Island-wide WiFi?

Today I saw some guys on a big lift in town attaching what looked like WiFi base stations to light posts on front-street. The the following press release came across my newsfeed: http://www.smartmeters.com/the-news/smart-grid-news/2112-infrax-supplying-wireless-infrastructure-to-bermuda.html. But it didn't say who the client is. City of Hamilton? Government? Belco for smart meters?

Infrax Systems is supplying the wireless broadband infrastructure that will enhance security and communication measures on the Island of Bermuda. The infrastructure will be comprised of approximately forty-five Infrax, TMAX 2000 modular base-station routers that will be used for multiple services including wireless Internet access for the residents and visitors.

Thank You Survey Section

In a previous post, I wrote about aerial photos of Bermuda from 1940 and 1973.

However, I neglected to give the appropriate credit and thanks to the Bermuda Government Survey Section, which created the georegistered imagery. They did a lot of work to put that data together in a high-quality fashion. The Survey Section and their colleagues have done a superb job of making really good data available to Bermuda; it is an invaluable resource that can help us better understand our tiny coral outpost. I have to apologize to them for this omission!

The aerial photos and metadata are made available courtesy of the survey section, and are copyright the Bermuda Government. The photos and data may not be reproduced, etc. without their prior permission.

Island-wide CCTV?

I've recently noticed CCTV cameras going up island-wide at key traffic junctions, e.g. Barnes Corner, foot of Trimingham Hill, etc. You can detect these by the appearance of a brand-new telephone pole with power lines running to it, and generally some sort of communications equipment: dish, directional antenna, etc. Invariably they all have a video camera attached, which is generally the smallest piece of all the equipment. And I don't think there has been any mention of this in the press or from the Government. Saw this today over the wires: (from this link)

Micro Technologies to install surveillance systems in Bermuda

Micro Technologies India Limited will install surveillance systems in Bermuda to cater for security through Micro ICCS International Command Control System including CCTV Cameras with 24/7 surveillance monitoring from a common centre point. This system will combine custom built hardware and a security system for the control of an unmanned location. Bermuda is a group of beautiful islands flocked by tourists. The island will be much safer and secure with the implementation of this surveillance systems by the company.

Bermuda Entrustment: 1968, 2005, and 2009

This blog entry summarizes the Bermuda Entrustment with the UK and provides download links to current and historical versions of the entrustment. These documents were provided by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and are provided on this blog under the UK Open Government License.

The Bermuda Entrustment (sometimes called the Deed or Letter of Entrustment) is the memo that describes what powers the UK Government has delegated to the Government of Bermuda. Bermuda is a dependent territory of the UK (formerly known as a colony), and as such, the UK is in charge of all of our external relations. However, when the current constitution was created in 1968, the UK delegated certain authority to the Bermuda Government, mostly around trade and commercial agreements.

Specifically, the entrustment states (shortened for this blog entry):

"In addition, ... the United Kingdom Government hereby delegate to the Bermuda Government ... executive authority to conduct external relations on behalf of the United Kingdom Government as follows:-

(a) Authority to negotiate and conclude trade agreements with other countries, whether bilateral or multilateral, relating solely to the treatment of goods.

(b) Authority to arrange or permit visits of up to thirty days for trade or commercial purposes ...

(c) Authority to negotiate and conclude agreements of purely local concern with any independent member of the Commonwealth or the United States of America...

(d) Authority to negotiate and conclude agreements for technical assistance or of a cultural or scientific nature with any independent member of the Commonwealth or the United States of America...

(e) Authority to negotiate and conclude agreements with other countries, whether bilateral or multilateral, relating to emigration from Bermuda to those countries and to emigrant labour schemes."

Download the full 1968 Bermuda Letter of Entrustment (PDF).

The Entrustment was updated in 2005 to specifically add authority for Bermuda to negotiate bilateral agreements about Tourism. Download the 2005 Amendment to the Bermuda Letter of Entrustment (PDF).

In 2009 the Entrustment was replaced with a new version, which tightens the UK's leash on Bermuda. Specifically, it removed the paragraph (c) authorizing Bermuda to make agreements of "purely local concern".

The original Entrustment requires Bermuda to inform the UK of Bermuda's activities under the agreement and provides that the UK may not permit it. However, the 2009 version is much more explicit about this and seems to put Bermuda on a tighter leash. The new version requires Bermuda to provide written reports of all activity under the Entrustment, and requires Bermuda to provide written copies of all agreements to the UK for approval before they are signed.

Download the 2009 Bermuda Letter of Entrustment (PDF) [mirror]

You can find more reports and data like this at the decouto.bm online Bermuda library.