February 1, 2014

Dear Sir,

Who gave Arlene Brock the ‘mandate’ to talk about Tucker’s Town? The story once again, reiterated on the front page of The Royal Gazette, is not only basically factually wrong, more by omission, but is the usual half-truth, out of context, that are spoken by half educated people! To discuss Tucker’s Town, and the exercising of the principle of ‘eminent domain’, and to not mention the many, many more acres that were taken from black and white people on other occasions is basically mischievous, and it incites more anger/resentment in the black community.

The areas taken from almost certainly white people, including the more recent US Air Force and navel bases in 1940; the vast areas for the Royal Navy, and army garrisons; Prospect; St Georges, and the dozens of ‘forts’, not to mention the Boaz, and Watford Islands, would total twenty times more area than Tucker’s Town. And need I mention the railway right of way that carved through hundreds of properties, including my family’s. This is not to mention that more than half of Tucker’s Town was owned by white people! The land acquisition created a no doubt ‘white, exclusive enclave’, and blacks were not welcomed — let alone Portuguese, or ‘poor’ whites, for that matter!

We export nothing except the ‘memories’ that a visitor takes; the wealthy resident visitors at Tucker’s Town have taken but these memories that become more and more unpleasant as they are harassed at every level by the Bermudian people, who become more and more divided by this ignorant, short sighted commentary: “Tucker’s Town was stolen from black people”. I would hazard a guess that this community has poured (read haemorrhaged) $20 billion into our coffers, in today’s dollars, over the past ninety years — just the club, and the residents.

The part played by both Furness Withy, and Cunard in building our hotel infrastructure, should not be underestimated, and it would be interesting to discover how many millions of man hours were paid to the St Kitts people, building these hotels and the homes of the wealthy in this exclusive area. I assume this would resonate with Arlene Brock.

We read the possibility of ‘commercial immigration status’ — the ‘forty thieves’ were practicing this more than ninety years ago — in Tucker’s Town. But Arlene Brock was speaking to these graves, and their not being protected — this is another matter — can I ask if this church is a ‘black’ church? Once and for all, the contribution made by Tucker’s Town must be recognised — we export nothing! How many black Bermudians have had jobs in Tucker’s Town or businesses that are supported by Tucker’s Town? Ms Brock, I suggest you finish your education! Sincerely

SANDERS FRITH-BROWN