Don’t deny me my rightsJanuary 20, 2011Dear Sir,Liberty is key to a man’s sanity. Freedom of speech is also amongst the group. I write to express myself as a young person on our island. So who is one to tell me that because they don’t share my views and opinions that I am wrong to publicly voice them? Some youth my age choose to smoke, some choose to drink, some choose to join gangs, but this youth that writes today chooses to use his free time constructively and to benefit society instead of degrading it. So I simply say to those who are ignorant towards the etiology of my writings, if you don’t agree, simply ignore and move on because at the end of the day its the epitomy of my soul.ERON HILLBermuda InstituteWho will help the needy?January 20, 2011Dear Sir,I wish to share a very sad encounter that I experienced this evening. While I was on my way to a restaurant to order dinner I was approached by a very polite older black Bermudian gentleman who asked me if I had any spare change. When I said no, he quickly replied that he was hungary. To this I asked if he would like for me to buy him dinner and he quickly answered yes. I told him to give me a few minutes so that I could go inside and place the order. When I exited the resturant with his meal I realised that there now were no less than three additional men standing outside asking for a meal.My problem, Mr. Editor, is this: I am a non-black, non-PLP supporting Bermudian. Although I am not well-to-do by any means I do not need any hand-outs from the government. However, there are many of my fellow Bermudians who do need help. So putting all differences aside for a moment, can someone please tell me, if the PLP won’t help the most needy Bermudians (who as a majority are black) then who will? This Government has done nothing but put this island in debt and for what? I challenge any average Bermudian to stand up and tell us how they have so greatly benefited from the actions of this Government. I can tell you one thing, the men that I met this evening didn’t feel so great. And for those that ask it doesn’t matter what their vices or circumstances are because we are all Bermudians first and we all need help at some point in our lives!DISENFRANCHISED BERMUDIANPembrokeUpdate the weatherJanuary 21, 2011Dear Sir,Why is it that on channel 4, the weather report reads out what the weather is like every 55 minutes instead of every 30 minutes? Is this because, we’re 100 years behind every country so to speak on stuff, even though we’re supposed to be more advanced than most places?JUS’ CURIOUSDevonshireThe PLP’s disconnectJanuary 21, 2011Dear Sir,I recognise that Economy Minister Kim Wilson was generally sincere with respect to her recent comments regarding the plight of the unemployed. But, what I find totally unacceptable is the simple fact that this Minister and the PLP Government can not identify an accurate number of Bermuda’s unemployed. We are being informed by the same Minister, that the May 2010 general census will be used to uncover the number of unemployed. I guess Sen Wilson was unaware that the current response to this undertaking has been dismal at best to date. Ignorance of the facts is not an acceptable excuse, especially from a Minister or a Government.This leads me to observe the following:l Bermuda and her people have encountered the “perfect economic storm”. The worst economic climate in more than a generation in the U.S. *(what happens in the US ultimately reaches Bda).l The tenure of former Premier Ewart Brown questionable at best. Did little for Bermuda and her people in the lead up (2008) or during the economic downturn while Premier.l An economic environment that continues to witness failing business and Bermudians being displaced from jobs.One can only conclude that there is a serious disconnect within the PLP and the various Governmental departments, regarding the current economic climate and its effect on Bermuda. In closing, what will it take for the PLP Government to acknowledge the current economic situation and demonstrate true leadership to guide and Bermuda out of this dilemma?F. WALTER BURGESSPembrokeBermuda is doomedJanuary22, 2011Dear Sir,I congratulate your paper on your editorial “The Mess We’re In”.I remember several years ago Paula Cog (Cox) shrieking like a banshee in Parliament about the fact that “... they don’t think we can run anything.” The “they” of course referred to white people and the “we” to black people. Well, whoever the “they” are, have been vindicated as far as financial management and the PLP is concerned. Beginning with the Berkeley debacle, followed by the BHC scandal, $600,000 painters, cruise ship terminals, fast ferries, the TCD Centre, every other capital project, the ridiculous land swap of 80 acres of public land at Morgan’s Point for Southlands, the theft of Jim Butterfield’s concrete business and the granting of 100-plus years’ leases to business concerns, hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer’s money has evaporated or been wasted.During Ewart Brown’s reign, Paula Cog virtually opened the till to him and his cronies to help themselves with unsupervised projects, having absolutely no concern for the public purse. In years when government tax revenues exceeded their expected levels and all was rosy, we still managed to end up a billion dollars in debt after 12 short years. And all this after inheriting from the UBP a nearly debt-free island. If you read Bob Stewart’s assessment, we are really $3 billion in the hole, what with underfunded pensions and the like.So now our creditworthiness as an island has been downgraded, and the response from her is “We don’t accept this”. Well, I say don’t accept it, because her agreement or disagreement doesn’t mean anything to anybody, outside of her own small circle. The crowning touch is “The Cog” taking the Finance Ministry when she became Premier. This is the height of arrogance and self importance. She must know by now how little she knows. The only person in the PLP who has any meaningful financial knowledge is Terry Lister.To top off all the previous mismanagement, The Cog raises the payroll tax, in a climate of unemployment, from 14 percent to 16 percent. This is in fact a 14 percent increase... and she expects employers to hire staff? That is about as stupid as the restaurants, who in tough times, went to the Union and bargained with the gratuity, raising it from 15 percent to17 percent (Bermuda really is another world). But that’s another story!I hold no faith whatsoever in this Minister or her Government to do anything about government expenditure. The only meaningful entity where saving could be immediate would be the swollen civil service. But government created the civil service employee glut; they are made up of their own, so that isn’t going to happen. In summary, we are doomed. In a few short years, this wonderful “ride” that Bermuda has been on, will cease. At that point, Bermudians will finally realize, too late, how a handful of people can bring down a tiny country.DUNCAN MORANPagetP.s. After the millions spent on consultants, I would have thought we could have done better. Chances are none of them had anything to do with the finances of our island.Not so encouragedJanuary 20, 2011Dear Sir,Senator Burch is “encouraged” by the plummeting real estate prices. I wonder if Bermudians who have invested their life savings in their homes think the same?CURIOUSWarwickDon’t force them to joinJanuary 20, 2011Dear Sir,Why should anybody be forced to go to Regiment? If the individual doesn’t wish to go, he shouldn’t be forced. People who volunteer should go.I AGREE WITH BADDevonshire