title: Ernest DeCouto
text: # Ernest DeCouto
  
  Ernest D. DeCouto CBE (1926–2017) was a politician from Bermuda. He served as Speaker of the House of Assembly of Bermuda from 1993 to 1998.
  
  ## Early life
  
  DeCouto was of Portuguese descent. He was educated at the Whitney Institute, Gilbert Institute, Warwick Academy, and Bermuda Commercial School. He joined the Department of Agriculture in 1943, and later worked for Master's Ltd., Colonial Airlines, Eastern Air Lines, and Rego Ltd., a real estate firm. In 1960, DeCouto established his own real estate company, DeCouto and Dunstan Real Estate. He served as president until his retirement in 1992.
  
  ## Politics
  
  After serving on the Smith's Parish council, DeCouto was elected to the House of Assembly at the 1972 general election, winning the Smith's North constituency for the United Bermuda Party (UBP). He was appointed Minister of Youth and Sport in 1981, under Premier David Gibbons. DeCouto was elected Deputy Speaker in 1989 and Speaker in 1993, the first such officeholder of Portuguese descent. He retired from politics in 1998. According to John Barritt, DeCouto "had a very good grasp of the rules of parliamentary procedure and prided himself on keeping abreast of rulings and interpretations throughout the Caribbean, in particular, and the Commonwealth generally". Michael Dunkley said "as a Speaker he was first class — he ran a very good House [...] he ran a very direct debate and was extremely fair".
  
  