May 22, 2003

Dear Sir,

Today's paper states that the Bank of Bermuda is joining the other financial institutions in offering mortgages to first-time homeowners for up to 95 percent of the purchase price at a ‘competitive' rate of 8.75 percent.

Now let's just put that in perspective. For a first-time homeowner, purchasing a house for, say, $775,000, which is a rare, below average home in Bermuda - the amortised payment, at that interest rate, on $750,000 over 30 years is just about $5,900 every month - for the next 360 months.

I know that this next point isn't fair but, just for fun, note that you just borrowed $750,000 but at the end of the day you will pay back $2,124,000! In actual fact the problem isn't the amount you can borrow nor the monthly payment amount. The problem is the interest rate which, I might add, is adjustable whenever the base rate changes, i.e. the bank cannot lose. Lose, hell, these rates are absolutely extortionate and the banks here are only able to get them because of the closed shop and monopolistic practices in Bermuda.

If any financial institution in the western world is charging these kind of rates - and I know of absolutely none - there is a special risk factor in play. In Bermuda, what is the risk and what is the cost of that risk? They ain't making anymore of Bermuda so I don't see values dropping but, sure, there are risks. But if our local banks were fair they would not have to charge these extortionate rates... they do not manage risk, they eliminate it. In the US the interest rates on adjustable rate mortgages is now about 4.75 percent and often lower. The spread between deposit rates and lending rates is maybe 3.5 percent.

In Bermuda, the spread between lending (at least at these rates) and deposit rates is probably closer to 6.5 percent and that's conservative. The risk of lending to first-time homeowners is not much different than lending to anyone else except perhaps the length of time that is applicable.

Our banks are creating an impression of benevolence but, in reality, the desperate first-time buyer is at the mercy of uncontrolled financial institutions and unfair lending costs. Our social fabric is being torn apart because of the inability of our children to own a home without mortgaging their entire future. It's time the Government stepped in and either controlled lending rates or allowed competition - and, I can assure you that I much prefer the latter, which is long overdue in Bermuda anyway.

INTERESTED

Southampton

May 21, 2003

Dear Sir,

Hear, hear for Lactose Intolerant! I too am just at the end of my tether with wretched “filled” milk, either skim or two percent. The taste is often “off”, regardless of the date stamp.

It is unbelievable that in a sophisticated, wealthy country like ours, we tolerate Third World standards. Children need whole fresh milk. For us adults, two percent or skim is better for our health.

Perhaps Dunkley's Dairy could reply via “Letters to the Editor” so we all understand why we must depend on filled skim all the time and filled two percent milk most of the time. Too expensive is not a viable argument. The price for this necessity is already too high.

SANDRA BARNETT

Warwick

May 20, 2003

Dear Sir,

I listened with interest to comments made by Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb concerning her interview with the popular 20/20 television programme. In it she addressed the controversy which arose out of the inclusion of a photograph from Hawaii in Bermuda's latest advertising campaign by stating as she has in the past that the ‘furore' had ultimately resulted in great publicity for Bermuda and in any event the campaign (photograph included) had accomplished its end as evidenced by the fact that bookings are up. I'm afraid this misses the point completely. To use a photograph from Hawaii as a representation of Bermuda is patently dishonest and to add insult to injury the photograph was submitted by one Anne Menke - a foreigner. As a Bermudian I would much rather have preferred publicity generated from the beauty of a photograph shot in Bermuda using a Bermudian model and submitted by a Bermudian photographer such as Ras Mykkal.

This brings me to another point. Prior to November 1998 the PLP asked the people of Bermuda to exercise some faith and give them the opportunity to lead. They responded positively. Ironically this is the same message Bermudians in various government departments are now sending to the Government. One of the things that Bermudians have constantly been encouraged to do recently is to ‘think outside the box'. Now I agree with this, we cannot be myopic in our thought processes but there is also a need to ‘look inside the box and use what is there!'

Rightly or wrongly many feel that some of our leaders with their ascension to power have become swollen with pride and self-glorification and have forgotten the issues that they were put in position to deal with such as affordable housing, crime and Bermudianisation. Much emphasis appears to be placed on other things such as the Caricom initiative, an idea that most Bermudians have been decidedly lukewarm towards and something which fewer still would consider a priority.

