Mr Hanbury has my full support to get Bermuda back in the right place. But I still believe I would have put a Bermudian in his place and used him as a consultant. I had no particular candidate in mind for the job. I still believe there is a Bermudian out there who could do the job. Shawn Crockwell believes a single integrated casino resort could employ around a thousand Bermudians and generate millions of dollars for the local economy.
And while the Tourism Minister stressed that the details are not set in stone, he described measures Government is considering introducing to prevent casinos causing social problems. Speaking at Penno's Wharf during the first of a series of town hall meetings on the subject of gaming in Bermuda, Mr Crockwell told the more than people in attendance that, based on the current air arrivals, and the belief that around ten to 15 percent of residents would take part, the Island can support around three casinos. He said most Bermudians over the age of 21 will be allowed to gamble in the casinos, but added that Government is considering a Singapore-esque strategy which would prohibit some residents from taking part.
Among those prevented from gaming in Singapore are those on financial assistance, living in government housing, or in arrears with the courts. Legislation there also allows members of the public to voluntarily add themselves to the excluded list and more controversially apply for immediate family members to be put on the excluded list. Other safeguards could be put in place to prevent the most vulnerable from being negatively impacted, such as not allowing ATM machines on the casino floor, no extension of credit to locals without premium accounts, and installing an entry fee for residents.
Now some people react and say, that's not a lot of money, and Singapore is a very affluent country, but most if not all of the residents that I met, I asked them if they go to the casinos. I asked why not? And they said because of that levee. The casual gamer may go on special occasions. It is Government's belief that introducing integrated hotel casinos to the Island is vital for encouraging investment in the tourism industry and creating jobs. Around 98, tourists travel to the Bahamas specifically to enjoy casino gaming, including more than 36, from New York alone, pumping millions into that nation's economy.
Gene Curtis
If we have a decent integrated resort, if the integrated resort does what it's supposed to do, if the Tourism Authority does what it's supposed to do and markets the Island, and if we do all the right things, we believe that we can attract 5, [visitors] from the Miami area, we can attract 15, from the New York market. We expect casino gaming to spur hotel development, investment, job creation, visitor arrivals and tax revenue. As far as we are concerned, looking at the data, it all looks very positive for Bermuda.
The proposed government tax rate on that is ten percent. We have had other consultants suggest that we tax up to 20 percent, and that's a decision that Government will have to make. The lower the tax rate, the more incentive to get a casino operator in Bermuda. In addition to the revenue directly from gaming, Government would be able to raise even more funds through hotel occupancy tax, and payroll tax. Construction of a single integrated casino resort would create 1, direct, and indirect jobs, while the casino itself could employ up to Bermudians. Just one integrated resort can create significant job opportunities for Bermudians.
So far, seven parties have expressed interest in a request for proposal for the former Club Med site, and it is hoped that even more parties will come forward before the April deadline. Government has kept quiet on plans to curtail high-cost diagnostic imaging but the hospital has defended itself against claims by local physicians that it has been the main culprit for spiraling healthcare costs.
Pre-certification, which requires doctors to get a second opinion, is aimed at cutting down on the frivolous use of procedures such as MRIs and CT scans. The imaging tests cost thousands of dollars and come with their own health risks: CT scans deliver significant doses of radiation. A Health Ministry spokeswoman said Government was working in tandem with the Bermuda Health Council to realize a public information paper on the rationale and workings of pre-certification. The focus will be on diagnostic testing, which includes medical imaging and clinical labs, and the intent is that before such procedures can be carried out, they would have to be pre-approved by an authorized entity, based on standardized medical guidelines, she said, adding that more information would be released in due course.
Details on how the scheme would be implemented in Bermuda, such as whether pre-certification would take place by phone or online, have yet to be revealed. Pre-certification is common in the US managed healthcare system and similar procedures are employed under the UK's National Health Service as the soaring cost of healthcare leads to rising insurance premiums. Bermudas healthcare system is second only to the US for year-on-year increases that were branded unsustainable by Government three years ago.
Physicians have attacked Governments rationale for introducing the system to the Island. Pre-certification has been denounced as an onerous extra expense that will put patients at risk and doctors who spoke anonymously with The Royal Gazette maintained that unnecessary testing was more the fault of the hospital than the local medical community. A BHB spokeswoman said the hospital was mandated under law to offer essential equipment, which hospital-based doctors used in the community's best interests.
BHB does not receive additional revenue for tests performed on in-patients or emergency patients who are ultimately admitted to hospital, as all hospital services are covered under a fixed diagnostic related group charge for their inpatient care, she added. BHB also provides services to outpatients who are referred to the hospital for tests by community physicians. These referrals often include diagnostic imaging or laboratory tests. BHB performs these tests and bills the patients insurers accordingly. She acknowledged that the hospital has come under fire in the debate over the Islands increasingly precarious healthcare system.
Blame is frequently assigned to BHB for running up health costs when the reality is that a substantial portion of BHB's annual revenues arise from community physicians referring patients for outpatient diagnostic imaging and laboratory work, she said. If we assume all tests ordered by community physicians are medically necessary and appropriate, they would be a cost to the health system regardless of whether they are performed at the hospital or another diagnostic centre, the spokeswoman added.
