Opposed to pay-per-view

July 25, 2005

Dear Sir,

It was with great sadness that I read that there will be a charge for viewers to watch Cup Match on TV this year.

We watch the Olympic Games for weeks on end without charge; we watch the World Cup and the World Series at no charge. What type of mind would even consider charging viewers to watch a cricket game played as a reminder of our emancipation from slavery? Imagine, capitalising on your emancipation. Shame on you! Sadly, you remain shackled in the bondage of materialism and greed.

CECILLE C. SIMMONS

Somerset

Ironies of Cup Match

July 22, 2005

Dear Sir,

Cup Match is an interesting and significant event in the history of Bermuda. I wonder how many of our present Cup Match players fully appreciate how significant this event is as it relates to the emancipation of slavery.

As a former Cup Match player, I certainly did not fully appreciate, or understand the significance of this event then as much as I do now. I certainly was not taught any black history in school.

Cup Match has become more and more commercialised each year. While the average Bermudian is marching off to Cup Match or the Beach, the merchants are marching off to the Bank to deposit their spoils or booty. Meanwhile the players who labour in the hot sun for two days entertaining the community at large receive very little financial benefit for their efforts. Something is wrong with that picture.

More money is in circulation during the Cup Match period than any other time in Bermuda, including Christmas.

No where else in the Western world is there a two-day public holiday for sports. Not even the World Series of baseball in the United States.

I would encourage the management of both St.George's and Somerset Cricket clubs to make sure that their players become fully aware of the full significance of Cup Match. It is a piece of our history that should never be diminished.

It is also an event that our Tourism Department should be able to use to generate a flock of visitors to our shores.

NEVILLE T. DARRELL

Devonshire

Parents should raise kids

July 21, 2005

Dear Sir,

Recently, as I read the classifieds I had a good chuckle at the many ads that you see for nanny/housekeepers. It seems that the people placing these ads want a Supernanny or better yet a slave.

With duties such as care of children from newborns to teens (including taking them to activities), grocery shopping, housecleaning, ironing, laundry, meal preparation, and don't forget care of the animals, this is an impossible job. Successful applicants then must be flexible enough to work evenings and weekends. Obviously this person can't have a life of their own.

Forgive me if I appear judgmental but I must ask ... what exactly will the parents do?

Even better ... why have children if you aren't going to raise them?

And no ... spending excessive money on them and sending them off to boarding school from Primary school is not raising.

WORKING MOM

Warwick

In defence of domestics

July 25, 2005

Dear Sir,

I have just read a letter from "Stay At Home Mom" referring to the draconian ads requiring an unbelievable myriad of domestic services. I have often read these and had similar thoughts.

While I dislike the term "domestic slave", I fear that some of these people, mostly women, may not be treated fairly.

Unfortunately "Stay at Home Mom" loses much of her credibility with an outbreak of self righteousness. My wife and I currently employ a Filipino woman who lives in our home in a private suite with her own car provided and no expenses at all save for her private needs. She is paid according to law and under strict supervision of Bermuda Immigration Department who review and approve annual work contracts for such workers.

My wife and feel we need this person in our household as we both run our family business which provides the much needed sustenance to give our children the requisite private education and other needs to get ahead in a challenging world. We are unable to find qualified Bermudians to run our business so we choose to do it ourselves and get the foreign help at home to assist in the household duties.

During our evening meals, which she joins us by choice, I have learned that with the proceeds of working for us she has provided for her church, her family home, provided electricity to her immediate family members and purchased investment property. We often discuss her home and upbringing. It has been very enlightening to hear of the hardships they have faced at and how appreciative they are of a good home and good paying job. It certainly helped us appreciate how extremely fortunate we are.

My point is that there are very legitimate reasons to have domestic help and in no circumstances should a person's nationality and or economic background be grounds for exploitation.

"Stay at Home mom" is correct. An ad requiring two households, four children, weekends etc etc, to be looked after by one person is unconscionable and such ads should not be allowed, in much the same manner that gender or race cannot be advertised. However don't lose sight of the legitimate employment opportunities and needs being legally fulfilled and the rewards gained by both parties in this field.

WORKING FAMILY

Somerset

Set up a boarding school

July 22, 2005

Dear Sir,

Over the past few years I have had some exposure to the results of Bermuda's public education system. Over an even longer period I have seen the results of private education and, even though the results are startlingly different, it is not appropriate nor fair to compare them. I do, however (and this is common sense speaking rather than any special knowledge of the subject) feel that many of our children who enter the public system, are lost early on. By lost I mean academically and for many different reasons.

David Ezekiel has said that the international business community needs to (and presumably wants to) do more to allow and prepare a better stream of Bermudian workers into their sector. My suggestion, if they are serious, is to establish a school, starting at grade 1 and finishing at grade 12, for a fairly large number of students but with boarding facilities available to all of them.

The school should probably operate on junior and senior school campuses; I think it should be run privately but with Government representation on the Board (if necessary); teachers should not only be selected very carefully but they should be held accountable and tested regularly; and it should have (from the very beginning and for students at a very young age) counsellors who will be able to guide the students in the type of careers available, the further education that they will require and the results that will be expected of them.

But the three primary components of my suggestion are that: (a) the school be for Bermudians ONLY; (b) that it have boarding facilities, at least on a five-day basis (if the students can or want to go home on Friday and Saturday nights, they can); and (c) it is essential that the school be privately run because Governments have a completely different set of responsibilities when it comes to educating people.

The purpose of this school is specific and it must be administered by the people who are both paying for it but who are also setting the goals and the purpose. The idea of a five-day boarding component arises out of the stories that I have heard regarding the home life of some of our kids.

I am not commenting on the way adults conduct their lives but I am suggesting that we do not need to inflict those decisions on our children and allowing them to be in a private, boarding environment will give them the opportunity both to get a decent education, have a stable social environment and will, eventually, allow them to make a better decision as to how they want to live their lives.

JOHN FAIELLA

Southampton

Hooray for Bermuda

July 23, 2005

Dear Sir,

Though I have left the Island, as an expat I am thrilled to read over the web that Bermuda has been accepted for the 2007 World Cup!

Spending four years across from the St. George's field gave me some knowledge of the game and Bermudian friends explained the game a little more! Cup Match was one of my many favourite memories of Bermuda. Canada will be looking forward to their match I am sure! Just not sure how my locals will take me rooting for my home away from home "BERMUDA"! I'll just show them the photos of your people, my friends and the beautiful sights and they will understand!

MARNI

Hamilton, Ontario