A modest tax break for mobile phone users became an hour-long partisan clash in the House of Assembly after the Opposition suggested that the Government Fees Amendment Regulations 2025 fell short of delivering tangible relief to consumers.

Wayne Furbert, the Junior Minister of Finance, opened the discussion shortly after MPs closed weeks of Budget debate by approving the Appropriation Act 2025, containing the estimates of revenue and expenditure for 2025-26.

That Act sparked contention when David Burt, the Premier, said it marked the second time in a row that a Budget surplus was passed, with $43 million extra projected.

Douglas De Couto, the Shadow Minister of Finance, rose on a point of order, saying the Premier was “perhaps mistakenly misleading the House” because there was “not a Budget surplus in the prior financial year”.

After the Act passed yesterday, Mr Furbert moved on next to outline the first of several tax reductions proposed in the Pre-Budget Report.

Mr Furbert said the amendment to government telecommunications fees was aimed at providing relief on “essential” communications, adding: “This Government will reduce the monthly fee on mobile phones by a whopping 50 per cent from $12 to $6”.

“This measure will result in immediate savings for mobile customers as part of our commitment to lowering the cost of essential services,” he said.

The fees amendment regulations, which come into effect on July 1, are expected to reduce tax revenues by $2 million.

Dr De Couto responded for the Opposition that “somebody out there must have spat out their supper” over the description of “whopping tax cuts”, and listed the prices of basic grocery items.

He added: “I will take a $6 cut. We are not going to say no — we support this.”

He asked whether the cut would apply to “people in the upper tax band who are not even going to need it” and suggested it would have been better to work with telecommunications providers to “provide a basic low-cost package”.

Dr De Couto added: “Frankly, if this is the best they can come up with from the government side, it’s going to be a tough year for the people of Bermuda.”

Zane DeSilva, the Deputy Premier, replied that he found it “very rich” for an MP to “diss the people of this country that could use a $6 break per month on their bill”.

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of the Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation, said he felt “dirty”, “insulted” and “completely embarrassed to have to listen to that tirade just now”.

Mr Rabain said he had “not felt that way” since graduating from school and attending university.

The House went into uproar when Mr Rabain added: “One thing I was educated on was the institutionalised racism that is so politely exercised by members like that.”

The Speaker intervened, with Dennis Lister telling the House: “I was listening very carefully to see where he would lead on that.

“You were swaying but you hadn’t crossed the line until you got to your last word, the last point. I’m going to ask you to be clever enough not to cross the line.”

Mr Rabain continued: “When persons do not understand what they say is hurtful, it is unfortunate that they just cannot see. But when you grow up with the UBP [United Bermuda Party] handbook next to your cradle, that is the attitude that you carry for the rest of your life.”

Opposition MP Craig Cannonier rose on a point of order, adding: “He’s going down the wrong path, once again insinuating DNA.

“If we want to go down the DNA road, we can certainly go down the DNA road here.”

He added: “And that’s a particular honourable member that shouldn’t go down the DNA road.”

The Speaker told the House: “I’m going to ask all members to be more guided in your comments, more structured in your comments, as we go forward from here.

“We ended the debate on a good foot. Let’s end this part of the day on a decent foot.”

Mr Rabain continued: “One thing that I can’t be challenged on is the facts that I speak of right now.

“When you have a certain type of personality ingrained in you since birth, you will always display that no matter who you affiliate with.”

He said small breaks added up and that “this is one of the initiatives that we are putting forth to save our people money — the taxes that have been inflicted on our people today have been the lowest in the history of our country”.

Mr Rabain said: “That member had the audacity to speak to the childcare allowance that was reduced to unsustainable levels under that government.”

He continued to say “if you cannot, just because of your make-up, see that … ” which prompted Scott Pearman, of the One Bermuda Alliance, to rise on a point of order.

Mr Pearman said: “This is the third occasion on which the honourable member has trespassed against Standing Order 19(11)(f), which is that this House is not to impute improper motives or indulge in personalities.

“He’s been directed already and I would invite him to withdraw the remark.”

The Speaker said: “I’ve asked that we try to keep the tone and the level at a higher level. We get on sticky ground when we try and imply to a level that directs to an individual.”

Mr Rabain said: “The public will judge the comments that have been made up here tonight, and history will reflect that despite the efforts of this Government to reduce the tax burdens on our people, there are members within here that do not have the wherewithal to see that these are good things.”

Later in the debate, Dwayne Robinson, of the OBA, insisted that the party had supported the cut, saying Dr De Couto had advocated for “more targeted cuts to those who need it”.

“At the end of the day, I am sitting here as a newly elected member, and I know there are members in our community who are listening in who would like to hear debate about this particular thing.”

Mr Robinson said there had been “personal attacks” over a difference of opinion.

Eventually, Mr Burt rose to tell the House he was “actually surprised we are still here”.

The Premier said Dr De Couto had risen to say that “we support it, but” while the “last member from that side to speak tried to play kumbaya”.

After repeated points of order from Mr Cannonier, the Speaker again called for calm, adding: “This matter, when it started, I think we all expected it wouldn’t be going this long.”

Mr Burt, who is also the Minister of Finance, highlighted that the phone tax break was just “the first of many to come”.

He said: “Can more be done? Absolutely. But here’s the thing. Will more be done? Absolutely. And who will be doing the more? This Progressive Labour Party government.”