What's a Bermudian?

November 14, 2006

Dear Sir,

After reading Frances Eddy's letter to the editor (November 1, 2006), I must admit that as a white "foreign born" Bermudian who has lived here for almost 50 years, I was more than a little surprised to hear her assertion that it has long been the practice of white Bermudians to define "Bermudians" as black Bermudians.

I guess this is the perfect example of faulty perception becoming reality.

As a person who has mixed freely with both races I can honestly say that I have never once heard any white Bermudian define "Bermudian" as only meaning black Bermudian. On the contrary, I constantly hear white Bermudians say that no matter how long they and their forbears have lived on the Island they are constantly referred to by black Bermudians as "expats" or "status Bermudians". Many black Bermudians say so in no uncertain terms.

Let me give you a brief example. My own children were born of a white expatriate father (with Bermudian status) and a white mother who can trace her Bermudian ancestry back for well over 100 years. I cannot tell you how often black Bermudians refer to my children as "expats" no matter that they were born and raised and went to school here, and have one born Bermudian parent and one who had Bermudian status before they were born. To many, dare I say most, in the black community they are and will forever be "expats" or "status Bermudians" because their father is still deemed to be a foreigner, and the fact that their mother is a born Bermudian is of no consequence.

I have to question whether this rule applies equally to the children of black Bermudians married to "expats". For example, if one looks at the leaders of the Progressive Labour Party, now the Government of Bermuda, I believe that every single leader since its inception, both before and after the PLP became the Government, has married an "expat" (with the notable exception of Dame Jennifer Smith, who to the best of my knowledge, has never married). If memory serves me correctly this would include Walter Robinson, Dame Lois Browne Evans, Freddie Wade, recently defeated Premier Alex Scott, and our present Premier, The Hon. Ewart Brown.

Now can anyone honestly tell me that Dame Lois Browne Evans' children are not considered to be true Bermudians by anyone in the white community because their father was West Indian. Not a snow ball's chance. I have no idea how far back Dame Lois can trace her ancestors in Bermuda, nor does it matter one iota because she is no more and no less Bermudian than a white woman who has Bermudian ancestors. The point is that no one in either the white community or the black community would ever question whether Dame Lois' children, or the children of any of our other PLP leaders married to foreign born spouses are true Bermudians or merely "expats".

But, on the other hand, a substantial number of black people would say without question that my children are really "expats" or "status Bermudians". And why? For no other reason than their parents are white. Perhaps Ms. Eddy can explain this difference in perception, or is it reality?And how about the oft used expression, "Son of the Soil" which is the catch phrase used by blacks to refer to their fellow black Bermudians, and almost exclusively to black Bermudians. I cannot recall the last time a white Bermudian was referred to as a "Son of the Soil". Help me out here Ms. Eddy.

Still hope for Middletons

October 8, 2006

Dear Sir,

After a 15 year battle a victim's mother has just succeeded in overturning the ancient double jeopardy rule at the Old Bailey to have her daughter's previously acquitted murderer retried and sentenced to prison.

Having been cleared of the crime after two juries had failed to reach a verdict in 1991, he then confessed his quilt on the assumption that he could not be recharged with the same offence. However, changes to the Criminal Justice Act this year now allow retrials of previously acquitted offenders in the light of new compelling evidence and he became the first person under British law for 800 years to lose the protection of the double jeopardy rule.

These events should convince Rebecca Middleton's parents and their supporters, never to give up their quest for justice. The Bermuda Government should also recognise that means and precedence now exist for them to rectify their previous judicial blunders which have shamed every Bermudian and reviled her international friends.

Swept under the carpet

November 15, 2006

Dear Sir,

The public has rightly expressed outrage that the health crisis at CedarBridge Academy was not dealt with earlier. The answer as to why it was swept under the carpet is, of course, quite straightforward.

In public education what is of critical importance is not the well-being of the children but the public standing of politicians. If it is a question of whose welfare is paramount there is no prize for concluding that children are a distant second.

This fiasco must have been known about for months, if not years, yet the health of children is sacrificed to the ego of the politicians. It has always been that way, and it will always be that way in public education long after this crisis has been forgotten.

Many parents instinctively understand the reality of the situation and that is why they send their children to private school where the welfare of children and parents is given priority over the wowsers and snouters in government who pretend to be in charge of education.

Be grateful for hospital

November 16, 2006

Dear Sir,

With all the talk about the new hospital I would like to make a suggestion. Pull down the old hospital and firstly build a two floor underground car park for staff and visitors and then start the new hospital above it.

The patients could then start to be transferred across to it. Connect to the hospital as it is now and revamp from floor to floor adding a couple of floors as needed.

The existing car park could be lowered one level and then two more levels added with walkways across to the new hospital to make it easy for patients and visitors to enter and use the lifts to go to the emergency area to sign in or visit the patients.

I would like to say that we have a wonderful hospital here and we should be thankful. There are a lot of people alive because of the dedicated work from the doctors and nursing staff, there should be more thanks given to them.

Suggestions for traffic

November 16, 2006

Dear Sir,

Seems like the governing group of individuals are supposed to "lead" and therein lies the problem, everyone wants to lead and no one wants to "follow" on our roads.

Simple start to help with transport, why don't the bus drivers to slow down? Easily enforceable surely. Get them to pause for 30 seconds at every bus stop, and traffic must stop for them when they are pulling back onto the "highway".

The schedule for each bus stop should be posted and we should know exactly when the bus will be there. People would be happy to be ten minutes later than originally if they knew exactly when they were going to get on and off the bus.

Guess what? Traffic would slow down if these behemoths were going slower too.

Poor service at the Bank

November 16, 2006

Dear Sir,

I feel compelled to write about the poor level of service at Bermuda's largest Bank. Trying to make a simple deposit can take 40 minutes, which is great if socialising in a long line happens to be your bag ? or the Bank may consider coffee and doughnuts to help ease the process.

Attempting to make a deposit in currencies other than Bermuda dollars or US dollars, on the other hand, is a major enterprise and something of a joke.

Even though I have accounts in both these currencies, in order to make a Sterling deposit I am required to fill in a fresh ten-page application which conveys exactly the information the Bank already has on file.

All that the Bank needs to do set up a Sterling Deposit is to change a cheque digit at the end of the account number to identify the currency. So why all the fuss?

More troubling, however, is the Bank's assertion that it takes ten business days to clear a foreign currency cheque. This does not seem possible in our technology enhanced world, where Banks themselves routinely trade for same day settlement on a variety of financial instruments as a matter of course.

To add insult to injury there is apparently a $20 service fee for the privilege of making a foreign currency deposit. Banks used to take your money gratefully and make a nice return on the interest margin on your deposits. This obviously is no longer sufficient.

It would be nice if the proliferation of Bank fees on all sorts of "services" that we have seen in the past few years was matched by an improvement in the level of service, which seems to be plumbing new depths.

Lord help you if you happen to have a problem on line or require a customer service representative. It is sure to be a long ... wait! Lots of Luck

Caption was misleading

November 14, 2006

Dear sir,

I was amused to see a photograph captioned "Graveney Bannister" next to the headline "Jilted man hid under his former girlfriend's bed" in the Royal Gazette of 10 November 2006.

I was amused because I know Graveney Bannister to be an upstanding and dedicated prosecution lawyer in the Attorney General's Chambers. However, those who do not know Mr. Bannister, and did not read the article, may have been left with the impression that he was the "jilted man" referred to in the headline, which may not have been as amusing for him or his reputation.

May I please request that in future, therefore, photographic captions contain not just the name, but also the information as who the person is in relation to the story.

Thank you for your consideration of this.