2020/2021 SESSION of the BERMUDA
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2020/2021 SESSION of the BERMUDA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT 21 MAY 2021 Virtual Sitting Sitting number 18 of the 2020/2021 Session (pages 1417–1478) Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., 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 21 May 2021 1417 BERMUDA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT VIRTUAL SITTING 21 MAY 2021 10:00 AM Sitting Number 18 of the 2020/2021 Session [Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Speaker, in the Chair] PAPERS AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TO THE HOUSE The Speaker: Members, we are now calling the House to session. The Speaker: There are a host of them, about 12 this Ms. Beale, would you like to do the prayers at morning. The first is in the name of the Deputy Prem- this time for us? Thank you. ier. Deputy Premier. PRAYERS Hon. Walter H. Roban: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. [Prayers read by Ms. Kara Beale, Assistant Clerk] The Speaker: Good morning. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES THE BERMUDA PLAN 2018 [Minutes of 7 May 2021] Hon. Walter H. Roban: Good morning to Members of The Speaker: Thank you. the House and the listening public. Members, the House is now in session. Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to attach and The Minutes of the 7th of May have been cir- submit for the consideration of the Honourable House culated. Members, are there any amendments, ad- of Assembly the Bermuda Plan 2018, the Tribunal justments, corrections that are required? Report Draft Bermuda Plan 2018 and zoning maps. There are none. The Minutes are confirmed Note that the zoning maps can be found on our par- as printed. liamentary website at an appropriate link: https://planning.gov.bm/index.php/bermuda-plan-2018/. [Minutes of 7 May 2021 confirmed] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR The Speaker: Thank you, Deputy Premier. The next Minister I am going to call on is Min- The Speaker: There are none. ister Wilson. Minister Wilson, I believe you have most of ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SPEAKER the remaining [papers]. So, Minister, would you like to OR MEMBER PRESIDING present all of yours at this time? Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Yes, thank you. Good morning. APOLOGY The Speaker: Good morning. The Speaker: There is one announcement this morn- ing. PUBLIC HEALTH (COVID-19) EMERGENCY We have been duly informed by the Minister EXTENSION ORDER 2021 of Transport, Minister Scott, that he will be absent to- day. And we are just having it duly noted. PUBLIC HEALTH (COVID-19 EMERGENCY Thank you. POWERS) AMENDMENT (NO. 4) REGULATIONS 2021 MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE PUBLIC HEALTH (COVID-19 EMERGENCY The Speaker: There are none. POWERS) AMENDMENT (NO. 5) REGULATIONS 2021 Bermuda House of Assembly 1418 21 May 2021 Official Hansard Report PUBLIC HEALTH (COVID-19 EMERGENCY The Speaker: We hear you; we do not see you. Now POWERS) AMENDMENT (NO. 6) your camera is on, yes. Go ahead. REGULATIONS 2021 THE WAGE COMMISSION REPORT 2021: PUBLIC HEALTH (COVID-19 EMERGENCY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A MINIMUM WAGE POWERS) (STAY AT HOME) IN BERMUDA REGULATIONS 2021 Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker, I have the hon- PUBLIC HEALTH (COVID-19) EMERGENCY our to attach and submit for the information of this EXTENSION (NO. 2) ORDER 2021 Honourable House of Assembly the Recommenda- tions for a Minimum Wage in Bermuda report. PUBLIC HEALTH (COVID-19 EMERGENCY POWERS) (STAY AT HOME) AMENDMENT PETITIONS REGULATIONS 2021 The Speaker: There are no petitions. PUBLIC HEALTH (COVID-19 EMERGENCY POWERS) (STAY AT HOME) AMENDMENT STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS AND (NO. 2) REGULATIONS 2021 JUNIOR MINISTERS QUARANTINE (COVID-19) (NO. 3) AMENDMENT ORDER 2021 The Speaker: We have six Statements this morning. The first Statement this morning, Members, is in the PUBLIC HEALTH (COVID-19 EMERGENCY name of the Premier. POWERS) (PHASED RE-OPENING) Premier, would you like to put your State- REGULATIONS 2021 ment? Hon. Kim N. Wilson: Mr. Speaker, I have the honour Hon. E. David Burt: If I may, please, Mr. Speaker. to attach and submit for the information of the Hon- ourable House of Assembly the following: The Speaker: You may. Go right ahead. • Public Health (COVID-19) Emergency Exten- sion Order 2021; IMPLEMENTATION OF SAFEKEY • Public Health (COVID-19 Emergency Powers) Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you very much, Mr. Amendment (No. 4) Regulations 2021; Speaker. Good morning to you, Mr. Speaker, and • Public Health (COVID-19 Emergency Powers) good morning to colleagues and the listening audi- Amendment (No. 5) Regulations 2021; ence. • Public Health (COVID-19 Emergency Powers) Mr. Speaker, this