The Government will promote “a system of greater fairness and equity” through its new Cabinet Committee on Social Development, the Premier announced Friday.

David Burt gave the House of Assembly details on the group, which has been tasked with a focus on social issues invoked in the Progressive Labour Party’s 2018 Throne Speech.

Mr Burt said it met in February to address matters around a living wage, paid maternity leave, mandatory retirement, seniors’ rights and a unified family court.

The Ministry of Legal Affairs will work on a policy that will prevent the names of minors who appear before the courts from being identified in the media. Other initiatives include strategies for students unsuited to traditional classrooms, affordable housing, and there will be a review of plans to repurpose the Bishop Spencer School building as a homeless shelter.

Mr Burt said: “This government will use the considerable mandate received from the people of Bermuda to promote a system of greater fairness and equity, where the potential of Bermudians is limited only by their individual determination to succeed.”

In response to a question by Susan Jackson, a One Bermuda Alliance backbencher, Mr Burt said the Government planned to bring change to maternity leave “in this sitting of Parliament”.

• To read David Burt’s statement in full, click on the PDF under “Related Media”