Fed up with CableVision

November 18, 2003

Dear Cablevision,

I got your e-mail address (infocablevision.bm) from your website, where you said to send e-mails if we were still without service. Well a day or two after Fabian I sent an e-mail to this address advising that the cable from the pole had snapped. I also tried to phone... I dropped off a letter at your letter advising I was out of service & at least two friends of mine reported my outage to your representatives. I am still without cable.

Yesterday, November 17, 2003 I received a bill for $9.60 ? a credit of 52 percent was applied to my usual $20 bill. My thought is because I have no service I should get no bill! At this point I would like to... terminate ? no not the correct word as your service terminates at the pole currently. Discontinue ? nope, still the wrong word as your service to my house discontinued on September 5, 2003. How about ? stop receiving bills from your company, from this point onwards.

As I paid my bill for September in advance, and my service went out around 10 a.m. (take that as a day), I only got 4 days of service that month. As there were 30 days in September and my monthly bill was $20, that works out to approximately 66 cents a day. That means you own me $17 (not me owing you $9.60). Please mail a cheque of that amount to the address listed below as soon as possible.

I am including on this e-mail in the hopes that you miss it in your in-box, that you will see it in the letters to the Editor.

We're all 'born' Bermudians

November 16, 2003

Dear Sir,

It was interesting to read the comments of the Hon. Randy Horton in respect of the Bermuda Immigration & Protection Amendment Act 2003 and I think that the position the Minister is taking solves some potential problems. The Minister also makes reference to children being adopted and such adopted children being given equal rights. However, given the way the Bermuda Immigration & Protection Act 1956 (the "Act"), deals with adopted children, they are essentially treated as second class citizens notwithstanding the fact that one would have thought an adopted child should be treated in all respects, in the eyes of the law, as the natural child of the adoptive parents.

Pursuant to Section 16(2) of the Act, "Any person who is under the age of 22 years old and who (a) is ... ? a child adopted in a manner recognised by law, of a person who has Bermuda Status ... ... shall for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to possess and enjoy Bermudian Status." You will note that such adopted child will only be "deemed" to possess Bermudian Status and that will only last for so long as they are under the age of 22 years. Thereafter, without more, they are no longer deemed to possess Bermudian Status and lose all rights to work, vote or even reside in Bermuda.

Pursuant to Section 20 of the Act, if the adopted child (a) has reached the age of 18 but is under the age of 22; (b) he has been ordinarily resident in Bermuda for the period of five years immediately preceding his application; and (c) he has for five years immediately preceding his application been deemed to possess and enjoy Bermuda Status by virtue of Section 16(2) then he may apply to the Minister for the grant of Bermuda Status. If the Minister is satisfied that the above conditions have been satisfied, status shall be granted to him.

While in principle this all sounds fine and dandy, such adopted children are not treated upon the same basis as naturally born children of Bermudians. There is no requirement that a natural born child of a Bermudian be resident for any particular period of time and there is no window within which a natural-born child of a Bermudian must apply for status, or lose it. Subject to complying with certain requirements at the date of a child's birth, a child born outside of Bermuda, of a person with Bermudian Status has no residency requirements or time limit within which to apply.

It is my belief that the adopted child of a Bermudian, subject to various safeguards to prevent abuse, should be treated on equal standing as any natural born child of a Bermudian. To do otherwise is to treat such adopted child as a second class person.

While on the matter of Bermuda status, I can't help but point out to the various letter writers to this paper that there is only one class of Bermuda status, no distinction is made between persons who have been granted status or have acquired status by birth. While there are subtle distinctions in the methodology of application between children who were born inside or outside Bermuda, the concept of a "born Bermudian" is not a term recognised in the Bermuda Immigration & Protection Act 1956.

The reality of paedophilia

November 7, 2003

Dear Sir,

I have to say that I am totally appalled; in fact, I am in utter disgust. What is going on here in Bermuda with regards to the protection of our children is beyond deplorable. Would you, knowingly, allow your child to play with a convicted paedophile? Probably not. Yet, we allow these people to terrorise our children with little or no consequence, day in and day out. We treat these monsters as if they are the victims.

Do you have any idea what these children will go through for the rest of their lives? I doubt it; so let me give you a little insight. They will 'forever' have issues with intimacy. They may never again be able to feel the touch of a loved one without experiencing a chill of fear so profound that they would prefer to be left alone. They may never have a 'normal', trusting relationship with anyone. These are some of the milder symptoms of sexual abuse.

