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Do the maths!

June 12, 2009

Dear Sir,

Possible Scenario: Four Chinese Muslims come to our shores and are granted status. They then decide to get married. Their wives now get status. These four couples decide to have offspring at an average of 2.5 per couple. These offspring now have status, cause "their daddy's got status."

Now we have eight Chinese Muslim adults and approximately ten offspring, all with status. This scenario could roll out within the next ten years. If these ten offspring require public schooling, their 13 years of enrolment would cost the Bermudian tax payers over $1.5 million (this figure does not include inflation), and this is just for the schooling. It's these ramifications, that most likely, have not been thought out. When you look at the big picture, over the course of the next 40 years, this decision could bring approx. 50-75 Chinese Muslims with status to our shores. These people of status will need housing, schooling, and jobs. Now that's what I call looking out for the Bermudians. Hmm ...

NON-BERMUDIAN PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER

City of Hamilton

A cancellation

June 12, 2009

Dear Sir,

We, along with two other couples (six of us), were planning a Bermuda trip and are now cancelling all plans to come with you receiving the Gitmo terrorists. You should have stood up to the USA and refused.

MR. AND MRS. C. MAHER

Pennsylvania

Feeling dumped on

June 12, 2009

Dear Sir,

I left Bermuda to settle in America in 1962. I had to choose between the love for the Island of my birth and the young girl from America with whom I fell in love 47 years ago. My father is buried at St. John's at the top of the hill in the Bermuda War Vets grave. My grandparents are buried in Bermuda. My uncle is buried in Bermuda. I now only have cousins in Bermuda. Contrary to what your Premier and his Government say I am a Bermudian! When I awoke this morning I turned on the TV to watch the news, it was very sad to watch and hear the commentary by the media making fun of Bermuda on the issue of the acceptance of four terrorists on the Island of Bermuda by your Premier Ewart Brown.

One TV station was having a contest asking their listeners to submit slogans for Bermuda dealing with the terrorists. I can assure you all, that the comments made by the news commentators was less than flattering to Bermuda and the slogans submitted were even worse. As I sat there with a gamut of emotions, the worst being utter sadness, the thought struck me that this was the second time in modern times that the United States has dumped on Bermuda. The other time was when the Americans left their Bases on the Island and it was discovered that the bases were an ecological disaster! Decisions made by Governments who were and are subject to protecting the "people" of Bermuda. The Premier of Bermuda and his Government of Bermuda are a Government "by the People" but not "of or for" the People.

MICHAEL E. PITTS

Inverness, Florida

Going elsewhere

June 12, 2009

Dear Sir,

More than 40 years ago my husband and I spent our honeymoon on your idyllic island. Our love for Bermuda has made it our preferred vacation spot ... visiting at least every other year … usually with a group of good friends who jokingly refer to Bermuda as our "summer camp". To us, it has been an oasis of tranquility. Even recent reports of an uptick in crime has not deterred us from our visits.

But, the decision of your government to make Bermuda a halfway house for alleged terrorists is a deal breaker. We have come to Bermuda to escape anxiety … not to spend our time concerned about these people being "imported" into your paradise, being present on the flights over and back with us, or what the "consequences" of your government's decision might be in making Bermuda "a target". My daughter was living in NYC on 9-11. I do not need to come to Bermuda to be reminded of the fear and horror. This year I will organise our six couples to take our "camp" elsewhere. After over 40 years of faithful patronage of your island, your government has made it impossible for us to return. I think there will be others like me who will decide a vacation in a terrorist halfway house island is an unappealing and unacceptable option.

LYNN KASPER

Youngstown. Ohio

A contradiction

June 11, 2009

Dear Sir,

I have many questions regarding this Guantánamo deal. First and foremost, why is the US not cleaning up its own mess? They want to keep these detainees out of the US to "make America safer" and they will pay small islands and willing governments (who want to make a buck) so they can wash their hands of the atrocities that former administrations committed. This whole thing brings back memories of the US Naval Air Base mess, which left us with the world's highest concentration of asbestos per square mile.

