Leave policy aloneOctober 31, 2005

Dear Sir,If Dr. Grant Gibbons considers Bermuda College’s decision not to allow Gina Spence Farmer to sit in the Senate while an employee, I wonder how he considers his decision to make a political football of those whole issue. Dr. Gibbons, who participated in the debate of the Employment Act 2000 in the House of Parliament, knows full well what the Act states with regard to employees having time off to participate in various public services, including the Senate, House of Parliament, Government Boards, etc. If he believes that the Act should not read “subject to the requirements of the business, an employer shall, where practicable, permit an employee to take such time off during his working hours as is reasonable . . .”, why did he not speak up when the Act was being debated in Parliament. Also, if he believes in the principle that all employees should be able to give service in this manner if they so desire, then why did his not make representation to the senior partner(s) of Appleby, Spurling and Hunter, when John Barritt was told that he could not continue as a partner and sit in the House of Parliament? And if he did make representation why did he not make his representations public as he is doing with regards to Mrs. Spencer Farmer?

If Dr. Gibbons really believes that any employee should be able to sit in the Senate or the House of Parliament, no matter what, then I expect him and his Party to ask for amendments to be made to the Act on Friday when the House reconvenes. I would also expect him to ask that MP Dean Foggo be allowed to go back to the classroom and Minister Dale Butler be allowed to return to his position as principal at Northlands. Both Messrs. Foggo and Butler stated that it was one of the hardest decisions they had to make when they had to choose whether they would remain as educators or run for Parliament. I’m sure Dr. Gibbons would not have a problem if Mr. Robert Horton, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety decided to throw his hat in the political ring as a candidate for Parliament. Or suppose Mr. Donald Scott, the Financial Secretary decided he wanted to be a Senator? If the law is right, it should be right for all. Or, does Dr. Gibbons believe that there should be a law only onto Gina Spence Farmer?

As far as Mrs. Spence Farmer’s overtime hours are concerned, if indeed she has chalked up 50-plus hours of overtime, I also have a question. If the College did allow her to use those hours to sit in the Senate, than she would be able to sit in the Senate for only seven sessions (50 divided by seven hours per day equals seven days). But the other thing I question is, if her position is so demanding that she must work so many hours of overtime, how will she be able to do both? If Mrs. Spence Farmer has not asked to be paid for the overtime hours she has put in, that is the choice that she made. Certainly I would expect the College to ask for proper documentation regarding these many hours of overtime once she asks for remuneration.

What we have not heard from Dr. Gibbons or anyone else in the United Bermuda Party is which Senator will Mrs. Spence Farmer be replacing? Will it be Opposition Leader of the Senate, Kim Swan? Will it be Bob Richards? Or will it be Kenneth Bascome? Reconvening of Parliament takes place on Friday and I would have hoped that by now the UBP would know whose seat Gina is expected to sit in.

As far as Mr. Charles Jeffers’ comments are concerned, he too is barking up the wrong tree. When the UBP was in power, they appointed the chairpersons of all government boards and they appointed their members and supporters and this is as it should be. Why should the PLP do anything differently? He, like Dr. Gibbons seems to forget that the PLP is now the government of the day and they are running the country and the Bermuda College as they see fit. Why would Senator Tannock disassociate himself from the matter — that is his remit as he is the Chairman of the Board of Government? I am certain that he did not make a decision without consulting the rest of the members of the Board.

Dr. Gibbons continues to try and make Bermudians, especially those who are not very politically astute, believe that if the College did agree that Gina could sit in the Senate she would be serving her country. This is far from the truth. If Gina is appointed by the UBP as a Senator, she would be serving the United Bermuda Party and would have to toe the party line.

If, two years ago Dr. Leonard Santucci was allowed by the College administration and Board to sit in the Senate it does not make it right. I thought it was wrong at the time and voiced my opinion. However, with Dr. Michael Orenduff as the president and Jan Spiering as the chairman of the board, lots of things happened at Bermuda College that were, in my opinion, just plain wrong. With regards to the comments by the General Secretary of the BPSU, Brother Ed Ball regarding the matter, I will reserve my comments. However, I do hope that he will revisit his comments and make the necessary apologies.LAVERNE FURBERT

Hamilton ParishApply law to allOctober 30, 2005

Dear Sir, I just watched Walton Brown Jr. on television expressing the opinion that the law forbids government employees from serving in a Government role to prevent a conflict of interest.

