Putting children at risk

January 27, 2004

The following was sent to Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith, and copied to The Royal Gazette.

Dear Mr. Commissioner,

I wrote to you some time ago about the practice ? all too prevalent these days ? of carrying small children standing in front of scooters and often, as amazing as it may seem, sitting on the gas tanks of motorcycles. I am yet to hear from you on this matter.

This is something which happens more and more on our roads and one sees it daily. One also sees your officers pass by people carrying small children in such a manner without paying the slightest attention, what so ever.

Having already ascertained at your Hamilton Station that this practice is absolutely against the law, and obviously extremely dangerous, I must say sir, that it is totally confounding that your officers do not at least stop these people and warn them of the possible consequences of what they are doing.

The Police Department has just completed its drive to get people to wear safety belts in the vehicles. One is left to wonder, at this point, if the lives of small children carried in such a way on scooters and motorcycles are any less important than those of the driving public.

I would be most interest Mr. Commissioner, in your views on this subject, should there may be any.

JACK GAUNTLETT

Sandys Parish

Just let it go

February 2, 2004

Dear Sir,

Why is the DPP so hell-bent on trying to bring charges against Andrew Hall? Maybe he's guilty, maybe not. The thing is, he's already spent three years in jail without a trail at the expense of the Bermudian taxpayer. Now he's gone, and I'm sure that he's not coming back! So, why try to track him down? Good riddance ? let's just be glad to see the back of him and move on!

Why take the chance of spending all this money in bringing him back, putting him on trial, and then he's found 'not guilty' anyway? There's no guarantee! Even if he were found 'guilty' why should we spend ten years housing and feeding this guy? Some may say that justice has to be done, which is true. At the very most, hopefully he's out there telling people that if you try to bring drugs into Bermuda you will be found out, and potentially go through what he went through. Let his three years in jail be a deterrent for any potential criminals who would try. But, enough is enough ? let it go. We've spent too much time, money and effort on this guy ? he's no longer our problem. We can't save the world ? it's unrealistic to even try. If he is what we think he is, he will get caught again eventually. but let his own people pay for him!

GOOD RIDDANCE

Hamilton Parish

A bad impression

January 28, 2004

Dear Sir,

I am writing to express my utmost disappointment with regards to a recent flight we took from London, Gatwick to Bermuda. My husband, myself and our eight month old baby recently flew back to the Island after a holiday. We came back on the British Airways flight exhausted, only to then have to stand in not one, not two, not three but four queues before we could finally get a taxi home! It is absolutely ridiculous and is little wonder nobody wants to visit the Island when it takes forever and a day to get out of the airport.

Whilst I was standing in the many queues all I could hear was the same old thing, and it was mostly the Bermudian people saying it! "No wonder nobody wants to visit Bermuda, having to stand in all these queues, it is ridiculous!" I couldn't agree more! One local lady said she travelled every month to places all over, and that this was the only airport in the world that took so long to get out of. Even with all the security checks in the States, you are not kept waiting that long!

The answer is: "get more staff for that late night flight" so people can 'fly in' and literally 'fly out' without having to go from one queue to the next! Holidaymakers may even have positive points to tell their friends about the Island! The first thing family and friends say to us when they get off that BA flight is not what a long flight it was, but what a nightmare getting through the Bermuda airport was! You are not giving people a very good first impression of the Island, especially people who are visiting for the first time. I'd also like to ask why on earth there was only one lady behind the customs desk? Where were the others? I find the whole thing a joke and totally beyond me!

I was also amazed that nobody let the young babies and small children to the front of the queues either, especially given the time difference of four hours. To some of these little ones it was 10.30-11.00 p.m! Try and be a bit more considerate to those with small children. I know my daughter was very agitated, tired and trying to fall asleep on her Daddy's shoulder. All I wanted to do was to get her home in her cot! Even the lady behind the tourism desk said what a shame it was for the babies. My husband and I finally got home at 8 p.m.

VERY FRUSTRATED

Pembroke

More CableVision woes

January 28, 2004

Dear Sir,

Please allow me some time in your column to express such disgust with Bermuda CableVision. I have been a loyal subscriber for many years until recently. Since our visit from Hurricane Fabian. I have been without cable, if my addition is correct that has been some 145 days. I will outline the time I have spend into trying to get my service reconnected:

I called every week for 13 weeks to see if they were going to be in the Hamilton Parish area, however either the mailbox was full or there was no answer or no one was considerate enough to return the call when I was able to leave a message.

I sent an e-mail to the help desk since they suggested it in a newspaper ad, however, no one has to this day replied.

I went in person to ask about it, however, the not so friendly customer service lady was not at all interested in my problems, instead she was complaining to herself about her lack of work space she had.

I finally got fed up in early November and thought to call Mr. Elams, he was so lovely and understanding on the telephone that he said he wants to make me a paying customer again and either he or his Chief Engineer would contact me once they look into my situation, however, neither one has called me to this date. I guess he was too busy sending writs to his only competitor.

I sent Mr. Elams an e-mail to follow up since he did not call me, must I say he has not replied to my e-mail to this day.

I approached one of the workman to ask if he could fix my problem, he was willing, but I came to the conclusion it is not worth it. Why should I bother with Bermuda Cablevision. I have already received three bills and am expecting bill number 4 any day now and when it does come I will go to the office to give them my final complaint along with their useless, rather tasteless cable box.

I have spoken to my upstairs neighbour who said she has cable, that the cable technician came by to restore hers, now can anyone tell me why they would fix her cable and not the other two tenants who happened to be feeding off the same pole, I thought that would save a lot of time but I am lost with trying to figure out how they operate.

I have one piece of advice to Mr. Elmas, it is us, your customers that make your company successful, you should be more than willing to make it your business to keep them very happy, even if you have to climb a pole yourself. I am waiting patiently for Word on Wireless (WOW) to open their office, I will be there the first day to sign up.

DISGUSTED

Hamilton Parish