Above and beyond the call

This was sent to Dan Simmons, Director of Public Transport and was copied to The Royal Gazette.

December 7, 2009

Dear Mr. Simmons,

On Tuesday December 1, 2009 my eight-year-old son shared with me that he missed his regular school bus (#2 Hamilton) in the morning. I was a little upset as he is new to taking the bus and there are no other buses that travel directly past his school in the morning. This meant he would have had to walk from Middle Road or South Shore to Paget Primary. Fortunately you have a bus driver by the name of D.E. Crofton who went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that my son arrived at school safely and on time.

Mr. Crofton waited for my son to cross the pedestrian crossing, inquired as to what school he went to, and advised him that he had missed his bus. My son told him that he would return home hoping to still find me there. Mr. Crofton told him to get on the bus and he would drop him at Elbow Beach Hotel Bus stop where he could take the 2 Ord Road from Hamilton. But this was not enough. What was truly awesome was that Mr. Crofton, stopped his bus full of people at the Elbow bus stop going to Somerset, got off the bus with my son and walked him across the street. I am so grateful for this kind gesture and would like to highlight Mr. Crofton as a bus driver who deserves recognition for going the extra mile. Can you please ensure that the enclosed card designed by my son is given to Mr. Crofton?

MRS. LISA TALBOT

Sandys

Get the technology

December 6, 2009

Dear Sir,

Living in the West End of the Island, grocery shopping is very convenient at the MarketPlace. However, it need be mentioned that these stores, for all the money they have, remain behind in technology. Each time you check out at one of these stores, you are dependent on a cashier to punch in each item. Fortunately for them, we have noticed mistakes in price always in the store's favour. Sometime a cashier won't know a price and will rely on their colleague next to them to say what ever she thinks the item may be priced at. If this company want my continued business, spend the money and get the necessary technology to checkout using the bar code on each item so that there is less chance of human error.

CONSUMER

Sandys

A fantastic job

December 10, 2009

Dear Sir,

A few weeks ago after the shooting at Southside I wrote a letter condemning this islands horrific rise in crime. I pleaded that we Bermudians must make this stop or it will happen again soon and now it has. Today I write this letter to applaud the actions of all Bermudians involved in the recently put together group We Will Rise Above, Bermuda. I attended their meeting held on December 9 from 6-8 p.m. at Victor Scott Primary School and I sat as a scribe for one of the workshop rooms. I want to just say fantastic job everyone. A special thanks to the all the organisers and the staff at the Victor Scott School for allowing us their school as a venue. I encourage everyone who has Facebook to add this group and take part in the great things to come and for those that do not, ask around and get involved through other means.

It was great to see Bermudians all of all backgrounds coming together to try and make a difference. Sadly this island has slipped into the state that it is in because we as a people have allowed it to. Too often we Bermudians are all bark and no bite. I can remember when the same could be said for crime here, when young Bermudians were all bark and no bite and it was more threats of harm then actually harms being carried out. Well Bermuda, wake up! Our youth is no longer all bark and no bite. They are biting now and not only wanting to draw blood but are biting to kill. I encourage everyone to get involved in this We Will Rise Above, Bermuda group and get involved. I also encourage people to join other groups that exist on this island, i.e. YouthNet, Big Brothers and Sisters and Mirrors etc. Come on Bermuda. We can do this!

ROBERT DAVIES

Devonshire

Legalise the soft drugs

December 7, 2009

Dear Sir,

If I may interject something I've observed in the 55-odd years that I have been personally somewhat "connected" to the street/s, it's through the lack of education as well as the magnetic forces of the "drug trade" here on the Island and the monies to be made. It's an influence not only on the youth, but also on many holding prominent positions in our society, that also have chosen to deal with narcotics because of the "dollars" period.

I guess the point I want to make is for us to compare our society with Amsterdam. Here is a country where they've taken the dollar value out of narcotics by legalising them, (as was done after Prohibition in the 1920s and 1930s). Once it is controlled by licensed distributors, then the youth will have to get educated to earn a legitimate living The "charismatic" side of the so-called business will no longer exist. As the crime/s in Amsterdam dropped tremendously, (If not mistaken in Holland it decreased by 75 percent), so will it happen here.

I know many will oppose my suggestion of legalising so-called soft drugs, i.e. Marijuana etc. And as for anyone caught distributing hard drugs then there must be a mandatory sentence with no time off for good behaviour.

BOJAX

St. George's

Here's to PATI

December 2, 2009

Dear Sir,

I would like to start by saying that the PATI idea is phenomenal. We, the people, of Bermuda have a right as voters to know what is going on and that is our right to have freedom to information. What I find amusing is Dr. Brown calling for feedback on the PATI idea on television. This coming from the man who tried to gag the press and saw international media attention drawn upon this highly anti-democratic move by him.

So my question now is: Has Dr. Brown changed his ways, is he merely throwing up more smokescreens, or is this just another proposed law he intends to supersede by his own way of "progressive thinking" later on? Sad to say but I think it's the latter of the choices. He tried to gag the press before. I don't believe that if PATI passes that he wont do it again. He denied we voters information into past government scandals and money mismanagement. Do you think because PATI passes it will change? If you do think so then all I will say to you is "remember the Uighurs". We all know Dr. Brown and his followers like to "interpret" the laws of this country as they see fit, or rather as it suites them.

I hope and pray that this PATI works, but Bermudians need to wake up and realise it will only work if we Bermudians hold our politicians to it. A law is only as good as the people that abide by it. Wake up Bermuda and keep our leaders in line so that we can all move forward as a united people.

ROBERT DAVIES

Devonshire

Not fitting our image

December 2, 2009

Dear Sir,

Who allowed plastic signage showcasing the stores in St. George's? A good idea to highlight the stores but a very poor use of signs in a World Heritage site.

ELLIE JONES

St. George's