March 9, 2004

Dear Sir,

I must confess to being bemused by the recent comments attributed to Mr.

Ashfield (The Fall Guy) DeVent in the March 9 edition of your newspaper.

During the March 8 sitting of the House of Assembly, Mr. DeVent attacked the UBP's supposed attempts to score cheap political points in relation to the Mary Victoria Road debacle.

In one of the more bizarre statements uttered by Mr. DeVent during his short tenure as a Minister, he said: "For us to make political usage is sin, suicidal and genocidal."

Genocidal? Is Mr. DeVent seriously suggesting that the UBP's solution to the housing crisis involves genocide? The Collins Concise English Dictionary defines 'genocide' as "the policy of deliberately killing a nationality or ethnic group".

Perhaps I'm na?ve; maybe I didn't read the UBP's election platform closely enough, but I'm almost certain that the UBP's solution to the housing crisis doesn't involve rounding people up into concentration camps, gassing them to death and stealing the gold fillings out of their lifeless bodies. Like I said, though, maybe I'm just being na?ve.

March 9, 2004

Dear Sir,

Is there any chance that Derrick Burgess could be persuaded to elaborate on his recent "our people" quote? It would be interesting to find out whether he really means "our people" as in Bermudians, or "our people" as in those who support the PLP.

March 9, 2004

Dear Sir,

Given Mr. Burgess's statements about the Bermuda Cement Co., saying "after 40 years it's time for change" and "Bermuda is not very big...", one must assume that he means that once a company is in business for 40 years, they should close there doors...

The BIU has been around for 57 years (registered in 1947). Is it time to disband it and start from scratch?

March 11, 2004

Dear Sir,

Derrick Burgess has lit a fire that is tearing this community up on racial lines ? and where is Alex Scott?

In the absence of some commentary or clarification of Derrick's statements they can only be interpreted as the position of Government. Has the PLP done a Jennifer on Alex? Is Derrick calling the shots now?

The Premier, as leader of the Government must clarify the official position and whether it supports or conflicts with the inflammatory remarks by Mr. Burgess.

Does this signal the start of a new policy? Or is it just the random flailing of a government short on ethics, imagination and vision? Derrick Burgess is so often the flashpoint for problems the Government must weather and it's a wonder the Premier and the party continue to tolerate his presence. He has a glaring conflict of interest in being both the leader of the BIU and an MP in the House.

He has more BIU members than he has electoral constituents and its anybody's guess which group has his ear more often. Derrick is so quick to declare that people must go, it's time he was shown the door himself: Derrick must go!

Dear Sir,

Independence, you must be kidding me!

Let's see. Here's a small, but pressing list of problems that the Bermuda Government needs to deal with long before we put independence on the table. I mean, come on now! This Island has some major "clean-up" issues that need to be dealt with. Starting with:

Major housing problems, I mean $2,200 for a one-bedroom apartment or $800 for a dive where the ceilings and the floors are in a disgusting state.

Lack of decent medical insurance and elderly care ? (a guess; $250 PLUS a month for meds? Afford it or die, right?)

Way overcrowded prisons and court rooms.

A school system that pushes a young child from year to year even when they are below passing. Detect any patterns between the last two?

As for the Berkeley 'project', what a joke! My child started this school with the hopes of entering the new unit in her first year. I don't thing she'll even see it in her last year there. Appalling !

Open your paper. Hmmmm , theft, drugs, violence and guns.

Single mums working two to three jobs to support their families. Some of these kids are out on the streets at all hours of the night. No one to help them? People please! Let's take care of our own.

Numerous 'public service' stoppages.

Our hospital in dire need of staffing and repairs.

Government clinics in much need of doctors and dentists (which reminds me, my daughter is still on a year-and-a-half waiting list).

Wow, still thinking of Independence?

March 2, 2004

Dear Sir,

The Independence rhetoric is coming down now. Now the "naysayers" are rabid irrational cowards; the "yeah-sayers" are fully empowered, mature and hopeful people.

Mr. Scott is better than Dr. Tamerry at inventing insubstantial metaphors and similes. I don't trust patriotism and I am sure I am like many naysayers who have no great love of Britain patriotically.

We have listened very carefully to all that has been said about Independence and do not detect any particular advantage to change. We watched in disgust as the PLP validated its move towards Independence on the basis of an electoral mandate ? as if elections were about one issue only.

This was an old UBP trick; one of several the PLP has found very useful. Winning an election gave one the right to stop consulting anyone who was not a party member. Voting for the PLP meant you wanted Independence. If you thought Government was about anything other than singing patriotic verses you were sadly mistaken.

And you had only one choice ? vote UBP; an appalling quandary. And even that didn't mean you were against Independence since the UBP were the first ones to try it out and may do again given the nature of that party.

Voting PLP did not mean you were for Independence any more than voting UBP meant you were against it. Those who decided to vote on candidates based on their trustworthiness are misguided outsiders who cannot now participate in the debate. It's all very silly.

Now our leader has put a stop to constitutional amendments until Independence. There are several other onerous, embarrassing but necessary improvements that can be conveniently put aside in this way.

They can be dealt with in some glowing future of Independence which, by some rhetorical algebra, is supposed to fix the justice system. I get all this from Mr. Scott's speech. I expect we will see other responsibilities so grandly and righteously avoided.

March 8, 2004

Dear Sir,

That word that causes uncertainty for some and inspiration for others has once again come to the forefront. The word that I'm making reference to is "Independence".

I'm quite sure there are several pros and cons to having or not having independence, depending on who is making the argument.

However, I only have two questions to ask the "experts". Firstly, if we achieve independence and eventually the Bermuda dollar is devalued, at what rate will one have to repay their mortgage? i.e. will it still have to be paid at the par it was originally obtained, or will it be paid at the devalued par? Because we must keep in mind that not all money that is in circulation in Bermuda has been obtained here.

Secondly, if and when independence has been achieved, which church (denomination) will be classified as the national church (denomination)? Because we now know the Anglican Church (Church of England) is the national church.

Bermuda currently has a few clergy persons elevated by their denomination to Bishop. However only the Anglican Bishop (who is a good Christian man) is referred to as the Bishop of Bermuda (no disrespect intended).

Therefore if and when Bermuda decides to go independent the Anglican Church will/can no longer be classified as the national church. And if we continue to embrace them as the national church, then we as an Island have not completed achieved total independence, because the Anglican Church in history has been synonymous with colonialism.

As a footnote let me say that I am not attempting to belittle the Anglican Church because my early religious roots and nurturing was with them, but only trying to seek some answers from the experts.

Dear Sir,

On Saturday March 6, 2004 at 1 p.m., I witnessed a Police car coming from St. George's completely ignore the roundabout at the Swing Bridge. I was astounded to see it proceed straight up Kindley Field Road as if the roundabout didn't exist. The car did not have flashing lights etc., so was not obviously on an emergency run. How can the public be expected to comply with careful driving on the roads, when the Police demonstrate such irresponsible behaviour.