What a saga and song

September 20, 2007

Dear Sir,

With apologies to Blake:

Tiger says he just can't come

To this land of sun and fun

Michael took the tiger by the paw

That was just the final straw

Ewart took this as a real affront

Paula said it was an evil stunt

Premier premier we know 'twas you

Who wooed the boy of golden hue

Elsewhere on the serious earth

Life is sad and lacking mirth

On the rock we have it right

As we wage this silly fight

Over tees and starting times

While we're facing serious crimes

What a saga and what a song

Of the game of golf gone wrong.

BREAD AND CIRCUSES

City of Hamilton

It boils down to sabotage

September 20, 2007

Dear Sir,

New topic for the second rated radio station HOTT 107.5 (considering Ms Thang first started with Power 95 (I believe so), how did this other station suddenly become No. 1? Did both stations have a clash and HOTT 107.5 won?

What does qlq mean?

1. The individuals can't spell (they meant to put down unfortunately 'plp' and goofed up).

2. As Thaao mentioned: Quoting Love Quotations (also he mentioned about Tiger and Mid-Ocean Golf Club in the past, what's that all about?)

3. Quietly Left with Questions (considering Tiger could've still come even if he still chose not to play. I'm just guessing here).

4. It boils down to sabotage regardless of what was put down (probably No Tiger, No Tournament, simple).

BEATS ME

Pembroke

Put all on term limits

September 21, 2007

Dear Sir,

Your headline about the Premier stating "Expats to pair up with locals", made interesting reading. My question is what local young qualified people will be paired up with Dr. Maynard Howe, Dr. Nikolai Tankovich, Alex Kharazi, Derk J. Howe, Eugene Baranov, Harris Brotman and Tim Brown in the Stemedica clinic and will the above named be allowed to work in Bermuda for three years only? Bermudians must be given the opportunity to learn from these highly qualified men.

ANTONY SIESE

City of Hamilton

No name games

September 30, 2007

Dear Sir,

Has anyone else noticed how our country is rapidly being renamed by our new Premier and the current government? A community field, Royal Naval Field is now the Warren Simmons Field. A school, Spice Valley, is now TN Tatem Middle School. The airport, Bermuda International Airport, is now the LF Wade International Airport. Bermuda Day – Heroes Day?

I just hope we get ample notice before the parishes start getting renamed so I have time to write all my friends and family overseas to let them know my change of address! I am sure having parishes with names of British connections/descent is not good for our AmericanBermudian leader's image. Isn't that what is happening?

I thought that was one of the charms of Bermuda for the American visitor – our British heritage?

I take pride in our British heritage... and according to my history lessons in school it was the British that first unintentionally landed and settled Bermuda. No, Dr. Brown, they weren't Americans yet.

Let's just hope that Mr. Fernando's family don't find out about our "Spanish Rock" and start making their claims to our island. We would have to be renamed "Little San Juan" (an American island of Spanish descent!) ... or perhaps a better name for our country would be Brownville?

God forbid we consider Independence because I am sure the reality is we will be sold out by our American leader to his friends across the sea so we can become the next US state – or is that what everyone in Bermuda wants and I just missed that article in the paper?

As a Bermudian of mixed nationality descent, just like the rest of this whole island!, I always struggled with a nationality identity problem. We were called American by our British relatives, called British by Americans, called a tourist by locals and assumed to be an expat by visitors. I have an accent that has been labelled English, Scottish, Irish, American, Canadian, South African, Dutch etc ... I have started telling people "It's mid-Atlantic". In the American way of labelling, I am a Saban-Caribbean- English/Scottish/unknown sixth generation Bermudian.

We are a culture of many nationalities. Let's accept that. Changing the names of places and holidays is not going to create national pride ... just national confusion. How many of us still call the three-day event in April the Ag Show?

Sorry ... the Naval Field is where they practice cricket and gombey practice in Somerset and where the boys hang on the wall. And my calendar still says Bermuda Day ... and even when the officially change it's name ... guess what? It will still be know as May 24th! Sometimes change isn't all it is cut out to be ...

Cultural Heritage is taking pride in what we have and where we come from. If you want to honour people who are of significance in our more recent history, then create new events and new places to celebrate them – don't erase the past just to make room for the new ideas. ... that is disrespecting those who made those decisions. Thank you for allowing me to share my concerns.

BERMUDIAN, FOR NOW

Sandys

Time to take stock

September 24, 2007

Dear Sir,

Quo Fata Ferunt: Only YOU know! Take a minute of time and go to this link www.storyarts.org/library/aesops/stories/boy.html

Have a read, and then ponder these thoughts and/or answer these questions for yourself. Reme, the Country you are in while you are doing this:

In your daily life, do you feel threatened by other countrymen due to their/your skin colour? Can anyone take, from you, something you don't have?

Can someone give you, something that isn't theirs? Ever REALLY thought about what YOU want to do with yourself?

DOLLY

Southampton

P.s. I didn't know where I'd end up, but at the time I thought, what the heck, it's the chief talking or, to be more current: Be careful what you wish for, you may already have it!

Comparison is valid

September 20, 2007

Dear Sir,

I was disgusted when I opened the newspapers on 19 September and turned to my favourite page (Letters to the Editor) and saw a long letter from Makai Dickerson who suggested that Mr. Dunkley was glad Mr. Crockwell was killed and that Mr. Dunkley is ignorant for making a comparison between the silence of those who know his killers to that of silence by the government to political scandals. I see the comparison and believe it is a fair one.

