Premier, the Hon. David Burt, JP, MP concluded a busy trip to Washington, DC where he conducted "fruitful" meetings with key Congressional representatives to discuss significant matters on behalf of Bermuda.
Over the course of Friday, 14th September and Monday, 17th September Premier Burt met with Rep. Gregory Meeks, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Karen Bass, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Gwen Moore, ranking member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Monetary Policy & Trade and key officials from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).
During the various meetings areas of discussion focused on finance, banking, insurance/reinsurance, economics, airline development and energy.
Of particular note, Premier Burt met with senior representatives of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to have key discussions about de-risking and its impact on Bermuda's financial services industry.
On Friday, 14th September, the Premier raised the matter of de-risking and idts effects during his meeting with Rep. Gregory Meeks. In his meeting with Rep. Karen Bass, the Premier highlighted steps Bermuda has taken to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing. With Rep. Gwen Moore the discussion of de-risking also was topical as well as Bermuda's high standards of tax transparency and compliance.
With Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver the Premier touted Bermuda's role as a global centre for insurance and reinsurance and noted the importance of Bermuda's insurance market to aid recovery and rebuilding of infrastructure in the wake of global natural disasters.
The Premier was accompanied to Washington, DC by the Deputy Premier, the Hon. Walter Roban, JP, MP. While in DC Minister Roban met with Abby Hopper, CEO, Ssolar Energy Industry Association to discuss how governments have incorporated the use of solar energy and technology.
Minister Roban also held a meeting with airlines for America to discuss airline development and working towards increasing air options to Bermuda.