Shocked by unionFebruary 11, 2011Dear Sir,I am just one of many Bermudians shocked by the union condoning the dishonest behaviour of one of their bus drivers. This is the second time that this man has abused the system, claiming sick leave and then working another job. He was warned of dire consequences the last time he did this same thing, and now the union is supporting him and saying that’s OK chum, just go ahead and do it again, we will support you.What sort of a message does this give the hard working, honest guy, who does his job, and is then called out to go on strike?Public transport is vital in Bermuda. I am surprised that the workers themselves are not up in arms about this, and not one of them has the backbone to stand up for what is right. There must be a certain amount of intimidation, or some good man would have the courage to stand up and say that this is not right.I am sure I am not the only one who remembers how, years ago, the unions nearly closed down the Island, calling out taxi drivers, hotel workers etc. Tourism has never really recovered from that fiasco.Something must be done to control the irresponsible behaviour of the unions before it is too late.E RABENPagetNew owners neededFebruary 10, 2011Dear Sir,Tucker’s Point Club SDO. The solution is shareholder dilutionWhy is one of Bermuda’s last areas of pristine land being held captive to statements from Ed Trippe, president of Tucker’s Point Club, that without this SDO the Rosewood deal will not go through and, as has been alluded to by many, that the bank loan with HSBC will be in greater jeopardy than it already is?This is not the only solution.Bring in new equity partners to buy some of the debt from HSBC and dilute the current shareholders’ value. Many of the shareholders are on the board of directors and have stood by while years of less than acceptable cost control management has allowed the tens of millions of dollars in revenue gained from fractional sales, residential sales and golf bond memberships to be spent poorly rather than to pay off the bank loan with HSBC and others. If approved, this SDO rewards poor executive board management by mostly non-Bermudian investors, thus allowing further development with a questionable return based on the past yields and history of a lack of cost containment.Let’s also be honest with ourselves here. Will this construction really save Tucker’s Point or is there a much deeper problem with the entire revenue vs. cost business model that will not be solved by a short term reduction of the debt, assuming that even occurs?Do not allow this SDO to happen.PAST EMPLOYEEPagetA Tucker’s Point solutionFebruary 9, 2011Dear Sir,I’m thinking that Tucker’s Point should be allowed to sell maybe 50 parcels of land to Bermudians only.This would help their financial problems and yet return some of this treasured land back to the Bermudian public who used to own it.It would help the construction industry as well.KENT STEWARTHamilton ParishThree star serviceFebruary 10, 2011Dear Sir,In Government’s defence of the Tucker’s Point SDO they have focused on the concerns of the “tree huggers” (although they have failed to address legitimate concerns). However, they have failed to explain how this SDO benefits Bermuda as a whole and specifically our tourism product.Tucker’s Point, Newstead and The Reefs are the three largest hotel developments (or redevelopments) in recent times. All three are in varying degrees of financial difficulty and what does this say about the sustainability of these projects? If this type of development is struggling how does dramatically increasing the size of one help the situation?What Government has failed to acknowledge is that the Bermuda tourism product is failing and we need to accept this before we can rebuild it. This product is not about fancy rooms, it is about an experience, an experience that will bring tourists back again and again. This product includes every Bermudian; Customs officers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, retailers, etc.There is absolutely no point in building 5-star rooms in Bermuda if Bermuda will only offer 3-star service. If Government is serious about tourism they shouldn’t be focused on SDOs, they should be focused on facilitating a seismic shift in the way every Bermudian treats our tourists (or any foreigner for that matter).FIX WHAT’S BROKEN FIRSTCity of HamiltonPs: This latest bus strike proves my point, a tourist won’t remember how nice his/her room was, he/she will remember being abandoned on the side of the road.Fantastic serviceFebruary 8, 2011Dear Sir,I would like to bring to the attention of your readers how much my wife and I appreciated the response of Joan Spurling of Gibbons Company.My wife and I flew to Bermuda on January 21, just a day after our 60th wedding anniversary, to spend the weekend. We have two dogs and we would never board them out as they had already been through enough. So our son volunteered to stay home with them. Before these two, we had two wonderful, loving, Golden Retrievers.As we arrived at the bus station I saw the Gibbons store across the street, so we decided to see what they had to offer.As we crossed the street I noticed in the glass doors what I thought was a Golden Retriever sitting inside. As I opened the door, there she was a stuffed, almost three-foot Retriever and I picked her up and hugged her. I fell in love with her, for it looked like my lovable ones I lost over the years. My wife offered to buy it for me as