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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
21 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
19 words
—like I said, if we want things to change, we have to change how we do things. [Crosstalk ]
21 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
826 words
I will now turn to a couple of specific points. Many have been covered. I did read this last night. It was pretty thrilling reading after my dinner. Climate change. Definitely we have to plan our buildings to deal with climate change, heat, islands . [I am] very supportive of that. I do not think Bermuda needs to worry about …
19 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
237 words
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker . I just wanted to congratulate Mr . Donville Yard e, on his retirement from the bailiff ’s service . I had the distinct pleasure of joining Mr . Yard, his family, his church family and his colleagues at the Church of God of Prophecy this Sunday, where he was celebrated. Mr. Yarde . . …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
95 words
Good morning, Madam Deputy Speaker. Thank you. I would like to congratulate all the graduates of the Bermuda College and commend them on their educational journey. Those who know me know I am a big fan of higher education and I wish them continued further success. I would also like to send my condolences to the family of Minna Scott, …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
173 words
Yes, thank you , Mr. Chairman. And certainly, like my colleagues , I am very grateful for this good briefing by the Minister. A nd it's been very informative. P age B -134, the Educational Reform Unit is budget ed for $3.925 million. B ut then if we go over to the analysis on page B-135, we see that professional …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
99 words
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I turn to page B -138 and I noticed that the budget for school psychology is going up 50 per cent from . . . or $449,000. But I noticed that the staff number or the FT E has only gone up by plus one. S o again, I would like to understand how those bits …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
339 words
—the performance measures . And I note the compliance with the fire drill under 1703 , and of course, I know when I was in school, we all loved the little fire drill. S o if not for the benefit of the students but having had experience with an actual fire and an actual building, I tend to take these …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
5 words
Point of order, Mr. Chairman.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
8 words
It is a point of order, Mr. Chairman.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
6 words
Thank you. POINT OF ORDER [Misleading]
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
62 words
I believe the Premier is inadvertently misleading the public when he says that the Opposition stated that the Government spent money on various things with the Fairmont issue. I believe the Opposition’s key concern was that the company that the Government has chosen to support was not able to spend money to pay for the staff layoff costs. Thank you, …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
4 words
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
20 words
Very much appreciated. And I certainly appreciate the Premier and Finance Minister ensuring we have enough time to ask questions.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
254 words
That is well appreciated. And I know that other Ministers have certainly also done that. It gives us a chance to have a robust debate as the prior Chair indicated. I will probably start with the Head 58, Debt & Loan Guarantees. I did note that the Premier said that the guarantees are at no cost to the government. But …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
4 words
Yes, page C -30.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
10 words
Yes, under the Bermuda Hospitals Board. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
174 words
Okay. Since we are over in the “C”s, page C -30, same page. I notice between this Budget Book and some prior Budget Books, I believe the Sinking Fund decreased during 2023/24 by $58 million. And in 2024/25 it is projected to decrease by $42 million. Could the Premier and Finance Minister give us a description of what is the …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
12 words
Yes. That is Point 11 in the box on page B -107.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
84 words
Could the Minister help elucidate the difference of responsibilities between the Ministry of Finance and CITA when it comes to setting our CIT [Agency] policies? Because from my understanding, we are going to fill that organisation, in fact, with tax experts. If anything, I feel like the guidance would be going the opposite direction, where the tax experts at the …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
30 words
Looking at the revenue. Thank you for the explanation of the BMA profits, Mr. Premier. That was much appreciated. I am looking at the Corporate Income Tax revenue of $187,500,000.