Lesson for the youth

February 6, 2008

Dear Sir,

After listening to Mr. Chris Furbert's harangue ad nauseum on HOTT 107.5 this morning, and reading in the daily newspaper the bad precedent set in Mr. Dwayne Pearman's new Marine and Ports job, may I pose two questions.

1. Now that we know that it's OK to be intoxicated on a job ( be it from beer or spiked ovaltine) where the public is at risk, and the union will congratulate us by threatening industrial action if we're fired; and since "zero tolerance" is a laughable cliché in our daily articulations, will the bus drivers and taxi drivers have the same "privilege" that's been extended to the ferry drivers?

2. Will this precedent be extended to any of our ferry workers, bus drivers or taxi drivers if the substance of the moment is not booze, but marijuana, cocaine etc., and will the union threaten industrial action in those situations too?

We then have the temerity to wonder why some of our youth don't give a "hoot" when we publicly teach them that's it's acceptable to break the law on our jobs, and not to worry about any consequences. No job will be lost, even if it means bringing the Island to its knees in the process.

DISGUSTED

St. David's

'Drunk' defined

February 6, 2008

Dear Sir,

Please allow me a few brief moments to state how shocked I was when I read the comments stated by Mr. Chris Furbert as published by The Royal Gazette under the title "'Tonic wine' will be moved to alcohol aisles" on February 6. Mr. Furbert was quoted as follows:

"The union's position is the man was not drunk.

"He might have been under the influence but he was not drunk. If someone is drunk they can't stand up."

I would suggest that Mr. Furbert takes a moment to research the true definition of the word "drunk". As quoted from the Oxford English Dictionary on-line, the word "drunk" is defined as follows:

• adjective, affected by alcohol to the extent of losing control of one's faculties or behaviour.

• noun, a person who is drunk or who habitually drinks to excess.

Just because Mr. Pearman was still standing does not, by any definition, mean that he was not drunk. To place an example that can be easily viewed by Mr. Furbert if he needs visual confirmation, go to Front Street between 2.30 a.m. and 3.30 a.m. on a Saturday night and I am quite sure he will be able to find a large number of drunk individuals who are quite capable of still standing.

The fact that Mr. Furbert is the President of the BIU and does not fully understand that one's mental capabilities are affected generally before any physical signs can be seen once a few alcoholic beverages are consumed has me a bit disturbed. I pray that Mr. Furbert is a person who abstains from consuming any form of alcoholic beverage, otherwise he may look the fool if he get's pulled over by the Police saying, "But officer! I can still stand up!"

STILL STANDING

Hamilton Parish

Open letter to BIU

February 5, 2008

Dear Sir,

This is an open letter to Chris Furbert and the Bermuda Industrial Union:

Dear Mr. Furbert,

May I first preface this letter by saying that I am a firm believer in a person being given another chance if he or she makes any mistakes in life. No one is perfect, and those who thrive on being judgmental I say "he who is without sin let him cast the first stone".

With that being said, I must also agree that with mistakes, comes accountability and certainly consequences, which can include but not be limited to loss of privileges of jobs, assets, sometimes family, depending on the magnitude of the situation.

Mr. Furbert, BIU members, I have on a number of occasions taken the Rockaway Ferry to and from Hamilton, and have remarked to several members of the public how this was really a good, sound idea and investment in having this service. We have all read and heard on the news about the situation of Mr. Dwayne Pearman, pilot, and I am sure that, given his admission, he feels remorse for what took place, and I go back to my earlier comment in this letter that along with mistakes come consequences.

When I as a passenger think about the fact that this occurrence happened on a boat that I have travelled on, my children, and grandchildren have been on, you cannot, Mr. Furbert, blame me for feeling absolute horror at the thought that my life and the lives of others could possibly be jeopardised because you demand reinstatement.

