Royal Gazette

News StaffVideos created to publicise the public’s right to know have been released by the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Acting Information Commissioner revealed today.Answer Styannes said the “I Want to Know!” series was designed to encourage the public to use the public access to information law to get access to information.Ms Styannes added the videos highlighted the benefits of the Pati Act, and reminded people that when they made a request they were using an important t

The Somers Isles Trading Company has won the duty-free and speciality retail concession for the new passenger terminal at the LF Wade International Airport.Rhona Sutton, an island resident, founded the company. She is an entrepreneur and founder of the Rhona Sutton Group, with over 20 years’ experience developing products and designs for international clients including Harrods, Disney, Macy’s, Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton. Skyport, operators of the airport, announced the award of the contr

Axa XL has been crowned Bermuda Insurer of the Year by Reactions magazine for the third time in the past four years.The recognition came during the insurance industry publication’s North America Awards ceremonyThe panel said that Axa XL earned the award because it had demonstrated excellence in a number of ways, including underwriting results, improved performance and business growth, which particularly impressed the judges.Reactions editor-in-ch

Police seized a BB gun at the weekend, a spokesman said today.The recovery of weapon sparked a warning from Assistant Commissioner of Police Antoine Daniels that possession of air-powered weapons was illegal.He added: “The way that these BB guns are manufactured, they are near-identical replicas of authentic firearms, which makes it difficult for police officers and civilians to recognise the difference, particularly when used during the commission of crime.”The close resemblance to

Apex Group Ltd has appointed Ross Webber as its managing director in Bermuda.Mr Webber, a Bermudian, is a former chief executive officer of the Bermuda Business Development Agency, and spent five years on the BDA board.Most recently, he was principal of management consultancy BDSbermuda, and a director of wealth management firm Peregrine & Black Limited.Apex is a global financial services provider that was established in 2003, in Bermuda, and has since grown to 45 offices worldwi

Ascendant Group’s profits rose in the first half of the year even as electricity sales fell.Core earnings from operations, before corporate expenses, were $8.7 million compared to $7.5 million for the same period in 2019. Total revenue dipped by $15.9 million during the January-to-June period to $91.28 million, compared to $107.18 million a year earlier.Ascendant is the parent company of power utility Belco, whose earnings for the six-month period jumped by $2.8 million.This w

Police launched an investigation after three men dropped items and ran away from officers early this morning.A Bermuda Police Service spokesman said that officers on patrol were travelling west on St John’s Road in Pembroke when they saw three men near the Rubis service station.The men wore face masks and dark clothes when they were seen at about 2.15am.The spokesman said: “Upon seeing the officers, the three males ran off along Pembroke Park Lane and escaped. “However, office

A pilot programme to fast-track travellers arriving at the airport is to be launched today by the Department of Immigration.The introduction of automated electronic clearing gates, or e-Gates, in the Immigration Arrivals Hall at LF Wade International Airport, is part of the department’s new border control system.A government spokesman said the pilot will at first be used for Bermudians, spouses of Bermudians, deemed children, permanent residents, and children in either of the categories who

A man was stabbed in the chest in the Dockyard area of Sandys early this morning, police said.Officers were called to the incident shortly before 2am.A Bermuda Police Service spokesman said: “Upon arrival officers observed a male lying on his back at the entrance to Snorkel Park and bleeding from stab wound to his chest.”He added that the victim was conscious and breathing.The man was taken by ambulance to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for treatment. His injury was not

Delray Rawlins has been rewarded for another productive season with both bat and ball after having his stint at Sussex County Cricket Club extended.The club announced that the Bermuda all-rounder is among a trio of players, including George Garton and Tom Haines, who have signed contract extensions of unspecified length.”It’s nice to sign for a couple more years, and they are some big years ahead for me,” Rawlins told The Royal Gazette last night.”I’ll be working h

Major cruise ship operators that sail to Bermuda have extended the suspension of fleet voyages into November and December, and some sailings have been pushed back until April.Cruise ship companies around the world stopped cruise operations in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and many have not resumed voyages.Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, yesterday said it is extending a halt on its cruise operat

