Let?s have some fun

July 1, 2005

Dear Sir,

I think we need a little humour in the letters to the editor.

It has come to my attention that a few white sitcoms, e.g. ?Kojak? and ?The Honeymooners? and movies ?Guess Whose Coming to Dinner?, are now black.

Maybe a remake of ?Gone With the Wind? with Denzel as Rhett and Halle as Scarlett.

And a bunch of unhappy ?honkies? whoops! not politically correct, caucasians, pale people ? whatever, picking cotton, but fear not ?Honest Abe Lincoln Scott? will be providing them with ?Independence? very soon.

And lastly, would anybody object if the ?Huxtables? became a nice white suburban family, and Bernie Mack was cast as Robin Williams?? GOES BOTH WAYS

Pembroke

A costly mistake

July 9, 2005

Dear Sir,

Toppy Cowen?s outrage at Government?s expensive tinkering with the replacement of the floating lamp mechanism of the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse by a mechanical device, is clearly justified.

The fundamental mistake was the decision to remove it at all.

The building of this pre-fabricated cast iron lighthouse in 1846 was, in itself, an engineering wonder. However, the concept of a lamp assembly floating and being rotated in mercury was true genius in its simplicity, it?s negligible maintenance and energy requirements and its inherent ability to produce a horizontal beam. It has provided a reliable life saving service to both Bermudian and foreign sailors for countless years and has become a rare and fascinating part of our marine heritage deserving to be officially listed for preservation as it continues its work.

The decision to abandon it was not for something which worked better but to avoid the use of mercury ? apparently a rare spillage had occurred during Fabian?s buffeting.

A careful analysis of the true risk associated with the Gibbs Hill installation would have found that compared with, say, crossing the road it would have been rated zero. The many thousands of dollars now being spent could have helped protect the public from more urgent and common dangers, e.g., in sewage disposal.

Mercury is a liquid metal with a wide range of uses from medicine to industry ? all safe if simple procedures are observed. The much publicised problems with mercury arise not from its controlled use but its careless disposal, e.g., as of old batteries. By contrast, it is difficult to imagine a more secure location than the top of a lighthouse or more reliable supervision for this type of equipment than that already provided by the lighthouse service including the Cowens, for 160 years.

The old system cries for re-installation. IF IT AIN?T BROKE. . .

St. George?s

Cup Match is ours

July 13, 2005

Dear Sir,

The only way to stop greedy people is not to give in to their demands.

So I am asking all my friends, family and acquaintances, and all of you whom I don?t know, not to subscribe to the offer of Cup Match on TV.

If nobody subscribes, they will be forced to give it to the people of Bermuda free, as it always has been.

Cup Match is ours ? don?t let anyone believe that they own it.

Cut insurance costs

June 7, 2005

Dear Sir,

I wish to address a pressing issue that needs to be resolved. With the increase of medical insurance why hasn?t our present Government hasn?t made an attempt to curb these spiralling costs? It adversely affects the physically challenged, seniors and able-bodied senior citizens.

I whole-heartedly applaud the efforts of the concerned employers who work closely with the aforementioned people. Will Government consider working out a mutually agreeable plan with our insurance companies/providers? It is a sad state of affairs when our senior citizens either forgo insurance coverage or are forced to work beyond the retirement age for the sake of having insurance coverage. I hope and pray that the powers that be will resolve this urgent matter at their earliest convenience.

It?s not me talking

July 8, 2005

Dear Sir,

Recently I have been approached by persons (known to myself) concerning their belief that it has been my voice being heard across the radio talk shows.

I would like to make it clear to your readers that it is me speaking through that media, I do not patronise the talk shows.

However approximately six years or more ago I used the media to speak on a topic, mainly the economy and the cost of living, also one other time to discuss something more personal concerning a Government department.

In recent years I do not call the talk shows nor does any relatives closely associated with me. In fact I do not know whose voice that is heard sounding like mine.

I would like to take this opportunity to urge my fellow Bermudians to search for the truth, knowledge and integrity instead of taking anything at face value, it would serve our island well and do us all justice. Thank you.

