PATI INFORMATION STATEMENT - Ministry of Home Affairs Headquarters (MoHA HQ)

Notice type

Government Notice

PATI Notice

Notice ID

GN0051/2026

Public Authorities / Department

Public Access to Information (PATI)

Publication date

16 January, 2026

GOVERNMENT OF BERMUDA
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

PATI Information Statement

Name of Public Authority: Ministry of Home Affairs Headquarters (MoHA HQ)

Introduction:

The Public Access to Information 2010 (PATI) legislation was designed to make central government,
and the larger public sector, more open and accountable by giving the public the legally enforceable right to request and access information subject to limited and prescribed exemptions. Each public authority is required to produce an Information statement that gives the public an overview of the types of information accessible through the public authority.

This information statement provides information on the functions and services of the MoHA HQ and the classes of records held.

Section A: Structure, Organisation, and Legislation [s5(1)a]

The Ministry of Home Affairs comprises:

Ministry Headquarters (HQ). The Department of MoHA HQ is the coordinating body for two government departments that fall under the Home Affairs banner. There are also two business units, or sections, within the MoHA HQ, namely Administration and Consumer Affairs, both of which fall under the responsibility of the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs. The MoHA HQ also has administrative responsibility for one quango, as well as for any statutory bodies or committees that may be appointed by the Minister from time to time (with these boards reporting to the Minister through the Permanent Secretary).
Two government departments. The Heads of Departments both report directly to the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs:
- the Department of Energy; and
  - the Department of Land Title and Registration.
One quango. The Ministry has administrative responsibility for:
- the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda

The Ministry HQ executes its duties with a total of sixteen full-time posts. These consist of eight posts within the Administration business unit section and eight within the Consumer Affairs business unit section.

The eight posts in the Administration section consist of: an Executive Assistant to the Minister and Permanent Secretary, a Ministry Comptroller (currently vacant), a Management Accountant, a Senior Accounts Officer, an Accounts Assistant, a Policy Analyst, and an Administrative Assistant (currently vacant).

The eight posts within the Consumer Affairs section are: the Executive Officer, three Enforcement Inspectors, a Community and Business Liaison Officer, an Executive Support Officer, and two Administrative Assistants.

The following is the organisational chart for the Administrative section of the MoHA HQ:

Legislation

The Department of Energy

The Department of Land Title and Registration

Consumer Affairs section

Quango (administrative responsibility only)

Regulatory Authority of Bermuda

Regulatory Authority Acts and Regulations

Section B: 1) Functions, powers, duties of the Authority [s5(1)b]

Ministry of Home Affairs Mission Statement and Objectives

The Ministry of Home Affairs' mission statement is: To empower Bermuda residents by promoting affordability and prosperity through transparency in property ownership and rights, consumer protection, energy sustainability, and focused legislative change.

Consistent with other Ministries HQs, the MoHA HQ is responsible for directing and coordinating its departments' activities and driving policy or legislative change. The MoHA HQ has the following objectives:

To provide strategic leadership, policy direction, legislative, financial and operational oversight of Departments and sections within the Ministry for the delivery of excellent public service.
To provide oversight of the relationship between the Landlord and Tenant through effective policies and legislation to ensure equitable standards and fairness.
To advance consumer protection through public engagement, education, and effective regulation.
To develop deepened relations with CARICOM and its member states to explore greater economic and cultural opportunities of mutual benefit.
To advance enhanced safeguards for affordability for all Bermuda residents.
To support the Regulatory Authority in ensuring fair and transparent regulation across various sectors.

To learn more about any of the public bodies for which this ministry has responsibility, refer to the
information statement published by the respective organisation. Information statements can be found.
online or at the physical address of the public body. They are also published yearly in the Official
Gazette.

Section B: 2) Obligations under PATI Act [s5(1)b]

To provide an information statement for the public and promulgate it [s5],
To provide other information to the public so that the public needs only to have a minimum
resort to the use of the PATI Act to obtain information [s6]. This includes:
General information, e.g. activities of the authority
Log of all information requests and their outcome
Quarterly expenditure (upon request) [s6(5)]
Contracts valued at $50,000 or more.
To respond to information requests promptly [s12-16]
To track information requests and provide this data to the Information Commissioner
To respond to requests from the Information Commissioner [s9]
To amend personal information held by the Authority that is wrong or misleading
following a written request by the person to whom the information relates [s 19]
To conduct an internal review if formally requested [part 5]
To give evidence for review by the Information Commissioner [part 6, 47(4)], or for
judicial review [s49], if required
To provide an annual written report to the Information Commissioner on the status of
information requests [s58 (3)].
To do anything else as required under the PATI Act and subsequent Regulations [s59, 60],
including:
Fees for requests for information
Management and maintenance of records
Procedures for administering the PATI Act
To train staff and make arrangements to facilitate compliance with the PATI Act [s61]
To designate one of its officers to be the person to whom requests are directed [s62]

Section C: Services and programmes[s5(1)c]

The MoHA HQ does not have traditional programmes and services. However, it does have oversight on several programmes and services from the departments and the section within its remit, which can be reviewed on each of their respective information statements. The Ministry HQ has two contracts valued at over $50,000.

Section D: Records and documents held [s5(1)d]

Administrative (which may include job descriptions and reviews of the Ministry by
the Management Services Section)
Advisory
Financial (including budget statements, approved estimates and expenditure, ministerial travel
and financial statements)
Legislative
Ministerial Statements and press releases
Policy

Section E: Administration (all public access) manuals [s5(1)e]

Administrative Guidelines

Various human resources policies
Guidance issued by the Department of Employee and Organisational Development.

