July 19, 2005

Dear Sir,

The letter of July 10 from SallyAnn Rose appearing in the July 19 edition of , regarding the "shocking comment" from the Premier in which he likened the violent attacks which took place on the MV with the terror visited upon the populace of the City of London prompted me to add to the equation. In addressing the nation the day after the frightening Belco episode, at a time when the whole Island was fearing the worst, Alex Scott dared to say that we should, I believe the word was, "celebrate" (or very similar) the fact that there were no (reported) break-ins during the preceding night! Are we to conclude that we were doubly lucky!

Before one could even process that he had actually said that, did we then not hear him divulge to all of us listening that he, purportedly in carrying out his public duty, had been obliged to follow behind his wife and his son and turn off lights, TVs and air conditioners that they were turning on in essence, publicly rebuking his own family. Embellished story or not, it was just not necessary for him to make an example of them!

On a related note, it is refreshing to learn from the early announcement made by Belco Holding's chairman, Michael Collier, that it is clearly their intention for the independent commission findings into the Belco fire to be made public. How doubly refreshing it would be if the results of the various commissions promised by the Government in past years were also to be made public!

Premier Alex Scott should seriously consider informing the nation of Government's own commissioned inquiries which have yet to be publicly released and forget about ridiculing members of one's family. It's simply not progressive!

July 20, 2005

Dear Sir,

I always find it interesting and sad whenever I hear or read about people who feel the need to lessen the importance or gravity of someone else's experience because they believe that their experience, positive or negative, is the more important.

I refer to the letter that appeared in the newspaper's July 19 issue entitled 'Shocking comment'. Since Ms Rose is so "emotionally attached to Bermuda", why can she not understand that an event of such horrible nature taking place on such a small sized island might be likened by Premier Scott to the terrorist attacks in the UK, a much bigger island. The key word to look at in this case is 'terror'. The definition according to New Webster's is 'intense fear'.

While I was thankfully not on the boat (I work nights), I have read the newspaper reports and if Ms Rose had read just one, it would have been obvious that what happened was not simply a "drunken fight". More importantly, I also spoke to a few people who were on the boat. The phrase that was repeated by all was that you "could not know what it was like unless you were there". The fact is, for the people on the boat, the majority being young and innocent bystanders, that night was sheer terror.

Please understand the purpose of this letter is not to endorse or negate Premier Scott's words, or to play down the bombings. But here is my question to Ms Rose and anyone else who may share her opinions.

Considering the ratio of island size and population between Bermuda and the UK, if a few people had been killed here in Bermuda, would you then give your permission to the leader of our country to speak his mind?

KAILA RICHARDSON

Smith's Parish

July 16, 2005

Dear Sir,

Please allow me to support The Honourable C.V. (Jim) Woolridge and let him know there are many Bermudians who support his position on mega ships.

Bermuda does not need to have mega-ships coming here, our infrastructure cannot support it. There is no need to be dredging Two Rock Passage or the Town Cut in St. George's. The industry will continue to use ships the size of those presently coming to Bermuda. Twenty years ago people were saying they were going to phase out the smaller ships and only mega ships would be available.

We now know that was nonsense and the only people that are saying that are people who for some reason wish to have mega ships come to Bermuda. Why the Minister of Tourism, Dr. The Hon. Ewart Brown has suddenly changed his position from not wanting them and now wishes to bring them to Bermuda, God only knows. Surely he knows they bring very little in terms of earnings for the country and have the potential to destroy the lucrative air-travel-hotel side of our business.

Certainly we must have learned something from Trimingham's going out of business. The cruise ship business just was not enough to sustain it.

What is frightening is when Dr. Brown announces something is going to happen it usually does without it being properly discussed by the community, whether it be fast ferries, commuter buses or GPS. I sincerely hope that is not going to be the case with these mega ships. I hope we do not awake one morning to find Two Rock Passage has been dredged. This is an issue that should be seriously discussed by the whole community especially the hotels and the unions.

Mr. Woolridge is correct when he says all of those proposed funds, i.e. millions of dollars, that would have to be spent preparing for mega ships can be put to far better use in education or housing or even to bolster our regular tourist industry.

