Ministers Travel

The Hon Owen K Darrell, JP MP, attended the second annual Vineyard Icon Awards at the Farm Neck Golf Club on Martha's Vineyard. The invitation-only event convenes approximately 200 guests from leading organizations across multiple industry sectors. The Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport was accompanied by members of the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA), an Event sponsor, for this tourism opportunity.

Minister Owen Darrell's attendance supported the BTA's objectives around destination awareness and diversified group business by cultivating relationships and building long-term partnerships.

The Hon Owen K Darrell, JP MP, Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport, accompanied the Premier and Minister of Finance on a cultural visit to honour and strengthen the longstanding ties between Bermuda and the Azores.

Minister Darrell participated in a working meeting focusing on the Azorean community in Bermuda and a received a presentation of the Blue Azores Programme. The visit allowed the Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport to strengthen tourism, cultural and environmental ties between Bermuda and the Azores.

Premier, the Hon. David Burt JP, MP, led a Government delegation on a three-day official visit to the Autonomous Region of the Azores, from 12 to 14 July, at the invitation of His Excellency José Manuel Bolieiro, President of the Regional Government of the Azores. The Premier was joined by the Minister of Tourism, Transport, Culture and Sport, the Hon. Owen Darrell. The visit returned the courtesy of President Bolieiro's visit to Bermuda in October 2024, and that of former President Vasco Cordeiro in 2019. It reaffirmed the deep ties between the two island communities.

The programme opened with an official audience with President Bolieiro at Sant'Ana Palace in Ponta Delgada, where the Premier signed the Book of Honour on behalf of the people of Bermuda and took part in a gift exchange. Discussions with the President spanned the full breadth of the relationship and confirmed a shared determination to turn nearly 180 years of history into practical cooperation.

A centrepiece of the visit was the Regional Government's presentation of the Blue Azores Programme, through which the Azores has established the largest network of marine protected areas in the North Atlantic, protecting thirty per cent of the Azorean Sea. Recognising Bermuda's own science-based approach through the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme, and the waters of the Sargasso Sea that both archipelagos share, the Premier proposed, and the Regional Government welcomed, a structured technical exchange between the two jurisdictions on marine protection, enforcement, sustainable fisheries and conservation financing.

At a working session on the Azorean community in Bermuda, the delegation heard directly from community representatives, and several shared priorities were advanced. These included Bermuda's role in the 2027 celebrations marking 600 years since the discovery of the Azores; progress toward the reciprocal recognition of Bermuda driving licences; the value of the direct air link between the two islands; and support for the development of a GCSE in Portuguese for Bermudian students.

The Premier also met Professor Susana Mira Leal, Rector of the University of the Azores, in the University's fiftieth-anniversary year. The meeting produced several concrete outcomes: a new workstream connecting the University's oceanographic research with Bermuda's marine experts; an agreement to explore study pathways between Bermuda College and the University; and a mechanism to transfer agricultural expertise to Bermuda through the University's School of Environmental and Agrarian Sciences.

In addition, the Premier and delegation were pleased to note that two young Bermudians of Azorean descent, Sydney Rego and Catrina Furtado, are currently studying in the Azores as the first Bermudian participants in the FLAD Summer Programme.

The wider programme showcased Azorean life and innovation, including visits to the Azores Autonomy Museum and the Azorean Emigration Museum, the Ribeira Grande Geothermal Power Station, and the NONAGON Science and Technology Park. At the Azores Centre for Manufacturing, the Premier met Mr Luís Estrela, Regional Director for Agriculture, Veterinary and Food, and discussed how Bermuda might benefit from the Azores' expertise in food production. It was agreed that the Azorean Government would send dairy experts to Bermuda, an outcome of direct relevance to the island's food security at a time when nations across the globe are focused on the resilience of their supply chains.

Premier, the Hon. David Burt JP, MP, represented Bermuda at the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in St. Lucia.

The Premier was joined by the Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Alexa Lightbourne, who leads the Government's work on Bermuda's consideration of full CARICOM membership.

Discussions among Heads of Government focused on the cost of living, food security and trade. Leaders reviewed initiatives to reduce food import costs, strengthen food security and sustainability, and expand agricultural production across the region, including strategies to boost food production, diversify import sources, and improve trade resilience.

