Time to share it out

September 14, 2007

Dear Sir,

It was with great excitement that I read Laverne Furbert's letter to the editor in Friday's paper. In it she states, and I quote "in the year 2007, I'm even getting a little bit of that (economic) pie " and proceeds to thank the Hon. Dr. Ewart Brown and the Hon. Paula Cox for her new found fame and fortune.

Mrs. Furbert, I would like to congratulate you on your ability to tap into that pie which has been out of reach to most Bermudians for so long under, first, the UBP and now the PLP. You have demonstrated perfectly that only by keeping your nose to the grindstone can one achieve financial success. Now, since you are well aware of what it's like to be without, perhaps you would be so kind as to 'share the wealth' with the majority of us who are still struggling.

OUTSIDE THE CURRENT OLIGARCHY

P.s. Brother Col. Burch is not going to be pleased that you called into question the rights of those who were not elected into anything.

It's lunacy

September 20, 2007

Dear Sir,

I can't believe another study on the plight of the young Black male is being commissioned. Sometimes I wonder what our Ministers do Tuesday mornings. The topic could have come up in any millions of ways but which bright spark suggested that the problem needed another study?

I mean come on. I'm not an Ivy League Sociologist but it doesn't take one to see what the problems are. Bermudians write about them every day. Bermudians call the talk shows and debate them every day. Bermudian columnists dissect the factors leading to the behaviours every week.

How many studies have been commissioned in the past ten years? Twenty years? Sometimes I wonder if its me that's not getting it. Did we pay $50K for what appears to have been a useless study two years ago? If so I want my money back. So we're going to spend $200K for some brainiac to tell us what most Bermudians already know. Does the Cabinet not know?

David Burch has the guts to say what it is. What the $200K can be used for is skipping the 'why' part and getting to the 'what now' part. That's what this country needs although the 'what now' is pretty obvious; We need a change in values.

We need to media broadside on the youth to combat the negative messages they receive thousands of times and hundreds of ways each day. Let's spend the money on that. Let's use the Govt. TV channel for that. Let's take BET off-air. Let's put up posters promoting positive behaviours at football games, sports venues, gas stations, bus stops, buses, dancehalls and wherever the youth congregate. Put them everywhere the youth hang out but most of all, let's try to set an example. Vendors: Think about what you're selling to our youth.

Why is a business owned by a Black man (or any person for that matter!) selling 'Don Diva' magazines which are solely dedicated to promoting gangsta lifestyles? Can you imagine? Its lunacy! If a white man was selling Don Diva magazines we'd being calling him a racist! We Bermudians are the answer. Save the $200K...

R. Trew