Here's an open letter written in response to the speech given by Michael McCurry at BIBA's recent annual general meeting. McCurry, Bill Clinton's former press secretary, went on to work as a senior adviser for Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004 ? a man who campaigned against Bermuda more than he did against President George W. Bush when he was on the hustings.

Dear Mr McCurry:

I'd like to write to express my sheer astonishment at the content of your speech to the Bermuda International Business Association (BIBA), yesterday. As one of the senior advisors to John Kerry, you did more to harm Bermuda's reputation than Dennis Koslowski. And, as his advisor, why didn't you correct his glaringly obvious mistakes and ignorant statements. Or was there really no other viable platform from which to launch this man to the Presidency?

I would understand that explanation as Kerry's lifetime successes are limited to his Vietnam service and his two marriages. His only noteworthy talent that could benefit the citizens of the USA seems to be his proficiency with a machine gun and, quite frankly, you should have sent him off to Iraq where he may have actually been some use to his country. The man had no grasp of Democratic values and is even more out of touch with the average American than George W Bush appears to be. How any advisor could seriously entertain the possibility of a Kerry win when the man was more the epitome of right wing values than almost anyone except Pat Buchanan is beyond me.

I find it quite typically hypocritical and very much symptomatic of recent Democratic Party zig-zagging for you to now turn around and tell to repair what and Kerry tried damn hard to destroy in your bid to put an elitist gigolo in the White House.

What's more, to make a speech like you did and then conveniently rush off to catch a plane which limited the amount of question time is quite cowardly and, probably quite deliberate - a typical trick of spin doctors. I think you should donate the amount of money that BIBA spent bringing you down here to a non-elitist charity and then at least there will be one example of a spin doctor doing some good in this world.

***=

NOW back to Bermuda's own home-grown hypocrites?..

I have remarked on my astonishment before that some people just don't know when to quit. This whole foul-mouthed Burch business is absolutely appalling and it appears he has hit moral rock bottom yet just persists on digging.

This is a man whose ego is only rivalled in size by the chip on his shoulder. That anyone should consider him leadership material would be amazing if it wasn't for the fact that it is Alex Scott, who also erroneously considers himself in the same light. I can't imagine that any parent, be they Progressive :Labour Party, United Bermuda Party or political independent, would wish their child to grow up and emulate either man. Despite their lofty positions and titles, they are not successful human beings. These two individuals came specifically to mind when Gina Spence-Farmer, sadly but perceptively proclaimed that "

And while I will defend anyone's right to exercise freedom of speech, no matter how odious the message, I question whether we really need men running our island whose main contribution to Bermuda is the perpetuation of the racial divide and blatant divisiveness. If Colonel Burch truly believes in the right to freedom of speech, as he claims in defense of his own racist comments, why does he not allow it from others on his radio show?

The irony of P's statement when he was discussing the then upcoming Throne Speech has not been lost on me. He stated it contained a "I can only assume he meant he was adding those divisive elements to his Cabinet with the appointments of Burch and Wayne Perinchief. The latter offended many members of our community when he stated that "

Paula Cox has now jumped on the bandwagon of defending the indefensible when she refused to support Renee Webb's amendment for equal rights for gays because she does not "and she is " That's not stopped the PLP from acting in the past.

Can you image in we were talking about equal rights for blacks? Those statements would be universally decried as ludicrous. How many people need to be discriminated against to warrant a change in the law?

If the truth be told, many thousands of people don't consider Independence to be a And it's been proved by Walton Brown's polls (and Walton Brown is a known supporter of Independence) that the data does not warrant a move to Independence now. But the PLP are still throwing away money and sense on the issue.

We can't move the island into an irrevocable constitutional situation while we don't even protect the basic human rights of every Bermudian. We can't set out to sea on a leaky ship with an unqualified layman at the helm and very few experienced mates on board.

I've said it before - I am not against the concept or eventuality of Independence for Bermuda. But there's only one or two individuals in the current PLP leadership that have the ability to take us there and keep us afloat.

***=

JUST to show one and all how progressive our US neighbour can be I discovered a website advertising non standard wedding cake toppers. Yes, interracial and same sex couples. To view go to www.tbt.com/living/article15883(shotgun-toting father of the bride sold separately!)

***=

AND a final word for the drunken Scotish business executive who took time out from his rowdy (and seemingly very liquid) office Christmas party to call the office in response to my article on equal rights for gays. He complained to the Editor that I am encouraging (and I quote) "faggotry". Yes I am. And if you don't want to live in a Bermuda that supports equal rights for all, you are quite welcome to return to Scotland and chase those poor sheep.