2015/16 SESSION BERMUDA HOUSE of ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT 2 March 2016
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2015/16 SESSION of the BERMUDA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT 2 March 2016 Sitting number 11 of the 2015/16 Session (pages 935–1048) Hon. K. H. Randolph Horton, JP, MP Speaker Disclaimer: The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for informational purposes only. The printed version remains the official record. Official Hansard Report 2 March 2016 935 BERMUDA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT 2 MARCH 2016 10:00 AM Sitting Number 11 of the 2015/16 Session [Hon. K. H. Randolph Horton, Speaker, in the Chair] PRAYERS Government Fees Amendment Regulations. I would like to defer that until the next meeting. [Prayers read by Hon. K. H. Randolph Horton, Speaker] The Speaker: Yes. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES GOVERNMENT FEES TRADE MARKS AND SER- 26 February 2016 VICE MARKS AMENDMENT REGULATIONS 2016 Mr. Speaker, the second The Speaker: Yes, Honourable Members, we have Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: th item, with the Governor’s recommendation and in ac- the Minutes of the 26 of February to be confirmed. Are there any objections or any corrections to cordance with section 36 (3) of the Bermuda Constitu- those minutes? tion . I have the honour to submit, for the consid- If there are none, we will consider them con- eration of the Honourable House of Assembly, the th Government Fees Trade Marks and Service Marks firmed. Since there are none, the Minutes for the 26 th Amendment Regulations 2016. To be proposed by of February are confirmed. The Minutes for the 29 of February have been deferred. myself under the provisions of section 2 of the Gov- ernment Fees Act 1965. [Minutes of 26th February 2016 confirmed] The Speaker: Thank you Minister. MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR PETITIONS The Speaker: There are none. The Speaker: There are none. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SPEAKER STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS AND OR MEMBER PRESIDING JUNIOR MINISTERS APOLOGIES The Speaker: There are none. The Speaker: Yes, just the Members that are not here this morning. MP Michael Weeks and Junior REPORTS OF COMMITTEES Minister, MP Leah Scott, continue to be out, they have not been well. Also absent today is MP D. V. The Speaker: There are none. Burgess, he is out for personal reasons. QUESTION PERIOD MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE The Speaker: In regard to questions, we do have writ- The Speaker: There are none. ten answers to Parliamentary Questions from W. H. Roban, which have been answered by Junior Minister PAPERS AND OTHER S. D. Richards. COMMUNICATIONS TO THE HOUSE The Minister should have them, I think they were placed on his chair; the Minister will have those answers. The Speaker: The Chair will recognise the Honour- able Minister of Finance, Minister E. T. Bob Richards. CONGRATULATORY AND/OR OBITUARY Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. SPEECHES Mr. Speaker, the first item on the Order Paper is the Bermuda House of Assembly 936 2 March 2016 Official Hansard Report Hon. Marc A. R. Bean: Good morning Mr. Speaker Would any other Honourable Member care to and good morning honourable colleagues. speak? Mr. Speaker I rise with sadness to ask this The Chair will recognise the Minister for Eco- Chamber to send condolences to the family of young nomic Development. Minister, Dr. Gibbons, you have Mr. Eezariah Matthie Who recently lost his life on Ord the floor. Road. Mr. Speaker you might not be aware but Dr. the Hon. E. Grant Gibbons: Thank you, Mr. Eezariah . I would like for the whole House to be Speaker. Good morning. associated Mr. Speaker. Eezariah was a very fine young man and was the son of the well-known PHC The Speaker: Good morning. footballer Mr. Kenny Mills. Dr. the Hon. E. Grant Gibbons: Mr. Speaker, on a The Speaker: One of my students. more upbeat note, I would like to ask that congratula- tions be sent to the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Hon. Marc A. R. Bean: One of your students. And Institute for what I gather is an impressive America’s Mrs. Lisa Matthie is his mother. Kenny Mills is my Cup display that they are putting on. I am jumping the constituent suffice it to say that the entire area of gun a little bit because the formal opening is a little Warwick, both Kyber Pass and Ord Road, have been later on this afternoon, and I hope I get a chance to go stunned and shocked by this untimely loss. I would down briefly. But particularly to Mel Ferson, who I like to extend my personal condolences to Kenny and gather is the one who is the principal driver behind the Lisa and the entire Mills and Matthie families. exhibition. And I think it is, obviously, a very timely While I