Shame on you

April 23, 2005

Dear Sir,

This message is for landlords who, because they know housing is a disaster, want to treat their tenants like hell. I'm not talking about the tenants who destroy your apartments.

I'm talking about the decent ones who paid rent on time and have improved your apartments so that they can live comfortably. Most of us are so tired of telling you to fix repairs in your own houses, that we either leave it to worsen or fix it ourselves. Let me ask the question, “Do you all have mental illness or something?” You own these houses, you worked to get it. Or you inherited them from someone who worked hard to obtain it. Why would you neglect it afterwards and just collect rent? This arrogance makes all of you look crazy. At the end of the day, you will have to spend serious money on repairs, that you could have saved, had you taken care of problems as they arose. Right now because of the housing problem, there's this take it or leave it attitude.

I personally live in the worst apartment I have ever had. There's holes, termites galore, mice, insects from termites, bad plumbing, broken fixtures, a nasty yard, in fact it is the eyesore of the neighbourhood.

If I say one thing about any of this, it is classed as a complaint. Take note of the fact that the landlord knows about all of this. See if you tell your landlord something needs fixing, you are actually helping him keep up the house. They don't see it that way. They'll say you are complaining as an attempt to shut you up. Or if you don't like that she or he doesn't fix anything you can get out.

What you are actually doing (the landlord) is trapping the tenants (“I better shut up if I want to live here”). Then you want to raise the rent. Remember, now the apartment is worse than when you moved in from neglect and you are forced to pay more for it.

All I can say is if this vicious cycle does not stop, we as tenants are going to start making off. Keep treating tenants like the only thing that exists is their money, and watch what happens. First we try to be reasonable and then all hell will break loose. Who knew that 30, 40, 50 years ago this was how life in Bermuda would end up. Where money is the capital. The more the better.

To be honest money is not all that it's hyped up to be. Imagine living on the rock in the middle of the ocean with no food, clothes' soap and water, peace and quiet and a warm bed. Money in your pocket lots of it. How much use or value would it have? Suddenly it would become useless paper.

Keep pressuring good tenants, keep it up and watch the results of your greedy, selfish inconsiderate, mentally challenged and ruthless behaviour will bring. You are all wicked and “God does not like ugly”. Remember that.

Go ahead and enjoy our rent money with your trips and material things. Maybe you as landlords and landladies like to live nasty because you just don't know any better. Every homeowner is not cut out to be a landlord.

LIVING IN NEGLECT

Somerset

Ps. To think these are the very houses that you are going to leave to your children. Makes you wonder how you really feel about your children.

Who needs Whitehall?

April 28, 2005

Dear Sir,

Re: Rebecca Middleton revisited

This tragic event you will recall, raised the ire of this society, that in the end prompted the Governor not to renew the contract of the then Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) because it was felt that the case was wrongfully handled, and a hanging was missed.

The result was the appointment of a Queen's Counsel from Australia, who was supposed to train up someone to take over the post, and we wrongfully thought it would possibly be a local from within who came forward.

Sadly, that was not the case, and there was an appointment of the present DPP who again was to bring her vast experience to bear on that department, and ensure that there where more convictions and we could get a handle on crime.

There is no hue and cry at this time from those then voices, but there are cries from a different group, whose voices you can hear if you listen to talk radio. And their voices are no less embittered by the lack of success in the major cases being handled by the DPP.

But you may have noticed that the DPP herself handles no more case load than her predecessor twice removed handled, and maybe that's because the administrative responsibility of the post demands that she spend more time at her desk organising the internal work of the department. As I recall that was one of the complaints made about the then DPP, when the Governor began the musical chairs appointments to the post of DPP.

So where are we now? I am told that the DPP's department are being prepared by attending weekend advocacy training, at our finest hotels, in various areas to bring the department up to speed. But I thought we had appointed capable advocates, at great expense to run the department already. And now I'm told that new overseas hiring is again in the making. Will they have to be trained up at taxpayers' expense as well?

I only wish, that the Defence Bar, all six of us, could afford that training, the weekend retreat would be a welcome rest from rigours of practice. But then we don't need that kind of training, we get by going into the fray of trial work and getting it by hands-on experience. It's really the best teacher you know.

And even an out practice Mr. Hall, runs circles around the DPP's best (the consultant). Yes, we actually have two DPP's - Mr. Ratneser is still on staff, doing the really tough cases, and the tax bill keeps mounting.