The Premier and Minister Lightbourne also held discussions on Bermuda's ongoing consideration of full CARICOM membership, as the Government continues to work through the technical and constitutional considerations involved.

The Government's proposed White Paper remains part of that process and will set out its position, along with the opportunities and considerations associated with full membership.

The Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport attend the CTO's Caribbean Week held in New York, NY from 31 May through 3 June 2026. The Minister was accompanied by Acting Permanent Secretary, Ms. Carlita O'Brien. The CTO event provides a platform for networking, destination promotion, thought leadership and business development along with showcasing the culture, diversity and tourism offerings of the Caribbean. Minister Darrell was a speaker at the "Around the Caribbean in 60 Minutes" event which focused on visitor arrivals, tourism priorities and innovation.

The Hon. Jason P. Hayward, Minister of Economy and Labour, attended the World Free Zones Organization's 12th World Congress, held in Panama City, Panama.

The 2026 Conference of Overseas Territories Attorneys General, hosted by the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands, Hon. Dawn J. Smith, brought together Attorneys General and senior law officers from across the Overseas Territories from 13 to 17 April. The United Kingdom Attorney General, the Rt. Hon. Lord Hermer KC, participated virtually. The Attorneys General were joined by colleagues from the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the United States of America. Discussions were held under the theme "Stronger Together: Common Challenges, Collaborative Solutions. The Conference reaffirmed the importance of this forum in strengthening collaboration on shared legal, constitutional and governance challenges and solutions. Delegates reflected on the increasingly complex, interconnected and fast‑moving nature of these issues, agreeing that effective responses require co-operation grounded in mutual respect and shared democratic values.

The Hon Owen K. Darrell, JP MP, Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport attended the Seatrade Cruise Global 2026 expo in Miami, Florida. The Minister was accompanied by the Deputy Permanent Secretary and the head of Transport Planning Unit. The Minister and his delegation strengthened industry relations and gained useful insight regarding global cruise tourism. Cruise line meetings included executives from Royal Caribbean Group, Carnival Corporation, Disney Cruise Line and Explora Journeys Cruise Line. Additionally, the team met with stakeholders from the Port of Baltimore and the Maryland Port Administration; the NYC Economic Development Corporation; and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and Tiawan International Ports Corporation.

The Hon Owen K Darrell, JP MP, Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport attended the 53rd CARIFTA Games in St. George, Grenada. The CARIFTA Games remain the premier regional showcase for junior athletic talent in the Caribbean and Minister Darrell was proud to support the Track and Field delegation competing in Grenada.

The Premier and Minister of Finance, the Hon. E. David Burt, JP, MP, led a Bermuda delegation to Davos, Switzerland, from 19–23 January to participate in the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), held under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." This year's meeting convened nearly 3,000 leaders from government, business, civil society and academia, including a record 65 heads of state and government and a majority of G7 leaders. While in Davos, the Premier participated in several panels and sessions, including "Frontiers of Digital Governance: From DPI to Next-Gen GovTech", "Stablecoin Adoption for Humanitarian Action", "Insurability in a Changing World", and "Insurance & Asset Management Leadership." He also spoke at a Global Blockchain Business Council event on the future of financial infrastructure and participated in a further WEF session on best practices in digital governance. The Premier held bilateral meetings with policymakers and leaders in global finance and technology to advance Bermuda's strategic objectives in digital finance and innovation. He discussed the responsible growth of digital finance with Brian Armstrong, Co-Founder and CEO of Coinbase, and participated in a session with Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area. The Premier also attended an insurance leaders lunch with senior executives from leading global firms including Marsh, Swiss Re, AXA, State Farm, Franklin Templeton, Aon, and Allianz. During the forum, the Premier announced plans to expand Bermuda's partnership with Coinbase and Circle to embed digital assets across the national economy and a new collaboration with the Filecoin Foundation and the Internet Archive to create a secure, long-term digital preservation system for Bermuda's public records. The Premier's participation highlighted Bermuda's leadership as a globally respected, regulated hub for digital assets and reinforced the Government's commitment to ensuring that technological innovation delivers tangible benefits for Bermudians.