Data Protection Guidelines

Computer security instructions published by the Department of Information and Digital Technologies (IDT)
Information sharing and data protection policy statement issued by IDT
Electronic Records Management System: Government Records Centre issued by the Govt.. Archivist

Financial Guidelines

Financial Instructions issued by the Ministry of Finance
Budget Preparation Manual issued by the Ministry of Finance

Health and Safety

Health and Safety Policy issued by the Cabinet Office.

Policy Development Guidelines

The Legislative Process Guidance Notes issued by the Cabinet Office
The Preparation of Cabinet Memoranda Guidance Notes issued by the Cabinet Office
Making Policy Happen in Bermuda: Guidance Notes issued by the Cabinet Office

Other Guidance Notes

Election Guidance Notes issued by the Cabinet Office

Section F: Decision-making documents [s5(1)f]

Depending on the scope of the decision to be made, the Ministry HQ will use one of the
following methods to reach a decision.

Boards or Committees: Normally used when the policy or initiative considered has several
stakeholders across several departments. The Minister appoints boards and committees and
report to the Minister through the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs. Current boards include:

Statutory Government Boards

Broadcasting Commission
Consumer Affairs Board
Cost of Living Commission
Debt Licensing Authority
Regulatory Authority Board
Rent Advisory Panel
Rent Advisory Panel Tribunal
Telecommunications Commission

Non-Statutory Government Boards

None

Quango

Regulatory Authority of Bermuda

Public Consultation: Typically used when public input is essential to the decision-making process. Public consultation is especially useful when the subject matter is of heightened public interest. Opinions from the public can be fielded through written submissions or from public meetings. Recent public consultations include the Consumer Affairs’ Landlord and Tenant Draft Bill and consultations stemming from the Cost-of-Living Summit 2025.

Decisions by Cabinet: Where a decision requires a financial outlay of more than $50,000, the decision
must be agreed by the Cabinet. Likewise, decisions that are cross-Ministry or that have a far-reaching effect
The Cabinet must consider the public. The deliberations of the Cabinet are confidential and
exempt from the Public Access to Information law.

Internal review: Normally used when the Government is seeking to be proactive regarding new
policies or initiatives, or amendments to existing policies or initiatives. The results of these reviews often inform further decision-making methods, as outlined above.

In all cases, the MoHA HQ must adhere to government-wide manuals and guidance regarding decision-making processes.

Section G: The Information officer [s5(1)g]

Information Officer:

Mr. Kjeld Mizpah (Kj) Conyers-Steede

Email: kmsteede@gov.bm

Telephone: 441-444-1405

Ministry of Home Affairs Headquarters Details

Physical Address:

Ministry of Home Affairs

Government Administration Building 1^st Floor
30 Parliament Street
Hamilton HM 12
Bermuda

Telephone:

441-294-9059

Web Address:
Ministry of Home Affairs webpage.

Section H: Any other information [s5(1)h]

Classes of information not generally disclosed

While the primary objective of PATI legislation is to promote a culture of openness and transparency
Within the central government, certain information may not be released to the public.

The MoHA HQ will not release to the public any information that could compromise
security or confidentiality requirements or information that is exempt from disclosure under PATI
legislation subject to a public interest test. Such information exemptions include:

Health or safety, where disclosure would endanger the physical or mental health or the safety of an individual;
Personal information, subject to certain instances where disclosure may be allowed;
Commercial information, for example, trade secrets or contractual negotiations;
Information received in confidence;
Cabinet documents, including official records of deliberations or decisions;
Ministerial responsibility, where disclosure of records could undermine free and frank
discussion and advice between Ministers, or between Ministers and public officers, in the
course of their public duties;
Deliberations of public authorities, where disclosure could undermine free and frank discussion
and advice during the course of the deliberative process;
Operations of public authorities, where disclosure could prejudice the effectiveness of
operations of public authorities e.g. with respect to negotiating positions and industrial
relations, or in relation to investigations, inquiries or audits conducted by public authorities;
Records for which disclosure could have an adverse effect on the financial and economic
interests of Bermuda;
Governor's responsibilities and communications with the United Kingdom;
Legal professional privilege, where disclosure of records would be exempt from production in
legal proceedings on the basis of legal professional privilege;
Records for which disclosure would be in contempt of court or a breach of parliamentary privilege
; and
Disclosure prohibited by other legislation.

Section I: Any other information to be provided? [s5(1)i]

The MoHA HQ has a further information on its website. We urge the public in their quest for information or data to make the above stated website their starting point.

Section J: Information Statement: Copies and Updates [s5(2,3,4,5)]

Every public authority shall update its information statement at least once a year and make it available
for inspection by the public at reasonable times by [s5( 1 -5), PATI Act]:

Locations of Information Statement:

Copies of Information Statement are available at the following sites:

Your principal office: (1^st Floor Government Administration Building, 30 Parliament Street, Hamilton HM12.) Y
The Bermuda National Library; Y
The Bermuda Archives; Y
Available electronically, Y
Website for public authority (https://www.gov.bm/ministry/home-affairs). Y
Have you published a notice in the Gazette indicating the places where
the information statement is available for the public? Y
With the Information Commissioner. Y

Date Information Statement was updated: 15^th January 2026

Sign:

Name: Valerie Robinson-James

Post: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs

GOVERNMENT OF BERMUDA
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

PATI Information Statement

Name of Public Authority: Ministry of Home Affairs Headquarters

Signed: Kjeld Mizpah (KJ) Conyers-Steede, Information Officer

Dated: 15^th January 2026

Back to The Official Gazette listing Printer-friendly version