An insurance firm was accused yesterday of outsourcing jobs from Bermuda to Canada.It was claimed Argus Group plans to shift between 15 and 20 jobs to One Team Health, a Toronto-based third-party overseas care administration firm it bought last year.Argus staff claimed the company had been moving health and life insurance jobs over to Canada for more than a year.One Team Health was said to be benefiting from the jobs moving overseas with a “skeleton staff” left on the island.T

Campaigners for victims of sex abuse have backed a move to amend the Criminal Code to target “revenge porn”.Elaine Butterfield, the executive director of the Women’s Resource Centre, said that a law that tackled sexual harassment where compromising photographs or videos are posted online would help “bring Bermuda’s legislation into the modern era”.She added: “The law has to align with the times, if not people fall through the cracks and will not receive the assistance and support they requi

The Shell Lubricants brand is back in Bermuda after AMT Supplies Ltd was granted a licence to distribute the range of lubricants, greases and oils in Bermuda.The products have not been available during a “brief distribution hiatus”, according to Pembroke-based AMT Supplies, which has secured the island distribution licence through Massey Machinery, which is the distributor of Shell Lubricants across the Caribbean region.Joseph Vieira, president of AMT Supplies, said: “We are proud to have b

The wife of the Premier appealed yesterday to the public to back Breast Cancer Awareness Month, despite the Covid-19 pandemic.Kristin Burt, the patron of the event, said this year’s theme of “I Believe in Pink”, was inspired by the late Audrey Hepburn, a British Hollywood star and humanitarian. Ms Burt said: “We have experienced, and continue to experience, the effects of Covid-19 on our daily lives. We have witnessed the Black Lives Matter movement abroad and, here at home, we lifted our v

Dale Eve has warned Spennymoor Town are hungry for promotion glory ahead of the new Vanarama National League North campaign.After an enforced absence because of the Covid-19 crisis, the various Vanarama National leagues, featuring several Bermudians, finally returned this week with Eve’s Spennymoor Town, Justin Donawa’s Darlington and Keziah Martin’s Kidderminster Harriers kicking off their seasons in the North League today.While all will be aspiring towards promotion, Spennymoor have added

The Bermuda Union of Teachers praised the profession yesterday for its hard work in the face of Covid-19 in a video created to mark World Teachers Day.The video, presented to Education International – a global organisation made up of teaching unions – for a 24-hour virtual celebration, highlighted the hard work of teachers at a difficult time.Nishanthi Bailey, the BUT president, said in the video: “Over the past

Last month, the White House issued an executive order to “combat offensive and anti-American race and sex stereotyping and scapegoating” in the Federal Government. It was referring, ironically, to the kind of discourse that supposedly plays out in antiracism and diversity workshops that have seen a resurgence in recent years, particularly since the last presidential election. For the present White House administration, these trainings and the ideology that supposedly undergirds many of them are anathema

An attempt to overturn a conviction for refusal of a breath test has been rejected by the Supreme Court.Safiyah Talbot claimed that she had told officers she would take the test after she had spoken to her lawyer. But Puisne Judge Shade Subair Williams said Talbot’s request for legal advice did not diminish the unlawfulness of her refusal to provide a breath sample.Mrs Justice Subair Williams said: “This is the same logic which would apply to the commission of any other traffic offence.