Be kind to our horses

July 8, 2005

This was sent to the Mayor of Hamilton and copied to The Royal Gazette.

Dear Sir,

As most members of the public would readily agree, the conditions under which Bermuda?s hacking horses are required to work in the City of Hamilton and in St. George?s is totally unacceptable in the 21st Century. Long past is the time of quaint carriage rides through town. It?s time to face the reality of the present. The bustling streets of Hamilton are clogged with people, traffic and exhaust fumes ? the latter of which the horses, in their laboured breathing, are forced to inhale.

The tourist season is upon us once again and temperatures are rising fast, yet these horses are expected to work very long hours in the weeks of the season, whilst their drivers awaiting paying passengers rest in the shade of their own carriages. The meagre shelter provided for the horses in Hamilton does little for them when you consider they are still strapped to heavy harnesses and attached to the carriages. Let us not ignore that the horses in St. George have no shelter at all and are forced to spend every day in the heat and humidity. Consider how you would feel if you were forced to do the same.

I feel the entire business should be banned. Minimising the working hours of the horses during the summer months truly makes no difference. I was on Front Street last Monday morning at 9 a.m. and as a horse and carriage passed by me I was aghast at the appearance of this poor hourse ? not only was he visibly sweating underneath the thick leather harness, but he was also foaming at the mouth! How can anyone turn a blind eye toward such a sight?

As a member of the SPCA, I am aware of the constant pleas to the SPCA from both locals and tourists alike urging us to do what we can to change the dreadful conditions in which these horses are forced to live out their lives. In discussions between the SPCA and the Corporation of Hamilton and the Corporation of St. George, promises and proposals have been made, but it?s actions that speak louder than words. The efforts of the SPCA with regard to this matter have been heartlessly disregarded.

In Hamilton City and in St. Geroge, trolley rides are offered, and although they add to the street congestion, they are a unique and moral alternative. If the purpose of carriage rides is for the tourists, then I urge you take a few moments to consider the image Bermuda is portraying when a sweating, froth-mouthed horse is labouring through the heat all for the obvious intent of earning a dollar.

Come down to Earth

July 11, 2005

Dear Sir,

Bermuda is doomed to failure unless the pretentious element of ?God?s chosen people? is removed from the thought process of many Bermudians. The level of customer service, the attitude of a number of individuals and the lack of understanding of the big world picture is creating a huge social problem for the island. Come back down to earth please for the sake of survival in this competitive world.

Let?s go all the way!

July 13, 2005

Dear Sir,

My final statement from Triminghams proudly announces that ?Ladies Panties and Hosiery Are Now 75% Off!!?

One has to ask if they?ll go all the way by Cup Match.

No to mega ships

July 11, 2005

This was sent to Tourism and Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown and copied to The Royal Gazette.

Dear Sir,

I view with great alarm the intended plans to introduce Mega Cruise Ships to Bermuda. May I express some of my concerns. As a Minister of the Government, perhaps you are aware of the ?Government-led SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT to plan for Bermuda?s long-term future.? I received my pamphlet in the mail, and dutifully filled out and returned the form with my suggestions. The Government pamphlet states that our choices need to be guided by some core values to form the basis for setting clear objectives, targets and actions. Here are some of the stated core values:

Putting ?sustainable development at the heart of what we do. . .?

Achieving ?an economy which constantly improves the quality of people?s lives; efficient in generating as much economic value as possible . . .?

?Manage and protect the environment effectively.?

?. . .evaluating and incorporating the social, economic and environmental costs and benefits of our choices.?

?Adopt a precautionary approach, ensuring that there is full evaluation of potentially damaging activities to avoid or minimise risks of serious or irreversible damage to the environment or human health.?

?Encourage broad participation, . . . partnerships between government . . . and Bermuda?s people. . .?

I could go on.The point is that this thorough and thought provoking GOVERNMENT PAMPHLET of which I hope you are aware, Mr. Minister, clearly states that Environmental concerns are paramount to any future Governmental plans.

