Bermuda Evening News at 7pm.
Premier seeks answers to address “community terrorism”
A Governor’s Council on the issue of gun violence was convened by Premier David Burt following a slew of fatal shooting incidents in recent month
Premier David Burt has labelled gun violence as “community terrorism.”
In an exclusive interview with Bermuda Broadcasting, he explained the impetus behind convening the Governor’s Council, to help tackle the problem.
Here’s more in this report.
Three injured following lightning strike near Clearwater Beach
Eyewitnesses said the man was leaning on the pole of the structure that may have been struck this afternoon
A man appears to have had a lucky escape today after nearly being struck by lightning.
It happened at Clearwater Beach this afternoon.
Eyewitnesses told Jasmine Patterson the man apparently did not suffer serious injury. Two females were also slightly hurt.
We have sought comment from the Department of Parks’ Lifeguard Services, as lifeguards were on duty at the time of the incident.
We should also note, as the stormy weather continues, that the chances of being struck by lightning are about one in a million.
A Night to Remember: healing through music and testimony
An event this weekend promises sacred music and testimonies of resilience.
A Night to Remember will take place on Saturday evening at the Hamilton Seventh Day Adventist Church.
It comes in the wake of heartbreak and grief in the community, caused by violence.
Dr. Stanley James — Medical Director of Premier Health and Assistant Pastor at Hamilton SDA Church – tells us more about the event – and also talks about the various related programmes he spearheads.
We also spoke to Caroline Okoth, a member of the State of the Nation Team, who shared how this initiative came about and talked about her journey to Bermuda from Kenya.
Rwanda received migrants deported from the US earlier this month
Rwanda has in recent years positioned itself as a destination country for migrants that Western nations would like to remove
International News via Reuters:
Rwanda received seven migrants deported from the United States earlier this month, a government spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday, weeks after the two countries reached an agreement for the transfer of up to 250 people.
“The first group of seven vetted migrants arrived in Rwanda in mid-August,” Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said in a statement.
“Three of the individuals have expressed a desire to return to their home countries, while four wish to stay and build lives in Rwanda. Regardless of their specific needs, all of these individuals will receive appropriate support and protection from the Rwandan government.”
U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a hardline approach toward immigration, aiming to deport millions of immigrants in the U.S. illegally and seeking to ramp up removals to third countries.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson on Thursday referred questions on the deportations earlier this month to the government of Rwanda and declined to comment on details of diplomatic communications with other governments.
“Implementing the Trump Administration’s immigration policies is a top priority for the Department of State. As Secretary Rubio has said, we remain unwavering in our commitment to end illegal and mass migration and bolster America’s border security,” the spokesperson said.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In early August, Rwanda and the United States entered an agreement for Rwanda to take in up to 250 migrants, with Washington sending to Rwanda an initial list of 10 people to be vetted.
Rwanda has in recent years positioned itself as a destination country for migrants that Western nations would like to remove, despite concerns by rights groups that Kigali does not respect basic human rights.
The Trump administration says that third-country deportations help quickly remove some migrants, including those with criminal convictions. Immigration hardliners see third-country removals as a way to deal with offenders who cannot easily be deported and could pose a threat to the public.
Opponents have criticized the deportations as dangerous and cruel, since people could be sent to countries where they could face violence, have no ties and do not speak the language.
Makolo said earlier this month that under the agreement reached with Washington, migrants deported to Rwanda would be provided with workforce training, healthcare, and accommodation.
On Thursday, Makolo said that those deported to Rwanda were accompanied by an international organization and receiving visits by the International Organization for Migration and Rwandan social services.
Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and George Obulutsa; Additional reporting by Nairobi Newsroom; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Diane Craft
Nike to cut corporate jobs amid turnaround effort
As of May 31, Nike had about 77,800 employees worldwide, including retail and part-time employees
International News via Reuters:
Nike said on Thursday it is planning to cut less than 1% of its corporate workforce as part of the sportswear maker’s plans to turn around its business under CEO Elliott Hill.
