[naviga:h2]US airman claims he buried Agent Orange in St. David's[/naviga:h2]

STEM CELL CLINIC TO– SET UP IN BERMUDA

July 23: A stem cell research centre was set to open in Bermuda later in 2007 after Premier Ewart Brown and his wife Wanda teamed up with American company Stemedica Cell Technologies. In October, The Opposition United Bermuda Party (UBP) called for a halt to plans for the clinic until outstanding medical and regulatory questions were answered. The UBP also wrote to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to raise concerns about Premier Ewart Brown's intention to set up a private adult stem cell clinic on the Island, called The Brown-Darrell Clinic.

In November the Brown-Darrell Clinic pledged to encourage new stem cell legislation after the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office expressed concern over a potential risk to Bermuda's reputation. The FCO said it understood the UBP's concerns about the potential risk to Bermuda's reputation, and has given Government contact details of the Human Tissue Authority, a group in the UK that offers guidance over codes of practice and licensing information.

Later in the month a lab manager post for Bermuda's new adult stem cell clinic was being advertised through an overseas website. The post — placed by California-based Stemedica on Jobpostcanada.com — did not appear to have been advertised in Bermuda first, meaning any resulting appointment would break strict work permit rules laid out by Government.

A search of Royal Gazette records since August showed no adverts had been placed by Stemedica for any position. But on December 6 Immigration Minister Derrick Burgess pledged normal practice would be followed in the appointment of a lab manager for Bermuda's new adult stem cell clinic.

WHERE IS THE FAITH BASED TOURISM?

Premier Ewart Brown's political campaigner was contracted in July to receive $400,000 of taxpayers' money to set up ten faith-based tourism events in a year, according to a document received by The Royal Gazette. However, at first, neither Andre Curtis, the Premier nor the Department of Tourism could point to any events which had either taken place or were in the pipeline for 2007-08, other than a women's conference next February.

Dr. Brown, who was also Tourism Minister, denied allegations that he set up the scheme to get cash to Mr. Curtis as a thank you gesture for running his constituency in Warwick South Central. Mr. Curtis hit back at his critics by insisting he had lined up ten faith-based tourism events to justify his $400,000 payment of taxpayers' money.

Mr. Curtis also launched an attack on former Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert, who had repeatedly questioned how the cash was being spent. At a press conference, Mr. Curtis provided brief details on ten scheduled events, between May 2007 and March 2008, to which he said a total of $200,000 had been allocated.

He also produced a document stating that $200,000 was being spent on salaries for faith-based tourism during 2007-08. Auditor General Larry Dennis later backed down from questioning the legitimacy of ten events organised by Mr. Curtis. He said in the future his team would look to see if the terms of the contract were being met.

By late November, there was still confusion over exactly how many visitors had been brought to the island by Mr. Curtis' projects. On November 29, Mr. Curtis refused to back up claims that he has lured 1,500 tourists to Bermuda this financial year, despite critics insisting his figure was wildly inaccurate. Asked for an accurate statistic on visitors so far, Mr. Curtis directed The Royal Gazette to the Department of Tourism.

SCHOOL GRADUATION FIGURE FIGURES

Teachers' union leader Mike Charles called on Government to issue clear statistics on the number of students graduating from the two senior public schools. The general secretary of Bermuda Union of Teachers (BUT) spoke out after figures released by the Berkeley Institute and CedarBridge Academy indicated an overall pass rate in 2007 of almost 82 percent.

The figure represents a huge leap from 2006, when just 48 percent made the grade.

In early July, a leading education figure on the island, who did not wish to be named, said Bermuda's so-called "education crisis" could have been overstated due to misleading graduation statistics in previous years. The source said the apparent dramatic increase in 2007 in the percentage of students achieving a Bermuda School Certificate (BSC) was likely to be down to the way figures were calculated in the past.

The debate over education graduation rates, and what to do about them continued throughout the year. In October, Education Minister Randy Horton insisted that graduation rates were not being fudged or inflated before admitting that the 58 percent pass rate claimed for 2006 included students who took an extra year to complete their Bermuda School Certificate.

BASELANDS CLEANUP CALL

Calls for a massive clean-up at Bermuda's former Baselands were reignited in July as an investigation continued into claims lethal defoliant Agent Orange was dumped at Kindley Air Force Base in the 1960s. A former US Air Force serviceman, Ronald Slater, made the claims. He said numerous barrels of the toxin — now said to cause horrific disfigurement and severe long-term illness to those exposed to it, were poured into deep pits before being burned for days, sending poisonous fumes over St. David's homes.

