Put expats at baselands

April 9, 2007

Dear Sir,

There’s so much discussion & complaints about (lack of) housing, traffic congestion, oversized buildings, and general expat-bashing, that perhaps it’s time to “think outside the box” in terms of solutions to these and other problems (sorry— challenges) that face Bermuda.

Here’s an idea— and just hear me out now, ‘cause it’s somewhat radical— but what if this were to be implemented: Take the former military base on the west side of the island, and the former military base on the east side of the island (near the airport) and turn them into solely expat communities — with condominiums of all sizes (studios/one bedrooms for single persons, three bedrooms for families. Medium-rise style buildings with balconies, semi-detached & fully detached homes with gardens). Once they are completed, these two communities would be the only place that expatriate workers would be allowed to reside in Bermuda.

These condos would be rented directly from the Bermudian government, who would set the rental price. The funds would go directly into the government coffers. No longer would a guest worker be allowed to rent any other homes, apartments, etc. from anyone else. This would lower the massive demand on other properties, thus lowering the housing price for the “average” Bermudian.

Also, given the concentration of workers, direct, frequent (7 a.m. to midnight) and free ferry/bus service to Hamilton/St. George would also need to be established as part of the amenities of these two communities. This would greatly help alleviate Bermuda’s traffic congestion. These communities would also have to have free day care, a community centre, a dog run, gym/pool/squash courts, etc. to match the level of living that is expected of the level of talent that Bermudian companies wish to hire.

A third benefit would be that such communities, while very nice to live in (and note that they would have to be “top of the line” places in order for this to be acceptable to all levels of expatriate workers), would be a daily reminder that guest workers are just that — guests. It would let other Bermudian communities get back to their roots, with only Bermudian neighbours. The turnover in communities would lessen, and neighbours would get to know their neighbours like they did in days of old. Some may look at this as segregation of expats, and I agree that this would need to be part of a discussion, but you can’t argue that this would mitigate a lot of the problems that face Bermuda today. What do you think?

ERIC S.

New York City

Can ex-pats whistleblow

April 2, 2007

Dear Sir,

Minister of Labour and Immigration Derrick Burgess told the House of Assembly that guest workers should not get involved in Bermuda’s politics — and those who speak out against their company policies should expect to get dismissed. However, in a recent Bermuda Sun article by senior writer, Meredith Ebbin, Mr. Burgess supported employees who blow the whistle on their employers.

Policies and procedures are usually put in place by employers to ensure transparency and fairness; so when the employer breaches the very policy he implemented, what other recourse is there for the employee besides speaking out? If the policies do, in fact, ensure fairness and are adhered to in the first place, there should be no need for the employee to publicly criticise the process. So why should the employee be punished and not the employer?

Just last week there was a full-page advertisement in The Royal Gazette by the Human Rights Commission outlining Grounds of discrimination, complaint procedures and the procedure for pursuing complaints. Although this may appear to be a viable alternative to speaking out publicly, it does not guarantee you a fair hearing if your complaint is considered genuine enough to warrant an investigation and be referred to a Board of Inquiry via the Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs. Even though it is stated that all persons lawfully residing in Bermuda are entitled to equality, dignity and freedom from acts of discrimination, what they don’t tell you, is that if you are a civil servant, His Excellency the Governor may be allowed to issue a ‘fiat’ preventing relevant documents from being produced, thus denying the complainant a fair hearing.

The HRC advertisement states that the investigating officer may request the production of relevant documents and that obstruction of the investigation is unlawful. Is obstruction of the actual hearing not unlawful? What I’m hearing is that an employee should expect to be dismissed for speaking out publicly against company policy, yet His Excellency the Governor has the power to intervene when policies and procedures within the civil service are breached — I’m definitely missing something here. Of course, any party who disagrees with the decision of the board of inquiry may appeal to the Supreme Court, but how long must one wait for that process to occur?

The HRC advertisement also states that reprisals or actions against anyone who complains to the HRC, or who assists with a complaint are forbidden. However, allowing an employer, together with the Union, to implement changes in the middle of an investigation and introduce obstacles to hinder the progress of the complainant is acceptable. Is that fair? If we study some of the policies and procedures of the Government of Bermuda, starting with the HRC advertisement published on the March 30, 2007 and compare with what’s being allowed, it would be clearly evident that the HRC process is not at all fair — so why the hypocrisy?

