Bermuda House of Assembly Official Hansard Report 14 November 2016 7
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
2016/17 SESSION of the BERMUDA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT 14 November 2016 Sitting number 2 of the 2016/17 Session (pages 5–132) 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 14 November 2016 5 BERMUDA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT 14 NOVEMBER 2016 10:00 AM Sitting Number 2 of the 2016/17 Session [Hon. K. H. Randolph Horton, Speaker, in the Chair] The Speaker: Secondly, I would like to announce to Members that I received a letter from the former Op- PRAYERS position Leader, M. A. R. Bean, indicating the resigna- tion of his seat in the House. [Prayers read by Hon. K. H. Randolph Horton, Speaker] PARLIAMENTARY PRAYER BREAKFAST [Pause] The Speaker: Finally, I would like to announce to Members that the Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast will th ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER be held on Friday, the 18 of November. That is Fri- day coming, at 7:25 am, at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess. And the guest speaker is Justice Mims from HOUSE VISITORS the Virginia Supreme Court. The Speaker: All right, Members, just before we start, we will recognise the Vice President of the Senate, MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE and also Senator Jardine, who are here with us this morning. The Speaker: There are no messages from the Sen- ate. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES 7 November 2016 PAPERS AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TO THE HOUSE The Speaker: The Minutes of November [7th], and all Members should have those Minutes, will be con- The Speaker: The Chair will recognise the Honour- firmed unless there are any objections to that or any able Minister for Health. Minister Atherden, you have need for corrections. the floor. So, the Minutes for November 7th are con- firmed. Hon. Jeanne J. Atherden: Mr. Speaker, they are not being tabled today. [Minutes of 7 November 2016 confirmed] [Inaudible interjection] MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR Hon. Jeanne J. Atherden: They are being deferred. The Speaker: There are no messages from the Gov- ernor. The Speaker: All right. Both of those papers? Madam Clerk, yes. Hon. Jeanne J. Atherden: Yes, Mr. Speaker. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SPEAKER OR MEMBER PRESIDING The Speaker: Thank you. PETITIONS APOLOGIES There are none. The Speaker: Yes. I have a couple of announce- The Speaker: ments, a few announcements. First, I would like to announce that MP Leah STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS Scott will be absent today. AND JUNIOR MINISTERS RESIGNATION OF MP MARC BEAN The Speaker: The Chair will recognise the Honour- able Premier. Premier Dunkley. Bermuda House of Assembly 6 14 November 2016 Official Hansard Report Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Good morning, Mr. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to extend Speaker; good morning to colleagues. my deepest appreciation and thanks to the Director of the Department of Statistics, Mrs. Melinda Williams, The Speaker: Good morning. and her entire team of statisticians and support staff, for their commitment to the data collection process. 2016 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING Although not planned, staff have been called upon to conduct interviews and have completed over 1,900 Hon. Michael H. Dunkley: Mr. Speaker, I rise to in- telephone interviews and approximately 500 in-person form Honourable Members of this House and the interviews themselves. people of Bermuda of the progress of the 2016 Popu- Additional interviewers have now been re- lation and Housing Census data collection to date. As cruited and trained to complement the team in an ef- of the 7th of November 2016, 72 per cent of assess- fort to complete the surveys in a timely fashion. Mr. ment numbers have been accounted for, which in- Speaker, I would like to thank all of those who have cludes a combination of residential, vacant, derelict, been out in the field and urge all of us to help make and commercial assessment numbers. their job easier as we collect these very important Mr. Speaker, I am also positioned to report data. the progress geographically. Southampton and Hamil- In closing, Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the ton Parishes have the highest completion rates at people of Bermuda for their support of this initiative of 80 per cent, and Sandys Parish at this point has the national importance, and encourage participation by lowest completion rate at 63 per cent. At the census all, Because People Count. Thank you, sir. district level, Mr. Speaker, there are three census dis- tricts with a 100 per cent completion rate; however, The Speaker: Right. Thank you very much, Honour- there are still a number