The Minister of National Security, the Hon. Michael Weeks, JP, MP, has responded to an opinion article published in The Royal Gazette on 30 March 2026 under the headline “Security failures in plain sight”, saying the piece presents a misleading picture of two serious matters and does not reflect the work already underway by the Government.
The Minister said the article wrongly conflates separate processes relating to cybersecurity and makes inaccurate claims about Customs operations at the St. George’s dock.
With respect to cybersecurity, Minister Weeks said: “Bermuda is not standing still. Last week in the House of Assembly, I announced the launch of Bermuda’s inaugural National Cybersecurity Risk Assessment, a jurisdiction-wide exercise designed to gather current risk intelligence from across the public and private sectors and directly inform the development of an updated National Cybersecurity Strategy, which the Government is targeting for release in the fourth quarter of this year.”
The Minister noted that this work is already in motion and is not dependent on the separate Parliamentary Joint Select Committee process.
Minister Weeks emphasised: “Mr. King either does not understand the difference between these two processes, or he is choosing to blur them for political effect.
“The National Cybersecurity Risk Assessment is already underway. It is a serious national exercise designed to guide the next phase of Bermuda’s cybersecurity planning, and it does not need to wait on a parliamentary committee to begin doing its job.”
He added: “Government is acting now because the country cannot afford delay. Cybersecurity is not an issue for slogans and headlines. It requires structure, urgency, and informed action, and that is exactly what we are doing.”
Turning to Customs operations in St. George’s, the Minister said the article’s suggestion that fewer than 10 per cent of vessels are being searched is wrong and irresponsible.
He clarified that Customs officers continue to carry out vessel searches and border enforcement activity despite the limitations caused by the current dock situation, and that the article’s claim creates a false impression of Bermuda’s maritime border controls.
Minister Weeks commented: “The claim that fewer than 10 per cent of vessels are being searched is simply not true.
“It is a careless statement that misrepresents the operational reality and unfairly undermines the work of Customs officers who continue to carry out their duties in difficult circumstances.”
He continued: “No one has said the situation at the dock is ideal. That is precisely why the Government has already made clear that the facility is being replaced. The design work is well advanced, and this is not an issue that is being ignored or hidden from the public.”
The Minister said it is important that public commentary on matters of national security be grounded in fact, particularly where the work of frontline officers is concerned.
He added that while there are operational challenges across parts of the national security system, the Government has been addressing them through active planning, investment, and direct engagement with the departments involved.
Minister Weeks stressed: “It is easy to write an opinion piece from the outside and throw around dramatic claims. It is harder to engage with the facts, speak to the people doing the work, and deal honestly with the progress that is being made. Bermudians deserve better than political commentary dressed up as public concern.”
The Minister also noted that he has repeatedly invited Mr. King to meet and discuss issues relating to the Ministry of National Security, hear directly about developments within the Ministry, and raise any concerns in a constructive setting. “Those invitations have not been taken up,” the Minister noted.
“My door has been open to Mr. King and will continue to be. If his interest is genuinely in the national interest and not in scoring points, he knows how to reach me. I remain prepared to meet, to listen, and to deal with these serious issues collaboratively.”