Bermuda
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Bermuda gets credit warning from Moody’s
HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Cash-strapped Bermuda has received a fresh warning its credit rating may be downgraded as the island's debts mount in the midst of a four-year recession. International ratings agency, Moody’s Investors Service, on Wednesday placed Bermuda’s Aa2 rating on review for possible downgrade. The warning came just days after another leading agency, Standard and Poor’s (S&P), said…
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Legislators to debate whether to legalise marijuana
HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – The Bermuda parliament will “soon” debate a motion to decide whether or not to legalise the use of marijuana in this British Overseas Territory. “We will bring to the House of Assembly a ‘take note’ motion so we can have a public debate on the issue. I don’t advocate one way or the other, but it’s…
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Premier accuses PLP of ‘schoolyard tactics’
HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC — Premier Craig Cannonier has fired back at an opposition party attack on its first 100 days in office, accusing it of “schoolyard fighting tactics”. “As the Premier, I find it amazing that the Progressive Labour Party is still resorting to schoolyard fighting tactics to provoke nonsensical dialogue, none of which will benefit Bermuda or Bermudians. While…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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
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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…
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