Why should killers be accountable when the government that demands accountability refuses to be held accountable for its own actions? Why should any of us have any hope in the justice system in this country when it failed to even question the Main Man? Why should we trust the Police when they spend more time searching for the leakers of the BHC report than effectively investigating the perpetrators or corrupt practices? Why should we trust the PLP when crime keeps rising? I am out of trust for this government and I am switching my vote to support Mr. Dunkley.

The letter writer also pokes fun at the slogan "The Milkman Delivers" — but I heard something very funny today — "The Milkman Delivers whilst the Premier simply milks us!" Think about that!

TRAVON TROTT

Devonshire

Good government

September 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

Today's Royal Gazette headlines... "Fed-up reinsurers prepare to take flight" – and "work permit and political concerns reportedly to blame."

The article is about the possibility of Bermuda losing the $64 billion reinsurance sector due to reported corruption, the difficulty in obtaining work permits and the determination to push for independence.

All of this reminded me of our visit to Siena, Italy a year or so ago .... "Over six hundred years ago on two of the walls of the city hall of Siena, the artist Ambrogio Lorenzetti painted a pair of great frescoes: One represented "Good Government," the other "Bad Government."

The scene in "Good Government" is similar to the pictures in Richard Scarry's children's book entailed Busy Busy World. It shows a city where every house is neat, every garden is full of fruit and flowers, and everyone is doing something useful. Signs of order and prosperity are everywhere.

In "Bad Government," by contrast, people are arguing and fighting, the houses are neglected, and the crops are struggling against weeds.

It is as good a visual illustration as any, of what people all over the world, mean by good and bad.

The problem in our community, is that we have difficulty understanding what is 'good' or 'bad'.

I think the newspaper article is suggesting our leaders have to be mindful of the power that was entrusted in them by the voter and that if they go astray there will be terrible consequences to the island's well-being.

W. A. (TOPPY) COWEN

Southampton

Problems, problems ...

September 25, 2007

Dear Sir,

Please allow me to state some more problems that needs attention.

1) All street signs need a coat of paint or replacement.

2) No stop signs on parts of the Railway Trail or they are broken.

3) Faded signs on Roadways need a coat of paint: — Give Way stop signs, Pedestrian crossings etc.

4) Road drains need cleaning regularly.

5) White Hill Field needs help.

6) So many cars with dark tinted windows.

7) Bus shelter on Old Military Road — Knock it down. Come on Bermuda!

ANOTHER SENIOR

Sandys

More exercise needed

September 24, 2007

Dear Sir,

I write in response to Michael Dunkley's call for more sports in schools, which can only be applauded. It would be difficult to disagree for the necessity of an increase in physical activity in our schools, but also of course in our homes.

Childhood (and adult) obesity within Bermuda is an enormous public health issue, and no one intervention will solve it, but rather it requires an attack from all sides, schools being just one of the potential solvers.

The main aim of a school should surely be to encourage children to become healthy adults. Healthy from both a physical, educational, social and emotional point of view. It is for this reason that I firmly believe that schools need to vastly change their current emphasis which is highly academic and refocus on the need to encourage children to play, play, play.

I am not convinced that the school day should be increased. I think that this is once again passing the buck to teachers who have plenty of work to do as it is and do it very well. However, I do believe that the practise of extending the school day into the home with copious amounts of homework needs to be discouraged. Children are starting homework at earlier and earlier ages. Parents are spending countless hours encouraging kids to sit down! This is crazy behaviour when they have sat down most the day at school. They need exercise and lots of it.

Homework is starting as early as age 4. Is there any evidence that this improves academic performance by the age of 12? In Norway they do not even start school until age 7, and yet their reading and math skills are equivalent by the age of 12. We are pushing and pushing our children to achieve academic excellence to the detriment of their physical well being. There is little point in having a smart job in a smart company if you are in hospital having suffered a heart attack by the age of 35.

It is time that we started prioritising exercise in kids. It starts with the family, it continues with the school. An easy way to start would be to increase the number of recesses, including at least one in the afternoon. Another help would be to vastly decrease the homework expectation. After school programmes should prioritise physical acitivity and outdoor play.

As parents we need to actively limit the amount of time our children spend on computers (even doing homework), phones, play stations and TV watching. We even drive our kids to further sedentary pastimes like Spanish lessons or music lessons!

Let's not extend the school day for fear of it becoming further academics. Lets just have a jolly good time messing about, chasing balls, climbing trees, playing impromptu soccer with the neighbours without the mantle of homework hanging over us. Let's bring childhood back and it's one step forward towards tackling obesity.

My four year old started school this year. She came home and said "Do you know what we do at school mummy?" "We mostly sit down at our tables". She said it all!

HOMEWORKED OUT

Southampton

Women taking the lead

September 18, 2007

Dear Sir,

Men have misapplied their position as the ones to take the lead for too long, and now we complain because women have had to take charge of certain things out of self-preservation because of the lack of crucial qualities in some males.

As a result, we have a Government that will crush any woman who even appears to 'step out of line'. They even bypass government legislature that is supposedly in place to protect its citizens and not devastate them.

RAYMOND RUSSELL

Pembroke