of census districts that fall be- able Premier. low 60 per cent at this time. Mr. Speaker, there are a The Chair will now recognise the Honourable total of 246 census districts. All districts with out- Minister of Health, Minister Atherden. standing households to be counted are actively being targeted by interviewers. Hon. Jeanne J. Atherden: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Statistics has Mr. Speaker and Honourable Members, I completed the first two phases of the census. The stand before this Honourable House to address my eCensus concluded on the 13th of July, and the Com- fellow Parliamentarians and Bermuda— puter Assisted Telephone Interviews ended on the th 24 of August. The third phase of the census is the Hon. E. David Burt: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Computer Assisted Personal Interviews whereby in- Point of order. terviewers visit households throughout the Island that have not yet completed their census questionnaires to The Speaker: Yes, Honourable Member. collect information. This phase began on Septem- st ber 1 , Mr. Speaker, and the goal is to complete this Hon. E. David Burt: Does the Minister have copies of phase by the 31st of December 2016. her Statement? The census is a national undertaking and re- quires the support of all residents in order to achieve The Speaker: Sorry? the goal of 100 per cent completion. In this regard, Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank all house- Hon. E. David Burt: We do not have a copy of the holds who have completed their questionnaires and to Minister’s Statement. remind residents that participation in the 2016 Census is mandatory by law and, of course, our civic duty. The Speaker: Oh, you do not have the copies? The interview should only take approximately 5 to 10 minutes per person. Outstanding households Hon. E. David Burt: No. Nor the copy of the Pre- are asked to complete their questionnaire by either mier’s Statement. visiting or calling the Department of Statistics. That number is 297-7761. Or you can cooperate with an The Speaker: Yes. Yes, hold on a second. Thank interviewer who will visit your home. Mr. Speaker, you, thank you. there have been incidences wherein householders have declined to participate, and this is indeed unfor- Hon. E. David Burt: Okay. tunate. As a reminder, failing to complete the census interview may result in a fine of up to $1,000 per day, Hon. Jeanne J. Atherden: Sorry, Mr. Speaker. Cop- upon conviction. Of course, Mr. Speaker, we would ies of my Statement— like everyone to complete it without having to be prodded to do so. Bermuda House of Assembly Official Hansard Report 14 November 2016 7 The Speaker: No, no, no. We had copies of your ory. It is very hard to be a prudent purchaser of care Statement. Right, Honourable Member. We have re- when you are in the ICU, having a root canal, or hav- ceived copies from the . can we get copies, please? ing a cyst removed. Mr. Speaker, in addition, competition is also [Pause] not the same in the health care market. Competition can encourage excess capacity and duplication of The Speaker: If Honourable Members will just bear services, and thus it can lead to supplier-induced in- with us a moment, please. creases in demand. The Institute of Medicine and PAHO [Pan American Health Organization] quote that [Pause] 20–40 per cent of health care expenditures are un- necessary and wasteful. In health care, some health The Speaker: Honourable Minister, Minister Ather- services are natural monopolies, which can lead to den, if you would, please. Thank you. poor quality if competition is introduced. Mr. Speaker, it is within this context of quality MEASURES TO MAKE BERMUDA’S HEALTH SYS- care that our unique health care market needs to ap- TEM SUSTAINABLE ply oversight in competition that I am going to table the Patient Safety Law. Hon. Jeanne J. Atherden: Mr. Speaker and Honour- In addition, in addressing the need to have the able Members, I stand before this Honourable House health system sustainable, it is recognised that the to address my fellow Parliamentarians and Bermuda Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) has to be part of the on the critical matter of reducing health costs for the solution in reducing health costs for the benefit of all benefit of all residents without compromising the qual- residents, without compromising the quality of care. ity of care. Indeed, BHB has implemented its modernisa- Mr. Speaker, every adult resident of our Island tion plan and made $40 million in cost reductions is aware of our high health costs. For a significant co- through efficiencies. This is despite increased demand hort of our population, every month there is a struggle on its services as our population ages, and the preva- to make money stretch. Ongoing co-payments are a lence of preventable, and costly, chronic non- challenge, and deciding which illness to treat is a communicable diseases.