Deaths not in vain

September 29, 2008

Dear Sir,

I read with interest and a great deal of sadness this morning's newspaper stories about Maxwell Brangman and Frederick Gilbert and the accompanying editorial. Maxie and Freddie were both friends who always had a smile and kind word for me whenever I saw them. Both were truly unique individuals, whose characters enriched the diverse community that is St. David's. Their senseless deaths have cast a pall of disquiet, unrest and fear over our community. Their loss will be greatly felt.

I appeal to my fellow St. David's Islanders to not let their deaths be in vain. I pray that if anyone has any information at all about these crimes – even the smallest item – that they please turn that information over to the Police, or to Crime Stoppers (1-800 623 8477). Let us give the Police the tools they need to bring those responsible to justice, and at the same time begin the process of restoring our St. David's community to the oasis of calm and safety that we remember.

We in St. David's have a rich history, full of tradition, and it is in danger of being lost. If we can use this tragedy to recapture those qualities that made St. David's special, then perhaps some good will have come out of this after all.

SEAN M. PITCHER

St. David's

Road fines not enough

September 26, 2008

Dear Sir,

After spending $3 million dollars on our state of the art electronic vehicle registration system, it's heartening to see the Government begin to recoup on its investment to the reported tune of $260,000 since its inception two months ago (with a third of that figure coming from only three offenders). Clearly the positive press reports will encourage all motorists and Sunday commercial vehicle drivers to make every effort to ensure they have all necessary licences and permits before taking to the roads which begs the question … is this only the beginning or already the end?

Assuming the previously reported lost revenue figure of $11 million dollars over five years (the equivalent of $180,000 per month, which is well below the current pace since inception of $130,000 per month or only $86,000 if you remove the repeat offender anomalies) is accurate and the likelihood that existing and uncaught offenders will sit up and take note of these large fines and therefore make every effort to license their vehicles, is it not reasonable to conclude that the bulk of the fines will be issued in the first few months of deployment and thereafter taper off?

If so, will we ever really come close to recouping our $3 million investment (not to mention prove the veracity of the lost $11 million dollar revenue claim) or, as alluded to above, is this only the beginning of a new road monitoring scheme to introduce congestion charges and thereby a permanent and new government revenue stream for an already overtaxed and underserved electorate? Time will surely tell and, one way or another, we will surely pay.

KEG

Pembroke

Island is sinking

September 26, 2008

Dear Sir,

Eggs US national average of $2.17 a dozen

Eggs BDA national average $4.65 a dozen

In Wyoming, milk is 2.50 a gallon

In Bermuda, milk is 11.30 a gallon

I definitely had to chuckle when my spell check inferred I change BDA to BAD.

On average we in Bermuda pay higher prices than the US. But on top of this we pay a payroll tax on an island which boasts it is tax free.

I for one am fed up with being bled to death financially.

I take home over $80,000 a year with considerable overtime; on average I'd say 200 hours per month. But rest assured I am ready to retire on ten and a half acres I found elsewhere for $229,000.

To live well in Bermuda, if one isn't extremely rich, is an impossibility. We can hem and haw all we want, no one, and I mean no one listens. Greed has sunk this Island swiftly and unless there is a combined effort to refloat this paradise, the abyss is more and more inevitable.

This is the only place in the world where gasoline never drops. I can list at least one hundred inconsistencies as it pertains to this economy and I never went to college. The social violence and vandalism is a direct result of pressured citizens who are running out of room and running out of hope of achieving structured financial accomplishments, i.e. a house and decent savings.

A man's self worth begins with what he can achieve and accomplish. I put the challenge to the political parties to come together and figure out how they can reduce these ridiculous prices including Payroll Tax as we're tax free, remember. Make it comfortable for the people to buy gas and food. I am so ashamed to even mention Bermuda when I'm abroad. Everyone comments on how they'd love to come here.

Being the honest person I am I swiftly change the subject not to be embarrassed by explaining why a US gallon of milk costs $11 here. I can't justify it to them. Just like you can't justify it to me.

The Icelandic tragedy was fairly swift. But our sinking has been culminating for 40 years that I know of.

WWW.TITANIC.BM

Devonshire

For our children's sake

September 23, 2008

Dear Sir,

I was touched by the story done by David Bascome (Royal Gazette, September 23). Thank you, Mr. Bascome, for your story. My heart goes out to that young man. I pray he stays focused on sports and does not allow the situation with his father to deter him from being a success. You see, Bermuda, that seems to be the trend in Bermuda. Where have the fathers gone? Popping in and out of a child's life might be your answer to keeping in touch. But our children need consistency. Half-stepping will not solve the problem. It only makes it worse. Some may say a half a loaf is better than none at all. Well you stand and tell a child that the father that they love is not coming to get them after he promised he would. Not once, but time after time. Look at that face and tell them that.

Absent parents are a blight on this children's hearts. I speak of mothers and fathers. Where are the parents? My sister found a little school girl at the bus terminal after 6 p.m. sound asleep. Someone woke her up and the child said someone was supposed to come and pick her up. She had been there since after 4 p.m. Come on, wake up absent parents. These children did not ask to come into this world. If you are not prepared to raise a child don't have one.

I am so angry I cannot believe the foolishness going on in homes today. Mothers in nightclubs with their man and children are at home alone. Fathers running all over the country making babies and then bragging about it, but cannot support the one they already have.

I, in this letter, call them mothers and fathers but when you get down to it they are just egg and sperm donors. Grandparents raising their children's children. When most people should be in a season of rest they have to start all over again and raise grandchildren. Hats off to those people who have stepped in.

One thing I am glad for: Those parents who are out there doing what is necessary to support their children and being there for them. At times it can be hard, but they are trying. There are those men who do step up to the plate and at times are denied to see the child because of baby mama drama. Mother has a problem with daddy. Nothing to do with the child, past issues, and you cannot get over it. So you make your child suffer because you have a bitterness problem. Parents, please don't make your children pay for your unhappy life.

Hats off to the single mothers who are working and their first thought when the pay cheque shows up is the child. You do what it takes to see that the child comes first. These parents need to be celebrated. I once heard a pastor say, " children's issues get caught in the press".

Our children are suffering because of selfishness on the part of our society. High rents, materialism, greed, lust you name it.

We, at a cost of trying to be better than our neighbours, are losing our children. Now we want to bring gambling to Bermuda. There goes rent money, school supplies, food. Who stands to lose the most in this? Our children.

So to those of you who support it. Make sure you are there to help to feed that child whose lunch just went on the gambling table.

TIME TO WAKE UP

Devonshire