A ruling for us all

July 25, 2007

Dear Sir,

I rejoiced today on hearing the Court of Appeal upholding the lower Court’s decision on lifting the so-called “gag order”. That makes four of our esteemed Judges, on our soil, ruling for us. After all the huffing and puffing by the Premier and his cohorts that Bermuda needs to be Independent as we are mature enough and ready for it; what is the first thing they do when they can’t get their way? They appeal to England’s Privy Council. I am not saying that is bad, it is good, because that is the benefit of being a colony in that we do have that option of one last line of reprise for Justice.

My question which I also heard from a few other people is. Why are we the taxpayers paying even more out to protect these people? Is this some form of Legal Aid (welfare)? What is the intended outcome, to let people know that you can’t tattle tale on criminal activity? That you can’t copy and distribute what is deemed as “confidential” and get away with it? To restore confidence in the Police Force? If anything it is bringing the Police Force into question by their Geheime Staatspolizei: “secret state police type of behaviour.

It was suggested today on the talk radio that it is just one more delay tactic; and now we can expect a snap election (unless they know the Privy Council will be a couple of months,or longer) before the Privy Council and/or the Royal Commission seal the PLP’s doom.

I give praise to my representatives of the UBP tackling the controversy head on by going to England directly for assistance. Now that is representation; doing what the people want, ie. For the people, of the people, remember that ideology? Well it is back, and it is spelled UBP.

Now let us start thinking what we can name after these heroes of ours. Wait a minute. I am sure they do not want anything named after them; because I trust their intentions by their actions. Call the election, I am ready!

ALLAN KUHN JR.

Smith’s

Bermuda’s “ambassador”

July 3, 2007

Dear Sir,

Please allow a few columns within The Royal Gazette to express my heartfelt Thanks and gratitude towards Bermuda’s true Ambassador — our American Consul General Mr. Gregory Slayton. There are many reasons why I take the time to write this and like most people I am a very busy person.

I met Gregory three years ago while at the check out counter at Miles and we immediately hit it off. Unbeknownst to us however, we would meet a few hours later at a private cocktail party and it was at that faction where I realised who he was. Gregory is a true gentleman and a breath of fresh air when I think about his predecessors.

Over the years we have dined and wined at each others homes and I have become fond of his adorable wife Marina and their beautiful children Sasha, Christian, Daniel and Nicholas.

One might say, so, big deal Rammy, Gregory is only doing his job and I am only hob-nobbing with the elite. But, those who would think and perhaps might even say that, do not know me or Mr. Slayton. For many, many senior US diplomats have come to Bermuda only to leave with nothing accomplished (except perhaps lowering their handicap).

But what really encouraged me to write about this rare Statesman is this: On Saturday I was fortunate enough to have a ticket to the 4th of July Independence Day bash at Moresby Plain near Dockyard. 6,000 guests of all colours and backgrounds and beliefs — having fun together in peace and harmony.

I stood quietly on the side and watched our host Gregory mingle with the Americans, Bermudians, Canadians, Members of Parliament (both PLP and UBP) and the US Congress — and gracefully walking with my Rastafarian friend Sam Maybury of tennis fame. I saw a happy, safe and joyful community a Community of One. Yet a community of many enjoying the simple things we sometimes take for granted. And that is the diversity and microcosmic mix of talent that is so abundant in Bermuda. Recently, our Government Leaders were given an audience in Washington DC with some of the worlds most powerful and influential people. This, too, was the direct result of Gregory’s vision, perseverance and almost supernatural ability to bring diverse people together for a noble goal.

I can only hope that we never forget the things this US representative has done and continues to do for our beloved Bermuda.

Gregory often encourages me to get into Politics and I always had a blank look about me until now. From now on my reply will be: “Thanks for your vote of confidence in me Greg, but remember this, Most Politicians are only concerned about the next election, but it is the true Statesmen in the world who are concerned about the next generation.”

My fellow Bermudians, Gregory Slayton to me is not a politician, he is the best American Statesman we have ever had here in Bermuda.

And when Gregory’s term is up, I think the powers that be should make him a lifetime Honorary Bermudian citizen. God knows he deserves it.