morning I am pleased to Amendment (No. 6) Regulations 2021; provide this Honourable House and members of the • Public Health (COVID-19 Emergency Powers) public with additional details regarding the SafeKey (Stay at Home) Regulations 2021; programme announced on Tuesday. This initiative is • Public Health (COVID-19) Emergency Exten- part of the Government’s effort to allow for more ac- sion (No. 2) Order 2021; tivities and businesses to open safely with reduced • Public Health (COVID-19 Emergency Powers) risk of coronavirus exposure as we continue our work (Stay at Home) Amendment Regulations to eliminate local transmission. It is also in keeping 2021; with our efforts to upgrade our coronavirus test and • Public Health (COVID-19 Emergency Powers) COVID-19 vaccination certificates to ensure that they (Stay at Home) Amendment (No. 2) Regula- cannot be forged. With this technology, residents and tions 2021; visitors can begin to enjoy activities and events again • Quarantine (COVID-19) (No. 3) Amendment that are so important to the cultural fabric of our Island Order 2021; and finally, while minimising the risk of any gathering becoming a • Public Health (COVID-19 Emergency Powers) super-spreader event. (Phased Re-opening) Regulations 2021. Mr. Speaker, SafeKey is a QR code that will Thank you, Mr. Speaker. be issued to persons with a negative coronavirus test result or to persons who are fully immunised against The Speaker: Thank you, Minister. COVID-19 through vaccination, which is two weeks The next paper this morning is in the name of after an approved course of a vaccine is completed. the Minister of Labour, Minister Hayward. SafeKey was designed with privacy in mind and will contain only the information necessary to ensure that Hon. Jason Hayward: Mr. Speaker— it is being used by the person to whom it was issued. Bermuda House of Assembly Official Hansard Report 21 May 2021 1419 This limited information includes the user’s initials, activities. The initial use for SafeKey will be to allow month and day of birth, and the expiry date of the indoor dining to safely begin again and for churches to SafeKey. A SafeKey QR code is valid for three days increase in-person attendance for corporate worship. for a negative test result, and until June the 15th for The public health regulations are currently being fully immunised persons during the initial rollout amended to change the existing restrictions for indoor phase. As this is a new programme these expiry peri- dining and churches. Next week we will look to make ods may be adjusted while we learn how best to apply further amendments to expand the use of SafeKey to them. gyms and other higher-risk activities. Mr. Speaker, when a SafeKey is presented by Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that the user to a business or establishment, the business though indoor dining is limited to persons with Safe- can check to ensure it is authentic by going to veri- Key at this time, this will not be the case forever. If fy.gov.bm on the web browser of a phone, and scan Bermuda successfully meets the targets for our move the QR Code using the camera. This means no spe- to Phase 3 of our reopening, all restaurants will be cial equipment is needed in order to validate that the able to be open for indoor dining for all persons. How- SafeKey is authentic and not a forgery. Once the ever, Mr. Speaker, using SafeKey for indoor dining SafeKey is confirmed as valid, identification such as a now will allow many businesses to rehire more staff passport or driver’s licence must also be checked to who have been laid off due to the existing restrictions ensure the SafeKey is being used by the person to while we continue our collective work as a country to whom it was issued. This ensures that if you lose your eliminate local transmission. As a country we have SafeKey, it cannot be used by someone else. To fur- sacrificed, and this Government wants to get as many ther preserve your individual privacy, the SafeKey persons back to work as quickly as possible. does not contain information about whether the holder Mr. Speaker, a successful initial pilot event tested negative or if the holder has been immunised. was carried out last weekend for an exempted gather- Mr. Speaker, the QR codes that will now ap- ing of people. Immunised attendees and persons who pear on Bermuda’s vaccination certificates, test re- were not immunised but tested beforehand were pro- sults and SafeKey are developed according to the MIT vided a SafeKey QR code. The technology was suc- PathCheck Foundation’s Paper Verifiable Credential cessfully tested, and SafeKey will be used next week Standard. Initially they will be verifiable by scanning for participants and attendees at the Bermuda Day them via verify.gov.bm on any mobile phone. This event at the National Sports Centre, as well as for par- programme is built on open-source technology, and ticipants in the Bermuda Day Half Marathon.