April 20, 2004

Dear Sir,

On Monday, April 19, I arrived back to Bermuda from a short vacation in New York. I had a wonderful time.

My American Airlines Flight 686 arrived at 12.30 p.m. at the Bermuda International Airport. It was really nice to come home until I stood in the returning residents line for half an hour waiting to go through Immigration. Finally, after getting through Immigration, I noticed that the Customs duty line was very long and so I proceeded to get my luggage off of the conveyor belt before heading back to the customs line to pay my duty. Believe it or not the line had not moved an inch. I stood and stood and stood and the line would not move.

There were two Customs officers processing these payments ? they both looked very confused and almost as if they didn't know what they were doing (or did they?) They spent approximately ten minutes on each person. It took one hour and 40 minutes for the flight to make its journey to Bermuda, but it took residents two and a half to three hours to pay their duty and leave the Airport to go home.

What is wrong with this picture? That same American Airlines flight had unloaded, refilled, and was just about back in the New York area when we were just leaving the Airport.

This is totally unacceptable, Customs. There were elderly people in that line and I really felt for them. There was a small child that cried because she was hungry and tired. It is torture arriving back home to Bermuda. There were no announcements as to why processing was taking so long.

One customs officer thought that she would help by calculating everyone's duty as they waited in line so that when we did finally reach the counter, all we would need to do is pay the required amount. Thanks but no thanks ? that clearly did not work.

This problem really needs to be addressed soon. The only way I think it would be addressed quickly is if one of our politicians had to experience what we went through.

There is no other place in the world that this nonsense goes on. There must be a more efficient way to get weary passengers through Customs and out the door.

If tourists had to stand in that line, you could just kiss Bermuda goodbye as a wonderful place to visit. That experience would surely turn them away for good. But then again, if tourist had to stand in that line something would have been done about the long wait a long time ago.

Unequal under the law

April 1, 2004

Dear Sir,

The Government has come out against gay marriage. This is surprising, given the adjective 'progressive' in the name of our governing political party. Even more surprisingly our 'Progressive' Labour Party Government probably has a higher percentage of gay members than any other government in the world.

This illogical stance, Government seems to think, can be ameliorated by a few sops to the gay community in areas where they are most obviously discriminated against. Significantly, perhaps, the AME and Roman Catholic churches continue to fulminate against legal equality for gay people. There, in a nutshell, lies the root of the problem. Are we to be ruled by the religious doctrine of politically influential churches or are we to be governed according to our constitution? No government anywhere forces any church to marry those whom they do not wish to marry. By what constitutional right, then, do these churches seek to deny equal legal rights to everyone?

Gay marriage now exists in Canada, Belgium and Holland. On May 18 it will almost certainly exist in Massachusetts. Legal marriage equivalents for everyone are the rule, rather than the exception, in the European Union. Sooner or later Government will have to give "full faith and credit" to the contractual laws of these countries.

In the US, admittedly, the present administration, largely under the harsh thumb of the religious right, is seeking a constitutional amendment to enshrine, for the first time in their history since slavery was abolished, inequality and the universal rule of religious doctrine in American law. This is despite several existing constitutional clauses dictating the opposite. Nevertheless a legal marriage equivalent, if not marriage itself, seems inevitable ? even there.

Where, then, is our "Progressive" Labour Party government? Like the US we have a constitution that guarantees freedom of (from?) religion and equality for all in the eyes of the law. Our constitution defends the right of the AME or any other church to have its doctrine. It also purports to prevent that doctrine from being imposed on others by law. It also guarantees legal equality for all Bermudians. All Bermudians are not now legally equal in their familial relationships. Gay Bermudians are now and, additions to the Human Rights Act notwithstanding, will continue to be discriminated against in something close to a thousand aspects of the law. Government is not even speaking with one clear voice. Cultural Affairs Minister Dale Butler talks about expanding the Human Rights Act while Family Services Minister Patrice Minors denies the morality of a gay family at all.

On the opposite end of this weird spectrum I recently attended a 'Mothering Sunday' service in one of our churches where we were particularly invited to support single mothers. To me, single mothers are fornicators. I didn't notice Mrs. Minors shouting about their immorality. Mrs. Minors is clearly ill-informed, lacking in charity, prejudiced, and living on a different planet from Mr. Butler.

Marriage is not the province of churches despite the common misperception. Churches may not perform a legal marriage in Bermuda or any other country without being licensed by the state to do so. On the other hand it is perfectly possible to be legally married in the Registrar's Office without going near a church.

In order to get the church out of the law it might be a good idea in future to deny their clergy licences to perform legal marriages. Then everybody equally would have to undertake their legal contractual marriage (now, as a rule, done "behind the scenes" in the vestry after the church service) in the Registrar's office before, if they wish, going through the ritual of a "church" wedding.

Perhaps the Minister for Legislative Affairs, in whose portfolio such law reform ought surely to fall, would care to make a definitive statement for Government outlining the 'Progressive' Labour Party's position on the subject of legal equality for gay Bermudians? Are we to have constitutional government in Bermuda with equality before the law for all Bermudians or are we to have the rule of church doctrine?

Searching for solutions

April 12, 2004

Dear Sir,

Why are we so impotent and powerless against "the forces of evil and destruction" on this Island?

What is wrong with us whereby we cannot eradicate the hard core that riots, with radical surgery and then take the periphery (the hangers one) who must be dealt with through stern discipline, treatment, and education.

Is this lovely little rock so completely asleep to the dangers in our midst?

There seems to be a weird tolerance for this unacceptable behaviour, that leaves all right thinking people amazed. An undercurrent of "Don't rock the boat". Why not rock the boat? For fear of the publicity? For fear of tourism? Or is this just that indefinable paralysis that one senses that nothing will be done? If nothing is done, the damage to Bermuda will be irreparable.

The element we saw on TV last week with their mommas (note no fathers) egging their little offspring to bigger and better crimes, have done their sons a great disservice, denying the chance for them to become decent citizens and above all, men.

Yet another committee, another survey, another panel, with eventually (the operative word) no outcome, no publication as to their findings, but lots of taxpayers' money!

I was on the Drug Board at Admiralty House a long time ago, and as above, we were bogged down with monthly meetings that went nowhere except with vapid talk.

Surely enough is enough. It has to be if we are to survive. A strong Constitutional face that can give power to the judiciary and some teeth so that this lovely Island can once again become a peaceful place to live. If we do nothing and leave it too late, we will go down by default, and earn and deserve every moment.

I admire and endorse Mr. Santucci. Perhaps, he will be the catalyst to bring us all together to fight this evil in our Community, he seems to sense that now must be now, and I can only hope that he will consider me in his drive, to help in any way I can.