Government

“The Bermuda Road Safety Council (BRSC) would like to take this time to offer our most heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of the recent road fatality. Losing a loved one is never easy.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.”

The Cup Match Holiday has come and gone.  We are now in the month of August.  The BRSC is now introducing our new monthly topic – Don’t Drink & Drive/Arrive Alive.   

The Minister of Social Development and Seniors, the Hon. Tinee Furbert, JP, MP, recently attended a virtual conference hosted by the UWI Centre for Disability Studies and The Office of the Caricom Special Rapporteur on Disability.

The meetings were a special ministerial conference on specific legislation for persons with disabilities in the Caribbean, 2021. The conference theme was ‘securing participation, inclusion and non-discrimination of persons with disabilities through legislation’.

It has been brought to the Government’s attention that there is a rumour circulating purporting to be from the Government that… “Bermuda is going into a stay at home at 6am on Friday”.

A Government spokesperson said this is “malicious nonsense, and there’s no truth to the rumour which seems to be spreading via a fake Government email account and other social media platforms.”

Recently, the Minister of Labour, The Hon. Jason Hayward JP, MP, attended H.S. & J.E. Crisson (Crisson) on Queen Street, Hamilton, to recognize the accomplishment of Mr Phillip Anderson II, for becoming a Fully Certified Rolex WatchMaker.

The Ministry of Health received 8,614 test results since the last update, and 21 were positive for COVID-19. This gives a test positivity rate of 0.2%.

Ø  These results are from testing done as follows:

o   Thursday: 8 positive out of 2,531 results (0.3% positivity)

o   Friday: 6 positive out of 2,043 results (0.3% positivity)

o   Saturday: 4 positive out of 2,173 results (0.2% positivity)

o   Sunday: 3 positive out of 1,867 results (0.2% positivity)

Eleven (11) of the new cases are classified as imported with details as follows:

The Department of Corrections is advising the public of a series of updated procedures for visitors to the facilities.

A Department spokesperson explained that the guidelines have been put in place to protect Corrections Officers and staff, inmates and visitors from the coronavirus.

Of particular note, all correction facilities, including Westgate, will now require Government’s official COVID-19 SafeKey for all open visits.

And those planning to schedule a visit to an inmate should email their verified SafeKey to the respective facility:

I join the BPS and the community in condemning today’s (Monday) shooting incident in the Court Street area. This is the second shooting incident to take place in just over a week; the last one being July 25, 2021 which left two men in the hospital with gunshot wounds.

Today’s shooting incident is very concerning, particularly as it happened during the middle of the day with bystanders nearby.  

As I visited the areas this afternoon with the Gang Violence Reduction Team (GVRT) and spoke with residents and businesses, I heard and observed their distress and concern. 

The public is reminded about the need to use SafeKey and follow the SafeKey guidelines for both indoor as well as outdoor events and activities.

And more specifically, vaccination cards, vaccine certificates, or a negative test result are not authorised methods of access into any SafeKey event, venue or activity. 

Attendees must have a SafeKey QR code.

Today, Head of the Public Service, Dr. Derrick Binns, announced that Samuel M. Brangman Jr. (Sam) has been appointed Postmaster General as of 1 August 2021.

Mr. Brangman joined the Bermuda Post Office in December 2009 as the Manager, Mail Processing and Operations, and served as Acting Postmaster General at various times. Before joining the Government of Bermuda, Mr. Brangman was a consulting Finance Manager with BearingPoint, Inc.  Prior to that he held various posts with increasing levels of seniority in banking.

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

Introduction

The Ministry of Labour wishes to inform the public of the Government’s plan to make legislative amendments to address the long-standing challenge of providing a means for Long-Term Residents to secure permanency in Bermuda. This initiative is in direct alignment with the immigration reform strategic priority to achieve a simplified, fair, and modern immigration legislative framework.

Good afternoon.

I will start my remarks by thanking healthcare workers for all that they have done and continue to do in the midst of a global pandemic. Thank you for your courage, dedication and persistence.

Congratulations to Somerset Cricket Club for winning Cup March 2021! Congratulations to both clubs as well as the organisers for your performance and for your dedication to the sport.

I thank the Minister of Labour for inviting me to join him here today.

The Hon. Kathy Lynn Simmons, JP, MP, Attorney-General, and Minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Reform, expressed her gratitude for the commitment, dedication and hard work of over 70 volunteers who gave their time and services to support Bermuda’s youth during the year with the Mirrors Programme.  The volunteers were acknowledged at the Volunteer Appreciation and Awards Ceremony hosted by Mirrors Alumni and Friends Association and Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. at Masterworks last month.    

Today, the Ministry of Home Affairs announces the beginning of the Draft North East Hamilton Local Plan 2021 public consultation period which will run until the 8th of October 2021.

Members of the public will recall the July 5, 2021 announcement made by Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Walter Roban of the Draft North East Hamilton Local Plan 2021 created by the Department of Planning. Since that time, the document has been available to view in its entirety on the Department of Planning’s website. 