Under Hill, the company has been investing in its running shoe and sneaker lines to reclaim lost ground in the segments, while rekindling relationships with retailers and expanding its presence at physical stores in a bid to fight competition in the market.
As of May 31, Nike had about 77,800 employees worldwide, including retail and part-time employees.
The move follows Hill’s June remarks, when he stated that the company planned to “realign” into cross-functional teams by sport.
“This new formation is built to put sport and sport culture back at the center, to connect more deeply with the athlete and the consumer,” the company said in a statement on Thursday.
The layoffs will not affect Nike’s EMEA and Converse businesses, and it is unclear how many jobs will be impacted, CNBC reported earlier in the day.
Nike had previously announced a job cut of 2% in February last year, equaling more than 1,600 jobs, to lower expenses amid demand pressures.
The company said in June it would cut its reliance on production in China for the U.S. market to mitigate the import tariff impact after forecasting a smaller-than-expected drop in first-quarter revenue.
Reporting by Juveria Tabassum and Neil J Kanatt in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Alan Barona
Minneapolis children revealed courage, experienced trauma during church shooting
The shooter killed two children before fatally shooting herself, and 18 teachers and children were injured, including a child taken to hospital in critical condition
International News via Reuters:
Some children and teachers inside a Minneapolis church displayed remarkable courage under fire when an assailant began shooting at students attending a Catholic Mass, medical officials said on Thursday.
One pre-teen student at Annunciation Catholic Church during the deadly Wednesday morning attack took a shotgun blast to his back after putting his body in the line of fire trying to protect another child, county health officials said.
“There’s a lot of maybe unrecognized heroes in this event, along with the children that were protecting other children,” Martin Scheerer, a director at Hennepin Emergency Medical Services. “The teachers were getting shot at. They were protecting the kids.”
The shooter killed two children before fatally shooting herself, and 18 teachers and children were injured, including a child taken to hospital in critical condition.
In the U.S., deadly gun violence has become increasingly commonplace at schools, churches and other settings once considered safe, despite efforts to beef up security and identify potential perpetrators before they can act.
The shooter, armed with a rifle, a pistol and a shotgun, fired through the stained glass windows of the church at students from an affiliated school, sitting in pews for a service to celebrate the start of the new school year.
Chloe Francoual, 11, was among the students of Annunciation Catholic School who were terrified and traumatized by the flying bullets and shattered glass.
“She thought she was going to die with her friends,” her father, Vincent Francoual, said in an interview.
After father and daughter were reunited in the school gym after the attack, the pair burst into tears, he said. Later at home, Chloe wanted all the doors in the house locked and the curtains drawn, and implored her father not to walk the dog for fear of dangers outside.
“She’s just a little girl,” her father said. “She’s feeling all this guilt that she is OK, but her friends aren’t.”
Concern for survivors and witnesses of such violence extends beyond their physical well-being, experts say. They often experience a range of symptoms in the first few weeks after the event, according to Dr. Gail Saltz, a psychiatrist and clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College.
As part of an “acute stress reaction” they may be easily startled, have trouble sleeping or experience a temporary regression of developmental steps they’ve already made, such as a return to bed-wetting, Saltz said. They may struggle with separation or fear being alone.
“It is important in those early days of a child having symptoms that they are getting support and potentially counseling, to attend to those individual symptoms, to let them be able to talk about what they’re feeling and what they’re thinking about, and how to process that,” Saltz said.
Eighth-grader Javen Willis, 13, told NBC News that he knew “something was off” the moment he heard shots ringing out. Willis, who was not injured, recalled thinking: “I want to try to keep everyone as safe as possible.”
He said he told two friends to get under the pews. While he was under the pews, he prayed and told himself that with “God on my side I would be fine.”
“So I tried to just go and help out my fellow classmates, keep them calm and safe and let them know they would be OK,” he said.
The shooter, identified as Robin Westman, 23, shared a suicide note in a video posted to YouTube in which she said she was convinced she was dying of lung cancer caused by a vaping habit and was struggling with anger and depression. She also made reference to other deadly school shootings in the U.S.
