Premier David Burt.
HAMILTON, Bermuda--Premier David Burt has welcomed work to advance changes to allow for more inquests into suspicious deaths.
The premier told the House of Assembly on Friday that he will talk to Kim Wilkerson, the Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Justice, about making the needed amendments to legislation.
He also encouraged Scott Pearman, the Shadow Minister of Justice, who raised the topic and called for bipartisan efforts during the House of Assembly, to write him a formal letter.
Burt said: “When there are matters that do touch on families, I think that is something that is important, so I will commend the honourable member for raising this particular issue and will happily work towards it.”
“The Royal Gazette” reported last month that only four public inquests have been held in the past decade, a period when 981 sudden deaths were reported and reviewed by the senior magistrate and coroner.
There have been no public inquests during that time into more than 100 road deaths, 20-plus drownings and several workplace fatalities. There have since been calls to “The Royal Gazette” for more and specific inquests, including an editorial.
Pearman, who himself called for a bipartisan review into inquest laws, said the lack of such proceedings seemed like a “very easy fix”. He said that changes to the nearly century-old legislation would be the first in about 25 years.
Pearman asked the premier whether he would invite the AG to work with the Opposition to create an amendment to the legislation. Burt said he and the AG had not discussed changing the law, but added that it was “certainly a valid matter”.
“I can happily discuss with the Attorney-General and I am more than willing to have the Honourable Attorney-General reach out to the Honourable Member to discuss it, whether it’s through the law reform commission or it’s here in Parliament,” Premier Burt said.
He added: “I think it is an important issue and I look forward to advancing it. Whether it’s done by a committee or whether it’s done by something else, I’m happy to do so.” ~ The Royal Gazette ~
