Bravo G&S for History Boys

May 27, 2010

Dear Sir,

I went to grammar school in Sheffield many years ago and have the same surname as one of the main characters in Alan Bennett's wonderful play, "The History Boys". The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Bermuda's recent production at City Hall was therefore, for me, something of a must-see event. I was blown away by how good it was. A brilliantly directed cast, some with very little acting experience, brought this long, complex and adult play vividly to life. The closing night's standing ovation was very well deserved. I would like to thank and congratulate all concerned, and make the following proposals:

1) That Marjorie Stanton, President of the Society, be made a Dame;

2) That the Society be nominated as a Bermuda Hero for its courage in bringing an R-rated, non-musical smash hit to the City Hall stage;

3) That Bermuda, instead of building casinos, promote itself internationally as a place of theatrical excellence.

With regular productions of the quality of "The History Boys", perhaps performed in our major hotels by both local and visiting theatre groups, there would be long lines at box offices rather than at casino doors, and no losers.

CLIVE DAKIN

City of Hamilton

Guard our freedoms

May 20, 2010

Dear Sir,

On Tuesday May 18, I opened The Royal Gazette to find two letters headed "Take crime off Page 1" and "Responsible Journalism". Then within days, articles concerning the possible establishment of a "Media Council", composed of board members appointed by the incumbent government appeared in the news. The writers of the two above-mentioned letters showed concern that unpleasant news was being published in a highly visible way.

One writer wrote: "The vast majority of tourists and locals do not need to be pummeled every morning by news that, for the most part, they cannot do a damn thing about."

Neither letter writer took a position on the news itself: just that it made headline news. They had chosen to "shoot the messenger". I find it extraordinary that John Faiella, author of the first letter, who presumably is an enfranchised Bermudian, feels that under the laws which govern this country, he is helpless to change matters; to bring public opinion to bear to begin to deal with the out of control lawlessness which pervades everyday life, and which is taking young lives at a horrifying rate.

The other writer, Coggie Gibbons, felt that the intended "unclothed intimidation" of the public by the message on the T-shirt should not have been published. I feel that there is an abject lack of understanding of world history at play here. Throughout the history of mankind there have been those who would turn their backs on criminality, and those who would bury their heads in the sand rather than deal with menace. There have been those who wished it would all go away.

In those periods where such attitudes prevailed, opportunistic politicians, popes, kings and queens, emperors, and dictators took advantage of the public's desire to sweep unpleasant things under the carpet. When freedom of the people to be honestly and forthrightly informed of events is controlled and censored, the door is opened to the gradual erosion of truth and to the growth of deception and propaganda. History is populated with examples of where failure to face events has led to denial of such events, and the rewriting of history. The single most precious thing for which millions were tortured and died, was The Truth, painful though it may be to have to face it squarely in the eye for those who would prefer to consign it to Page 10.

Among Stalin's victims, Hitler's victims, Pinochet's victims, Salazaar's victims, Franco's victims, The Church's victims, the victims of state censorship, and The Inquisition, were many millions who with their blood provided for us who live today the fragile freedom which is part of the fabric of a democratic state. If we as a community do not know that there is a blatant attempt to intimidate jurors and potential witnesses, then we cannot arm ourselves with the knowledge to find a solution to the problem. Instead of providing a lucrative stipend and sinecure for yet another group of underemployed officious busybodies to bureaucratically interfere with the free press, we should leave it to the press to publish judiciously within the tenets of the existing laws of libel and slander, etc.

Doesn't it shock anyone any more that composers and writers in many countries were jailed for failing to toe the official line? And many were sent to their deaths. The body of the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca has still not been found. Printing presses were smashed and journalists executed, or exiled to life in a Siberian gulag. The list of those defenders of The Truth who suffered for their cause, and what is, after all, ultimately our cause, is endless.

Today, it appears that The Press are the sole remaining defenders of our right to be informed and are vigilant and courageous enough to expose injustice, corruption, and the constantly-mutating and adapting and evolving insidious predators which threaten the very foundations of our democratic state. Dear readers of The Royal Gazette, I beg of you; fiercely guard that freedom which has cost so many lives and which protects our lives today. We owe it to history's victims and for the security of future generations.