Each new attack stirs a long-running national debate over the causes: easy access to guns versus treatment of mental illness.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, said this mass shooting showed a need for tighter gun regulation, a politically tough endeavor after a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found an individual right to own guns.
The mayor took issue with the view of many conservatives who say the prevalence of gun violence in the U.S. is a mental health issue, unrelated to access to firearms.
“People who say, ‘This is not about guns,’ you gotta be kidding me: this is about guns,” Frey said in an interview with ABC News. “People obviously who have these severe mental health issues should not have access to guns. Yet this particular individual had access to a heap ton of them.”
Vincent Francoual, a chef, said his daughter Chloe wants to move to her father’s native France now. In Europe, he noted, you can get a gun for hunting, but “you can’t just walk into a store and get these weapons.”
“We have crazy people all over the world, but not these weapons,” he said.
Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta and Helen Coster in New York; Additional reporting by Andrew Hay and Jonathan Allen; Writing by Rich McKay and Jonathan Allen; Editing by Frank McGurty and David Gregorio
Drought leaves UK beef farmers scrambling to feed hungry herds
The crisis also raises questions about Britain’s food security
International News via Reuters:
On David Barton’s beef farm in the picturesque Cotswolds in western England, months of heat and drought have left his 200 head of Salers, Herefords and Sussexes with nothing but parched fields to pick at.
“Look, it’s dust,” he said, kicking the ground. “This is what you would see in the (United) States or in Australia. You don’t see this in England, this is ridiculous.”
It’s the result of England’s driest spring in more than 100 years and the driest January-July period since 1929, according to data from the UK’s Met Office. It says summer 2025 will likely be the UK’s warmest since records began in 1884, moving 2018 off the top spot.
“This year is extraordinary, I have never seen anything like it,” Barton said.
Customers for beef from Manor Farm, which has been in Barton’s family for three generations, include upmarket grocer Waitrose and restaurant chain Hawksmoor.
Like many livestock farmers across England, he has had no choice but to dip into his winter feed supplies early this year, dramatically increasing his costs.
Having given up on grazing two months ago, Barton has been feeding his cows twice a day with a mix of silage, hay and cereals to ensure they get their necessary nutrients.
But his herd is still hungry, and chases his tractor across the fields for more food after being fed.
WIDER CRISIS
Barton’s predicament is typical of a wider crisis for British livestock farmers, with many concerned about the welfare of their animals and financial viability amid already-thin profit margins.
British beef production was worth over 4 billion pounds ($5.4 billion) last year, according to data from the agriculture ministry.
Barton is spending about 1,000 pounds ($1,351) a week more on feed than he normally does at this time of year.
With additional production costs not generally linked to his selling price, he faces an expensive winter.
“Unfortunately, I will have to take that hit,” he said.
The crisis also raises questions about Britain’s food security, and with producer costs rising, adds further pressure to food prices which have surged this year.
Official data earlier this month showed UK food prices were 4.9% higher than a year earlier, with beef costs a key component.
While for some arable farmers such as strawberry and raspberry growers, the sunny spring meant bumper yields, crops like brassicas – including broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower – are struggling, with warnings of tight supply.
Barton, who is chair of the National Farmers Union’s national Livestock Board, said the UK government could have done more to help the industry, which is also reeling from proposed changes to inheritance tax.
The government could have temporarily relaxed some environmental schemes so land could have been released for grazing earlier this year, he said.
Barton was worried some financially stretched farmers might be forced to reduce the size of their herds.
“I’m really concerned that farmers will take a decision to reduce their breeding cow numbers and that’s just the last thing we need to do,” he said.
($1 = 0.7402 pounds)
Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Bernadette Baum
OBA broadly welcomes tax report
Opposition also warns against complacency and urges Government to act swiftly
Douglas DeCouto: “There is real work to be done on our island, and it can’t be done just by using the CIT money to pay more – real changes are required.”
Statement by Douglas De Couto, Shadow Minister for Finance:
The One Bermuda Alliance thanks and congratulates the members and staff of the Tax Reform Commission (TRC) for their dedication, hard work, and commitment.
