May 12, 2005

Dear Sir,

I had the opportunity to be present on April 28, when members of your Bermuda Independence Commission met with a group of senior citizens at Bermuda College.

I found the session interesting and somewhat informative, though I was disappointed that the commission could not outline more clearly the advantages and disadvantages of Bermuda becoming independent. This is information that the Bermuda public needs in order to have rational opinion on the subject rather than emotional opinion. What would definitely be gained by the move, and what would definitely be given up?

I was particularly dismayed that a member of your commission promulgated confused and incorrect information on the subject of nationality should the move to independence be taken. If the role of the Commission is to find facts and to inform the public, as has been indicated by the Premier, then those facts should be correct and based on thorough research. Statements from commissioners beginning, “In my opinion...” or “Britain has not aid but I am sure...”, are misleading and should not be acceptable.

However, it does seem to me, and many with whom I have discussed this tend to agree, that consideration of our independence should be secondary to an examination of the need to change our system of government from a system that promotes division of the community to one which is inclusive and which takes maximum advantage of the pool of talent to manage our country. The Westminster system of government may have served Bermuda in the past, but it now serves only to emphasise our differences, with the two parties spending too much time and effort trying to score points off each other and not enough working for the good of Bermuda as a whole. Equally importantly, it automatically disqualifies about half of the best available persons from being an active part of the management of the country by placing them in opposition.

Talk of unity is not uncommon from our politicians but they need to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. Fix what is obviously not working well, a system that breeds division, and then let us examine the matter of independence, which may, or may not, need to be fixed.

JOHN MORBEY

Why so many children?

May 12, 2005

Dear Sir,

Dear ‘Disgusted with Small minded-people',

I feel compelled reply to your letter in The Royal Gazette of May 12, as I am not in agreement with your point of view, nor that of Mrs. Dawn Brown, with regards to Ms. McQueen's story.

Most citizens of Bermuda are very cognisant of the needs of victims of unfortunate circumstances. It is important for us to remind ourselves, however, that those unfortunate Tsunami victims have not chosen their fate. Ms McQueen, however, has.

Ms McQueen is human in fact; we all are fallible human beings who make a plethora of mistakes. Nonetheless, we have the ability to make choices and after doing so, need to and should bear the consequences of those choices.

I have no problem if any woman decides to have numerous children if she has the resources to care for them, but surely you cannot expect the rest of us to pay for those of which any woman chooses to bear negligently?

In a developed country that boasts an extremely high standard of living, where the Government clinic furnishes women with gratis birth control and condoms cost very little, I am having a hard time understanding why a woman, who has no career (not a job, but a career) would even choose to have so many children to house: Not to mention feed, clothe, and educate! Don't you understand that ‘an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure'?

I am sure that there are friends and family members who choose to help Ms McQueen and others in her predicament, but let them make that choice for themselves. It is unreasonable to involve the rest of us in finding a solution to a problem which could have been prevented.

TRACEY GIBBONS

Paget

Equestrian thanks

Dear Sir,

This past weekend The Bermuda Equestrian Federation, in partnership with title sponsors Montpelier Re, hosted the Bermuda leg of the Caribbean Equestrian Association Junior Jumping Competition.

I would like to congratulate the Bermuda team of Olivia Gracie and Kyle Hassel in the under 17 official CEA event. Them along with Stephanie Kemp and Meghan Diel represented Bermuda very well.

I would also like to publicly thank the CEA committee of Starla Williams, Steve Gibbons, Carol Gracie, and Judy and James McKirdy , who did an awesome job.

We all were honoured that the Minister of the Environment, The Honourable Neletha Butterfield JP, MP was in attendance both days and was also present at the prize-giving. We were also privileged that The Minister of Community Affairs and Sport , The Honourable Dale Butler JP, MP was on hand to present ribbons on day two of the competition. We would also like to acknowledge the presence of horseman Shadow Minister of the Environment Coles Simons JP, MP.

Again we'd like to thank our title sponsor Montpelier Re, in particular Mr. Russell Fletcher and his wife who were in attendance on both days and at the prize presentation.