Would you, Mr. Furbert and the BIU "Generals" still take this stance if there had been a person who suffered a heart attack or possibly a death or deaths as a result of Mr. Pearman's indiscretions? Have you, Mr. Furbert and BIU "Generals" taken Mr. Pearman to task for what he did? If you didn't, was it because, perchance, none of your relatives were on the boat when it happened? If you did, then why are you now planning to hold the entire Island at ransom for something that was wrong?

If you are going to penalise the public transport users, then for God's sake have a palatable reason for doing so other than to congratulate a drunken pilot for taking the lives of many people on his watch and placing them in what could have been a deadly situation.

How can any member of the public feel safe sir, if you and your generals are saying that it is alright to flout the law by drinking on the job while manning a public vehicle?

What lesson in accountability are you and your generals giving our young sons and daughters, when they see from your actions that it is acceptable to blatantly exercise irresponsible behaviour in a public setting, and to heck with how the people feel, because our great union will always have our backs, whether we are right or as wrong as two left feet.

What deterrent, Mr. Furbert and generals, do you have in place, to keep this from happening again, that you can be so ready to bring industrial action in a wrongdoing?

You may argue sir that a similar situation happened a few months ago and the other union was able to get the individual reinstated. That may be so; I do not have much information on that.

I will say, however, that if that individual was drunk as Mr. Pearman and he was reinstated as a pilot, then that union is as selfish, and non-caring of the public as this union is portraying itself.

Further, as far as I know, the other union did not ask, nor did it threaten to penalise the public who depend on the buses and ferries, by taking industrial action.

I live in St. David's. There are numerous hard working individuals who stand the risk of being stranded and not being able to get to their jobs either by ferry or bus, because a man was too drunk on his job and you and your generals are patting him on his back by keeping us from our jobs. That is selfish, destructive, manipulative and divisive, with innocent families caught in the crossfire.

Mr. Pearman made a huge mistake, we all make mistakes, however, even in dealing in mercy, Mr. Pearman could be placed in another department where, the lives of many people would not be in jeopardy, should Mr. Pearman's drinking again rear its ugly head.

GROUNDED

St. David's

Facts can't be ignored

February 1, 2008

Dear Sir,

When the employees of Marine & Ports decided to 'demonstrate' on Friday morning in support of their former co-worker I hope they thought about the message they were sending to the children and all other residents of this Island.

Ferries are used by many of the Island's students. These students look up to the pilots and the other crew members. How do parents explain the 'demonstration' on Friday morning, when the ferry didn't show up to take them to school? Parents are trying to teach their children responsibility and accountability, but these actions send the opposite message.

Some of the employees will claim this was an isolated event and that the individual is a 'good person'. The facts can't be ignored. This individual thought it was acceptable to drive a multi-million dollar ferry, with 60 passengers on board, while drinking excessively. How can you tell school children that you shouldn't be held accountable for this?!

DISAPPOINTED FERRY USER

St. George's

Putting lives in danger

February 6, 2008

Dear Sir,

As I looked at the front page this morning I was disgusted to read that the drunken ferry pilot had been offered another job.

Only in Bermuda can you put people's lives in danger and expect to be offered another job.

What type of message is this sending to other public vehicle operators?

I support the decision which was made in dismissing the pilot. I am appalled that the BIU even considered reinstating the ferry operator in another position. I thought the BIU was there to speak for those who have been treated wrongfully. No wrongdoing was done in my opinion.

In no other establishment can you put people's lives in danger and not expect any repercussions for your actions.

I guess that song is right: Bermuda IS another world – Our drunken ferrymen and all. You've got to love our Island in the sun.

APPALLED

Southampton

Editor's Note: For the avoidance of doubt, the following letter is satirical.

Striking resemblance

February 4, 2008

Dear Sir,

Joe Stickler, a chartered accountant in Bermuda was recently fired for embezzling $800,000 from his company. I am calling upon all accountants Islandwide to walk out of their jobs on Thursday to protest this unfair dismissal!

We will hold this strike on Joe's behalf until he is reinstated to his former position with full back pay, and a case of scotch whisky.

MIND-BOGGLED

Hamilton Parish