The OBA recognises that the TRC members represent the breadth of Bermuda society and have worked hard to thoughtfully balance interests including labour, pressing social issues, and local and international business.
We also recognize and thank the members of TRC for their focus on tax and financial policies intended to produce good long-term results for all of Bermuda in their recommendations.
The OBA supports the report’s recommendations to rapidly decrease our country’s debt (and annual interest costs), and focus on the stability of Government funding, while also taking care of healthcare for seniors and the underinsured.
We also note the TRC’s call for transparency around how Corporate Income Tax (CIT) funds are allocated, managed, and governed. The Government has repeatedly ignored the OBA’s questions on how the Tax Reserve Fund will be managed, so we hope the Government will follow the TRC suggestions on this and other proposals.
We also support the report’s focus on healthcare, as it is a critical issue facing our island, both for individuals who can’t get the healthcare they need, and for businesses, whose health insurance expenses make Bermuda too expensive to run a business and employ people. It’s important to know that the TRC recommendations for healthcare funding come with an expectation for real healthcare reform in Bermuda. Unfortunately, the current Government has failed to deliver meaningful progress here, so we hope that something changes, and we get real reform, not just increased spending.
Importantly, the TRC report also describes the tax credits (QRTCs) that CIT payers have been looking for. Their focus on incentivizing jobs, training, investment, and philanthropy in Bermuda should provide a mutual benefit for Bermuda and CIT payers. We urge the Government to move quickly to implement these, so that Bermuda remains an attractive jurisdiction.
Finally, the report also communicates concerns shared by many stakeholders, that impact individuals and businesses in Bermuda. These are well known, and include our demographic and population challenges, politicized immigration system, and concerns about Government’s ability to properly handle the CIT funds on a practical, day to day basis.
The report states that “Bermuda must avoid being complacent”. We could not agree more. There is real work to be done on our island, and it can’t be done just by using the CIT money to pay more – real changes are required. The TRC report contains many important recommendations. We urge Government to move quickly to act on them.
Team announced for World Cup qualifier against Jamaica
The Gombey Warriors prepared to host Jamaica at the NSC on September 5th
BFA Statement:
Findlay Makes Final Team Selection for the September World Cup Qualifiers
Bermuda will start is the final round of Concacaf Qualifying for FIFA World Cup 2026 against Jamaica on September 5th at the Flora Duffy South Field Stadium. The Gombey Warriors will then take on the Curacao “Blue Family“ in Curacao on September 9th.
When asked his thoughts, Coach Michael Findlay had this to say: “”These are extremely exciting times for the Bermudian Football Association. We enter the final round of FIFA 2026 World Cup Qualifying which uncharted territory for our program. We are pleased to be able to have 99% of players available for consideration. This is a testament to the players and their performances on the international stage and within their club atmospheres and the internal competition they have created which provided important dilemma for the staff in our selection process”
“We are very pleased with the depth and quality of the squad who begins the challenge of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. They bring both the experience and the youth we are looking for in our squads with the inclusion of players like Nahki, Lejaun, Willie and Zeiko who have seen international football at the highest level but also we are able to continue to integrate players like Deniche, Jutorre, Aunde and Harry into this program which serves us well for the these matches and the future of Bermuda’s national team program”
Bermuda Senior Men’s National Team Roster by Position (Club, Location)
GOALKEEPERS: Coolridge Fubler (Binfield FC– UK), Dale Eve (Unattached), Detre Bell (North Village Community Club – BDA)
DEFENDERS: Julian Carpenter (Paget FC, BDA), Danté Leverock (Western Stars Sports Club BDA), Harry Twite (Loughborough University, UK), J’Nai Butterfield-Steede (Wythenshawe Town FC UK), Deniche Hill (Buxton FC UK), Reese Jones (Binfield FC, UK); Kieron Richardson, (University of Colorado, USA); Lejaun Simmons (Western Stars Sports Club, BDA). Justin Donawa (Brackley Town, UK)
MIDFIELDERS: Aunde Todd (Binfield FC– UK),; Willie Clemons (Leiston FC, UK); Keziah Martin (Buxton United FC, UK); Ne-Jai Tucker (Southport United, UK), Rahzir Jones (Unattached); Roger Lee (Heanor Town FC, UK)
FORWARDS: Djair Parfitt (FC Haka, Finland), Zeiko Lewis (Unattached), Kane Crichlow (Sutton United UK), Enrique Russell (Pembroke Hamilton Club, BDA) Nahki Wells (Luton Town FC, UK); Jutorre Burgess (Harborough Town FC, UK); Reggie Lambe (Needham Market FC, UK)
Coach Findlay added; “It is unfortunate that we will be without Kole Hall due to injury and we wish him a speedy recovery. But this is also why our continued expansion of our long list of players is essential to building depth in every position”, said Head Coach Michael Findlay.
