My experience

June 12, 2008

Dear Sir,

I was appalled to read Ms Master's 'Truck Horror' letter, as it was extremely reminiscent of an experience I have had myself, in June, 2005 on the stretch of Middle Road right beside the Paget Ice Queen. Having made a legal passing manoeuvre of a truck, I was then stationary in front of it. As the traffic began to move again, the driver of the truck immediately lurched forward, apparently unaware of my presence, causing me to be thrown from my bike as his truck ran fully over it. I feel very lucky to have escaped injury, especially when I consider the enormous size of the truck.

My story is even more horrific than Ms Masters' however, because of what happened after the accident. The police officer who attended the scene threatened me when I enquired as to the driver's details (so that I might correctly make a claim against that driver's insurance policy).

Apparently, the officer and the truck driver were friends. As a result of my intimidation by this particular Police officer (in which he sinisterly hinted at Immigration Department involvement), I had to meet the cost of repairing my bike, to the tune of over $700.

I also later heard from a work colleague, who knew of the truck driver personally, that he had been in driving incidents like this one before. To the best of my knowledge, this driver is still driving on Bermuda roads. If common sense prevailed, the drivers of such trucks would at least pause momentarily to allow for traffic not visible to them to move forward.

Unfortunately though, it may only be a matter of time before this particular driver manages to kill someone with his negligent driving.

EX-BERMUDA EXPAT

New Zealand

The thin edge of the wedge

June 11, 2008

Dear Sir,

Your headline "Ewart Brown is vulnerable" – followed by various comments from PLP "party insiders" – provided some encouraging reading.

However, it would be helpful if PLP senior members and Party movers and shakers, recognised that "causing rifts" within the PLP "family" is just the thin edge of the wedge in terms of what is happening to Bermuda as a whole.

What we are experiencing now is not some sort of game – the PLP is the Government of Bermuda and Dr. Ewart Brown, in his role as Premier, is hijacking our Government – which is a little more serious than stepping on various Party toes. Bermuda's economy, environment and moral standards generally, may not survive too much more of Premier Brown.

The only people with the power to restore democracy and collective responsibility to our government are the other members of Cabinet and the elected Members of Parliament – on both sides of the House.

The saccharin comments regarding Minister Paula Cox's so called shy and retiring personality didn't exactly inspire confidence. She is our Finance Minister. She took an oath upon her election to serve this country – it is her duty and those of her cabinet colleagues to do the right thing in running this country ethically – to the best of their collective ability – and without personal gain or favour. I believe they are up to the task if they would just summon the courage and come out from behind the couch.

Minister Paula Cox grew up in a political family – she knows what it's all about and if she's not up to the rough and tumble, she had no business taking on the role of Deputy Premier. If Minister Cox hasn't the fortitude, please, could someone ask Mr. Alex Scott MP whether he would be so kind?

HOPEFUL

Paget

We have a right to know

June 12, 2008

Dear Sir,

The people of Bermuda have a right to know where every member of the House stands as respects the question of providing equal rights to gays and lesbians in our community. It is time to stand and be counted. For those that do not support equal rights, the people of Bermuda look forward to you trying to justify your hypocrisy.

ROBIN HAMILL

Flatts

Model Bermudians

June 7, 2008

Dear Sir,

Last week Bermuda lost two of her most distinguished citizens, a husband and wife couple who lived exemplary lives in quiet dignity and who were a model of what being a Bermudian is all about. Allen and Tina Judd of Fairlawns in Paget died this week, just days apart.

Their passing marks the end of an era. There is a popular notion that white Bermudians have always had it good, but prior to the Second World War there were lots of poor and disadvantaged people from all races. This was a time when it cost a penny to travel from Dockyard to Hamilton by sailboat ferry. Allen Judd walked. Allen and Tina both came from humble backgrounds, yet through sheer hard work and determination built themselves a home and a life that was comfortable, yet always modest. Allen Judd worked his way up to become a salesman and eventually a manager at the English Sports Shop. He was a fanatic for being impeccably dressed for work and fussed every morning about his appearance. Tina, for many years an under-paid bookkeeper at Belco, felt she couldn't keep up with the changing styles of some of her colleagues, so she devised her own always brilliantly starched uniform: white blouse over navy skirt that she wore every day to work.

My memory of the Judds is of a couple who were, above all, truly dignified – not in the sense of being stuffy or unapproachable, but precisely the opposite: they were unfailingly polite and generous, but rightly proud of what they had accomplished in life. They were old-school in every good sense of the word: humble and respectful, but with little time for people who are self-important.

The Judds were people of strong opinions; quick to cut down the lazy and uninformed, yet more than happy to heap praise on those whom they thought well of, irrespective of their station in life. They had no time for the greedy, but all the sympathy in the world for the less well off. They celebrated their own accomplishments, which included the raising of two fine sons, and the hard work of others who, like themselves, rose up from hard-scrabble backgrounds.

They maintained a wonderful circle of old friends, and remained humble and gracious hosts to all who visited their home to the very end.

Allen and Tina Judd: a model couple, model lives, model Bermudians.

GEORGE PATTON

Guelph, Ontario

Why do this to us?

June 8 2008

Dear Sir,

To the powers that be: Why are you closing St George's Golf Club so early? Absolutely nothing has been perpetrated in recent years that is so unfair, pointless and stupid. This course is a public course and public courses are a necessity in all countries, where golf is supported as a sport.

Not all of us can afford the sky-high costs of the Mid-Oceans and Tucker Points etc. No doubt the Port Royal makeover will result in prohibitively high greens fees also for the average person. Close St. George's and we normal people have one "public course" left for us and it is nine holes. Let the present St. George's membership play the first ten holes until a definite plan for a new hotel actually starts to take shape.

Why should time-share members at St. George's Club be deprived of those ten holes at this stage?

Why should cruise visitors lose a chance to play golf on a lovely, scenic course?

Why are the hard-working staff losing their jobs so early ... a staff who have brought the course to the best condition that it has ever been in?

Why has the Club never got back a cent of the money swindled by a foreigner, who planted the wrong materials but got fully paid for a mess?

Why are the two young men I met in the parking lot just last week no longer able to play golf here? They told me that they had joined just last April, loved the game, certainly couldn't afford the other glitzy courses and now feel totally cheated. Yes. local young men.

Last Thursday, while signing in for close to MY last game, I picked off the counter three sign-up sheets for group tournaments: They were as follows:

First Church of God June 28 Fund Raiser Community Bus

Tools & Equipment Ltd June 15 Father's Day

Berkeley Institute P.T.S.A. Fundraiser

This course hosts dozens of office, company, fund raiser groups, sports clubs, family tournaments. These are for large groups, many of whom have never played golf before and this is the only course suited to such events on the island. A lot of money is raised for charities at these events but not any more.

Why are you doing this to the common people, who are entitled to a public course and we in the East End certainly are? What a crime! Speak out all golfers on our behalf.

Finally, why are we in the East losing Mulligan's Restaurant? This is a well respected place to eat, very popular with many in St George's. It is fully supported for lunches by the locals and Friday night dinners are a sell out. So six to seven local Bermudians are losing their jobs for no apparent reason. Ah, so what!

M. MOORHEAD

35-year player SGGC

St. George's