And Bermudas high usage of both tests was established by the same survey. It is key to note that these figures exclude MRI and CT tests performed at other local diagnostic facilities and tests performed overseas, so the potential overspend is likely understated. Any initiative to manage healthcare would have to consider both BHB and community physicians in order to rein in medically unnecessary testing and costs, she said. Thirteen staff, all Bermudians, were made redundant by the Coral Beach and Tennis Club, even as the labour dispute over the Fairmont Hamilton Princess captured headlines.
The positions were cut on January 31, according to managing director Tim Thuell. None were unionized, a spokeswoman said. Eight housekeeping jobs were chopped from the South Shore resort, leaving five still on the job and all five security staff were made redundant. Coral Beach Club outsourced the security positions to a highly respected local security company, Mr Thuell said.
In a statement, Mr Thuell described the cutbacks to operational changes and efficiencies that are "in accordance with luxury hotel standards, and that are in-line with our current business model. We are focused on making the kinds of changes that will improve the service provided to our membership and that will also demonstrate fiscal responsibility. The organization that represents the trust and related industry also announced the election of vice-president Kim White, treasurer Deanna Didyk and secretary Michael McAuley.
Founded in , BALT is a forum for the interests of its stakeholders and acts as a representative body for all 30 companies licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority to carry on trust and related business in Bermuda. BALT makes representations to Government and is often invited to deliver submissions and reports on trust legislation, fiduciary ethics, good practice and regulation of the industry.
The Association is a key contributor to the Bermuda Business Development Agency's strategic plan to promote existing international business and actively develop new business in Bermuda. Celebrating 20 years of commitment to the absolute integrity and high international standing of Bermudas trust industry, BALT is organizing a general symposium for its members to discuss the international position of Bermudas trust industry and to hear the views of both local and international speakers on current topics of interest such as new trust law reform proposals, compliance and enforcement, tax information exchange agreements and know-your-client initiatives.
And the ruling is being seen as a commitment by the Bermuda courts to support arbitration in disputes over court proceedings in international commercial cases. Now the Bermuda firm has to pay the cash to Hong Kong firm Huawei Tech Investment and Huawei International, of Singapore said to be owed for the supply of goods as well as costs, or face winding-up proceedings. In a written judgement released at the weekend, Mr Kawaley said that it was clear that the respondent had not raised any seriously arguable foundation for declining to enforce the award on public policy grounds.
And it was again perhaps unsurprising that the respondent did not have the temerity to seek to pursue this ground of challenge to the decision of the Singaporean tribunal before the Singaporean courts. Mr Kawaley issued his judgement as he dismissed the Sampoerna Holdings claim that it had ben denied its natural justice rights the chance to plead its case at the Singapore arbitration hearing. His decision upheld an earlier Bermuda court ruling that the two firms could enter judgement in terms of the award. Lawyers David Kessaram, of Cox Hallett Wilkinson, who appeared for the two applicants with Lilla Zuill, said the ruling backed arbitration as an alternative means of settling cases and that the Bermuda debtor company sought to set aside the order on the basis that there was a denial of natural justice rights in the arbitration proceedings in Singapore.
It claimed that the arbitration tribunals decision dealt with an issue that was outside the scope of the questions the tribunal was asked to decide and that the arbitration tribunal based its decision on a matter that was not pleaded in the statement of claim. But Mr Kessaram said: The Chief Justice treated the debtor company's point as a purely technical one.
He held that there was no denial of the Bermuda company's natural justice rights, namely the opportunity to present its case in the arbitration. The Chief Justice therefore dismissed the Bermuda company's application leaving it open for the award creditors to enforce their rights to payment in Bermuda. They included Rubik Reinsurance, Ltd.
Year to date, the five confirmed registrations make up the register for Two of the applications were declined and three applications were approved. They also state that registration and licensing of approved insurance entities is subsequent to the ALC application process, and may be confirmed in future periods. Bermuda registered 1, new companies last year, the most in five years.
Education and Economic Development Minister Grant Gibbons said it was one more sign that Bermuda is moving in the right direction after years of decline.
All the Catalogs
Dr Gibbons said the tally of new companies was the highest since the year in which the global financial crisis struck and was up 16 percent from the 1, recorded in We can expect that these new companies will make a very positive contribution to job creation and economic growth. We saw a strong upward trend of local and international company formation in , in contrast to the decline from to At the end of , there were a total of 18, local and exempt entities on the Islands company register a two percent increase over a year earlier.
So people costs have to be right at the centre of it. The previous Government had cut back on services in its Budget of two years ago. There is nothing much left to cut, so we are looking at people. The average remaining working life of for a Civil Servant is 12 years, that's a lot of people who will be retiring in the next few years. Both Mr Everson and Bermuda College economics lecturer Craig Simmons backed longer-term economic plans over an annual budget. Mr Simmons also called for no across-the-board tax increases which might help balance the books, but push the country back into recession.
But he predicted a hike in taxes on technology. We were promised a plan then and it's only right we have that from an economic perspective tax payers are owed a medium term framework on how Government is going to reduce its spending. I am expecting the first multiyear Budget on Friday. That's what is needed and its arguably the most needed part of the Budget. I would expect tax increases on telecommunications specifically cell phones and internet usage. These are two of the few growth areas in the economy and tend to be insensitive to price. The Government has to be sensitive to the needs of those at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder and also sensitive about layoffs in the public sector.
