June 15, 2002

Dear Sir,

Transportation has just got worse for people living at the East Side of Somerset. The last bus for the day to Hamilton leaves around 8.15 a.m. and now we are to have fewer ferries just as the tourist season has begun! They are not in a hurry and enjoy the leisurely trip calling at the various stops.

Sometimes I come across visitors waiting at bus stops on East Shore Road and Sound View Road and have to tell them there are no buses to Hamilton after 8.15 a.m. There is no indication that this is a fact and I'm sure this leaves a bad impression.

A number of elderly people live on the east side of Somerset and they have a walk of about a mile to get to the main road for a bus. Surely a few buses could be routed via Sound View Road during the day, I'm sure they would be well used if people knew they would be running.

BETTY HART

Somerset

June 10, 2002

Dear Sir,

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to discuss the problem our home schools are facing recently. First, let me put in writing my daughter, Ciara's story.

She attended Paget Primary for two years and was struggling in everything she did. When she finished Primary Two, my cousin approached me about home school. She knew how Ciara was finding it difficult, not only with academics, but socially as well. She was constantly picked on and teased by her classmates so that her self esteem was zero. She didn't want to go to school, and every day was a battle to get her up and ready.

I was not sure about Home School because I didn't know enough about the programme. Mrs. Zuill sat with me and went over the curriculum and how things work. We then gave Ciara a diagnostic test which proved that she was functioning only at Primary One level.

In her first year with Mrs. Zuill, she completed a year and a half's work, thus bringing her almost to grade level. By the end of her second year, I pulled Ciara out of the programme because financially, I couldn't afford the books and all the other costs.

I placed her in Dellwood Middle School where she lasted only one month. The teasing and aggravation from other students started almost immediately. Ciara complained every morning of some ailment as to why she couldn't attend school. I pushed her anyway.

Shortly after her first couple of weeks of school, Ciara was diagnosed with diabetes. She spent a week in the hospital. At that time, my cousin, Mrs. Zuill, visited her often, bringing books so that Ciara can do some school work to try to help pass the time. Ciara enjoys The School of Tomorrow's curriculum and expressed to me that she wanted to get back in the programme.

Knowing that I could not afford to pay her, Mrs. Zuill accepted my daughter back without any question or discussion about payments. The comment that's about people starting home schools for the money is definitely not applicable here. Mrs. Zuill has opened her heart and her home to my daughter and it has made all the difference. She helps her to monitor her diabetes during the day and I know that she has Ciara's best interest at heart.

If she is forced to reduce her numbers, I fear that Ciara may be among the first to go since I do not pay, even though Mrs. Zuill has not said who she will have to let go. I cannot imagine her facing public school again, and with her illness I am afraid, not only for her mental state, but also her physical well being.

Ciara's attitude towards school has made a complete turnaround. I no longer have to fight to get her up mornings. Her marks are 85 percent and above. I am confident that she is mastering everything presented to her as she can not progress in the curriculum unless she achieves 80 percent or above on her test for each book.

I am a single mother with two children trying my best to ensure that they do things in their lives differently than I did. Ciara has a wonderful opportunity to get an excellent education and possibly go further. I truly hope that the Government will look favourably on these wonderful supervisors who have opened their homes to include children that my not have normally had the opportunity to get this kind o fine on one attention that so many need. I know my circumstances would never allow me the luxury of staying home to home school my children.

In the last couple of weeks, I have read how the Government is concerned with health and safety issues in the home schools. Well, let me say that I would dread sending my daughter to CedarBridge where stabbings and sex in the bathrooms occur.

I know that one of the requirements for a home school to get a license would be the number of bathrooms in a home. Think about how many children attend CedarBridge. Can somebody tell me the ratio of toilets to children in the public schools? I do not think ten children to one bathroom is bad. I know it is clean and has soap, toilet paper and hand towels, which is more than I can say for certain schools around the island.

Please, Mr. Minister, we need further discussion on this matter with all concerned, parents, students, and supervisors. Certainly this government, that promised to be for the people, has not forgotten all of us who voted them into power. We need to come up with some alternative solutions to this licensing of home schools. I know speaking for myself, I could not possibly feel good about placing Ciara back into a system that did not work for her.