Shares of Butterfield Bank gained 6.3 per cent in Bermuda Stock Exchange trading.Butterfield gained $1.40 to close on $23.50 on the trading of 300 shares. The bank’s US-listed shares also climbed sharply on the New York Stock Exchange, jumping $1.03, or 4.39 per cent to close on $24.50 as 157,505 shares changed hands.Two stocks besides Butterfield gained ground as The Royal Gazette/BSX Index climbed 61.71 points, or 3.63 per cent, to close on 1,759.85.Argus Group Holdings added six c

Police today warned road users to be safe on the roads after a spate of crashes traffic over the weekend.Assistant Commissioner of Police Martin Weekes said that four motorcyclists had been taken to the King Edward Memorial Hospital with “serious but non life-threatening” injuries after three incidents.He added: “It would be inappropriate to comment on these collisions as they remain under investigation at this time. “However, I once again appeal to motorists and other road users, to

The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce is to show a webinar on “Facing Insolvency: Considerations for Owners and Directors”. Open to members and non members, the session will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, October 14 from 12pm to 1:30pm.Featured will be Mike Penrose, from KPMG in Bermuda and Rhys Williams from law firm Conyers. Kendaree Burgess, chief executive officer at the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce said: “We are pleased to be able to present this session on insolvency, to support Be

Digicel Bermuda has been named the “Fastest Internet Provider” in the 2020 Ookla Speedtest Awards.Ookla, the company behind Speedtest, is a global leader in fixed broadband and mobile network testing applications, data and analysis.Leslie Rans, Digicel Bermuda’s chief executive officer, said: “We’re really thrilled to have received this award I know how hard the team works, and how important it is to all of us that we provide our customers with the best possible service. Especially now, whe

Walkers Bermuda is to launch a six-week free webinar series exploring the topic of the Personal Information Protection Act 2016, known as Pipa. The interview-style webinars will run each Wednesday, beginning October 7, and will be led by Melanie Fullerton, Walkers’ Regulatory and Risk Advisory group senior associate. The webinars are designed to help local Bermuda businesses ensure they have the information needed to fully comply with Pipa. Each week, Ms Fullerton will focus on one p

Clothing retailer Tabs has expanded its product line in response to customer preferences.The Reid Street store, which specialises in Bermuda shorts, acted on the results of a survey that sought feedback from customers on which brands and products they would like to see. Rebecca Singleton, owner and designer of Tabs, said: “The response has been exceedingly helpful and we’re extremely grateful to all who participated.”It’s important to us to ensure our customers’ opinions and wishes a

The trading of shares in Ascendant Group Limited, the parent company of power utility Belco, has been suspended on the Bermuda Stock Exchange at the request of the company, pending an announcement.A target deadline for the Regulatory Authority’s decision on the company’s proposed takeover by Canadian firm Algonquin Power and Utilities Corp, was yesterday. The Royal Gazette reached out to the RA last Friday to ask when the public could expect an announcement on the proposed change of ownersh

Firefighters tackled a house blaze this morning.Two firefighters wearing breathing gear entered the home in Hillsdale, Devonshire, to put out the fire.A fire service spokesman said thick smoke was billowing out of the windows and doors of the lower apartment of a two-storey house.He added the cause of the blaze, which happened around 9am, was under investigation.A total of five fire crews from the Hamilton and Port Royal fire stations dealt with the incident.

Southampton 0 North Village 2Second-half tallies from Ian Simmons and Jaizel Smith-DeShields powered North Village to an impressive shutout win over Premier Division rivals Southampton Rangers at Southampton Oval yesterday.Simmons opened the scoring for the league champions around the hour mark before Smith-DeShields pounced late with his third goal in as many outings to put the game beyond Rangers’ reach.Village were unfortunate to not have come away with a wider

Next week’s Bermuda Blockchain and Sustainability Symposium will aim to shine a light on how digital-asset technology can strengthen some of the island’s key industries.Some of the speakers for the October 12 and 13 event, which will kick off Bermuda Technology Week have been announced by Penrose and Partners, the blockchain-focused consulting firm that is presenting the symposium, which will kick off Bermuda Tech Week.”Top industry leaders will be discussing innovations across the blockcha

St George’s Colts 0 Somerset Trojans 1Somerset Trojans made it two wins out of two against the promoted sides when defender Matteo Turner scored the game’s only goal early in the second half at Wellington Oval yesterday. Turner went up for a free kick on the right side and, after Malik Joell’s high ball into the box was not cleared, blasted the ball home from close range. Just minutes earlier, Dequan Crockwell, the Somerset goalkeeper, denied striker Clay Darrell t

