Legislation aimed at helping the island reach international standards in terms of health and tax agreements has been passed by the House of Assembly.

Jeanne Atherden, Minister of Health, presented the Quarantine Act 2017, saying the legislation brings the island in line with the World Health Organisation’s International Health Regulations 2005 when it comes to facing health threats like Ebola and Zika.

“The act will increase security for travellers, ships and aircraft arriving in Bermuda, while our Public Health Act continues to apply for general health measures of the island’s population who are no longer in transit,” she said.

“The National IHR Focal Point for Bermuda will be Public Health England, the UK’s executive agency of the UK’s Department of Health. The National Focal Point acts as our conduit for communications with WHO for all matters related to public health threats and will ensure we receive recommendations for best practices of handling specific public health risks that arise.

“Our Chief Medical Officer will be the contact person for Public Health England on all matters related to the IHR 2005.”

However, PLP MP Walton Brown questioned why the legislation delegates power to a UK body.

Ms Atherden said that it made sense to have the assistance of the UK on international health issues, adding that Bermuda became signatories of the international agreements through its status as an overseas territory.

She also said in response to another question by Mr Brown that discussions were already under way to ensure that the resources to meet the requirements were made available.

The House also debated the USA Bermuda Tax Convention Amendment Act 2017 and the International Co-operation (Tax Information Exchange Agreements) Amendment (No 2) Act 2017, which Bob Richards, Minister of Finance, said were intended to address issues that had arisen related to the international agreements.

The first amendments related to exchange agreements with the United States, while the second covered similar agreements with other nations.

Opposition leader David Burt said that after discussing the amendments with technical officers, the PLP had no issues, adding that he looked forward to the bills being passed so the island can “continue to remain the gold standard”.

Meanwhile, Mr Brown said that while he understood the reasoning for the agreements, he questioned if Bermuda could get “more bang for our buck” through them.

Mr Richards said the agreements help defend the island from those who wish to negatively brand the island, and credited one agreement with Canada as helping to attract one company to the island from the Bahamas.