He earned our respect

April 4, 2005

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you regarding the story on Major Herman Eve's retirement from the Regiment. I am now 48 years old, but when I was 16 I joined Junior Leaders, the cadet corps for the Bermuda Regiment. Sgt. Eve, as he was then, was my platoon commander.

Like most boys of that age, I thought I knew it all. Well, Sgt. Eve set me straight. His voice was impossibly loud and gravelly even back then; it woke us up in the morning and kept us on our toes all day long. There may have been an edge to his voice, but there was always a smile and a pat on the back when we did well. He instilled in a group or very different boys, from the entire spectrum Bermuda had to offer at the time, a sense of brotherhood, friendly competition and teamwork.

I live far away in Vancouver, Canada now, but I would like to extend my congratulations to Major Herman Eve on his retirement from the Regiment. In his many years with the Regiment he has beneficially affected the lives of countless young Bermudian men. If ever a man has earned respect, it is Herman Eve.

MICHAEL S. SHEPPARD

Vancouver, British Columbia

March 28, 2005

Dear Sir,

We the officers and members of the Orchid Charity Club take this opportunity to express our thanks to the many merchants who gave donations toward our annual Christmas project, which we share with the residents in our Senior Homes throughout the Island. These seniors are very thankful and overjoyed with these gifts.

Our Annual Tag Days were held on January 21 and 22 and this venture proved to be very successful. We would like to thank the merchants who gave permission allowing our taggers in front of their establishments.

To our many faithful taggers, "thank you" and we hope to see you again next year, for we cannot make it without your help.

To the many merchants who supplied our club with food and other goods towards our annual St. Patrick's Tea held on March 20, we say "thank you".

To our speaker, for this tea, Mrs. Kalmar Richards, principal of CedarBridge Academy, our heartfelt 'thanks' goes to you and your family. We would also like to thank the North Village Band, our soloist Sister Toni Robinson and Desmond Christopher, also our hard working members of the Orchid Charity Club. This tea would have not been a success without our brothers, the Leopards Club, our special waiter Karmal Worrell and let us not forget our dear faithful patrons, most of whom support us each year, "thank you".

To anyone who assisted us in any way over the past year and this year "thanks a million". May God continue to bless you all.

LOIS L. WEEKS

Chairperson

St. Patrick's Day Tea/Secretary

Orchid Charity Club

March 30, 2005

Dear Sir,

I was interested to read your front page headline (repeated, for emphasis, on page 6) on Independence in your March 30 issue. This was to the effect that a UN advisor had stated that cost should not be a huge factor.

In the text of the article he enlarged on this (if that is the right way of putting it) by letting slip that St. Lucia's 2004/05 budget for the necessary new Ministry of External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation was approximately $300 million, plus another $5.9 million for upkeep of missions.

This is not a huge factor?

I am not known for loss of words, but in this case a spluttered signature is about all I can manage.

It is likely that the budget figure was given in Eastern Caribbean dollars, which would mean the Ministry's budget is US$111 million and the upkeep of missions is US $2.1 million.

April 4, 2005

Dear Sir,

I am finally unable to resist the need to express my concerns regarding the Independence issue.

As a mother and grandmother I am anxious to ensure that the opportunities presently available to my children and grandchildren will not be suddenly snatched away by Alex Scott's personal ambition to be the Premier who takes this small nation into Independence so that he can "meet as an equal" with other world government leaders.

At present the UK has permitted anyone currently holding Bermuda status to apply for and hold a UK/EU passport. This has a tremendous advantage for a number of reasons close to my heart:

1. As the holder of a UK/EU passport one has the protection of the British Embassy, anywhere in the world, should one get into difficulties of some kind whilst travelling or living abroad.

2. As the holder of a UK/EU passport one has the right to enter and seek employment in the UK or any of the EU nations, without the long winded process of applying for a work permit from over here, not having face to face interviews or seeing local working or residential conditions prior to application. (A problem faced by those expatriates who seek employment in Bermuda for example.)

3. In addition to these privileges, if a young Bermudian is working in the UK for a period of time with a view to improving their career prospects, once you have established a residency for a couple of years you are eligible for assisted tuition costs for further education. This is a huge opportunity for families who might not otherwise be able to afford to send a promising young person through University by any other means.

Bermuda is an exquisitely beautiful island, but it is a very small island and it cannot grow any bigger, geographically, although its population will no doubt continue to grow. In order for our children and grandchildren to have the opportunity to get a University education, choose a satisfying career and have the opportunity to pursue that chosen profession unfettered by the limited size of the Island they were born on, we must pursue the options for overseas training and opportunities.

At present there are many young Bermudians who are fortunate to have (by virtue of a parent who is or was a non-Bermudian) dual citizenship, enabling them to travel freely in and out of US, Canada or Europe, but they are by no means the majority. The UK recently extended this privilege to any Bermudian who requests it, at least in connection with UK and Europe. This has gone a long way toward levelling the playing field for all Bermudians. (In fact it will benefit most the youngsters whose parents are probably both black, having no recent connections with UK or US). Let us not throw back such a gift of freedom and opportunity in favour of the privilege of limiting our future generations to living in an ever more crowded small Island. If Bermuda becomes just another small independent nation we will most likely lose the above advantages, possibly including the right, as children or grandchildren of US, Canadian or British citizens, to take up residence in the land of their grandparents. In view of the very recent further political activism in the US regarding offshore companies, we need to look very carefully at our dependence upon the insurance industry for our high standard of living and hang on firmly to whatever avenues are open for our young people to gain skills, professions and residential opportunities in larger jurisdictions. The future of Bermuda belongs to our children, not the temporary aspirations of a few self serving politicians.

MARGARET DYER-FORSTER

Pembroke

March 23, 2005

Dear Sir,

Doggone it!

Have those guys from Works and Engineering taken leave of their senses? We dogs have rights, too. My nightly walk will never be the same, as I, and my fellow canine pals, have lost our favourite bush (on Church Road opposite Port Royal School)! What's a dog to do? We pay our fees like all those two legged ones. You'd think their time would be better spent getting Church Bay back in shape, or completing the abomination at the corner of Church and Middle Roads ? or, heaven's be, finishing Berkeley (my pups' last hope for an education). I know, I'll sook Jonny Brunson on 'em, he listens to us...

CANINE UNITED PARTY (CUP)

Southampton Pack

Jedi (Secretary)