Members
Parliament
Transparency
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
278 words
And I would like to thank MP Ming for those comments . Very timely and I very much look forward to working together with her on the Public Accounts Committee. I have not talked about it much because it has not existed until today. So, I know that I can look forward to working with her and the other Members …
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
26 words
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As these are my first words in this Chamber, I hope you will gently correct me should I make a mis-step. [Laughter]
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
6 words
Thank you for that, Mr. Speaker.
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
21 words
And I also will be guided. I have four questions. Should I lay them out together or one at a time?
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
5 words
Oh, it is three questions.
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
23 words
You will pardon my confusion, Mr. Speaker. There were multiple reports but of course one Statement. So I hope you . . .
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
86 words
Yes. My first question is, the Statement on the pensions referred to the outstanding investment performance that led to some of the results. As you know, there is quite a lot of turmoil in our neighbours to the west, the United States, and some of the investment markets there are perhaps not doing as well as people would like. And …
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
6 words
Well, let me disregard that question.
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
89 words
Okay. With regard to the actuarial reports, Mr. Speaker, and to the Honourable Premier, I have searched the Hansard high and low for the 2020 reports for the public sector pensions as well as the Members’ pension, and I wonder if the Premier can advise if the Ministry of Finance did indeed receive those reports? Because I have not found …
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
3 words
Okay. Thank you.
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
4 words
New question, Mr. Speaker.
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
24 words
Will the Premier provide a general outline of the changes we might anticipate to see in the Public Sector Superannuation Fund pensions? Thank you.
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
4 words
Yes, supplementary, Mr. Speaker.
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
40 words
The Statement did indicate a very specific set of agreements had been reached. So I guess my question would be, Of the menu of options that the Premier mentioned, which options were going to be undertaken? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
74 words
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. The topic of the issues with the pensions has been a well -known topic in this House for at least five years on many, many Government and Opposition Statements. And so my question is, Can the Premier help us understand why it has taken so long to arrive at the changes needed in the public …
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
7 words
Point of order, Mr. Speaker. [Inaudible interjections]
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
510 words
The Honourable Mr. Premier is misleading the House as to my intentions on what I may or may not be thinking to which he has no knowledge, Mr. Speaker. Ber muda House of Assembly The Speaker: Well, he was trying to respond. Okay. He was trying to respond with an interpretation of what he perceived. Ho n. E. David Burt: …
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
172 words
—to the Honourable Premier, May you confirm (yes, a supplementary) what date did you first pres ent, did the Government first present a proposal to the unions and upon what date was the final agreement reached? Thank you. Hon. E. David Burt: I can assure you I do not know the first date that it was presented off the top …
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
54 words
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, thank you. With respect to the Junior Minister’s Statement on the consolidated funds, it refers to $79.4 mil-lion of payroll funding from the sinking fund. Could we be advised as to why it was required to take those monies from the sinking fund for the payroll? Thank you, Junior Minister.
21 Mar 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
99 words
Yes, supplementary. My understanding . . . I am going to give the context so that he can answer it precisely, Mr. Speaker. My understanding is, we passed a law last March that enabled funds to be moved from the sinking fund into other funds. My understanding is that law, the Government Loans Amendment Act, came into effect at the …