There is no doubt that the Civil Service will need to be trimmed from where it is now, from 5. Cuts could be made gradually from five days a week to four or three as a way of gradually easing people out the door. We are in a delicate stage of recovery serious cuts in spending could have a deleterious effect. I would argue that the cuts should be minimal and that, as recovery takes hold, that's when you begin the bigger cuts because people will have somewhere to go because there will be more opportunities in the private sector.
I would like to see progress in all three categories, not just one. Digital TV provider WOW is to muscle in on the telecoms market with a package including phone, internet and television services that could help drive prices down. And he said the extra competition in the market could help customers get a better deal. But it will bring prices down because people can look at their margins across all products.
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Providers faced an increase in license fees later this year, which would have to be factored in. It is with great pleasure and excitement that WOW can be the first to announce the introduction of a suite of telecommunication services including, voice for local and long distance calling, high speed internet, television and high definition HD programming at economical pricing with one bill, one stop and one great customer care contact.
Mr Wright said WOW took the decision to expand after Government relaxed licence rules more than a year ago. Senior members of the Civil Service will be accountable for the budgets constraints, said Minister of Finance Bob Richards, speaking to a large audience at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess at the Chamber of Commerce's annual post-budget breakfast yesterday. In his speech to Chamber members, Mr Richards had pointed to a two-track strategy to move the country forward, saying: We have to do both at the same time.
He pointed to poor policy decisions and ineffective implementation within Government and said the result is: It's quite simple the private sector stands on its own two feet. The carrot and stick really does not exist in Government. The whole effect of it relates to accountability, particularly for senior people.
I have concluded that the culture in Government with senior people in particular is that they don't feel accountable for the budget numbers. In other countries, accounting officers will suffer some sort of consequences. It has never happened in Bermuda, so this is a change of culture we are trying to institute where senior managers have to be held accountable for these numbers. I've tried to focus Government on the budget and budget restrictions, [but] we have not been able to change the corporate culture in Government overnight.
We are working hard so that each individual Ministry respects those budgetary restrictions. I recognize it is a problem, but we are working through the Civil Service and the Ministry of Finance is being pig-headed. The status quo is not an option we have to change. We don't expect things to get better on their own we have to make it change.
The Government cannot do it alone, we have to do it together. We have to work together to make the Bermuda economy grow to make jobs. We have to have oars pulling in the same direction. Canopius Bermuda, which was launched in , employs a team of ten, most of whom are Bermudian.
It has achieved consistent growth in its business and underwriting capacity. In addition to ongoing business expansion, Canopius Bermuda is a committed participant in a number of community programmes including the Sunshine League, with Canopius Bermuda senior insurance executive Annemarie Tobin serving as the organization's chair. Since we established our office here seven years ago, our business in Bermuda has gone from strength to strength, due, in no small part, to its highly positive business climate. We are looking forward to further growth, continued success and an active role in the Bermuda community.
With the announcement of our acquisition by leading Japanese insurer NKSJ Holdings and becoming its specialty insurance platform, Canopius is well placed to continue our strategy of profitable growth, and our presence in Bermuda is a central part of our growth plan in mature specialty markets. Senior members of the Civil Service will be accountable for the budget's constraints, said Minister of Finance Bob Richards, speaking to a large audience at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess at the Chamber of Commerce's annual post-budget breakfast yesterday.
In his speech to Chamber members, Mr Richards had pointed to a two-track strategy to move the country forward: Economist Peter Everson, a former CEO of an international investment manager, who was sitting on the panel with the Finance Minister, had stated Government and the private sectors were chalk and cheese.
He pointed to poor policy decisions and ineffective implementation within Government. The carrot and stick really doesn't exist in Government. I recognize it is problem, but we are working through the Civil Service and the Ministry of Finance is being pig-headed. That is because the programme established by the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of , passed in response to the September 11, , terrorist attacks, is slated to expire at the end of RIMS is a global not-for-profit organization representing more than 3, industrial, service, non-profit, charitable and government entities throughout the world, with 11, practicing members.
For this reason it is vital that the programme be extended. By providing a backstop and assuming some of the market terrorism risk as a reinsurer, the federal government has freed up capacity in the private market that would not otherwise exist. This capacity can then be made available to the consumer at affordable prices, which we have seen in the current marketplace. We really want to see a long-term solution to TRIA. Business Insurance said that other legislative issues for the industry include streamlining producer licensing procedures, and proposed changes in reinsurance taxes and insurance regulation.
Big business has backed a relaxation of the rule ensuring majority Bermuda ownership of local companies. Each of those initiatives is focused on the objectives to retain existing business and attract new businesses and revenue sources to the Island, ABIC said. We encourage the implementation of targets and accountability in the management of our Islands finances and to close the Budget deficit at a pace that the Bermuda community can withstand.
He added that the Islands debt burden could only be reduced if existing businesses and jobs were retained. And he said that international business and support services provided more than 80 percent of Bermudas foreign exchange and a third of air visitors, while most of the jobs in the sector were held by Bermudians. The ABIC statement added: Changes to the Incentives for Job Makers Act which made it easier for non-Bermudian senior executives to be exempt from work permit requirements and to be granted permanent residency and changes to work permit policy, as well as no new taxes, would help job creation.
Public policy should create certainty and encourage investment while allowing us to improve the Islands competitiveness and to grow jobs and Government revenues. ABIC continues to have an open and transparent dialogue with the Government with regard to the consultation on key international business policies as well as the sharing of information and data that will help to further develop Bermuda as the domicile of choice.
