Time to stand upJuly 13, 2006Dear Sir,I am currently living in New York and deal with the reporting of violence in the media on a daily basis. However, in recent weeks I am horrified to read in my local Bermudian paper, that there have been three separate incidents involving firearms. More importantly, that people have been shot at, and in some cases, actually seriously injured. What is happening to our island?! Bermuda is a small place. Everyone is connected to everyone through some form or another.

For that reason I don’t believe for an instant that someone doesn’t know who these people are with the weapons. I urge them to come forward, if not only to protect yourself from having a deadly weapon in your household, but to protect all the sons and daughters of your fellow Bermudians. We need someone to stand up and accept the responsibility of taking these weapons out of the hands of those who are so determined to inflict harm. We are a small community, one that we should all cherish because we are all unique to call this paradise home. But these few thugs are going to ruin it all for us.

We do not need to become another Jamaica (who has experienced an exorbitant amounts of violence and murders in the past few years). We are Bermuda! We need to protect each other, not kill each other.

YOUR FELLOW BERMUDIAN

Southampton <$>

Get priorities rightJuly 13, 2006Dear Sir,After reading today’s paper I’m left a little annoyed. I’m left to wonder what is wrong with this picture. Last Wednesday, Rui Medeiros was viciously assaulted outside of Docksiders Bar and the whole thing seems to have been downplayed.

He was attacked a week ago and only in the last day or so have the police called for witnesses to come forward. Sunday, and amphibian was allegedly mistreated in bar and two days later the same police force is calling for witnesses so they can press charges for something that may or may not have happened to an animal. I am the first person to say no animal should be mistreated. However lets get our priorities right. I would hope a human’s life is still more valuable than any animal’s.

Maybe some of this “zeal” to bringing the alleged “beer pouring frog abusers” to justice should be put into finding the “animals” who have put another human being in the hospital! Just a thought!

AN OUTRAGED BERMUDIAN

PagetService with a smile July 11, 2006Dear Sir,My family recently had the pleasure of dealing with a number of businesses on Court Street, and feel compelled to share our experiences.

The first was Zakis Bakery — who we all know makes the best pound cake on the island. I ordered two round, iced cakes and when I went to collect them, just 48 hours later, was overwhelmed with the beautiful work they had done, icing these cakes. I seriously don’t think any master baker on the island could have done a better job.

The next was the Jamaican Grill. Food was ordered for a wedding celebration, which was delivered spot on time, and set up without any fuss, while the wedding preparations went on around them. It goes without saying that the food was delicious, and the first time many of the guests had tasted most of these dishes-but definitely not the last.

After the wedding, the empty dishes were collected (there were certainly no leftovers), and the Jamaican Grill did a follow up call to make sure that everything went according to plan. What service!

Since then we have used the Jamaican Grill again — this time for an evening picnic, and I can’t begin to describe the taste of that Jerk Chicken, fish, and peas & rice. Again — it was the first time for some of our guests, but not the last.

Our other Court Street experience was with the Caribbean Food Mart. We stopped by to pick up a case of our favourite Jamaican soft drink, Ting — to complete the island eating experience and mix with Gosling’s Gold to make delicious ‘Bling Tings’. Again we were confronted with staff who were more than happy to help us.

Watch out Front Street. This is what you call service with a smile.

Thank you all. We will be back!

DAVID AND LYNNE HOLMES

Smith’s Parish<$>I was well cared forJuly 18, 2006Dear Sir,I am writing to praise the doctors and staff of the wound care department at the King Edward hospital. Although I have practised pharmacy in Bermuda for 25 years, I was not aware of the excellent facilities in that small corner of the hospital and the competent people who work there until this spring when I became a patient myself. Wound care is a complex, often long-term process and I was continually impressed by the positive outlook of the nurses, who went out of their way to explain every step of the treatment.

As well attending the hospital regularly, I was also visited at home every day for many weeks by one of the nurses who comprise the “home care wound team”. I can’t say enough about Taiwo George and her team of Lorna, Tanya and Cynthia!

I have a busy life and they worked with my schedule to ensure that the best outcome was achieved for my situation. They also provided me with a wealth of information and other support during a difficult time. Now that I am well, I would like to thank everyone concerned with my treatment for a job well done!

LYNANNE BOLTON, BSc.Pharm.(Dal.)

Warwick<$>

Feeling singled outJuly 10, 2006Dear Sir,As a small time importer from Asia, I have an attitude towards Big Brother next door. The US Homeland Security Department feel that Bermuda is the perfect location for terrorist activity. What they do is search “random” shipping containers coming into their ports. No problem there.

How is it that they single out so many of ours? And they do! Totally disproportionate to the rest of the incoming containers, the containers coming to Bermuda who touch down on their soil are liable to X-Ray or complete stripping and searching. For being so blessed with a search of the goods we are also charged for it!

Now understand they may only be sitting on the dock for a day or more ... they are still in US territory. So tell my why do they disproportionately search our containers? The US Consulate here has no answers. No one does, its all about homeland security.

What a farce. Look for just a millisecond at Mexico! Enough said there. Maybe they are making us pay for some bad shipment to one of their forefathers 200 years ago, or maybe they are so sure that stuff we are importing to sell to them anyway must be bad for their people. Who knows?

Big Brother USA knows everything ... good luck in War Mongering is all I can say,

HOMELAND INSECURE

Southampton

Pay teachers moreJune 29, 2006Dear Sir,In my opinion,the old Berkeley site shouldn’t be destroyed.It should be turned into another secondary school and the Ministry of Education could add in, their own new school uniform(preferbly brown/royal blue) since CedarBridge is unfortunately super massive to be able to house so many students and still,assume every student will be on top in academics (after the sports article regarding young cricketers failing to make the grade it’ll be wise to think about adding another school).

The money that the ministers feel should go towards themselves in increase should go towards the teachers as well as any extra teachers who wouldn’t mind teaching at the new school. Greed won’t help those students come September if teachers don’t get their fair wage. Only being reasonable and recognising that education is important and these teachers deserve a decent pay will.

Again I say make something useful like a new secondary school from the old Berkeley Institute site.Don’t turn it into a deserted museum.

SAVE BERKELEY

Pembroke