Disturbed by BCC

November 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

We now have seen the true intent of the PLP Government all along regarding the Bermuda Cement Company debacle. The lease "negotiations", the supposed last minute "reprieves" and statements by government saying that BCC was being unreasonable were clearly all a smoke screen designed to bring the company to an end and nationalise the same – and this three weeks before an election when the government should be in caretaker mode!

The Premier's statement that "the issue over cement supply reached a critical point in this country because a former Government provided BCC with an environment that permitted it to hold the country at ransom – do business with us Bermuda or go without cement" is misleading (what can one expect).

What was to stop any other businessman starting a bulk cement business? Will the new operator (who has probably been in the shadows for some time) dismantle the silos and build at another location as was apparently demanded of BCC by the Bermuda Government? Will this supposed action in the "people's interest" change anything? Is it indicative of things to come under another PLP government?

Bermudians should be very disturbed at this latest turn of events.

MICHAEL M. FAHY

Smith's Parish

Spread the wealth

November 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

I have been reading lately of the ongoing dispute between the BCC and Wedco and how the government is now riding to the rescue.

I am very pleased to hear that there will be no disruption in the sale of cement. After all it is part of the lifeblood of our economy.

I think government is to be commended for their efforts.

The Premier wants to install an interim operator for less than 90 days and then sell off the company to some new entrepreneurs but keep 20 percent back for the public to purchase.

My worry is that in both the old and new ownership structure the country could be held to ransom. Why should we think that the new owners will be any better than the previous ones? They might drive the cost of cement even higher!

I suggest that the Bermuda government buy the company, install the proposed operator and then proceed with all speed to build the new storage facility. When that's done they should knock down the silos so that Wedco can get on with their plans for Dockyard.

Bermuda is experiencing a boom right now and I think we could afford to do this.

When all is complete I think that all the shares in the company should be evenly distributed to every Bermudian who is on the voters list. This would truly spread the wealth and give every Bermudian voter an economic stake in the future of our island.

Think of it as a Christmas present from the Government to the People.

Albie Sodergren

Hamilton Parish

Stop the name-calling

November 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

Please, please can we have a stop to all the cronyism, self-aggrandisement and childish name-calling, and get on with the business of running the country responsibly, like grownups?

JEAN HANNANT

Pembroke

I felt the love

November 26, 2007

Dear Sir,

In recent times we have heard much of what is seen to divide Bermudians, politically, racially and socially. There is no doubt that we have far to go in these areas.

At the same time however let us not fail to recognise how far we have come. Let us seek out those things that bring us together while we look to resolve the issues that divide us.

On several balmy nights at the National Stadium and a couple of sunny afternoons at the Mid Ocean Golf Course, in October the people of Bermuda, black and white, rich and poor, working class and white collar executive, local and expat, resident and tourist came together as one with a mutual love for music and sport. Anyone attending these two events should have come away recognizing the potential that we have to heal our differences and to share our common interests.

At the beginning of August, sport and music also brought the people of Bermuda together at Cup Match and the Collie Budz open air concert.

Dr. King had "a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood".

Whilst we have a way to go, we have seen what can be achieved and anyone attending these events "felt the love".

WENDELL HOLLIS

Devonshire

Biased reporting

November 13, 2007

Dear Sir,

I am beginning to wonder if I've missed the advertisement in your paper where The Royal Gazette is offering rewards to those persons in the community who steal confidential Government files.

I find it surprising that a newspaper that continues to hammer home to Bermudians that members of the PLP Government are unethical would use the information that was included in a stolen file as the source of a front page story, especially in light of the fact the Minister responsible has reported to the Police that a file had been stolen form his office.

I'm sure that most Bermudians, like me, are wondering if the "Son of the Soil" and his accomplices have been at work again. It is not hard for me and some others to figure out how the "Son of the Soil" got access to the BHC stolen files, and I'm now wondering if he has friends who work in the Ministry of Finance, and/or other Government ministries. If that is so, readers of The Royal Gazette should expect more front page stories using stolen government files as the source.

Recently there was a guest column written in the Antigua Sun in which the author, Rawlston Pompey wrote about "the struggle between law enforcement agencies and the media in determining what information should, or should not be disseminated to public appears to be problematic."