And more importantly, ABIC wants to grow those jobs necessary to accelerate our economic recovery and provide the Bermudian people with employment opportunities to support their families. Premier Craig Cannonier is to sign over stewardship of Bermuda's , square miles of ocean waters that make up the island's Economic Exclusion Zone, as well as its territorial waters, to an international commission without the Legislature approving the move, in just one week's time. The Government may enter into such voluntary arrangements without the need for legislative approval," stated a Government spokesperson.
The Premier, along with the signatories from as many as 10 additional countries, is preparing for the multilateral event which is set for March However, Government will not release that list of signatories until after the Declaration is signed. The Declaration covers the exclusive economic zone EEZ and territorial sea around Bermuda, excluding the shallow water habitats associated with the Bermuda platform at the base of the Bermuda Rise and agrees to set up The Sargasso Sea Commission which is to exercise a stewardship role for the Sargasso Sea and keep its health, productivity and resilience under continual review.
A concerned group called The Exclusive Economic Zone Stakeholder Caucus, who describe themselves as a group of motivated Bermudians and residents, including scientists, commercial and recreational fishermen, trans-ocean cable operators, mineral prospectors and conservationists, are objecting to the multinational agreement. The influence of the Commissions persons of international repute could potentially affect access to and national benefit from our sovereign maritime territory and resources.
The Declaration states there will be a legislative framework to establish the Commission. The Government description of the process is that the Commission will be established as a private legal entity under Bermudian law. There is no legislative framework no legislation is required in Bermuda. It has no legal effect in Bermuda. This is an international non-binding instrument under which foreign governments voluntarily agree to consult with each other on ways that they could support action to develop protection measures for the high seas through existing international organisations.
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Responding to questions about the Commissions authority to manage the Sargasso Sea, and the process by which their recommendations are moved forward, the Government spokesperson responded: The Governments who helped draft it are expected to attend and sign it together with a number of other interested governments. The list will be released at the meeting on the 11th.
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The process was reported to and discussed by Cabinet over the last two years, under the previous as well as the current administration. The Government spokesperson also said the UK has taken the view that this is within the terms of the Entrustment Agreement with the UK. The text and data in the Declaration were also negotiated and agreed by some 10 government representatives as well as representatives from some six specialized international expert organisations. It refers to the SSA Science Report that was produced by a large number of authors from some of the leading marine research organisations in the world.
The Government spokesman also explained that regional and international organisations with relevant competences is the legal phrase to cover those organisations with authority over areas beyond national jurisdiction. None of these bodies have power to impose measures on countries or their territories without their consent. The geographical area of the Sargasso Sea was determined by an ecosystem definition proposed by the Government of Bermuda to a meeting of scientific experts convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity CBD in Recife, Brazil in March , the spokesperson explained.
The Declaration will be signed by the Premier. Government has asked the Ministry for Environment and Health to be the Bermudian representative going forward and it will be the focal point for Bermuda. The meeting will be chaired by the Minister of Health and Environment. The spokesperson also explained the focal point in each country provides a single point of contact on this issue in each Signatory. It can be an office or a person. The Commission has the power to research and develop proposals in relation to activities such as shipping and fishing.
Then those proposals would be discussed by the signatories and they would decide individually whether they could propose or support them before the relevant regional or international bodies. No proposal before such a body can have legal effect in any national waters EEZ or territorial sea without the express consent of that country.
The price of gas has gone up by 5. The change means that the maximum cost at the pumps will now be Diesel fuel has also gone up by 1. Kerosene has also risen in price, going up 1. The changes, announced by the Ministry of Finance, took effect last month. And special age subsidies for seniors will also be cut. For those aged , the subsidy will be cut by ten percent to 70 percent and for those aged 75 and over by ten percent to 80 percent. Mr Moniz added that SHB covers most local hospital services and some diagnostic imaging procedures outside the hospital, as well as some overseas hospital treatment.
This was not deemed affordable for employers or employees at this time so to abolish the portability of subsidy, we also had to abolish the portability of SHB. All health insurance policies sold in Bermuda have benefits which included overseas costs, while SHB-only policies are sold only as an exception when supplemental benefits are covered elsewhere.
So, while SHB will cease to be portable overseas, the majority of the population will continue to have overseas coverage and this will be managed as it is now by individual insurers.. Insurance plans with a high concentration of seniors such as GEHI and FutureCare will be impacted more by this change as they will no longer benefit from the subsidy. However, the impact on seniors is minimized because the premium continues to be community rated, so the cost of claims is spread across the population.
Given the current financial space, this has been a necessary measure. Transferring MRF coverage of dialysis, anti-rejection drugs, kidney transplants and long-stay hospital treatment from the MRF to the SHB would mean insurers would retain the premium to cover these claims. Insurers would also play the claims directly, as with any other SHB claim, rather than the Health Insurance Department adjudicating the claims and paying them from the Mutual Reinsurance Fund.
A bid to include public transport and cruise ship tug and line boats as essential services was last night defended by Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy. He spoke in advance of a debate on the controversial measure in the House of Assembly and said: In each case, these irregular industrial actions occurred with little or no notice to the public. Transport shutdowns hit the Islands economic health, with lost Government revenue and disruption to the private sector because employees were unable to travel to and from work. Such irregular industrial actions also have a seriously negative effect on our reputation as a premier tourist destination.
