A government senator pushed abortion to the forefront in September.

Arianna Hodgson, the Junior Minister of Labour, Finance and Health, told the Upper House on September 25 that Bermuda’s Therapeutic Abortion Committee had denied a woman’s application to terminate her pregnancy.

She explained: “I cannot begin to express what I felt when I learnt that her application had been denied and that the committee would not be authorising the termination of her pregnancy.

“Beyond the mental and physical toll, there was a strong element of financial hardship, which led to this decision to terminate her pregnancy.”

The committee, which comprises “obstetricians, a psychiatrist and a general practitioner”, authorises if and when pregnancies can be terminated in Bermuda.

Permission to terminate is given only if the pregnancy resulted from sexual assault or incest or if the mother’s life is at risk by going to full term.

Ms Hodgson told senators: “We often say that the problems we face in Bermuda are typically global issues and so we in Bermuda are not removed from the challenges that women around the world are facing on a day-to-day basis.

“The truth is that women’s ability to access safe and legal abortions is often restricted in law or in practice in many countries around the world.”

She added: “I hope my comments will force each of us to consider what we believe and then, once we have determined what we believe, to take it a step farther and decide whether we would like to see our government advance legislative amendments that will preserve a woman’s right to choose.”

Lindsay Simmons, the Junior Minister of Home Affairs, and Kiernan Bell, the Vice-President of the Senate, supported Ms Hodgson’s comments, which were also commended by the Women’s Resource Centre.

The organisation said “systemic barriers continue to prevent women in Bermuda from exercising their fundamental right to make decisions about their bodies and futures”.

Juanae Crockwell, the WRC executive director, said taking away a woman’s right to abortion was “deeply problematic” and called the abortion committee “unconstitutional and outdated”.

Ms Crockwell demanded an open dialogue that would lead to every woman in Bermuda being able to “make decisions that directly affect her health, body and future”.

The body of former educator Janet Niklaus was found near Rockaway Lane, Southampton, on September 7, ending an extensive search for the 70-year-old, who was last seen on August 30.

Bermuda Police Service Detective Chief Inspector Jason Smith said Ms Niklaus’s disappearance was concerning given her age and medical state.

Civilians, police and the Royal Bermuda Regiment used drones and a special K9 unit during the search, which began in Dockyard and continued east.

Ms Niklaus’s body was found less than one mile from her home on Whale Bay Road.

Michael Weeks, the Minister of National Security, thanked everyone who joined in the search and said her death was a “devastating loss for our community”.

Marc Bean, founder of the Free Democratic Movement, returned to politics when he was unveiled as the party’s candidate for the Sandys North by-election, which was called after Kathy Lynn Simmons, the Attorney-General, resigned from politics in August.

The Reverend Emily Gail Dill, for the Progressive Labour Party, independent candidate Ci’re Bean and Carl Neblett, of the One Bermuda Alliance, also contested the by-election.

Jarion Richardson, leader of the OBA, wrote to Rena Lalgie, the Governor, objecting to the polling station for the by-election.

It was announced in August that voters in Sandys North would cast their votes at Allen Temple AME Church, where Dr Dill is a minister and her husband a pastor.

Mr Richardson explained: “The point of the objection is that I don’t see how we could have a fair, free and trusted election, and I mean that on behalf of everybody, not only candidates.”

Ms Lalgie later said she “does not have an explicit power” to change where an election takes place once a writ of election has been issued.

She explained: “Regardless of the merits of any concerns or objections, it is my view that a governor being seen to interfere in the election process in circumstances where they do not have an explicit legal power is less than ideal.”

Mr Richardson and the OBA called for a judicial reviewof the Governor’s decision, but Larry Mussenden, the Chief Justice, rejected the application.