May 6, 2005

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you all the way from New York ? crying at the same time! I was born in New York but have Bermudian blood running all through my veins thanks to my father and I am deeply saddened. I have spent countless summers in Bermuda from the time I was six months old and am now an adult and I am saddened by the recent rash of crimes on the Island.

I felt compelled to write to you because I read weekly and have always wanted to keep my ear to the ground as to the happenings on "my Island". I AM DISTURBED, HURT and SCARED for my relatives there.

The recent violence reads as if it were here in Manhattan or the Bronx but certainly not Bermuda. The article "Facing Bermuda's problem" by Matthew Taylor is an echo of what I have said in reference to the escalating crimes taking place in Bermuda.

However, I would like to comment on Mr. Horton's reluctance to bring US Gang Intelligence officers over to the Island to educate and help Bermudian officers. I understand officers are being sent here for training and that is a good thing but to me I think they also need to visit the Island to really assess the situation first hand and lend their expertise. I believe it would be a very positive step in getting Bermuda back from the grips of these crimes. To not do this ? to me is just being too proud. The officers here in the US deal with far more in terms of gang-related crimes than what the Island is seeing at this point and have effectively reduced these crimes in certain areas. The officers are trained extensively and are an effective force here against drug-related crimes and gang wars. I believe the Bermudian people need to get together and have a voice on what should be done on THEIR ISLAND and take steps to get their beautiful paradise back that many a visitor call home. If not tourism will surely die ? see word of mouth is the cheapest advertisement for increasing tourism but in this case could prove to be the costliest in deterring foreign visitors. Right now these heinous crimes are being played relatively low ? but eventually it will get out to the rest of the travelling world ... I shudder to think what will happen then.

Please re-think with care all that is being done to grab Bermuda back from these senseless crimes. Bermuda is the most beautiful Island that I know. This sentiment has been voiced a thousand times by many a traveller. Don't be too proud to ask for outside help. Get Bermuda back to the glorious Island it once was ? it is not too late!

A BERMIE AT HEART

May 7, 2005

Dear Sir,

The slave ship replica is visiting. Among the source books of Negro History, there is one called "The Royal Navy and the Slavers". It tells of many hundreds of sea battles by the Navy, single handed to shut this terrible trade down, beginning about 200 years ago, and continuing until slavery was finally abolished in Cuba in 1869.

They have great difficulties, particularly with the French, Americans and Spanish (mostly the Americans) who raised many legalities and lawsuits to stop the Navy. But it also tells of chases, captures and sinking or burning of the slave ships, freeing the slaves and returning them home. It also reports the landing of Marines to catch the traders, sad to say including the local owners of the barracoons, burning them down and closing their seaports.

It ends with, "Whenever the Navy was allowed to fight slavers, to burn barracoons, to blockade rivers, to make treaties and enforce them, it carried out its duties with patience and diplomacy ... had the Navy been given full freedom of action, the story of the Atlantic slave trade would have been shorter ... Under the limitations imposed upon it, the Navy fought a campaign against the trade that brought glory to the officers and men ? and to the fleet in which they served."

They are building a replica of a Bermuda sloop of the same time of the slave trade for 'sail training' and are holding a competition (notices in the paper) to decide a name and designs for flags to fly from the masts. The pictures of the original ship show it flying a Royal Navy flag. I remember reading that many Bermuda ships were sold to the Navy. Could it be that the original Bermuda ship was one of those that brought the slave trade to an end?

How appropriate this would be for the youngsters to sail in a replica of a ship that helped bring the trade to an end, and what would be better to fly one of these Navy flags to commemorate what the book says was often a very dangerous task.

April 29, 2005

Dear Sir,

After reading today's story of the violence against the women visitors, I'd like to say, "Not everyone is evil". I was escorting my 90-year-old female friend down a steep wet hill in the rain in Hamilton yesterday. We met a young man going in the opposite direction. He turned and escorted my friend down a block to a door to make sure she was OK. Hey Eagle Scout, another "Great Big Thank You!"

As we left WinDsor Garden heading for the library, a visiting Canadian gentleman covered us with his big umbrella and escorted us to the library door. Yes there are some nice, kind, good people left in this world.

April 26, 2005

Dear Sir

Let me explain something to both Government and Opposition, both sides have disrespected Bermudians profusely. When I heard one of the PLP members demanding respect from us, I felt literally sick to my stomach. Why? For obvious reasons. Neither side has any interest in the priority of this Island. A person has to be totally unaware of the seriousness of our problems.

