Get locked into our past

September 4, 2007.

Dear Sir,

Holding on to our past could stop us from improving our future what really maters is how we treat our present. Holding onto what is not ours is hurtful, harmful and dangerous. To our cause for a just and better Bermuda. We need not get locked into our past. Instead lets hold on to our future by treating our present with love and honesty and integrity this is what our beautiful Bermuda deserves.

RAYMOND RUSSELL

Pembroke

We've served Bermuda

August 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

I would firstly like to thank so many, many people for their kind comments concerning keeping horses in the City of Hamilton. Not only from the older generation but from the younger generation. So many of you have shouted out to us on the streets, and have called us at home to express their dismay at the actual thought of taking horses away from Hamilton City Centre. This has truly meant a lot to my husband and me. Especially my husband who as most of you will know has been driving a horse since he was five years old, delivering vegetables to the Farmers Market at what is now Number Six Shed.

For those people that feel my comments in The Royal Gazette were hasty when I said we would have to put our horses down, I would like to clarify some points. Firstly we spend $8,500 every five to six weeks on a container of feed and hay. This does not include sawdust for the horses to sleep on, shoeing and vet fees. It also does not include electricity for the stables and water every month.

Then there are the winter months from October to May, when there are no cruise ships in Bermuda and we only have maybe a handful of private jobs.

In the winter season we have to spend money on our stables getting them ready for licensing and insuring our carriages, completely re-doing our carriages, e.g. painting, stripping and some upholstering so that they all look fresh again ready for May.

Numerous carriage parts, too many to mention, including wheels which all have to be shipped in from the Amish Country in Pennsylvania. While at the same time our horses are still eating! This business is not like a taxi whereby when you do not work it you are not spending money on gas. Horses still have to be cared for and fed in the same manner that they are in the summer months. Which is why a lot of horse and carriage operators have opted out of this business in the past.

In the past my husband and I have given horses and ponies away to people, only to find that after several months they are being neglected in some shape of form. It has been heartbreaking for us and we are no longer prepared to go through this. However, I would say to anyone that feels our decision would be hasty to put our horses down, "put your money where your mouth is!" They can always buy a horse from us at any time. We would however like to see where the horse will be stabled! Bearing in mind that stabling a horse in a licensed stable on average costs around $800 to $1,200 which includes feed, hay, bedding and mucking out stables twice a day! I do not want anyone to think for one minute that putting our horses down would be easy for us. Horses are my husband's life!

We have served the tourist industry on Front Street for years, and hopefully will continue to do so for many more, talking to our tourists, giving them more information about Bermuda in that half-hour or hour than (as they say) they get from anyone else, while they reflect how poorly their horse and carriages are kept anywhere in the US compared to ours. How, Bermudians are so friendly compared to the other islands and how lovely the homes and gardens are kept up not only in Fairylands but through Rosemont Avenue and other areas. They also reflect on the fact that they can actually hear the horses hooves and see the starts, which in a lot of the US they cannot because of the pollution.

They love the courtesy of our trash truck gentlemen (and women) who stop the trucks when we drive past, and the container operators that stop until we safely drive by. We sincerely thank everyone for not only helping our tourists to have a great experience of a traditional Bermuda carriage ride but to experience the courtesy and friendliness that Bermudians have always shown.

On a more serious and sour note, my husband and I are deeply hurt by the pain and suffering that people suffered from the accident on Harbour Night. However we are more hurt that "Marqis Carriages", albeit Mr. Raymond Bean, could not find it in his heart to apologise to the people of Bermuda for this accident. It was a tragic accident that no carriage company would ever have wanted but a public apology to say the least should have been given. This would not have implied guilt but compassion!

DEE CHARLES

Shilo Carriages

Please return art supplies

August 22, 2007

Dear Sir,

This letter is addressed to the rotten thief that ransacked our van, parked in our driveway at home, and the car next to us on Monday morning on Fairylands Road. You tossed about all the items in the glove compartment, leaving the small change etc., and doors open and ended up stealing my well used pink "Bermuda, World Risk Capital" shoulder bag with all my watercolour art supplies!

It contained a plastic box of well squeezed tubes of various colours, a parcel of well worn brushes, that have travelled with me for years, pencils, some masking tape, etc... Not only are they well used, they have no value to anyone but me!

They represent 20 years wroth of brushes, pencils and odd colours to make up my watercolour working tools, and my choice of how I select the colours for my work, my working notes and colour guides are valuable to me. What really cheeses me off is that you will not be able to sell them as they are clearly well used and of no value to anyone but me! And therefore you will toss it all into someone's hedge... even more irritating!

To anyone who finds these supplies in their hedge... please call me at 295-2626, I would be most grateful and will be happy to paint you a painting for their return!

If you have bought these supplies... call me... if art is that important to you, that you are prepared to purchase stolen goods, I will teach you how to use them, and share what I have.

RHONDA J. EMMERSON

President

AAC Saatchi & Saatchi

City of Hamilton