HSBC: Don?t be misled

December 1, 2005

Dear Sir,

Your columnist Mr. Dunleavy has suggested that if HSBC continues to abuse Bermuda we should all bank elsewhere. That would be a good suggestion with most businesses but it would not work with HSBC.

This giant bank which was wrongly allowed to gobble up the Bank of Bermuda has little interest in anyone?s personal banking and that is very clear from the petty and tiresome rules and regulations now applying in the banking halls.

I believe HSBC can and will swamp Bermuda if it decides to and if it does not get exactly what it wants. This is not a Bermudian company concerned about its home. This is an international giant bent only on looking after itself and making money. It will hang its hat in Bermuda as long as Bermuda gives it what it wants.

No one should ever think that HSBC cares what the critics of Trimingham?s say or what Mr. Dunleavy does with his bank account.

WATCHING

Paget

Short-legged lies

December 5, 2005

Dear Sir,

I hope you will allow a response to one Pathetic?s letter (Dangerous Ambitions) published on Monday, November 28. If I understand this ?pathetic? argument correctly, an independent Bermuda would ?sink into the ineffectual and impotent world of the absolute non-entities at the bottom of the UN perhaps serving only as a colonial outpost for Cuba. Essentially, Pathetic believes Independence will mean the sudden and complete loss of international business ? leading to anarchy. My dear Pathetic, how apt a name you go by. In particular I take great offence to your slandering of revolutionary Grenada, almost 22 years after the eight martyrs fell at Fort Rupert, opening the door to an American imperialist invasion.

Dear Pathetic, we have heard these same scare-mongering lies before. Emancipate the slaves? Anarchy! Give women the vote? Anarchy! Desegregation? Anarchy! A PLP government? Anarchy! Independence? Anarchy! It is said lies have short legs ? they don?t get far. Life teaches and we have seen these lies fade away like so many childhood fears.

Independence in and of itself will not cause international business to flee and cripple our economy. Do not mistake my position here though ? I believe that we have more important issues to deal with first, such as diversifying our economy and increasing our self-reliance (independence in substance) than embarking on independence in name only. But I have no fear of an independent Bermuda.

As you, Pathetic, have brought Grenada into this I hope you will forgive me quoting from the manifesto of Bishop?s New Jewel Movement (1974) ? I think we will all find the below of interest. From the section on Independence:

?Gairy [read Scott] believes that Independence means pulling down one flag and putting up another, composing a new anthem, creating a new motto, calling the Governor ?Governor General? and the Premier ?Prime Minister? ? playing steel band, jumping up and f?ting; cleaning up and beautifying the streets.

But after all the celebrations and bacchanalia are over and we wake up the next day with a hangover, the price of food, clothes and everything else will still keep going up, wages will still be the same (or less), the condition of the schools, hospitals, and roads will continue to get worse, and the people?s housing will still be the same or worse.?

Elsewhere in this section we find:

?Leadership must not mean the creation of Masters. Leadership instead should regard itself as the servants of the people, and must aim at destroying the relationship of master and slave, employer and employee, and of destroying the whole class relationship in our society.?

We also find in the Introduction of this document:

?The people are being cheated and have been cheated for too long ? cheated by both parties. Nobody is asking what the people want. We suffer low wages and higher cost of living while the politicians get richer, live in bigger houses and drive around in even bigger cars.?

While Bermuda is no Grenada, then or now, it does seem that we do, after all, have something to learn from them. The UBP is dreaming if it feels that criticism of the PLP leadership means people want a UBP government ? we criticise the PLP precisely because they are carrying on like the UBP! Why exchange one rotten apple for another? Could it be that it is time for a Bermudian New Jewel Movement ? one that guards against the tragedy of October? Or can progressive labour reassert itself within the PLP? In the immortal words of Maurice Bishop, ?Forwards ever; Backwards never!?

J. STARLING

Hamilton Parish

The true patriot

December 11, 2005

Dear Sir,

Recently I received a pamphlet from a publishing company to celebrate those with their 75th birthdays looming. There were 75 quotations ? some humorous, some rather ominous, some witty ? but all with something to make one think, especially as it might affect Bermuda?s present situation. Written by Edward Abby, it goes:

?A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.?

Makes you think, doesn?t it.

PATRIOT

Smith?s Parish

Joy of Christmas

November 25, 2005

Dear Sir,

There are no words that can fully express my joy and appreciation to the Corporation of Hamilton.

