The Ministry of Public Works and Environment reminds commercial and recreational fishers that the “Grouper Boxes”, which contain important Black Grouper aggregations, remain closed to fishing until 1 December 2026. These areas are indicated on the maps as “Extended Closure Areas”.
While the areas around the Red Hind aggregations opened last week, fishing is still prohibited in the “Grouper Boxes” as the Black Grouper has a longer reproductive season than the Red Hind.
For more information contact the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Marine Resources Section at 293-5600 or fisheries@gov.bm.
OBA backs moves to prevent monopolies, but says Government’s strategy on lowering grocery prices will potentially reduce purchasing options for customers
Statement by Dwayne Robinson, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs:
We have consistently introduced anti-monopoly and competition laws into the cost-of-living conversation, and we look forward to the final draft of the legislation for scrutiny. Lowering prices is important but protecting Bermudians purchasing power and having options for where we spend our money is crucial. The less competition in the market means only a few players set the prices, and the consumer is forced to accept those prices.
However, introducing competition laws for consultation while passing legislation that will add an additional barrier of entry into certain areas of our economy, is a contradiction and potentially will reduce purchasing options for Bermudians.
The Cost of Living Commission Amendment (No. 2) Bill 2026 is likely to hinder competition and creates more administrative burden on business, which could result in diminishing the variety of goods/services available to Bermudians, which will primarily affect areas under 10DA of the bill.
The Minister may, by order, designate any service that is crucial to any of the following business operations as a “critical service”— the shipping and freight of food and other household goods to Bermuda; the wholesale importation, supply, storage, warehousing or distribution of food and other household goods for sale to retail establishments or to end consumers; the retail sale of food and other household goods directly to end consumers; the supply, transmission or distribution of utilities for household use.
These markets are already difficult to break into now. This legislation will only add to the difficulty for new entrepreneurs disrupting these areas of our economy and additional job growth.
The Minister of Home Affairs has gone through great lengths in the public domain to stress that this legislation is primarily for gathering information, which is extremely misleading.
The legislation ushers in price controls over “essential commodities” and “critical services”.
Attempting to lower prices with the cost of essentials without lowering the expenditure to procure them, puts businesses in a tough spot, where they may seek to cut costs elsewhere.
That is what will potentially affect Bermudians’ variety of goods and services available, along with a possible reduction in employment opportunities.
Listening to the Minister’s pitch to Bermudians, I felt the need to share and reinforce what is in the legislation that is causing the objection, as the narrative being presented is that objecting to this Bill is an objection to lower cost of living for Bermudians, which is categorically false.
Standing up for Bermudian employment, entrepreneurial opportunities, variety of purchase, and less red tape is in the best interest of Bermudians.
The following are clauses from the explanatory memorandum of The Cost of Living Commission Amendment (No. 2) Bill 2026. Make your own judgement on whether there are price controls in this legislation.
“Clauses 6 and 7 amend, respectively, sections 3 and 4 of the Act to enable prescribed categories of business undertakings and prescribed categories of commodities to be specified in the Second Schedule for the purposes of price increase control. Prescribed categories are made by regulations under section 10E(2). These amendments broaden the existing provisions which narrowly provide for specific business undertakings and specific commodities to be subject to specified in the Second Schedule.”
“Clause 11 inserts new section 7A into the Act to provide, with respect to the price increase control of any essential commodity or prescribed category of essential commodity specified in the Second Schedule, that an “increase in the price or charge” means any increase resulting in a 5% or greater increase in the price or charge of the essential commodity within the same fiscal year. The Minister may by order, subject to the negative resolution procedure, amend the percentage figure and in doing so must have regard to the public interest, any reports or recommendations of the Commission, and any joint studies or other assessments carried out by the Commission and any other regulatory body.”
