2018/2020 SESSION of the BERMUDA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT 28 February 2020 Sitting number 37 of the 2018/2020 Session (pages 3087–3218) 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 28 February 2020 3087 BERMUDA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT 28 FEBRUARY 2020 10:02 AM Sitting Number 37 of the 2018/2020 Session [Hon. Dennis P. Lister, Jr., Speaker, in the Chair] PAPERS AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TO THE HOUSE PRAYERS The Speaker: There are two papers to be presented [Prayers read by Mrs. Shernette Wolffe, Clerk] this morning, both in the name of the Minister of Fi- nance. The Speaker: Good morning, Members. Minister. [Gavel] Hon. Curtis L. Dickinson: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES [Minutes of 21 February 2020] The Speaker: Good morning. st The Speaker: Members, the Minutes of the 21 of FOREIGN CURRENCY PURCHASE TAX February have been circulated. (EXEMPTION) ORDER 2020 Are there any omissions, corrections? There are none. Hon. Curtis L. Dickinson: Mr. Speaker, with the The Minutes are confirmed as printed. Governor’s recommendation and in accordance with section 36(3) of the Bermuda Constitution, I have the [Minutes of 21 February 2020 confirmed] honour to attach and submit for the consideration of the Honourable House of Assembly the Foreign Cur- MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR rency Purchase Tax (Exemption) Order 2020, pro- posed to be made by the Minister of Finance in the The Speaker: There are none. exercise of the power conferred by section 7 in the Foreign Currency Purchase Tax Act of 1975. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE SPEAKER OR MEMBER PRESIDING The Speaker: Thank you. And the second? LAND TAX (EXEMPTION) ORDER 2020 APOLOGIES Hon. Curtis L. Dickinson: Mr. Speaker, with the The Speaker: Yes. This morning we have been in- Governor’s recommendation and in accordance with formed by the following Members that they will be ab- section 36(3) of the Bermuda Constitution, I have the sent today: MP Tinee Furbert, MP Dennis Lister, MP honour to attach and submit for the consideration of Scott Simmons. And Minister Furbert has also sent the Honourable House of Assembly the Land Tax indication this morning that he will be absent today as (Exemption) Order 2020, proposed to be made by the well. Minister of Finance in the exercise of the power con- ferred by section 3A of the Land Tax Act of 1967. HOUSE PAGE Thank you. The Speaker: And I would also like to acknowledge The Speaker: Thank you, Minister. pages assisting us today: Ms. Dazhja Greaves will be paging with us this morning as an observer. PETITIONS MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE The Speaker: There are none. The Speaker: There are none. Bermuda House of Assembly 3088 28 February 2020 Official Hansard Report STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members will recall AND JUNIOR MINISTERS that the BermudaFirst report identified three critical areas for detailed analysis and reform: health care, education and immigration. In addition to these critical The Speaker: Good morning, Members. You have on the Order Paper nine Statements that are printed in areas there were recommendations on how to ensure front of you. I would just like to acknowledge that there that Bermuda becomes a leading jurisdiction for tech- are actually 10. There was a technical problem with nology companies. To provide an update to this Hon- the 10th one being omitted. But Minister Foggo also ourable House and the public, I can advise that rec- should be listed as one of those [Statements] this ommendations in this area are being progressed. morning. Mr. Speaker, the BermudaFirst Report con- So the first is in the name of the Premier. tained 35 recommendations under the ambit of the Premier, would you like to do your Statement? Ministry of Health, and of those, Mr. Speaker, 23, or 66 per cent, of those recommendations were either in progress by the Ministry of Health or are fully support- Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning to you. ed and will be actioned in the near future. Mr. Speaker, health care financing reform is actively underway and forms a significant portion of The Speaker: Good morning. the work of the Ministry of Health. In line with the rec- BERMUDAFIRST—AN UPDATE ommendations, the Standard Health Benefit [SHB] is currently being redesigned to modernise the current reimbursement scheme. Also, as part of the health Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise this Honourable House of the progress being financing reform, Government is in the process of made on the implementation of the recommendations regulating fees to health care providers as recom- from BermudaFirst. mended by BermudaFirst. Mr. Speaker, this Government committed to Mr. Speaker, education rightly features promi- building a better and fairer Bermuda for all by enacting nently within the report’s recommendations. In line policies to