Dear Sir,

I would like to acknowledge two Bermudian gentlemen from the Department Marine and Ports, Dennis Outerbridge and Albert Easton, who work as ferry passenger control supervisors in Dockyard during the summer months.

These two gentlemen do an excellent job in providing information to our tourists, but also joke with many of them, which our tourists love — I have witnessed this on many occasions. I have also witnessed on a few occasions some tourists having left their personal items on the ferry. One of the supervisors called the ferry pilot immediately to look for the items and to send them back on the next ferry into Dockyard, where the tourists were waiting to get their possessions back. Mr Outerbridge has been highlighted in The Royal Gazette on two occasions. The busiest times for these supervisors are when the tourists start to line up to catch the departing ferries, as the supervisors have to punch passes and are asked many of questions by our tourists. I have been standing in that particular area on many occasions and had tourists come up to me and ask questions because they thought that I worked there, but I didn’t tell them that I didn’t. I just answered any questions that they had, as I try to do my part in making our tourists’ vacations here a memorable one.

Unfortunately, these two gentlemen have to stand out in the hot sun, and in the rain, for most of the day because they do not have a designated shelter from the elements. Just last week I was in Dockyard and one of the supervisors was sitting on a bucket just to take a rest from standing all day. West End Development Corporation needs to provide a proper shelter for these two gentlemen, like the security guard has, as soon as possible.

When there no ferries arriving or departing, these two gentlemen must have a place where they can rest until people start to get in line again for the next departing ferry. This shelter does not have to be elaborate; it can be constructed of wood with a lean-to roof, have a fixed bench inside, square openings on the sides for windows, with retracting, clear waterproof shades on the inside to use when raining and it has to be mobile. Also stencil “Ferry Supervisors” on the outside walls of the shelter. This shelter can be 6ft x 6ft x 7ft (interior dimensions). The other issue that needs to be addressed is that these two gentlemen should be allowed to have a water jug for cold water with them every day. Apparently, one of them had asked Wedco if they could have a water jug and was refused. That particular person needs to come out of their air-conditioned office in July and stand next to these two gentlemen where they work every day without cold water. Let them stand there for only one week — I know they won’t — and they would change their decision very quickly.

So to Dennis and Red, keep up the excellent work, and humour, that you do for our tourists and locals, even though you don’t have a designated shelter with seating and no water jug for cold water.

DEREK MADEIROS