The Minister's claims

April 4, 2003

Dear Sir,

The headline today reads: "Overseas company called in to speed up school project". That confirms what the Opposition has been saying all along that the new school project is behind schedule. That, once again, shows that all along the Minister for Works & Engineering has been deceiving the public, something for which he is well known. Come next election, I hope the people in Warwick, in particular, will remember the numerous occasions on which this Minister has deceived the public; also, the public will remember the PLP government ruling by deception and decide if they want this to continue.

KEEN OBSERVER

City of Hamilton

Why does this condition exist

Dear Sir,

In response to Dr. Brown's allegations to Rotary Club, which was aired on the ZBM Evening News on February 18, 2003, where he was quoted saying that young Bermudians are becoming lazy to the point, that the Country's employers have to look overseas for labour personnel, in order to keep their businesses functional or in operation.

Under the circumstances, while there seems to be a shortage in young employed Bermudians within the corporate structure of Bermuda, one has to ask the question, why does such a condition exist?

Is it because a majority of employers today don't like to pay young Bermudians what they are worth salary-wise for their labour or could it be that business owners won't easily promote young Bermudians within the ranks of their business when they show potential management skills?

CALVIN LEONARD RICHARDSON

Devonshire

Take SARS seriously

April 23, 2003

Dear Sir,

Listening to CNN, I saw that Toronto is off limits for Canada because of 'SARS'. What about Bermuda! We have planes coming in from every day from Toronto.

Are we going to wait till 'SARS' gets here before we do something to slow its progress here? We have lots of Canadians working here and they go back and forth.

If we do get it here I pray they do not use our only hospital which will put all patients at risk.

Make arrangements for these people to be in an isolated building away from everyone.

We can't breathe easy

April 29, 2003

Dear Sir,

I am writing, with reference to the article entitled 'Island ready for SARS - top doctor' in last Friday's .

I was relieved to read that the Island is ready for SARS - but my relief was short lived. As I read further into the story, I began to wonder in what way are we ready? Ready to spread it as effectively as possible?

In every country where SARS has been detected the victims are being nursed in quarantine and some hospital facilities are even being "locked-down". Yet Bermuda's Chief Medical Officer states that "unless a SARS victim had a serious existing condition, was either very old or very young, they would probably just be sent home and asked to rest".

This is an infectious disease, the dictionary definition of infectious is "capable of being transmitted by infection without actual contact", so let's hope that those infected persons sent home to rest don't travel by bus!

Dr. Cann states that the hospital has taken steps to assure they have extra equipment such as gowns and masks, yet the nurses screening passengers at the Airport are only wearing gloves.

Why do the authorities in Bermuda seem so casual about this epidemic when the rest of the world is on alert? Dr. Cann asks us to keep this in perspective, comparing SARS cases and deaths with those caused by influenza. Have whole cities and economies ever been shut down due to influenza?

The headline from TIME Magazine, Sunday, April 27 reads: "The Truth About SARS. It's deadly, infectious and not going away. What we've learned about the virus and how scared we should be." With our Chief Medical Officer's plans for handling SARS, I think we should be very scared!

Free your mind, Senator

April 22, 2003

Dear Sir,

In response to Senator Calvin Smith, I say "enough is enough". He, like many in the PLP, has a problem with any black person who chooses to be associated with politics different than his own. Sen. Smith believes that black Bermudians should follow the PLP blindly and unquestioningly regardless of their continuing failure as a government.

He wants Bermudians to believe that if a black person associates himself with anything other than the PLP he should be considered a sell-out, a crony, an Uncle Tom etc. I used to take offence until one major fact registered with me - my association is by choice.

According to the Bermuda Constitution Order 1968, Chapter 1 Section 1 which reads as follows:

"

Senator Smith, it is my fundamental right to have freedom of political opinion and freedom of association. You cannot infringe on these rights.

There are thousands of black Bermudians within the United Bermuda Party who understand that it is their right to be members. You are making a mistake to try to harass them or continue to be discourteous as you have been in the past, because, mark my words, people will show you what they think of your unpleasantness at the polls.

I urge you to tell your "Smith Government " to call the election sooner rather than later, so that you can see that people reject the kind of politics you are embracing.

We have read about you in Proverbs 24 1-2 and we will not be threatened by your insults and your childish behaviour.

Pledge and promise

April 29, 2003

Dear Sir,

Please allow me to inform Mr. Michael Dunkley of the meaning of the word promise and pledgeper Webster's Dictionary - a thing given as security, a promise, a candidate for admission to a fraternity or sorority who has yet been initiated, pawn, promise, a donation. - one's pledge to another that one will or will not do something, ground of hope, indication of future excellence, engage to do or give, give one's word to, afford hope or expectation, encouraging, apparently due to succeed.

