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

Dr. Douglas De Couto, JP, MP

1768
Speeches
616,883
Words Spoken
69
Sittings Active
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
2 words
Now, 8061—
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
6 words
Mr. Chairman, 8061, Land Conveyance —
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
45 words
Yes, we are right on the Revenue Summary. Land Conveyance on Sales. Again, those are predicted down - 12 per cent. So, I would appreciate an explanation for that, Mr. Chairman. Now, we are going to turn to the Performance Measures on page B -123.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
306 words
I am looking at 48080 . . . actually, that is page B -124, and the percentage targets for the various electronic filing. I just want to repeat my appreciation for this department and all departments that are taking initiatives on electronic submis-sions and stuff. This is more of an observation. I can see, for example, the Percentage of Payroll …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
8 words
We still have two pages to get there.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
105 words
Mm-hmm. Okay. We are looking at Head 39 now, Mr. Chairman, and, again, I certainly was appreciative the Premier’s brief. It is really important, and the interna-tional situation around the world. I mean, we may be a small place, but we have to have this international level of competence here. And I know that the people within that department are …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
16 words
Mr. Joaquin. We must remember Mr. Joaquin. And I am turning now to page B -126.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
151 words
And I know that the brief was pretty comprehensive, so I am just trying to make sure that I do not ask a question here that was already answered. I have a general question. It was alluded to in the brief. I know that we still have exchange control on the books, and that if a certain company fails explicit …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
92 words
Item 5 referred to providing technical advice to Ministry of Finance and other government departments. Is there any specific advice that was given which they can provide an example of? I am also referring to item 11 on the same page. We heard quite a lot about the various tax reporting and the various compliance reporting. Have we actually carried …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
215 words
Page B -126. I see that the salaries are plus 28 per cent. But the FTE is only 18 per cent. Again, this is an example of where I see the gap in those. It does not quite align with my understanding of the amount of the pay rises given to people. So, maybe they would like . . . …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
131 words
And now I am going to turn to Performance Measures, page B -128. I am looking at 49080, Compliance. And I am looking at the number of inspections. The original forecast for 2024/25 was 240 inspections. And they arrived at 200 inspections. And if I have got my math right, they did that with 7 staff (turning back to page …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
29 words
Well, if there were any of the answers available, I would love to hear them. I am turning now to the Debt and Loan Guarantees, Mr. Chairman. [Inaudible interjection]
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
13 words
I will take my seat; I still have more questions. [Inaudible interjections ]
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
21 words
Okay. I think we discussed . . . we actually started going a little bit backwards, so we discussed the guarantees.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
80 words
Yes. And I am actually going to flip over to the back of the [Budget] B ook. I am looking at page C -4, Capital Developments of the Bermuda Infrastructure Fund. It had $2.9 million up until the year end 2024. Can we get a description of what that capital funding was for, Mr. Chairman? Now I turn forward, still …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
28 words
If we could have a brief description of what that is for please. I think I had some other questions, but they were well covered in the brief.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
131 words
Yes, that is correct, $750[,000] originally and then $1.75 million last year. Social Insurance, the debt management system, 76925, was $249,000 estimated, and then came in at zero. There were different things mentioned in the brief, and I probably have got them muddled, so if they could just specify exactly what happened there. 628 16 May 2025 Official Hansard Report …
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
37 words
Grants. I think I did ask about the Corporate Income Tax Authority grant before and how that was going to . . . 6965, and the details about how that was going to operate with the loan.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
56 words
I did start with my questions about the refinancing. I did start with my questions about the Sinking Fund. I did start with my questions about the BHB [Bermuda Hospitals Board]. So, at this time I think I will yield the floor if there is anyone else with questions, or there are things to come in.
16 May 2025 House of Assembly
Official Hansard Report - House of Assembly
10 words
No. I am mindful of time, so he can continue.