“Clause 17 inserts new sections 10F to 10H into the Act. New section 10F enables the Minister to authorise in writing inspectors under the Consumer Protection Act 1999 to assist the Commission in making inquiries and monitoring compliance under the Act. New section 10G makes providing false information under the Act a summary offence. New section 10H enables the Minister to make regulations, subject to the negative resolution procedure, prescribing the other regulatory bodies with whom the Commission shall consult or collaborate with, and enabling the making of any agreements by which the Commission and such other regulatory bodies can work cooperatively.”
There is more packed into this Bill than simply gathering information. It empowers the Cost of Living Commission but also greatly empowers the Minister to assert herself into the private sector with price controls which have been proven to be ineffective.
It also grants new powers of enforcement to the Minister and increased penalties to wield against businesses who are deemed to provide essential commodities or critical services.
The Minister should stop misleading the public on the contents of her legislation and have an honest conversation on the intention of her bill. If the Minister of Home Affairs truly wanted to lower the cost of living for Bermudians in this area, she would repeal the sugar tax, remove the foreign currency purchasing tax, work on a strategy to reduce shipping costs which would be much easier to pass on to the consumer, and press forward with the competition legislation.
The Government should do all it can before asking Bermudians to sacrifice or asserting themselves on businesses to assist them in trouble shooting their policy initiatives.
The Ministry of Public Works and Environment wishes to advise motorists that Glebe Road, Pembroke, will be closed to traffic on Saturday, 22 August 2026, from 1:25 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.
The closure is to facilitate the installation of a commemorative road naming sign for Hendrickson’s Way on a section of Glebe Road.
Traffic control will be under the direction of representatives from the Department of Culture. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes via Roberts Avenue, St. Monica’s Road and Border Lane North.
The Ministry of Public Works and Environment encourages the full cooperation of the motoring public and apologises for any inconvenience that may result.
The Department of Planning is reminding landowners and aspiring farmers to register their interest in the Grow Local initiative, an innovative programme designed to connect available land with people looking to grow food and strengthen Bermuda’s agricultural sector.
Developed in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Grow Local supports the Government’s commitment to increasing local food production by creating new opportunities for landowners and prospective farmers to connect. The initiative forms part of wider efforts to improve Bermuda’s food security, strengthen community resilience, and encourage greater participation in agriculture.
Through the online platform, landowners with suitable land available for farming can register their property, while individuals interested in farming can register their interest and explore available opportunities. The Department will facilitate introductions between interested parties; however, any decisions regarding the use of privately owned land and any subsequent agreements remain entirely at the participant’s discretion.
Minister of Education, the Hon. Diallo Rabain, JP, MP, encouraged members of the public to take advantage of the initiative, stating, “Grow Local is about unlocking opportunities that already exist within our community. We know landowners are willing to make land available and individuals are eager to grow food. This initiative helps bring those groups together while supporting Bermuda’s long-term food security and agricultural resilience. I encourage anyone with suitable land, or anyone interested in farming, to register their interest and become part of this important national effort.”
The initiative is not limited to land designated as Agricultural Reserve. Any site suitable for farming may be considered, providing greater opportunities to increase local food production across the island. Participation in Grow Local does not change the planning designation of privately owned land.
Grow Local complements the Government’s ongoing work to develop an Integrated Agricultural Strategy by helping make more land available for cultivation, encouraging greater participation in agriculture, and supporting sustainable domestic food production.
Landowners interested in making land available for farming, and individuals seeking opportunities to grow crops, are encouraged to register their interest by visiting the Department of Planning’s website at planning.gov.bm.
By working together, Bermuda can make better use of available land, support local farmers, and build a stronger, more resilient food system for future generations.
Police appeal for witnesses following three separate collisions in Paget and Smith’s
Media Release:
Two-Vehicle Smith’s Parish Collision
At last check, the 56-year-old male motorcyclist injured in a collision with a car around 6:25pm Sunday, 16th August 2026 on North Shore Road, near Tamarisk Hill, Smith’s parish, remained in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.
No other injuries reported.
Inquiries continue and any witnesses are now encouraged to call Constable Ameen Azeez on 211, or e-mail aazeez@bps.bm.