I could be wrong but what about Webster - to pledge is to promise and to promise is to pledge.

Feeling the squeeze

April 14, 2003

Dear Sir,

The housing crisis is as plain as the nose on your face. PEOPLE.

Too many being added to the local population - not good. It's no fault of the BHC we never had a BHC a few years back.

Most of the trouble starts and ends with the Immigration who are allowing too many guest workers in.

Landlords getting greedy with exempt companies. Others just want cheap labour and they will pack as many in a house they possibly can.

Not long ago, you could scan the paper and see places for rent - not now- it's all wanted to rent any price.

Immigration must start cutting back or send some of these foreign people back home before we have a different kind of violence.

There is now a growing population of Bermudians coming along and we are only 21-square miles.

Where are their future. Scary!

Tainted tribute

April 23, 2003

Dear Sir,

On Easter Sunday, a couple was on Elbow Beach releasing yellow and white helium balloons in tribute to a person.

They were quickly informed that balloons are one of the greatest killers of sea turtles and other marine creatures due to the deflated balloons mimicking jellyfish, a food source.

These swallowed balloons block the intestinal track of marine animals and they die a slow and painful death. I hope these people realise that by ignoring my plea, their tribute also included pain, suffering and death to innocent creatures due to their specific actions. Wouldn't a wreath of flowers be more appropriate?

The husband dismissively commented, 'I give enough money to conservation!'

In his arrogance he misunderstands that the efforts to protect from human actions is about a love that these creatures continue to exist. Those who work for their protection are not working for the love of money, but the love of life's diversity and reduction of animal suffering.

Such preservation, conservation and love has little to do with money - the hundreds of volunteers in the Bermuda Turtle Project receive nothing but the joy, satisfaction and experience of helping save animals: animals this tribute has helped destroy.

Where's the justice

April 28, 2003

Dear Sir,

Where is the justice when a poor hungry homeless man gets four months in jail for asking a Policeman for a hot dog, while criminals and delinquents get off scot-free after injuring and murdering others?

PRO STIFFER PENALTIES FOR CRIMINALS

Southampton

Waiting games

April 21, 2003

Dear Sir,

A recent letter writer complained of long waits in the Immigration clearance lines at the airport here in Bermuda.

Whilst very occasionally there are specific major problems, I would like to counter that the wait one experiences here is no different to the wait one experiences when arriving in the US from, say, Europe (pre- or post- 9/11), or arriving in many other developed countries. In fact I would dare to say that the waits here are shorter because there are fewer flights arriving at one time.

It was further argued by your contributor that multiple lines would be preferable to the current arrangement of one snaking line. Throughout the world the practice of the snaking line has taken over. It is in place in airport immigration halls worldwide. It is not in place in the EU arrivals hall at Geneva where the total lack of organisation makes one understand why Swissair went broke.

It is also not in place in the arrivals hall at one major US airport I went through recently in the Midwest where passengers ended up pacing between individual diminishing lines in a race to figure out which line was fastest. Undignified to say the least.

Not wishing to join this wave of to'ing and fro'ing I was indeed the last man out. (My frustration evaporated when, amusingly, my inspection officer, seeing my Bermuda passport, called over his colleague who had been based on the Island in the 1960's. We had a nice chat and he quickly produced an envelope of very respectable aerial photographs of Bermuda).

I am no apologist for the Bermuda Immigration Department but feel that the (many, many) times I have seen them in operation, the passenger processing time is of a worldwide standard. (Geneva excepted).

BEEN THERE DONE THAT

Flatts

Final tribute

Dear Sir,

The Director of Music of the Bermuda Regiment Band, Major Barrett Dill, regrets to announce the death on the "Good Friday Weekend" of Major Laurie Dunn., MBE.

Major Dunn was the first Director of Music of the Bermuda Regiment upon amalgamation. He served between 1965 and 1970 and composed the Bermuda Regiment March. Major Dunn passed away peacefully in West Sussex, England at the ripe age of 101 years.

In 1999, the Band of the Bermuda Regiment visited major Dunn in West Sussex and performed a musical mini display for the residents of West Sussex. At the conclusion of the tribute the Bermuda Regiment band presented major Dunn with an engraved copy of the Regimental March.

Spare the rod

April 19, 2003

Dear Sir,

As we look at society today can we honestly say we do not support the children? Children today have more rights than adults, and the trouble comes from them knowing and acting in accordance to this fact.

They understand they have the right to carry themselves in whatever way they choose because adults feel they are limited to what we can do.

Society has chosen to eliminate or restrict the discipline of our children to the extent that we have lost the respect of them and divided the opinions of adults on the correct way to respond to certain situations.

Here are some examples, a Policeman approaches a group of children, just to check if there is a problem. Adults looking on say: "Why is he troubling them." Reinforcing their rights. Teachers ride the public transportation with their students, listen to conversations and language from the children, yet they say nothing.

