What a disgrace

September 3, 2009

Dear Sir,

Are we so inconspicuously polite and forgotten that there are no published arrangements along with this new law for the elderly and poverty stricken residents, to comply with the relocation of their letter box? It is a good law and none too soon, but as usual the cart is firmly placed before the horse! Has the Government not come to the obvious conclusion that there will be some who cannot meet these requirements, there will be a great many elderly who will feel confused and harassed and even blackmailed, as a punishment they will not receive their mail. Could this be lawful?

Who do they contact? Wait a moment! They do not have the luxury of a phone, transportation, e-mail, and being elderly with no family, perhaps no newspaper. There are people on this paradise island who are reticent and reluctant to ask for help and more than that, they cannot afford to relocate their letter box as their meagre pension gives them only enough money to buy food and to meet the basic necessities of life; and yet are expected to deal under a time threat of losing their basic right to receive their mail possibly their only contact with their family abroad. What a disgrace. I follow with a realistic practical estimate to comply, excuse my cynicism!

1. Contact a kind neighbour and ask for help.

2 Find an established and legal new location for your letter box.

3. Uproot the present letter box, if in good order retain, otherwise shop for a new one.

4. Fix the box to the post which you will have to buy along with a small bag of cement.

5. Dig a deep enough hole, having mixed the cement pour it into the hole and place the post with the new letter box attached, firmly into the cement, let set, then fill the remaining space with earth.

Hallo Mr Scott, Hallo Mr Government. We are still here, and if any of you identify with the above, so is your letter box! Help would be nice with a response. It would be a challenge but, oh so appreciated!

DIANA WILLIAMS

Pembroke

Constituents need more

September 22, 2009

Dear Sir,

School is back in session and if you missed the Corporation of Hamilton's first town hall meeting, you are late for the new term and Assembly Hall.

After continuing to hold closed meetings for the past two and a half months, the public finally got a glimpse of what the Mayor and his team have been up to. The public that turned out for this meeting were mostly an elderly white group with a minority of black Bermudians. There were a small number of voters from North East Hamilton but for the most part the meeting consisted of Hamilton business owners and Corporation staff. I am certain there were a few people from wider Bermuda, but for the most part it was the usual suspects that were in attendance. From past elected administrations there was Mr. Black former Mayor Boyle and myself. In terms of numbers, it was a good turnout for a COH public meeting. If you were not there this is what you missed: The meeting was set up like a school Assembly Hall with a lectern on the stage to one side and the Mayor and his team arrayed in a semicircle brightly bathed in theatre lighting with a large screen behind them for the projected bullet points. The public sat below them in darkness. It would soon be evident that the only drama for the evening would be the lighting and Alderman Ferreira's beautiful red dress.

I was late and missed the introductory remarks of Mayor Gosling and his brief touch on possible changes to city governance. Later I would be rebuked for this blind spot. Roger Sheratt, a Past Corporation Secretary, dripped cloying sarcasm on my observations and turned to complimenting the meeting. He missed my points about no open meetings and the waste of taxpayers' money on a land purchase that cost an extra quarter of a million to the city and ten thousand dollars in lawyers' fees wasted to renew a 21 year lease with the Bermuda Society of Arts from a $50 a year rental to $1,000. He also missed my point to the meeting that all the major projects outlined were initiatives of the past Madeiros Administration: the hotel signing with the St. Regis Group, City Rangers with summary powers, Commission of sculptures for the Theatre Boycott and the Middle Passage, the complete reform of the Corporation Act drawn up by former Councillor Gibbons, the Hamilton Waterfront plans, and now that is quite clear regarding the main presented ideas, the works yard plans and budget, again the Madeiros Administration.

One by one each new Chairman walked up to the lectern and gave a brief report to the meeting on their new committees while bullet points flashed behind them. Alderman Ferreira seemed the best prepared but it was puzzling why the Waterfront redevelopment was being cut in half. The rest were weak and in the case of Alderman Tucker confusing. He droned through the yearly figures as chairman of Finance and concluded his presentation by stating he was not certain if the COH would have a million and half loss or be four million dollars to the good by year end. It all hinged on if a capital project was starting or not starting this year. The only new idea floated was security cameras for North Hamilton but apparently this is an old idea resisted in the past during the Boyle Administration. You could say that moving the committees around was new and the presentation itself being made early into the Gosling Administration was also new and good. The Mayor stating that he would now be having regular meetings with the Premier was the best news to me of the evening. Another excellent thing was that a good number of the executive staff of the Corporation were introduced to the meeting by Ed Benevides, the current Secretary of the Corporation.