TACITURNUS

Warwick

P.s. Recommended reading: Franz Kafka "The Trial".

Time for a change

May 19, 2010

Dear Sir,

Yesterday I returned home on US Airways flight 1062 from Charlotte, North Carolina. It is normal practice for the staff on flights coming into Bermuda to give passengers the usual Immigration and Customs forms to complete before arrival in Bermuda. This was the case yesterday as I along with many others on that plane carefully completed our forms.

Upon arrival, I passed through the Immigration counter successfully, but when I arrived at the Customs window and handed in my form, I was told "That the form is incorrect, please fill out this one". The two forms almost looked identical, nevertheless I quickly copied what I had written on the wrong form into the new one. I should add that the lady behind the counter could not have been more helpful. She let me quickly fill the form there at the window. In fact I had done it whilst she calculated the payment for what I had bought. The old one was clipped to the new one and on I went to collect my baggage.

Sir, the reason for this letter and the above information is not to levy any criticism at the staff at the airport, on the contrary they greeted me with warmth and kindness. Mind you, all around me, there were many passengers who were annoyed and showed their annoyance to the staff. It seems to me that every time I travel, that particular form changes. Frankly I cannot see why it changes, but surely it is important to make sure the correct form is distributed to the airlines. It would certainly avoid confrontation between passengers and staff at the airport.

Those who go into travel agents, or airlines offices to book flights will no doubt receive the right forms, but those who book an electronic ticket depend on what they are given by the airline. Surely it would be simple for our Government to arrange for the correct forms to be given to Bermudians by the airlines as they leave Bermuda instead of on the plane coming home.

BETTER NEXT TIME

Devonshire

Time to teach values

May 25, 2010

Dear Sir,

There was a time when if you misbehaved in school, when you got home you had another punishment! Such was the support from the parents and the community for the teachers., and the schools. We seem to be seeing the corrosion of this very vital factor within the framework of our every day life. Perhaps out of fear, fear of a backlash or an investigation which invariably seems to favour the felon or the complainant, and leaves the victim vulnerable and having to defend himself.

It must be hard and even intimidating to do your duty and then find yourself under a microscope. We see it in the courts, the schools and the labour force. The police who work so hard to apprehend the villain and then sees a suspended sentence handed out, must get very discouraged.

We placate to make it easy which is the beginning of the rot, discipline which we seem to have lost respect for and perception applied with common sense are deep factors as to why we are in the state we are in today, we seem to have so many of our core values backwards. Respect for discipline and the law, are key factors for a road to recovery. All parents should teach their children these values, and support those who administer them.

DIANA WILLIAMS

Pembroke

We need pooper scooper law

May 21, 2010

Dear Sir,

I applaud Lisa Outerbridge's plea to dog owners to "pick up" after their dogs in the botanical Gardens but fear her plea will have fallen on deaf ears (Letter to Editor, 'Could ruin it for everyone"). It is astounding that despite having plastic bags available for dog owners, they do not have the courtesy to use them. Dog faeces may harbour intestinal parasite eggs which can go into the ground and infect other animals and humans. If there isn't a Pooper Scooper Law in Bermuda, then one should be implemented immediately; if there is, let's start enforcing it and slap the inconsiderate dog owners with a $100 fine as is done in Boston, New York, London and other places.

MARIA WHITTLE

St. George's

Remove your barbecue

May 18, 2010

Dear Sir,

This letter is for the person who "planted" their old rusty barbecue over the wall and in the bushes on Warwick Lane approximately one year ago. I regret to inform you that the barbecue has never taken root. Therefore, it would be appreciated if you would remove it and take it to the dump! Let's keep Warwick — and Bermuda — clean.

L. MADEIROS

Warwick

Boom time

May 21, 2010

Dear Sir,

It is time for us (Bermuda) to put booms against the oil, all around this little island.

VERY CONCERNED

Sandys