A note of thanks

November 8, 2007

Dear Sir,

We are writing to use your newspaper to thank tag day volunteers, businesses and members of the public for giving so generously to our first tag day held on October 24, 2007. Our tag day was very successful.

We would like to thank the volunteers for their time spent selling tags and generally helping with the tag day. The event would not have been successful without them. We would like to thank also King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, The Market Place Supermarkets, Lindo's Family Foods and Market, Whites Supermarket, Harrington Hundreds, Miles Market, The Supermart, The Phoenix Store, HSBC Bank of Bermuda and Butterfield Bank for allowing us to sell tags on their premises to members of the public, and Appleby, XL, Bacardi, Max Re, Conyers Dill & Pearman, KPMGTAG DAY COMMITTEE

Meals on Wheels

The UBP didn't listen

November 5, 2007

Dear Sir,

Please allow me space to address a couple of things pertaining to life and politics. I have not read any of the stories on the BHC issues but would like to say that I don't know if those involved are guilty of anything as no charges were laid after the Scotland Yard's investigation. If they are guilty and they confess to God about their sins who are we to judge.

The Bible (Roman's chapter 2:1-3) said; "You therefore have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?".

Well this is something for all of us to think about not just politicians. It refers to sin and to God sin is sin and no sin is bigger than the other. Dr. Brown is the leader of this country just like the Pastor is the leader of their church, or the CEO is the leader of their company. They have a bigger responsibility and are also held more accountable because they are leaders but they are all human like all of us. They sin like all of us, but as long as we all repent and ask God for forgiveness who are we to judge. The Bible says those without sin cast the first stone. (John 8:2-11) Who knows what the UBP done all those years that they were in power? The difference being it was never brought to the lime light.

Let's talk about the next big election issue the Education System. It was during 1995-1996 when UBP was in power and they wanted to change the system from primary and high school to primary, middle and senior school. They had several meetings with the public, teachers and parents and everyone was against this mega school and wanted UBP to leave the system as it was and channel the funds allocated for the mega school into the existence schools.

The public was crying out for the schools to be upgraded and not changed. Did UBP listen to the public... No! And what happened? The system they built to fail is failing... and now they want to talk about fixing it. Please what makes you think if they get in power they will listen... they didn't listen back then. So do you honestly think they will listen now?

These are two issues that really stand out in my mind and I hope that people would really open their eyes and ears. In the end we have to realise that it is God who appoints who he wants to govern this country. Listen to your heart and...

VOTE SMART

Southampton

P.s. One last thing Mr. Dodwell if there are no tourists coming here why are you adding on to your hotel?

They have the numbers...

November 7, 2007

Dear Sir,

The petition asking for a Referendum on Independence for Bermuda, which was signed by over 1,5000 Bermudians, has been ignored by the present Premier of Bermuda, and by his predecessor.

This is outrageous, and the next Government of our Island should rectify this by approving the holding of a Referendum, and tabling the necessary Bill in our Parliament for its consideration. To do otherwise is a negation of democracy!

JOHN T. GILBERT

Paget

Why vote for Brown?

November 7, 2007

Dear Sir,

Well here we go again, more attacks on the morally bankrupt white supremacist UBP from Dr. Ewart Brown. Now I asked myself, if he was white, who in either party would cast a vote for such a man? An admitted liar and backstabber of colleagues. Now, who is dumb enough to think the UBP don't know that if they don't live up to their campaign promises. they will only get five years and never see an election win again? They know this well.

MORALITY FIRST

Hamilton Parish

A card of thanks

November 7, 2007

Dear Sir,

If you were driving along East Broadway on Friday morning, you might have seen a sky blue container on a trailer heading for the Hamilton Docks. The large banners on two sides of the container bore the logo of Rotary International and proclaimed "Bermuda to Bihar, India", "Rotary Cares Rotary Shares ".

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Jim Butterfield and Bermuda Container Line this container has been donated to Kirwin International Relief Foundation whose director is Diane Kirwin, a Bermudian who now lives abroad and works with extremely poor children in Bihar, the poorest state in India. Through the sponsorship of the Hamilton Rotary Club in partnership with the Rotary Club of Gaya and the efforts of many kind people in our island, relief supplies are being shipped to these needy children.

These children and their families belong to the lowest caste in Indian society commonly known as "the untouchables" but Diane prefers to call them "the beloved poorest". They had never been to school, had never held a crayon or a pencil until a few years ago when Diane started her first school in a cow shed and the children sat shivering on the concrete floor. Now there are four educational centres with 450 children and land has been purchased by a generous Bermuda resident on which to build a new school in 2008.

Diane returns to Bermuda each October and visits schools, churches and other organisations to speak about her work in India and show photographs. As a result BHS and Saltus students have donated quantities of school uniforms plus underwear, school supplies and toys. Victor Scott students held an India day last term when the children came to school without breakfast, sat on the floor, and ate only rice for lunch. They also had a coin drive netting an amazing amount that they donated to KIRF.

Dr. Gordon Campbell collected medical supplies, his wife Liz sewed skirts for the girls and shorts for the boys, hotels donated blankets and towels, surplus medical equipment came from the Red Cross and the Fracture Clinic, firms in town gave pencils, pens and other school supplies. St. Paul's Church in Paget allowed the container to be parked in its car park and parishioners Stephen and Carolyn Copeland worked tirelessly packing and loading hundreds of boxes.

So many people contributed to this very worthy cause that it is not possible to list them all in this space. They know who they are and we want them to know how much they are appreciated. On behalf of the children of Bodhgaya we thank you and may God bless you all.

MINGO COOK

Paget

Polluted in Pembroke

November 8, 2007

Dear Sir,

Local residents were invited to a community meeting this evening, November 8, 2007, hosted by Belco. About 60 or so turned up.

Vince Ingham wanted to present Belco's plans for the supply of electrical power to meet Bermuda's increasing demand over the next 20 years. Admirable except that Belco had already submitted their fully detailed construction plans to Government. Those plans include building a new power plant immediately across the road from Berkeley Institute, erecting three more smoke stacks and closing off Cemetery Road, a well used and convenient route for many of us.

Those in attendance were truly mixed but were united in their belief that local residents have suffered enough from living next door to the only power generation source in Bermuda. After the 2006 fire at Serpentine Road, BELCO again promoted the idea for a diversified power generation systems and suggested sites at both the East and West Ends for power generation facilities. Apparently the Government and their quangos did not agree, leaving the residents of Pembroke to face more pollution from this ill sited and potentially expanded facility as the only option Belco feel is open to them in the time they have available.

Asked if Belco could scrub the smoke stack emissions like Works & Engineering does successfully for the Tynes Bay Incinerator, we were told that the collected debris would fill 100 shipping containers every month and they would need vast areas of land. How much of that debris now falls onto our roofs and gardens, and how much is washed into our water tanks? Local residents suffer from continuous noise, odour, soot and particulate debris on our roofs and in our tanks, smoke on the higher properties and vibration at the lower and closer ones. Others expressed their concerns about air and water quality on health. Belco do help some residents, on their terms, but nothing stops the pollution.

All residents are well aware of the Nimby syndrome and the challenges that could be faced by Belco in other areas, but carefully selected sites at Morgan's Point and Southside that used the prevailing winds, would ensure that others would not be inflicted with what we have to endure continuously.

I'd like to know what the politicians of both parties will do for the people of Pembroke to ease their suffering. Not what they would think about, or talk about, or have an overseas consultant prepare a report about. What will they do for people who have suffered enough?

SMOKED OUT

Pembroke