Spiralling costs

August 4, 2009

Dear Sir,

Will someone in authority please do something about the spiralling cost of food in Bermuda? A loaf of bread cost almost $8 in Bermuda while that same loaf cost $1.60 in Florida. Low income families are having a very difficult time feeding their families. It is more and more difficult to blame people for shopping overseas.

The cost of electric energy is another cost that continues to be disproportionately high and continues to get higher. It certainly does not come down when the price of oil drops. It gets worse when you realise the Bermuda Electric Light Company also owns the other energy company Bermuda Gas and Utility. It would almost be laughable when the cost of both products go up almost simultaneously except when you think about what it does to poor families. The Bermuda Electric Light Company should never have been allowed to purchase The Bermuda Gas and Utility Company.

As for the Price Commission, they seem to be asleep.

QUINTON EDNESS CBE.

Warwick

I can landscape too

August 5, 2009

Dear Sir,

>I am Bermudian born and raised and I've been out of work since February when I was made redundant. I went to one of those town hall meetings down in St. George's back in March where I filled in a form with all my particulars. No one has ever contacted me.

I know how to drive a golf cart.

J.C. SIMPSON

St. David's

Confused by committee

August 5, 2009

Dear Sir,

Who's running this place again?

How in this supposed "democratic" society, can a group of individuals who are not elected by the people of Bermuda but merely selected within the Progressive Labour Party be in a position to tell the Bermudian voter that they support Dr. Ewart Brown, and therefore he stays?

Of course I am referring to the PLP central committee. Who are these people, and how is it that they can dictate who is running this island?

Did I miss the memo or public notice which states that the ruling Government no longer follows the will of Bermudian citizens? The current Premier has a 25 percent popularity vote. My calculator isn't computing that number to indicate contentment among Bermuda's people with present leadership. I hope those of you hell-bent on keeping Ewart Brown in power are being well-fed and well paid for your efforts.

I'm a black Bermudian, so I do not have a genetic predisposition or socialisation experience that gives me an anti-PLP bias. Just thought I'd throw that out there for you, Mr. Wentworth Christopher.

RGP

Warwick

Vote person, not party

August 4, 2009

Dear Sir,

Having read the article by Matthew Taylor, "White Bermudians irrelevant politically" in yesterday's Royal Gazette, these are my thoughts on our system of Government. I came to Bermuda in the mid-1950s, having trained and worked in a multiracial group. I did not agree with a system of segregation, so was pleased when it all ended.

At that time, the Bermuda Government was run by Independent politicians, each parish having elected members. When voting took place it was for the person and their ability, that one voted for to do the best for the area. Then it changed to a Party System. Are we not too small for all this division. Them and Us. Blacks vote PLP, whites vote UBP ... party politics is destroying us.

To return to Peace and Harmony maybe the entire system should dissolve and disband, and those persons wishing to continue in politics stand for their Parish as Independents. Then the voting Public would vote for the person, not Party, which is really what should be done with a two party system, vote for the best person for the job.

AGE AND RACE IRRELEVANT

Pembroke

Island needs a new party

August 5, 2009

Dear Sir,

I refer to Peter Outerbridge's comments on my letter about a new political organisation. This debate about whether the UBP is viable now or will be ever again has been going on for years but with renewed emphasis since the last election. I don't know whether Mr. Outerbridge is involved as a Party worker or if he just supports the UBP but I have worked for and within the UBP for decades and I can see what's happening.

Having said that, there are plenty of people who know "what's happening" and work within the UBP and would disagree with my contention that the UBP is a dead party. By that I do not mean that it doesn't have supporters who will vote for it next time around; what I mean is that if the UBP has 50 people (including elected and appointed officials) who are actively doing the work of the Party, that would be the height of its active, worker-bee population.

The UBP cannot attract decent people to stand for election; it cannot attract people to go out and work to promote the Party; it cannot attract young people (Young United Bermuda has maybe a half dozen members and I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt); and it's so-called supporters do nothing but talk, express opinions and complain ... but they do not stand up and work for the Party – that's evidently someone else's job!

