March 5, 2002

Dear Sir,

With reference to the article “Immigration must be locals' watchdog” March 5, by Mrs. Patricia Gordon-Pamplin UBP MP.

I have found it extremely hard to believe that work permit numbers has risen so much that a man who had applied for 95 posts since May 2001 has not been given a single job despite having 19 interviews. Jobs for locals have declined since the PLP came to power. I thought the PLP was supposed to correct those problems.

As one politician gave advise to his friend on how to win an election: “The people like to be called by their names....courted, receive favours, hear about you, feel that you are working for the public good...with a thousand smiles until your jawbone aches.

You must flatter endlessly; this is wrong and shameful in ordinary life, but necessary in running for government...Let the voters... think that you know them well... that you are generous and open-handed. If possible accuse your competitors of having a bad reputation for crime, vice or bribery. Remember that this is Bermuda, this country is made up of many peoples, in which plots, lies and all kinds of vices abound.

You must suffer much arrogance, many insults, much ill-will and the pride and hatred of many people.”

A country without a Government.

OBSERVER

Southampton

What about the Cedar?

March 20, 2002

Dear Sir,

It was with interest that I studied the ‘before' and ‘after' pictures of the home of Terrance Smith on 21 Tee Street. I am sure that I was not the only person who noticed the two reasonably mature Bermuda cedar trees that appeared in the before picture but were notably absent in the after picture. The before picture must have been taken after June 2001 per the planning inspection records and the amount of work that had been done on the site so the building inspectors would have been off the property. I was unaware that it was now not an offence to remove Bermuda cedar trees and I was wondering if somebody would be good enough to inform me when this changed.

Those trees were in nobody's way but obviously did not suit the gingerbread look of the house. To the person who gave the instructions to chop, to the person who wielded the chain saw, to the neighbours who must have heard something and noticed your view had changed, you are all responsible. I am just wondering what will happen now that the authorities have photographic evidence.

REASONABLY MINDED TREE HUGGER

Pembroke

Bold and radical ideas

February 27, 2002

Dear Sir,

Bermuda's tourism industry will continue to implode in 2002 and the “Diaspora Trail” will not be the magical elixir so desperately needed by Bermuda's tourism industry. Bermuda needs to start a private airline and deliver a round-trip ticket price of $200. As long as the present exorbitant air fares continue, tourists will continue to shun Bermuda.

The physical infrastructure of most of Bermuda's hotels is at least 50 years old. Even in hotels with high industry rankings, tiles are falling off the bathroom walls, electrical sockets have no outlet covers, the walls are covered in mildew and the general state of rooms in Bermuda's hotels is appalling.

Now, let's say you can deliver a tourist to Bermuda for the price of $200 return and you deliver a high standard of room for $200/night. Next, let's look at what passes for “service” in Bermuda's hospitality industry. “Service” in Bermuda's hotels equates to arrogant, disdainful, disinterested service. The “old generation” in Bermuda delivered a level of service unparalleled anywhere else in the world. They include people like “Cookie Rogers” who greeted people as they arrived at the Hamilton Princess and later at the Waterloo House.

There were hundreds, if not thousands of people of his exceptional ability in delivering the premium service product. However, these people comprise the old generation, not the new generation. Most young people assessing their career options in Bermuda conclude that their options are 1) a job with an exempt company and 2) the drugs economy. There are over 2,000 drug dealers in Bermuda at present, and that number grows exponentially every year.

As tourism continues to implode, greater and greater numbers of disillusioned Bermuda youth enter the drugs economy. I predict that tourism's implosion will continue, unabated and that Bermuda's drug economy problem will rapidly begin to follow the disastrous path that Jamaica has followed.

If you want a picture of what Bermuda's drug industry problem will look like in the future, log on to the English newspaper “Sunday Times” website. Look for an article published Sunday February 24th about the Jamaican drugs industry. Thirty drug gangs from Jamaica completely control cocaine distribution throughout the entire UK. One gang alone is responsible for 1700 murders in the United States. That is where Bermuda is headed.

Concepts such as the “Diaspora Trail” are another failed attempt to stop the sinking tourism industry. Your actions must be bold, radical and swift. If you fail to deliver a $200 round trip air fare between the US east coast and Bermuda, $200 a night hotel rooms, and service with a genuine smile, your tourism industry will be totally dead.

