Congrats to students

July 4, 2006

Dear Sir,

My congratulations go out to the CedarBridge Academy graduation class of 2006, which was held on Friday June 30, at Ruth Seaton James Centre.

Also the teachers who worked so diligently with the students, which helped them achieve their goals with excellence.

As ? sat and watched the graduates receive their Diploma?s, some with distinction. I felt so proud of them, and knowingly that they will someday be our future leaders.

Some of the professions the graduates are working towards are:

Accountants, actors, artist, computer programmers, computer graphics, doctors, lawyers, massage therapist, midwife, nurses, owning their own business, paediatrician, psychiatrist, psychologist, social workers and teachers.

They will be attending colleges in Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Venezuela and Hong Kong to name a few.

It was nice to see many businesses, organisations and personalities donate awards, scholarships to the deserving graduates.

St. George?s

Clarify the comments

July 8, 2006

Dear Sir,

Your report about a savage attack on a Portuguese soccer fan outside of Docksiders and the subsequent comments from our Premier, as well as PLP backbencher Derrick Burgess concerning this attack, has shocked me to the core.

Frankly, I find it hard to believe that Alex Scott and Derrick Burgess actually made the comments attributed to them in The Royal Gazette. Did the Premier actually indicate in his comments that there is no point in talking about capital punishment or corporal punishments unless Bermuda goes independent? Is he suggesting that if we go independent, then the PLP Government will implement capital punishment and ? perhaps ? have the cat-of-nine-tails brought back? Is this what he meant?

Then Derrick Burgess got into the act and is supposed to have said ?the only way you can hang them, you have got to go independent? Does he mean he would hang the attackers of the Portuguese soccer fan? Is he intimating that we should hang people - even if they don?t actually commit a murder?

I always thought that the PLP Government was against capital punishment as well as any from of corporal punishment. Has this changed? If they were quoted correctly, could someone please ask these two gentlemen if indeed they are now in favour of both capital and corporal punishment - I would really like to know. I look forward to a clarification from both of these gentlemen.

CAMELOT

City of Hamilton

Hypocritical employers

July 5, 2006

Dear Sir,

I am writing in response to the article on the Bermuda Employer?s Council (BEC) position on the proposed MP salary hikes (published on Monday, June 26). Anyone paying enough attention to the recent statements from the BEC and the UBP lately would have trouble telling the difference between these two organisations on issues such as overtime legislation, the 35-hour week, labour issues in general, and now the MP salaries (and here the UBP displays its decidedly anti-labour bias).

If I may summarise, the (op)position of the BEC to the salary increases stems apparently from a belief that such actions might demonstrate ?little or no fiscal prudence?, that might set a ?bad example?. Anyone familiar with the huge disparities between the salaries of the ?employers? that make up the BEC membership, and their capitalist kin internationally, compared to the salaries of the hired hands who, through their productive labour create capitalist wealth, would be highly amused at this ?concern? of the employers. After all, as ?leaders? wishing to set ?good examples?, shouldn?t they recognise the hypocrisy of their position and remedy the economic inequalities within their own corporations? Fortunately the BEC, through the words of its president, William DeSilva, soon reveal the true concerns of the BEC on this matter. It is not, after all, a concern about a huge salary disparity between government ?leaders? and government ?workers? per se that concerns them, it is the concern that such a publicly known large and sudden increase of salaries may ?set a very poor tone for labour negotiations.? Mr. DeSilva here notes that both the civil servants union (the BPSU) and the police union (the Bermuda Police Association) have already voiced threats of seeking a fairer wage deal.

We realise here that while the BEC directly talks about the MPs being ?greedy children that continue to beat the pi?ata until they get the candy they want?? it is the workers in general who they are referring to here in proxy. How dare the workers campaign for the ?candy? of a fair deal in compensation for their labour effort! It is not the salary increases they are concerned with, but with the public knowledge of it, and the ideas that this knowledge will breed in the minds of workers. What if the government workers conclude that government has money to spend, but not the sense to spend it properly, that this money could be better spent on decent wages for government workers?