It was feared dioxins in the herbicide, much of which soaked into the earth when the containers were emptied, remained a serious environmental risk today because they are so chemically stable they will not degrade over decades.

In late June, Works & Engineering Minister Dennis Lister, downplayed the claims, insisting there was no evidence Agent Orange was used at Bermuda's Baselands.

In December, tests results from the former baselands at Southside did not suggest the presence of dioxins to be a health risk. Mr. Lister rejected the media's request to release experts' report into safety of land where the lethal defoliant was allegedly dumped and burned.

Statistics

The price of an imported barrel of oil reached $96 — a rise of almost 50 percent since $68 in January.

Bermuda's public school graduation rate appeared to have leapt by an astonishing 34 percent in 2007. A Ministry of Education spokeswoman attributed the jump to cleverer students in the class of 2007.

Inflation touched a 16-year high in Bermuda, driven by higher oil and energy prices and more expensive hotel room rates overseas biting into the pockets of Island residents.

The monthly inflation rate leapt 1.4 percent between April and May, putting Bermuda in the unenviable position of having a higher rate than the US, UK or Canada.

The latest Retail Sales Index report revealed a 10.5 percent rise in purchases abroad in May 2007 compared to the same in 2006.

Nearly three quarters of all voters believed the public should know the full contents of Police files from a corruption investigation into the Bermuda Housing Corporation before an election was held, showed an independent poll done by Research.bm.

July 2007 Voices

"Talk of an election will not slow Government's commitment to affordable homes. We are not pausing for an election to see if we get back in."

– Housing Minister Sen. David Burch. speaking at a housing meeting for all Warwick voters held by Minister of Social Rehabilitation, Dale Butler.

"By me travelling the whole Island and spending a lot of time on the beaches I think the Island is becoming a Third World country when it comes to cleanliness. No one cares."

– Community activist Charles Spanswick called for action to be taken to prevent Bermuda from becoming a 'Third World country'.

"I am tough enough to deal with it. Premier Ewart Brown needs to know – and his cronies need to know, the likes of Jahmal Simmons, LaVerne Furbert and Rolfe Commissiong – that I am not afraid of them or will be intimidated by them. That's just reality. My life's experiences have toughened me up, I am not goin g to run for cover. That's why they are a little perturbed by me – because I cannot be bought and I will not be deterred."

Former UBP chairman – and now MP for Pembroke West – Shaun Crockwell on the "bile" about his conviction for drugs charges and his joining the UBP.

"We are responding to the Governmetn's broadcast and the Premier's comments, which were highly derogatory. He accused environmentalists of misleading the public by saying there was going to be a tunnel (at the planned Jumeirah hotel at Southlands). Less than half an hour later his Minister was describing the tunnel. As the Premier used this as an opportunity to denigrate the people concerned about this development, we thin he owes us an apology.... The plans clearly showed that South Shore Road will be going under several tunnels."

– BEST committee members.

"He clearly showed where his interests lie and I think the Bermudian public have taken note of it. Certainly those in the seat which Dame Lois represented are painfully aware of where his priority was and is. I think Patrice Minors will return to that seat."

– Maxwell Burgess waxing prophetic on his party leader Michael Dunkley's chances of knocking off Mrs. Minors.

"We didn't know it was going to the last week (of this session of Parliament). That came as a shock to us. We were putting so much heat on them on so many different angles, they decided to close the house down!"

– Shadow health spokesperson Louise Jackson as the PLP closed Parliament on Friday 6 July. It is expected to meet for the first time since then sometime in February.

Deaths

A popular 22-year-old motorcycle racer died on July 12 following a battle with cancer. Kyle Pimental, who moved to Bermuda ten years ago with his parents, was a well-known 125cc racer in the Island's motorcycling circles.

Local filmmaker Errol Williams died at age 56. Mr. Williams directed an acclaimed documentary on Bermuda's Theatre Boycott, 'When Voices Rise'. He had just begun shooting his newest project, a film on the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU), when he became ill and was admitted to hospital two weeks before his death. He died as a result of complications arising from cancer treatments.

