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Dr. Douglas De Couto, JP, MP

Dr. Douglas De Couto, JP, MP

1768
Speeches
616,883
Words Spoken
69
Sittings Active
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
88 words
The delay in preparing this budget is solely due to the fact of the Premier's choice to hold this election at a time when a significant portion of our population would be disenfranchised by being away for their studies . And it was completely avoidable by him, and it is completely unprecedented in this country's modern political history. So that …
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
13 words
So I think it is worth a lot of careful consideration. [Inaudible interjections]
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
67 words
I will tell you also, Madam Deputy Speaker, since we are delaying by quite a long period of time, our oversight of this country's fi-nances, it is our view, the One Bermuda Alliance, that part of the timing [of the ] election was driven by the fact that this Government did not want to present the budget and its accompanying …
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
39 words
As we know from the information, this G overnment racked up a $105 million deficit. It experienced a cash crunch. It ran out of cash, could not make payroll, and had to— Hon. E. David Burt: Point of order.
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
29 words
Thank you, Madam President. Based on the information from the Fiscal Responsibility Panel Report , years 2023/ 24 and 2024/ 25. Hon. E. David Burt: Ah, combining multiple —
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
65 words
Which, I believe , is how I indicated. Now Madam President, I do not know about you. It is not just bad enough to run a deficit in one year, but to run them in two consecutive years while going around boasting about balanced budgets, that is not how I , or most successful people will carry out their finances. …
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
22 words
The other things that we have learned, Madam [Deputy Speaker] by the— Hon. E. David Burt: Point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker.
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
32 words
Madam Deputy Speaker , I believe the P remier is mistaken and has misheard because I referred to the— 182 28 March 2025 Official Hansard Report Bermuda House of Assembly [Inaudible interjections]
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
130 words
The record will reflect . . . and if it did not, well what I would have meant was 2023/24 and 2024/ 25. And either way, I am referring to the total net debt, which is how any reasonable person would consider the finances of an ongoing thing , such as the G overnment. So, I have referred to, Madam …
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
28 words
You know, which we are glad that they have done. It is unfortunate they could not arrange the finances appropriately otherwise. Hon. E. David Burt: Point of order
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
12 words
Other information— Hon. E. David Burt: Point of order —points of order.
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
89 words
Yes. Madam Deputy Speaker, the fact is it is unprecedented for G overnment to fail to produce a budget by 1 April. Fact. It is a fact that in 2023/24 and 2024/25 this Government engaged in $105 million of deficit spending. Fact. Government's own reports. Now let me move on because I am sure we would all like to. It …
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
10 words
—misrepresentation and bad— Hon. E. David Burt: Point of order.
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
11 words
I will clarify my statement for the time being, M adam—
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
199 words
Deputy [Speaker]. And I have to ask . . . I do not ask. I believe the public should think about it. What is the cause of this delay? Are there so many changes since the prebudget report that it is entitled this delay? I am sure we will learn all about it . But, if so, I am surprised …
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
12 words
Wow. They wanted to know earlier , Madam Deputy Speaker. [Inaudible interjections]
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
5 words
We reluctantly — [Inaudible interjections]
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
11 words
—reluctantly, and with great, great reservation, approve of this motion. [Laughter]
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
6 words
Thank you , Madam Deputy Speaker.
28 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
4 words
Point of order, Madam—