In closing I would like to thank the numerous volunteers and additional sponsors that helped to make this a very successful competition.

JEFFERSON C. SOUSA

Chairman of the Caribbean Equestrian Association

(Bermuda Leg)

A true professional

Dear Sir,

About two years ago, Dr. Sean O'Connell a Bermuda College lecturer was dismissed from the said post. It was alleged that Dr. O'Connell was overheard making racist remarks with colleagues. This story has bombarded the news at intervals over the last two years.

I am a past student of Dr. O'Connell. He taught either mathematics or philosophy to me each of the five semesters I spent at Bermuda College. I am a black person and each time I was in Dr. O'Connell's class, the majority or the entirety of the class was made up of more black students.

Let me say at the outset that Dr. O'Connell is a person driven by the acquisition and distribution of knowledge and education. During each class period I was struck at some point by the vast reaches of knowledge and was made eager to pioneer their frontiers. Dr. O'Connell was committed to the teaching profession and as a student you could feel it. He ensured that all students left no relevant stone unturned.

Dr. O'Connell's maths classes were intense. We were pushed to learn much and do well. I remember that there was times when not everyone in the classes was doing as well as O'Connell expected. Dr. O'Connell proceeded to give up his own time to hold extra lessons, pre-test review classes and even additional test reviews. He constantly went over and beyond to make sure we young black children knew maths as well as we needed to.

In several of the higher level philosophy courses there were only three students that would enrol. Those were I, and two other black boys. I remember one instance in a Logic class, when neither Dr. O'Connell nor the students could solve a challenging problem during the class time. D.r O'Connell after some time had solved the problem and had it ready for the next class. he presented the solution to us. With the solution, he gave us a letter headed, Fellow Logicians, and went on to chronicle an algorithmic to solve to the once impassable problem. Also in this letter he provided a professional word on solving any problem that seems insurmountable. This is an example of the customary behaviour of Dr. O'Connell as regards these classes with these few black boys.

Students who were conscientious frequently remarked at the effort displayed by Dr. O'Connell as ‘serious'. He was unswerving in his effort to give us black students a quality education.

Usually, comparisons are out of the question, but this situation is different. I'd like to say that Dr. O'Connell was the most impressionable lecturer that I had at the Bermuda College. Compared with black and other white skinned lecturers Dr. O'Connell in many ways was head and shoulders above the rest. Dr. O'Connell was one of the professors at Bermuda College that made my time at Howard University a breeze as I often fell back on information, tactics, or studying ethics borrowed from Dr. O'Connell. Let me say further that Dr. O'Connell taught me during the period in my life when my African Consciousness was aroused. During this time I was a hawk ready to descend on any racial nuance poised against blacks. I never had to land on Dr. O'Connell.

Dr. O'Connell is the kind of professor that has the ability to take Bermuda College in the future. His discipline (real discipline) regarding academics and life is monumental in the task of inspiring learners. To have him removed from his post at the Bermuda College is a huge mistake.

I would encourage anyone who was taught by Dr. O'Connell to voice an opinion regarding his dismissal.

SHUAIB WORRELL

Pembroke

No to NATO

May 10, 2005

Dear Sir,

Last Thursday, May 5, at the public meeting at St. Paul's A.M.E. Church in Hamilton, hosted by the Bermuda Independence Committee, the question was asked, “What about defence, if the Island should go Independent?”

In order to clarify it in my mind, I went to an “informed source” to learn this - we are now under the umbrella of NATO because of our relationship with the UK. If Bermuda becomes Independent that will no longer be true. Bermuda would then have to ask to become a part of NATO, and bring to that table an army (and/or navy) capable of fighting with modern heavy weapons.

Even if that were remotely possible, consider this - it would not always be a disaster relief mission. Armies fight in dangerous parts of the world, Afghanistan and Iraq to name a couple! Soldiers are sometimes injured and even killed. Would the Bermuda public be prepared to have their sons and daughters come home in body bags. I think not.

For a ‘fact finding' committee to mention NATO as a possible means of defence for Bermuda, is in my opinion, not realistic and in fact misleading.

SPANISH POINT VOTER

Pembroke