I am not comparing these men to a hazardous mineral. I am questioning the balance of the Bermuda-US relationship and the actual "respect" that exists, and I am concerned for the men's safety and well-being. The Obama administration also claims to be worried about the Uighurs' safety if they were to repatriate them to China. Then make them safe. Resettle them. Ensure their safety. How will the Bermuda Government do so? How will they ensure the safety of these men and other Asian men on the island who may be looked at sideways (or worse) by a small-minded minority? Is a small island safer than a larger city where these innocent men could simply blend in and start a new life? What kind of assessment has been done on these individuals besides Colonel Burch's view that they seem "quite fine"? These men have undergone and been surrounded by years of torture at the very least. What level of psychological evaluation has been done regarding post-traumatic stress syndrome? What conditions will be required for them to ease back into society and in particular, the Bermuda society? Counselling? Classes about life in Bermuda? Or will they simply have periodic "check-ins" with Colonel Burch who will then assess if they are still "quite fine"?

Finally, there is the glaring contradiction in this immigration move by the Bermuda Government – from the number of families who were in Bermuda for 20 years and forced to leave to the insidious poor treatment of expatriates. This decision to welcome the Uighur men with open arms has almost given me whiplash. Is there a new "pay to stay" law in effect that I don't know about? I wish the Uighur men the best as they begin their new life and I hope there is a solid plan in place for their resettlement, safety and health.

ERIN MORAN

Seattle, Washington

A slap in the face

June 12, 2009

Dear Sir,

Four men branded enemies of the US, terrorists held for years in Guantánamo Bay are released and shipped to beautiful Bermuda. And their lawyers say they're very happy with the move – you think? Not only are they here enjoying all the perks our little island has to offer, but they are being offered Bermudian status (ah, that status so many dream of and will never obtain …) and the opportunity to work.

How many foreigners who have actually lived and contributed to our island's wealth and society (who have lived here for 18 and 19 years, might I add), have been sent back right before they reach that 20 year anniversary so that there's no chance they can apply for long-term residency status? I do understand we cannot welcome everyone, as our island is only so big, but to open our "doors" to these men is not only a defiant move against the UK Government, but also a slap in the face of all Bermudians. I'm sure jobs will be found fairly easily and quickly for all four men, let's impress the US administration … shame on you, Dr. Brown, to snub your own people (if you think of us that way at all!) and to accommodate the needs of foreigners who know nothing about this Island and have contributed zilch to this Island. Is this the future of Bermuda? Please say it isn't so. Bermuda, take a stand – it's past time!

SHIP THEM BACK

Paget

All about ambition

June 11, 2009

Dear Sir,

I read with surreal astonishment in today's online Royal Gazette about the Premier's decision to provide four released prisoners from Guantánamo Bay with refuge and naturalisation status in Bermuda. The way in which the Premier went about making this decision, without informing the country of his intentions, flies in the face of his past pledge to make Government more transparent. With this unilateral decision, he has once again shown his complete disregard and disrespect for the people of Bermuda who will be affected by this decision.

Not to mention the fact that this was done without consultation with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office which, whether the Premier likes it or not, is still responsible for all foreign policy and security issues. Secondly, and perhaps what I find most disturbing, is that fact that when the media asked Sen. Lt. Col. David Burch what the mental state of the released prisoners was, he responded with words that should make every citizen cringe. He said, "Their mental state appears to be quite fine."

Now, I don't know when Col. Burch acquired his doctorate in psychology or psychiatry, but I do know that any person with a bit of common sense will know that someone who has been deprived of their freedom (unjustly, as the case may be) and potentially tortured or at least witness to torture, or who has lived in fear of imminent abuse and mistreatment for several years will undoubtedly return to society emotionally and psychologically wounded. They will require some form of mental health intervention not only for their own well-being but also for the well-being of those around them. It absolutely appals me that none of these factors were considered in the Premier's decision to take the prisoners and no conditions have been imposed on these men to obtain ongoing psychological treatment for such conditions as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, regardless of whether Sen. Burch has deemed them "quite fine". Was there even any psychological assessment conducted on the men before they arrived in Bermuda?

This decision to allow the released prisoners of Guantánamo to live in Bermuda seems motivated less by humanitarian concerns, and more by the personal and political ambitions of a few. These four men are absolutely entitled to live the rest of their lives with dignity and respect, and if Bermuda is to be their new country of residence then so be it. The issue is not in what the Premier has done, but in how he has gone about doing it. Had he conducted this matter in consultation and cooperation with the local community, he could have avoided the fallout that I feel is to come, or at the very least allowed members of the community to feel that their voices matter. The people of Bermuda are tired of things being done surreptitiously and then finding out about them after the fact.

ISIS

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