Royal Gazette

Rubbing shoulders with the world’s elite match racing sailors in the Bermuda Gold Cup is “like a dream come true” for Kelsey Durham. The 26-year-old sailor made his debut in the World Match Racing Tou…

One of Bermuda’s top singers, a band leader who scored a hit on the United States Billboard charts, has died. June Ventzos, who shot to fame locally as the leader of the band Paradi…

The appointment of a Cabinet minister under fire for making “a comment I shouldn’t have” has been blasted by the Opposition. The decision to make Rolfe Commissiong the Government Senate Leader as well…

Today is World Mental Health Day. It is a day when we pause and reflect on those who suffer, and consider the state of our own mental health. One in four people suffer, have suffered, or will suffer f…

Blind people have struggled to adapt to Covid-19 health and safety conditions, a charity said yesterday. Vince Godber, of Vision Bermuda, said people with sight problems had been particularly hard-hi…

The executive chairman of the Bermuda Monetary Authority is among four Bermudians who have been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Jeremy Cox has been appointed a Commander of the Order of…

The Royal Gazette, in conjunction with The Washington Post News Service and Bloomberg News is offering The Washington Post’s livestream programming of the presidential and vice-presidential debates. Today, Vice-President Mike Pence and Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris will meet on stage at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City for their only debate. The Post’s Libby Casey will anchor live, uninterrupted coverage a

The Bermuda branch of the Institute of Directors has launched its own website with information on professional courses and events.Rochelle Simons, chairwoman of the IoD branch, along with Sara Schroter and Michelle Cardwell, members of the executive Committee of the IoD and who have been coordinating the new site, said they were very excited about the launch.Ms Simons said: “We wanted to make the new website easy to navigate and provide more of a Bermuda look, with local updates and events

Meritus Trust Company Ltd, a boutique Bermuda trust and corporate service provider company, has acquired all of the shares in Lepercq Corporation Management Ltd and its direct subsidiary, Lepercq Corp Services Co Ltd, a Bermudian corporate service provider of company management and administration services. The acquisition will extend Meritus’s international reach and strengthen its position as a leading independent provider of corporate administration, trust and private client services. Mic

World and event champions highlight a fleet adorned with accolades for the celebratory 70th Bermuda Gold Cup and 2020 Open Match Racing World Championship, hosted by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club this month.Sweden’s Johnie Berntsson, Taylor Canfield of the United States, Australian Torvar Mirsky and Ian Williams of the United Kingdom have all won the King Edward VII Gold Cup, awarded to the winner of the Bermuda Gold Cup, while Canfield, Mirsky, Williams and New Zealander Phil Robertson of Sweden h

The One Bermuda Alliance is down – but not out, its leader has said.Craig Cannonier, the Leader of the Opposition, said, despite the Progressive Labour Party’s landslide 30-6 General Election triumph, the OBA was still viable.Mr Cannonier added: “We will continue to be a vibrant voice for the people of Bermuda and its development, standing for fairness, equity, opportunities and good governance.”The One Bermuda Alliance is a very firmly established part of Bermuda’s political landsca

The director of the Bermuda Weather Service will be a virtual panellist at an extreme weather summit today. Mark Guishard was invited to speak at the Atlantic International Research Centre’s All-Atlantic Summit after he met a senior member of the organisation’s last year.Dr Guishard said the discussion “will be about extreme weather and resilience – something Bermuda knows a little about, as highlighted by our two storm impacts just last month”. The Air Centre was set up to combine e

Hamilton Parish are off to a good start in the First Division, thanks in no small part to Jordan Outerbridge’s seven goals in their first two games.While it is still early in the season, expectation is already high that Parish will be among the main contenders for promotion. Outerbridge, 24, was not one of the 93 players who obtained a transfer during the summer, and many have never heard the name, but Sergio Goater, the new Hamilton Parish coach, has no doubt he could be one of the best

A new team at the helm of Belco is expected to restore faith in the power company, the Minister of Home Affairs said yesterday.Walter Roban claimed that public confidence in the electricity provider was at an “all-time low” – but predicted that would change with the proposed sale of parent firm Ascendant to Canadian-based Algonquin.He said: “I don’t have to remind … members of the public of the turmoil over the last two years, including serious industrial action, the dismissal of highly q

A supermarket chain has launched an attempt to recruit from the ranks of laid-off workers at the Fairmont Southampton hotel.The plan was revealed after more than 700 jobs were lost because the hotel is to shut for about two years for major renovation work.Seth Stutzman, the president of The MarketPlace group, said: “We recognise that we have a responsibility to support our community, particularly during times of national need.”Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve worked tirelessly

Shares of Butterfield Bank improved $1.50, or 6.4 per cent, to $25 on The Royal Gazette/BSX Index after 1,146 were traded.On the New York Stock Exchange, the bank’s shares were up 31 cents, or 1.27 per cent, at $24.81.The Royal Gazette/BSX Index was up 67.46 points, or 3.83 per cent, at 1,827.31, while the BSX Insurance Index was up 12.54 points, or 0.93 per cent, at 1,355.16.

There are only two active cases of Covid-19 on the island and neither of the victims are in hospital, it was revealed this evening.Kim Wilson, the health minister, said neither were in hospital, but they were being monitored by public health officials.She also announced 347 tests for the coronavirus had come in clear today.Ms Wilson said she regretted that Halloween festivities this year would be shelved and that she did not want to be a “buzz killer”.But she warned the public

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