If this is indeed the case, PLP go-to man David Burch will have to resign all the non-Senate roles he performs: his roles in the BHC, the BLDC, Wedco and presumably his talk show on Hot 107, the sound of the PLP.

While they have a focus on conflict of interest, perhaps they should look at union leaders who should be independent of the government if they are to truly represent their membership. I fully support the application of principles of good governance, so long as they are applied universally, not just when they are convenient.JONATHAN DYER

Hamilton Parish

Editor’s note: <$>Lt. Col. Burch has resigned from his quango posts.‘Unique solution’November 2, 2005

Dear Sir,I hope you will allow me to contribute to the independence debate. Premier Alex Scott looks to Scotland for inspiration on Bermuda’s ‘unique solution’ for independence. For once Mr. Scott is right, though perhaps not in the way he thinks. Scotland has its own parliament, as do the Welsh and Northern Irish in their assemblies. The remaining territories like us have their parliaments and councils. Only the English have no parliament of their own.

Give the English their own national parliament — they can even keep Westminster — and let us, the Scots, Irish, Welsh, English and overseas territories all have elected representatives in one federal British parliament. For good measure let us replace that relic of a monarchy with, at least, a constitutional president. Above all we must have an all-British constitutional assembly on these matters and the creation of an all-British federal constitution. I understand Whitehall has dictated that we either go independent or maintain the status quo of second class British. What an illustration of imperialist arrogance!

If Whitehall slams the door in our face let us go to the other territories and to the British people themselves. Let us talk over the heads of Whitehall apparatchiks. If they still refuse to an all-British constitutional assembly let us escalate our action. Close our ports to British military ships and planes! Boycott British goods and freeze British assets! Let us march on Government House and call for an all-British general strike! Or has our Labour party aristocracy, like its cousins Blair and co., become so far removed from their labour origins that they forget the concepts of strikes and solidarity?

Let us recall that we are stronger in a federation of equals than we would be alone or as the second class British we are today. Let us capture the moral high ground and champion the necessary all-British constitutional reform. Let us offer federation with the former dominions and colonies on fair and equal terms and together build a true commonwealth of nations. Let us have full and fair federal integration with domestic autonomy. Only when we have exhausted all efforts for a British Federal Republic, only then shall we begin planning for independence. Let us sit down together as equals and confront our reality with sober senses. Let us bring back the spirit and ideals of the incomplete British revolution of 1776. Let us inscribe on our banners the slogan ‘All-British Federal Republic or Independence — No Middle Way!’J. STARLING

Hamilton Parish<$>How to improve Power 95October 30, 2005

Dear Sir,I think that if Power 95 were to hire both Bootsie & Brother Ritchie it, will add stiff competition to Hott 107.5. However, upon doing so they would need to eliminate the Marketplace lunchtime talk (that sucks) and replace it with old school mix from a DJ from either here or overseas (the same as DJ Lil’ John does on Hott 107.5). Bootsie’s Buggin’ could be on the same time as Tony’s Trippin’ to find out who’s funnier. Friday nights could even have an interesting vibe to it.In the past it was the Hott Squad now,Magic is alone to play tunes so,what better way than a clash?

In other words,Brother Ritchie could have his own tunes on Power 95 playing at the same time as Magic’s reggae/dancehall fest to keep the competition live, then people listening would have to decide on their own who’s the better station (course since MsThang, Bionce Fox & DJ Phantom are all on Hott 107.5. Power 95, will need a lot more people than J Raddigun, Brother Ritchie, Bootsie/The Captain. They’ll need female celebrities.

So Power 95 hire Bootsie & Brother Ritchie, eliminate the Marketplace lunchtime talk forever & add female celebrities & two overseas hot DJs and then compete.POWER 95-VS-HOTT 107.5

Pembroke<$>Protect us from bird fluNovember 11, 2005

Dear Sir,With the rest of the World treating a bird flu pandemic as a very real threat, maybe now would be a good time for Bermuda to tackle its own avian problems: pigeons in the park and feral chickens on every other bit of open space.ANDREW “ONE FLEW OVER THE CHICKEN’S NEST” DOBLE

Hamilton Parish