If the tourist industry cannot be revived, Bermuda must deliver another industry that will give the people of Bermuda an opportunity to make honest money and pay their bills. Your own newspaper published an article that said that 3,200 people are employed by exempt companies. If tourism cannot be revived, that figure needs to be increased to 15,000 people employed by exempt companies to stabilise the economy and the social fabric of Bermuda.

If these efforts fail, the drugs economy will explode. Crime against tourists and residents alike will continue to escalate. Exempt companies will leave. It is time to wake up and smell the coffee. More nonsensical ideas like the “Diaspora Trail” are simply the final nail in the coffin. It is a time for true leadership, with bold, radical new ideas.

OLIVER SOMMER

Sedona, Arizona

Bring back the UBP

March 18, 2002

Dear Sir,

I am tired of hearing people say that re-electing the United Bermuda Party would return the island to “oppression”, and other myths.

Has Bermuda forgotten what the UBP has done for this country? Lets look a the facts: It was the UBP that gave Bermuda free education. It was the UBP that provided infrastructure and stability, which resulted in our high-standard of living we presently enjoy.

The Progressive Labour Party has enjoyed three years of fantasy. Bermuda, you must ask yourself are you better off now then you were three years ago and secondly, what has the PLP ever done for you, besides waste the taxpayer's money, and try to force their crazy philosophies on the people.

Our Premier believes she is the greatest! Not only is she a dictator, but has set the record for most expensive in history.

Our tourism has collapsed and some are blaming the UBP for it. Wake up Bermuda! Yes, tourism started to decline under the UBP administration, but after the PLP's David Allen took the helm, tourism got really bad. If the UBP had won the 1998 election, tourism would not be in the drastic state that it is. Nothing personal to David Allen, I'm sure he's a good man but he has some bad ideas.

At the end of 1998 the PLP inherited a surplus of some twenty million dollars left over from the UBP. It took our PLP friends less than a year to burn that surplus, which resulted in what? You guessed, higher taxes for the people. Bermuda the choice is yours, re-elect the PLP to a second term, and be prepared for some bad times, and higher taxes. We the people will pay,and we will certainly pay dearly. It's time to bring back the elite group, let's bring back the good times, and a brighter future.

BERMUDIAN VOTER

Pembroke

Praise for CBA, Purvis

March 21, 2002

Dear Sir,

This morning I had the privilege of participating as a judge in the Purvis Science fair. I would like to say how impressed I was of the level of the entries from the scores of students who participated. Judges were required to interview the students about their projects and presentations.

It was wonderful to hear the students talk about the efforts they and their parents put into the experiments. One could see that parents really became involved and enjoyed working with their children. During this morning's judging, several students from Cedarbridge Academy arrived and also participated as judges. I talked to several of the CedarBridge students who were excited about the Fair and the opportunity they had in participating.

They commented on the variety and level of the experiments on display. Many stayed behind after judging to test some of the more interactive displays. It was great to watch the older students walking around with the younger ones discussing their various projects.

Principal Mrs. Bulgin and her staff at Purvis should be congratulated on a job well done. Also the students at Cedarbridge who attended should also be acknowledged. I understand that students from other schools participated as judges as well. It seems to me that all is not lost with our young people.

Teachers and parents at Purvis are seeing to it that their young ones have a bright future.

RALPH E. RICHARDSON

Director

Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute

Teach junior riders right

March 17, 2002

Dear Sir,

On Saturday March 16, I went to a Horse Show at Vesey Street. The day was apparently set aside for junior riders as they made up the bulk of the classes.

In one junior class a girl riding a very nice chestnut mare went round and round on a very lame horse. Her blatant disregard for the animal's welfare at her age was sad to see.

For those who do not understand what this means - civilised people do not ride lame horses. They diagnose the problem and treat it accordingly. Often treatment means rest - whether there is a horse show or not.

When it became obvious the girl was not going to remove her horse from the show ring, I asked the two women, Ann Cherry and Ann Sousa, in the official box to call the vet on duty. This they refused to do - perhaps they felt cruelty to animals was not my concern.

In closing, I have chosen to bring this matter to light because these young people must set an example to the ones who look up to them.

Compassion for animals should be a basic tenet to those who ride.

SANDRA OUTERBRIDGE

Paget