Deal with the truth

January 29, 2003

Dear Sir,

In the Royal Gazette dated January 28, 2003, Christian Dunleavy claims "The PLP is not about economic empowerment for black Bermudians at all". He tries to justify this charge by noting "PLP Senator, Calvin Smith eloquently articulated his party's hypocrisy on race during a Senate session when he said to UBP senators (Kim) Swan and (Leonard) Santucci "You used to be black once".

It is true that I made a statement resembling the Dunleavy quote during the budget debate of 2002, almost a year ago. My comment was made in response to the refusal of the UBP senators to support legislation designed to increase financial assistance to the poor and disadvantaged. I could not understand then nor now how any black person could be so indifferent to the needs of Bermuda's poor who happen to be overwhelmingly black, hence my comment.

Mr. Dunleavy's criticisms raise other issues. Firstly why does he place such importance on the fact that I was attempting to persuade the Opposition members to my point of view? Does he not realise that the attempt to persuade other politicians to your point of view is what parliamentary debates are all about? I only wish that the UBP and Independent Senators were as easy to convince, as Mr. Dunleavy seems to think is the case.

Secondly, the PLP has shown through its application of the Hotel Concessions Act that it is concerned fundamentally with enacting legislation, which it believes to be in the best interests of Bermuda. The major hotels that have sought assistance through the Act are certainly not black owned and in some cases are outspokenly UBP. Remember the complaint of Mr. David Dodwell to the recently deceased Minister of Tourism that he had not received his concession? The last I heard, the owner of the Reefs, Mr. David Dodwell, was very white and very, very UBP.

Mr. Dunleavy, Bermuda has enough serious problems with which to deal than to waste you time and that of everyone else dealing with issues that are based on little more than malicious gossip.

SENATOR CALVIN JM SMITH

Pembroke

The joy of sobriety

January 13, 2003

Dear Sir,

I just read the article dated this day on the drug treatment programmes of Bermuda on verge of collapse. Being a drug addict myself I felt the need to write of my success. Also I was wondering who or whom they were referring to. Let me explain. I've been a hard drug user since 1985 first cocaine then 1991, heroin. Last November I went to Turning Point to get on the methadone programme after numerous failures to get clean via withdrawal or detox meds on my own with no success. I for one can say that the methadone programme at Turning Point sawed my life I know for a fact that I would have ended up dead sooner more than later because I wouldn't have stopped.

I'm not sure if Turning Point was included in the report but seeing all the recovering addicts at Turning Point constantly that I don't think all of them are failing. What I'd like to know is did the big-shots from USA go to any meetings that are on every night of the week at different venues and hear some of the success stories? I assume they must not have. The meetings I go to are always so full of recovering addicts and or alcoholics that you have hell to breathe in some of them.

Maybe some agencies may be failing or have failures but collapsing that's a strong word. Yes, we fall but its if we pick ourselves back up that matters. And I can contribute my success to the counsellors at Turning Point and the programme of course. I'm off the street drugs and I'm not alone. Nor am I ashamed.

So to Turning Point keep up the good work and don't let false reports stop you from helping those of us that do want to be clean and sober. Thanks for listening.

CLEAN & LOVING IT

P.s. I forgot to mention I was thirteen years old when I started with marijuana before I graduated to the hard stuff. I'm forty-two now. And counting....

Praise for Rev. Hayward

January 28, 2003

Dear Sir,

I was pleasantly surprised to read in today's Royal Gazette, a letter from Ann Gimmell of Toronto regarding Rev. William Hayward of St. Mark's Church. Although I have only had one experience relating to Rev. Hayward when a close relative died by suicide, I found him kind and compassionate. Perhaps the members of the congregation at St. Mark's need to look at themselves to see how Christian they are.

DORIS M. GOODMAN

Smith's Parish

Qualified to speak

January 26, 2003

Dear Sir,

I picked up the weekend paper again and was very interested to see a long (apparently) legal document sent in by Mr. Stanley Kennedy, of The Architects Registration Council. There was a short preamble about the publishing of registered architects whom he says are: "qualified and authorised to offer services of architecture to the public". The word "authorised" is something I would definitely take exception to, in view of the fact that it is not only qualified architects who are authorised to offer design services. There is an organisation in place which consists of more than 20 members which actually calls itself the AAB (Architectural Association of Bermuda).

There are some interesting little aspects about this Association of which the general public may be unaware. The first is that the overwhelming majority of the membership is made up of black Bermudians, predominantly males who are going about their business trying to make a living and provide for their families. They are probably also interested in a little black empowerment which seems to be the catch word these days. The other interesting fact is the actual name of the organisation - Architectural Association of Bermuda. These two facts are interesting because Mr. Kennedy, who is a black man, seems hell bent on putting some of his brothers out of business by threatening to report them for calling themselves architects (if, indeed they are doing that), and he seems to be disclaiming the very existence of a bona fide Association which is recognised by Government which has held many meetings to which members of the AAB have been invited.

I also noticed in all the legal jargon that there was something about "Professional Conduct". Apparently The Architects Registration Council can take it upon itself to open an enquiry into any (presumably registered) architect whose conduct contravenes their moral and professional standard. This I found very interesting as well, in the light of a court case not long ago where one of the architects in charge of the Harbour Gardens project on Harbour Road was ordered, by the courts, to pay a local contractor the sum of $240,000 which was owing the contractor for work carried out on the site. The court case is now public record and any individual can trot down there and peruse the records.

Is this architect's conduct not disgraceful? Is he not indeed disobeying a direct court order? Should this architect not come under the scrutiny of The Registration Council? Indeed: "Where are you Mr. Kennedy?!" Mr. Kennedy has in the past sent in material to your paper Mr. Editor, the bulk of it concerning the practice of architecture in Bermuda. Some of it makes for interesting reading and food for thought. However, the overall thrust of this particular lecture in his version of the legality of who may or may not offer their services, is in the form of a very thinly veiled threat. Something which I find both ludicrous and yet mildly alarming at the same time.

I happen to offer design services, often of an architectural nature to my Clients. One of the things I often ask (tongue in cheek) of my Clients is why they come to me instead of one of The Capital A Boys. I would say a good 90 percent answer with the same thing: "Too damned expensive". Having recently designed a small cottage of 2,200 sq.ft. for a client, I was stunned to get back a number of quotes which hovered around $630,000 - for a little two bedroom cottage! Obviously, if people have to contend with such obscene building costs, they are not going to want to fork out (min.) ten percent of figures like that, to pay architectural fees. Has anyone ever taken the trouble to read the Schedule of Fees put out by the Institute of Bermuda Architects lately? You can ask for one at any one of the architectural firms listed in the yellow pages as "qualified". Have a good read sometime .... then give me a call.

JACK GAUNTLETT

Sandys Parish