Firm as weeds among rocks

February 8th, 2007

Dear Sir,

This letter is not going to sit well with some. The last few weeks it has been very difficult to not go down and stand on Front or Court Street and scream, to those that may wish to listen, “BERMUDA WAKE UP” Are we all so illiterate that no one can read, or is it that no one cares? The millions of political ‘feel good’ dollars being lavished upon cricket and football while our public education system is in shambles boggles any sane mind.

The numbers speak for themselves. Graduation rates are appalling. Standards are undoubtedly being lowered to improve these horrendous statistics. Students are being expelled and pulled from schools. Violent crime is spiralling out of control. What do we do? Government throws money at sports in which we simply cannot compete on the world stage. We are now condemned to depression in every section of the newspaper. It should be clear to everyone what we need to fix first before all is lost.

Education is failing abysmally, beautiful new facilities do not a school make. We need to direct education resources towards accountability. Enforce meaningful discipline in the schools, help teachers to do their vital work. If we need better teachers on our shores , then bring them here. Education cures myriad social ills, and the most pressing of these on our little island is racial prejudice and our intolerance of one another.

The 19th century author and educator Charlotte Bronte, whose life was a tragedy in its own right, has poignant words for us to ponder; “Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilised by education; they grow there, firm as weeds among rocks.” Dr. Brown, please please please give education (not sports) your full focus, otherwise we are doomed.

RICHARD COX

Devonshire<$>

Don’t play with kid’s lives

January 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

The article in your Royal Gazette last Monday on Childwatch and Mr. Eddie Fisher was excellent, and could well hold solutions to many ills we face today with our children/youth. As a female within the field of education, I find it inconceivable that any parent would spend time, effort and money in a vindictive effort to prevent the other parent from the vital role of raising the child they share.

It prompts the question to mainly Mothers. Do you love your child less than you hate the Father? As to Mr. Fisher, we owe him a debt. I understand having lost his son to a tonsillectomy he was a founder member of Health Watch, he worked to improve our health care system and fought for a Bill of Rights.

Having lost involvement with his daughters he has formed a group to enable all children to by raised by both mom and dad . Why he, and Childwatch members would receive anything other than encouragement and support is bizarre. Stand by this man, and Childwatch if you desire Bermuda not to venture further down that slippery slope. Children require the love and guidance of both parents, lets not play with young lives any longer.

G. HERRERA

Don’t bad mouth reservists

February 7, 2007

Dear Sir,

In relation to the present dispute over conscription to the Bermuda Regiment, and the availability of exemptions by serving in St. John Ambulance Brigade or Bermuda Reserve Police. During my service in the Bermuda Police and more latterly the (then) Bermuda Reserve Constabulary,(now Bermuda Reserve Police) I recall numerous instances of persons availing themselves of those options, and then failing to attend duty periods required.

As Executive Officer of the Reserves(1981 — 1986), I was involved in requiring the resignations of several persons who had chosen Reserve Police over military service, for lack of attendance to parades and lectures. As mandated these persons were brought to the attention of Administrator of the Defence Department, and “in no short order” received orders to report to the Bermuda Regiment for their three years service. In one case, as I recall, the person despite having been in the Police reserves for 18 months, when called to Warwick Camp was obliged to serve their full three years.

In today’s Royal Gazette (February 7) letter “And we say we have pride” the writer mentions objectors not serving the community in these (or any other) capacity. It may well be their excuse that for reasons of lack of educational qualifications or court convictions they are not acceptable to either of these alternative methods of serving their community but this is no excuse for the current ‘bad-mouthing’ of the Bermuda Regiment, who together with the St. John Ambulance and the Reserve Police contribute many hours of valuable assistance to the betterment of Bermuda both in time of tranquillity and emergency at much cost to their own personal and professional lives, and when others are ‘safe in bed’ they are out on the front line doing their civic and community duty.

Less belligerence and more community responsibility would make this island home of ours a better place for us all, and demonstrate to the world that Bermuda is living up to claims made as indeed a caring and forward looking example of 21st century responsibility.

GEORGE D.D. (DEREK) FLETCHER

Warwick