Updating an old accord between the Portuguese and Bermuda governments is the first order of business for new Honorary Portuguese Consul lawyer Andrea Moniz DeSouza.

Mrs DeSouza is Bermuda’s first Honorary Portuguese Consul in several years.

“One of my first duties will be to meet with the Bermuda Government to review and update an accord between the Bermuda Government and the Portuguese Government,” said Mrs DeSouza. “This is a 1982 agreement between the two governments, covering the general terms and conditions of employment and residence of Portuguese contract workers in Bermuda.

“The current accord includes many provisions which have not necessarily been followed over the years, including the teaching of the Portuguese language in schools and allowing Portuguese nationals to have their family accompany them in Bermuda during their time of employment here,” she said. “Azorean Portuguese permit holders have in the past been made to execute an undertaking prior to arriving in Bermuda, confirming that they would not send for their families during their time of employment in Bermuda.

“This was not only in contravention of the accord but was greatly discriminatory as other permit workers of non-Azorean descent were not requested to make such an undertaking.”

She said Azoreans were told that if they did not sign such an undertaking, their work permit would not be approved. She was happy that during recent conversations with the Bermuda Government, they assured the Portuguese Government that this is not the case currently and the ability of work permit holder having their family accompany them to Bermuda will be based on whether they meet a threshold of income that will allow them to support a family.

“Minister of Home Affairs, Michael Fahy, has advised the Portuguese Government that he recognises that this agreement considers the contribution that Portuguese contract workers have made to the development and progress of Bermuda,” she said. “Recognising that the principles which have governed recruitment, employment, and the residence of Portuguese contract workers in Bermuda have evolved over the years, the Ministry of Home Affairs is in agreement that the accord needs to be revised and updated.”

In recent years, Bermuda has had only a Technical Assistant to help Portuguese nationals. Unfortunately, the last Technical Assistant, Catarina Veloso, was in a bad traffic accident and had to leave the Island suddenly.

In 2011 Mrs Moniz DeSouza was elected President of Vasco da Gama Club, and became the club’s first female president. She works full time as an associate lawyer at Cox, Hallett and Wilkinson.

“I was approached by the Government a couple of years ago to take on the position of Honorary Portuguese Consul,” she said. “Initially, I didn’t think I had time for it.”

But she said after the last Technical Assistant left, and Portuguese nationals on the Island were left with no one to help them, she realised the importance of having someone local represent the Portuguese community in Bermuda.

“There have been a lot of people left stranded in Bermuda,” she said. “I have seen a lot of Portuguese struggling to get out of Bermuda because their passports expired. Some of them have been young people who want to take an exam abroad. Sometimes a person might need to leave suddenly if there is a death in the family and they find their passport has expired. We have been in continuous communication with the Portuguese consulates in London and mainland Portugal. There is a huge need for a Portuguese Consul based here.”

As Honorary Portuguese Consul she will have signing powers that will mean certain documents do not have to be sent overseas to be processed.

The Portuguese Consulate office in Melbourne House, on Parliament Street, will be reopened with an assistant based there on a permanent basis. Mrs Moniz DeSouza will work as a liaison between the Portuguese national community, the Bermuda Government and the Portuguese Government.

Having grown up in Bermuda, Mrs DeSouza said she understands the importance of the historical relationship between Bermuda and the Azores, as well as the unequivocal presence and integration of the Portuguese community in Bermuda. In her new position she hopes to not only assist Portuguese and Portuguese Bermudians in consulate and immigration-related matters but also assist in strengthening the historical ties between Portugal and Bermuda.

Mrs Moniz DeSouza was instrumental in introducing Portuguese language classes to the adult education programme at the Bermuda College. The third term of classes is now in full swing. As part of her tenure at Vasco she has encouraged more young people to join the club and has also gotten the club more involved in the greater community.