The lights were turned up in the theatre and the meeting moved into a question and answer format. Former Mayor Boyle asked blunt questions about the near future of the Corporation and made key observations about the continued poor security in the city. Former Alderman Black stated his concern about how much money the city was losing from unpaid parking tickets and suggested the city take over the process. There were a number of good ideas put forward like one put forward by Ms Robertson, a recent contender for councillor, who floated the idea for the creation of a circle bus route, to help people get around the city. Still, for the most part requests were made concerning service and local area city problems.

Then a member of North East Hamilton got up and castigated the city members for the continued neglect of that part of the city and then the meeting ended on time. The city had kindly laid on snacks and refreshments and people milled around in the hallway talking to staff and elected members. It was a well organised piece of PR but the voting roll has not been touched since the election and the proper meetings of the full Corporation remain closed. Hopefully when the next public meeting is held, sometime after Christmas, it will be more than a report card from a past administration. The pace of change is too slow and one public meeting is not going to save the Corporation.

GRAEME OUTERBRIDGE

Southampton

Practice what you preach

September 18, 2009

Dear Sir,

Daniel Fried, the United States official who arranged privately with the Bermuda Premier to secretly send four Guantánamo inmates to settle in Bermuda, has admitted publicly that the United States Congress voted against accepting the former terrorists suspects settling in the US. It would have been democratic if Bermudians could have had a chance to veto for or against their entry also. However, the Members of Parliament, the Cabinet, the Senators, the Attorney General and the Governor were not consulted or given an opportunity to vote as were the citizens of the US. They knew nothing of the secret late night arrival of the four Uighurs from Cuba until the morning after they arrived.

Their illegal entry caused two demonstrations on the grounds of Parliament voicing the people'sdissatisfaction with the US Government and the Bermuda Premier. The Attorney General has stated that under the Bermuda law these four Guantánamo detainees are not allowed to obtain Citizenship, Bermuda status or British Citizenship. And they are not allowed to work in Bermuda under the Immigration and Protection Act of 1965. To further polarise the community, they were hired, are now working without their jobs first being advertised, again bypassing Government policy. Who is paying their wages? What kind of democracy is this? Instead of the United States trying to bring democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan. I might suggest Daniel Fried tries to practise what the US preaches to the world.

NANCY V.

Warwick

People have hope

September 18, 2009

Dear Sir,

The incredible truth in all this political manoeuvring is that the absolute dictatorial and controlling nature of Ewart Brown is now going to cost the PLP. If the PLP members had the will, they would have demanded that Ewart be replaced by Paula Cox months ago. She alone would have brought a calming influence to the PLP and to Bermuda. Virtually the only reason that the UBP has been demolished is that certain MPs resisted the dramatic change that was necessary in the UBP and in the PLP. Shawn Crockwell is spot on when he predicts that the UBP will be walked over at the next election. And I predict that the PLP may well be also!

The 30-45 generation is well travelled, well read and confident and they have been hoping for something they can hang their hat on when it comes to the future governance of Bermuda. Maybe some voted for the PLP or the UBP but it was with their noses held and not much enthusiasm. Now they have hope – and that is a great day for Bermuda. To the old time UBP supporters, just be aware that there are no universally loved politicians. There is no easier person to criticise then a politician. These young people who want to start something fresh must be given a real chance. They represent the only real hope that Bermuda will be governed by a decent, conservative and capable group of people who firmly believe that doing everything based on race is a relic of the past. Good luck to them ... and to us.

