Good afternoon and thank you for coming.

I count it one of the privileges of public service to have the opportunity to meet so many men and women whose lives are a study in commitment, perseverance and love. Bermuda’s senior citizens represent a wealth of wisdom and examples of what is best about our story as a people.

In the summer of 2018, I announced a plan to introduce interest-free loans provided by the Government to assist families determined to have seniors ‘age in place’, in the comfort of their own homes.

I am pleased to be joined today by my colleagues the Ministers of Public Works and Minister of Health who with the Minister of Finance have worked together to bring this proposal to reality. I am also joined by the Deputy Speaker, Derrick Burgess, who previously served as the Chair of the Ageing Well Committee and Senator Ianthia Simmons-Wade who currently chairs the Ageing Well Committee. I am also pleased to have with us Ms. Keeona Belboda, the Manager of Ageing & Disability Services with the Department of Health, Maj. Barrett Dill, the General Manager of the Bermuda Housing Corporation and Dr. Claudette Fleming of Age Concern who will partner with us in this initiative.

We believe that after a lifetime of hard work to secure their homes, seniors should not have to face the prospect of re-encumbering that asset or even surrendering it in circumstances where some basic modification can see them live out these special years in familiar and comfortable surroundings.

Through the Bermuda Housing Corporation and in conjunction with Age Concern, families will be able to apply for interest-free loans of up to $15,000 to support home modifications to promote their senior loved ones remaining at home as opposed to in rest home care. The simple installation of bathroom fixtures, ramps and railings can make living at home more accessible for seniors.

As indicated when this was first announced, fixtures and fittings for these purposes will be duty-free. $500,000 has been dedicated to this initiative and I know this will be money well spent, in support of the people of Bermuda.

The hard-working team at the BHC have created an easy application form for completion which will be available on the Bermuda Housing Corporation’s website, www.bhc.bm, and also at the BHC Offices on Church Street.

These applications will be subject to a basic assessment by Age Concern’s team to verify the proposed modifications and thereafter processed quickly so that work can begin. We will work with families and seniors at the front end to ensure the repayment of the loans is manageable and regular.

The fulfilment of this pledge speaks to our values as a government.  It speaks to our belief that we must listen to our people and that we must ensure that every Bermudian that needs a hand up, gets a hand up.

For our seniors, we listened to your concerns around pensions, and from listening to you, we took action and insured that your pensions will increase every year.

We listened to your concerns and the concerns of your families around nursing homes and raised standards for nursing homes and gave the Ministry of Health greater powers to investigate and intervene in those facilities against potential neglect or abuse.  For our taxi drivers, many of whom are seniors, we provided a payroll tax cut of 60%.

This Government is determined to provide the hand-up for Bermudians of all ages…our children have Wi-Fi in every school and a robust STEAM curriculum; our working adults have payroll tax relief and access to higher education through our College Promise; and this interest-free loan initiative is further support for our seniors who worked to build a country that remains among the most blessed in the world.

I am pleased to invite my colleagues to now say a few words.

Thank you.

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From left to right:

Maj. Barrett Dill, the General Manager of the Bermuda Housing Corporation, Senator Ianthia Simmons-Wade who currently chairs the Ageing Well Committee,  Ms. Keeona Belboda, the Manager of Ageing & Disability Services with the Department of Health, Minister of Public Works, the Hon Lt Col David Burch, Premier, the Hon David Burt, Minister of Health, the Hon Kim Wilson, Deputy Speaker, MP Derrick Burgess, who previously served as the Chair of the Ageing Well Committee, and Dr. Claudette Fleming of Age Concern.