October 23, 2006

Dear Sir,

I refer to Dr. Ewart Brown's remarks concerning Independence: Dr. Brown is quoted (Page 3, Royal Gazette, October 21, 2006) as saying “Some believe that if we detach ourselves from Mother England we will fail. I strongly disagree” and “Independence … would remain a principal objective”. I note that Dr. Brown makes no reference to the recent BFR Majority Petition demanding that we have a Referendum to decide the issue of Independence. He says instead “independence is a journey that we have to persuade a majority of the people to embrace”. “Persuade”? Does he care what anyone else thinks?

Dr. Brown is trying to “persuade” Bermudians that they should “break from Mother England” but the fact is that England is just part of one of the largest bloc of nations in the world, comprising nearly 500 million people, called the European Union. He is suggesting that it would be in Bermuda's interest to break away from the entire European Union, not just England.

Things have changed, Dr. Brown. Put to one side, for a change, your self-interest in personal power and greed, and your hatred of England, simmering since childhood. The European Union is one of the largest trading blocs in the world with enormous opportunities for Bermudians if they want to go abroad. To throw away this right for our young Bermudians is a cardinal sin against our future generations. The world is divided into several blocs of countries, Dr. Brown. Bermuda is an unknown speck in the ocean. China leads the Asian bloc. Then there is the South American bloc and the Australasian bloc. Finally there is the North American bloc and the European Union.

For the moment, Bermudians can travel freely, using US dollars or other foreign exchange (since the Bermuda dollar is worthless on its own), in and out of the United States and Canada, and to any part of the European Union, currently without difficult-to-get visas. Bermudians are blessed with a pre-clearance US Customs facility at the airport. Bermudians can work and study in the European Union, and study in the USA or Canada. Do you, Dr. Brown, want to throw all this away by using political “persuasion”?

Before forcing us all to dive into the un-charted and shark-infested waters of independence, for a change think of our future generations and their rights. Forget the fancy cars, the pomp and ceremony of being a “Prime Minister” of a speck in the ocean, and forget your own need to look important and have your picture plastered everywhere. Let Bermudians decide major matters affecting their future for themselves, without the dubious benefit of your one-sided views, by way of Referendums.

MICHAEL G. MARSH, ACII

Smith's Parish

October 18, 2006

Dear Sir,

“Strange fruit hang from trees” - Nina Simone. We wrote to you in June expressing our dismay about rights for gay men and lesbian women being left out of the human rights bill. Three months later we see a Ku Klux Klan style rally in the name of God at the National Stadium. God will be weeping at the hatred that they spew for the oppressed have truly become the oppressors. Here is a reminder of the effects of a church rally for hatred from around 1996.

4 Church rally at the House of Parliament against the Dr. Stubbs bill.

4 Gay people are attacked with “Molotov Cocktails” at a private party.

4 Sheran (Opie) Ming murdered in cold blood at a St George's nightclub.

The Christian Church has for centuries openly condemned gay people and as a result is responsible for the murder of countless people all over the world. Genocide always has an ideological master. In opposing the Renee Webb private members bill these so called Christians are fuelling the fires of future oppression, hatred and murder.

It is understandable that a people who have been enslaved for centuries subsequently turn out to be slave masters themselves. People brought up under slavery often lose their human compassion and in turn enslave whomsoever they perceive to be weaker than themselves. You must break the circle and rediscover this compassion.

We have to believe that denying human rights to “others” for whatever reason is wrong. Or maybe the people in the stadium are correct and it is just to deny human rights to certain sectors of the community. Using this logic then, it was fine to deny human rights to black people. You cannot have it both ways! Would the Grand Wizard of the new Bermuda chapter of the anti gay KKK, please stand up and is he/she a leading member of the PLP? What strange fruit will we be seeing hanging from our trees in the future?

VALENTINO TEAR AND NEIL CARR

Chester, England

October 17, 2006

This was sent to Premier Alex Scott and Dr. Ewart Brown and copied to The Royal Gazette.

Dear Sir,

I am most distressed by the comments made by Mr. Smith on this evening's news. He stated that Ewart Brown would bring “Bermudians forward,” and then went on to define Bermudians as “Black Bermudians.” As we all know, this is not the first time a member of the PLP has made the term Bermudians synonymous with being black. According to your party's website, the government sees “...the essential mission of the Progressive Labour Party to be the empowerment of the broad majority of the Bermudian people”.

