Decide on a mechanism

April 7, 2004

Dear Sir,

How ironic, Tony Blair is trying to use his parliamentary majority to deprive the British people of their ?Independence? and join up with the European Union. He knows he would lose a referendum. Our Premier wants to use his parliamentary majority to take Bermuda to ?Independence? without a referendum if possible.

We elect members of Parliament to review our laws and taxes and to oversee the management of the Civil Service. When major changes are suggested for our Constitution, the stakeholder should vote on the specific issues as separate isolated items.

The voters of Bermuda are not small children without experience who need to rely on Government of Parliament to make all their decisions. We need first to agree on a suitable procedure for making constitutional change which we lack at the present.

Once we have a procedure in place which has a strong majority support we can move forward. Such topics as Independence should be discussed in a pragmatic way without being driven by emotion.

For internal matters or normal concern our Government virtually independent with no outside control or interference. Parliament has a free hand to make and change laws.

The UK Government assumes responsibility for external affairs and defence, it also makes available worldwide consular service, all at no extra cost to us. This has to be a good deal for us because we would not have the resources to adequately provide it for ourselves.

The UK Government through their appointed Governor has responsibility and oversight for our law enforcement and selection of the Chief Justice, Prosecutors, Chief of Police etc. It is wise and prudent to have the lawkeepers ?independent? of the lawmakers (Parliament). There is a significant advantage to having an outside person with not vested interest or political ties come in for a few years and provide oversight to the legal system. Before such a person gets too established, they are replaced with a new pair of eyes (term limits for the job).

If we ever had our own Governor such an appointment would have to be ?Independent? of the Parliamentary group to keep the necessary checks and balances. We would never want those who make our laws to feel exempt from them. (Do we se signs of this?). Accountability is essential at all levels of our regulatory system if we are to have stability and harmony. Let us think deeply on this matter of change.

For Bermudians to survive in this competitive world we must look beyond what we want for ourselves. We must provide the outside world with an environment that they feel comfortable to play and work in. We must give good value and keep a high level of integrity to remain competitive.

As we move forward let us base change on common sense and careful thought about our options. Success is rarely achieved by building egos or emotion but by providing ones customers with the comfort they want.

If we cater to our guests need we will enjoy a good life with them. If we think only of ourselves we will end up alone and hungry.

?Independence? and ?freedom? are relative not absolute terms in any community. They are best protected by preventing too much power from being in anyone pair of hands.

Bermuda, a speck of rock in the middle of the ocean, has achieved a great deal but we often get pushed backward by our foolish actions. Our main resource in our people in a ?service economy?. Let us all understand what this means and welcome the opportunity ?to serve? or we will starve. The world does not owe us a living we must work and earn it.

MILES E.H. OUTERBRIDGE

St. David?s

Editor?s Note: This letter was submitted before Mr. Blair announced the United Kingdom will have a referendum on the European Constitution.

The right to choose

April 6, 2004

Dear Sir,

I am chuckling to myself as I write this because when I finished reading the editorial in today?s Royal Gazette, I thought you had written that there were no genuine or tangible arguments in favour of independence for Bermuda.

However after I had headed up this letter and re-read the part I planned to respond to, I saw that you stated that ?there are so few other genuine and tangible arguments that can be made in favour of Bermuda going it alone?.

Am I the only one in Bermuda who felt insulted when we were told who we had to have as Chief Justice? The first argument for me in favour of Independence is that me should be fully in charge of our own affairs.

Secondly, am I the only one in Bermuda who feels embarrassed when in travelling outside of Bermuda we have to admit to others in conversation that we are a dependent territory?

I am not saying that embarrassment is an argument in favour of gaining Independence, but I am saying that the desire to stand up and assume responsibility for yourself is.

Now, we know that no country is today independent of anyone else. The fact that international trading taken place is a testament to the fact that are all need one another.

I would welcome the day when Bermuda no longer has to send a delegation to England to seek permission to do this or that.

HELENE STEPHENSON

Smith?s Parish

What Cuba brings

This letter was sent to The Shadow Minister for Community & Cultural Affairs, and Seniors Mrs. Louise Jackson, and copied to The Royal Gazette

March 31, 2004

Dear Mrs. Jackson

I wish to respond to your comments contained in the March 24, 2004 edition of The Royal Gazette.

As stated in the letter, I was outside of my office and when I saw friends, your daughter included and asked them if they liked jazz. Upon hearing an affirmative answer, I gave them a ?Patron? letter. No doubt you are aware that every organisation in Bermuda seeks patrons. Equally, you are well aware that every group that performs here is compensated one way or the other, and bringing in the youth jazz group is no different.

It is my intention at the end of the year to present a report to Parliament on what has been accomplished since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (with Cuba). It will also include a financial report. To date, the way we have budgeted the activities, indicates that all profits will be used for future initiatives: ? The Bermuda Heritage Museum in St. George?s, the Musicians Union Report being written by Stuart Hayward, and for laying the foundation for scholarships for the performing arts. We can only do that if the event is successful.

The full programme with this first band has been presented to the Bermuda Musicians and Entertainers Union, which held its first meeting in over four years on March 28, 2004. The Musicians Union is very interested in improving the local music scene, and has expressed support for the schools? initiative, which will see a Bermudian perform before the Cuban band. The Bermudian will be paid, and the Musicians Union will receive funds towards their ?benevolent? fund. At the moment, there is nothing preventing schools from bringing musicians in on their own, but I am told it rarely happens outside of fundraising.

The Cuban band will also play at Harbour Nights, three schools, with the Bermuda Youth Jazz Ensemble a the Sandys Middle School Jazz Concert, and at the Ruth Seaton James Auditorium. No doubt you are aware from the 2004-2005 budget exactly how much we are spending on our young people. The Cuban Youth Band will be an inspiration for our young people and Bermudians as a whole, the same way all performers brought to the Island from all over the world do.

I have no doubt that at the end of their week?s stay in Bermuda, they will inspire local musicians and students, and provide a high quality of jazz for Bermudians as a whole. Local musicians going into schools will be highlighted with their photos and biographies in schools, and in the media. Our students will also get to listen to music from another culture without having to go overseas. Additionally, we are planning an awards ceremony for the media in light of their support for local music on the airways, and editors will be encouraged to use the results of the ?Seniors Survey? to print interviews about senior Bermudian musicians.

This is just the first stepping stone, and has been inspired by the detailed meetings I had before signing the memorandum. Additionally, we have now registered poets, authors and historians, and will by the end of the year, publish a poetry anthology and establish a stronger arm for publishing cultural information. (At the moment only one book has been published by that Department).

We have started ?our historical heart beats? series of history lectures with the Island?s historians. These lectures will be given throughout the year.

The list is endless, but I think that the year end report will highlight the numerous initiatives inspired from the Memorandum of Understanding. The report will also highlight costs, which we are aiming to keep at a minimum. At the end of the year, the score card will probably look like this: Bermuda events - 20 (things like those mentioned above). Cuba initiatives - two to three when they come here or we go there.

In closing let me say should you any additional questions do not hesitate to ask.

THE HON. DALE D. BUTLER, JP

Minister of Community Affairs and Sport