grow Bermuda’s economy in a balanced with BermudaFirst’s recommendation that all princi- manner. One of the pledges in our election platform pals be certified and in keeping with Plan 2022, the was to re-establish the BermudaFirst advisory group Department of Education has already contracted with consisting of local and international business and the Bermuda College, who entered into an articulation community leaders to develop a long-term economic agreement with Framingham University for principal and social plan for Bermuda. certification. Mr. Speaker, BermudaFirst completed phase Modernisation of public school facilities is in- 2 of its National Socio-Economic Plan and submitted a cluded in the Ministry’s upcoming plans for school re- Future State Report dated August 23rd, 2019, which design and restructuring. Hospitality education, indus- provided 129 different recommendations for achieving try training and community engagement are in pro- a healthier future state of our Island. BermudaFirst gress; students are being introduced to more tech- referred to the report as a call to action on who and nical/vocational programme options, and students are what we want to be as a country. being linked with approved industry partners for men- Mr. Speaker, Bermuda has operated at a high toring, internships and real career experiences. standard in the international arena through its accom- Mr. Speaker, regarding the use of technology plishments on sound regulation and compliance. Not- in schools, all educators will be required to be appro- withstanding the many accomplishments Bermuda priately trained in the use of technology. BermudaFirst has made internationally, it is agreed that national recommended the incorporation of coding and compu- transformative change is critical. ting into the core curriculum to promote critical think- Mr. Speaker, we must all agree a National ing and problem solving. Mr. Speaker, information Socio-Economic Plan that shifts mind-sets and behav- technology [literacy] is being infused into the public iours and offers every Bermudian the opportunity and school system, and coding and robotics classes are the tools to participate equitably in our sustainable, now included in the Education Department’s ICT cur- growing economy to positively impact the quality of life riculum offered to P5 and P6 students. of Bermuda’s residents. Further, Mr. Speaker, as I Mr. Speaker, a strategic approach to the re- have previously stated, the BermudaFirst leadership form of the immigration system is in train, and its care- believes, as does the Government of Bermuda, that ful execution is critical to the success of Bermuda. A (and I quote), “For our island to be successful we work permit scheme to cater to the unique staffing must have a single vision and we must all move in the needs of the international business sector has already same direction.” The BermudaFirst report provides been put in place, and the overall administrative pro- some helpful recommendations to move us in that cesses are being streamlined and automated. direction. Honourable Members should note that a spe- cific recommendation of BermudaFirst, and proposed Bermuda House of Assembly Official Hansard Report 28 February 2020 3089 in the Budget Statement delivered last week in this Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Honourable House, was the amendment of the exist- ing 60/40 legislation to encourage more foreign in- The Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Premier. vestment into Bermuda’s economy. Additionally, Hon- The next Statement this morning is that in the ourable Members will recall passing legislation in this name of the Deputy Premier. Honourable House to encourage development of ap- Would you like to do your Statement, Deputy? proved residential schemes within the economic em- powerment zones. This too accords with the report’s Hon. Walter H. Roban: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and recommendation that marries the economic substance good morning to everyone. requirements with the existing capacity to provide greater opportunities in these areas through real es- The Speaker: Thank you. tate development. Mr. Speaker, in keeping with the Bermu- BANANA SUPPLY daFirst recommendation to provide affordable, suita- ble housing for at-risk populations and low- and mid- Hon. Walter H. Roban: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to dle-income families, the Bermuda Housing Corpora- update this Honourable House about the Island’s sup- tion is moving forward with its plans to develop addi- ply of bananas. Mr. Speaker, I am sure that you would tional housing units in Southside. The Government is have seen or heard the various news articles high- also working with the Salvation Army to upgrade the lighting the shortage of supply of bananas. I would like existing housing shelter on North Street which will to provide Honourable Members with a comprehen- provide long overdue upgrades to the buildings at this sive explanation.