In Bermuda's interests

March 25, 2004

Dear Sir,

I fear the thinking around of the whole issue of Bermuda's growing involvement with Cuba is becoming increasingly muddled. Some point out that Cuba is a totalitarian state guilty of terrible human right abuses, others refer to the crucial role Cuba played in the liberation of Southern Africa and the ending of apartheid while one writer went so far as to suggest that current US policy towards Cuba is full of holes anyway.

Now although this makes for interesting reading, it fails to address the crucial and most important questions that need to be considered. First, are closer ties with Cuba in Bermuda's best interests? The definition of "best interests" includes such things as economic interest, security interest, cultural interest etc.

And second is the disapproval of the US Consul General Denis Coleman as expressed in his statements to the media likely to result in negative repercussions to this island?

In regard to the first question, no one has yet really explained how Bermuda as a country will benefit from these ties. It is clear that a few Bermudian businessmen stand to gain financially and I for one certainly don't begrudge them that but again how will our community as a whole benefit?

And if substantial benefits can be proved, are they worth the risk of antagonising the Bush administration? A right-wing conservative government who incidentally owe the large anti-Castro Cuban community in Florida for ensuring they occupy the White House and who they hope will continue to support them during this important election year.

Hopefully both of these important questions will be answered when Mr. Coleman meets with Premier Alex Scott upon his return to the island.

Punishing success

March 23, 2004

Dear Sir,

I doubt if many people will connect three stories in of March 23, 2004. In summary, they are (1) the Minister defends his St. George's Prep decision, (2) details about a careers fair, and (3) a letter from Eva Hodgson on black economic disparity.

The connection is that the Education Ministry has for years short-changed the poor and those that lack influence ? and that means predominantly the black population ? all the time purporting to be in the vanguard of economic opportunity.

In public education, schools that are different (or efficient) are an affront to the bureaucrat because they conform to the wishes of the parent (and by extension to the child) not to the authority of the bureaucracy or the wishes of the politicians. As such, they are a nuisance, and an irritant to those in power. St. George's Preparatory has always been in this category. Why?

First of all, the former head teacher Mervyn Moorhead treated the Department of Education with disdain, and rightly so, because next to the Department of Tourism it is the most incompetent Government department.

Second, the governing body (mainly representing parents) to their credit supported him and interested and active parents are a threat to the reigning philosophy in education ? namely that parents are not competent to bring up their children (this is also the prevailing view in UK and US).

Third, it was successful when many similar Government schools were failures ? and as such it drew attention to the many failures.

Fourth, it is perceived, wrongly, as a white school and in the politically correct atmosphere of the present that is a cardinal sin.

For all the foregoing reasons, the influence of St. George's Preparatory needs to be curtailed, according to Department of Education thinking. One way of doing that is to reduce the annual intake to the school thereby increasing the intake to other, less desirable, schools. This diminishes its importance over time, and by the warped standards of the Department of Education, this policy is both sensible and commendable.

Many wealthy parents (both black and white) instinctively understand what I have written, and hence decide to send their children to private schools believing it is futile to buck the bureaucracy. They are unwilling in most cases to sacrifice the future of their children to the bureaucratic view that the individual is simply a means to serve the objectives of those in authority.

The remainder, mainly although not exclusively poor and black, are dumped in schools determined by the bureaucrats and not the parents. Too often they receive a sub-standard education so that the opportunities highlighted by job fairs are not of much help, and Eva Hodgson continues to blame white racism for black economic disparity.

Where are the blankets?

March 20, 2004

Dear Sir,

I have just returned from the King Edward VII Memorial where I was visiting my 98-year-old aunt. The first thing I noticed was that she was lying there in a flimsy hospital gown, with just a sheet covering her. I was concerned that she might be a bit chilly, so I ventured to the nurse's station to enquire about a blanket. The nurse looked a little befuddled when I asked for a blanket, but I really didn't pay it any attention. She left the station and after awhile, she returned with what I thought was a blanket. I thanked her and walked away.

As I was walking back to my aunt's room, I noticed that she had given me a flannel sheet, so I went back to the nurse's station to inform her of the error. Embarrassed, she tells me that there were no blankets! Yes, that's right! The hospital had no blankets! I was so shocked! I said to the nurse: "Are you sure? " She replied: "Yes, and sometimes there are no washcloths and many other items!"