WAITING FOR FAIRNESS

Devonshire

Have we learned nothing?

April 4, 2007.

Dear Sir,

Wake up white Bermudians! You are being “used” by this racist Government in order to get themselves re-elected I am not “uncomfortable” in my white skin....I have nothing to be “uncomfortable” about....nor will I accept that being white ever gave me or my family any privileges. My great-grandfather was sent down a coal mine in the North of England at the tender age of five. The children laboured from sun up until sun down six days a week.

Unable to attend school he taught himself to read, by candlelight, using the only book he owned the Bible. Years later, he managed to scrape enough money together to buy a wheelbarrow and much later a horse and cart in which he delivered coal to the few people who could afford a little comfort for their families during the cold winter nights. Working day and night he raised a family to be proud of.

His granddaughter came to Bermuda where she married and raised three children. Was it easy for my father because he was white? It certainly was not! It took several jobs and the raising of chickens in order to send his offsprings to private school. He never complained about the extra work and was very proud when we graduated from high school. At the age of seventeen we went out to work as there was no money for University and there was no one rushing forward to pay for us ‘because we were white’. However, many black teens at that time went off to University... some of them paid for by white business men. Eventually, I and my two brothers married and, once again, the men in the family took on extra jobs to send their children to high school. The parents did without... no holidays, buying trips abroad or dinners at restaurants, but, at last and by the grace of God, this younger generation were able to go, proudly off to university, where they prepared themselves to join the workforce in Bermuda.

Now, another of the great, great, great grandchildren of that frightened little boy who went down the mines at five, is about to go off to university. Will he want to come back to an island where the Government — from the Premier on down spends most of it’s time insulting white people and blaming them for the results of their own peoples’ bad choices. It is time for all white Bermudians to say; “no, I will not be used anymore.”

Stay away from any PLP sponsored “race” meetings, dialogues etc. The Government does not want to unite the races! Instead, they are using these dialogues to divide the races. Why? To stay in power. Then they will tell us that they do not have to listen as they are “in charge now”. From there it will be only a short time before they take us down the road to ‘dictatorship’ or even ‘destruction’!

Remember, when Hitler had blamed the Jews enough times (for all that was wrong in Germany) the German people turned on the Jews! Now is the time for all white Bermudians and all right thinking black Bermudians to get behind Wayne Furbert and his ‘United Bermudian’ men and women, who want to see a Bermuda that we all can be proud of. Under this Government I am almost ashamed to say that I am a Bermudian.

We must unite or we will live to regret our choices. Let’s stop finger pointing as both races are guilty for the slavery of the past. How? The blacks sold their people to the white slave traders. Instead, let’s try to end the slavery that is taking place today, in the year 2007. Have we learnt nothing in two hundred years?

GRANDMA

Hamilton Parish

P.s. If Derek Burgess feels the need to escort someone to the Airport may I suggest the two “toadies” of Rolfe Commissiong and by extension, the PLP.

Do not be deceived

April 2, 2007

Dear Sir,

If it is true what Trevor Moniz, Louise Jackson and others in the UBP are saying that Dr. Brown is closing the clinic at the hospital so that he can see these patients at the new facility that he is opening, I would suggest that Dr. Brown be given some citation for such a humane gesture. I am certain that the Winter Haven property must have cost a pretty penny and when one considers how much it will cost to convert the house to a medical clinic, Dr. Brown will have spent millions of dollars. To spend millions of dollars of his own money to treat patients that cannot afford to pay for medical care, Dr. Brown should certainly be applauded rather than criticised.

All of a sudden Mrs. Jackson is showing that she cares for the poor and needy in our community. I wonder how many scholarships she gave to poor and needy children when she was running her dance school. Bermudians should not forget that at one time practically every black child that took dance lessons, attended the Jackson School of Dance. I wonder if she would be willing to let the public know how many children were able to come to her school free of charge because their parents couldn’t afford to pay. Wake up Bermuda, the UBP is trying to make us believe that they care so much for poor black people. Did they show us this concern before the PLP won the Government. I think not.

NEVILLE T. DARRELL

Devonshire