July 30, 2003

Dear Sirm

Even with my basic knowledge of etymology, I know there is little or no difference between “deceive” and “failure to disclose”. Last Friday July 25, Dr. Ewart Brown told the people off Bermuda that the rebel PLP 11 “had to deceive you in order to get the PLP vote.”

After hearing the many negative calls about this to the two radio talk shows later that day, Dr. Brown said on Saturday, July 26, that “we really didn't deceive you. We just didn't disclose our plan.” Well, I turned to my American Heritage Dictionary and this is what I found; Deceive: To delude; mislead. To practise deceit. Synonyms: deceive, betray, mislead, beguile, delude, dupe, hoodwink, bamboozle, outwit, double-cross.

These verbs mean to victimise persons, for the most part by underhand means. Deceive involves falsehood or the deliberate concealment or representation of truth with intent to lead another into error or to disadvantage. Betray implies faithlessness or treachery that brings another to grave disadvantage or into danger. Delude refers to deceiving or misleading to the point of rendering a person unable to detect a falsehood or make a sound judgment. Hoodwink refers to deluding by trickery such as mental blinding or dazzling. Double-cross implies betrayal of a confidence or the wilful breaking of a pledge.

Disclose: 1. To expose to view, as by removing a cover; uncover. 2. To make known; divulge; reveal.

The PLP did not “disclose”. Can anybody now believe anything this man says? Remember, he is the Deputy Premier.

M. WATKINS (MRS.)

Warwick West

July 21, 2003

Dear Sir,

With reference to “Motorist reports deadly accident waiting to happen” seat belt laws - Mr. Simmons, thank you for the reminder on the current seat belt law, which is quite clear. Since 2000, I have owned an Opel Astra Wagon, the largest family car sold in Bermuda. I have three separate car seats for my three children, all of whom are under the age of four. My wife and I are now expecting our fourth child and we are quite concerned that Bermuda does not offer a car safe enough for my family. I have spoken to TCD and expect to soon speak to the Minister of Transport. However, unless there is a change in the current legislation, it appears that I will be putting my family at risk and violating the statute if my wife and I travel with all four of our children in our current wagon.

There are a handful of used and abused cars on the island that fit the specification, but unless you can get your hands on one I have no option other then putting a child in the front seat and or in the boot. Please advise how I should handle this situation.

CONCERNED FATHER

Somerset

July 12, 2003

Dear Sir,

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, June 24 we were awakened by a loud commotion of dogs barking in our back garden, by the time we got out in the garden they were gone. We did not discover until the next day that our beautiful cat had been mauled by these dogs, they bit half her tail off, ravished her back and back legs so badly that she could not stand. The dogs that attacked our beautiful cat must have arrived home with blood on them as she was covered in blood. Claire died from her wound on Friday, July 4, she was in the prime of her life, in her own garden, this should never have happened.

Dogs should not be allowed to stray in the early hours of the morning and wonder on to other People's property, they should not be allowed to stray in the daytime either, I believe it is against the Law. I have nothing against dogs, we have always had dogs, our dogs have never strayed off the property and always in the house at night. Know where your dogs are and keep them in at night, and know where they are during the day, so a tragedy like this will not happen again. Thank you Ettrick for trying to save Claire, we know you did your very best.

BERNICE KOSTER

Warwick

July 25, 2003

Dear Sir,

Please consider giving a little more coverage to baseball in The Royal Gazette. I realise that baseball is a minor sport in Bermuda compared to cricket or soccer, and it would be unrealistic to expect you to assign a staff writer to cover the sport in depth. Perhaps, though, you could at least run the AP's daily game summary of the East Coast teams, like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, during the summer baseball season for the thousands of American visitors from these cities to Bermuda (and expatriates like myself), who would enjoy reading about their hometown teams in The Royal Gazette with the morning's coffee.

JAMES G. HOWES

Hamilton Parish