Two Car Paget Collision
Two car drivers are understood to have received non-life threatening injuries after colliding on South Road near Garden Drive, Paget around 11:10pm Sunday, 16th August 2026.
It appears that the vehicles involved were travelling in opposite directions at the time.
Inquiries continue and any witnesses are encouraged to call Constable Kwensi Cann on 211, or e-mail kcann@bps.bm.
Two-Vehicle Paget Collision
At last check, a motorcyclist – said to be a 24-year-old Hamilton parish man – injured in a collision with a car around 11:20pm Sunday, 16th August 2026, on South Road, Paget near Seabright Avenue, was recovering on a general ward at the hospital.
Apparently, the car driver was unhurt.
Inquiries continue and any witnesses are encouraged to call Constable Adam Thompson on 211, or e-mail athompson@bps.bm.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at the Brinell high school, in the small town of Fagersta, in central Sweden
International News via Reuters:
A man armed with a sword severely injured two teenage boys, as well as a third person, at a Swedish high school on Friday, and one person was later detained, local authorities said, triggering a massive response from emergency services.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at the Brinell high school, in the small town of Fagersta, in central Sweden.
The school had just opened after summer recess and for some students Friday was their first day at the senior high school.
“We received an alarm at 1406 (1206 GMT) about suspected deadly violence and sent all available resources to the school,” a police spokesperson told Reuters.
The spokesperson declined to comment on whether anyone had been killed, but said that one person at the scene was later taken into custody and that there was no longer any danger to the public.
Jonas Cederberg, director of health and medical services for the Vastmanland county authority, told Reuters two people had arrived for treatment and were “seriously injured”.
“A third person is on the way. As they haven’t yet arrived, the extent of their injuries remains unclear at this stage,” Cederberg said.
Public broadcaster SVT reported based on unnamed sources that the person arrested was an 18-year-old former student at the school who had a previous conviction for assault.
He carried a sword and wore a helmet during the attack, SVT reported.
‘WE JUST ALL RAN,’ STUDENT SAID
A student at the school, Abdulrahem Salmo, said he had seen a victim with a bloody stab wound in the arm.
“Then people called the police and we just all ran from there because we were afraid,” he told SVT.
Local newspaper Fagersta-posten talked to Madelene Jansson outside the school, which her daughter had been attending.
“I first got a text message from her that somebody had been stabbed and that police were on the way. Then it all just went off. It feels unreal,” she told the paper.
Several police officers were seen coming in and out of a police cordon surrounding the school, which has 450 students aged 16 to 20.
Several other schools and public buildings in Fagersta, a town of 13,000 inhabitants, were at first placed in lockdown after the sword attack took place. The lockdown was later lifted and a group of teenagers could be seen leaving Brinell high school.
“We are moving into high alert status to marshal our resources and gain the clearest possible picture of the situation,” the Vastmanland county authority said in a statement.
Citing unnamed sources, the daily Expressen said police had shot the suspect in the case but Reuters could not immediately confirm the report.
PREVIOUS ATTACKS IN SWEDEN
Sweden is scarred by the memory of a school shooting in February last year in Orebro, also in central Sweden, when a gunman killed 10 people before turning the weapon on himself. That was the worst mass shooting in Swedish history.
More than a decade ago, in 2015, a masked swordsman killed a teaching assistant and two boys at a school in western Sweden before being shot dead by police, who later said the attack was racially motivated.
The Swedish government is in close contact with the police following Friday’s attack, Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said in a statement to Reuters.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson cancelled a planned speech he was due to hold on Saturday, news agency TT reported.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected,” he wrote in a post on social media platform X.
Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson, whose centre-left coalition holds a clear lead in opinion polls ahead of next month’s parliamentary election, said: “All of Sweden stands together with Fagersta at this difficult time.”
Reporting by Johan Ahlander, Marie Mannes, Simon Johnson and Niklas Pollard, writing by Louise Rasmussen and Gwladys Fouche, editing by Terje Solsvik, Gareth Jones, Toby Chopra and Barbara Lewis
The next tentative steps of Affordable Housing construction were discussed at a Town Hall meeting on Thursday evening
Photo by Gary Foster Skelton
The next tentative steps of Affordable Housing construction were discussed at a Town Hall last night.