You may recall Mr. Editor, that I expressed these concerns once before in a running commentary with the Governor over the appointment of Mr. Ratneser over Mr. Tokunbo, and from my vantage point, nothing has really changed, except the current post holder would probably want us to wait and see what she can produce, but while we wait, serious crime is spiralling, convictions are not succeeding, and talk show listeners are livid.

We still have not found a DPP to take on the task. So the Governor, like Tony Blair, has not found his “Weapons of Mass Destruction” of crime. And I can only wonder if he will, like Mr. Blair, just simply press on in the face of a public that says, you got it wrong. I can only say to H.E., we can get it wrong all by ourselves, we don't need Whitehall to do that. And if we don't need Whitehall, then...

That issue is for another letter, Sir.

It is not fair to be critical and not offer solutions, and I make the same analysis here I made before.

It is not so much that the DPP's department lacks able advocates, the fact is they only work with the evidence that is presented them by the investigators, the Police, and if the evidence is poor, any Defence counsel worth their salt can undo it and win the argument at trial, all six of us, have proven that over and over, and for the record we are all home grown.

If the Police had a better rapport with the public and there was less suspicion about what is going on there, the public might be more responsive to them. Isn't this also an area that the Governor is responsible for? I repeat do we really need Whitehall making these decisions, we can make our own mess.

The Police simply must gain back the trust of this community, get rid of the “flack jackets”, dark shades and armaments outside of Magistrates' Court, and stop behaving like LAPD.

I am satisfied that though serious crime statistics have increased, serious criminals are few and far between, and proper deployment and policing methods will bear fruit and this not just a view from outside the Police Service, but one held by many experienced officers from inside the Service. Those silenced voices from men and women in the Service who want to do good policing on the ground, who can't speak out and who are not listened to from within.

LAWRENCE G. SCOTT

City of Hamilton

Hurray for Ashay

March 21, 2005

Dear Sir,

We are seven Dellwood alumni who attended the middle school during the instalment of Ashay: Rites of Passage Programme. We are appalled with the disrespectful accounts written in several articles concerning the Ashay Programme.

We have noticed that Bermudians as a whole believe that we as young black Bermudians have not learned enough of our history as people of African descent. Now that a programme has found a way into Dellwood Middle School's curriculum, people are throwing a “hissy fit” (or have become offended). The Ashay Programme has given us a positive outlook on the future and that we can make a difference by beginning in the present.

We have learned that African people were not only slaves but great inventors and were a prosperous people. Our ancestors invented tools, jewellery, mathematics, medicine, perfume and had great Empires. We learned all this through the African Foundation Timeline. We enjoyed the Ashay Programme so much that we have returned to further our education on the subject of African history and lessons for today since September. We were willing to expand our knowledge in the area of our history to help enhance the minds of the next generation of black Bermudians - us!

At the beginning of the programme, we thought it wouldn't really make a difference but as it went on, our perspective changed. Even though the programme mostly focuses on black students, the values are universal. Therefore we believe that the Ashay Programme would be a positive experience for everyone.

DENISE BURGESS, CedarBridge

ASHLEY EVERSLEY, CedarBridge

BRITTANY EVERSLEY, CedarBridge

TAHIRAH GRANT, Berkeley

ASHLEY ISAAC, Berkeley

RONNELLE JAMES, Berkeley

JAHKEYA SPENSER, CedarBridge

Giving up a lot

April 29, 2005

Dear Sir,

Your reporter wrote a good article in today's Royal Gazette about the BIC meeting attended by seniors. The Commissioners have the responsibility to be informative, while at the same time being impartial.

It should be noted however that the Commissioners did not put much emphasis on the disadvantages related to Bermuda going independent, even when prompted by questioners in the audience. This was regrettable.

Some Bermudians who have no family ties with Great Britain have already, and can still apply for, permission to reside or work etc. in not only Great Britain, but in most European countries.This permission cannot be revoked - ever.

However if Bermuda should go independent, future generations coming along will be denied this wonderful opportunity. Bermudians just love to travel, and sometimes do get in trouble in the likes of Timbuktu. At present we are afforded the the privilege of assistance at many of the British embassies throughout the world, whereas a passport issued by an independent Bermuda would guarantee no such help. Little Bermuda just isn't heard of in far-off places. Going independent would mean giving up a lot of present day privileges to gain “national pride”.

AJB

Smith's Parish