Freedom of the Press

April 15, 2008

A copy of letter sent to the Premier of Bermuda

Dr. Ewart Brown

Honorable Dr. Brown,

On behalf of more than 1,300 print publications belonging to our organisation we are writing to express to you our deepest concern at the complaints made about your government with regard to the use of government advertising as a means to reward or punish the news media, a matter that we deplore as being contrary to freedom of the press, as enshrined in the Declaration of Chapultepec and in the Organisation of American States' Declaration of Principles of Freedom of Expression.

The IAPA understands that every government has a duty to use the resources of its citizens in the most efficient way, although we would request in such actions transparency and the employment of purely technical criteria, so that there may be no doubt that the media were being rewarded or punished by reason of their editorial policies.

Following the public announcements made by your government there has been no indication of the kind of methodology used in the placement of official advertising. In view of this, and of the fact that discrimination in the placement of that advertising severely restricts freedom of the press, we would respectfully ask you to review the action taken by your government against The Royal Gazette and other media in your country.

With the hope that freedom of the press will be observed, we remain,

Yours sincerely,

EARL MAUKER

President

Gonzalo Marroquín

Chairman, Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information

The old Bermuda

April 15, 2008

Dear Sir,

Growing up in Bermuda for me was very safe, and the love was spread amongst locals Island wide. If there was an altercation between two people some onlooker preferably an elder would step in and resolve the situation at hand. Over the years the respect level has decreased to a minus figure (below zero), and the effects are infesting the next generation (domino effect). If one doesn't know God then that individual doesn't know love.

Yes, I've made many mistakes in my life, and I'm not going to say that I haven't learnt from them. This thing with people looking to earn stripes without joining the Bermuda Regiment is ludicrous. That same negative energy (hatred for the next person) can be used to do good things within our small community. The truth (Bible) states that one should only hate evil, and that vengeance is mine said the Lord. The more cliques, and groups that are formed to occupy the neighborhood walls brings forth more separation to the community as a whole.

Being Bermudian means that your birthright allows you to travel the whole island as much times as you want…. It means a lot more, but I don't want to stray from the points I want to cover. This thing with territory is not acceptable, and shouldn't be tolerated by our community. If one looks at there family tree you'll find that almost 75 percent of Bermudians are related in some way or the other.

Don't wait until you kill one of your own family members to make a change.

DESAI M. JONES

Sandys

National Heroes Day

March 14, 2008

Dear Sir,

In my opinion, National Heroes Day should be the day after Bermuda Day. In other words, May 25. This way you're not losing anything.

Regarding the Queen's Birthday, if the British don't care about her birthday why should we?

Regarding Independence,why go that route?

ANONYMOUS

Pembroke