February 3, 2005

Dear Sir,

The Centre on Philanthropy was surprised and disappointed at the headline, "Revealed: Charities failing to report finances", and the article on Monday, January 31, which addressed Bermuda's first research study of registered charities dated and issued November, 2002. The only contact the Centre had with the reporter was a telephone call to me on the Sunday evening when I pointed out whatever she might be writing would be based on old, previously reported data, and our new study would be published in March.

The charities highlighted by your reporter were not cited specifically in our study and we sincerely regret, as you should also, the damage done by the article to those which have always been filing their financial accounts with the Registry General. Furthermore, we improved their reporting, and the Registry General has made valuable strides in improving their procedures for handling the requirements of the Charity Act 1978. We are grateful for your including this information in your second article of the next day, February 1, along with the voices of many of the charities angered by being wrongly listed as for failing to report as required by the law. This has helpfully brought further clarity to the current situation.

Two and a half years ago there were problems with the financial filings, as mentioned in the first report, but today Bermuda can be pleased with the progress, and these advances will be evident from the second study to be released in March. It will reveal, for example, 335 charities currently have useable financial information with the Registry.

The Centre on Philanthropy is very aware the needs of the charities must be well served and we are committed to continue to be of service firstly to the charities, but also to the volunteers and donors, each of whom contribute tremendously to our community's well being and our quality of life. We believe that ultimately our research will be found useful and of benefit to all constituents.

Guilden Gilbert's problem

January 29, 2005

Dear Sir,

What is Mr. Guilden Gilbert's problem?

There he sits, way down in the Bahamas, with apparently nothing better to do than to write endless letters to the newspapers of his native land.

First he criticises anyone who does not want Bermuda to seek Independence at this time, holding up the Bahamas as a model example of perfection.

Now in the January 28 issue of the Bermuda Sun we have Mr. Gilbert's latest "word to the wise" in which he insists that Bermuda is much too expensive for tourists, no longer has sufficient to offer, and cites all the wonders of his chosen abode, the Bahamas.

Perhaps it may have escaped Mr. Gilbert's attention that Bermuda is entirely different from the Bahamas.

Yes, times in our tiny Island nation have changed. These days, those of us who actually choose to live here know that the number one pillar of the Bermuda economy is International Business ? something which the Bahamas has been trying to emulate for decades.

Granted, tourism in Bermuda today is in transition. It is being revamped and redirected. This will not happen overnight.

Bottom line: like it or not, as things currently stand our tiny Island home is virtually totally dependent on just one industry ? and one industry alone ? and that is offshore business.

Since either directly ? or indirectly (i.e. via the trickle-down effect) ? most Bermudians resident in Bermuda now derive nearly all their income from this one thriving industry Mr. Gilbert's continued insistence that Bermuda should and must go independent at this time is beyond the comprehension of most of us who actually live here.

Mr. Gilbert has all too clearly stated that it is his opinion that Bermuda's tourism industry leaves a lot to be desired. Since it is to be understood that Bermuda's tourism is presently in a state of transition, by demanding that we seek Independence at this time, is our friend from the Bahamas not therefore asking those of us who actually choose to live and work here to commit economic suicide by potentially cutting off our one known, valued and highly appreciated source of income ? namely offshore business?

As things stand today, our tiny Island nation manages to maintain its prosperity ? the envy of most other places on earth, including the Bahamas ? and to continue to give its citizens a stable, choice and privileged lifestyle which few elsewhere on the planet can dream of, let alone hope to ever achieve.

With Bermuda's Tourist Industry currently in a state of transition, come his much-touted Independence, what other industry does Mr. Gilbert propose should take the place of our present highly viable, offshore business sector? What does he expect all of us who are resident in Bermuda to exist on, should these good people decide to fly the coop ? carrots, potatoes and Easter Lilies?

Has our friend in the Bahamas nothing better to do than to continuously send highly critical letters to the newspapers of a country in which he himself no longer chooses to reside (and pay taxes)?

'Lunatics' on our roads

February 3, 2005

Dear Sir,

This afternoon while driving up Barkers Hill, I had the shock of my life, going up the hill in front of me was a large crane, he was going very slow, all of a sudden I could see this MGB sports car in my rear view mirror, overtake everyone in sight, as he got along side of me, he could not see this huge truck coming in the other direction, I could see it because I was in a jeep, which is much higher and gives a driver good visibility. The sports car is now on the wrong side of the road, I put my hand out the window, waving like mad for him to stop and laying my hand on the horn, he finally stopped just in time, to avoid a head-on collision, and then had to back all the way behind me. What in the world was that driver thinking of? But then I should not be surprised, since I see this madness every day, I feel safer driving on the highway in the USA than I do here in Bermuda, every day you see pictures of cars in the newspaper that have turned over, or crashed through walls etc. How on earth can we get a grip on this complete lawlessness.

