January 4, 2003

Dear Sir,

I am a Bermudian citizen temporarily living in Florida, and usually proud to be Bermudian.

However, when reading the article about Dr. Jonathan Murray and how his work permit has been denied, I was almost embarrassed to call myself Bermudian.

This PLP government is a disgrace. Can we ignore the fact that they have failed to live up to all the promises made? Can we turn a blind eye to the fact that they are wasting taxpayers' money on their world travels (with their entourages in tow)? Can we justify their wrongdoings time and time again? Maybe some people can, but I, for one, cannot.

The PLP came into power, vowing to be the party for the "people", promising to help the "average" Bermudian to get ahead on the Island. I say they have failed.

In closing down Dr. Murray's practice, they have further hurt the struggling "average" Bermudian. Whereas those who are comfortable financially can afford to seek medical treatments overseas, the "financially-challenged", or "average" Bermudian cannot.

Those people are now further hindered with the abrupt closure of Dr. Murray's practice. The PLP has not only failed in its quest to help Bermudians, it has succeeded in hurting us more.

This government has denied many Bermudians the access to medical treatment in their latest disastrous move. I write this letter without fear of repercussions, although by withholding my name I guess I am not quite as bold as I hoped. I am a Bermudian, born and bred. This so called government cannot hurt me.

I do not need a work permit. I am free to live in Bermuda and to come and go as I please. But, I can't help but wonder what the consequences would be if I chose to exercise my right of free speech if I was an expat, or a long time resident. Would I too find my work permit in jeopardy? It seems to be the case for Dr. Murray.

To Dr. Murray, I applaud you on your service to the Island. I apologise on behalf of my Island, for the government's incompetence. To my fellow Bermudians, I urge you to look at this current government without blinders on. I ask you not to continue to justify or excuse their actions.

I appeal to your intelligence and hope you will realise that their cries of racism are ridiculous, and that every time they try to cover up their scandals by crying racism, they are assuming you are too stupid to know right from wrong. I beg you to not let them cause further damage to Bermuda and all Bermudians.

To the PLP, I simply wonder: How do you sleep at night?

January 4, 2002

Dear Sir,

I am a patient of Dr. Jonathan Murray who has had his work permit refused by Immigration on January 3 for no given reason. I have had an ongoing respiratory problem for 40 years, with at least 12 surgical procedures, until Dr. Murray treated my condition without further surgery. I am supposed to see him twice a year.

I was one of those who thought after November, 1998 that a change with the PLP was as good as a rest. Instead, we have a scandal ridden government that is rapidly becoming a disgrace.

I hope Dr. Murray goes to court for justice.

January 4, 2002

Dear Sir,

I was very sorry to hear about Dr. Murray's problem with his work permit.

The insurance companies should love him! He is a very honest man.

My three-year-old son was having hearing problems and Dr. Murray was going to implant some grummets in his eardrums, but when pierced his ear drums, he noticed that my son did not have any fluid. So instead, he simply removed the ear wax built up and now my son can hear perfectly.

Any other doctor, especially in the US, would have placed the grummets any way just so they could charge more to the insurance company. I hope Immigration reconsiders their decision. Dr. Murray is a very kind, intelligent, and good human being. We need more doctors like him in the island.

January 5, 2002

Dear Sir,

I was absolutely flabbergasted to read the headline "Insurance doctor loses work permit appeal" (which I personally think should have taken precedence over 'Boot Camp will sort them out', as it affects many more people!) in today's , and even more astounded to read that Dr. Murray had applied for renewal of his work permit some nine months ago, and had not had a decision taken on it until last week.

The obvious question that now arises is: "Why has Dr. Murray been given the boot with such indecent haste, when Immigration took so long to reach a decision over his work permit renewal in the first place? " The obvious answer is politics.

The timing of this nonrenewal of the work permit of someone who plays such an important medical role in the community, and the very short notice with which it was done, would leave any right-thinking person with the nasty, sneaking suspicion that Dr. Murray has been sacrificed on the altar of someone else's personal vanity.

If there is any other reason for Bermuda's premier ENT specialist and only allergist to be treated in such cavalier fashion, I honestly think that at least his patients should be allowed to know, even if nobody else is. Apart from anything else, who's going to treat them? And when?

I'm very much afraid that this is yet another classic example of ego triumphing over common sense. If Government doesn't put a stop to this distressing tendency of revoking work permits of non-Bermudians who dare to be up front and honest (and I'm sure all of us could name other non-Bermudians we know who have suffered the same fate), Bermuda is going to find the day coming when non-Bermudians simply won't want to work here any more.

And you know something, Bermudians? This Island will then go right down the tubes, and you'll have no one to blame but yourselves.

January 4, 2003

Dear Sir,

So some of the do-gooders in our society are appalled at the suggestion of a curfew as a means of addressing the anti-social behaviour of our youth. The reason that they are so against it? It doesn't address the real sources of the problem, which according to them are rampant drug use and economic disparity between rich and poor.

Yet at the same time the do-gooders fail to come up with one single suggestion that addresses either of these issues, much less getting involved in any action to improve the situation. That is like a doctor saying that he isn't sure how to treat the disease, so he refuses to address the symptoms. Well guess what! The symptoms kill the patient whilst the doctor is thinking about the cause.

Furthermore, the do-gooders' comments fail to take into account the fact that this situation not only affects our youth, but also law-abiding citizens and tourists. How are the rest of us supposed to deal with youths running around with the horrendous weapons that they carry? How will our tourists react to being confronted by machete-wielding brats?

If this anti-social behaviour is allowed to negatively impact tourism, which it undoubtedly will without a curfew, then the poor in our society will get infinitely poorer. If, as the do-gooders claim, poverty is one of the principal reasons for this behaviour, the situation will get infinitely worse.

Yet, some of the same do-gooders sit in their ivory towers and make their comments, which do not help in any way, whilst their (lavish) lifestyles are paid for by international business, which by its impact on the cost of housing, is the single biggest cause of poverty in Bermuda. It is time for them to put up or shut up !

Dear Sir,

I would like to reply to a past letter writer concerning her disappointment with the American music the Bermuda Regiment Band played in a retreat she saw. May I support her totally.

As a past member of the band, I was also disappointed at the last retreat when Major Barritt Dill, Director of Music, led the band playing too many American Marine Band songs. Our visitors love it when they heard good British tones such as 'Middy', 'Vanished Army', 'Standard of St. George', 'Regimental March' and many more. So Major Dill, in the new tourist season let's play some good old march tones.

Our visitors can hear and see their home bands play their American music at home. Thank you sir.