It will be interesting to see what takes place at the next election. In the last six months some extraordinary events have occurred in Bermuda. We have seen Government fight an unpopular battle to retain the services of a high profile foreign civil servant against the wishes of his Bermudian staff while a top Bermudian civil servant was effectively dismissed without so much as a murmur. Like I said extraordinary! But as one of my favourite talk show callers would say, ‘what will be will be!'

OBSERVER

Smith's Parish

May 23, 2003

Dear Sir,

I hope that all attempts are made to catch the wild parrots flying around Southampton. One of them might be my Jardine (green with orange on top of nostrils) which I have been desperately trying to find. She escaped a year ago during a storm that blew the kitchen door open. It was brought in legally from Miami. All her papers were legally filed with the Department of Agriculture. I am offering a reward for her return.

Like me, there must be other parrot owners who would like to have their pets back. They are part of our family.

I would also like to point out that parrots are one of the most intelligent animals in the world. I believe they rank fourth after dolphins, whales and the chimpanzees.

Many of them have the intelligence of a four year old. Some are able to count, distinguish colours and shapes, and learn amazing tricks. At Parrot Jungle, they are taught to ride biclycles, come down a parachute, sing and play all sort of games to the amusement of many adults and children. Thus, killing one of these birds in order to preserve the eco system would be a real shame. Perhaps the Aquarium can train them.

HANNI K. VON METZGER

Southampton

May 20, 2003

Dear Sir,

Having read the May 2003 issue of the Anglican Diocesan News I recited a few quiet prayers, but my mind and heart were elsewhere and otherwise. I remembered the words of King Claudius in Hamlet: “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below; words without thoughts never to heaven go.''

I am certain some Anglicans, instead of proclaiming Jesus, have supplanted Him in our churches. Ecclesiastical traditions and man-made laws have usurped Jesus, and we live off the apparent success of our own ingenuity.

There is too much light and truth in Jesus for most well-off folk, the establishment and the hierarchy in the Church. His word, “You will know the truth and the truth will make you free'' is intolerable for many.

The Church in most parishes and the Cathedral sees to it that men and women simply are not capable of being free; so the Church ascribes to itself the protection of souls entrusted to it, only to dispense it when absolutely necessary; and that to the ‘highly favoured'.

Ordinary middle-class blacks and whites cannot endure the burden of freedom, so the Church takes it away from them for their own good. “They would only abuse and misuse it anyway,'' they say.

The thinking of clergy here on a work permit is: “Delivered from the anxiety and torment of personal decision and responsibility, these colonials thank us for coming here and telling them how to get on with their lives, they feel safe and happy in obedience to our authority.

“They will be amazed at us,'' they say, “and will think of us as gods, because we, who set ourselves at their head, by any means available, are ready to endure freedom, this freedom from which locals seem to shrink in horror, and because we are ready to rule over them.''

The question for many in the Anglican Church has become not ‘what does Jesus say?' but ‘what does the church say?' For some it even goes further today, ‘what do the gods say?'

Sad but true: some Christians want to be slaves in a world of paganism. It is easier to let others from outside make decisions for us or to rely upon the letter of the law.

We don't really mind if folk from outside are here working because they can't get a job in their own country. We can even put up with those who have been banned from ministering in their own dioceses for whatever reasons.

We can put up with clergy who use the Church to make our Government of the day look bad. We can allow them to handle the truth carelessly and even set themselves up as gods. We Colonials are so accommodating!

The power base maintains its position and goes along with the status quo because in itself it is a base for paganism. It was put in place by dubious means and maintains its base of idolatry.

I for one will continue in Jesus' precious name, to be a thorn in the side of paganism in our Church in this Island.

Raised from the dead, Jesus remains present in this community of disciples as the way to freedom. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of freedom. To those who are subscribing to paganism I say flee for all has been uncovered!

CLAUDIUS

Southampton

May 19, 2003

Dear Sir,

Bermuda's moment of fame on US national television - caught cheating, passing off photographs of Hawaii as if they were Bermuda!

I don't understand how in her wildest dreams the Minister can try to convince the public that this can in any way be interpreted as good publicity.

JEREMY HARTLEY

Warwick

May 21, 2003

Dear Sir,

One way to relieve congestion in the arrivals hall at the airport would be to re-activate the Fastgate facility, which is a brilliant way to get through Immigration quickly but which seems to have been out of order for the past several months. If that system was up and running and more residents were able to enrol, Immigration officers would be able to process visitors more expeditiously.

JOHN WHITE,

Paget