What if private sector workers draw the same conclusions about social programmes (national health insurance, cheaper, more efficient public transportation perhaps?), or even (shudder) that the astronomical disparity between their wages and their bosses did not correspond to labour effort or even logic? What if the labour movement dared once again to campaign for the radical transformation of society, the full democratisation of political and economic power?

While a case may be made for a comparative pay relative to an average CEO?s salary in the private sector, as one understands the BIU President?s position to be, these positions fail to admit that the MP?s salary is often but icing on the cake for our ?leaders.? Many of our MPs, PLP and UBP sit as CEO?s of various companies, or on the boards of the same in token positions, from which they receive handsome ?compensation? ? so many gold and silver chains to bind them to the status quo, so many pieces of silver for the ?heroes? of labour. And even once their active political life is over, how many are guaranteed positions on boards as a token gesture of a job well done? The salary of our ?leaders? should be no more than that of a skilled worker, yes, but they must also be accountable like skilled workers.

I agree with the BEC that the salary increases represent a poor use of government resources. These resources would be much better spent ensuring a just and quality standard of living (as opposed to mere survival) for the bulk of government workers, as well as going towards much needed social programs for our people. I challenge the BEC to set a good example for us all and ensure a more equitable, rational and just salary structure in their private sector. After all, those who live in glass houses ought not to throw stones.

J. STARLING

Hamilton Parish

Prove your worth

July 5, 2006

Dear Sir,

I am always interested to listen or read how Alex Scott weasels his way out of tight spaces when he and his cronies are caught with their hands in the till taking more money and adorning themselves with the trappings of power. Pay increases of up to 80 percent with the attendant pension costs (which will go on until the day these people die) drew the following comments from ?The Man.?

The RG recently reported the following. ??It is clear that the BEC President?s (William DeSilva ) statement indicating that matters could be ?viewed as? or ?seen as? is pure speculation, he said.? This is a case of the kettle calling the pot black. I am sure if you go back over statements made by ?P? whilst in opposition and now as Premier you will find comments like, ?I have it on good authority? without disclosing the source, ?information has come to my attention? without disclosing the source, ?the UBP could/may be viewed as?, the UBP could/may be seen as?. Pure speculation!

Then further on in the RG report the following. ?In his statement Premier Mr. Scott added he was ?saddened the BEC has tried to link the new benchmark compensation for members and officers of the Legislature to salary negotiations for unionised workers. It is illogical to do so as one bears no relationship to the other?.

Pray tell us Mr. Scott why you think that you are worth an 80 percent increase in pay, and attendant increases in pensions for the rest of your life, and the rest of us are not. You may think that the ?score card? you mark for yourself justifies this, but most of the Island have a very different view.

The sickest part of all of this is that the current political climate is what may be described as ?controlled?. And yet now we see the PLP trying to say that the Senate cannot rule on this pay increase. Imagine what monstrous disregard for our Laws and Constitution will come about if Bermuda was independent. Actually the situation in Zimbabwe will give you a good insight, and so does the actions of David Burch with the Auditor General.

PHIL CRACKNELL

St. George?s

Celebration cut short

July 10, 2006

Dear Sir,

As a Bermudian supporter of Italy in the World Cup, I was elated to see my team win the World Cup.

I decided to watch the World Cup game at Splash nightclub where I knew I would be surrounded by Italian supporters and in light of recent events (the brutal attack on a Portugal supporter). I feel the Police were naturally on guard for any trouble, understandably so!

It saddened me greatly however to finish our celebrations only two hours after the game finished when the Police decided to open Bermudiana Road to the public.

As the Police had closed the nightclub, to my understanding because they couldn?t control the crowd. I saw families with children, people smiling, singing, laughing and dancing. I did not see any acts of violence at all.

I have seen for the last week Portuguese fans extremely proud of their country parading through the streets of Hamilton and I am happy for them. However I am annoyed at the Police for not allowing a peaceful happy celebration to continue. They really killed our joy. In closing I would like to congratulate all the teams and fans alike on their successes in the World Cup and most importantly: Forza Italia Campion del Mondo!

P.s. Thanks to the TV stations for showing the Italian supporters celebrating their victory, not!

