Keep your culture!Dear Sir,I refer to the article that was a published in your December 15, edition and I quote:“Woppened? What kind of word is woppened? My immediate thought was that it looked Bermudian and as it turns out, it is. Actually, it is the invention of political cartoonist, Peter Woolcock and is the past tense of woppenin' or, what happened?”Actually, your writer is incorrect on an all too important point. Woppened has been around long before Mr. Peter Woolcock decided to grace these shores. So, it is not his invention as your column misleadingly claims. The article represents just one more glaring example of a foreign person being given acclaim for what is not rightfully theirs. I mean, let's give credit where credit is due.Now a note to my peeps: You must be vigilant and guard what genuinely belongs to Us. Ras Bob Marley tells it correctly when he sings: Keep your culture, don't be afraid of the vulture: and again in another song: ‘Now you look me with a scorn, then you eat up all my corn.'Pull up Selecta.Rastaman, live up!Bongoman, don't give up!Congoman, live up, yeah!Binghi-man don't give up!Keep your culture:Don't be afraid of the vulture!Grow your dreadlock:Don't be afraid of the wolf-pack!RASTAFARIWe need a new planDecember 8, 2010.Dear Sir,I agree with the article written by Evan Greenberg in Wednesday's December 1, 2010 edition of The Royal Gazette. It's very expensive to do business in Bermuda. Let's start with the Bermuda Monetary Authority Consultation Paper Proposed Fees for 2011. For example, if your Company business is class 3A, the old fee for 2010 was $19,000 and the new proposed fee for 2011 is $30,000.Give me one good reason as to why companies should stay in Bermuda to conduct business? Business fees increase every year. After considering the concerns of the International Business related to the increase of fees, they continue to increase. International Business is what's holding Bermuda's economy together.Work which is done in Bermuda can easily be outsourced to other jurisdictions and will put Bermudians out of work. It's us Bermudians who will suffer. When companies leave Bermuda, it is easier for them to offer the expatriates a job verses Bermudians. Where can we as Bermudians go?Bermuda should not depend on International Business alone. We need to start looking for some other sources of income as tourism has depleted. Someone thought of International Business and now another plan is in order.Lastly, Department of Immigration will not have to issue as many work permits for International Business sector as they will be gone. Some companies will stay, but the majority of them will leave. We are starting to see an increase in empty office space. You can pick, choose and refuse rental office space. It's the International Businesses' turn to say take it or leave it when the landlord wants to increase the rent.DEBORAH ALBUOYWarwickA day to reflectDecember 12, 2010.Dear Sir,We the National Day of Reflection and Thanksgiving committee take this time to thank you for your valuable contribution of advertising the National Day of Reflection and Thanksgiving service, held Saturday, November 27, 2010.We believe that the event was a success because people of all walks of life, social, business, religious, and political joined together with a purpose to work for a common cause. That of giving thanks to God for his protection and provision during Hurricane Igor and for the betterment of everyone in our communities and Island.Once again, we say thank you.ELDER KEVIN SANTUCCIOverseer of the National Day of Reflection and Thanksgiving CommitteeWhere there is GodNovember 24, 2010.Dear Sir,An angel of the Lord appeared to fearful shepherds taking care of their flock by night and urged them “Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you which will bring great joy to all the people. (Luke 2:10 good News Bible)” There followed the Good News that a Saviour was born for them, and indeed all human kind.On my first trip to Israel we spent three days in a hotel in the City of Jerusalem which overlooked hills with a well trodden path, over which a shepherd led his flock each morning and evening like clockwork, to and from the pasture. We too, have a Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, Emmanuel god with us. We need not be fearful in these troubling times. We have THE SAVIOUR JESUS who EXTENDS a COVETED INVITATION: Come to me all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28-30 - New Revised Standard Version Bible). Have faith in God. Faith in Greek is PISTEUO which means To Believe To Trust. Believers can trust in God's loving care to provide for the.I have a plaque given to me by a former great neighbour (now deceased) Mrs Gladys Archer who hailed form the former British Guyana. Over the years the words have inspired me daily. I thank her for sharing her radiant faith, to which I added hope and joy.Where there is faith there is hope. Where there is hope there is love. Where there is love there is joy. Where there is joy there is peace. Where there is peace there is God. Where there is God, there is no need (NO AUTHOR GIVEN ON THE PLAQUE)May the gifts of faith, hope, love, joy, peace and daily sense of the PRESENCE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, JESUS CHRIST be with you and all yours.(THE REV. DR.) CHARLES A. SWAN