POLLY

Southampton

Those days are over

Septermber 22, 2009

Dear Sir,

I can't understand why the post office is giving itself so much extra work. This is exactly how I addressed a letter recently:

Name of recipient,

Casuarinas,

Mizzen Top,

Longford Road,

Warwick

Just because I did not know the WK whatever it came back to me, so instead of delivering it in Warwick from the Warwick post office, it was sent back to Paget and returned to me, a double journey. Can't the mailman be allowed to use common sense? Everyone knows where Mizzen Top is, even the post office I would imagine, and yet they go to all the trouble to returning to sender. I also mailed a letter to Somerset to an address that I have used for years a stone's throw from the Somerset post office, and guess what? It was returned to sender. What a lot of trouble and expense the Post Office is making for itself, when the mailman could have crossed the road and delivered the letter.

Not only that, but it also takes away the charm of living in a small place where we all know and care about each other. Years ago I got a letter from overseas just addressed to me by name and no address, and I got the letter. Alas those days are over, and we are now supposed to act as if we are in New York City. What a shame. The population of Bermuda is the same as the small town I lived in Denmark, and I must admit that things are very different there. You can be absolutely sure that if you mail a couple of air tickets for a flight the following day to the other end of the country, they will arrive the next morning. How can we be so inefficient here in Bermuda? Please allow the mailman to use his knowledge and common sense, instead of making the postal service another Government catastrophe.

E. RABEN

Paget

We're all at fault

September 18, 2009

Dear Sir,

The roads of Bermuda seem to get more dangerous with every passing year. When did:

¦ The 'unofficial' speed limit become 60 kph?

¦ It become acceptable to text on the scooter?

¦ It become acceptable to undertake on scooters?

¦ Every second car become a road hogging SUV?

¦ It become acceptable for cars to overtake scooters in free flowing traffic just to get 10 yards ahead?

¦ It become acceptable to ignore pedestrian crossings?

¦ It become acceptable to ignore red lights?

¦ It become acceptable to constantly meander into the opposite lane?

¦ It become acceptable to needlessly tailgate?

Everyone recognises something must be done to make the roads safer but as far as I can tell, everyone is at fault; the poor quality of driving is not isolated to tourists or residents, young or old, black or white, rich or poor and male or female. It is often quoted that people get the governments that they deserve. At the moment residents appear to be getting the roadways they deserve. And I haven't even mentioned the prevalence of drink-driving.

FEARFUL DRIVER

Southampton

What really matters

September 18, 2009

Dear Sir,

The sad truth about the voting public is that so many are politically naive. Politicians stand for what they believe are the issues of the day – or should do. Therefore a voter should consider a Government with fiscal responsibility, integrity, able to prioritise important issues of the day, fair on taxation and deal with economic growth. Today, September 18, in the daily a politician states the UBP is a white party and Bermudians do not want a white party? What has this got to do with governing a country? Black or white has nothing to do with governing a country? What matters is the person and what they stand for not the colour of their skin. Perhaps Bermuda needs one party made up of Independent politicians. Voting naivete and a two party system is destroying Bermuda.

MONICA BERRY

Pembroke

Visitor's View

Celebrate yourselves

September 18, 2009

Dear Sir,

In response to Mr. Henderson's "Embrace colonialism" letter to the Editor is on the money, what a great idea. My wife and I have been coming to your beautiful island for over 30 years and have things changed? Of course they have, and everywhere else in the world also. Not for the better. But why not mention all the good in Bermuda that still exists – its beauty and especially its people and what tourists would love to see again like the Bobby at the Bird cage, horse and carriages and promoting your rich and diversified heritage. Sometimes what we truly have as a treasure is under our noses and then we change it for the sake of change.

People travel from all over the US to Europe to visit due to its quaintness and desire to protect its past. Bermuda, you have done a wonderful job protecting your Island in parks and buildings. Most people in the US who have not been to Bermuda have no idea about this beauty. This summer I pulled my moped over to the side of the road to take yet another photo of your beautiful landscapes and a Bermudian stopped to see if we needed anything and if we were all OK. Contrary to what some might say that this type of concern is gone think twice. It still exists it just needs to be printed.

The adage "Back to Basics" could not apply better to Bermuda, One more old line is 'Do not let the past dictate who you are but let it become a great part of who you will be.' Bermuda, you still have a lot of greatness and do not let the small faction of bad destroy the majority of good. We will be coming to your beautiful Island soon again and hopefully for at least another 30-plus years on a scooter if my wife will let me. Have a Bermudaful day.

GIOVANNI

Easton, Massachusetts