Letters to the Editor, January 29, 2003
Time to raise the bar
January 27, 2003
Dear Sir,
Significant dialogue has ensued over the progressive comments of the Honorable Minister Renee Webb when she advocated that Government should adopt a policy to assist and promote burgeoning black businesses. The fact that some have labeled the Minister's stance as inappropriate and discriminatory bespeaks a brainwashed mentality that still believes that the promotion of black is tantamount to charity. I have read remarks such as "supporting the unsuccessful" and "giving away" licenses to the "unqualified". The ethos of these sentiments gives validity to Minister Webb's intentions. The reality that educated and qualified blacks in this country have been categorically denied equal opportunity within the business genre has engendered a philosophy that black people are incapable of being successful. The result is that we as a community only have confidence in white owned and white run entities to execute business dealings.
Surely this is unacceptable in a country that is predominately black. Surely we want our children to grow up with ambitions of owning and running corporations rather than simply working for one. Ask a young black high school student what he/she aspires to be in the future and you would be hard pressed to hear company president or successful entrepreneur. In the absence of existing successful black owned and run businesses we provide no example for our children to emulate. It is time to raise the bar of our children's vision and ambition and instill in them the belief that they could achieve the highest level of success that Bermuda offers.
Just repeating "I am somebody" is not enough; there needs to be tangible examples to look up to and model after. This is what Minister Webb is advocating. She is stating unequivocally that blacks are capable, qualified and successful and therefore deserving of opportunity. She is saying that it is time to balance the economic terrain and open the pathways for black innovation. This is not reverse discrimination or racial retribution but a philosophy predicated on fairness and economic equity. Minister Webb has never supported a policy of helping blacks just because they were black but instead providing opportunities for the numerous talented and capable blacks who want to be significant in their community.
Change must not be a popular clich?; instead change must be pursued at all cost. Nothing worth while comes easy and significant changes always carry a price. I applaud Minister Webb's courage and vision and exhort her to be undaunted and undeterred in her quest for equality for those "who looks like her".
Sad sign of the times
January 28, 2003
Dear Sir,
Values seem to be out of whack in the courts. On Page 1, January 28th, was an article on a retired fisherman, Mr. Minks, who caught two lobsters out of season and was fined $10,000 and then on Page 2 was a story on Mr. Smith, 22 years old who was caught for being in possession of crack cocaine near Pembroke middle school and is only fined $2000! Yes, Mr. Minks was wrong to catch the lobsters out of season and should have waited the 24 hours until it was legal and he deserves to be fined, but $10,000 ! ? Whereas, Mr. Smith was carrying crack cocaine in the vicinity of our school children which is a possible threat to our kids getting hooked on drugs and only gets fined $2000! Is the justice system saying that the threat to the lobsters is far more precious than the threat to our children ? Sad.
SHOW SOME RESPECT
JANUARY 27, 2003
Dear sir,
The united nations (un) has estimated that approximately half a million deaths and serious injuries - mostly civilian - will result from any attack on Iraq. the UN high commission for refugees has said that any attack will likely create some 1? million refugees. in addition, there will be enormous terrible environmental consequences (that are still a major problem from the last Gulf War 12 years ago). this mass slaughter and wanton destruction is wholly unacceptable.
Equally unacceptable is the 'moral' lead that the usa and uk governments are currently providing to the rest of the world. The usa and uk expect iraq, quite rightly, to comply with the will of the UN Security Council (although numerous resolutions passed regarding israel seem to not have the same expectations of compliance). yet, at the same time the usa and uk are implying that they reserve the "right" to not need the will of the UN for actions (ignoring the views of Germany, France, Russia, and China, amongst others). Unilateral action by the US and UK would be illegal, immoral, and would completely undermine the authority of the United Nations. Again, this is totally unacceptable.
Nearly a year ago on 26th February 2002, the British Overseas Territories Act restored the right to British citizenship to Bermudians, but without granting us any directly elected voice in the British parliament. However, through the offices of the Governor and the Premier we can have a voice. Anyone who feels, like myself, and millions of others around the world, that this "imminent war" is unjustified should make their views known to the Governor and the Premier. The USA and UK Governments must respect the will of the UN and must set the example in pursuing peaceful means to resolve international concerns.
DAVID NORTHCOTT
Smith's Parish
As easy as zipping up
January 22, 2003
Dear Sir,
Been reading quite a bit about this seatbelt issue lately in your newspaper. Now that it has officially become law there seems to be a decidedly mixed reaction going on.
One bright star, a while back, felt that seatbelts were "not part of Bermujan culture". Thought that was quite rich. Another felt that with the 35kph speed limit, belts were unnecessary. (Has anyone ever seen a vehicle actually doing 35kph on our highways? - more like 50-55, seems to me).