There were 8031 test results received by the Ministry of Health since the last update, and 15 were positive for COVID-19, giving a test positivity rate of 0.2%. 

These results are from testing done on:

•        Monday, July 26: 6 positive out of 2451 results (0.2% positivity)

•        Tuesday, July 27: 5 positive out of 2789 results (0.2% positivity)

•        Wednesday, July 28: 4 positive out of 2711 results (0.1% positivity)

Six (6) of the new cases are classified as imported with details as follows:

The Ministry of Public Works wishes to remind the public of ongoing road works across the island impacting traffic flow.

Examples of locations where traffic delays may pose a problem are Middle Road near Khyber Pass in Warwick, Georges Bay Road at the entrance to Morgan’s Point, and Store Hill in Smiths, which will remain closed.  

Road users are also urged to avoid travelling over the steel plates covering a road trench and surrounded by traffic cones on Mount Hill Road between Langton Hill and Hallet Crescent junctions in Pembroke.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Energy invites public middle school students to apply for this year’s Challenger Alaska to Bermuda Virtual Space Camp, offered free of charge.  

This camp is continued in partnership with the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska, with whom the Department partnered in 2019 to bring a week of free summer camp to 18 public middle school students. Last year’s pilot virtual summer camp earned Challenger an Arthur C. Clarke Innovation in Education award, and we look forward to continuing that excellence with this year’s camp.  

The Ministry of Home Affairs is pleased to advise the public that twenty Bermudians recently completed the Solar Photovoltaic or PV Certification Training Programme held in partnership with Connectech.

The student participants were selected from a pool of over 150 applicants. Priority was given to those who were currently unemployed or underemployed. Applicants varied widely in age and experience, from recent senior school graduates to individuals who had worked in associated fields but were now seeking a career boost.

Following the General Election in St Lucia on Monday, 26 July, the main opposition party, the St Lucia Labour Party (SLP), claimed victory.  

Acting Premier, the Hon Walter Roban JP, MP has extended congratulations to the new Prime Minister Phillip J. Pierre, who will form the next Government of Saint Lucia.

Minister Roban said, “On behalf of the Government and people of Bermuda, I extend heartfelt congratulations on your victory. Your victory conveys the trust that St Lucians have for a stronger future. 

Good Afternoon Bermuda, thank you for joining us.

Good Afternoon Bermuda, thank you for joining us.

Good afternoon Bermuda,

I too wish to add my congratulations to Flora Duffy on her historic win in the Tokyo Olympics. I watched from start to finish and it was truly an emotional occasion when she passed the finish line. 

Flora Duffy is Bermuda’s first Olympic Gold Medalist. She has made history. And we are so incredibly proud of her accomplishment. Not just as a Bermudian, but also as a woman! 

Now as we prepare to celebrate our Emancipation, Mary Prince and Cup Match holiday, the Ministry of National Security is keeping a close eye on public safety matters. 

Thank you, Acting Premier. Like you and all of Bermuda, I am simply thrilled and overjoyed about Flora’s historic Olympic gold medal win for Bermuda.

I cannot offer enough congratulations to her as an extraordinary athlete and to her family. This incredible accomplishment has been hard-fought and thoroughly deserved. 

And Bermudians around the world are overjoyed that one of our own has brought us one of the proudest moments in our country’s history.

So Flora, we cannot wait to welcome you back home so we can celebrate your achievement.

………………………….

The Ministry of Labour advises the public of changes to the closed and restricted job categories, effective from August 1^st, 2021, for a 3-month period. 

The Ministry of Public Works takes this opportunity to advise on the procedures and staffing for the Department of Parks over the 2021 Cup Match Holiday Weekend.

Effectively immediately, campers and picnickers are allowed to erect camping and picnicking equipment and property. However, camping is ONLY permitted from Wednesday 28^th July until Monday 2^nd August as per the Public Health (Covid-19 Emergency Powers) Amendment Regulations 2021, the maximum of 50 people in a group.

“Flora did it!” ~ Premier David Burt expressed the elation of all Bermuda at the news of Flora Duffy’s gold medal performance in Tokyo.

The Premier said, “Words almost cannot do justice to such an incredible effort from an incredible athlete. This remarkable achievement is a true testament to Flora’s unwavering commitment and genuine perseverance in training and preparation. Bermuda is bursting with pride and admiration for this humble champion.”

Today, the Junior Minister of Home Affairs, Senator Lindsay Simmons, successfully led the passing of the Bill in the Senate, entitled ‘Development and Planning Amendment Act 2021’. 

The Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Walter Roban, JP, MP, said, “As stated by my colleague, Junior Minister Simmons, this Government remains committed to introducing sustainable planning legislation to further protect our delicate environment while introducing measures to stimulate our economy, particularly our construction industry, and encourage new investment.”