Parents and staff at a primary school have joined forces to complain about a string of problems, including poor Covid-19 safety enforcement and “dictatorial” management.The anonymous group, said to include 100 parents of pupils and 12 staff, added that Harrington Sound Primary School in Smith’s also had serious mould problems and had suffered from an infestation of rats. The group, separate from the Parent Teacher Association, listed what it claimed were a string of failures over the past two year

Zoe Lopes always intended to start her own graphic arts business, but not right after university.Instead, after graduating from Solent University in Southampton England earlier this year, she had a summer internship lined up in London. “It was very exciting,” the 21-year-old said. “It was with Free the Birds. They have done work for Marks & Spencer and Olay.”But the internship was cancelled when London went into lockdown. “I was really disappointed,” she said. “But they di

Hamilton Parish and Boulevard have sent out an early warning about their promotion intentions in the First Division after picking up their second wins yesterday. Parish, with winger Jordan Outerbridge adding to his four goals last weekend against Vasco with three more at Wellington Oval, were comfortable 5-1 winners against Young Men’s Social Club while Boulevard beat Vasco 3-1.Outerbridge opened the scoring for Parish in the seventh minute before Che Lindo added to the lead in the 29th min

A new chief information officer has been appointed in the Government’s Department of Information and Digital Technologies.The appointment of Daron Raynor was announced by Derrick Binns, the Head of the Public Service.Dr Binns said: “I am pleased to welcome Daron Raynor to the Public Service and specifically to lead the Department of Information and Digital Technology. “His knowledge, skills and background will help to drive the technology strategy for the Government of Bermuda and in

Dennis Rahiim Watson is returning home – and bringing change with him. For decades the motivational speaker has led the charge against gun violence in African-American communities. In return, honours have come from US and African presidents; more than 100 mayors have declared a “Dennis Rahiim Watson Day” in cities.He is hoping that Bermuda takes his experience on-board. “Everywhere I go I promote black student achievement,” Mr Watson said. “I tell students and adults in my lectures througho

A former Progressive Labour Party government minister arrested by police at his home the day after the General Election triumph hit back yesterday and insisted he had nothing to hide.Zane DeSilva, a former tourism and transport minister, confirmed the Friday night raid was in connection with almost $800,000 of public cash given to US music promoter Anthony Blakey to create a recording studio in Dockyard.But he insisted he had “absolutely no involvement” in the deal. He added: “Had the polic

X-Roads Warriors 0 Devonshire Cougars 3Devonshire Cougars scored three unanswered goals against home side X-Road Warriors at Garrison Field yesterday to earn their first points of the season. Substitute Lejuan Simmons set up the second goal before scoring the third himself to add to Zekiro White’s first-half header. The loss leaves X-Roads pointless as well as goalless after two rounds of play.X-Roads started the game with the more attacking formation, playing five

Gibbs Hill lighthouse will be shut from tomorrow until Saturday for repairs.A spokesman for marine & ports said that the access road to the lighthouse and the car park will also be closed as a safety precaution.He added: “The Department of Marine & Ports Services asks for the public’s cooperation while this necessary repair work is being conducted.”

A new chief information officer has been appointed in the Government’s Department of Information and Digital Technologies.The appointment of Daron Raynor was announced by Derrick Binns, the head of the public service.Dr Binns said: “I am pleased to welcome Mr Daron Raynor to the Public Service and specifically to lead the Department of Information and Digital Technology. “His knowledge, skills and background will help to drive the technology strategy for the Government of Bermuda and

A former Progressive Labour Party government minister arrested by police at his home the day after the General Election triumph today hit back and insisted he had nothing to hide.Zane DeSilva, a former tourism and transport minister, confirmed the raid was in connection with almost $800,000 of public cash given to US music promoter Anthony Blakey to create a recording studio in Dockyard.Most of the cash has not been paid back and Mr Blakey, of Savvy Entertainment, could not be traced by law