Hoteliers and cruise lines have raised such matters with this Government. Irregular industrial action in this area has knock-on effects that cause irreparable harm to Bermuda's economy. Government was not attempting to take away workers right to strike in the event of a dispute but to add public transport to a list of essential services where a day notice period is needed before strike action can be taken. This day notice period represents a cooling off period which provides management and the union an opportunity to resolve their grievances prior to escalating the matter.
This is a sensible and modern practice. The issue had been raised with the Bermuda Industrial Union numerous times in the last year as part of our regular discussions. Two weeks ago I raised the issue again at the Labour Advisory Council. At that meeting a fruitful discussion was held, with the BIU confirming its view that public transport could be added to the Act as an essential industry.
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There is currently only one essential industry in the Act and that is hotels. It is the Government's view that public transport is not an essential industry it is a service and should be treated as such. I advised the BIU of the Government's view. We also advised the BIU of the tabling of the Bill in advance.
At the end of the day, our primary focus is on ensuring that the people who use these services the public and our visitors are not left stranded each time the buses and ferries have a work stoppage. The public pays for these services and its grossly unfair to them when they have no means of getting to work or to school or home when our public transportation services are inoperable due to industrial action without proper notice. It also incredibly important to give businesses certainty that their employees will be able to get to work and to ensure that our visitors, who spend money in our Island and create economic opportunity for Bermudians, have the best experience in Bermuda.
This is all the more important when Bermuda is in a delicate stage of recovery. But the Labour Relations Amendment Act aims to reclassify public transport including the bus and ferry service as essential, which means workers in these sectors would not be able to down tools at short notice and escape penalties.
Parliament and the Senate should be put together under the same roof as soon as possible, according to a report on Bermuda's governance tabled in the House of Assembly. The Joint Select Committee also recommended that a new, independent body known as the Management Commission be established with oversight for the administration of the Island's legislature.
Committee chairman Cole Simons told the House that our legislature doesn't measure up in the areas of organizational effectiveness and accountability, and said the Committee called for a commission from across the political spectrum to manage it. According to the report, this body would then handle the staffing, budgeting and support services for Parliament delegating day to day management to the Clerk of the House. The Management Council would also have the authority to constitute other committees as required.
The report calls for a comprehensive code of conduct, enforced by an ethics committee. On situating Parliament and the Senate under one roof, the report calls the present situation inefficient and costly, and calls for putting the two together as a matter of urgency. Mr Pettingill defended Mr Gillespie as experienced in gaming regulations, telling the House that the Bermuda legal team had needed assistance in that area and said the payout to MJM for professional services was not a startling number.
Mr Pettingill claimed he'd implemented a 50 percent reduction in Government's legal fees by putting brakes on the ability of Ministries or Departments to go off and hire any lawyer. The AG also defended going overseas to fill a position in the Legal Aid Department, saying that the post had been advertised locally but candidates hadnt had the necessary qualification of five years court experience. It's as simple as that.
American International Group AIG has launched a new Bermuda-domiciled subsidiary in response to strong demand for alternative risk financing programmes, particularly from small and medium-sized companies. Customers gain access to the captives established capital, insurance licence, and underwriting capabilities to retain and manage their risk, without the costs of starting and operating their own stand-alone captives.
Segregated account companies have been used across all industry segments for a range of coverages, from general and professional liability to employee benefits and cyber risk. A segregated accounts company is considered an option for a company looking to share risk in order to achieve cost savings and flexibility in its insurance programme. AIG Captive Management Services in Bermuda manages the regulatory requirements, financial reporting, and administrative functions for all customers participating in Grand Isle.
Wakefield Quin Ltd, acting on behalf of the company, said Sardis intends to redevelop the site in conjunction with the projects financiers, The Bank of N. The beach-front cottage colony had been placed in receivership in The company had said it planned to convert the Smiths property into a five-star resort with more than employees by the end of A statement released today read: They would also like to give credit to the Bermuda Government, in particular the members of Economic Development Committee and the staff at the Registrar of Companies for their efficiency and support of the project under pressing time constraints; service which has served to underline their faith in the Island's potential.
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We look forward to continuing to work with Sardis to support the redevelopment of the property in our capacity as lender. Today's announcement underscores Butterfield's commitment to financing viable tourism development projects in Bermuda that will have a positive impact on employment within our community. We anticipate that demolition and construction work at the Pink Beach property will generate a large number of construction jobs in the near term, as well as permanent tourism positions at the hotel when it reopens.
A rift between Government and the Bermuda Industrial Union has been healed following crisis talks between the two parties. Senator Fahy revealed that Government has agreed to postpone pushing through controversial legislation that would outlaw wildcat strike action by public transport staff, although he said the Labour Relations Amendment Act would remain on the Order Paper for debate at a future date.
On Wednesday, about public transport workers marched to the House of Assembly in protest at the proposal. Yesterday, president Furbert and his members reached out to the Premier to facilitate a meeting between members of the Cabinet and members of the Bermuda Industrial Union, to hear and discuss concerns related to the Labour Relations Amendment Act.
A number of concerns were raised that we've taken onboard in respect of outstanding issues with the Department of Transportation and the Department of Marine and Ports. I as Minister of Labour will look at those issues and we will address them as best we can in as short a time as possible. We have agreed today the Labour Relations Amendment Act will not be debated. However, it will stay on the order paper to be debated at a future time. During that period of time the BIU and the Government will continue to discuss that and other issues. We reached out to the Premier of the country yesterday to try to make sure we can find resolutions before things get out of hand.