Just today, Mr. Bromby dragged us through his long and drawn out diatribe about his attempts at wearing The Dreaded Belt. Clearly seatbelts are not high on his list of must-do items. Forget about the fact that there is now a law in place to buckle up. Come on fellas, this may be the first lightbulb Dr. Brown has actually turned on here in his stint as Minister. The man is always asking for respect, let's give him some for trying harder on this one at least.
There is another aspect to this seatbelt thing which, it appears, many are missing. That is the insurance aspect.
Let's say you are rolling along (at a comfortable 50-55, like the rest of the traffic seems to do) and the car in front hits brakes. Maybe a brother suddenly wanting to have a curbside conversation with one of his mates. hey! Stuff happens.
Anyway...Blam! right in front of you! Your head rushes forward to splatter against the steering wheel (or worse) against the windscreen. You get a smashed nose, teeth down the back of your throat - the works. Serious damage.
Next thing you're wanting is the good ol' insurance coverage - Right?
We're probably talking $3-4,000 here. Maybe more. Depends on whether or not to not wearing that nasty belt, you happened to be yacking on the ol' cellphone as well. Might have that halfway down your windpipe as a bonus.
I think it's relatively safe to say here that insurance companies are insurance companies are insurance companies. That is to say, the sweet little insurance adjuster will be thrilled to read in the Police report that you didn't happen to have your belt on that particular day. Know why? Because the last thing insurance companies like to do is pay up. Nature of the beast.
If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Bromby is a pretty big guy. His head striking the windscreen in a collision might be quite an event. So would the resultant insurance claim. I'm sure we'd hear him roar to the heavens when they offered some token amount to cover all that damage.
Buckling a seatbelt should be no more difficult a task than zipping up the ol' fly, once we all get the hang of it. (Sorry Ladies, no offence intended.
More to the point, a good deal of the rest of the world buckles up, without all the moaning and groaning we're hearing here on the Rock. What are we? A bunch of children? What happened to common sense? Is that on the way out too, like so many other things in this new Bermuda?
MOVING ON
Sandys
As easy as zipping up
January 22, 2003
Dear Sir,
Been reading quite a bit about this seatbelt issue lately in your newspaper. Now that it has officially become law there seems to be a decidedly mixed reaction going on.
One bright star, a while back, felt that seatbelts were "not part of Bermujan culture". Thought that was quite rich. Another felt that with the 35kph speed limit, belts were unnecessary. (Has anyone ever seen a vehicle actually doing 35kph on our highways? - more like 50-55, seems to me).
Just today, Mr. Bromby dragged us through his long and drawn out diatribe about his attempts at wearing The Dreaded Belt. Clearly seatbelts are not high on his list of must-do items. Forget about the fact that there is now a law in place to buckle up. Come on fellas, this may be the first lightbulb Dr. Brown has actually turned on here in his stint as Minister. The man is always asking for respect, let's give him some for trying harder on this one at least.
There is another aspect to this seatbelt thing which, it appears, many are missing. That is the insurance aspect.
Let's say you are rolling along (at a comfortable 50-55, like the rest of the traffic seems to do) and the car in front hits brakes. Maybe a brother suddenly wanting to have a curbside conversation with one of his mates. hey! Stuff happens.
Anyway...Blam! right in front of you! Your head rushes forward to splatter against the steering wheel (or worse) against the windscreen. You get a smashed nose, teeth down the back of your throat - the works. Serious damage.
Next thing you're wanting is the good ol' insurance coverage - Right?
We're probably talking $3-4,000 here. Maybe more. Depends on whether or not to not wearing that nasty belt, you happened to be yacking on the ol' cellphone as well. Might have that halfway down your windpipe as a bonus.
I think it's relatively safe to say here that insurance companies are insurance companies are insurance companies. That is to say, the sweet little insurance adjuster will be thrilled to read in the Police report that you didn't happen to have your belt on that particular day. Know why? Because the last thing insurance companies like to do is pay up. Nature of the beast.
If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Bromby is a pretty big guy. His head striking the windscreen in a collision might be quite an event. So would the resultant insurance claim. I'm sure we'd hear him roar to the heavens when they offered some token amount to cover all that damage.
Buckling a seatbelt should be no more difficult a task than zipping up the ol' fly, once we all get the hang of it. (Sorry Ladies, no offence intended.
More to the point, a good deal of the rest of the world buckles up, without all the moaning and groaning we're hearing here on the Rock. What are we? A bunch of children? What happened to common sense? Is that on the way out too, like so many other things in this new Bermuda?