Personally I agree with those who say that the UBP name, at the very least, is the virus that will kill it. I also agree that the current MP's for the most part are so connected to the "old" Party that they have lost the ability to attract the black vote that the Party needs to be the Government. In the face of an excellent report on what won't work, what's wrong and what might work ... the likes of Grant Gibbons, Trevor Moniz, (Bob) Richards and Cole Simons simply dismissed the findings as having no credence. You didn't ask the right questions. You didn't do it my way.

There's too much margin for error. Mr. Outerbridge, the United Bermuda Party and it's MP's are like an addict who can't see the forest for the tress ... they are in complete denial.

If my comments about the need for a new political organisation gave you the idea that it would be a "third" party, believe me, I only meant that they would be the third party on the scene because the UBP refuses to dissolve and disappear. If a group of young Bermudians formed a political party today, I am as sure as it will rain before year's end that they will have the support of virtually every voter in Bermuda who is not completely brainwashed by Ewart and Rolfe and the other Alaska Hall lackeys. I mean they will have the enthusiastic and full support of the honest, decent people who want so badly to see the issue of race addressed but not used as a political tool on which to base the governance of Bermuda.

The support is there. The money is there. All we need is young Bermudians to step up and take a stand.

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

Southampton

Make taxi drivers safe

August 5, 2009

Dear Sir,

I would like to comment and pass on an idea about the current situation with the taxi operators here in Bermuda. I have a brief history within the taxi industry as a young Bermudian driver and decided to move on due to several reasons, one of which was safety. During my short stint as a driver, I drove days and nights and felt very vulnerable during the late shifts. This was due to the very open-style layout of a local taxi.

On a trip to New York, I had the pleasure of riding in a yellow cab late one evening and couldn't help but notice that the taxi driver was absolutely oblivious to who was in the back seat and really didn't care what was going on while he chatted on his cell phone for the entire 30-minute ride uptown. I wondered for a moment and then it clicked, bullet proof glass separated us from him and he was as safe as someone in the precinct 911. Why we couldn't do the same thing in Bermuda?

As a driver you only need that split second to get out of the taxi or hit the gas and race to the closest home or establishment to raise the alarm if someone is attacking you. As long as I can prevent someone from reaching me with a grab or a knife I have control! Too many taxi drivers don't have control and that results in limited taxis on the roads at night.

Now the only problem was that NY glass feel. In NY it's very impersonal, but it works. Trying to hand the money over without touching the glass is a real challenge too. We can't have this in Bermuda. So the idea was simple, clear plexi dividing the cab that can be installed when needed, normally during the late evening shift so we can keep the Bermuda hospitality intact during the day and early evening.

Install a small door similar to the original, paint or print images of Bermuda history, flora or other attractions that aren't tacky or advertising in case a tourist happens to be out.

If someone would like to introduce a control barrier into the market please do so, but please keep it personal and Bermudian and not simply NY. I think you'll find more drivers out at night if they feel protected and I might even get one and pull out my dusty taxi licence to drive again.

EX-DRIVER'S TWO CENTS

Hamilton Parish

A missed opportunity

August 5, 2009

Dear Sir,

I am writing to express my great disappointment in the failure of MP's to see the importance of the cruise ship gaming legislation. This act would have allowed cruise ships to operate their casinos from the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. while in port in Bermuda. What forms of gaming do we already accept? There's horse-racing, football pools, bingo, raffles, Crown & Anchor, and everyone has had a personal bet before on one of the many different sporting events. How long have these forms been accepted? Decades?

Bahamas, Aruba, and the US Virgin Islands allow cruise ships to operate their casinos while in port. Two cruise lines had already approached Bermuda, and had voiced concerns about their market changing and steps they needed to take to stay competitive. These cruise lines have a business relationship with us at present and have had for some years. They were thinking of breaking ties with Bermuda. Everyone has to admit that there aren't as many cruise ships coming here as there used to be. A priority should be to secure the business we have left.

Our taxes on the cruise lines bring some $13 million per year in direct revenue to Government. The average amount of estimated expenditure by cruise line passengers per year, over the last three years, is $64.5 million according to the Department of Statistics. That adds up an average of $77.5 million per year. Over the last three years, Bermuda made $232.5 million from the cruise ship industry. This does not include money that staff may spend in Bermuda. The size of staff on cruise ships range in between 600-1000 depending on size.