RAMADHIN (RAMMY) SMITH

Pembroke

Young whites do care

June 26, 2007

Dear Sir,

Ms Wadson’s recent letter asking why so few Bermudians attended Dame Lois Browne Evans’ funeral struck a chord with me because I have been mulling over the same question after Thaao Dill posed it earlier this month on his morning show. (I am a 30-year-old white Bermudian woman and I did not attend the funeral.)

The obvious answer is because there is a clear racial divide in our society and the white community does not connect to the black community. It is an easy factor to point to and has foundation based on historical and social realities that plague our community and colour (pardon the poor pun!), virtually every discussion within our society. It is worth penetrating a bit further to question that simple assumption and look at another factor that may have contributed to the stark divide. I feel that there certainly has to be a generational element at play. Commentary on Thaao’s show indicated that there was a noticeable lack of presence from younger generations of all colours (although the white absence was certainly starker, more politically relevant and thus easier to comment on).

When the Dame was at her political height in the 70s/80s I was not even in high school and certainly not politically aware. By the time I started to question and delve a bit further into the political scene in my mid-20s, the Dame wasn’t really at the forefront. As a result, my experience with her has been thin. Admittedly my understanding of her political/social impact was hazy and unformed at best and is only exceeded by my ignorance of white politicians from the same era. What is interesting is that I have a firm understanding of American politicians active during the 60s/70s/80s. A firm grasp gained through my Bermudian education. I don’t know what kind of Bermudian history is taught in the schools now, but what I remember are lessons of the “privateers”, ambergris and salt manufacture. I don’t remember a whole lot on contemporary politicians or history. Another failing to add to the list of those detailed in the Hopkins Report?

Ms Wadson talks of a societal mirror that lets us see ourselves and forces us to reflect. What I see in the reflection of the Dame’s funeral for my generation is simply that we were too young to have connected to the Dame’s generation. Is it a failing, as Ms Wadson indicates, that we have not sought out our own history more? Yes. I should take the time to have a better understanding of my country’s past and the personalities that have formed our country today.

Ms Wadson came to know the Dame through “weeks of archival research” — such efforts and dedication are to be highly commended. I wish I could spend the time to understand the details of the past, but frankly I have a hard enough time keeping up with the present. However, I do not think that my lack of a comprehensive effort to root through archives is wholly indicative of a deep racial divide. Nor it is it indicative of a lack of connection to the issues and concerns of the black community. It is simply that I have failed to connect to a generation that is not my own. I would guess that the failure to understand the full context of our past is not a white only phenomenon, which would explain further the absence of young Bermudians of all colours at the funeral that was discussed on the radio. (When I comment on the absence of younger generations in the context of a generation gap I am not talking about young children that attended with their parents).

The generation gap explains part of the absence, but not all. I certainly think that the older white generation’s lack of attendance is indicative of a lack of connection to the black community. Maybe not across the board, and maybe it is not the same type of disconnect that existed 30/40 years ago. I don’t know. Maybe it is indicative of a political disconnect and the fact that most white Bermudians did not support the PLP. The Dame’s leadership of the opposition is central part of her public identity and maybe older whites cannot separate her from that role.

An argument could be attempted along those lines, but when the main political divide between the parties of the time was not ideological, but rather the colour of one’s skin, it inevitably comes back to race. I wish someone from the older generations of the white community would offer their thoughts — I would love to be wrong. Rather than a view of the white community as a whole that is disconnected from our fellow black Bermudians, I proffer the thought that the younger white Bermudian population does care, is engaged and feels a connection to other Bermudians that goes beyond skin colour. We are not our parents.

Although the Dame’s death results in the loss of a giant in our community, I can say that I gained from it. I gained the knowledge of her deeds and her contributions. From what I know about her, what more would she have wanted from her passing than for someone to have been educated by it and to be a better Bermudian as a result? However, that knowledge for me came too late to have the same stirring impact on my life that Ms Wadson cites (along with innumerable others).To a certain degree I would have felt an interloper at the funeral — it sounds silly, but akin to a “Johnny-come-lately”. I paid my respects in the best way I could, by learning about her and her messages (whether I agree with all of them or not).

In the end the societal mirror is going to show a different reflection for every pair of eyes. What is most important is to take the time look and change what you don’t like seeing. Having taken a look in that mirror, if given the chance again I would go to the funeral as an exhibition of the solidarity to the black Bermudian community that I have always felt. Those actions would have spoken louder than these words.

UPON DEEP REFLECTION

St. George’s