Zane DeSilva, Minister of Housing and Municipalities, told attendees about the five potential sites for Phase 2 of their long-term plan to deliver 950 to 1,350 affordable units by 2035.
The Minister stressed that the five sites were potential locations, and that it was not finalised.
Those sites are Maria Hill in Sandy’s, Tudor Hill in Southampton, Ocean View in Warwick, Ewing Street in the City of Hamilton, and Harbourview in St. David’s.
More than 200 units could be developed across those areas, attendees were told.
The Royal Gazette reports that Government has upped its short-term goals, hoping to deliver 400 units in the next 18 months.
Back in June, Minister DeSilva said more than half of the financing for the current Phase 1 projects had been secured through Bermuda Commercial Bank.
That first lump of capital is ring fenced for the construction beginning late summer of 84 units on Tommy Fox Road in St David’s, and Albert Row and Victoria Place in Sandy’s.
Minister DeSilva and other Cabinet members also got a first look at the modular homes that have been proposed for Boaz Island.
The Royal Gazette reports that Shadow Housing Minister Michael Fahy has accused Minister DeSilva of “hiding behind quangos” to award no-bid contracts for some of the affordable housing developments.
Mr Fahy had previously questioned what had happened to the RFP on such contracts.
Government told the daily that contracts to two overseas firms, awarded through the quangos Bermuda Housing Corporation and Bermuda Land Management Corporation, did not need oversight or waivers from the Office of Project Management and Procurement.
Minister DeSilva had previously indicated to the House of Assembly that an RFP in this matter could delay delivering affordable houses.
Groundbreaking at some of the first phase affordable housing projects is expected in the coming weeks.
Government Press Release on Town Hall
The Ministry of Housing and Municipalities thanks members of the public for attending the town hall meeting held on August 20 at St. Paul AME Centennial Hall to discuss the proposed Phase 2 affordable housing projects. The meeting provided an opportunity for residents and stakeholders to hear about the proposed developments and share their questions and feedback.
Minister of Housing and Municipalities, the Hon. Zane DeSilva, JP, MP, said, “I thank everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion. The feedback received is important as we continue to refine these projects and work towards delivering quality, affordable housing that meets the needs of our community.”
The Ministry will now continue with site investigations, technical assessments and design development to inform the next phase of the work. These efforts will help to further assess and refine the proposed developments across the identified sites.
The definitive plans for this second phase of affordable housing development will be announced no later than the end of September. The Ministry thanks the public for its continued interest and engagement as this important work progresses.
About 95% of those being buried have not yet been identified, but each grave was marked with a numbered stone in case the body was claimed and repatriated eventually
International News via Reuters:
In front of a dozen reporters and a handful of local people, a crew of gravediggers in disposable protective overalls and facemasks on Friday started burying some of the scores of migrants who died in a mass crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa three weeks ago.
A Muslim cleric read a quick prayer as the workers lowered the first four victims wrapped in white body bags into cinderblock-lined graves side-by-side at Ceuta’s Muslim cemetery, while hearses were bringing more bodies.
The cemetery’s acting manager, Said Mohammed, said the plan was to bury around 70 bodies in the coming days, with 10 to 12 burials each day.
About 95% of those being buried have not yet been identified, but each grave was marked with a numbered stone in case the body was claimed and repatriated eventually, he said.
Authorities say between 5,000 and 8,000 people remain in Ceuta after at least 72,000 people crossed from Morocco on July 30 in a rush that left 82 migrants dead on the Spanish side of the border, with 14 more deaths confirmed by Morocco.
The migrants were buried with Muslim rites, which require the body to be placed facing Mecca and covered with soil, Mohammed said.
Authorities have only been able to identify six migrants, all Moroccan adult males, according to the latest data provided by Ceuta’s court. Desperate Moroccan relatives of missing migrants have been pleading for information on social media and pressing officials at the border.