Am I correct in assuming that by “broad majority of the Bermudian people,” you mean black Bermudians? If so, I fully support the PLP in it's initiative to empower black Bermudians, however, I am baffled by the consistent inference by members of the government that just because I am white, I am not Bermudian. As such, I am asking you, the elected leader of my country, to please tell me what makes someone Bermudian. I look forward to your soonest reply.

JULIE GUNTHER

Pembroke

October 19, 2006

Dear Sir,

I am appalled at the way Mr. Deuss has been treated by our people in authority here in Bermuda. To arrest him on a Friday afternoon/evening and leave him in goal over the weekend then drag it out in court for hours before releasing him with the highest amount of bail I have heard of smacks of retribution. Pure insult! And for what?

Here is a man who has supported many charities, gives privately to needy causes, helps people in distress and runs several efficient businesses based on our island, which employ numerous Bermudians, and we have hounded him into the headlines for a crime that we don't know has been committed and is unconnected with Bermuda. The whole thing is very short sighted.

SC

Warwick

October 17, 2006

Dear Sir,

I am a Bermudian living in the Greater Atlanta Georgia area. I believe that a memorial in Bermuda is the very least our Country should do to honour the life of Sergei Preminin. When someone gives their life for the good of so many others (and in this case, the entire country of Bermuda knowingly or not), “… here is how to measure it - the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.” - John 15:13. Also, this honour would serve to encourage his family and celebrate a legacy of sacrifice and goodwill.

JAMAINE S. TUCKER

Pastor of Evangelism & Community Outreach

Georgia

October 18, 2006

Dear Sir,

I read Ms Roberts' articles regarding the American men jailed for fighting. I found myself laughing at Mr. Thomas Donovan. Mr. Donovan, I want you to know that you and your entire family as well as Pontieri's family should please stay out of Bermuda. The people of Bermuda don't want that kind of thing happening nor to be recurring again, so if you and your family and friends lack self-control and lack of respect for their laws, then stay out of the island.

And if your son and Pontieri did the same in “red China” the sentence may be harsher. In the US, the fines and sentences could be much longer and harsher as well. Your son and his friend sought to do Mr. Emanuel harm - they folllowed him. So they deserved the prison time due to the consequences of their actions.

So how dare you, Mr. Donovan, say it was unfair. Bermuda is a beautiful island and many tourists return or encourage others or friends to visit. They want people to come and feel safe. Thomas Donovan you are out of your mind. Obviously Mr. Donovan, if you think you can get tourists to boycott Bermuda for what your son and his friend did, what these two juvenile men had done such harm to another tourist, you are a fool - it was your son's actions and “the apple don't fall far from the tree”. You didn't apologise for your son's actions.

Why should other tourists boycott the island for your son and friend's stupid actions? The tourists who come and fall in love with Bermuda, thoroughly enjoy themselves, respect the laws and return time and time again. Mr. Donovan, put your energy in helping your daughter-in-law and grandson. Make good of the situation don't make it worst for yourself because you're getting older and your family really needs you during your son's three month tenure.

H. PAGE

(Former resident of Smith's Parish)

Miami, Florida

October 17, 2006

Dear Sir,

Here is a letter I imagined being sent to Ann Landers:

Dear Ann,

I am totally distraught and need advice immediately. I have not been able to stop crying . My dilemma is this. I have a son, Kemh, and a daughter, Botanica. My son was not feeling very well and I didn't think the local doctors were capable of assessing his health. So, on advice I took him to a foreign specialist consultant in North America.

After extensive testing the consultant informed me that my son only had six years to live. However, the foreign consultant said that Kemh would live for much longer if Kemh could receive a lung, a kidney and several arteries from Botanica. I am extremely distraught. Furthermore, this operation is not covered by health insurance and the consultant has informed me it will cost $500 million. I love both my children equally and want them both to live healthy lives. What am I to do?

Yours sincerely,

Mr. Bermudahospitalboard.

