Digicel apologises

This was sent to The Royal Gazette and forwarded to the author of the letter referred to.

August 24, 2009

Dear Disappointed,

I was most concerned when I read your letter to the editor today, August 24, 2009. Firstly, I deeply apologise for your experience which was clearly unacceptable and not in keeping with the Digicel standard. Please know that we value all of our customers and are constantly working to improve our customer service. We take every customer complaint very seriously and I am personally investigating your complaint and will consider appropriate disciplinary actions to be taken.

I thank you for raising this unfortunate experience to our attention and I would love to talk to you and thank you in person. Please contact me via e-mail on ceo@digicelgroup.com or on 500-1010, I hope to hear from you soon.

WAYNE M. CAINES

CEO

Digicel Bermuda

Dealing honestly

August 25, 2009

Dear Sir,

In response to Polly who quoted Hillary Clinton on whether the US and the West should apologise to the people of the Congo for colonialism and post-colonialism (August 18) I would like to respond to Polly with a quote from Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa: "Without forgiveness, there's no future."

It is by building bridges from the past to the present that we make a stronger, healthier future. To dismiss the past as irrelevant, wasteful or counter-productive (my words, not yours) is both disrespectful and condescending. The pain of racism is very real to many people in Bermuda, the fact that some people want to skip over or dismiss it creates real anger as it continues to devalue our humanity.

This Government has made a real effort to deal with the residue of racism and, yes, it is very uncomfortable for many whites in Bermuda, but many whites have never experienced the blight of racism, so please do not try to dismiss our humanity by simply looking to the future. We are healing the victims of the past and it takes as long as it takes! In closing again I quote Bishop Desmond Tutu: "I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights." We are finally honestly dealing with racism in Bermuda.

VALIRIE MARCIA AKINSTALL

London

Shocking response

August 22, 2009

Dear Sir,

Last night while watching the news, I was shocked by the response Minister Roban made to the questions posed by Mr. Bryan Darby and Mr. Gary Moreno concerning which buildings would be available as emergency shelters.

CedarBridge Academy was named as the central shelter, and no information whatsoever was furnished for the West and East Ends of the Island. Why the secrecy? If the storm had turned and hit the island, people would have been without electricity, telephones and radio and TV. By announcing which schools, church halls or whatever would be used in an emergency, people would have been able to go there should the necessity arise.

It appeared to be a power thing of "I know, but I am not telling you, except when I want to".

I was on the EMO for about 20 years and in those days everyone knew who was doing what and when. Now power is being restricted to the select few, and "what we say goes – like it or lump it".

It is reminiscent of what happened with Hurricane Emily in 1987 when the weather reports were being issued by the US Navy at Kindley Field. However, the weather reports were being sent from the Hurricane Centre in Miami, to Washington, and then on to the authorities at Kindley who in turn reported to the EMO. Radio Society Members were receiving reports directly and offered them to the EMO, but we were 'not official". As you know, Hurricane Emily came at great speed and disappeared quickly. I complained to the Deputy Governor and the Commissioner of Police and they realised we were providing verbatim reports, so things improved. Now we are going back 50 years.

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realise that when it comes to hurricanes, information should be readily available at least a day or two ahead of any potential threat. As far as the closure of the Causeway, that could be the subject of another letter.

ANTONY SIESE

City of Hamilton

UK is no moral beacon

August 24, 2009

Dear Sir,

How ironic that two months after the furore that erupted over the decision to allow four Guantánamo detainees to settle here, we have seen the UK legislature allow the release of a convicted terrorist and murderer, supposedly under the guise of "compassionate" release. The four Uighurs had committed no crime and yet we saw days of protests, a failed attempt at the removal of Premier Brown in the House of Assembly, calls for the UK to step in and/or discipline Dr. Brown, and a comment from Governor Sir Richard Gozney, that the Bermuda Government "should consider carefully their next steps"!

I find it quite appalling that Megrahi, convicted of murdering 270 people can be released at all, especially after spending only eight years in prison! To all those persons that looked to the UK Government as a moral beacon during the furore here in Bermuda, explain the "quid pro quo" that must have preceeded this decision and, more importantly, who do we now ask to conduct a Royal Commission, when dare I say that the UK Government is even less forthcoming than our own?

