Unanswered questions

October 18, 2006

Dear Sir,

I have just finished reading an article in The Royal Gazette headlined ?Deuss praised as ?good citizen for Bermuda? by ex-Premier?, in which former Bermuda Premier David Saul was quoted as describing John Deuss as ?a very, very good citizen for Bermuda?, largely because Mr. Deuss has spent a lot of money in Bermuda. Dr. Saul was also quoted as saying of Mr. Deuss: ?I just respected him for his brain and his acumen and generosity.?

What ?acumen? or ?brain? power is required to order substantial amounts of oil from the former Soviet Union and then not pay for it on the technical ground that only one director of the state-owned export company signed the contract, when the law required two signatories?

What is commendable in then selling such oil ? at a massive premium ? to South Africa at a time when there is a trade embargo on the country due to its apartheid policy?

What is particularly ?generous? about subsequently splashing around in Bermuda a fraction of the money that you have obtained in this manner?

Is such behaviour something that Dr. Saul believes that Bermudians ? approximately 60 percent of whom are black ? should admire and aspire to? Does he not understand that there?s more to life than money?

As for Dr. Saul?s quoted comment that ?I certainly hope that this all just goes away?, that seems to echo the view of Bermuda?s regulators and law enforcement agents when it comes to allegations of serious financial crime involving any of Bermuda?s companies and residents.

How else can one explain the fact that, despite several substantial corporate scandals in Bermuda in the 16 years that I have been covering the island as a business journalist, the most egregious being the estimated $1 billion of world insurance market losses caused by Stirling Cooke Brown Holdings Ltd., I am still waiting for even one person to be held accountable for their actions.

I do not know whether the allegations against John Deuss will be proven or not. What I do know, however, is that the Dutch authorities are at least investigating them, which is more than I can say for their counterparts on a certain 21-square-mile island who are all talk and no action when it comes to looking into such matters.

DAVID MARCHANT

Miami, Florida

Going Dutch

October 7, 2006

Dear Sir,

The Dutch are famous for many things ? among them excellent cheese, a love of sailing and the actual arrest of people merely wanted for questioning with regard to ongoing police investigations.

Mr. Deuss appears to be a fugitive from enquiry, not from justice. I really do not see why Bermuda?s Police and courts should be keen to assist with the arrest of a local resident who has not bee charged with any offence. Such a stance would surely be respected internationally.

On a completely separate matter, why should Bermuda?s taxpayers foot the bill for the accommodations at Westgate of unruly Americans? Surely stiff fines on the two men jailed for fighting on Front Street, as reported in today?s Royal Gazette, would have made much more sense than the 90-day sentences imposed.

BAFFLED AND DISMAYED

City of Hamilton

Where?s the charity?

This letter was copied to Premier Alex Scott and Tourism Minister Dr. Ewart Brown.

October 6, 2006

Dear Sir,

We are thankful to God for sparing us the full wrath of hurricane Florence on Monday September 11, 2006. We are also thankful to those who helped get our island back in order, Belco, Telco, Police and other service workers.

These are times when most neighbours reach out to help each other, but in our neighbourhood one neighbour was very much opposite.

Our electricity went out about 3 p.m. on Monday and, as in most neighbourhoods, families had generators and were sharing with those who didn?t. Our mother (a senior citizen 75-plus and has Life Tenancy) our aunt (also a senior citizen 85+) and our stepbrother live downstairs of Mr. and Mrs. Andre Curtis. Our brother ran the generator for our mother and aunt to keep the refrigerator, a light and TV on and also shared it with the young family next door who have a four-month-old baby and a three-year-old daughter. Mr. Curtis (Chairman of the Tourism Board) and his family (wife and young teenage son) were also offered use of this generator but refused, although they did use it after Fabian.

On Monday, just after midnight, Mr. Curtis? son was sent to awaken our mother and brother saying his father wanted the generator turned off because he could not sleep. The generator was downstairs, in the back yard closer to our mother?s apartment, and other neighbours nearby had theirs running which are actually closer to him and although our mother and brother saw it being selfish and inconsiderate still turned it off, till morning.