The reply was as follows:

Dear Mr. Bermudahospitalboard,

I can understand your anguish. Before you make any decision I advise you to get another consultant's opinion. The life of your two children depend on your next course of action. Get the second specialist consultant to examine all the facts. It may be necessary to have re-tests. Also best of all examine the facts for yourself, you are smarter than you think. Obtain all the reports on what will cause Kemh to die and all relevant alternative reports. Are there any preventive actions that can be taken by Kemh? Sacrificing Botanica for Kemh is not an option to consider. It would be prudent to seek the vital organs from a recently deceased donor. Tell your present consultant you are seeking a totally independent second, and possibly third opinion.

Ann

JUNIPERUS BERMUDIANA

Pembroke

October 6, 2006

Dear Sir,

I'm writing your column once more after a long absence, unfortunately, this time with much dismay. Together with the rest of the Island, I am in total disbelief with Government's plan at building a new Hospital on a very large portion of our Botanical Gardens that will see the removal of the very large trees that add so much character near the garden for the blind. These trees have been around longer than most of us and have weathered a few hurricanes over the years, been the background for many of our newly married couples from Bermuda and overseas.

The years of endless hours of work that has been undertaken at making the gardens something for all to enjoy, from the pristine gardens to the many Agriculture exhibitions will now be destroyed! We have all enjoyed along with our many tourists some of the most wonderful talent shown by our residents - both young and old. From the many exhibits such as the wonderful Bermuda cedar wood carpentry by both professional and amateurs, to the many “green thumb” individuals that look forward each year to this exhibition to show their talents in so many ways.

Also the equestrian shows that have taken place in the centre ring. Many of these same young riders later represented Bermuda in many world events such as the Olympics and the many individuals that have given so much to the horse enthusiast such as Cheese Ray, Jason Jones. This is simply to name a few of these very special people. We owe it to them and many more from across Bermuda for the countless hours of work that it has taken to make the Botanical grounds and the exhibition what it is today. It belongs to all of us - it is a part of our history!

No matter who we are, what colour of our skin or our educational backgrounds; we all can remember a special moment in our lives that relates to these grounds. I can ramble on further to why this is not a good choice by our Government, but we would definitely need at least two Royal Gazettes to contain all the reasons. Here are a few suggestions to what I think might work for all concerned and might be a real asset to Bermuda as a whole.

Firstly, we have a military base hospital that's been closed for at least 25 years located at the east end. This hospital has weathered a few hurricanes and is still standing. I'm sure this structure could be given a new lease on life. Let's make it a first-class hospital that would cater to all St. David's, St. George's, Tucker's Town and Bailey's Bay residents. This would be a real asset in weather such as Fabian when the causeway was awash and damaged with no way at getting across. Also, in the event of an airplane disaster (which I hope we never see), the hospital and the ambulance service would be that much closer to give the medical attention needed in such a disaster.

Next, the present Hamilton clinic could be also revamped to have an emergency department and you could add two floors for patient care with a decent extended care ward with a proper pharmacy. You could still maintain the clinical service on the ground level to deal with the everyday issues that the clinic faces regularly. This also would ease the load at the King Edward Hospital. In the western end such as the old Naval Operating Base in Southampton, you could do a similar thing. Choose a vacant building that could be revamped, if not, we could surely build something that we as Bermudians could be proud of. Again, this smaller hospital could cater to all of the residents in the western end of the island. Warwick residents.

Finally, you could build a smaller main hospital where the old hospital is located which could have less beds and all the necessary amenities of a major hospital that this island needs so desperately. Make the New King Edward a state of the art institution. Any patients from the other hospital centres that need extra care or high end operations could then be transferred to the bigger hospital in Paget. I'm sure this would ease up the strain that the present hospital experiences on a daily basis. Then all our wonderful medical staff could work under much better conditions and make all of their patients much happier.

I'm equally sure we could do it for a lot less money. We could have the best of both worlds - save our beloved botanical gardens and have a wonderful new hospital. You might have all guessed by now, I love my island home but most of all, I love the Islanders who share it with me. I'm more than sure all residents like me, would wish the garden's to stay as is. But, most of all. Keep it for our children and their children to enjoy in the future. I'm not in any way suggesting these ideas be completed overnight but they could be done on a priority basis and over a ten year period or more. I am confident that some of my ideas might be less costly to achieve and that's where you should start!

LET'S DO IT!

Paget