January 25, 2005

Dear Sir,

On behalf of staff, volunteers, patients and their families at Agape House, I would like to express appreciation to Logic Communications for their “Apprentice” style competition that successfully raised funds for our facility.

The Logic team, which included staff members Garnet Jackson, Kevin Jackson, Doug Steele and Simon Mullan, as well as their team of volunteers, Heather Jackson, Chris Carbone and Sharon Jackson, worked tirelessly for several weeks, successfully beating out the other teams, and raising nearly $30,000 for Agape House.

By holding a few special events and making contact with many local businesses and corporations, these hard working employees went on to win the competition. Not only will our patients and their relatives benefit greatly from this significant donation, Logic Communications has made a bold statement about their commitment to supporting local non-profits.

With hundreds of registered charities on the Island all vying for financial assistance, Logic's decision to involve their staff in fundraising activities that benefit worthy agencies, sets a fine example for other companies in Bermuda.

We are grateful to the management at Logic for their community-minded initiative and extend a heartfelt thank you to all those involved in this worthwhile endeavour. We feel very lucky indeed, to have been the recipient of funds raised by our lucky team.

LENA OSTROFF

Coordinator, Friends of Hospice

Drastic measures

February 6, 2004

Dear Sir,

Pedestrians, walkers, runners, cyclists, most of whom are drivers too, live in constant fear for their lives on the roads because of speeding and reckless driving.

The unofficial speed limit has increased by 5kph every ten years or so since the 1970s when it was 40kph so that it is now 55kph i.e. the normal speed of traffic on main roads above which the perception is one may get booked. Consequently 60kph plus is often used for overtaking and when some folks are in a hurry or just plain reckless. We need to get it down to a safer speed again.

Added to increased speed we now have many more vehicles on the roads, cell phones and more fast food to distract drivers - all absent in the 70s when it was safe to go for a walk or ride. Most agree we need drastic measures to deal with the situation so here is a plan:

1. Legitimise the speed limit to 45kph except in Hamilton, Town of St. George's, Somerset Village, and other designated areas such as Somerset Bridge and around schools where it would be kept at 35kph or lower. The unofficial speed limit would reduce to 50kph.

2. Police book anyone going 6kph or more over the new speed limits i.e. 51kph or higher

3. The first offence to be at least $1,000 (yes $1,000) plus one month off the road for all drivers up to 60kph. For subsequent offences of 60kph or lower within a three-year period the fine would stay the same but the suspension increase to three months for a second offence, six months for a third offence and so on. Above 60kph larger fines and lengthier suspensions.

4. An instalment payment plan for students and those who do not have the dollars ready.

5. During suspension, compulsory driver education with the emphasis on braking distances at speeds. Hopefully this will help discourage tailgating. To include walks along busy sections of highway where no sidewalks exist to see what non-drivers have to put up with.

6. But there is compassion in the proposals and good news for Dr. Brown - a free bus and ferry pass to include the immediate family for single parents (paid for out of the fine) for the duration of suspension. This will educate the public on how good the bus and ferry service really is, raise the usage and not overly penalise employers etc.

7. A huge publicity programme including one month of warnings by Police to speeders before the campaign goes into effect followed by a massive clamp down.

8. Introduce legislation forbidding hand holding of cell phones whilst driving.

I know that a $1,000 fine and suspension seems a lot but believe most will pretty soon tow the line when the plan is implemented and word gets around. We will not have anything to fear if we just behave. The higher speed limit is also realistic.

RON LUCAS

Smith's Parish

Self-inflicted wounds

February 4, 2004

Dear Sir,

After reading the article on Independence in your paper (February 3) where Col. Burch gave us all a glimpse of what Independence would be like if he had anything to do with it. I feel that the anti-Independence group should ask him to speak out more - indeed they should secretly sponsor events where he can continue his unique type of vitriolic independence “speechifying”.

All that he said and the manner in which he said it can only help the anti-Independence movement and provide them with boxes and boxes of anti-Independence ammunition and a target to aim it at.

INDEPENDENTLY YOURS

Warwick

Let our children decide

February 4, 2005

Dear Sir,

If I had been born black in Bermuda and, having reached the age I am today, I would, without a doubt, have both residual anger and resentment.

As I am not black, to reach some sort of understanding of the black experience, I have had to listen, research, and above all try to imagine what it was like. I have long held the opinion that in order for Bermudians to arrive at a place where we can look each other in the eye, trusting that we are working together, we must first understand how we have been moulded and influenced by our respective pasts. How many of us have arrived at this spot?

Black Bermudians who have lived through segregation and who have come to terms with the past, have worked out a way to prevent past injustices from marginalising their futures. This does not mean they can, or should, forget.

White Bermudians of similar ages who have searched their souls can only do their best to erase the misconceptions and prejudices instilled in them through parental and educational indoctrination. They have the choice to make sure they do not do the same. This involves a great deal more than mere lip service.

Premier Scott and his colleague Colonel Burch clearly believe Independence is the proper route to take. They may well be right but this is not the time and they are not the people who should be taking us there.

What I have witnessed so far only serves to prove my point. Premier Scott's Government promised us transparency. The only transparency I have noticed has been the contrived and irresponsible methods used to stir up residual anger, resentment and fear based on our economic and socially repressive past. If Premier Scott, Colonel Burch and others genuinely want to prepare Bermuda for Independence they would not be doing their best to pit Bermudian against Bermudian and all of us against the so-called “mother country”. They would stop taking the expedient route by fermenting the Us and Them dispute - the tool so many politicians love to use when the right thing to do takes too much effort or too much time.

We would be better off sorting out the extremely serious issues which threaten our little Island's well being and, maybe, just maybe, leave the Independence debate to the next generation who, hopefully, will be better equipped emotionally to address the subject objectively. I have always been in favour of Independence but I suspect my objectivity would be open to question.

Premier Scott and Colonel Burch want us to seek Independence and thereby ‘grow up'. Growing up does not mean that we cut off our noses to spite our faces. I suggest we leave the Independence issue to our children who, by and large, haven't been brought up like we were. Let's just make sure we leave them a peaceful and prosperous Island with which to work.

KATHLEEN BELL

Paget

Clean up your trash!

January 18, 2005

Dear Sir,

First, let me say a big thank you to Agatha Lambert of Laffan Street in Hamilton, for helping to keep a part of Bermuda clean for the past 20 years. She deserves all the gifts she received from CableVision and a big thank you to CableVision and its employees.

Now the hard part. A while back, CableVision was working in Somerset area and they left trash (wire, cut-off cable, pieces of plastic ties, etc.) all along the road side and under the poles they worked on. I collected a big bag full of this trash and gave it to the KBB boss who was supposed to have notified CableVision not to have littered anymore. Well,just before Christmas CableVision workers were back in Somerset putting up new cables. They have again left trash (off cuts of cable, old cable, bits of wire cut plastic ties, etc.) on the roadside and in the bushes, hoping, I guess, that the bushes will eventually cover the trash.

CableVision, do the right thing and come up to Somerset and clean up your trash and while you're at it, take the ugly disconnected cables you have left on the poles off. It would also be nice if you and the telephone company would take your cables off the old cut-off poles and put them on the new poles that are along side. Belco could then remove these ugly old poles. I suggest before another award is given by the “Going Forward' Committee, CableVision clean up its own trash first.

CABLE LESS VISION

Somerset