ITALIAN FAN

Pembroke

No to sea burials

July 10, 2006

Dear Sir,

Some time ago as I read of the many people that desired to be buried at sea and those that had already had their request granted by their families, I felt it was time for that Law, Act or request to be changed. After reading just recently of a burial at sea and the body floating into the shoreline only to be discovered, unfortunately, by a tourist. (It could have been children playing!!) It was stated that the Funeral Director had followed correct procedure, but we must look at the results and question whether this should be allowed at all because we don?t really know how many others have come up but have not drifted in, or maybe just been devoured by sharks and fish.

No.1 We have so many people dying with so many diseases of HIV cancers, etc. the list goes on and on; it seems very unhealthy. These bodies need to buried in the graves on land as these bags don?t last long and I imagine they are torn apart by the fish or rot and we are eating the fish. I don?t know if I can continue enjoying eating fish, knowing this system of burial exists.

No.2 I read in the Gazette on June 1, where David Saul seemed to come up with a better idea of a metal box which I thought would prove to be more secure; unfortunately I kept reading to be further disappointed which I hope our Health officials take special attention to his words and I quote, ?the box designed by (Dr. Saul) and constructed by Mr. Dennis Correia of Correia Construction Company is due to be lowered into its resting place nine fathoms (54 feet) down in Devonshire Bay within the next few weeks. It will be covered in holes small enough to allow the fish inside; the fish have got to get in to enjoy the banquet. They will clean my body right down to the bones and some of them will crush the bones. The bones will eventually turn to coral themselves.? We humans will eat the fish that have eaten him which his body could have been cancerous or otherwise harmful and we never know what can happen.

Those bodies need to be put into the ground in graves where they belong. The fact that it took 19 months to gain permission confirms there must have been some concern and then it does not seem that he is going down as deep as the usual depth required. Please review this Law or Act, because it definitely seems fishy (pardon the pun) or at the very least unhealthy.

RED HIND LOVER

Somerset

Because the Bible says ...

July 4, 2006

Dear Sir,

Today, July 4, you did your readers a great service by printing a letter from Rookes enlightening the public that the moral answers to so many of Bermuda?s problems are at their fingertips in the Bible. Rookes is clearly a well read soul, and raised various sections of the Bible; including Leviticus 18 verse 22 as biblical clarification of the ?abomination? that is homosexuality.

I?m pleased to find another relying on the Bible to be the guiding light on all worldly matters. Regrettably, my depth of biblical knowledge is inadequate to be certain about how to address all issues. I hope you can allow me space in the Royal Gazette to request ROOKES to clarify some matters of importance:

1. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, as detailed in Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don?t agree. Can you settle this?

2. Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighbouring nations. Does this require me to travel overseas to purchase slaves, or may I purchase from within the local expat community?

3. I am considering selling my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

4. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual unseemliness - Lev. 15:19-24. The problem is ? how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.

5. I have a neighbour who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

6. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that as I age my eyesight is deteriorating. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

7. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

Thank you in advance for your assistance in helping me address these questions. Your letter showed how you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help.

MICHAEL CASH

Hamilton Parish

Macho fishermen

July 7, 2006

Dear Sir,

Viagra! Viagra! Viagra!

It?s that time again folks ? all those big brave ?Marlin Fishermen? have arrived again to set out on their manly quest! I do hope these esteemed and noble warriors are fighting fit!

I?m just so excited, and I can hardly wait to see those proverbial photographs in the paper, and the manly tales that accompany them! You know the ones?where a bunch of portly rich guys all stand around a very dead marlin with stupid grins on their faces?

And the editorial boasts of the ?The Fight? and of the ?Monsters boated??

And why not you ask? Why these men have just proved their manhood! They have fought well and slain the beast! Such noble and heroic men these are! Such men don?t need Viagra ? or do they?

Why do any of these incredible creatures have to be killed, boys? They aren?t ?Monsters? and they are not ?boated,? to quote your own silly website, they are killed plain and simple! Why can?t Bermuda lead the way and make it mandatory that these exquisite fish are tagged only? Or does that rob you of your?manhood?

ANNOYED IN PEMBROKE