Tickets for the home game can be purchased on GPass.bm
Could national debt by halved in 10 years?’
It’s a key recommendation of a new tax report. Members of the public will now get to have their say.
Press release:
The Tax Reform Commission (“TRC”) today releases its report on policy recommendations to reshape Bermuda’s tax system to reduce the cost of living and the cost of doing business, and to promote job creation, economic growth, social equity and healthy public finances.
The Premier and Minister of Finance, David Burt, JP, MP empanelled the TRC on November 10, 2023, in light of the imminent implementation of the Corporate Income Tax (“CIT”). Potential revenues arising from the CIT, which took effect on January 1, 2025, create opportunities for broader tax reform to benefit Bermuda’s residents and businesses.
The TRC was tasked by the Minister with investigating these opportunities and putting forward policy recommendations to reduce the impact of taxes on individuals and organisations, while supporting Bermuda’s fiscal sustainability and attractiveness as a place to do business.
The Premier and Minister of Finance said, “On behalf of the Government of Bermuda, we extend our thanks to the Tax Reform Commission for the production of this comprehensive report. The time, expertise, and public engagement invested in producing this report are deeply appreciated and reflect the Commission’s commitment to serving the people of Bermuda.
“Independent analysis such as this plays a vital role in shaping our fiscal future, providing a foundation for informed and balanced decision-making.”
The report is the result of extensive consultation and research based on available data. TRC commissioners met with more than 500 people across a broad cross-section of society — including policymakers, local and international business leaders, and representatives of unions, seniors, youth, and community organizations. The TRC also hosted a public townhall meeting and met with more than 30 stakeholder groups.
Premier Burt continued, “The Government will now begin a period of consultation on the Commission’s recommendations. We will listen carefully to the views of stakeholders across all sectors of our community to ensure that any reforms deliver meaningful economic and social benefits, reduce the cost of living and doing business, and position Bermuda for long-term stability and growth. We are committed to working collaboratively and transparently as we move from recommendations to implementation.
“Finally, I wish to extend a thank you to the Commissioners under the leadership of Chair Darren
Johnston, for their service and for providing a foundation upon which we can build for Bermuda’s future. The task undertaken was greater than any imagined, but the work produced demonstrates the amount of thoughtful consideration that went into their work.”
Darren Johnston, Chair of the TRC, said: “We listened carefully. We heard about the pressures of families struggling with the high cost of living, and about how businesses are grappling with tough decisions on hiring, expansion and retaining top talent in Bermuda.
“We heard a wide range of ideas on how CIT revenues should be used — from reducing debt and strengthening pension funds to lowering other taxes and supporting growth. These perspectives directly shaped our thinking.
“We have put forward a set of recommendations that the commissioners believe strike a balance between the interests of fiscal stability, supporting the most vulnerable among us, easing the financial burden on working families and seniors, bringing down the cost of employment to encourage businesses to hire, and keeping Bermuda an attractive place to build a business and locate employees.
“The commissioners are optimistic that, should the Government choose to implement these changes, the combined positive impact would be felt community-wide. The benefits will compound over time, helping to build a more equitable, prosperous and sustainable Bermuda.”
