Members
Parliament
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David A. Burch

2662
Speeches
473,714
Words Spoken
134
Sittings Active
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
4 words
Mr. Deputy Speaker —
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
88 words
I move that the House do now take under consideration the following Motion, notice of which was given on the 10th of November 2023: BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, in accordance with section 2(1)(a) of the Acquisition of Land Act 1970, authorise the purchase of all that southernmost strip of land to be subdivided from land situated at …
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
24 words
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . I gave an undertaking in this House that a PLP Government would never take any Bermudian ’s land.
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
12 words
So, I am delighted today to be here to honour that commitment.
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
24 words
I also note, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that given the scope of this matter, my brief will be longer than normal land transaction briefs —
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
2,328 words
—so that the full story can be told. In accordance with section 2(1)(a) of the Acquisition of Land Act 1970, I introduce the agreement for sale between the Bermuda Government and Mrs. Gardine Izetta Gibbons to purchase all that southernmost strip of land to be subdivided from land situated at 18 Secretary Lane, St. George’s GE05 in the Island of …
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
31 words
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . Let me just first say thank you to everybody who spoke in support of this, particularly the Opposition who have seen the value in this.
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
9 words
This took longer than I expected it would take.
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
19 words
But it is like baking a cake, you can’t take it out of the oven until it is cooked.
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
2 words
Exactly. [Laughter]
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
21 words
I think MP Richardson hit the nail on the head about not if but when. And that was always my belief.
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
19 words
That was always my position that we would get there. So, there was give and take on both sides.
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
15 words
It is an interesting phenomenon to have a lawyer representing you and giving you advice.
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
59 words
But that is what it is, advice. And you have to decide whether that is in line with where it is that you want to go or not, and you accept or reject it. And I did both during this exercise. I never had any doubt that we would get to a conclusion one way or the other —
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
73 words
—as a result of the negotiations. It was frustrating at times because, you know, you are back and forth but that is the nature of the beast. You say yes to some things, and you say no to some other things and the other side does the same. I can tell you that when I got the word that the …
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
27 words
I cannot remember where I . . . I think I was in Cabinet. And so, you are not supposed to look at your phones — [Laughter]
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
80 words
—and you are not supposed to . . . well, you cannot use them at the Cabinet table. But the phone was sitting there, and it popped up and I thought, No, that can’t be right . But I immediately went outside and called the Acting PS and I said, I just read a WhatsApp from you. What is going …
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
57 words
I always . . . in every negotiation and in every exercise and in every discussion, you need to know who you are dealing with. So, my weakness is on two fronts, and I tell my constituents this: if you are an adult in my constituency, you are on your own. I look after seniors and children.
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
18 words
And that comes from birth. I was born in a seniors’ home by a relative who ran it.
24 Nov 2023 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House Of Assembly
104 words
—and hopefully is supported by the Opposition there as well and will be passed and we will be able to conclude this matter by paying the amount of money that we have indicated as available to do so. There was one question that was raised about the issue of Somner Lane. That is a matter that is resolved as part …