It could never happen!

January 7, 2008

Dear Sir,

First of all, let me say thank God the election is over, and if we are complacent enough, we can sit back and let the fates take us wherever. Or, we can get off our fat behinds, and fight the fight to ensure that government is operating in the best interest of Bermuda and her people!

I am not happy with the outcome of this election, as it was the dirtiest and most repulsive election that I have ever witnessed. It was not won on the issues facing Bermuda or what was best for Bermuda on a whole! It was not won on credibility, or principles! It was won by the lowest and most underhanded — mudslinging garbage that I have ever seen. The race issue was their trump card and the poor unthinking people of Bermuda were used as pawns.

I watched some of the PLP's campaign on You Tube and there was this ranting and raving about "going back to the plantation". How in the world can we go back to a plantation in this day and age? It could never, ever happen! We could reincarnate a Hitler before we could recreate a plantation! This was all playing to minds of some people who thrive on this sort of thing — "stir the people up about race and we'll have them eating out of our hands"! And stir the people up they did — because 2 people have told me that they have had stones thrown at their car — one was given the "finger", and another on her way to a business luncheon was questioned as to why she was with a "white" man!

The PLP should be ashamed of the way they conducted their campaign. They talk about the exploitation of blacks by whites, well, let me tell you, the PLP have exploited their own people for their own advantage, and unfortunately, there are people out there who are too naive and uninformed about facts, figures and the real issues to realise this, consequently, as long as we have these people going to the polls, the PLP will always win as it is the numbers that are in their favour.

After the election one friend e-mailed me she was happy with the outcome of the election and that the people had "spoken"! I replied to her and said yes, the people have "spoken"! BUT, what have they spoken for? I guess we will just have to wait and see!

How many places in the world (with the exception of some country run by a dictator) do you have people running for government with court cases pending against them for theft and fraud or whatever, being elected? It seems like "only in Bermuda"! Any other country, this would never happen. If your character were questionable, you would have to resign — BUT, in Bermuda, that is unheard of.

With the mention of character, it brings to mind a statement made on one of the talk shows last week by the defender of Dr. Brown's character, LaVerne Furbert. She said that Dr. Brown's character is "impeccable"! Is this wishful thinking on her part or is she dreaming? Impeccable means perfect, flawless, spotless, and unimpeachable, also, it means above reproach, immaculate, and unsullied. For Ms Furbert's knowledge, the last person whose character fit the above was nailed to a cross and he, dear lady, was capable of raising people from the dead and driving OUT demons, not inventing them!

I have said this before and I'll say it again! I do not care who runs this island! The only thing that I care about is how it is run, and if we have people at the top who are questionable in character and in their mode of governing, then they should be made to resign. This is where the voter's bill of rights comes in because after all, if you put them in there, you should be able to take them out. Remember, the government was not won by 100 percent of the voting population; it was won by 53 percent so that means there are 47 percent of the voting population who disagree with the ruling party.

Mr. Editor, it is a sad day when people can be used to further someone's own cause. It was wrong in the past, and it is wrong now! But, after all is said and done, I guess we will just have to wait for the dust to settle to see what the PLP Government has in store for the future of Bermuda. All I hope is while the dust is settling, the wind doesn't blow it in their eyes; blinding them into thinking they have won the war while the battle is still raging! Sincerely,

PAT FERGUSON

Serve your country

January 9, 2007

Dear Sir,

On January 6 on HOTT 107.5 there was a Talk Show on conscription. It had the father of a conscripted young man, Mr. Larry Marshall as the guest and the two hosts, Jamal and former Senator Ms Morris. This show was highlighting why not to have conscription by the panel. The way emotion was heard on the show that night, it maybe futile having persons in favour of conscription on another show with those against it, as there maybe more shouting than debating, thus no solutions. You see the grassroots level can take points to Government.

Presently there are two known organisations that have started up to have conscription taken off the Bermuda Law books, and or amended. They have every right to oppose conscription, and whether they win or lose the fight, the least that could happen is the amendment of the Bermuda Defence Act, improvements in the way the training is done at the Regiment, and/or the compulsory placing of young man and women in specific organisations. With the latter those organisations would need to be more accountable to the public through Government.