The recommendations detailed in the report include:
• Creation of a Stability Fund to use CIT revenues to pay down debt and support consistent funding of government budgets
• Plan to reduce Bermuda’s $3.2 billion national debt by at least half within ten years
• Changes in employee payroll tax rates to increase take-home pay for lower and middleincome earners
• Health insurance support for vulnerable groups, including seniors, the underinsured and those on low incomes to promote healthcare equity and lower the cost of Bermuda’s healthcare system (a temporary step, given that healthcare reform is under way)
• Provisions to help reduce utility bills, including the elimination of duties and taxes on bulk electricity generation, and utility infrastructure tax credits to support efficient provision of services essential to the Bermuda economy
• Capping the top rate of employer payroll tax at 7% (with a suggested further reduction to
5%) to lower the cost of employment and encourage job creation
• Refund employers the equivalent of 25% of the employer’s share of the Standard Premium Rate portion of employees’ health insurance premiums to reduce the cost of employment and encourage hiring
• Elimination of the Foreign Currency Purchase Tax, which increases the cost of imported goods and overseas education, and is a tax disproportionately paid by those who earn Bermuda dollars — predominantly Bermudians and local businesses
• Amendment of customs duties to promote fairness and public health goals
• Community Development Tax Credit to incentivize charitable giving
• Substance-Based Tax Credit initially targeting the insurance industry and based on local employment, hiring and training of Bermudians, and on-island spending
• Programmes based on tax credits to incentivize housing development and innovation
The report includes full details of all recommendations, including context, and the TRC’s reasoning and analysis.
The provisions of the Corporate Income Tax Act 2023 were broadly modelled on the OECD’s Global Minimum Tax Rules, which are designed to establish a globally coordinated approach to ensure that multinational enterprises (MNEs) pay a minimum level of tax regardless of where they operate or where their profits are generated. The TRC has utilized Qualified Refundable Tax Credit structures that comply with Global Minimum Tax Rules for its incentive programmes.
The TRC also recommends that the Government empanels another TRC to review the outcome of the recommendations in this report and to make future recommendations based on data from the early years of CIT filings and the future evolution of Global Minimum Tax Rules.
Mr Johnston added: “On behalf of all the commissioners, it has been an honour to be able to contribute our ideas, as we strive to ensure that this moment of change is also a moment of progress. We thank the Premier and Minister of Finance for giving us this oopportunity to serve Bermuda, and we also thank all of those who engaged with us and contributed their valuable insight and expertise.”
The TRC members were appointed by the Minister of Finance with the aim of ensuring a diverse and knowledgeable representation. They are:
Darren Johnston, FCPA, FCA, CPA, CFA -Chairman; Chief Operating Officer of Orbis Investments, and a Director of Orbis Holdings Limited and other subsidiaries
Albert Benchimol – International Business representative; Former President and Chief Executive
Officer and Strategic Advisor of AXIS Capital Limited
Brian Holdipp, JP – Progressive Labour Party representative; Counsel, MJM Limited
Claudette Fleming, Ph.D – General Member; Nonprofit Professional; Director Emeritus and former Executive Director of Age Concern
Chris Furbert, JP – Bermuda Trade Union Congress Representative; President of the Bermuda Industrial Union
Douglas De Couto, Ph.D, JP, MP (from November 2023 to January 2025) – One Bermuda Alliance representative; EVP, Aspen Insurance Group
The Hon. Jeanne Atherden, FCPA, FCA, JP (from April 2025) – One Bermuda Alliance representative; Vice President, Paragon Brokers (Bermuda) Limited, Director BCB
Jonathan Howes, CPA, CA, MCSE -Bermuda Chamber of Commerce representative; Chief Executive
Officer of Bermuda Press (Holdings) Limited and subsidiaries
For more information, visit the TRC website at https://trc.bm/
The TRC’s report will be posted at forum.gov.bm, where the members of the public are encouraged to offer their views.
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About the TRC: The Tax Reform Commission was empanelled on November 10, 2023, under the Tax Reform Act 2017, with the objective of advising the Government of Bermuda regarding potential measures to improve Bermuda’s system of taxation and revenue collection, in accordance with the functions set out in section 5 of the Tax Reform Commission Act 2017.