Belco has put forward a change to its facilities charge that would cut electricity bills for nearly half of its residential customers but more than one in four households would end up paying more. Meanwhile, Walter Higgins, CEO of Ascendant Group, parent company of Belco, told The Royal Gazette a massive infrastructure project that would convert Bermuda's electricity generation system from using diesel fuel to natural gas would be presented to his company's board within a month.
Mr Higgins said investors were interested and the project to build a new terminal and pipeline, and to convert generators to burn natural gas would involve two to three years work from the point of gaining all necessary approvals. Belco said yesterday its proposal for a Graduated Facilities Charge based on electricity usage had been sent to the Energy Commission for consideration. Those who use between zero and 15 kilowatt hours kWh per day around 44 percent of Belco's residential customers could expect to save between five and 21 percent from their overall bill, according to the company.
However, the 28 percent of customers who use 25 kWh per day or more can expect to see their bills increase by nearly four percent, while the remaining 28 percent of customers will see no change to the charge. The facilities charge will be calculated according to the customers electricity consumption over the previous 12 months. This will be reassessed monthly, giving consumers the opportunity to fall into a lower bracket for the charge if they use less electricity. Mr Higgins said the proposal meant those who made greatest use of the system would pay more.
He added that the burden added to larger, wealthier consumers, would be outweighed by the burden removed from the shoulders of low or fixed-income customers who tended to use the least electricity. Belco received sharp criticism from Finance Minister Bob Richards in his Budget statement last month, when he said claimed the company's inefficiency is eroding Bermudas competitive position and the high cost of electricity was a great burden for the Bermudian people whose buying power is reduced due to the high cost of just keeping the lights on. But yesterday, Belco's move was welcomed by Education and Economic Development Minister Grant Gibbons whose department has been in talks with Belco on pricing issues.
It would be premature to comment further because it is the Energy Commission who must consider and rule on the submission by Belco. The goal is to lower the cost of energy for all individuals, businesses and organisations while maintaining the reliability that we have come to expect in our energy supply. How Belco's proposed Graduated Facilities Charge would impact customers divided by electricity usage levels: The EEZ will be removed from an international declaration that would have placed its stewardship in the hands of a multi-nation Sargasso Sea Commission.
Premier Craig Cannonier made the decision yesterday, when he made it very clear that the best interests of Bermuda and her people must be paramount at all times, and no risk of impediment to complete control of our EEZ would be accepted. The Premier along with Environment Minister Trevor Moniz met with members of the Bermuda Exclusive Economic Zone Stakeholders Caucus yesterday, who objected to the Hamilton Declaration provision for the handover of stewardship, and had presented an alternative plan for the , square miles of open ocean to the Sustainable Development Department in January.
The group said they were spurred to action and comment on several aspects of the Declaration after the text of the Hamilton Declaration was released just last week, with signatories due to execute the document in less than two weeks on March The objecting Caucus group, after meeting with the Premier, along with Environment Minister Trevor Moniz and senior civil servants, released a press statement which stated: The result was Government's commitment to Bermudas entire EEZ being removed from the Geographical Area of Collaboration as defined in the Hamilton Declaration and likewise making the relevant distinction on the map in Annex 1 of the Hamilton Declaration document prior to signing.
They said their concerns and those of the other stakeholder groups were well received by The Premier and Minister Moniz. The Caucus thanked the Premier and Minister Moniz for their input and looks forward to fostering further synergies with the Environment Ministry with regard to the conservation, management and development of Bermuda's Exclusive Economic Zone. The Caucus members while meeting with the Premier and the Environment Minister expressed their concern about the legal and political consequences of signing the Declaration, The group formulated an alternative plan for an adaptive marine resource management approach for the EEZ, building on ideas presented at the public forum in October The plan was submitted to the Sustainable Development Department in January But we are too small to afford or justify the fragmentation in our system.
This year's Budget has been an extraordinarily difficult one. Given the state of Government finances and the fiscal space were constrained by, we had to make some very tough decisions. Cuts had had a knock on effect on the standard hospital benefit, its coverage and premium. But in my view this must be seen as a temporary fix while we find longer-term solutions to our systemic challenges. He told delegates that Bermuda had to change its approach to chronic non-communicable disease and concentrate on management and prevention outside the hospital system. This requires reforming our basic health package.
The Island had to right-size the new hospital, due to open later this year, and that the smaller emergency department would need to be used appropriately. The health system would need to change to ensure those in need of continuing care and alternative levels of care had options outside the hospital. We have to ensure that the healthcare dollars we do spend on hospitalization are spent locally wherever possible and that healthcare providers and the public have confidence in local services so that overseas transfers are focused on cases that need care which is genuinely not available here.
A Bermudian exhibit detailing the connection between Bermuda and famed author Mark Twain has been highlighted by London's The Times newspaper. In an article published on March 1, journalist Simon de Bruxelles wrote about Mr Twains relationship with the Island in light of the recent discovery of a previously unpublished poem and other writings.
The exhibit, open now, hosts a raft of items connected to Mr Twain's time on the Island including photographs of the writer in Bermuda, first edition copies of The Innocents Abroad and Mark Twain and The Happy Island, several letters written by the author and some of Mr Twain's personal items, including a pen and a white shirt that was part of Mr Twains iconic white suit ensemble.
