PLP didn't start segregation

August 20, 2007.

Dear Sir,

Mr. Shawn Crockwell, Mr. John Barritt and others of the United Bermuda Party have accused Dr. Ewart Brown and the PLP of polarising the races in Bermuda. I am not at all surprised by anything that Mr. Crockwell has to say; but as for Mr. Barritt, I expect more, and I expect better. Mr. Barritt made his accusation at a UBP meeting at Warwick when only a few blacks turned up.

I have two questions to ask; (1) Who had the races separated, or who drew the racial lines in the community up until 1959? (2) Who had the races separated, or who drew the racial lines in the community before the PLP or Dr. Brown came on the scene? It is a known fact that black people will join or participate in anything that white people start or are involved with, but it is not so the other way around.

In Bermuda, whites locate... or, where they live is according to race. Where they shop or don't shop is according to race. Where they go to school is according to race. Where they worship is according to race. How they vote is according to race. Whom they marry is according to race. Even in death, the funeral parlour of choice is according to race. I presume that in all of this, we can apply the old adage of... "Birds of a feather flock together." If that is the case, then why accuse Dr. Brown or the PLP?

Let me draw your attention to something, and let Bermuda be the judge and say if it is true or not. I was told that Cavendish Heights was once a white neighbourhood, but as blacks began to move in; whites began to move out. Can anybody verify that? Here is another one. Let us look at the present slate of UBP candidates for this coming election.

Compare it to the make-up of the UBP of the 60s, 70s and 80s. Where are all the big, powerful whites with household names? No wonder why Mr. William Cox asked a few months ago fora return of the old UBP. Coming up to election 2003, I said that the UBP was beginning to look like the PLP Now four years later, look at the UBP with a dwindling of white candidates and an increase of blacks. Isn't this another confirmation of what I am saying that when blacks move into areas formerly held by whites, that the whites more out? So... Is the PLP responsible? Is Dr. Brown responsible? Thank you Mr. Editor, I rest my case.

RENDOL JAMES

RG is a friend to animals

August 8, 2007

Dear Sir,

My husband and I just spent a week at Cambridge Beaches and noticed on the July 28 classifieds, your note to your readers and advertisers encouraging them to make sure that they check anyone's place who adopts a pet and to please remember to spay or neutered the pets. Thank you so much for caring and for taking this step to prevent animal abuse. It shows that the Royal Gazette takes its responsibility to the reputations for civility and humanness of Bermuda seriously. I comment you for professionalism and thoughtfulness. Thank you.

MARIA E. LOPEZ-OTIN

In the real world

August 23, 2007

Dear Sir,

C'mon Mr. Burgess, get your head out of the sand! Your response to Mr. Ezekiel's remarks makes it clear that, like other members of this government, you have absolutely no idea of what is going on in the real world. You ministers seem to believe that you really can fool all of the people all of the time, just by cranking up the PR machine.

Of course employers are going to use overseas subsidiaries, or outsourcing, to perform functions that used to be carried out here. The reasons are simple. It's less costly and more efficient. If you can hire a Chartered Accountant in Canada for $50/$60,000 a year, why on earth would you pay the $150,000 it would cost to employ that same person here? The math is equally simple. Equivalent salary here would be at least $100,000 (check Bank of Bermuda ads!), plus housing allowance etc. Add to that difficulties with schooling and, yes, Mr. Burgess, your hopelessly inefficient Department. So guess which any employer will choose?

Every month that goes by, both international and local companies are doing more and more of their back-office functions overseas. If you don't believe me, ask any executive whether, if they have an option, they will be bringing more senior level ex-pats to Bermuda. And the resulting jobs of more and more Bermudians, in all walks of life, are being placed at risk by your refusal even to recognise that there is a problem. Talk about delusions of grandeur!

IN THE KNOW

St. George's

Know your product

August 22, 2007.

Dear Sir,

I wish to address the article written by your reporter, Cathy Stovell, on the comments attributed to dietician, Mrs. Lynn DaPonte on August 14 concerning multivitamins. The general public should be correctly informed and educated. It would be helpful if Mrs. DaPonte could provide her references and resources upon which she based her conclusions. I would like to suggest that she read two books written by Dr. Ray Strand; "What your doctor does not know about nutrition" and "Healthy for Life". Dr. Strand used to one of many physicians who believed that taking vitamins did nothing but produce expensive urine until his wife was cured of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by taking vitamins and supplements after all the efforts of traditional medicine had failed.

