Hector wonders if under-fire Sen. David Burch is aware of the effect he had on silencing a bunch of political critics — just by walking into the room.

A group of Bermudians who were not at last Friday’s ‘Rally for Democracy’ decided to speak about the Human Rights Act Amendment issue while waiting in line at the Bank of Bermuda on Church Street.

One woman informed the other waiting customers about how the politicians were put “under pressure” from people at the rally. She then went on to express her disgust at the way Renée Webb’s bill was not properly debated, and said she was a supporter of the legislation.

“I mean it’s up to the individual,” she said. “They can’t decide for us. The one man that’s important don’t like what they are doing but he still loves them. We should love them too.”

At this point the line broke into a loud series of “Amens”. Another man began to talk about how the politicians have “no balls” until another member of the public said “Zip it, look”. The entire line turned to see Sen. Burch walk into the building and the discussion ended very abruptly. Hector is pleased that the Premier <$>has been making sure his pronunciation is spot-on - but wondered how his valiant efforts made it into print.

In a full page advert in Wednesday’s Royal Gazette, he reproduced his recent keynote address to the Sustainable Development Environment Conference in full — complete with phonetic spellings of those tricky foreign names.

Hector is sure that Ashok Khosla (Ash-Kok Cos-la) <$>of Development Alternatives, who works with India’s rural poor, and physicist Fritjof Capra (Frit-jov Cap-rah)<$> will be glad to hear our leader made such an effort not to mis-pronounce their monikers. If only those who edited his speech for publication had such the same level of diligence.

And while Hector knows all about throwing stones while living in a glass house — make that a skyscraper — he can’t help wondering if it was the same proof reader who sent out a Department of Communication and Information press release this week about the stricken “Norwegian <$>Crown cruise liner?With World Cup excitement reaching boiling point across the globe, getting your hands on a ticket for any of the games in Germany at this late hour is about as likely as the tournament ending with a Switzerland verses Tunisia final. So when a very ticketless Hector — already preparing himself for long, arduous sessions watching the big screen in MR Onions — read an interview with former boxing champ Henry Cooper<$>, a glimmer of hope appeared on the horizon.

“A month before the World Cup finals in 1966, I went on holiday to Bermuda,” Sir Henry told The Sunday Times at the weekend. “While having lunch, a gentleman from the Bermuda Olympic committee offered me a pair of tickets for six matches at Wembley.

“I nearly bit his hand off. I paid the full price of the tickets and went to all the matches.”

The ex prize-fighter added: “I was there in the stands when the boys (England) did the business in the final. As a boxer, I didn’t go potty with the drink but we had a few to celebrate.

“It was a great day.”

Any Olympic Committee members with six World Cup tickets going spare this year, can contact Hector on 295-5881.