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Ten percent pay cut for Cabinet ministers

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC - Bermuda's MPs have passed a resolution giving cabinet ministers a 10 per cent pay cut effective April 1.
“It’s more symbolic than substantive,” Premier Craig Cannonier said, noting that the overall saving was relatively small. “But in our present economic and fiscal circumstances, it’s the right thing moving forward.”
The Premier’s salary will decrease from US$168,069 to US$151,262 a year, while the Deputy Premier’s pay goes from US$125,491 to US$112,942.

Cabinet minister’s son jailed in United States

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC - The 25-year-old son of a Bermuda cabinet minister has been jailed for 18 years in Florida for a string of violent offences. Tyler Abbott, son of the Minister Without Portfolio Leah Scott, received the sentence after a plea bargain. US law enforcement authorities said that Abbott had threatened an 87-year-old woman and stole her purse and led police on a high-speed chase that ended in a car crash last March.

Parliament approves increasing debt ceiling as money runs out

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC - Parliament has passed legislation allowing the One Bermuda Alliance government to borrow an additional one billion US dollars after it said it needed to act swiftly before it ran out of funds.
The Government Loans Amendment Act 2013 was approved by a majority vote  allowing the government to raise the national debt ceiling from US$1.45 billion to US$2.5 billion.

Children experimenting with drink and drugs

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC - A new survey has found that children as young as seven have experimented with drugs and alcohol in Bermuda. According to the “Report of the Survey of Student’s Knowledge and Attitudes of Drugs and Health 2012”, one-third of Primary 5, Primary 6 and Middle 1 students had tried drugs, cigarettes or alcohol. Some students admitted trying alcohol at the age of six and marijuana at seven.

Turks & Caicos Premier to showcase investment opportunities

NEW YORK—Recently-elected Turks & Caicos Premier Dr Rufus Ewing, will showcase investment opportunities in the territory, at the third annual Invest Caribbean Now Forum, presented by luxury real estate company Avalon Partners, on June 5 at the Radisson Martinique Hotel in New York City.

BERMUDA-HEALTH-Gastroenteritis outbreak at hospital

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC - An outbreak of gastroenteritis has struck almost 30 patients and staff at the King Edward VIII Memorial Hospital. This has resulted in the quarantine of one of the wards at the institution. A spokesperson from the Bermuda Hospital Board said access to Gordon Ward is likely to be restricted through Friday. Five staff members

BERMUDA-FINANCE-Government to clamp down on tax dodgers

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC –The Bermuda government says it will crack down on tax dodgers who owe it a whopping US$85 million in unpaid taxes. A Finance Ministry spokesman said the sum is the total amount of unpaid tax receivables more than 90 days old at the end of 2012. The bulk of the figure, which does not include social insurance contributions, comes from unpaid payroll tax and represents almost 10 per cent of government’s estimated $871 million revenue for the coming financial year.

TURKS&CAICOS ISLANDS-ECONOMY-Britain agrees no VAT for TCI

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and CAICOS Islands, CMC - Britain says it will not impose a Value Added Tax (VAT) in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) after both the government and the opposition said they were against the tax measure. Foreign and Commonwealth Minister with responsibility for the Caribbean, Mark Simmonds, in a letter to Premier Dr. Rufus Ewing, however indicated that London is of the view that the TCI government has a responsibility to ensure sound finances in the British Overseas Territory.

BERMUDA-RIGHTS-Government rules out same-sex marriages

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC - Community Development Minister Wayne Scott says government has ruled out giving the green light to same-sex marriages. Government said earlier this month it proposed to amend the island's Human Rights Act by adding sexual orientation to the list of prohibited categories of discrimination in the areas of the provision of goods, services and accommodation. But, he said, the changes will not go any further and same-sex marriages are not on the government's agenda.

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