implement universal health coverage for all residents.

Our vision for healthcare seeks to ensure that – 

“all people have equitable access to needed informative, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative essential health services, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that people do not suffer financial hardship when paying for these services and critical medicines.”