Measuring true value

January 17, 2008

Dear Sir,

Cost of new office space added to City Hall: $700,000

Cost of preserving the arts and the programmes that nurture them, in the heart of our island community, at a place of prominence, in the BSoA Gallery at City Hall: Priceless.

CHERIE AMOS SIKKING

Fond memories of gallery

January 18, 2008

Dear Sir,

My family lived in Bermuda for seven wonderful years, we have been back in the US for three years now. I still follow news in Bermuda through the Gazette on line and friends. I was shocked and saddened to read of the the plans to "evict" the BSoA – what a sad day for Bermuda,

While in Bermuda we delighted in the range of exhibitions – from schools to local professionals. When on behalf of the Jewish Community of Bermuda I sought a venue for the Anne Frank exhibition, combined with a local art exhibition on the theme of "Tolerance". Peter Lapsley and the BSoA met our needs with grace and elegance and facilitated this important educational exhibit to Bermuda, While the exhibit ran, I cried and learned with Bermudians, tourists, an expats – all the while extolling the wonders of Bermuda – and the BSoA – located in the heart of Hamilton in the beautiful City Hall Building (also thank you to Mayor Mapp for your hospitality).

Please do not remove the beauty of the BSOA from City Hall – it is a magnet for education and a credit to the unique character of Bermuda. There are many spaces that work for "office space" – but not so many that can showcase Bermuda's love for the arts.

RANDI CUNNINGHAM

USA

City Hall and Art Centre

January 14, 2008

This was sent to Mayor of Hamilton, Sutherland Madeiros and copied to The Royal Gazette.

Dear Mr. Madeiros,

I am one of the thousands of Bermudians horrified by your plan to oust the Bermuda Society of Arts from their premises at City Hall.

We all realise the importance of office space, but I cannot believe that you would allow the need for desks, computers and filing cabinets to desecrate the people's gallery, a space custom built for the purpose of promoting art for the benefit of all Bermudians.

I note that the estimated cost of an extension for office space at City Hall is between $600,000 and $700,000, a mere drop in the bucket compared to the annual income of the Corporation of Hamilton. It is time to get the priorities in place, and realise that the Society of Art is what the City Hall is all about; doesn't it say in big letters "City Hall and Art Centre"?

I very much fear that if you allow this to happen on your watch you will never live it down, and your good reputation will suffer for it. You will be remembered for this one criminal act, and I hope that you will use your considerable influence to make sure that you do not go down in history as the man who destroyed the Society of Art in Bermuda.

BARONESS ELIZABETH RABEN-LEVETZAU

Paget

Case for transparency

January 19, 2008

Dear Sir,

The public outcry over the Corporation of Hamilton's decision to "evict" the BSoA has been considerable and some of our top politicians have been quick to jump all over the Corporation. I personally doubt that they ever intended to force the BSoA to move but it does bring up the question of secrecy (Dame Jennifer Smith) and legislation (Dale Butler).

I agree that Corporation meetings should be open to the public but let us not stop there. All meetings should be open to the public and I suggest that everyone should read the recommendations of the Voters Rights Association and as of today the 'Right to Know', as seen in this paper and commendably supported by Alex Scott.

We probably have the least accountable Government in the world. Transparency and accountability were some of the key parts of the UBP platform prior to the election but we now know that there is still a significant portion of the electorate that is more concerned with the past than it is with the future and that the issues were secondary.

The PLP have made absolutely no efforts to increase accountability within government, in fact they have done the opposite, yet some of their prominent MPs are suggesting that The Corporation of Hamilton should be more open and transparent and that legislation may be required to achieve it.

Bring it on for one and all.

ALAN GAMBLE

City of Hamilton