Housing, high rents, poor service towards Bermuda and Tourism, attitudes from the haves towards the have nots. Forget racism, that will never cease. Is it even racism or resentment? Blacks are the first people. Get over it!

Now you want to talk about turning "Morgan's Point" into a golf course. You talk about respect again. That is a blatant disrespect to Bermudians.You forget who put you all in power. How soon we forget. Watch what you say, your arrogance is showing. How can we respect any of you. "Give it, get it". Right now most people are resenting both sides. We are quickly headed straight for HELL! Thanks. Your Ministers in this present Government can't even behave in public. Look how ignorant one of you behaved when you were asked to remove your shoes at the Airport. They should have thrown you in jail.

Look at the level of arrogance and ignorance of just two of your Ministries. Don't even get on radio or TV and tell anyone this Government should be respected. That is the highest level of disrespect towards voters who have been totally ripped off by your respect hungry egos.

Personally, I do not vote at all. I knew as a child listening to the adults talk politics, that there has never been nor will there ever be anything such as an honest politician. Please, to all of you smug MPs stop saying that you are doing your best. If your talking about that to please foreigners and international business then you are right.

As far as affordable housing, let me tell what that is. It is HOUSING THAT IS SET AT A LEVEL OF AFFORDABILITY WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF HOUSING ALLOWANCE AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

Get it right. Housing in the US is struggling too BUT the rents are definitely affordable. I know because I had a low income house for less then $250 per month, two bedrooms, living room, kitchen and full bath newly renovated. Imagine that. My biggest regret was coming back to Bermuda because it had changed dramatically from when I had left. If you do not own a home you are totally disrespected and ignored.

Thank you to both political parties for changing the very fabric of our Island. Bermudians need to take control. Respect you? That would be like Bush telling Iraqis to respect him.

'

May 5, 2005

Dear Sir,

On behalf of staff, volunteers, patients and their families at Agape House, I would like to express appreciation to you and Esso Bermuda for choosing our facility as the recipient of funds raised through your successful project at the end of 2004.

By donating a portion of the revenue from each litre of gasoline purchased during the months of November and December, along with profits from the sale of Tiger key chains, Esso raised over $30,000 for Agape House. We are thrilled that our patients and their relatives will benefit greatly from this significant donation. In addition, Esso Bermuda has made a bold statement about its commitment to supporting local non-profits.

With hundreds of registered charities on the Island each vying for financial assistance, Esso's decision to raise funds that benefit a worthy agency sets a fine example for other companies in Bermuda.

We are grateful to the management at Esso for their community-minded initiative and extend a heartfelt thank you to all those involved in this worthwhile endeavour. We feel very lucky indeed, to have been the recipient of funds raised by your successful project.

MS LENA OSTROFF

Coordinator, Friends of Hospice

April 26, 2005

Dear Sir,

I am writing out of deepest concern for Bermuda, her people, her land and her well-being. What has initiated this? Many things but most recently, the cover article written in the Bermuda Sun entitled, "Destiny". Among several probing questions, the reporter wrote, "...How much open space do we really need?" This most audacious question propelled me to write. I am deeply shocked at the insinuations of this question and have difficulty perceiving any lasting positive effect from it. How can one think that there is a defined, quantifiable amount of "acceptable" open space? Can one truly define the amount of "acceptable" stress a human can tolerate or the amount of clean air one can breathe? If we continue along the same line of questioning, can one define the acceptable amount of concrete surrounding you, filling every conceivable space ? no matter how much pastel paint covers it.

What is the minimal amount of unpolluted water that we can purify ourselves with or the amount of vibrant green from live healthy plants required to energise our being? How can we be reduced to such a lowly state to even question the value of open space? How could such a thought even enter our soul?

Has our current majority state of existence purely to pay bills, to pay back loans to the bank, to have every imaginable motorised, computerised convenience and yet more things so clouded our judgment?

What is the inevitable consequence of overdevelopment? What is an "acceptable" level of overdevelopment? Is there an acceptable level?

We are told there are benefits from the potential new mass development and greater availability of consumerism ? prosperity for all. Whose wealth? Whose prosperity? Whose well-being? Who benefits from more concrete?

Who is listening? Does anyone care about well being?

So I ask you again, how much concrete is acceptable?

DESIREE R. WARD

Concerned loving citizen

of Bermuda and Earth

City of Hamilton