Exhibit curator Anne-Marie Walsh said she was pleased but not surprised that the exhibit has received international attention. He was Americas first celebrity and is still widely read today. This show aims to rekindle Bermudas interest in Mark Twain as one of the Island's most beloved ambassadors. Mr Twain died shortly after returning home from a long vacation on the Island, where he stayed with the family of US vice-consul William Allen.
The Allen family recently released a wealth of photographs, letters, manuscripts and a previously unpublished poem. Also included in the collection was an account of a cricket game he watched on the Island, discussing the "Etiquetical Requirements" of watching a game. There should be intervals of one to two minutes between the questions otherwise the intelligent neighbour will eventually get tired. The previously unpublished poem meanwhile was written in a volume of Roughing It dedicated to Helen Allen, the year-old daughter of Mr Allen.
The man and woman were aged 49 and 48, respectively, according to Acting Superintendent Nicholas Pedro, who said the couple were found at 2. He added that they appeared to be suffering from injuries that caused their deaths but gave no further details. A police source told The Royal Gazette that officers were investigating the possibility of a murder followed by a suicide.
We are processing the environment as we speak. We are asking for people who live in the area to expect delays. Premier Craig Cannonier said last night: This hits close to home as this tragic event occurred in my neighborhood. I know that the Bermuda Police Service is working diligently to establish the facts of what transpired. I know all of Bermuda will join me in offering our support and prayers to the family members and friends of the deceased at this extremely difficult time. I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the families and my thoughts and prayers go out to them during this extremely difficult time.
At this stage in the investigation I wish to assure the community that I am confident that the Police will do their jobs sensitively and professionally. Let us keep the family of this couple in our thoughts and prayers as they come to terms with these tragic events. It would not be right for me to speculate on the causes or go into the details of the deaths but experts from the Bermuda Police Service are working to establish the circumstances. Our thoughts are with relatives and friends and all those affected by this incident.
Government is working to improve efficiency in public transportation but was warned in the House of Assembly that they may have an uphill battle. Several previous ministers have attempted to replace the schedule over the last decade but so far no proposal put forward has earned the approval of the Bermuda Industrial Union. He said that efforts are being made to reduce costs in the service by improving fuel efficiency and reducing overtime but in order to remain within budget a compromise of ferry service may be needed if ridership levels do not improve. And he said a reduction of the number of crew on the Warwick and Paget routes is needed to reduce spending, adding: Mr Crockwell acknowledged the past issues, predicting that the new schedule would be poorly received by workers who have grown accustomed to receiving overtime.
Telling the House he could see three former Transport Ministers sitting across from him, Mr Crockwell drew laughter from MPs as he called on them to link arms with him in the event of a demonstration coming to the House. He suggested that Government look into investing in hybrid, or fully electric buses, and limiting the hours that students are allowed to ride the bus for free to plausible school hours in order to increase revenue. And he called for the Ministry to take a look at the concerns of struggling taxi operators, saying that Government should offer drivers concessions for fuel and payroll tax exemptions during the off-season.
Mr Scott praised elements of the budget brief but said that the Government must still do more than the status quo given the current economic situation. Hazardous waste from the Hamilton Seabright sewage pipeline has been contaminating the waters off South Shore beaches, according to a water-quality study but only during rare, sustained weather patterns. The final report of the study, a copy of which was obtained by The Royal Gazette, measured human bacteria counts climbing as high as double, triple, and quadruple the American standard for contamination levels during strong easterly winds, tide and swell.
Conducted in collaboration with researchers from Universite Laval, Quebec, the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences BIOS and Government scientists, the study lists five central South shore beaches as unfit for recreational use based on the water samples. While a source close to the study admitted the levels of contamination measured should not be mitigated, they said the dynamic environment of the South shore waters means contamination lasts no more than ten hours at a maximum, during which time residents are unlikely to be swimming.
But, windsurfers and kite surfers could be at risk. At its peak, the Seabright outfall dumps between half a million to a million gallons of untreated municipal sewage from the City of Hamilton including waste from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital into waters less than half a mile away from a string of South shore beaches. While extensive water-quality research shows the environmental impact of the Seabright outfall is negligible during normal conditions, evidence of sewage washing up on nearby beaches in prompted further analysis of the outfalls effects during rare weather conditions.
According to the study: Water quality on the beaches close to the sewage outfall can rapidly degrade, most likely due to rapidly changing climatic conditions including wind, swell, tides, and rain, posing implications in health, environmental, and tourism sectors. The report claims the grease balls which one source described bluntly as human waste in a raincoat are visual evidence of impaired water quality due to rapidly changing climactic conditions including wind, swell, tides and rain.
In normal conditions, the prevailing winds and currents distribute the bulk of outfall contents into deeper waters. However, recent conditions have contributed to an increased occurrence of byproducts on local beaches, causing concern among locals, explained a press release from BIOS after news first broke of the grease balls being washed ashore last summer.
The dose response relationship to such levels of faecal contaminants that is, how the body would react could result in human health problems such as gastroenteritis, ear infections, respiratory illnesses, [and] staph infections, the report claims. The report also indicated that, due to inadequate management, the Seabright sewage outfall is also a source of heavy metals, pharmaceutically active compounds and nutrients. If a single sample exceeds enterococci per ml in salt water, the US EPA recommends that the beach be closed, or posted, for swimming until levels are lower.