Recently, while driving in Hamilton, I was overcome with emotion, at the simple beauty of Christmas decorations, but most especially, the placement of so many beautiful angels.

It is, of course, angels who originally proclaimed the good news of peace, love and joy to the world, the very first Christmas over two thousand years ago.

If ever there was a time in human history, that we need to be reminded of that message is now.

We are constantly being bombarded with tragic, frightening news from both internationally and local sources.

The true message of Christmas renews the gift of hope.

Thank you also to any business, school, private dwelling, that put up any sign pertaining to the first Christmas. Even if you don?t believe, thank you for respecting those of us who believe ? the vast majority of people residing in this most blessed place.

JOY TO THE WORLD

Pembroke

Why we have to change

November 29, 2005

Dear Sir,

Bermuda needs a new attitude.

Yes, Tourism Inc. wants to make a big public relations push in the European market, but what are we offering that is special and unique these days? Wasp gentility and Bermuda Shorts are all very quaint indeed but people, you all need to unstuff your shirts! This frumpy formality that we insist on portraying in the media is definitely not what?s driving the tourism market today. Young, up and coming European travellers are increasingly looking to stay at fun, design driven boutique hotels that are a destination unto themselves (re: The W Times Square, the Hodson and The Bryant Park Hotels, New York City) with personalised service, unique amenities, and a hip lobby scene complete with deejay spinning and happy hour. They will completely bypass anything that reeks of frilly ?80?s era chintz (frumpy bed set equals frumpy mind set), which seems to be the time warp that we are stuck in.

Then there is the issue of offering value for money. I work in the front lines of visitor relations and I can assure you that our repeat visitors, what few we have these days, are telling me they are tired of being nickel and dimed to death with all the various add on charges, particularly at one four star South Shore mega resort: daily gratuity charges plus government tax, etc., tacked onto that astronomical room rate. Then that resort has the nerve to charge its own guests a $15.00 fee to use its own spa shower facilities on late check out days when it is showing sold out occupancy. Imagine that four star hotel, with a standard rack rate in excess of $450.00 per night, charging their own guests a fee to use the hotel tennis courts!

I?ve stayed in a Mediterranean bed and breakfast for $55.00 Euros per night which included a continental breakfast, balcony, and free access to bottled water in the hallway refrigerator, all just a two minute walk from the beach. Then you wonder why Tourism Inc. is on a steady decline over here.

Another question that repeat visitors want to know is why are Bermudians not as friendly as they used to be? And why is service not as personal? The answer lies mostly with the superior attitude many Bermudians appear to have these days with each other and with everybody else in the world that says basically ?I?ve grown to be a fat cat and I feel it is beneath me to offer you genuine warmth and uniquely Bermudian hospitality?. You?d have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to pick up on it. All the major resort hotels here are offering the exact same standardised service protocols that are on offer at their North American outlets, and they all look the same: very classic decor, very boring. Service is efficient and friendly, but you still walk away feeling as if you encountered a robot in a packaging plant. Many of you have neglected to pick up the lesson that we are all involved in Tourism Inc. From the girl at the grocery store check out counter to the corporate lawyer. Keep that in mind next time you are asked for directions by a lost visitor.

Bermuda also needs to find some sort of major new retail anchor to replace the sorely missed Trimingham Brothers. If we are talking about going totally upscale, then perhaps a high end concept store such as Daslu , over in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a warren of small designer boutiques all under one roof (re: Chanel and YSL ), would fit the bill. Or even a craft market in downtown Hamilton would be an important asset. Once a week for Harbour Nights just doesn?t cut it.

While you are at it, why don?t you just rezone Front Street and that golden block between Queen Street and Burnaby Hill, limited to pedestrian traffic only, and then why not feature al fresco dining from international, award winning chefs (hello, where are the rest of you guys?) and harbour views, complete with access to luxury yacht moorings along the entire stretch of Front Street. Try to relocate those traffic congesting cruise ships to our other ports and repurpose Number 12 and Number 6 sheds into retail spaces, and rethink what Front Street should really be all about (re: Max Mara adjacent to a liquor store and a $10 tee shirt emporium...tacky tacky tacky)!!! That entire stretch of Front Street should be all ?blinged? out in my opinion.

We used to be a popular destination in the ?60?s and ?70?s for bold faced names such as John and Yoko and Diana Ross, an era of tremendous popularity with European visitors. It?s going to take a lot more than just a big, slick ad campaign to lure international taste makers back to this little dot on the map, I can assure you of that.

BERMIESTYLE

Pembroke