In today's , the headline of driver losing control of his truck made me ask a few questions. How can you get a driver's licence in this country and take a test if you cannot speak English, and what was the condition of the tyres etc. just before the accident? I drove through Flatts and did not notice any oil patch, but due to the rain the last few days the road conditions warrant more close attention, less speeding, and making sure you have good tyres. I see lots of big trucks on our roads every day, doing excessive speeding, heavy loads, that are not covered up and a lot of abuses.

Lots of people who know me always ask me why I never take my horse out driving in my buggy anymore. I really miss it, too, and I used to take tourists out for a drive for free, just to show them our beautiful Island. Not anymore, I retired my horse for his own safety. He has the good life now in a safe paddock away from the lunatics on our roads. Back in the 1970s I joined a group called the Advanced Motorists, the best teacher I ever had was Roger Kendell, who at that time was the Police Driving Instructor. Every day I apply everything he taught me, it has kept me accident and speeding free for 40 years.

My wish for 2005 would be for The Advanced Motorists Group, The Road Safety Council and the Police Department come together and really tackle this problem, after all it is all about prevention, it would save lives, and be better for the insurance company.

DEBORAH MASTERS

Paget

Fight was hard won

February 3, 2004

Dear Sir,

I just wanted to thank Limey in Bermuda for his column and also voice my opinion concerning some of the statements that he makes. Although I agree with the basic tenet of the argument (namely the need to put ideas first), I disagree with his assessment of the state of race relations in Bermuda (which I may have misunderstood). I don't think that race relations in Bermuda can be said to be considerably better than those in many other Western countries simply because there is a black majority, that blacks hold political power, and that all can aspire towards leadership.

I don't understand how blacks being the majority lends to better race relations. Blacks were the majority long before concerted attempts at improving race relations were made. In fact, the fact that they were in the majority was a fear in post-emancipation Bermuda and was seen as a major reason for adjusting voting regulations to make it more difficult for blacks to have a vote.

Also, that blacks are in political power is not due to a positive change in race relations. The exposure that many young blacks received by going abroad for further education helped them to realise that Bermuda did not have to, and furthermore could not, remain the same. The fight for the formation of political parties was hard won and was not greeted favourably by many of those who were in power. In fact, it was in part a realisation of the fears of the ruling oligarchy of what could happen when blacks were able to use their majority in their favour. The issue of leadership of the country is closely tied in with this creation of political awareness and the evolution of a political system in which blacks are now included. Once again this is not a reflection on present race relations, but rather evidence of the determined struggle for equality.

So to say that race relations in Bermuda are considerably better for these reasons, is to ignore the patterns of history of this Island in favour of the histories of the place to which it is compared (namely other western countries). I think it would be more fair to say that race relations in Bermuda are unique due to the history of the Island and the present day make up of its inhabitants. As part of this acknowledgement, I would agree that there are many favourable elements in this society for good race relations including the existence of people for whom race is no longer a primary consideration and willingness by such people to, as he suggests, "evaluate each other's ideas fairly".

Unfortunately, there still remains that little issue of economic disparity; the economic disparity of the past, that of the present and that which is perceived. All three of these factors affect the views that remain concerning race relations. Until those statistics mentioned concerning the gap between black and white earning power are a thing of the past, until we face the reality of our history, and until we also realise that white does not necessary equal wealth, we will remain where we are.

What we have here is a vicious circle. There are, as he said, ideas that need to be voiced, but they will not be voiced without an environment of trust. In order to build this environment of trust, all must feel free to voice their ideas without fear. The freedom of ideas and an environment of trust thus go hand in hand, one will not and cannot come without the other. So the conundrum to be solved is how to create such an environment out of the one that exists, which has unfortunately not evolved much.

The transfer of political power into black hands hasn't solved it. Neither has the fact that blacks are the majority. We must look at why this is true and what can be done to create a society in which people approach debates with a wealth of knowledge ? rather than just opinions (although of course opinions can also be of value in their place) and a willingness to listen to what others are saying without bias.

AN ONION ABROAD

London, UK