The News Navigators

This is the 85th and, most likely, last episode of The News Navigators. Here Jeremy Deacon, Jonthan Starling and Michael Fahy, the original co-founder, look back on the highlights - and lowlights. It was hard pressing the stop record button.

In this episode, Dr David Patrick Ryan, President of Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, Dr Chris Fosker, clinicaloncologist and CEO and medical director of Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, and Darren Glasford, a prostate cancer survivor, discuss how the partnership between Mass General Brigham and BCHC is strengthening cancer care for Bermuda. The conversation centres on a question many Bermu...

Dr Sawalla Guseh, a sports cardiologist at Mass General Brigham and director of fellowship training within theCardiovascular Performance Program at Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Centre, joins The News Navigators for a timely conversation about heart health, exercise, and the risks facing athletes and active people of all ages. Dr. Guseh explains that his work focuses on caring for athletes...

In this second podcast about social media use, we speak to Una Walsh-Taylor and Mike Walsh  who founded   SmartphoneFree Childhood Bermuda  which wants to delay smartphone use until at least age 14 and social media use until age 16. It’s a fascinating conversation and one that parents – and Government – should listen to and take on board. Would you stop children having a smartphone or not? Tell us...

In this episode of The Full Point , Jason Hayward, the Minister of Economy and Labour, sets out why he believes he is the right person to succeed David Burt as leader of the Progressive Labour Party and, in turn, Premier of Bermuda. He speaks candidly about controversial statements from his past, discusses how the PLP can broaden its appeal to bothBlack and White voters, and addresses conversation...

What happens when Bermuda’s environment is treated as more than just scenery? In our latest conversation, Myles Darrell of the Bermuda National Trust talks about the real pressures facing Bermuda’snatural spaces — from Southlands and open space protection to invasive species, littering, and the growing need for stronger biosecurity. What stands out is that this is not just a policy discussion. It...

Should children under the age of 16 be banned from social media, or is a delay with stronger safeguards the better answer? In this special roundtable episode of The News Navigators, the conversation explores the growing debate around a possible social media ban for young people, inspired by moves in places like Australia and wider discussions in the UK and US. The discussion looks at the real harm...

In this episode Jonathan and Jeremy agree to disagree over the Caricom Green Paper published by the Bermuda Government – find out why. Does it set out the pros and cons? Does it do enough to inform people? Is it a Government fait accomplis and really a White Paper in disguise? Also, homelessness in Bermuda is on the rise again. We talk about the need to get behind the Plan to End Homelessness, whi...

In this episode of The News Navigators, Jeremy Deacon and Jonathan Starling start with the Iran war and what it couldmean for Bermuda. Jonathan argues the conflict is an illegal “war of choice” that undermines international law and future diplomacy, whileJeremy agrees on the illegality but pushes back on whether the nature of Iran’s regime matters. They then move from geopolitics to pocketbook imp...

In this wide-ranging interview, Owen Darrell, the Minister of Tourism, Transport, Culture and Sport, is pressed on two political talking points: the PLP leadership transition and the still-simmering Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) controversy. On PLP leadership, Mr Darrell says the party leader, David Burt, will be missed but stresses the PLP has depth andpublic confidence after recent election wi...

Jason Hayward Launches PLP Leadership Bid — is a Hayward–DeSilva Ticket Forming? In what looked like a carefully choreographed political launch, Jason Hayward — Bermuda’s Minister of Labour and the Economy — has announced his intention to run for the leadership of the Progressive Labour Party. And the optics afterwards were just as telling. In photos following the announcement, Hayward stood hand-...

With a forecast for government revenue to surpass $2 billion, it was no surprise that the Budget was a bit of a sweetheart budget – or more to the point, a great big giveaway budget. It hit all the right spots – putting money into people’s pockets, addressing cost of living issues, pleasing workers and businesses and putting in fiscal guidelines for the use of corporate income tax revenue to pay o...

Budget day is tomorrow and the Finance Minister will have around $600m extra to play with thanks to the corporate income tax revenue. Cost-of-livingwill be at the forefront and expect to see measures to put more money in ourpockets as well as efforts to include more items in the duty-free bucket. But what else? What long-term planning will we see – there is money for it – how much of the CIT reven...

Can the One Bermuda Alliance rebuild public trust? Is the UK quietly questioning Bermuda’s governance? And why are more than 1,100 Bermudians still unhoused? In this episode, we break down the growing trust deficit in Bermuda politics, examine renewed scrutiny from the UK House of Lords over the Overseas Territories, and confront the harsh reality of Bermuda’s homelessness crisis amid rising cost-...

As the One Bermuda Alliance caucus backs Ben Smith as leader of the party and leader of the opposition, attention turns to him to perform in the role he coveted. Will he live up to expectations? What will Robert King do now? He is unlikely to get a good - if any - shadow cabinet role. Will he be faithful to the party or a loose cannon on the backbench? And still no proper explanation for the coup...

Via a 'palace coup' Robert King was today ousted as the Leader of the Opposition with Ben Smith, who lost the leadership election last year, installed in Mr King's place. But where will this end? Mr King is still the leader of the One Bermuda Alliance and has so far refused to resign his post, which carries significant power. It will come down to a caucus meeting to see if MPs, Senator...

Jeremy Deacon and Jonathan Starling ask: why doesn't Bermuda seem to take road safety seriously despite the awful costs - financially and emotionally - of all the fatalities and survivors of accidents? It makes no sense, yet there is still a lack of action. What do you think? Tell us of your ideas for road safety or your near misses on the roads. Email thenewsnavs@gmail.com

Education reform, which started with Plan 2022, released in 2017, is losing its core visions as reform, interrupted by Covid, now seams on the verge of going back to square one, causing confusion and anger among parents, unions - and students. The News Navigators looks at what has happened in school reform in Bermuda over the last few weeks after a series of meetings caused chaos and forced the Ed...

While all the news is focused on Greenland, it has been suggested that such is Donald Trump's unpredictability that Bermuda could even be in his sights. But what use would Bermuda serve? Why would he want it? Is it even remotely likely that Bermuda could be taken over by the USA?

In this New Year’s edition, Jonathan and Jeremy set aside the usual look-back and focus squarely on what lies ahead for Bermuda in 2025. From the final budget under Premier David Burt to a consequential PLP leadership race, this episode breaks down the high-stakes decisions and power shifts expected in the months ahead. Will the corporate income tax surplus translate into real relief on housing or...

Jonathan Starling and Jeremy Deacon agree that membership of Caricom can be left to MPs to decide and, did the OBA get one up on the PLP with the absentee voting legislation? Listen in for analysis and debate on what is happening in Bermuda.

In the powerful finale of our Beyond the Stigma series, we confront a reality too urgent to ignore: how social media is reshaping adolescent mental health in Bermuda. From skyrocketing screen time to sleep disruption, anxiety, and self-esteem struggles, our youth are facing an unprecedented mental health storm — and we’re only beginning to grasp its scale. This episode unpacks the complex role of...

In the latest episode Jonathan Starling and Jeremy Deacon look at the latest apparent spat between the Government and Governor over security and also examine the implications of what appears to be full employment in Bermuda.

Aminah Simmons and Jah-nai Smith have both experiencedmental health problems. Here, in the third part of our Beyond the Stigma series, looking at youth mental health, they talk candidly about their experiences.  If this is an emergency or if you are concerned about yourown safety or that of a loved one, please call the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute Emergency hotline: 2391111. They are open 24/7....

OBA leader Robert King addresses reports of splits in the party, apparent challenges to his leadership and stresses he is ready to be Bermuda’s Premier.