DAVID WILLIAMS

Sandys

A courageous run

August 24, 2009

Dear Sir,

So, Mr. Michael Weeks will be running in the by-election in the ultra-Progressive Labour Party constituency of Pembroke East Central. Mr. Keith Young will be running for the United Bermuda Party, even though he only obtained 13 percent of the popular vote before. If Mr. Weeks is successful in this by-election (and I think he will be), the writing is on the wall!

If a large majority of Bermudians are not already fearful of where the PLP Government is taking this country, then there is absolutely no hope for the future of this Island or its people. Mr. Young – you are most courageous to run in such a tough district and I take my hat off to you and wish you the very best. However, when the pockets of all PLP followers and voters are empty (as they surely will be), all of you will regret the day you voted for someone – only because he represents one party. You have had ten years to see what the PLP Government has done and is doing to this country and yet I am 99 percent certain of the outcome of this by-election in Pembroke East Central.

Since coming to power, the PLP has actively tried to divide the races; they have spent and thrown away millions and millions of dollars; they have alienated the offshore companies (who represent a huge portion of our economy); crime has escalated to a frightening level; they have borrowed close to $1 billion and our children and children's children will be lumbered with all of this debt. At what point will the followers of this Government decide enough is enough? This by-election – in my humble opinion – will show if there is anyone in this district who fully understands what is happening to Bermuda and to the Bermuda economy.

I have absolutely nothing against Mr. Weeks – he certainly sounds very pleasant and surely he is intelligent enough to see where this Government is leading us and yet he still wishes to represent them. How very sad.

LONGTAIL

Smith's

Kudos to Egmont's

July 25, 2009

Dear Sir,

I wanted to share with you my experience with a wonderful store merchant in St. George's during my visit a couple of weeks ago ...

It was our last hour in St. George's before we needed to get back to the cruise ship. My oldest daughter Eve, 17, wanted to make one last visit to a boutique store she visited the day before. She wasn't quite sure where it was, but as we walked up York Street we found it to be the last of the shops.

There we entered Egmont's at 2 York Street. As my wife and daughter proceeded to browse, I noticed two store owners struggling to figure out a new intercom system they had purchased to communicate between the downstairs and upstairs. Though technically savvy with electronics, I was reluctant to meddle. My sidelong glances gave it away as a third lady behind the counter (June was her name) stated that I looked like I knew something about gadgets. She was right! Within a few minutes, I had June and her sister, Roseanne, and their brother (I didn't catch his name) up and running on the intercom system and ready to go.

That's when I got to experience the true friendliness of the Bermuda people. They expressed their gratefulness above and beyond anything I have ever experienced.

June started to tell us all about Bermuda through the rack of postcards on display. She told us to pick out five cards to have as thanks for helping out. Then, after telling us about the lucky hog penny and its history, she insisted I take a money clip with a shinny hog penny on it. There was no rejecting her kind offer.

But, their kindness didn't end there. Once back to the ship I realised that my wife and daughter only spent a few dollars in their store. Oh no!What they must think of us Americans! I had to set things straight. While in the store I had been eyeing a hemp shirt for myself, which I, for some reason, didn't buy. Luckily, I had grabbed their business card, so I called them straight away.

I talked to Roseanne and asked if I could give her my credit card number and if she could mail me the shirt. Roseanne asked me where I lived, which is near Baltimore. I was speechless when Roseanne responded "Tell you what, how about I bring it to you?". As my mind tried to wrap itself around a jesture that just doesn't exist, Roseanne explained that she actually lives in Baltimore and was only visiting her sister and brother in Bermuda.

In keeping with what I now know as the "kind and generous people of Bermuda," Roseanne delivered me that hemp shirt. Not worried about payment, they didn't take my credit card. They held in me a blind faith that I didn't know existed anymore; I found it in a little boutique at #2 York Street, St. George's, Bermuda. Thank you to June, Roseanne, and your brother, for a renewed faith in the simple kindness that can be found, at least, in Bermuda.

CHRIS MOBLEY

Glenwood, Maryland