July 2007 Timeline

June 1: A fireman totalled a $400,000 fire truck in a training exercise when it tipped over during a high speed turn. The blunder sent debris flying over 300 feet. The driver escaped serious injury.

July 3: Acting Premier, Minister of Social Rehabilitation Dale Butler joined Opposition Leader Michael Dunkley and representatives of various faiths to emphasise love and unity in the face of conflict, particularly political fallout over the BHC scandal.

Anglican Bishop Ewen Ratteray said the interfaith service, held at the Anglican Cathedral, was a way of expressing diversity and unity.

July 4: Three hundred families would see their rent slashed to a quarter of their income after the Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) moved to make their monthly bill more manageable. And the BHC said it would take an additional ten percent of their earnings and hold it in a special savings account.

July 5: With songs in heavy rotation world-wide, local reggae artist Collie Buddz's highly anticipated debut album arrived this month.

Bermudians were also excited by the first Collie Buddz concert given in Bermuda. Unfortunately, Premier Dr. Ewart Brown was booed and honked at when he attempted to introduce the reggae star.

The Progressive Labour Party rolled out its first election candidate as MP George Scott announced he would be moving to fight UBP-held Warwick West.

It was understood to be the second time Mr. Scott changed his mind on the issue after initially agreeing to switch from Warwick North Central, which he won easily in the 2003 election, only to refuse.

But at a brief press conference Mr. Scott confirmed he would take on the challenge of trying to overturn a 170-vote Opposition majority as he took on lawyer Mark Pettingill.

July 7: An 18-year jail sentence was meted out to a cruise ship worker who imported more than $300,000 worth of heroin and cannabis. The full amount of drugs Jamaican national Andrew Laing brought to Bermuda on the Norwegian Spirit will never be known, as he was involved in two drops prior to the one leading to his capture last year.

Despite his successful escape after assaulting a female Customs officer who tried to arrest him leaving the ship last October 6 in Dockyard, Laing, 33, was eventually detained after a month-long manhunt.

July 12: Cable & Wireless started to dismantle their earth station in Devonshire. Advances in technology have made the giant dish obsolete. Several Bermudians gathered to photograph what they saw as a historic event.

With election rumours reaching fever pitch, the Progressive Labour Party rolled out two of their Southampton candidates. Construction boss Zane DeSilva, 47, was chosen to fight highly marginal Southampton East Central instead of branch choice Raymond Tannock, who lost in the 2003 general election by just 20 votes to the United Bermuda Party's David Dodwell.

Specialist doctors from overseas were to be brought into Bermuda after Government announced a new partnership with three major health bodies in the US. Premier Ewart Brown said fewer patients would have to travel abroad for treatment following the link-up with Johns Hopkins Medicine, in Baltimore, Maryland, and Lahey Clinic and Partners Healthcare Systems in Massachusetts.

@$:July 13: College chairman Larry Mussenden confirms he directed that a campus forum on conscription be cancelled at the request of Public Safety Minister David Burch. Both men are former Regiment officers.

July 14: Volunteers and campaigners feared former patients of The Medical Clinic would inundate the Emergency Room after the clinic closed on July 13. Eight and a half months ago the Premier Dr. Ewart Brown announced in his Throne Speech that the Medical Clinic at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital would shut.

July 17: Almost 3,000 homes in the East End were without power for at least ten hours after a high voltage cable was damaged by Belco workers.

The Bermuda jobs market was being hit hard by the falling value of the dollar, according to one of the Island's specialist recruitment agencies.

They reckoned that potential employees were being lured away to places such as Canada and Dublin, Ireland because of the strength of their respective currencies, the Canadian dollar and the euro, and the bigger financial rewards and packages companies in these places could offer.

July 20: Rory Field, a veteran prosecutor who served as Director of Public Prosecutions in Belize and helped to build up the prosecution service in Serbia was appointed Bermuda's new Director of Public Prosecutions. He was expected to take up the post in late August, replacing Vinette Graham-Allen as DPP.

July 23: A bus rammed into a wall after a collision with a motorcycle near Horseshoe Bay Beach in Southampton. No-one was seriously injured.

July 24: Ronald Veira, A campaigner angry over a new housing law that affects Islanders with foreign spouses, called for Bermudians to fight for their rights.

July 27: The Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation (BSBDC) unveiled detailed and ambitious plans which would see a new Economic Empowerment Zone split into 13 districts.