If it is true that an objector does not serve in any capacity in the Bermuda Regiment while their case is being heard, then that should change. I feel they should all have to go through the paces of the Regiment while objecting. That means learning how to serve their country in the Regiment even if for a short time.

ROGER LAMBERT

Sandys

The past's importance

January 6, 2007

Dear Sir,

Of late, in particular since Premier Brown placed the "Big Conversation" on Bermuda's agenda, many people, and mostly white Bermudians, are imploring us to forget the past. They say it makes no sense to remember the past, and instead Bermudians should be looking towards the future. In my opinion, no right thinking person would suggest that any of us forget the past. Here are just a few examples of what would happen in Bermuda, and indeed the planet, if the past was forgotten:

1. Supporters of the UBP would stop asking for the BHC file to be re-opened. After all, that was in the past.

2. Employers would no longer request resumes from potential employees. Any previous work experience would have no relevance in the future, as we are all going to forget the past.

3. Magistrates and judges would no longer require past police records, social inquiry reports or any other information on those people who are convicted of crimes.

4. Doctors would have no need for a patient's medical history. Indeed if we all forgot the past, filing systems would no longer be necessary in offices.

5. Lawyers would no longer request mortgage documents from previous owners which would include deeds on properties that buyers wish to purchase.

6. Bank records would be a thing of the past and that $5,000 or $10,000 deposited last week or last month would not affect one's current account.

7. Education officials would no long request student transcripts or report cards.

8. The Maritime Museum, the Bermuda Library, the Bermuda Government Archives Department should close their doors, because remember, we're forgetting the past. In fact, there would be no need for any official records, so the Government Administration Building, Global House, TCD and other government office should cease to exist.

I could go on and on, but hopefully just through those few examples, those white (and black) Bermudians who are suggesting that we should forget the past should see what folly they speak when they say we should forget the past.

The past is as important, or more so than the future. In order the change the future we need to understand the past. In the Bermuda context, in order to heal the racial chasm which in my opinion has gotten wider and deeper since 1998, we all must look at the past, see where we went wrong and help to move Bermuda forward.

LAVERNE FURBERT

Hamilton Parish

Take responsibility

December 28, 2007

Dear Sir,

Since the PLP victory a variety of anti-PLP columnists have undertaken to advise the PLP how they should proceed in going forward. In each case their columns make the same pre-election assumption that the UBP and its supporters are as 'pure as the driven snow' and are always 'on the high road' (despite their consistent personal attacks on the Premier.)

They assign to the UBP and its supporters no responsibility whatsoever for our racial divide and seem to feel that they have no responsibility to minimise this divide going forward. It never seems to occur to these columnist that it would take a Christian saintliness that I have not seen in any of our politicians or others to reach out to, or try to reconcile with, politicians who see the Premier as a 'laughing stock' and too guilty of being racially divisive and too 'tainted' etc., etc., etc. and must be replaced.

These columnists are not looking to minimise the racial divide, if they were they would not continue these attacks on the one person who is so vital in making the decisions on how we do go forward. Surely they do not believe that the PLP is going to take instruction from them regarding its choice of leaders. Those days of whites determining black leaders have long since passed. Their failure to assign any responsibility to the UBP and its supporters for our racial divide either in the past or going forward makes positive movement almost impossible.

All of this advice to the PLP is against the background of questions being raised about the continued existence of the UBP. One UBP supporter has warned the PLP that it is at risk of their supporters joining the UBP or creating a new opposition party peopled by its own dissidents.

There is irony in the UBP-biased commentator's warning since PLP supporters have seen this solution to ensure the development of true democracy. In brief, they have urged the dissolution of the UBP in order to break the white political solidarity and thereby permitting the development of two predominantly black parties with contrasting ideologies rather than on race as is the case at present.

Thus there is no risk to the PLP but perhaps to the white community that seems to need a political party that they can dominate and to which they can give their monolithic support. Certainly it is no risk to the black community and therefore to Bermuda and that is what counts. It would lay the foundation for developing true democracy.

EVA N. HODGSON

Hamilton Parish