Nahki Wells grabbed his second goal of the season as Bristol City maintained their perfect record in the Sky Bet Championship with a hard-fought 2-1 win away to Nottingham Forest.The league leaders found themselves 2-0 ahead after just 22 minutes with Andreas Weimann opening the scoring in the twelfth minute with a well-placed finish, before Wells doubled the advantage just ten minutes later.Reminiscent of his first goal of the season in the 2-0 victory over Stoke City, the Bermuda striker

Robin Hood 4 Somerset Eagles 1Robin Hood picked up their second league victory of the campaign as they beat Somerset Eagles 4-1 at Goose Gosling Field last night. After falling behind in the first half to an opportunistic goal from Nathan Rego, the men in green collected themselves and score four unanswered to cruise to a comfortable win. Coach John Barry Nusum was happy with the result and his team’s response to the early setback. “We found ourselves in a very similar si

Part of Middle Road in Smith’s has been blocked to vehicles after a crash, police said tonight.The incident happened near the Whitney Institute.A Bermuda Police Service spokesman said: “Motorists are advised to avoid the area and instead use the North Shore Road or other alternative routes to get to their destinations.”

Scott Fox completed an impressive comeback from injury after claiming his first major title in the Comet class.Competing along with crew Joanna Santiago, the experienced East End Mini Yacht Club sailor held off a charging Gladwin Lambert in a fierce tacking duel to the finish to win last month’s 50th Warren D “Mickey” Foggo Flagpole to Flagpole Race, one of three major titles up for grabs annually in the class.”It felt good to win my first Flagpole because I have had some pretty bad experie

Dear Sir,The Royal Gazette of September 24 and 25 contained three related articles showing the dramatic decline in the wellbeing of Bermuda’s working population. The Fairmont Southampton is to close for 18 months with a resultant 750 job losses – of which 500 are Bermudians.The numbers of persons on financial assistance is now just under 2,500.The Premier authorised a loan of $800,000 to a non-Bermudian, Anthony Blakey, to create a recording studio at Dockya

A former Progressive Labour Party minister was taken into police custody tonight in connection with an $800,000 government deal with an American music promoter.Police did not name the man but The Royal Gazette understands that it is Zane DeSilva, the ex-tourism and transport minister and just-returned PLP MP.A police spokesman said tonight: “The Bermuda Police Service can confirm that a second person has been taken into custody for questioning in connection with the ongoi

A man was taken into police custody tonight in connection with an $800,000 government deal with an American music promoter.Police did not name the individual but The Royal Gazette understands that it is Zane DeSilva, a former Cabinet minister and just-returned Progressive Labour Party MP.A police spokesman said tonight: “The Bermuda Police Service can confirm that a second person has been taken into custody for questioning in connection with the ongoing investigation into

Two stocks traded on the Bermuda Stock Exchange, but neither changed value, as The Royal Gazette/BSX Index remained unchanged on 1,698.14.Argus Group Holdings Ltd closed unchanged on $2.73, as 600 of the insurer’s shares changed hands.One Communications Ltd remained on $3.90, as 630 of the telecoms carrier’s shares were traded.The BSX Insurance Index gained 6.44 points, or 0.48 per cent, to close on 1,342.62.Butterfield Bank’s US-listed shares gained 68 cents, or 2.98 per cent

The new Government’s Cabinet and Senate team will be unveiled next week, it was revealed today.A Government spokeswoman said David Burt, the Premier, had met John Rankin, the Governor, this afternoon.She added that Mr Rankin had congratulated Mr Burt on the Progressive Labour Party’s victory at the polls yesterday and said that “he looked forward to working with him”.

The Bermuda Hospitals Board today warned members of the public of a temporary road closure next week.The road through the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital site in Paget will be closed from 6.30pm to midnight next Monday.A BHB spokeswoman said that a container truck will arrive at around 6.30pm with replacement beds for the hospital’s General Wing and the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute.She added that traffic along Point Finger Road will be disrupted for about an hour the truck’s arr