The effects of the Mega Cruise Ships will run totally counter to all the above stated core values. Firstly, they will be bad for the marine environment, and will create IRREVERSIBLE damage if Two Rock Passage and Town Cut have to be blasted away to let them into the harbour. You may not be aware, but the Fast Ferries have done extensive damage to the marine shore line. There is nothing but silt on the harbour bottom around the Two Rock passage shore line. Nothing grows there anymore. There used to be corals and sea fans! And what little does find its way near the shore line often lands on my dock with the huge wake caused by the Ferries. It is now a common occurrence for me to find red sponge and sea eggs on my dock, and that certainly never happened in all the 60 years I have lived here. Mega Ships will have a huge impact on shore line erosion. It is also too dangerous to swim there anymore. The wake literally throws you onto the shore line, and if you swim too far out to avoid that, you run the risk of getting run over by a smaller power boat.

Now I am all in favour of the sacrifice of a few for the benefit of many, but can anyone honestly tell me that traffic has improved with the Fast Ferries? Just look at Harbour Road and Middle Road six days a week!

Secondly, it will not benefit Bermudians economically. They do not employ Bermudians. With the smaller cruise ships in harbour, Bermudians are pushed to the limit to service the visitors we have now.

Thirdly it will not add to the quality of life here! If we get more taxis, that means more traffic on the already congested roads, more line ups for restaurants, buses, toilet facilities etc. Mr. Woolridge made a very thorough case for this in his comments in the Mid-Ocean News, Friday, July 8, 2005, and I totally concur with his assessment.

I urge you to think carefully about YOUR Government?s Sustainable Development Project and take those core values to heart. Mega Ships are not the way to go for all the good reasons set out in your Government produced pamphlet. I am certain that you can find smaller cruise ships with quality passengers!

c.c. Louise Jackson, MP

Steve Conway, President, National Trust

The Royal Gazette, Editor

Different music, please!

July 11, 2005

Dear Sir,

Would you allow me some space in your Royal Gazette to make a plea to The Minister of Transportation, Dr. Ewart Brown.

I know you are trying very hard to ease the congestion of traffic on Bermuda?s road and I would like to offer a suggestion.

Here it is:

Select a committee within your department to sit down and choose the appropriate instrumental music to be played on ALL the ferries. Please do not allow your staff to choose their own music.

I take the ferry to and from work every day and today I have decided that I will continue to try using the ferry for the rest of July 2005. Hopefully during that time, a selection of music will have been chosen and the staff employed on all of the ferries will be informed that this is the only selection of music they are permitted to play. Otherwise, I am going back to driving my car into work.

All of us get on the ferry in the morning from Watford Bridge, Rockaway, Cavello Bay, Dockyard, in the afternoon, in the evening and honestly we cannot talk to each other, we cannot hear anything, we cannot listen to the news on the TV, and to be honest it is difficult to read. Honestly, the music that is being played, very loud heavy rap, bass, reggae, hip hop. It is totally inappropriate to play this type of music and at such a loud volume. A ferry ride is supposed to be enjoyable and peaceful not a place of total NOISE and thumping, bass music.

I can see why I am seeing less and less people taking the ferry and one of the ways to get people back and to keep them is to choose peaceful, instrumental, interlude music, not this heavy rock metal, bass music.

Please see what you can do.

I and I am sure all the other passengers would be grateful.

Help our horses

July 11, 2005

Dear Sir,

I am writing in support of the improvement of the lives of Bermuda?s horses used in the carriage trade.

I fully agree with many other members of the public that:

A ban be imposed on carriage horses working on the streets of Hamilton and St. George?s between noon and 3 p.m. each day, between 1st May and 30th September every year. The heat and vehicle fumes are unhealthy for these animals.

Continual provision of shade and shelter and an ample supply of clean drinking water are made available for horses while working in Hamilton and St. George?s.

Strongly support enforcement of laws pertaining to overall hours of use and passenger loads.