What a disgrace! Here is a 98-year-old woman, in a flimsy hospital gown, with no blanket to keep her warm! When I think about it, it brings a lump to my throat. All I can say is this is not good enough and shame on the hospital management.

I wonder what other atrocities take place at King Edward that we don't know about? Even though my aunt is a geriatric, this does not alter the fact that she lies in a hospital bed without a blanket, because the hospital does not have one to supply her with. This is a national disgrace.

Unfortunately, she cannot speak for herself; therefore, she could not ask for what she needed, meanwhile, she lies there, depending on others to keep her comfortable. I would have thought the nurses on duty, knowing there were no blankets, would have done as I did and cover her with two flannel sheets (which by the way, were not even flat sheets, they were fitted sheets). I feel that the nurse's inattention to this situation showed gross negligence on their part. I am truly appalled at this and it should be looked into. Sometimes I wonder where is Bermuda going? With all of our so-called progress, it seems that we are in a state of regress!

A cry for fine dining

March 23, 2004

Dear Sir,

At a time when everyone is pressing the Minister of Tourism and the Airlines to bring affluent tourists back to Bermuda, no one is paying attention to the deterioration of the quality of the food served in hotels and restaurants since 2000. Yet, the results of an extensive poll among the departing tourists revealed last year that one of the main criticisms was the quality of the food served and the price charged for it.

One does not need to be a gourmet to notice how difficult it has become to have a good meal in Bermuda over the last three years ? we should all stop using Fabian as the exculpatory pretext for what is mostly due to complacency, lack of skills and greed. Even the local chapter of the Chaine des Rotisseurs, a (supposedly) fine dining society, has had to take its less-demanding Bermudian members to Canada to find culinary solace ? the most demanding ones having given up a while ago!

The blame for this disastrous situation goes first to the pervasive mediocre and outrageously priced Italian cuisine served on the island. It does not have to be that way. Traditional Italian cuisine is excellent, light, tasty, with Italian dining sophisticated or rustic but never as bland and mediocre as the examples served in Bermuda. The island deserves much better than the misleading "Italian-French" cuisine currently offered to tourists ? never mind the residents ? if it is to regain its reputation as a tourist destination.

Sharing the blame is Immigration, a department usually very demanding when it comes to deliver work permits to anyone outside the hospitality industry but lax when it comes to culinary chefs and sous-chefs. Admittedly, chefs and sous-chefs are often hired on a seasonal basis and the level of scrutiny is therefore more superficial than usual. This leads to many chefs on the island not having the qualifications required for the job, or being professionally obsolete for having stayed too long in Bermuda without any "knowledge retooling" and professional advanced training. Sure, it is ultimately the restaurant owners' responsibility but the unintended consequences are too huge to ignore.

Last, the blame goes to the hotel owners and restaurant managers. Their greed is such that the cold rooms are most of the time empty of any fresh or high quality ingredients necessary for the preparation of sauces and meals, said ingredients being replaced by low quality and chemically-engineered cheap substitutes.

Further, one cannot stop noticing that kitchen workers ? too often recruited on the basis of their pay cheques rather than their professional skills and experience ? are often left on their own during the most critical stage of the cooking process ? food preparation ? with the Chef showing up in the kitchen at the last minute, if at all!

It is time for Bermuda officials and hospitality professionals to wake up for no affluent tourism can be brought back to the Island without a solid, high-quality cuisine and fine dining environment. So far, misleading labels and media spinning are so out-of-sync with dining expectations, reality and price that the widespread feeling of being ripped off annihilates any chance of seeing the patrons ? visiting or not ? coming back?

FOR BERMUDA'S SAKE

Hamilton Parish

Inspired by 'Passion'

March 22, 2004

Dear Sir,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the management of Little Theatre for bringing to Bermuda the film "The Passion of The Christ" so quickly.

Anyone who experienced this awesome portrayal of the last 18 hours of our Lord's life on earth, had to be moved by this film. Every day since seeing this film I have recalled a scene from this masterpiece which reminds me to be kinder to others, to give more of myself and to ask forgiveness for all the times that I have not done His will.

At the end of the film, as God's tear fell from heaven onto His Beloved Son as He died on the cross, we all shed tears, knowing that Jesus died for us. As we sat in the tomb with Jesus awaiting His return to His Father, we remember His comforting words "I will be with you always!"

I would like to encourage everyone to see this film and to say "Thank you" to Mel Gibson for having the courage of his convictions.

EILEEN DUNSTAN

Pembroke