Bus drivers listen to bad language, rotten conversations and fighting by children on their bus but they are not supported as an adult. (Guiding the children in the right direction, leading by example). So they say nothing.

Why do these things happen, well in case you don't already know? It happens because; people are not allowed to do the things they did in the past. An adult should be able to correct a child. These are the things, which made us respect each other as adults.

It happens because the people who we expect to be enforcing the standard already set out in the Bible have decided the can do better. It happens because time has not changed only people's values. It happens when we as adults do not support each other.

Because of this attitude, policeman, teachers, bus drivers to mention a few, are just titles. Many of you who do not communicate directly with the children find it easier to stand beside the today role as adults. You have been sleeping.

Well! Let me awaken you, the role is the same as it was in the past. Just take a minute to glance back at your childhood. Was it so bad that you don't feel it's good enough for you children? We need to embrace the old but true statements. "It takes a village to raise a child" and "You are not an adult because you are of age but by the way you accept the responsibility."

Waiting games

April 21, 2003

Dear Sir,

A recent letter writer complained of long waits in the Immigration clearance lines at the airport here in Bermuda.

Whilst very occasionally there are specific major problems, I would like to counter that the wait one experiences here is no different to the wait one experiences when arriving in the US from, say, Europe (pre- or post- 9/11), or arriving in many other developed countries. In fact I would dare to say that the waits here are shorter because there are fewer flights arriving at one time.

It was further argued by your contributor that multiple lines would be preferable to the current arrangement of one snaking line. Throughout the world the practice of the snaking line has taken over. It is in place in airport immigration halls worldwide. It is not in place in the EU arrivals hall at Geneva where the total lack of organisation makes one understand why Swissair went broke.

It is also not in place in the arrivals hall at one major US airport I went through recently in the Midwest where passengers ended up pacing between individual diminishing lines in a race to figure out which line was fastest. Undignified to say the least.

Not wishing to join this wave of to'ing and fro'ing I was indeed the last man out. (My frustration evaporated when, amusingly, my inspection officer, seeing my Bermuda passport, called over his colleague who had been based on the Island in the 1960's. We had a nice chat and he quickly produced an envelope of very respectable aerial photographs of Bermuda).

I am no apologist for the Bermuda Immigration Department but feel that the (many, many) times I have seen them in operation, the passenger processing time is of a worldwide standard. (Geneva excepted).

Final tribute

Dear Sir,

The Director of Music of the Bermuda Regiment Band, Major Barrett Dill, regrets to announce the death on the "Good Friday Weekend" of Major Laurie Dunn., MBE.

Major Dunn was the first Director of Music of the Bermuda Regiment upon amalgamation. He served between 1965 and 1970 and composed the Bermuda Regiment March. Major Dunn passed away peacefully in West Sussex, England at the ripe age of 101 years.

In 1999, the Band of the Bermuda Regiment visited major Dunn in West Sussex and performed a musical mini display for the residents of West Sussex. At the conclusion of the tribute the Bermuda Regiment band presented major Dunn with an engraved copy of the Regimental March.

Spare the rod

April 19, 2003

Dear Sir,

As we look at society today can we honestly say we do not support the children? Children today have more rights than adults, and the trouble comes from them knowing and acting in accordance to this fact.

They understand they have the right to carry themselves in whatever way they choose because adults feel they are limited to what we can do.

Society has chosen to eliminate or restrict the discipline of our children to the extent that we have lost the respect of them and divided the opinions of adults on the correct way to respond to certain situations.

Here are some examples, a Policeman approaches a group of children, just to check if there is a problem. Adults looking on say: "Why is he troubling them." Reinforcing their rights. Teachers ride the public transportation with their students, listen to conversations and language from the children, yet they say nothing.

Bus drivers listen to bad language, rotten conversations and fighting by children on their bus but they are not supported as an adult. (Guiding the children in the right direction, leading by example). So they say nothing.

Why do these things happen, well in case you don't already know? It happens because; people are not allowed to do the things they did in the past. An adult should be able to correct a child. These are the things, which made us respect each other as adults.

It happens because the people who we expect to be enforcing the standard already set out in the Bible have decided the can do better. It happens because time has not changed only people's values. It happens when we as adults do not support each other.

Because of this attitude, policeman, teachers, bus drivers to mention a few, are just titles. Many of you who do not communicate directly with the children find it easier to stand beside the today role as adults. You have been sleeping.

Well! Let me awaken you, the role is the same as it was in the past. Just take a minute to glance back at your childhood. Was it so bad that you don't feel it's good enough for you children? We need to embrace the old but true statements. "It takes a village to raise a child" and "You are not an adult because you are of age but by the way you accept the responsibility."