A year ago David Burt highlighted the island’s hopes for medical tourism and forecast “a further announcement on this initiative during the third quarter of 2023”, but last week, the Premier stressed that the onus was on the private sector to bring it to reality.

Medical tourism has been touted as a potential industry for Bermuda since 2012, and most recently featured in the 2023-24 Budget Statement.

There were no updates on the initiative and The Royal Gazette asked government officials about the progress in December and January.

Asked last week if the plan was still live, Mr Burt said: “Work continues.”

He added: “Here’s the most important point. It is not something that is going to be funded by the Government.

“I think everyone wants the Government to answer for what the private sector is doing, but the private sector is the one.

“We do not want everything funded by government. Government can’t be the answer to all things for all people.

“If we’re going to move, to advance to a place where we are friendly for investors, supported by our banking community, we need to make sure that’s something done in the private sector and not the public sector.”

In February 2023, Mr Burt said that a “committee of stakeholders, along with leading professionals, investigated this opportunity further and, given Bermuda’s proximity to the US and Canada, its desirable climate for medical treatment recovery and its positive reputation for quality and standards, Bermuda was determined to be an ideal location for a world-class medical tourism facility”.

If realised, medical tourism could bring “thousands” of new visitors annually, with the Bermudians filling positions in a “world class” clinic.

On Thursday, the Premier called it “a private sector initiative that the Government is doing its best to support”.