Tuesday night the Curtis?, via their son again, at 12.01 a.m. requested the generator to be turned off, but this time their request was denied. Mr. Curtis himself then came down with the same request and, as was explained to his son, was told that we needed it and were also servicing the neighbour and their babies. After going back upstairs, Mr. Curtis then sent his son to turn the generator off, but he was stopped by our brother.

Out of concern, our mother called her oldest son and her daughter, who live next door and, when the Curtis? were approached, to question their inconsiderate attitude towards our mother, the Curtis?, adamant in having their way, called the police (four times in four year), which we welcomed. We all addressed our concerns which at times was heated to the one officer who came showing how the generator was helping the family with little children, also our aunt and mother who has a week leg and needs proper light. With all that was said, Mr. Cutis, to everyone?s amazement, and in a very arrogant and sarcastic manner stated: ?I?m the owner of this property, I need my rest because I HAVE A COUNTRY TO RUN IN THE MORNING!? as if he?s the Premier.

Realising the Curtis? had no empathy or compassion for anyone but themselves, especially in this emergency time, and with the policeman not able to help reach a compromise we reluctantly decided again, to turn it off, with the policeman surprised to hear the number of generators (no less than 4) still running in our neighbourhood without any complaints. It was about 2 a.m. when the policeman left, and the other generators ran all night until the electricity came on approximately 2 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. In the morning, about 8:00 a.m., Mr. Curtis was seen and heard, very rudely and disrespectfully shouting downstairs to our family saying: ?You can turn your generator on now?, with a smirk on his face and laughing to himself.

This incident is only one of many, in the four years, that they, Andre and Laquita Curtis, have been involved since they moved upstairs of our mother, where they have displayed an arrogant, disrespectful, rude and unchristian-like attitude towards her and our family. We have tried to bring resolution to these issues in a peaceful manner, but to no avail, so we see it necessary to make this known to the public via this letter.

Until Mr. Curtis, Chairman of the Tourism Board and his wife Laquita , who both claim to be born-again Christians, show our mother, (a humble-minded, peaceful, God-fearing Christian senior citizen, who has lived there for 50 years), the respect she deserves, we will continue to take steps in this direction.

THE LOTTIMORE FAMILY

Warwick

Save the gardens

September 29, 2006

Dear Sir,

The Bermuda Orchid Society, a diverse group of people with a passion for orchids, were shocked to read of the decision to use a part of the Botanical Gardens to build the new hospital.

The area proposed by the BHB will mean the destruction of all the buildings including the exotic house and the cacti and succulent house and the death of the two mature Bermuda Cedar trees in front of Horticultural Hall.

The destruction of this area would mean the loss of the annual exhibition as it now exists, an event described as ?the social event of the year?, when all Bermudians can come together to show off their talents. Children especially are highlighted with school competitions, vegetable critters, model gardens artwork, kites, baked goods, tropical fish and woodworking. The slogan for this year?s exhibition was ?planting seeds for tomorrow?, how sad if there is no place to plant these seeds.

What will our Caricom visitors who have attended, judged and praised our wonderful exhibition think if BHB destroys a Bermuda cultural icon? What kind of statement will Bermuda impart to our many visitors and friends who have come, and loved our Botanical Gardens? A flower in the gardens inspired the late John Lennon.

After Hurricane Fabian left the gardens battered, we all pulled together. The BOS donated orchid plants for the exotic house, buildings were repaired, and the show recovered. Can BHB prove more powerful and deadly than a force of nature?

The orchid display at the Annual Exhibition is always a highlight of the show. Like so much in the gardens, it gives wonderment, replenishes the spirit, and inspires the soul. The gardens are just as important to keeping Bermudians healthy in mind and spirit as the hospital is in body. There should not be a choice between the two. We need both. The existing hospital property must be reconsidered.

THE BERMUDA ORCHID SOCIETY