CARMEN MARTIN

City of Hamilton

June 11, 2002

Dear Sir,

I was interested to read Gavin Shorto's column on slavery in the modern world and its prevalence in countries with Islamic governments. With the exception of the idiots in Northern Ireland and the Basques, the common denominator of terrorist activity around the world is that all the terrorists are Muslem extremists. In countries where religious freedom is constitutionally guaranteed it is ‘politically incorrect' to single out a religion or point out that fundamentalists who think that their own religious beliefs should be imposed by law are a grave danger to any community.

The bitter truth is, however, that fundamentalism - the acceptance of one of the many forms of scripture as the incontrovertible, literal truth - is doing untold damage and is responsible for millions of deaths annually. The mindless political campaign waged by the Pope to prevent condom use wherever he has enough political clout will be largely responsible for the death from Aids of tens of millions of men women and innocent children. The vicious campaigns waged by the religious fundamentalist ‘right' in the United States result in the occasional assassination of medical practitioners who perform legal abortions and random murders of gays. The greatest of these evils by far is Islamic fundamentalism, which has become an imminent danger to the entire free world.

The worst of this problem is the silence which has overtaken moderate Islam - if there is such a thing as moderate Islam. Silence denotes consent. The sad fact that slavery is still endemic in Islamic countries and that terrorism worldwide is carried out by Moslem fanatics and promoted and financed by Islamic governments should be enough to condemn the whole Islamic faith in the eyes of the right thinking people everywhere. That Islam condemns women to a life little better than a life of slavery is another blot on the face of Islam. Islam may well be a way to find God. It is not, however, an acceptable lifestyle for anyone in the form in which it is enforced in Islamic countries.

The simple fact is that religion enforced is not a religion at all. No one can be forced to believe anything. Children can be taught to believe what is wrong and frequently are. Three generations of children in the Soviet Union were taken from their homes and taught Soviet Communism as a religion. It worked. Constitutions that guaranteed freedom of religious practice would do even better to guarantee freedom from the religion of others. The rest of the world will end up having to fight a war against Islam because Islam believes that its faith not only can be enforced, but should be enforced on everyone. Such a religion is not religion at all. It is force, not faith. The mere fact that a religion must rely on force of law rather than powers of persuasion condemns it as a failure.

There are several churches here in Bermuda that might heed that. What is the matter with their powers of persuasion that they so readily confess failure? If their preachers were any good or their ‘truths' were self evident, everyone would follow them and believe. They don't, however, and our constitutional protections should keep us free of this constant political interference. Taken to an extreme the logical end of such political interference is inquisition, terrorism and slavery.

APOSTATE

City of Hamilton

June 16, 2002

Dear Sir,

I have just been perusing the Saturday, June 15, 2002, edition of your newspaper. In particular Page 8. Imagine my shock, and horror, horror I say, to read that the Queen, on the advice of Tony Blair, has knighted, knighted I say, that Mick Jagger hooligan.

Is this Sir Michael Jagger not the same cur who relieved himself, relieved himself I say, up a gas station wall back in the 1960s? A man who is giving Brigham Young a run for his money in the wives-and-children race. A man who mumbled his way to millions.

I am, frankly, almost too upset for words. However, I wanted to tell you that in order to protest this preposterous action by the Queen, I am returning to Buckingham Palace my own articles of knighthood, the ceremonial sword, the sash, the garter, and that silly hat with the feather, and the coat of arms with three dachshunds rampant on a field of daisies.

I'm returning it all to the Queen, postal charges to be paid at the Palace. It is the only right thing to do.

SIR ROSS ELDRIDGE (Mrs.)

Devonshire

P.s. Whoops! I've just been told that I got my knighthood from a completely different Queen. I guess I'll hold on to everything. Wait, I will send the silly hat to Tony Blair. He deserves that.

Hot and bothered

June 16, 2002

Dear Sir,

Believe it or not, this is a true story.