an anniversary gift. See, I have wanted to buy another Golden Retriever for some time, but my wife said two dogs were enough.As it was so big, I checked at the desk and I was given the e-mail address. Once home, I sent a e-mail to the Gibbons Company, and Joan Spurling responded. Several messages back and forth, and she said she could ship the dog to me. I agreed to pay whatever the cost would be.On January 28, 2011, I had just checked my e-mail and Joan said my dog was on the way. About 20 minutes later my wife said there was a man at the door, and when I opened it, there was my Golden Retriever dog.As I sat the box on the table, ripping off the tape to the top section and pulling the top off, there was my Golden Retriever looking right at me. I had tears in my eyes and kissed her. When I put the box on the floor, our Border Collie and Retriever started smelling the dogs ear and mouth. They didn’t seem to mind, and now that stuffed dog sits on the bureau in my bedroom, right next to the ashes of my Foxy and Muggy #2.Being 81 years old, you really appreciate when something comes up and a wonderful person like Joan Spurling steps forward to help you. Thank you, Joan Spurling.DONALD F. COLPITTSLynn, MassachusettsWorking solution?February 9, 2011Dear Sir,I have been discussing this latest “hot topic” of foreign workers taking jobs from Bermudians with other Bermudians and we have decided that a company that has employed a majority of foreign nationals to be labourers should have (as an example) four out of six employees Bermudians and two on work permits. Then this way in the event the Bermudians do fail to report to work, then at least the company will have its two dependable foreign workers to “fall in” if need be with the Bermudians that do “turn to”, still meeting a contract agreements.Of course, it will be a sad day to see businesses having to close because of staff failing to come in daily, in which case you fire them and then hire others. There are many people saying they can’t find work, well here’s an opportunity for them to be gainfully employed. No one wants to shut down their business, therefore if they must cut back on staff in order to remain in business then that is what they will do. If overheads are too much, make cuts … it’s only common sense.RAYMOND RAYSt George’sScrap Christmas lunchesFebruary 9, 2011Dear Sir,Something that should have been scrapped long ago those Christmas lunches for government department staff! Started by Dame Jennifer Smith as a gesture of celebration after the PLP came into power in November 1998, as far as I know they continue to this day.First of all, it was seen as a somewhat misguided gesture at the time as only about half the population were actually celebrating, and many felt this was not something that should come out of the public purse even first time around! When Ms Cox, as Finance Minister, was on the radio several months ago, I asked about those Christmas lunches. She said she felt there was nothing wrong with them, and that the department staffs deserved it as a gesture of thanks.The amount spent on that ‘perk’ (all government staff for 12 years of Christmas lunches) must surely amount to a huge sum by now, and, in my view, would have been much better channeled to the Salvation Army which, outrageously, has been suffering from cuts in its Government grant in recent years. I’m sure they could have very happily used those funds to feed the genuinely hungry! I don’t think there are too many government employees who seriously struggle to pay for their own Christmas lunches the way it always was prior to 1998. With jobs and hours now on the line because of the desperate (and largely unnecessary) financial hole we are currently in, most government employees would, I think, happily go along with this cut. Many are probably not even aware that it has been a government ‘treat’ all these years!PENNY HILL(Retired civil servant)Hamilton ParishTake this quizFebruary 9, 2011Dear Sir,It’s interesting to note the BDA’s insistence that the UBP acknowledge the UBP’s role in Bermuda’s racial divide. A cynic would say that if the white UBP members and supporters didn’t understand how and why they did what they did, they probably won’t comprehend it today.I have a little quiz for UBP members and supporters the white members and those of my generation (born in the forties) who had lives similar to mine middle to upper class privately schooled. And white they have to be white. Black UBP supporters need not apply.When you were 20 years old, did you look around you and think about the status quo? Did you wonder how you would feel about your chances economically if you had been born black in Bermuda?Did you have some uncomfortable questions for your parents regarding the segregated, privileged life you led?Did you see that there were separate Bermudas and that your future was assured, but had you been black, your upward mobility was going to be restricted, no matter how intelligent and well educated you were?Did you see anything wrong with that?Did you realise you lived in a racist community and that “your” people were the racists?Did you see anything wrong with that? Were you ashamed?Did you hear your parents, grandparents, neighbours, uncles and aunts talk about how there was a need to stop black professionals from getting a “foot in the door”?Did you hear stuff about black people not being smart enough to “take control”?Did you know that to be untrue? Did you think about it?Were you afraid of the BIU? If