Cruise ship suggestions

October 11, 2005

Dear Sir,

Please allow me more of your space in your valued newspaper to discuss some "food for thought" on placing Mega cruise ships in Hamilton, or St. George's harbours.

The entrance into St. George's through the Town Cut channel would have to be widened, and Two-Rock Passage would have to be widened.

I remember when dredging of our ship channels was a day-to-day occurrence. We have not dredged any of our ship channels for some 50 years.

The Government of the day 50 years ago, owned and operated a dredger named the "Lord Cockrane " and captained by a St. Georges resident, Capt. Dale, and with an all Bermuda crew. All of the silt which was dredged out of the ship channels in those days was taken into deep water behind Commissioners Point, and dumped.

When the North Channel was being made from Murray's Anchorage into Grassy Bay, in the middle 1940's past the Stag rocks into Harmons Bay, into the Great Sound by the then American Military contractors, they used two large dredgers.

In the parts of the North Channel coral reefs had to be blown out of the way using explosives. The reason why the North Channel was made was to allow the large Aircraft carriers like the USS WASP, and USS Ranger and the heavy eight-inch-gun cruisers like the USS Brooklyn and the USS Savannah to get into a more protected anchorage like Harmons Bay, in the Great Sound so that they would not be so vulnerable to German U-Boat attacks if they were in, or outside Murrays Anchorage.

The Cut Bridge in Dockyard on its north side was filled in to make that channel less vulnerable to miniature submarine attacks, while Grays Bridge, Little Watford, (which is no more) Watford Bridge, and Somerset Bridge were fenced off with large steel netting (underwater) to prevent any miniature submarines from making their way into the Great Sound. I believe, but am not sure, that there was some form of a floating gate into the entrance of Murrays anchorage.

One particular area that was continually dredged was the Dundonald Channel that went past the stag rocks.

It would be prudent to have one of our local marine contractors to purchase a dredger, crew it with locals, and lease it or rent it out to the Government of the day to keep our ship channels clear at all times.

You could put a Mega cruise ship into the southside of Morgans Point area where the tender pier is now but extend it in length, if Morgans Point were ever to be used as a tourist attraction area, as there is plenty of water, and room to manoeuvre large ships like the Mega cruise ships in the Little Sound behind Morgans Point.

Even Granaway's Deep could be used to anchor Mega cruise ships, and ferry passengers into Hamilton Harbour, its another protected area from high winds, if it was so desired.

THE WISE OLD OWL

Hamilton Parish

Buy back our Bermuda

October 10, 2005

Dear Sir,

Greetings! I am responding to the "Round Table Discussion" on October 10, 2005 on the television with Tony Brannon and friends. This discussion wasn't a round table really. It seemed to be all about Mr. Brannon trying to manipulate his guest with his opinions. He and his three friends spouted views on how they could get richer quicker. Their only black guest had views, that to me, were more relevant than those for a gaming licence and casino. For an Island getaway, a Health Spa Recreational Park was a good idea, as we all are fighting the "Obese Thing". Bermudians would be the ones filling the casino day and night and the tourists would not allow themselves to free their inhibitions in the same way they would in Las Vegas or Atlantic City. Therefore, all the money made would be from Bermudians' pay cheques. Our crime and domestic violence would increase rapidly. More severe crimes might follow too. The black Bermudian would not have any stake in the wealth a casino would generate as the group spoke of an operation being run privately with a CEO. Completely out of the hands of the Government. As tourism is now, we can see that the cruise ship guests don't spend any money as it is, and they only wish to leave their ship and go to the beaches. Those that spend for an offshore outing, buy it on the ship and that is all they really wish to spend, except maybe for a small trinket memento. The cheaper the better more often than not.

As for hotels, we don't need new hotels. Just encourage the properties we have now to offer the entertainment that tourists want to hear and see. Keep the welcoming groups at the airport. Extend all the local talents that are around, back into the hotels. I am sure the simplistic talents are what tourists will be happy with. They will want to see Las Vegas style shows in Las Vegas, not Bermuda. Drugs are enough of a threat to our people, we don't want or need our beautiful young people prostituting all along our streets, due to a new decadent living style caused by gaming centres and casinos.

Stop blaming the PLP Government because your personal purse is emptying. Your gut interest isn't with all Bermudians enjoying the financial rewards, but for a select few only, who are extremely selfish, greedy and not really concerned genuinely about Bermuda's true future for all, black and white. Your spouting sounded just for your personal gains.

Keep Bermuda clean and beautiful for the next generations. Take your greed elsewhere. There is no place for it here anymore. Fill the empty spaces with affordable housing rather than hotels. Let's buy back our Bermuda. Put your money where your mouth is and help bring back a Bermuda that is for all her people.

