A community that cares

April 4, 2006

Dear Sir,

Bermuda?s community has once again displayed its caring nature and compassion for the animals by giving so generously during the SPCA?s tag days this past weekend. The society collected $12,000 and is appreciative of the support of people from all walks of life.

The Committee of Management and Staff of the SPCA wish to extend their thanks and appreciation to each and every individual who gave their support. We enjoyed talking with those who stopped by, about the special animals in their lives, past and present and also about what we do.

Heartfelt thanks also go to those in the SPCA volunteer family (individuals and organisations) who gave up their precious time to help the animals by acting as taggers. We couldn?t do it without you!

Thanks, Bermuda, for helping us to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Please know that the work for the animals never stops.HEATHER KROMER

President, SPCA

Hamilton dreaming

April 5, 2006

Dear Sir,

I?ve been studying the Hamilton Waterfront Dream Plans...holy smokes, do these people really think this will fly? I saw Andrew Trimingham?s analysis (he?s the resident expert in waterfront designs) and I?ve talked to a number of business people, plus one Mayoral hopeful, and I think someone?s been sipping some of that Goslings Super Strong Black.

If I could, I?d bet a whole lot of Peek Frean cookies that they will never turn over one shovelful of dirt! This thing is too big, too ambitious and far too expensive (somebody?s been spending too much time at the Alaska Hall School of Economics) and, even if it is a phased project and even if the Corporation boys are convinced, not many other people are. With a reasonable cost over run (and, Mr. Mayoral hopeful ? you do not think this will be on budget, do you?) there will be little change from $1 billion. Bearing in mind the $630 million estimate is in today?s numbers and this is phased over a long time, do you really think in your wildest dreams that you are going to get this financed as you say? That?s just my initial reaction.

The big thing, particularly since they seem to think all those businessmen are going to pink up their profits, is ?What?s the return on this?? Yeah, sure, we get a pretty fancy waterfront but we have one now (maybe needs a little cosmetic surgery) ? there is no real return to anyone and maybe even a loss because the Front Street boys look like they may be pushed a tad back from the water.

I am a born Bermudian, I?ve lived here all my life; I know Hamilton pretty well and better than most; I have known most of the Corporation members and mayors over the past 50 years. This ain?t rocket science. For at least the last 25 years virtually everyone in Bermuda says the same thing take the parking lot off Front Street, drop City Hall car park underground three to four floors and above ground maybe three to four floors (yes, it can be done easily) and put the normal restaurants, shops, entertainment areas etc. along Front Street, clean up Albouys Point, plant some nice bushes, shrubs and trees and get on with it. What?s that gonna cost ? a few lousy million ? Oh, I know that the Corporation will say that we need a vision (Lawson, Wayne?s DVD is out any day now ...) and a long term plan for all those big cruise ships and all sorts of other things we don?t even know about yet.

This is a group of dudes who haven?t been able to agree a new hotel in the parking lot; can?t seem to deal with the bums sleeping in doorways; and, as far as I can see, have done nothing to advance the City in the past ten years.

By the way, that girt big cruise ship parked sort of on an angle in the Plans...they better plan on moving White?s Island so it can turn around..

Empty apartments

October 17, 2005

Dear Sir,

Please advise our Colonel that the reason so many apartments lie empty is that the government will not protect the landlords from ruthless tenants. Two or three Government agencies are to blame for much of the problem. They are:

1. The Courts who help bad tenants to steal your rent and depreciate your property, and force people who would rent to low income-or no income-people to subsidise Government (who should be helping these people).

2. Financial Services, who promise to pay the rent for the low life, but stop after some months, leaving the landlord to suffer at the hands of those people.

How do landlords subsidise Government? Example:

The landlords are victims, especially those who try to help the poor. For example, we let a lady into our apartment because she was due to have a baby within weeks, and near to Christmas. Financial Services promised to pay the rent, but they stopped after six months; and refuses to pay. The Courts make it very difficult to get her out, and impossible to collect the rent. Rent is about $720/ month under rent control, so relate that to $20,000 owing ? and lost. We can trust neither the Courts nor Financial Services.

Another tenant owes $10,000. He left Bermuda, and left his friends in the apartment. They paid no rent, but it was very difficult and expensive to get them out. We had to pay to repair windows, etc.

These low-life people make the apartment a free Laundromat for their families and friends. Some bring in friends and family to live. Some make your apartment into a club or gathering place for their friends, who meet both inside and outside of the apartment.

If government made it easier to get delinquent tenants out, and prosecuted the tenants, most of the empty apartments would become available. Very, very few people keep apartment just to have an assessment number to own a car.

So is it not better to leave the apartments empty until Government decides to protect the landlords?

In today?s issue, Col. Burch, by his threats, seems to be assuming responsibility for the freeloaders. It could be that should be continue his threats the Col. will be making himself (or Government) liable for the debts of the freeloaders.

If Government, through the Colonel, will pay the outstanding debts of these apartment, and enforce the rules, the apartments would be made available immediately. Could your reporter ask him if he is willing to pay the debts ? or perhaps help us landlords ? in order to make more apartments available immediately?

Under the present government it is pointless to offer low cost apartments to the poor.

Race and politics

March 13, 2006

Dear Sir,

Is it possible for a white man to stand up and say: ?I am not a racist. Contrary to your accusations, the motive for my actions is not the promotion of the white race. In fact your criticisms are baseless, absurd and vile. I will now discredit them one by one.? This would seem to be an honourable statement to make in defence of one?s self when wrongly accused of racism. Almost no white person does it.

People, being what they are, it has ever been their aim to advance their personal position. Since casting racial accusations receives no retort, the casting of racial accusations continues. The tactic advances the accuser, and so the effect is agreeable. It is politically expedient. The PLP is not wholly to blame. The UBP was racially divisive in its day, although the outright casting of racial accusations is a tactic banned to them by popular consent. By a bizarre irony that only Bermudians understand, the PLP, an all-black party, is the only non-racist party on the island. So the PLP is able to accuse with all the appearance of righteousness without ever having to explain itself.

Why is this? I think there a couple of reasons. First, as I said, far from embracing the cause of racial harmony, the UBP studiously avoided it. One could say this was racist, but of course half the people avoiding the issue in the UBP were black. Racist or not, it set the stage for the present political climate. An aggressive anti- racist campaign by the UBP would have made the PLP?s present behaviour impossible. History is the father of politics.

Second, in respect of the accused, there is the feeling that such accusations can not be dignified with a response. This is wrong. All statements in politics are inherently dignified. They are part of the public debate to which all must listen as responsible citizens. Statements that go without response, are often treated by the listening public as true, with some justification. To be unresponsive is simply a backhanded insult that breeds further confusion. It is passive aggression.

Third, there is the sense that ?this too shall pass.? Well it won?t. Now days, racial conflict is generally considered something that is unproductive. Since the abiding ideal of the times is productivity (in terms of more money and better sex), racism seems atavistic. Surely it will slowly ebb and our children shall find it odd but distant. This is also wrong. Racism is wonderfully productive. It has advanced the hopes of various tribes in all of human history, from the extermination of Cro-Magnon man down to the British Empire. It will never go away. Here in Bermuda, the white man in adopting a superior position, was able to make himself closer to God by the income received from slaves. Racism will not go away. All races have done it and all have benefited at the expense of others who paid in misery.

So white people, let us embrace our accusers with respect and honour. Let us dignify their remarks with a response. This may horrify them. That?s OK. Fear is the foundation of all racism, for perpetrator or victim. We may find ourselves horrified when they respond with dialogue. And fear of a dialogue on race is something Bermudians have in common. It?s good! It unites us!