am on my feet, Mr. Speaker, I would exhibition, given the finals in 2017. So I would ask that also like to extend condolences to the family of the they be congratulated for putting this exhibition to- late Mr. Clifton Weller, of Marl Lane. And I know that gether. MP, Mr. Sylvan Richards, would like to be associated Thank you, Mr. Speaker. with it, and also I would like to associate the whole House, Mr. Speaker. As you know, Mr. Clifton Weller The Speaker: All right. Thank you, Minister. is the sibling of the Weller family, Karen and Khandi Would any other Honourable Member care to and Richard and Gary and George and Marshall. And speak? so, again, I would like to take this opportunity to send That will conclude the congrats and obits. my condolences, because the Weller family is close to my family. And I would certainly like to give my MATTERS OF PRIVILEGE thoughts and prayers to Mama Weller in this very diffi- cult time. The Speaker: There are none. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS The Speaker: Thank you. Honourable Member. The Chair will recognise the Honourable The Speaker: There are none. Member, Mr. Lawrence Scott. You have the floor. NOTICE OF MOTIONS FOR THE Mr. W. Lawrence Scott: Yes, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to associate my remarks with the Opposition ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE Leader when it comes to young Eezariah Matthie. I ON MATTERS OF URGENT actually had the privilege of working with (what we PUBLIC IMPORTANCE called him at the airport) Ezzy. He worked at the air- port. And one thing I do remember about him is that The Speaker: There are none. no matter how stressful the situation we had, whether the flight was late, whether the flight was on time, INTRODUCTION OF BILLS whether we had a mechanical [issue], he was always upbeat. He always looked at the positive side of GOVERNMENT BILLS things, and then he would always end his comments with a little laugh, which caused you to start laughing, so he had a very infectious laugh. FIRST READINGS Once again, I would just like to send my con- dolences out to the Matthie and Mills family, as they The Speaker: The Chair will recognise the Minister do live in my constituency, Ms. Lisa Matthie. And he for Finance. Minister Bob Richards, you have the will be deeply missed. floor. The Speaker: All right. Thank you, MP Scott. Bermuda House of Assembly Official Hansard Report 2 March 2016 937 RETAIL SHOPS (TEMPORARY CUSTOMS DUTY RELIEF FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS) AMEND- COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY MENT ACT 2016 ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: Thank you again, Mr. FOR THE YEAR 2016/17 Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the following [Continuation thereof] Bill for its first reading so that it may be placed on the Order Paper for the next day of meeting: the Retail The Chairman: Good morning, Members and listen- Shops (Temporary Customs Duty Relief for Capital ing audience. We are now in Committee of Supply for Investments) Amendment Act 2016. further consideration of Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year 2016/17. The Speaker: Yes. The Cabinet Office, Heads 9, 14, 26 and 80. Four hours have been allocated to this Head. I call on GOVERNMENT FEES AMENDMENT ACT 2016 the Premier and National Security Minister, the Hon- ourable Michael Dunkley, to proceed. Hon. E. T. (Bob) Richards: And also, I am introduc- ing the following Bill in accordance with section 36(3) CABINET OFFICE of the Bermuda Constitution, which requires the Gov- ernor’s recommendation, so that it may be placed on Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, the Order Paper for the next day of meeting: the Gov- and good morning to colleagues. Let me start out by ernment Fees Amendment Act 2016. moving those heads, Mr. Chairman, Heads 9, 14, 26 and 80. The Speaker: Thank you, thank you, Minister. The Chairman: Please proceed. OPPOSITION BILLS Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Speaker: There are none. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead the debate and present the Estimates of Revenue and PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILLS Expenditure for Heads 9, 14, 26 and 80, the Cabinet Office, the Department of Statistics, the Department of The Speaker: There are none. Human Resources, and the Office of Project Man- agement and Procurement, respectively. I will present NOTICES OF MOTIONS each Head in turn. The Speaker: There are none. HEAD 9—CABINET OFFICE ORDERS OF THE DAY Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Chairman, Head 9, the Cabinet Office, can be found on pages B-38 to B-41 of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure. I am The Speaker: Thank you. The first Order of the Day is pleased to present Head 9. the resumption in Committee of Supply for further Mandate.