Major health issues affecting the Western civilisation include Obesity, Diabetes, Hypertension, Cardiovascular disease, High Cholesterol and certain types of cancer; all of which can be attributed to unhealthy lifestyles. A significant component of this inadequate or improper nutrition. So, if everybody is getting adequate nutrition then why are those problems so prevalent?

Multiple vitamins are important as well as other supplements. There are many companies marketing their products, but the public should be aware that this industry is not regulated by the FDA — but this is about to change. Meantime you should be aware that what a company says is in the bottle is not necessarily in the bottle — therefore, know your product.

So your urine can be expensive if you are consuming an inferior product. With regard to Minimum Daily Requirement (MDR), that is not etched and it has been found that is not necessarily optimal and we require more than the stated MDR. So Multiple vitamins and other supplements are important in promoting a healthy lifestyle.

BURTON BUTTERFIELD, M.D.

We all make mistakes

August 17, 2007.

Dear Sir,

There is an obvious burr under Laverne Furbert's saddle and she should get off her high horse and walk in Mr. Crockwell's shoes for awhile.

He has proved, like all of us, Ms. Furbert, that we have all made mistakes, learn from them and move on to prove that we are truly sorry and to make amends is what Mr. Crockwell is doing with great success.

You seem to be stuck in that vitriolic rut where you won't let healing take place, sadly, this rut seems to infect too many people like yourself.

Mr. Crockwell is a fine young man, he is courageously trying hard to make amends and should be commended.

You Ms Furbert, have hoisted yourself on your own pitard by the last paragraph in your letter to the R.G. August 16 and I quote "I too agree with Abraham Lincoln's statement — "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt!" Dwell on that Ms Furbert!

DIANA WILLIAMS

Pembroke

Care for the horses

August 20, 2007

Dear Sir,

I find Ms Dee Charles' rantings about how her business is being singled out and being treated "unfairly" absurd and borderline juvenile. While public safety should always be paramount, Ms Charles has missed the point. Public outcry against horse and carriage rides in Hamilton and St. George's is for the safety and health of the horses.

Her business has been built on the sweat and blood of these majestic animals. Her threats of euthanizing her horses is she can't continue to make them work in the deadly summer heat and deafening noise in Hamilton and St. George's is a clear indication of what she cares most about and it's not the horses!

MARIA WHITTLE

St. George's

For a safe Grand Slam

August 16, 2007.

Dear Sir,

I would like to take this opportunity to commend our Premier the Hon. Dr. Ewart Brown for his success in getting the PGA Grand Slam Of Golf to be played in Bermuda which was an enormous task which I am sure many would agree.

No doubt, barring any unforeseen circumstances, this event will attract many thousands of international visitors to our shores which will be a boon to our hotels, guest houses, restaurants, retail store operators, taxi operators and cycle shop operators.

With such a huge influx of potential visitors coming to Bermuda, my greatest concern is for their safety and for Bermuda's image as a safe place to visit since our image has been tarnished once again by the Canadian news media who have advised their citizens to steer clear of the historic town of St. George because of the criminal acts against a few of their citizens in the old town not too long ago.

My hope is that all aspects of stringent security arrangement are currently being discussed on how to protect our visitors, period, against Bermuda's criminal element who no doubt are rubbing their hands in gelee at the prospects of so many potential victims.

My advice to the powers that be is:

1) for this event, the Bermuda Reserve Constabulary should be mobilised in full to aid the Bermuda Police Serviced.

2) the Police Motor Cycle Squad should be up and down Bermuda's highways to curb and prevent criminals who ride by on fast bikes and snatch belongings from the cycle baskets of visitors and locals alike.

3) Bermuda's hotels and guest houses need to be more vigilant and protect their high paying guests from would be burglars.

4) Cycle shop operators should advise visitors who hire their cycles on how best to secure their belongings in their cycle baskets and keep money, credit cards and other valuables on them and not in a bag that could possibly be snatched from their cycle basket.

I hope the security suggestions mentioned in this letter will be seriously considered and not dismissed as coming from some paranoid crack pot.

Wishing Bermuda ll the best for a successful PGA Grand Slam Of Golf.

A. ANDERSON