An appalling development

January 2, 2007

Dear Sir,

I am truly appalled by the details revealed in your 29th December 2006 newspaper of the proposed Southland hotel development. It is criminal that this Government is going to allow this monstrosity to be built on virgin land, using Special Development Orders and overturning Section 34 covenants. If this does occur, this Government will go down in history as the Government which tried to destroy the Botanical Gardens, but failed, yet succeeded in destroying 37 acres of virgin land elsewhere.

This beautiful piece of land, that supports innumerable birds, Warwick lizards, chameleons and beneficial insects will be swept away to be replaced by a ten-storey staff quarters, three five-storey resort buildings on the oceanside, five-storey buildings to the north along with other buildings to house the proposed three ballrooms, exotic spa, nightclub, business centre, bars and restaurants to accommodate the 400 planned guests and 400 business centre, bars and restaurants to accommodate the 400 planned guest and 400 guest suite owners. Not only are we selling our last vestiges of open space to foreigners, we are again allowing hotels to build residential units for foreigners to purchase. Yet we, as Bermudians, have had our rights restricted to sell our properties to foreigners! Non-Bermudians and hotel companies will be allowed to sell to foreigners but Bermudians cannot? It looks like this Government favours big business over its own people?

One educated guess on who will service all these new guest visitors? Foreigners, who will have to be brought in to work, not only in this proposed development, but for the Atlantic/Golden Hind development in Warwick and the proposed Ritz Carlton development in Hamilton. We do not have enough Bermudians to service the industries now! During this Government's tenure, work permits have increased from 5,000 to over 11,000 per annum. How many more guest workers will be needed for these new hotels thus creating more housing and traffic issues for residents? Big business is buying Bermuda and this government is allowing it to happen. The Southlands development is not needed and will cause great damage to the environment. Bermudians need to stand up and fight for the precious open space that is left on this crowded, little Island. If not, we will have nothing but concrete structures to leave to our grandchildren.

BOB MASTERS

Paget

Consequences to pay

January 2, 2006

Dear Sir,

Do you think that the recent increase in violence in bars here is a result of marijuana (the safest recreational drug) being so difficult to find over the past couple of months...? Plus, it is so expensive now, at over $50 per gram, that we can't afford to buy it any more. The dealers are so greedy. The rest of the time we're drinkin' and bustin' butt in the bars instead of mellowing out at home smokin' a "J". There are consequences to pay when weed is in short supply. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to switch to dope (heroin) which is

always available. Doesn't make much sense does it...?

STREET WISE

Sandys Parish

A note of thanks

January 2, 2007

Dear Sir,

Re: gifts of a Partnership! Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bermuda wishes to take this opportunity to wholeheartedly thank SWISS RE CAPITAL for the allocation once again, of $50 per child to purchase books as Christmas gifts for our 150 Matched and Unmatched Littles. The books were presented to our Littles during our annual Christmas Appreciation Luncheon held at the Hamilton Princess Hotel. Much to our surprise, as we were thanking the Company representative for this kind donation of the books, we ere presented with an additional cheque of $4,973.05. This gift of a partnership is truly welcomed, as this is the same Year that SWISS RE CAPITAL has offered this donation to BBBS in an effort to promote literacy and reading, among our Littles.

The partnership with The Bermuda Bookstore, whose staff worked timelessly/wirelessly with our organisation to select, wrap and deliver the books to our Annual Christmas Party was also greatly appreciated. The Big Brother Big Sister programme is a multifaceted mentoring programme for Bermuda's youth. When companies step out and partner with us in the way that Swiss Re and The Bermuda Bookstore have done, we are assured that they can appreciate that the benefits of a mentoring programme far exceed the costs. The books received from Swiss Re are truly treasured gifts for our Littles. They will be benefited by these gems for many years to come.

ESME WILLIAMS

Executive Director

Kudos to Fiona

January 2, 2006

Dear Sir,

I'm a doula in London, I'm also a HypnoBirthing teacher. I've just come across Fiona Dill's "ten things everyone should know before giving birth" and I have to say she is brilliant! Believe this woman, everyone! Trust her! She is totally wise. All power to you, Fiona! You have summed up in ten points what it normally takes me 12 and a half hours of teaching to get across to first time parents.