Recommendations from the findings include a plan for treating Hamilton's sewage before disposal, extending the outfall, increased water-quality monitoring, the establishment of action levels and protocols, beach clean-ups, warnings and closure when sewage appears on shore. The report also recommended public access to the information. Responding to queries by the daily newspaper regarding the study, the Department of Health said despite some uncertainty over the level of the initial results at the time, the conclusion drawn was that in easterly winds and swell, bathing water in the vicinity of the sewage outfall near Hungry Bay and Grape Bay could be degraded.
Small-scale specific microbiology studies with research partners at the time of the events last April were added to the regular monitoring of the Seabright outflow and adjacent beaches by the Department of Health, said a Department spokesman. These studies have particularly enhanced our understanding of the movements and character of sewage from the discharge and the very specific conditions that lead to these rare events, which resolved themselves very quickly.
This more detailed understanding is greatly assisting the various Departments, Ministries, the Corporation of Hamilton and research partners involved, in developing tailored effective solution options for sewage treatment which will be taken forward. Such solutions are said to be in the works, with Government confirming that a treatment facility for the new hospital should come online in , and that efforts were being made to improve grease collection from City restaurants.
The Department of Health has also said it is seeking approval for a feasibility study for infrastructure improvements, and that investment in a new treatment plant is being made in order to improve the handling of waste at the Tyne's Bay Septage Facility. It's raw sewage washing ashore. The oceans look so beautiful, the sands are so pink, but you can't see hidden dangers like this. The biggest irony is how we market Bermuda. We say were all blue water and pink beaches, but we could be one degree away from disaster.
What would happen if a tourists child got sick from one of these grease balls? According to the Department of Health, Environmental Health and the Corporation of Hamilton have met with restaurants and been engaged in a survey of grease traps at source. They have implemented an initiative which has both mechanical upgrades of grease traps and behaviour change components for the kitchens.
Long term options for extending the outfall and for improved sewage treatment are being discussed. The Department of Health will have grease balls safely removed from the shoreline as soon as they are reported. If members of the public spot grease balls they should contact Environmental Health at Businesses owned by non-Bermudians will be able to buy up residential and commercial properties under new Government proposals.
But Economic Development Minister Grant Gibbons cautioned that, because land is a scarce commodity, restrictions limiting the capacity of companies to acquire land will be in place. At a press conference earlier, Dr Gibbons explained that the laws relating to land purchase had become confused and inconsistent in recent years and that the amendments which are expected to be debated in the House of Assembly on Friday will for the first time, a clear and transparent written policy on corporate landholding in an otherwise cloudy area of law and practice.
The Companies Amendment Act was tabled earlier this month while the Corporate Landholding Policy was tabled yesterday. According to Dr Gibbons some companies had been unable to sell on their properties because of irregularities with the current laws. There may be many more, as some companies will not realize there is a problem until they attempt to sell their property. If adopted, the Minister will be able to provide rectification to situations where, if a company can prove that they should have had proper ministerial consent, they will be able to receive it.
This consent will then put them in a position to pass on clean title to prospective buyers. Dr Gibbons said the most significant change under the new proposal would allow local and exempt companies to purchase residential property. This restricted person category is a designation that the Department of Immigration uses for foreign nationals or persons who do not possess Bermudian status.
There are about high end residential properties in this category, as well as a number of condos that are similarly designated. The new law will prevent companies from renting these properties in the market, and the changes will also allow exempt companies to hold commercial property if it is used for the specific purposes of their business. Similar provisions will apply to local businesses.
Without getting too deeply into the legislative complexities I will simply advise that the previous situation was unnecessarily complex and contradictory. That's why we are seeking to clarify it by modifying the law, and producing a clear policy. Consultation with the Bermuda Bar Association and the Chamber of Commerce on the proposed amendments has taken place over the past year. We believe that with passage of this Bill, several properties that are currently on the market will be acquired.
This will produce revenue for the government via stamp duty. And, most importantly, this will produce jobs in the construction sector. Many of the properties, once acquired, will undergo renovation and redevelopment. This is a forward-thinking Bill and policy and one which we believe will move the real estate, construction and conveyancing sectors in a positive direction. The fear that these companies will buy up all the land in Bermuda should be reduced when it is realized that the properties that will be available for purchase are those same or so properties that are available for non-Bermudians to purchase now.
What this does is that it creates another group that can buy from this selection of homes. After that I learned to drive the tractors and was paid by the hour. My great grandfather was known as the best liar in four counties and I always loved to listen to his stories. I guess that's where I got the knack for story telling. When I turned 22 I joined the police force and got married.
Those were two of the best decisions I ever made. I retired as a police sergeant and moved to the country. I was pretty much fed-up with city life and moving to the gentle rolling countryside of western Virginia was something I had wanted to do for a long time. I missed the country life of my youth and in the city I couldn't have a campfire in my backyard. One needs a campfire in order to tell good stories.
During the long lonely nights on the police force I had tried to start several novels in my mind , but they were absolutely atrocious. It wasn't until I moved to the country, where I could have a campfire, that I started studying how to write a really good story. Six years and many campfires later I succeeded in producing my first original full length novel. I called it The Seventh Mountain. Are You an Author? Help us improve our Author Pages by updating your bibliography and submitting a new or current image and biog. Showing 12 Results Books: Available to ship in days.
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