Three people have been suspended from their jobs while allegations of abuse by Child and Family Services staff are investigated, the Premier said yesterday.

Mr Burt told the House of Assembly that the investigations were at “various stages” and the results would be referred to “the head of the public service”.

Mr Burt was speaking after questions from Craig Cannonier, the Opposition leader, during Premier’s Question Time.

The former Ministry of Social Development and Sports launched an inquiry in August into allegations that children in care were mistreated by Child and Family Services staff.

Alfred Maybury, the director of the department, was later suspended over his handling of the complaints.

A second inquiry into the ddepartment was launched by the Department of Internal Audit last month, but the Government has not said what sparked the new investigation.

The Premier was asked yesterday by Mr Cannonier if he thought his decision to move Child and Family Services to the Ministry of Legal Affairs “may have been a mistake”.

Mr Burt said: “It was the correct decision and it will yield better results for our children.”

The Premier fielded a variety of other questions over the half-hour session.

MPs were told that no donations had yet been made to the fintech fund, set up to develop the fintech sector and support sports clubs, which was approved by the House in July.

Mr Burt said there were now 52 fintech companies licensed in Bermuda, but that they were held back by “complications to banking within this particular sector”.

He added: “The truth is that this industry will not be able to flourish because of a lack of banking services.

“Bermuda, in this case, is at a disadvantage.”

Former premier Michael Dunkley questioned Mr Burt on the purchase of Victoria Hall by Arbitrade, a cryptocurrency company that has bought the office block on Hamilton’s Victoria Street for its global headquarters.

Mr Burt said that Arbitrade had been vetted by the Registrar of Companies and that he had also asked the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce and the Business Development Agency for their opinions.

He said the BDA had “questions” about the company which sparked “enhanced due diligence”.

He added that Arbitrade’s directors had passed background checks.