Parliament: Audio & Order Of Business
[Updated with live audio] The House of Assembly will be in session on Friday [Sept 29] and statements listed on the Order Paper include an Update on the Tax Reform Commission; Expansion of Pension Investments; Submarine Cable initiative, Google and Nuvem; the Intention to make Expungement of Convictions [Criminal Records] Regulations 2023; Update on Recovery Efforts Following the Cyber Attack; Update on Bermuda International Airport Firefighters; Affordable Housing Progress; Department of Financial Assistance Annual Report 2022/2023; Establishing the South East Hamilton Economic Empowerment Zone and the National Seniors Strategy for Bermuda.
Update: Live broadcast has concluded, and the audio replay of the session is below:
The Order of Business is below [PDF here]:
“Second Reading of the Employment (Protection of Employee Tips and Other Gratuities) Amendment Act 2023″
The first reading was last week. Clearly the PLP Government is determined to enact this legislation without consultation and without understanding the impact it will have on businesses and union agreements.
Why is the Bermuda Gaming Commission so far behind in annual reports and financials? Whose portfolio does the BGC fall under? (trick question) Why are all of the distinguished members of the Board of Commissioners asleep at the helm?
The BGS’s financials can be done with Quickbooks.
Oh, look, the BGS redid their website. Cooooooool new logo. That must have cost a lot to develop. Wait, no annual reports and no financials posted for any years. Most odd. The names, photos, and backgrounds of the Commissioners are there but no BGS employee names, photos, titles, and backgrounds that appeared on the old website. Most odd. Is the employee turnover so high that the Webmaster cannot keep up with the changes?
The “horse” (Bermuda Gaming Commission) is dead. Stop beating it already.
The PLP Government does not want casino gaming in Bermuda. Hence the lack of action to make the Bermuda Gaming Commission independent of the PLP Government (once again).
Accept the facts. The PLP Government wants to keep the illusion of casino gaming but not actually have any casino gaming.
Correction above: BGC not BGS.
I believe the more likely scenario is that no vendor is going to grease any palms of the powers that be to get a casino up and running when the projected returns/profit is barely there – if at all. Meanwhile, unnamed employees at the BGC are collecting six-figure taxpayer funded paychecks doing minimal work (if any) while missing mandatory deliverables such as annual reports and financials.
A search on LinkedIn shows past and present employees but only if they disclosed their employment at the BGC in the first place. I know a few and have had meetings with several but others are a complete mystery to me.
Very pleased with the Tax Reform Commission and Mr. Johnston being the Chair. I look forward to their proposals.
Also cannot overstate enough the potential positive impacts of these developments with Google. Good job!
Will make our island open to more cyber attacks with the direct link to Europe. 10 to 20 jobs is just something thrown in the air. How does the cables go from one part of the island to the other? … more trenching! Who will pay for that and the resurfacing. I have a feeling that part will be coming out or your and my pocket as taxpayers. Propbably the the 10 to 20 jobs will be a temporary jobs to trench and resurface.
Will be interesting to see how the LA Committee have cooked up their report for this year #LegalAidReform