October 21, 2003

Dear Sir,

I have a theory about what CableVision is really up to. Where I live in Smith's Parish it has been 46 days since the cable TV service provided by Bermuda CableVision was knocked out.

Although we suffered around here like everybody else in Hurricane Fabian, not too much damage was done to the cables on the streets: there were a few drop cables to houses torn loose but the main lines and the poles (seemed) apparently intact. Telephone service was never interrupted and Belco restored electric power after four days. However, Bermuda CableVision is still off.

Let me tell you about my theory about what is really happening. I think that Bermuda CableVision, led by Jeremy Elmas, has no intention of repairing the existing co-axial analog feeds to the houses around here at all. I think that they are using the justification of the hurricane damage, of which there isn't much evidence hereabouts, as an excuse to leap ahead with their fibre-optic upgrades.

Like everybody else, I telephone CableVision when I need to and I am always appalled by their cavalier treatment of their customers with their phone service. No, after going around their own a few occasions, I don't believe that all customer service representatives are busy helping other customers.

If I too had a job answering the phone with one after another customer delivering legitimate complaints I also might not bother to pick it up when it rings. Recently, with growing frustration I have persisted through the CableVision phone system until I spoke to somebody. On these occasions I have been told the names of the streets near me where the CableVision repair crews are supposedly working. So I went on my bike and looked. But guess what? There are no trucks there. Nobody is repairing anything. Last week, I was pleased to see two CableVision trucks parked up the hill from where I live. I went home thinking that maybe before dark cable would be back on. Nothing happened.

The next day I went back to where the trucks were parked, the same loose feeds to the houses were hanging as before. There was no sign of any progress at all except a drum of new fibre-optic cable manufactured by Times Fibre Communications.

Clearly the secret agenda is to replace all the existing analog cable with fibre-optic when I'm sure, after 42 days without any television service at all, the people around here, if they weren't being lied to, would prefer to have the old analog co-axial cable reinstated. Sure, sometime in the future it would be nice to have fibre-optic, but maybe then it could be a phased replacement and not the total and extended cessation of service that we are now forced to experience.

The customer service at Bermuda CableVision could hardly be worse, the service is overpriced, the staff are unresponsive to repair requests. From the top down CableVision is not above lying to their customer base. Why am I still a customer? What other choice do I have?

Why do the Government Ministers sit in silence? Why are there no questions about the appalling way that the Bermudian customer is being treated? I wonder? I have a theory about that too.

THEORIST

Smith's Parish

October 20, 2003

Dear Sir,

I was annoyed to read last Saturday's Letter to the Editor's column. There was a letter from a H. James Cornes of Warwick, praising CableVision. He wanted to watch the Rugby World Cup Game.

He obviously received immediate service to have it hooked up so that he was able to watch it. He gave thanks to Mr. Mohan for coming to his house on his day off, a Sunday. Also to the lines crew for doing the pole work. Therefore they had him ready to view the game he so eagerly wanted to see (and) Mr. Cornes satisfied comment was: "Now that is what I call service! Well done Cablevision."

What about the rest of us who have been waiting for weeks to have our cable system up and working again. For most of us the wait has been since September 5. The service men came to my house on September 30the and gave me partial service.

I am paying $20 per month for 13 channels. The service men were only able to hook up four of those channels clearly. The others are so snowy and distorted that I cannot see a thing. The men told me to let CableVision know, so that I could get a further discount.

From September 5 until now, I was told that I will be only getting $6 off my $20 monthly fee. I have called repeatedly, and also gone in person, only to be told that they do not know when my system would be repaired correctly.

I was willing to upgrade my system, and pay more so that I could have watched "The Eukanuba Tournament of Champions Dog Show". The big question is would they have come immediately to hook me up in time to watch it?

It is unfair that some people can be given preferential treatment and others just overlooked. CableVision need to show fairness to everyone. I guess I have the wrong surname for my services to be expedited.

The waiting period for each individual certainly speaks for itself. I guess by the end of the month if money is not paid, they will want to add a $5 late fee (for what?)

Come on CableVision this is our hard earned money you want to take from us for nothing. You want our money - but we want our service first.

Any company that deserves praise is Belco. They did a remarkable job restoring the electricity so rapidly. They also were very informative in letting the public knows when and where they would be working on a particular day. Now that is what I call service! Well done Belco.

Ms W. S. DYER

Warwick

October 16, 2003

Dear Sir,

Please permit me a short response to remarks attributed to Mr. Mussenden in Thursday October 16, edition of .

Mr. Mussenden 's explanation as to why he was not in court when he or someone from his firm should have been was very interesting. What I interpret to be a crucial part of his response was that he was a born Bermudian. This is very significant, at least in Mr. Mussenden 's eyes.

However, he has once again failed to explain his absence. This nonsense about being in contact with the DPP's office is an unrelated event not remotely associated with the lack of courtesy shown to the court. I am forced to believe that Mr. Mussenden has written an apology to the court prior to spouting off to the press.

Oh! One last thing. I believe what Mr. Mussenden intended to say was that he was born in Bermuda rather than he is a born Bermudian. I am sure that at the time of Mr. Mussenden 's birth, he would have been described as a British citizen, British Subject or some term other than Bermudian. In my view, it is no accident that what Mr. Mussenden intended to say has a much sharper edge than what he actually said. What he meant ought, as far as I concerned, is not in doubt.

BORN IN BERMUDA TOO

Pembroke

October 18, 2003

Dear Sir,

In your October 16, 2003 issue of , the heading "Defence lawyer hits back at sniping by Crown counsel".

Sen. Mussenden uses a smoke screen by saying that "counsel seems to be upset about how well I present my clients..."

Sen. Mussenden states how he called the DPP's office to find out if his trial was still scheduled but did not get a reply.

According to what "work ethics" there are, Sen. Mussenden, if you were scheduled to go overseas at the same time there was a case to be handled, and an answer was not received from the DPP's office, then surely preparations should have been made for someone from the office to handle the matter "just in case the trial was still on" wouldn't you think?

People's time was wasted for something so minor as having a stand-in.

Sen. Mussenden may be a great lawyer, but if he did not appreciate the Judge and counsel badgering him he should have found some way to have a stand-in. Respect is due to everyone.

I rest my case.

R.A.T.

Devonshire

October 19, 2003

Dear Sir,

So, Malcolm Smith returns a "Bermudian world champion"! We will look forward to the pictures of a Government reception at the airport?

Also maybe Mr. Titterton can tell us where "exactly" to park our cars in the event of another hurricane, to eliminate the gaps and loopholes of the local insurance industry

HEY MON

City of Hamilton