Approximately two and a half weeks ago, I was told by a HWP technician that my Whirlpool fridge had a compression problem and would be too expensive to repair. Taking his advice, I decided to go fridge hunting and finally found the right size and design that I wanted from HWP on Front Street.

A very nice saleslady assisted me and said that, unfortunately, she did not have the white side by side ice maker/crusher in stock but was adamant in informing me that she was expecting them in the following week. She took my address/phone details and away I went happy that she would call me the following week.

After two and a half weeks passed and no phone call, I decided to go into the shop and make an enquiry. I was told that the lady who originally waited on me was not in that day, lady No. 2 listened to my case and immediately went to the computer and found that there was a white fridge which I wanted in stock and it was the last one available. She then wanted to know if I had a water line installed to accommodate the fridge requested (incidentally, this was a $2,500 fridge) and as I am not a plumber and had difficult in getting a plumber for such a small job, I asked her to send their technician to find out the information she requested before selling the fridge. She very quickly retorted that this would mean another visit charge of $80 to tell her what she needed to know. I remarked that this seemed an unfair cost for such an expensive fridge.

However, it was determined that I did have a facility available and the next day I went into the shop to pay for the fridge.

Well, you guessed it; I had to relate the whole story again to lady No. 3 who again went to the computer to find the fridge. She came back to me and said the only white fridge available was a damaged one and suggested that I see it. Having filled out their customer form and written my cheque out, you can imagine my utter frustration at this point but, at her insistence, I did go into the warehouse and see the fridge, which was very badly damaged, and could not imagine her wanting me to even consider this item.

I consider this fiasco extremely bad service and during the episode not one apology was given. Of course, they are the final losers as I have ever intention of looking elsewhere for a fridge.

However, I really cannot believe that this sort of thing happens when most businesses are desperate to make any kind of sale, but it is really the nonchalant attitude that grates on ones nerves. Wake up HWP, you seem to have a problem.

DISAPPOINTED AND AGGRAVATED

Devonshire

Clearing the air

June 16, 2002

Dear Sir,

Open Airways would like to thank The Bermuda End-to-End walk/ride/paddle for the generous donation following this year's enormously successful event. We realise that the committee works tirelessly throughout the year to make this event happen. Hundreds of people are involved throughout the Island giving their time and money to help charities such as ours.

We want to thank each and every walker for the enthusiasm they showed during the walk, for the blisters they suffered, the aching muscles and also for collecting pledges to help us. Special thanks to the cyclists, some of them very young children, many bursting with enthusiasm for this wonderful community event. Finally, those who set off in their canoes in stormy conditions, with huge waves and high winds must know that we are very grateful.

We must also thank all those who sponsored the event from corporate donors to each and every individual who made pledges. Thank you to those people who gave their time to register walkers, those who ran water stops, St. John Ambulance team and to all the other people who worked behind the scenes to make this the enormously successful community event for charity happen.

A very special thanks to Mr. MacDonald Tucker and Deverly Ball, severe asthmatics, who have benefited from asthma education and showed their appreciation by walking the entire End-to-End walk. Congratulations, your efforts are not only very gratifying for us but also an inspiration for other asthmatics.

Open Airways is a small charity helping the very large number of asthmatics we have in Bermuda - we aim to help each and every one lead a normal, healthy, unrestricted life free from asthma systems. Donations and community support such as this make our dream possible. Thank you all.

LIZ BODEN, TRINA GODFREY, DEBBIE BARBOZA

Open Airways

Thanks for the help

June 18, 2002

Dear Sir,

The Lions, Lioness and Leos held their annual Fun Day on June 15 at WindReach Recreational Village. Approximately 60 guests from St. Brendan's and Extended Care Unit were treated to tours of the Petting Zoo, games, a BBQ lunch, a magic show and face painting.

We would like to thank the following for their generous donations which made this event possible:

Mount St. Agnes (Games and Prizes)

White & Sons

Crow Lane Bakery

Dunkley & Pioneer Dairies

Bermuda Creamery Ltd.

Chris Shanks General Trucking

Rhona Emmerson (Face Painting)

DUDLEY R. COTTINGHAM

Function Chairman

Hamilton Lions Club