A dwindling number of cruise lines are small enough to enter port in St. George's and Hamilton city. These smaller ships cater to a more affluent passenger (deeper pockets). A cruise line will would have had to apply for permission. Permission would have been granted for one year at a time as long as this commitment of the following was upheld; $25,000 scholarship for a Bermudian studying in Hospitality, spend at least $100,000 on promoting and advertising Bermuda, sponsor community events, and allow people to market Bermuda to its passengers on board while in port. The last point, I feel, would have definitely been profitable and sure to have succeeded in getting passengers to spend money on the island. So, that would have been the cruise line educating our youth, them spending money on adverting and promoting Bermuda, giving back to the community, and promoting our culture and sales image aboard the ships to thousands of passengers every week.

I have met tourists that have told me that they first came here on a cruise, and then decided later to return to Bermuda on a flight and stay longer on their next vacation. We could have saved money and profited! Tourism is not as strong as we would all like. Why would MP's risk any of the tens of millions of dollars Bermuda benefits by each year or the gains that Bermuda makes in the tourism market on something that will not affect Bermudians.

Nightlife in Bermuda is not as exciting as other places. Entertainment is limited and closes early except for the night clubs and again nightlife is not as exciting as other places. Most of the passengers are all on the ship by 10 p.m. anyway (this can be verified by the cruise lines). Why were the MP's so dismissive of this request? I have heard no good reason. I do not call personal dislikes or jealousies or "My party didn't come up with it", good reason. They neglected to make the best choice for the country, and felt no way about giving the "finger" to the cruise lines, in a real show of appreciation to them and the business we share. What made them feel so right in raining on the visitors' (who put millions of dollars into our economy) parade? Bermudians are known for being hospitable and accepting.

I think we as a people cannot afford to be hypocritical or big headed or overly suspicious of the cruise line or afraid of giving a little to secure a lasting business agreement. After all it is us that need the cruise line industry and not the industry needing us. Cruise lines attract the passengers, and ports attract the cruise line. This was not a quick fix. It was an issue that has been brought up by some partners in the tourism industry here in Bermuda. It was an opportunity to strengthen and secure business. It wouldn't have acted as a lure to Bermudians to spend their money irresponsibly. The only people who would have been allowed on the ships are passengers of the cruise line. The legislation would not have opened doors for anything else but cruise ships. Gaming in Bermuda for locals is a separate issue and could have been dealt with if someone brought it forward. No one has done that. The cruise ships had.

I am a young Bermudian and I only want my country to succeed. I would like to think that every other Bermudian wants the same. I don't see how this legislation would have hurt Bermuda. I do not see any negative repercussions that will affect our society or our economy or our tourism product. We after all are in the tourism business. We could have saved money, without a doubt benefited financially (as we are now), and ensured that the island of Bermuda would have been spoken more, thus helping to keep us in the Tourism market. Securing that cruise ships continue to return to Bermuda is a vital key. This legislation really should have been supported.

KHOMENEI TAALIB-DIN

Warwick

Different laws apply?

August 5, 2009

Dear Sir,

Today, once again, I have to question whether the laws that apply to the four Uighurs are perhaps different from the laws that apply to any other non-Bermudian. But then I realised that I was being silly, of course different laws apply to them. They are after all a special project undertaken by our Government on humanitarian grounds. As such, obviously, they are above the rule of law.

The law in question here is the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act 1956. Under this law Bermudian Status holders are given priority for employment. All available posts must be advertised three times in local newspapers and only if no interest has been shown can the job then be offered to a non-Bermudian. Finally the employer must apply to the Immigration Department for a work permit.

The Government's reluctance to reveal whether the posts now held by the Uighurs had been advertised as directed by law suggests to me that they haven't. The feeble attempt to sidestep the question shows a lack of transparency that should not exist in a lawful society's government. Furthermore Premier Dr. Brown's comment "I know there wasn't a formal application" shows clearly that legal processes have been sidestepped, a worrying prospect.

The very government, which has championed the cause of immigration reform, introduced term limits and encouraged businesses to train Bermudians to fill top jobs, has now slapped Bermuda in the face. This act is unlawful and nothing better than blatant hypocrisy. My entire life I've been told that immigration laws in Bermuda are fair and justified and yet even now our own Government ignores them to suit their interests in the name of a "Humanitarian Act". I was born here; I have lived here my entire life. Where is my humanitarian act?

A WISHFUL THINKER

Smith's