I haven't even mentioned the debilitating anxiety and depression. If this sounds like psychobabble spout, think again. It is reality. I have a young daughter of my own and I fear for her future. As long as the legislation that we currently have remains; as long as there is no consequence for action; and, as long as there are defence attorneys to sympathise with these offenders there will be no hope. We need protect our children and stop siding with these vampires of innocence.

'Paget East' is right

November 18, 2003

Dear Sir,

I am writing in agreement with 'Paget East Voter'. Many Bermudians would agree with his letters. Most Bermudians will not bother to write a Letter to the Editor, because it is guaranteed that the opinions of Bermudians will be shot down by foreigners working here.

I don't see anything in his letter that represents expat bashing. We are certainly sick and tired of foreigners shoving down our throat every little thing they do for this Island. If your company is paying your rent and your wives are buying pretty little dresses here and furniture, you are making most of your contributions to the upper to upper middle class Bermudian, not the average Joe-blow! Don't forget Bermuda must be doing an awful lot for you if you are still here.

What foreigners do not realise is what the Bermudian is trying to tell them. We knew what Bermuda was like before we were inundated with so many foreigners. We were known for a slow and relaxed pace. Houses were cottages dotting the landscape. Roads were a pleasure to be on, especially for the visitor. Women had the choice whether to work or stay home. We then a very strong family unit. Because Bermuda is a Christian society, prayer and hymns were sung in schools and Sunday ? believe it or not ? was not sports day, but was to attend church or Sunday school. No, we didn't have a collection of things (computers, satellite dishes, fancy cars etc.). But what we have lost has been more valuable.

What 'Paget East' is trying to say, we are now being overwhelmed with foreigners and splitting at the seams, also Bermuda has lost most of its culture to accommodate the many cultures that are now here.

I know this letter is a waste of time, foreigners will take it as a personal attack. For disgruntled expat, funny, I also work in a business with many foreigners and every holiday whether it is two days or more, they travel and many times miss work due to delayed flights! The average Bermudian has to work more than one job to make a average living here. Lazy? I don't think so.

New day in America

November 8, 2003

Dear Sir,

Lord Heseltine's troubling presentation to the International Churchill Society here in Bermuda was accurately reported in your Friday, November 7, 2003 newspaper.

His comments demonstrated that he, like many outside the United States, fails to understand (or perhaps doesn't care) that most Americans below 40 years of age have had their view of the world forever shaken and shifted by the events of September 11, 2001.

His Lordship (pictured) seemed to whine that only a Congressional investigation in the US may unearth why and how the war in Iraq was initiated. Who cares? The question is only relevant to those who live in history and wait, hope, and search for events and circumstances to repeat themselves. His Lordship and others who feel this way will wait a long time.

What is truly important to understand is that Americans, more than ever, and for several generations, have come to believe they are under attack, and that many of those global friends we have traditionally relied upon have decided to step back, and carp or rattle on about their view of American policy. Some may even be enjoying America's situation. Be advised that the those who are in power in the US, Republican or Democrat, and those who will come into power over the foreseeable future are aware of and counting those who are with us in our time of need and those who have chosen to be elsewhere. There will be future implications.

America has always had a short memory and a big cheque book. September 11, 2001 has changed this view. Reaction comes every day at the individual citizen level. Just one example is the daily message being sent to France and Germany by individual Americans and American companies through product boycotts, business decisions to find other suppliers, and more.

Lord Heseltine's comments may reflect those of many other countries and cultures in the world. I suggest he and other critics skip reading all the armchair editorials, vacuous news accounts, and mindless punditry. They are all about yesterday. There is a new day in America. Spend some time in the US where the real Americans are ? outside Washington D.C. in local coffee shops, at high school football games, and shopping centres. Quote his Lordship and you'll probably get an earful.

There is a wonderful story about Mr. Churchill telling a colleague that one could always count on America to do the right thing... after it had exhausted all other possibilities. 9/11/01 dramatically reduced the American people's willingness and patience to try other options. Better settle in. It's going to be this way for a while. Better yet, why not join up so these terrible war times can end sooner.

I am an American businessman and member of the International Churchill Society who is attending the Society's 2003 conference (including Heseltine's speech). You have a lovely Island. This is our second visit.