so, why?Did you support the formation of the UBP because you were afraid the PLP (black people) would take revenge if they achieved political power?Did you ask yourself why they would want to?Unless the white members of the UBP apologise, unequivocally and sincerely, for their witting or unwitting participation in past wrongs, the UBP as a group is useless to the BDA. Any amalgamation has to be between people who are like minded and if the UBP cannot bring itself to shed its racist members and acknowledge its racist history, then it cannot join the ranks of the BDA not if the BDA wants to survive.KATHLEEN BELLPagetDebt deceptionsFebruary 8, 2011Dear Sir,I am an avid reader of Walton Brown’s blog entries along with the column space afforded to him by this publication. I find the vast majority of his views are both balanced and measured, both of which are desperately needed within our democratic society. However, I was seriously disappointed by Mr Brown’s recent column entitled “The debt deception debate” as it appears to be heavily partisan as well as containing several half truths that are ultimately, well, deceptive.For example, I believe the PPP scheme undertaken by the Government, in conjunction with private sector participants, as a means of constructing the new hospital facilities is not reflected within the Government’s balance sheet and is actually an off-balance sheet exposure which will be accounted for years down the road. Thus, correct me if I am wrong, the enormous cost of building the hospital is not included within the most recent debt figures and in turn, Mr Brown’s insinuation that our gargantuan debt includes this expense is, incorrect. Also, Mr Brown notes the cost of a new incinerator plant as being a necessary expense and a large chunk of our overall debt. However, the only reason that one of the incinerators was forced to be taken offline, and trash stored at Morgan’s Point until completion, is due to this Government’s failure to adequately maintain the facility as required by the original builders of Tynes Bay. From what I am led to believe, it appears that the Union refused to allow the overseas contractor to fly down to Bermuda periodically to ensure the facilities were adequately maintained on the basis that “we don’t need no damn foreigners.” So I find it amusing that Mr Brown uses a Government failure (i.e. failure to adequately maintain and upgrade) to justify an expenses that did not need to come to fruition in the first place if the Government was proactive in this required maintenance on a very important facility to Bermuda.Also, considering the fact that Bermuda’s economy contracted by eight percent in real terms in 2009 (and more than likely a further contraction occurred in 2010), while the tax base has shrunk (i.e. expats and Bermudians leaving the island) coupled with the persistent budget deficits incurred under this Government, the less than 20 percent of Bermuda’s GDP might be misleading as well. But due to the inability to compile real time statistics, we probably will not know until 2012 at the earliest.Mr Brown notes the cost overruns which have occurred under the PLP and admitted that these amounts prove that they are no better in managing large public work contracts than the previous Government. I would love to see a comparison of such statistics. I would put hard money on the fact that the cost overruns on the TCD, Dockyard Pier and Berkeley projects alone far outstrips any overruns incurred by the previous Government. They actually amount to the approximate debt levels inherited by the PLP and maintained by the late Eugene Cox until his passing. So in actuality it appears the current Government is actually far worse than the UBP in their ability to adequately manage large scale contracts.Finally, I was surprised by Mr Brown’s argument that comparing Bermuda’s debt ratios to that of much larger nations is justifiable and relevant. How can he sit there with a straight face and state that comparing Bermuda’s debt position to that of the UK and/or USA is a reasonable measure of our overall financial position? Mr Brown states that Bermuda is no different to these nations, which this Government continually uses as a comparison when attempting to justify our skyrocketing debt levels. I, and any right-minded person, wholly disagree with this argument and I believe that Mr. Brown also understands that comparing a punt (i.e. Bermuda) to aircraft carriers (i.e. US, UK etc.) is an inadequate comparison and totally disregards the important qualitative factors involved. How can you compare an island with an approximate 60,000 population with no income tax and just about solely reliant on one economic pillar to countries that have a tax base of millions upon millions of citizens with a wider tax system (i.e. income taxes, corporate taxes etc), whose economies comprised of many different pillars while also retaining central banks who have the ability to print off hard currency if needed to satisfy any debt obligations which arise? So Mr Brown, please advise as to why and how you think that comparing tiny little Bermuda to massive nations comprised of millions of citizens is an accurate measure of Bermuda’s financial position? As they say, you can make stats say anything.Ironically, the most deceptive part of Mr Brown’s’ article entitled “The debt deception debate” is his article in its entirety. But as long as you and your party win, right Mr Brown? That is all that matters.NO FOOLCity of Hamilton