SARAH JOHNSON

London, England<$>

Stop hiding Dr. Brown

December 28, 2006

Dear Sir,

Last evening I was listening to the Premier grovelling for excuses for his absolutely unacceptable behaviour in the House. The Premier has absolutely no excuse to use Dr. Gibbons' mention of the Premier's wife's name (Wanda) in a perfectly sound reasoned question about alleged impropriety in order to lash out with childish aggression, spewing hate and venom at Dr. Gibbons. The Premier is trying desperately to find an excuse and has found one by hiding behind his wife's skirt. Not uncommon behaviour in matriarchal societies.

The Premier, despite hiding behind his wife's skirt, has yet to really answer this justified relevant questions: Why did his wife Wanda's charity not have to register with the Charities Commission (or whatever it is called). Why all of a sudden does the Premier, speaking on behalf of his wife, think he is above the law? Anyway ... with government as it is ... don't you think it's about time the Premier understood, and advised his lemmings of the same, that he is answerable to the public .... not just the mirror, Col. Burch or Wanda. So come clean Mr. Premier ... you have an obligation and a responsibility to be truthful to we the people.

SALVATORE

City of Hamilton

Separate Ford & Hussein

January 2, 2007

Dear Sir,

I wish to refer to you page 6 of the December 30, 2006 Royal Gazette. I am astonished and appalled that

The Royal Gazette would not have taken more consideration and thought as to the placing of the article written on Gerald R. Ford. How on earth could you place this fine man on the same page as Saddam Hussein. What were you thinking, or weren't you? Out of respect for Gerald R. Ford and what he has done for Bermuda during his presidency, The Royal Gazette should have placed the article as far away from Saddam Hussein's article as possible. To place him any where near this horrendous man was both an insult to Gerald R. Ford and bad manners on your part. In Honour of Gerald R. Ford who supported Bermuda

FLATTS

Editor's Note: This was one of those occasions when two quite different stores both deserved front page billing.

What if...?

January 2, 2007

Dear Sir,

Could anybody answer me this question: "What would have been the consequences if the chef at Elbow Beach had been a Bermudian?"

L.L.

Pembroke

Set example on College

January 2, 2007

Dear Sir,

Setting a good and proper example is one policy which should always be practised by learning institutions such as Schools and colleges. If the above is true and correct, the PLP Government have a heaven-sent chance to show the students of Bermuda that the PLP Government supports and stands for seeing that the public's prestigious centre of learning, The Bermuda College, is run in a first-class and just manner in accordance with the law. This position if taken and acted upon by the PLP Government would be a great "lesson" for our Bermudian young people! Ask your MP/Member of Parliament how he feels about setting a good and proper example for our young people and what he is going to do about it!

WILLIAM LUSHER

Pembroke

Where is the outrage?

December 27, 2006

Dear Sir,

Where is the outrage at the Mugabe-esque action taken against the Chef who was guilty of nothing other than bad taste? Where are the human rights advocates who should be waving banners outside the office of the unelected Chief of Staff, who seems to have designated himself Judge and Jury in the case? Where is the Union who's previous leader went to great lengths to declare they represented all workers on the Island? (Oh yes, I forgot, He's Minister of Immigration who's henchmen frog marched said Chef to the aircraft steps). Where is the sense of humour of all concerned? Where is their sense of perspective? The reactions were more akin to a South American or Eastern European dictatorship than a western democracy that espouses rights for all its residents. Is that the direction we are being led?

COLUMBA

Smith's Parish

No police in Hamilton

December 21, 2006

Dear Sir,

Why is it that you can never find a policeman on the streets of Hamilton and then when it is the season of "Goodwill to all men" there are two on every street corner... during the day! They make the traffic lines even longer... surely they could be better used.

NORTHERN SOUL

Smiths Parish

Who is legally responsible?

December 19, 2006

Dear Sir,

While Housing Minister Sen. David Burch admits that the squatters at Club Med hotel and dormitories are trespassing and will not be made to leave because they have nowhere to go and Government has nowhere to put them, I pose this question to him and the Government and hope they give this more thought than they gave to the Anchorage Housing project (by adding more bells and whistles to the apartments thus putting them above the bracket of affordable housing). Who will be legally responsible should someone fall off the building or down steps and breaks a leg or should die, if a fire in the building should cause injury or loss of life?

I think that whatever happens in a building that is owned by Government and the people in that building are allowed to stay without having legal documents to show responsibility, then the owner (Government) will be held responsible. Will someone tell me who will be legally responsible? The answer may speed up affordable housing.

GERALD BEAN

Paget