Speeches by Dr. Douglas De Couto, JP, MP

16 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

14 words

Point of order, Mr. Chairman. Hon. E. David Burt: —there has been significant —

16 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

8 words

Point of order, Mr. Chairman, point of order.

16 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

11 words

The Honourable Premier is imputing improper motive, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

14 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

23 words

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was not sure I caught the page number and the line number for those prior remarks — [Laughter]

14 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

4 words

I was admonished —

14 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

5 words

I was particularly admonished —

14 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

13 words

—to be careful of that, and so I turn to page B -235.

14 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

10 words

Page B -235, Head 71, Revenue 8090, Vacation Rental Fees.

14 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

314 words

This was budgeted last year for $400,000, came in at $271,000 and it was budgeted again for $400,000. And I am trying to understand what will change this year that they will actually achieve that revenue. And if I recall, I believe there was some [ reluctance] by those who are operating vacation rental properties to in fact pay those …

14 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

9 words

Thank you. Those are my three questions, Mr. Chairman.

12 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

62 words

Thank you, Madam Chairman. On page [B -]313 regarding the department objectives the first objective, reliance on fossil fuels and so forth, we know that the RA is putting out some kind of request for proposals on wind energy. Could the Minister characterise if this Department of Energy has any involvement and to what extent in that initiative? Thank you, …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

4 words

Good morning, Mr. Speaker.

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

155 words

We learned through public statements of public companies at year -end 2024 that the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development] may not accept our current . . . Let me rephrase. Our CIT [corporate income tax] legislation allows companies to write down certain deferred tax assets over 10 years, 10 per cent a year. And we learned through …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

94 words

My specific question would be, my understanding is that companies that take advantage of our 10 year and 10- per-cent per -year deferred tax assets rule here in Bermuda may be liable to pay top- of-taxes in other jurisdictions. I can see how that might be not as efficient as we would have hoped or in keeping with the original …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

106 words

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the Government have a view on how the changes in OECD policy may impact our CIT income? Thank you. Hon. E. David Burt: Mr. Speaker, the projections that we have laid out have not changed. And they have not changed since we have laid them out in 2024, despite how many questions, times or …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

64 words

I do have a point of information, if you will indulge me. The Speaker: Well, well, well. It does not allow for a point of information. Now, you asked your questions and your two supplementals. So, I will move on. The next person who is on the list is MP Wilmot. Would you like to put your question? QUESTION 1: …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

64 words

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please provide for this Honourable House the number of staff planned to be employed by the Corporate Income Tax Agency when fully staffed according to its planned operating model, and the number of staff currently employed today at the Corporate Income Tax Agency? Do I put all …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

135 words

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hon. E. David Burt: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the current plan for the Corporate Income Tax Agency is to have a total number of staff between 30 and 35. The latest figure is 33 when fully staffed. The agency currently has three full -time staff and one secondee. They are in the recruitment process …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

35 words

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let us see. If I heard correctly, there should be 21 staff by the end of next August. When will the full 33 planned be attained? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

7 words

No supplementary, Mr. Speaker. My second question.