Deal with the issuesJanuary 10, 2005

Dear Sir,As a young Bermudian mother I have no choice but to fly the anti-independence flag because I have only to look at my beautiful son to think of more pressing issues than national pride. It should come as no surprise that I refer to affordable housing, affordable “top notch” education and adequate legislation that truly protects our children from sexual predators. While I’m at it I’ll add to that list the increasing cost of healthcare. I’m aghast at what I have to pay for my child’s healthcare beyond my hefty insurance premium. It increases every year and unfortunately not on par with the cost of living increase some of us may receive. Each year brings rising expenses and little for the average family to call savings.

I know saving for my dream home, a little cottage with a yard and a white picket fence which in today’s market is outrageously priced at 1.2 million, is simply not an option. While this Island may be faced with some of the ageing having to choose between their prescription drugs or groceries while they own their own homes (“the cash poor” someone called them), most young families have to choose between feeding and affording the best possible care/education for their children or owning a small piece of the rock they will one day inherit (in a bad state of repair I might add).

The way I see it now is that my peers and I are in for a lifetime of struggle and by the time we are considered members of the ageing population, we will simply be referred to as “the poor”. Seriously does someone of influence have a plan here? In response to Ed Ball’s inference in today’s Royal Gazette that Bermudian women may need to have more children to address the ageing population, I say to this Government “Make it worth our while!”

The social fabric of this island is collapsing around us and unless you want to add to that by creating a generation of latch key kids (essentially children who are forced to raise themselves because both parents are working two or three jobs and are never home), I suggest you make housing, healthcare, education and crime your top priority. When I actually see something tangible being done to improve the livelihood of young Bermudian families then my husband and I would happily welcome a second bundle of joy. Until then to the ageing population: “I hear Florida is a nice, affordable place to retire!” Signed,FIONA LINES

PembrokeThree dishesJanuary 11, 2005

Dear Sir,Nice round up of ABC by Mr. Dunleavy, although I would not put idealism and Sharon in the same sentence. I would say Sharon is a political realist and quite amoral. Nor would I taint any new effort with comparison to that man. But Dunleavy’s point about the recent UBP near-win is well taken. Apparently they pose a threat to ABC if ABC decide to take them on because of this near-win. They are a power, so the logic goes, and are in play.

I would say that the better fortune of the UBP has more to do with dissatisfaction with the PLP than love of the UBP. The UBP was easy to vote for as a reaction against the PLP because the UBP isn’t really about anything anymore. Yes, they say they are multi-racial. But there are few proposals of substance from the UBP that would make them objectionable. They are easy. Any port in a storm. If the voters are intrigued by ABC’s approach the effect would be (here it comes, sorry) a paradigm shift. Which is exactly what ABC is shooting for. All or nothing. I can’t think of any other strategies that would work for them.

We are presented, at the feast of Bermuda politics with three choices. The old rooster with sauce that does not look very nice and may not be a good choice for the digestion in the long run but is oddly filling and very very familiar. You are a Bermudian voter — you have wolfed down old rooster before — that would be the PLP.

Then there is diluted cream wheat, faintly healthy and faintly tasted, your digestion won’t even notice it. In an hour you will be hungry again — that’s the UBP. Then there is an exotic dish that smells wonderful but you can’t figure out yet what it’s made of, you keep asking the chef to explain — his explanations are very intriguing but don’t actually seem to enlighten you further — ABC. What do you want to eat?JOHN ZUILL

Pembroke