October 22, 2013

Dear Sir,

Recently an article appeared in your Letters to the Editor section entitled “Setting the record straight.” It was written by Major Ben Beasley Adjutant to the Bermuda Regiment. In the article he stated that the hourly rate for conscripts was $17.87, and not, $7.75, as I had asserted in an article printed last week.

I strongly disagree, and believe I can substantiate my hourly rate based on information provided by the Regiment whereas Maj. Beasley cannot, or at least, has not. He has merely expressed an opinion without providing any supporting evidence whatsoever.

Let’s do the math. The hourly rate of $7.75 was arrived at by using information provided by the Regiment, and then by applying a simple mathematical formula. That is, dividing the amount made, by the number of hours worked. For example if a man is paid $100 a day and works 10 hours a day then the hourly rate is $10.00. Simple.

From newspaper reports over the past few years quoting Regiment officers, conscripts are required to perform eighteen hours of labour per day. In one article the officer quoted stressed that it was eighteen gruelling hours of work each day. Based on seven days of work at $931 per week that means 126 hours per week.

Applying the simple formula mentioned $931 divided by 126 hours = approximately $7.40 an hour. I admit that the exact figure could differ by a few cents, and initially I was out by 35 cents.

Now if you apply another basic mathematical formula to determine how much the conscripts would make using Maj. Beasley’s hourly rate, it becomes quite obvious that he is wrong. At $17.87 an hour, and conscripts being required to work eighteen hours a day, that would mean the amount made per day would be $321.66. For convenience let’s round that down to $320 per day, which must then be multiplied by the 13 days of boot camp. That adds up to $4160 for boot camp alone.

I challenge Maj Beasley to provide one pay stub from the 2013 boot camp, or any boot camp for that matter, proving that privates left Warwick Camp each with $4160 in their pockets.

His assertion that the basic hourly rate for conscripts is wrong, and yet another example of misinformation being put out by the Regiment. In this case simple math exposes Maj. Beasley.

Also the question would be asked why the Regiment is not advertising this sum in order to attract more volunteers.

Furthermore the new contracts young men sign for the 2014 boot camp stipulate $1050 per week for 17 hour days. That equates to about $9.50 an hour still far short of the $17.87 suggested by the major.

He can confirm, or deny, that to be the case and even if they have received a “raise” it is still forced, cheap labour.

Larry Marshall sr.

Bermudians Against the Draft