Speeches by Dr. Douglas De Couto, JP, MP

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

184 words

Mr. Speaker, r egarding the pay rises for Government employees as per the Premier’s Statement on the 21 st of March this year , will the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please provide this Honourable House the most recent version of the payment schedule as of today for back pay as well as for when pay rises will go …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

29 words

Point of order, Mr. Speaker. Hon. E. David Burt: And what is most interesting, Mr. Speaker — [Inaudible interjections] Hon. E. David Burt: Do you want me to sit?

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

13 words

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The fact that payments are being delayed— [Inaudible interjections]

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

32 words

Sorry. Mr. Speaker, the Premier is misleading the House. Because the fact that we know payments are being delayed must mean there was not money for them. There was only one conclusion.

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

14 words

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That was very comprehensive, very comprehensive. [Inaudible interjections and laughter]

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

6 words

Very appreciated, Mr. Speaker. [Inaudible interjections]

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

29 words

I have to say if my employer gave me a pay rise and that was the answer, I would say, You’d better get cracking on the computer, Mr. Speaker.

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

34 words

Yes. Was this schedule provided to the various stakeholders in writing— i.e., were they fully informed as to this schedule at the time in writing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hon. E. David Burt: Yes.

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

8 words

Does the Premier anticipate— oh, sorry. Third question?

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

19 words

All right. Much appreciated, Mr. Speaker. [Inaudible interjections] Bermuda House of Assembly QUESTION 3: ESTIMATED GOVERNMENT CASH FLOWS 2025

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

31 words

That is fine. I will move to the third question. I believe we understand the point. Will the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please provide this Honourable House— [Inaudible interjections]

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

48 words

Mr. Speaker, w ill the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please provide this Honourable House with the estimated Government cash flows, by month in calendar year 2025, broken out by revenue, expenditure and capital spending and in millions? Round numbers will be fine. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

40 words

Mr. Speaker, what I was asking for is not the estimates or the budget. I was asking for the cash flows. And I think anyone who runs a business appreciates the difference between those two numbers, Mr. Speaker. [Inaudible interjections]

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

24 words

Sorry. I am repeating my question. I hope the Premier could perhaps explain why he is not able to answer that question. Thank you.

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

225 words

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I wish to be associated with the numerous condolences to you and your family, partic-ularly the comments by MP De Silva and MP Simmons who have said it as well as I could ever hope to say it. I also wish to associate myself with the condolences to those who lost loved ones …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

347 words

Mr. Speaker, this Government has failed to convince the next generations that Bermuda is a country for them. And that is because the Progressive Labour Party Government’s vision for the future extends no further than the most recent elec-tion. This Government would rather preside over the decline and fall of Bermuda than take the actions required to see Bermuda rise. …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

694 words

Mr. Speaker, Bermuda’s economy exists as part of a bigger global picture and is impacted by trends around the world. Of course, thanks to the unprecedented policies and activities over the recent months of our largest trading partner and neighbour to the west, the United States, forecasts and predictions are particularly difficult right now. The various Trump policies on tariffs, …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

76 words

Mr. Speaker, when we look to the local economy, it is important to dig beneath the surface of the available statistics and examine multiple perspectives to assess the true economic state of our Island. For our reference, we use 2017, the start of this current Government’s economic stewardship. While this Government still likes to point to COVID -19 as an …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

301 words

At a high level, Mr. Speaker, the total economic growth as measured by Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, has seemed reasonable with increases over the last few years. And the overall unemployment rate—the fraction of the population that wants to work but cannot —is indeed low. But these figures hide troubling trends underneath. Mr. Speaker, a closer look shows us …

9 May 2025 House of Assembly

Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly

8 words

—or 4.1 per cent per year. [Inaudible interjections]