The migrants’ fingerprint data was run through Spanish and Moroccan databases and their DNA samples compared with relatives who came forward, said Guardia Civil Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Atoche, who heads the police’s crime division and led a team of nine officers sent to Ceuta.
He said a major reason for the low number of identifications has been the difficulty for Moroccan relatives to legally cross into Ceuta to leave DNA samples at an office set up by Spanish authorities near the border.
Reporting by Michael Gore and Joan Faus, editing by Andrei Khalip
NATO allies have sought to avoid direct involvement in the Iran conflict, instead focusing on plans outside the alliance to reopen the strait, which before February carried about a fifth of all traded oil
International News via Reuters:
NATO’s top commander convened a videoconference earlier this week to facilitate possible contributions to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, his spokesperson told Reuters, adding that this is not a NATO mission.
“Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe hosted a meeting of interested Allies at the chief of defence level on Wednesday, 19 Aug 26, in order to facilitate their possible contributions to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” a spokesperson for the alliance’s top commander U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich said on Friday.
“To be clear, this is not a NATO mission. But given NATO’s unique strengths in its ability to bring together Allies and understand the capabilities they bring to bear, it makes sense for NATO to facilitate in this way,” the spokesperson added.
NATO allies have sought to avoid direct involvement in the Iran conflict, instead focusing on plans outside the alliance to reopen the strait, which before February carried about a fifth of all traded oil.
France and Britain have led efforts to build a coalition among roughly a dozen countries to guarantee safe passage through the strait once tensions ease or the conflict is resolved, though any long-term arrangement would ultimately require Iranian acquiescence.
Reporting by Lili Bayer; Editing by David Gregorio
A deal could mark a detente in what has been 18 months of tense relations that started when President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on key imports from Canada, prompting Ottawa to retaliate with a suite of countermeasures
International News via Reuters:
Top trade negotiators from Canada and the U.S. met for the third day running in Washington on Friday to try to finalize a trade deal before threatened new American tariffs come into effect on Saturday.
A deal could mark a detente in what has been 18 months of tense relations that started when President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on key imports from Canada, prompting Ottawa to retaliate with a suite of countermeasures.
Trump says he will impose a new 50% tariff on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) on Saturday if a deal is not reached.
Canada’s minister responsible for trade with the U.S., Dominic LeBlanc, did not speak to reporters as he arrived for the talks.
LeBlanc met Greer for more than three hours on Thursday and said the two sides were “very close” to a deal, but added that more work was necessary.
Even if a deal is reached, Prime Minister Mark Carney could find it hard to sell it to Canadians and the influential premiers of the 10 provinces.
A Leger opinion poll showed on Wednesday that 56% of Canadians want Carney to make no further concessions.
Sources say an agreement is expected to cut the top-line tariff on Canadian-built vehicles to 15% from 25% and halve tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 25%. Ontario, a major steel and aluminum producer, wants the tariffs scrapped.
Carney is calling on major provinces to rescind their ban on sales of U.S. alcohol, which is a major irritant for Washington.
Wab Kinew, the premier of Manitoba, on Thursday said Trump was “very weak” and Canada should take advantage.
“I think we’ve got the upper hand – they’re back on their heels right now. They’re coming to us for a deal, and so I think we should fight,” he told reporters.
Canada, though, is a tenth the size of the United States and sends around 70% of all exports south of the border, which makes it uniquely vulnerable to punitive U.S. trade actions.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday mocked Carney, saying he “comes in and puffs his chest out and says, ‘I’m going to, like, out-tough Donald Trump’.”
In a recording obtained by the Canadian Press, Vance can then be heard saying “It’s hilarious because Carney presents this as some victory for Canada when fundamentally, like, they climb down on a lot of issues.”
Vance was speaking at a fundraiser in Southampton, New York.
Writing by David Ljunggren; Editing by Katharine Jackson, Philippa Fletcher and Sanjeev Miglani
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