DISGUSTED AND DISAPPOINTED

Devonshire

Letter-writer wasn't me

October 13, 2005

Dear Sir,

In today's edition of the Royal Gazette you have published a letter written on September 17 under the title "Impossible to Believe" and signed "A Voting Clergyman", Warwick.

I would like your readers to know that this letter was NOT written by the Ven. Andrew Doughty, the Rector of St. Mary's Warwick and Archdeacon of Bermuda.

I would be grateful if you would publish this clarification.

Respectfully yours

THE VEN. ANDREW W. DOUGHTY

Archdeacon of Bermuda

Where is old Bermuda?

October 9, 2005

Dear Sir,

Old Bermuda is going fast.

Dear Sir, I am told construction of condos on the north east corner of Harrington Sound Road and Knapton Hill cross roads is shortly to begin causing even more congestion on a dangerous corner and loss of open space, not that the owner or Planning cares.

This, I gather will mean the destruction of the small pink cottage I believe formerly known as Holiwit . This is tragic. A reliable source advised that all the building needed was TLC as it is structurally sound. I mentioned the matter to the National Trust and my local MP. Could not something be done to preserve the look of the past? I am sure the owner's mother will turn in her grave to see her little cottage demolished and just hope he sleeps at night.

OBSERVING IN SMITH'S

Perils of Independence

October 9, 2005

Dear Sir,

Please, may we get back to discussing the important issues facing our Island. We have all had our intelligence insulted. We must look beyond that with its small mindedness, including the fact that we actually look like ourselves not like me or you; mentality that we are powerless to change.

While I admit there are much more important issues to debate, if we must consider independence, a referendum is the only precise way to decide on the matter, (notwithstanding the blindness of the BIC Commission) no matter if it is now or leading up to the next election. In the event the voters hold considerable power.

When considering the wisdom of going Independent or not, one of the more important facts will be the loss of the British Passport.

It must be clear to every young Bermudian looking to a life in Bermuda in the immediate future that they cannot afford to live here. Renting an apartment, much less owing a property, is all but impossible to contemplate. Bermuda is a victim of its own success and in our search for solutions, in these circumstances, we must do all possible to protect the options available to our children and grandchildren, no matter who they look like.

One thing is certain; a Bermuda Passport will have little value in the rapidly changing global economic landscape we live in. Rather than viewing ourselves as dependent and under the thumb of the UK, we should consider it a matter of maintaining the friends we have in this world. Those who find that unpalatable may wish to consider a Chinese or Indian Passport, or dare I say a Cuban Passport, in addition to your Bermuda Passport. You are going to need it.

One of a number of other reasons not to go Independent in our immediate future, must be a lack of confidence in the integrity of a Government that has, in the name of "spreading the wealth", condoned a process to ensure the departure of the Bermuda Cement Company from the existing Plant, in what can only described as a hostile manner. i.e., make it impossible to do business successfully. Of course they were only able to do this because BCC had a soft underbelly and WEDCO knew where to drive the knife. It operated on leased land and we know the landlord is in the driver's seat. One could argue that BCC should have known better years ago, than to get locked into that long term business position. Had they owned the property they would still be in business.

Not unrelated to this scenario is today's news that, a local Company, L&M Management Ltd. is importing Castro's rum from Cuba. Castro is very familiar with hostile takeovers which include the Barcardi Rum Company (then owned by Cubans) and Exxon holdings among others, when he came to power in 1959. It is clear that a serving Member of Parliament and Executive of the Company, Mr. Wayne Perinchief , supports doing business with a Country (not an enterprise) that uses stolen/confiscated property to produce their product. As a former Police Officer he will be aware that there is something very wrong with this picture. I don't expect the shipment will be rejected.

"We go Independent at great peril to all", and Shakespeare had nothing to do with that quote. Every voter must consider the implications for the future.

JAMES AMOS

Paget

Old fashioned witch hunt

October 20, 2005

Dear Sir,

With regards to the October 17 article entitled "Parents protest after suspended teacher returns to classroom", is this anything more than an old fashioned witch hunt? If I read correctly, Ms Delgaty was never found guilty of the charges brought forward and that there was no medical evidence to prove any incident took place. How can we then proceed to punish someone knowing these facts?

Too many times has a teacher been accused of an incident within a classroom environment merely based on one person "claiming" to witness an incident.

In many cases, these allegations prove to be false and thereby causing undue damage to the reputation of the accused.

In this instance, the facts speak for themselves. Let Ms Delgaty be allowed back in the classroom as her job with the Department of Education requires.

CONCERNED CITIZEN

Devonshire