A Trimingham?s market

April 21, 2005

Dear Sir,

The announced closing of the Trimingham?s store was shocking to our small community and the thought of the valuable space being used for offices very disappointing.

A friend of mine had a great idea for the building and that is to turn it into an indoor market or mall with a variety of small businesses being able to rent a space ? from kiosk-size to larger sizes. This would provide vendors with small operations an opportunity to sell their wares and enjoy ?a piece of the pie?, while providing something interesting for the visitor (and all us locals as well).

This idea would preserve the space for use by the local community who might even want to employ the former Trimingham?s staff members.

I am sending a copy of this letter to the Bank of Bermuda/HSBC in the hope that they might consider this use of the building, rather than taking up this prime retail space for offices.

Going out of business sale?

April 14, 2005

Dear Sir,

?We are each other?s customer? has made a detailed response to complaints raised about Trimingham?s. The writer described himself/herself as an ?ex-employee? but the letter would indicate a little more involvement than that.

However, reading through the entire letter, one item stands out: ?The need to remain competitive with the US market.? However, in spite of more ?sales per square foot? than the US, the ?need to operate on shortened margins? plus the additional costs of higher overheads still made such an approach doomed to failure.

Overall it was not a particularly good business plan. Most US stores, on any given day, have sales where discounts of 20 percent plus are offered. So ?USA Recommended Retail? really doesn?t have much significance. And in Bermuda another store on Reid Street, in its normal sale, was offering 20 percent to 30 percent the same time that Trimingham?s had the ten percent to 20 percent ?going out of business? sale.

But then you have to wonder why an American tourist would want to buy US goods in Bermuda at ?recommended retail? when he/she can get in the car and drive down the road and buy them in the local mall ? and most likely at a discount. Pricing is not the only factor when you deal with tourists; the need to buy something which is different and can?t be bought at home is also a factor.

That is why Harrods is always packed with US tourists paying over the odds for goods and also why I never buy Outerbridge?s Sherry Peppers in New York even though I can save ten percent on the Bermuda price!

With regards to the banner, the writer says the ?same formulae is attached to most closures of this kind?.

Well, Trimingham?s is not some Persian rug shop on Fifth Avenue in New York which has being going out of business for the past ten years. Anyone coming in on a cruise ship does not need to see such a sign as an enticement to shop at Trimingham?s, they are going to go in there anyway. The sign is not in keeping with the image of Bermuda and should be removed.

Overall one has to feel a huge amount of sympathy for the employees of Trimingham?s but, in the end, time caught up with a business which had been kept alive for years by a compliant local bank.

High airfares kill tourism

April 21, 2005

Dear Sir,

I want to share an excerpt of an email I received a couple days ago from a friend who had planned to visit with her husband and two children. I think it highlights the most significant problem with Bermudian tourism.

?... when Pete and I looked up airline tickets to come and see you, we were really surprised by the high fares.

We had expected to pay about $1,000-$1,500. We didn?t realise that it is really more like $2,500.

?I wish I didn?t have to say this ? but we really can?t swing that right now. Your generous offer to have us stay in your house and all is so sweet. I wish we had anticipated the high airline costs when we thought we could come!?

That decision not to visit was made by a family most people would consider to be quite financially comfortable. And remember they would have stayed in our home and would not incur hotel costs.

I know the Island is working hard to improve tourism, but until airplane ticket prices come down, I can?t imagine the visitor numbers going up. It baffles me that fares to/from Bermuda to most East Coast gateway cities range from $400-600 when the flying time is roughly, only 1 hours. Yet with a flight time of 2 to 3 hours from those gateway cities to South Florida, airfares typically range $200-300.

The Island should be ?beating them away with a stick?, as they say, because Bermuda is so lovely and so easy (short flight, no change of planes) to reach from Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. It breaks my heart that airfares are so high. Without that obstacle, and especially in the wake of 9/11, it seems tourism would be cookin? here.

Can someone explain to me what drives those airfares so high?

Age and the Anglicans

April 19, 2005

Dear Sir,

I am mystified by Southampton?s Anglican letter. Viewing the conclave of Cardinals about to elect a new Pope, age does not seem to play such a large part in the Roman Catholic Church. Perhaps Anglicans need a little more discipline.

Not a housing issue

April 21, 2005

Dear Sir,

I am a bit appalled by the article on the front page of today?s RG entitled ?Pregnant mother of four facing life on the streets.?

Firstly ? a 22-year old with FOUR children and one on the way ? hasn?t she heard of the revolutionary concepts of birth control or condoms? FYI ? Birth Control is provided at very affordable costs at the Health Clinic.

Wouldn?t a person realise that after having at least two or three children that it would be financially irresponsible to continue to reproduce, especially without a full time job to support them?

I agree with the point that there is a severe housing shortage on the Island and the system has it limitations but it is not the system?s limitations that have resulted in her current situation; it is her own life choices, for which she (or the father) must take responsibility.

Although we should respect her freedom of choice, she must also face the consequences of her actions. According to the article, she does not even have a full time job.

Now the everyday taxpayer is stuck paying for her home, children, and livelihood because of her irresponsible decisions in life and to top if off, decides to put this story on the front cover to re-enforce the housing shortage and the limitations of our system. It?s not the system that is the problem, it irresponsible people.

I?m not saying that no one should help this young lady, because she definitely is in need of support.

I would never wish such circumstance on anyone. However, examples such as this reiterate the importance of proper preventative sex education in schools, homes and in the general community. In the bigger picture, it also shows the importance of teaching our youth the ideals of responsible and mature decision making and considering the possible consequences of their actions.

Capitalism at work

April 2, 2005

Dear Sir,

Just a little story that might amuse some of our citizens.

A little boy goes to his Dad and asks, ?What is politics?? Dad says, ?Well son, let me try to explain it this way: I?m the breadwinner of the family, so let?s call me CAPITALISM. Your Mom, she?s the administrator of the money, so we?ll call her the GOVERNMENT.

?We?re here to take care of your needs, so we?ll call you the PEOPLE. The nanny, well consider her the WORKING CLASS. And your baby brother, we?ll call him the FUTURE. Now, think about that, and see if that makes sense.?

So the little boy goes off to bed thinking about what Dad had said. Later that night he hears his baby brother crying, so he gets up to check on him.

He finds that the baby has severely soiled his diaper.

So the little boy goes to his parents? room and finds his mother sound asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he goes to the nanny?s room. Finding the door locked, he peeks in the keyhole and sees his father in bed with the nanny. He gives up and goes back to bed.

The next morning, the little boy says to his father, ?Dad, I think I understand the concept of politics not.?

The father says, ?Good son, tell me in your own words what you think politics is all about.?

The little boy replies, ?Well, while CAPITALISM is screwing the WORKING CLASS, the GOVERNMENT is sound asleep the PEOPLE are being ignored, and the FUTURE is in deep s**t.