Curious contradictions

September 2, 2004

Dear Sir,

To ?Not So Curious? and ?Just Curious?. I have a white mother and a black father. Can ?Not So Curious? or ?Just Curious? tell me what I should do?

Should I apologise to blacks for what my white ancestors may have done? Then should I in turn accept apologies from whites for what may have been done to my black ancestors?

We all know that slavery existed and still does. Why do people only focus in on the western world slave trade and what whites did to blacks a few generations ago?

Slavery went on for hundreds of years; black people selling black people, white people selling white people, and any other way you want to look at it, it happened all over the world to all races ? not just blacks.

Because someone is white or black should we punish them for what another black or white person has done just because they are of the same ethnic background even though they do not know the person? If my father goes down the street and kills someone out of hate or anger, should I be held accountable because of what he did?

Every person is responsible for their own actions, trying to lay blame will not get us any further, all it is doing is holding society back. Racism will never stop and we cannot erase the past.

So people like ?Not So Curious? and ?Just Curious? won?t get any real answers because in our society people don?t like to take blame for their own faults and actions, so how can we expect them to take blame for what people who they were related to, but never knew, did years ago.

And to go totally off the subject as ?Not So Curious? did, which race were you referring to when you described the husband on the couch agreeing with his wife that she is getting fat, and why ask ?Just Curious? why they did not sign their name and you in turn haven?t signed yours?

Bermuda?s mess

August 19, 2004

Dear Sir,

I would like to respond to Mr. Dunkley?s letter in today?s .

Thank heavens for the Opposition party that we in Bermuda have. If it wasn?t for them we Bermudians would be out of luck.

I appreciate the UBP trying their hardest to bring a little honesty to Bermuda and its people. The PLP Government is trying to pull the wool over our eyes and it?s time for them to stop. We Bermudians are not stupid people. We need and deserve honesty. We want to know who is responsible for the BHC fiasco. Regardless of their position within the community, we want to know.

Mr. Dunkley hits the nail on the head when he points our that Mr. Smith and Mr. Commissiong are both ?wannabees?. Mr. Smith always calls people racists when they do not agree with his party. Mr. Commissiong just talks. Who listens to him anyway?

The Premier of Bermuda needs to become a man with integrity if the wants the people to move forward. He knows the BHC mess happened under his watch. He needs to name names so we can clean up and get rid of those who are responsible.

This, among many other problems in Bermuda, is what people of this country are up in arms about. No we do not trust the Scott Government. No we do not believe you when you say you are an open Government. No we do not believe you even have a plan for our country.

When our housing situation is solved, when there are enough Police patrolling the streets, when our seniors are taken care of, when the Berkeley Institute is finally finished, when there are less cars on the road, when our Tourism increases, when we hold responsible those who have used our money to cover their own greed, then and only then can we as a people move forward.

The PLP Government said they could solve all of these problems when they became the government, yet I have not seen it happen.

Oh, but the way Mr. Editor, did you hear the latest? Apparently, the government allowed the Berkeley Project to purchase a television so they could watch the cricket games.

Well, the PLP Government said they do not require a receipt for everything, so how would we ever know?

More action, less talk

August 17, 2004

Dear Sir,

With so much nonsense being bandied about in Bermuda these days, it was refreshing to read of the truly excellent idea of moving the docks to Morgan?s Point.

First of all, this is not an ideal spot as a tourist resort; there is no good beach, and the cost of clearing up the oil spills and creating a golf course etc. would be horrendous. There would be no need to spend on clearing up the oil if the area was used for docks.

As Peter Bromby, Sr. says, the deep-water dock is protected from the north winds, and there is plenty of space. For this reason alone, the north shore is out of the question. With our winter climate, container ships would not be able to dock on so many days, that the idea of the north shore is not viable.

There is plenty of space in the 250 acres at Morgan?s Point to create a housing development at the south end of the area, where a good number of derelict dwellings still exist.

This part of the Island could be cleaned up, and homes such as those built at Boaz Island could be erected. As I recall, the buildings at Boaz Island were made from prefabricated material imported from Denmark, at a very reasonable price.

Those homes withstood Hurricane Fabian very well, and although the shoreline was destroyed in the hurricane, the homes were barely touched. The container terminal generates millions of dollars annually, some of this money should be used to create a village of affordable homes, that in turn will attract shops, restaurants etc.

It would also be attractive, and as there are no neighbours, there would be no question of NIMBY.

We all know that tourism is important to the Island, but it is much more important to house our people, and free Hamilton to the unsightly containers that take up such a big part of the Hamilton waterfront.

I hope that something will be done at last, let?s have more action and less talk, especially on the housing issue.