January 30, 2004

Dear Sir,

I have just completed reading a copy of 'Acel' dama' written by Mr. Neville Darrell and am just amazed that Mr. Dale Butler and Mr. Arthur Hodgson would endorse such a book.

If what Mr. Darrell has written is true or partly true, then he should never have been given a job in our Police Service. If there had been a thorough investigation of his background and his activities, then his position on the Service should have been terminated at the end of his probation period.

I know Mr. Darrell personally having served with him on many occasions. I agree with what he said in his book that he was "on the verge of being a corrupt cop". I was aware that he carried a loaded firearm. On one occasion, I witnessed him draw it in the presence of six to eight card playing people and place it on the table when he was accused of cheating.

Mr. Darrell was not a good Police officer, nor a good detective, although he may think that he was as he describes in his book. There is no doubt that he knew the criminal element on the Island and associated with like individuals. At times he was classified as a police informer for the local criminals.

If Mr. Darrell was such a great police officer, why does the blame all the white officers, serving on the force at the time, for his downfall? In fact it was a black Police officer who "sacked" him.

We'd have no chance

January 30, 2004

Dear Sir,

I recently read up some information in the newspaper that the idea of Independence was still up in the air. I am young and I don't know much about the system, but when I see the word Independent, it is a phrases that to me describes handling things on your own.

I personally feel that Bermuda has no need to think this way; our country is not big enough to support such a heavy burden.

The news was talking one of the people running for president pointing out the fact that our international companies should be taxed and how unfair it was to United States for them to get away with something like that. Can you imagine if these companies ended up being taxed?

The outcome of that would be moving back to America because being here doesn't gain them anything. If we went independent while this happened, where is our profit going to come from, tourism? Look at all the importing that we do when it comes to food and material goods.

Why can't we just grow our own goods our make our own supplies? The reason is that we have no way of doing this, so we depend on the outside would to help out our little dot that sits on the map.

Can we really handle a big task like that with no ongoing support from other countries? Any countries could take us over because we have no quality defence to support us and I am sure that the regiment would have no chance against a Stealth Bomber ... The point is that we need the money as well as the structural support Britain provides, when it comes to independence this is my analogy.

A load of Columbaphobes

January 29, 2004

Dear Sir,

It is remarkable that apparently the RG Editor has received more submissions from Columbaphobes, than the Governor has on the subject of the reform of the Constitution or the judiciary.

Small wonder that the Ag Show was cancelled, thus avoiding the embarrassment of not inviting the aforementioned gentleman to perform the opening ceremony.

Clearly, Bermuda has now acquired what it takes to move to independence. The change in the community is palpable.

Columbaphobes (Latin for those opposing/dreading pigeons).

Not from the same planet

January 2, 2004

Dear Sir,

Dr. Amenemhet Tamerry discovered rhetoric recently and is fascinated with this new way of outlining the case for Independence.

Now Britain is the abuser and we the abused.

There are other arguments just as cogent by others. My favourite is: "It's just obvious that Bermuda should be independent and those that don't understand are blinded by their colonial conditioning" - another metaphor.

Another: "Independence is part of the natural process of a Country" ? this one is beguiling. Most successful countries are not being countries any more but are part of larger federations. And what is the natural process of a country? Do we have to eat granola? Nowhere in any of these arguments does one come across any facts or plausible discussion of effects.

There is the one exception: the tenuous case of an "dictated" justice. Apparently we can't run our justice system. Yet he attacks Britain's attempt to correct this by appointing an independent justice. The justice system itself would be a much more colourful subject for the pen of Dr. Tamerry.

Public education gives me the opportunity for lush metaphors that I am quite proud of ? and it happens to be important.

And exactly what is Britain doing to us at the moment that is so terrible? Are we suffering by any other hand than our own? We, one of the very richest countries on the face of the earth? We, the majority of whom live in the top five percent of wealth in the world?

We who complain to our ministers not about our hungry bellies but about poor cable television service and narrow cars (and not public education)? We are oppressed? Do I live on the same Island as this man?

A defining moment

January 28, 2004

Dear Sir,

The Oxford dictionary states that the word "efficient" means productive, capable, acting effectively. I believe that is the word being displayed on Channel 4, at the moment.

Oh! dear me, Cablevision do try and find another word, none of the above remotely resembles your service.

Like many people looking forward to the new cable service!!