Members
Parliament
Transparency
Dr. Douglas De Couto, JP, MP

Dr. Douglas De Couto, JP, MP

1768
Speeches
616,883
Words Spoken
69
Sittings Active
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
52 words
Similarly, a question would be around the concierge services, 104120. I know we heard quite a lot about how those were in use, and those were $262,000 in 2021/22 but seem to have gone down to zero. I will pause if there are some other Senators who would like to ask questions.
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
276 words
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to turn to Head 14 also, the Department of Statistics. I jus t noticed their objectives, access to data and so forth. I did want to commend them on their work. In fact, they were able to send me a digital version of the statistics in their “Digest of Statistics” which I want to …
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
126 words
In the brief . . . maybe I will restate the question more plainly. In the brief we heard about that there will be some people leaving, having to be recruited, and probably coming back in, those roles had been replaced with more junior people. Are there any concerns about not having the right people with the right skills and …
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
92 words
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Looking in the Headquarters, Head 44, we see the salaries are going up 37 per cent. And I ap preciate that was for the Department of Labour. That is what seems to be the explanation. But I noted that was for a total of three additional headcount. So those are very well-paid staff on the government …
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
63 words
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would just like to clarify, my question was how many fishermen or professional fishermen or women (however we put it) have expressed a positive disposi-tion to use this fish processing plant? The answer said “fisheries” I do not know if that is referring to the Department of Fisheries, my question was on the actual people …
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
26 words
Mr. Chairman, I do have a FinTech question, which would be, What is the role of the Premier’s FinTech advisor with respect to the FinTech unit?
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
56 words
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There was an individual who is the Premier’s official FinTech advisor. I would like to understand how that role relates to the FinTech unit. Is it a formal . . . is he formerly a part of that unit and does he have any control or direction of that unit? Thank you.
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
1,465 words
Thank you, Madam President. We are quite pleased to see the improvements and how the mechanics work and the relief for the first - time home buyers. That is important. But I would like to re iterate my prior point. There are quite a few things in this Bill. It is a lengthy list of increases of taxes. And I …
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
2,463 words
Thank you, Madam President. I will probably start with the positive comments, which [are that] we are incredibl y pleased to see the breaks that this Bill gives to small businesses, the entrepreneurs, the hospitality sector and so forth. It is important in this tough economy that they are able to get a little bit of a hand. With respect …
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
620 words
Yes. Thank you, Madam President. I am glad to see that this type of mechanism could be made available. I think Senator Bell’s question was actually a very good and important one because we might see quite a lot of movement in the budgets and accounts. You know, I am just thinking back to Gencom, for example. I know that …
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
9 words
Point of order, Madam President. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
198 words
The Senator is misleading the Senate. The airport is owned by Bermuda, Madam President, not a foreign corporation. Thank you. The President: Not a point of order. Carry on, Senator Robinson. Sen. Leslie Robinson: Madam President, these are just some of the examples of real hopelessness and despair felt by our people during the years under the OBA Gover nment. …
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
12 words
There goes my dinnertime, Madam President. [Laughter] PLP GOVERNMENT’S ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE SUBPAR
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
3,294 words
It is nice to hear from Senator Robinson. I am very pleased, perhaps not so much with the content. I would like to address some facts and figures and things that were said by the good Senator that I think were probably misleading. I think it is important that we get them down here on the record. You know, Madam …
22 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
3 words
Misleading the Senate,
20 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
22 words
I would be pleased to wave the last head and use the time for questions if the Government was willing to agree.
20 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
79 words
Thank you, Madam Chairman and I would like to thank the Minister for ac-commodati ng. I think it will be in everyone’s best interest. A lot of great information in there. I especially enjoyed hearing about the BTA activities. On page C - 17, Head 9, there was a reference to an “Other Grant” for $540,000. I was not sure …
20 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
176 words
Under Head 9, the Cabinet Office, page C -17, there is a listing for “Other Grant” for $540,000. Was that a combination of many small things or one particular thing or . . . I think I might move on and give out some of my other questions. One thing I have noticed that since 2017, excluding the grants, the …
20 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
233 words
The FinTech Unit. So, I am talking about Head 9. What I was saying is, on the Bermuda Senate government website the FinTech Unit is listed as part of the Cabinet Office. No? Sen. the Hon. Owen Darrell: The FinTech Unit has been moved to Economy and Labour. Sen. D r. Douglas De Couto: Okay. I’ll save that for later. …
20 Mar 2023 Senate
Official Hansard Report - Senate
192 words
Okay. I am going to shift to page B -51, Hea d 13. And perhaps a clarification. How much of the $538[,000], repairs and maintenance, is allocated to the New Venture House building at Mills Creek? Also, on page B -51, or I should probably say it would be a combination of page B -51 and page B -52, I …