Jim, I just wanted you to know you have a lot of support against mega ships coming to Bermuda.

THE HON. QUINTON L. EDNESS CBE, JP.

Warwick

July 18, 2005

Dear Sir,

I have now watched the programme on TV twice which discusses sustainable development. I was impressed by the "arguments" brought up in the programme about the dangers our environment must avert, in the sea, the land, and most important, in the air. The members of the panel were well informed and made numerous points that should and must be addressed.

When I turned off the TV I was distressed that our present Government, which sponsored this valuable study, at the same time was planning to destroy our coral reefs and coastline to enable mega-cruise ships to enter our harbours. I was totally shocked to realise that it was also even considering using land for building which was designated for open space and green areas, of use not only for people to enjoy but for the trees and plants to do their job of turning carbon dioxide into oxygen. The loss of even one coral reef area is too high a price for our island to sustain. The loss of even a part of the Botanical Gardens or the Arboretum is throwing away "pearls without price".

The time has come to say "Stop!" "Think!" and "Think Again!". Don't throw away that which will protect our future for pie in the sky. Build the new hospital on its present site. Invite visitors to our lovely island in ships which do not destroy the very reason that visitors come to enjoy.

JOYCE ZUILL

Smith's Parish

July 19, 2005

Dear Sir,

I visited the Visitors' Service Bureau by the Hamilton Ferry Terminal on Monday, July 18 to purchase tickets for Tony and Tina's Wedding. While I waited, a woman ahead of me (a visitor) asked the man at the desk for information on the St. George's walking tours. His answer was that he had no information and she would have to go to St. George's to get it. No other option was presented to her. Another outstanding example of what is happening to our tourist industry.

After determining that the woman didn't have access to a computer (he did, but clearly didn't know that he might be able to find that information on line to assist her or didn't care to) I directed her to the Bermuda Department of Tourism on Church Street. I assumed that they might have that information for her ? I only hope she got better service there than she did at the VSB. I don't think it's too much to ask that we employ people in this kind of role who actually want or know how to project a positive image for Bermuda. Or is it?

NOT SURPRISED

Paget

July 11, 2005

Dear Sir,

Conservatives in the US evince a deep suspicion of the credibility of the UN and I am beginning to see their point. A couple of decades ago our hapless oppressor ? England ? was forced listen to itself excoriated in the UN as the oppressor of Bermuda, a sad third world nation struggling to be free of it's onerous colonial obligations. The fact that England rightly claimed that Bermuda's per capita income at the time was embarrassing higher than the mother country's only made England's crimes more glaring; it's squirming duplicity more obvious. And the truth be damned when moral issues are discussed.

The UN again has come bless us with it's moral dicta. Apparently there is division and hostility among the races. I know: sit down and take deep breaths. Apparently there are other choices in defining our relations with England than the one we have at the moment: and only one of those options is outright independence. Again we are amazed; because according to the UN we didn't know this. Apparently the UN had lunch with the Governor and he let them in on all kinds of secrets of this kind. Who pays these people? I want to work for them. It would be better than a civil service job.

This is the organisation for peace that missed the bloodiest war since the Second World War ? The Congo. Certainly everyone else did and it is a sure sign that prejudice against black people is alive and well the world over, since grand bloodlettings like this in Africa, are rapturously ignored. They are not causes for concern but opportunities for precious discussions of the definition of the word "genocide". I think the US State Department has yet to call anything that happens in Africa "genocide". It was however the job of the UN to point this sort of thing out to the powers that be. And they do a very bad job of it indeed.

A long time ago the UN was appointed conscience of the world. This was a good idea since international politics is quite impossible to conduct on any kind of moral basis. It was best that the nations of the world push morality onto a separate and incompetent organisation laughingly called the United Nations. Here good decent souls like Kofi Annan waste their their fine minds and time telling people things they do not care to hear ( Bosnia, Rwanda, etc.) and others with not so fine minds and useless advice go around the world making people like Annan look bad.

These are not the people we should look to for advice. As everyone else in the world does, lets shake their hands, show them the beaches, give them a drink and send them on their way.

JOHN ZUILL

Pembroke