There are two paragraphs in Mr. Pompey's article that should be of extreme interest to readers of The Royal Gazette and its sister paper, the Mid-Ocean News. They are as follows:

"There is no doubt, that matters of public interest, including incidents affecting or likely to affect public morality, health, order, safety, crime and violence, and in particular, police behaviour always make good news. It is not enough for media personnel, (publisher, editor, reporter or journalist) to say that the information disseminated to the public, was obtained from a reliable source or it was published in the interest of the public.

"Every publisher, editor, journalist or reporter knows that before "publishing a story in which a person might claim to be defamed, it is proper journalistic practice to confront the individual concerned and see his or her reaction to the allegation." (Law and the Media) The initial reaction of the person confronted, is usually to work out what may be done to bring public closure to the matter. Ignoring this professional practice often resulted in lengthy and costly court proceedings for defamatory or libelous publication."

On more than one occasion, you as the editor of The Royal Gazette, have claimed that you are not biased to the Opposition United Bermuda Party. In fact in your editorial on Thursday, November 8, 2007 you wrote "With the very real risk that Premier Ewart Brown will add this editorial to his dossier of evidence that this newspaper is biased towards the United Bermuda Party, it must be said that at first glance the Opposition's "mini-platform" contains a lot of good ideas."

I wholeheartedly agree with Dr. Brown's assertion that your newspaper is biased towards the United Bermuda Party. The headline stories in that same paper (Thursday, November 8, 2007) were as follows: "UK says it's concerned about lack of stem cell regulations" and "Brown is a liability, say insiders".

In today's Royal Gazette, you have chosen to headline the following articles on your front page "Officials called for rewrite of 'embarrassing' hospital report"; "China summit cost $75,000" and "Cooper: Poor have lost ground since 2000". I must note that you did include something positive about the Mirrors Programme, an initiative of the Progressive Labour Government. If you do not describe the aforementioned as biased reporting please tell us what you do consider as biased reporting.

I wonder if I paid a visit to the Opposition Leader's Office and came across a file marked private and confidential that contained information that was damning to the United Bermuda Party if you would use the information as the source of a front page story. I think not.

I'm sure that you and Tim Hodgson think like Phillip Wells, one of the limeys living in Bermuda, when he wrote the following comment on his first blog after taking a break for several months ". . . I can attempt to influence public opinion through my writing, and I feel that I have an obligation to do so. At least if the current government is returned to office I will be able to say that I did my best to prevent it."

LAVERNE FURBERT

Hamilton Parish

Editor's Note: As a writer for the Workers' Voice, Ms Furbert should know that journalists do not dictate when and how news occurs. By singling out one front page, she ignored positive coverage that this newspaper gave to the PLP on previous and subsequent front pages. This included the story two issues earlier headlined: "PLP poll shows Govt. ahead". On November 15, we had a front page story headlined "Paula Cox says Dr. Brown's standing is strong in PLP" and on November 16, the main picture on the front page was of the Premier unveiling plans for the Club Med golf course. Thus, on three of the four days when there was heavy political coverage in the week surrounding November 13, there were stories that could be said to be favourable to the PLP.

In reference to Mr. Wells, Ms Furbert again should know that opinion in a newspaper, as opposed to a blog, is restricted to the editorial column.

This newspaper will continue to report the news as fairly and accurately as it can, regardless of the obstacles put it in its way.

Clinics are unnecessary

November 26, 2007

Dear Sir,

We have heard for some time now about the necessity of having satellite clinics at the East and West Ends, and, tonight on the TV news there was a report of a new clinic at Southside which will be open 24/7.

One of the Parliamentary hopefuls stated that the East End can be cut off and it was a necessary development. In the last 47 years, the causeway has been breached once by Hurricane Fabian, and, it was at that time that some lives were lost. I do not remember any casualties during hurricane time during the past 47 years with the exception of Fabian.

Both political parties are pushing for clinics at both ends of the island. Forty years ago we had a volunteer Fire Department and now we have fully trained firefighters who are not only capable of extinguishing fires but have been trained to cut those idiots out of their cars when they have been travelling too fast, and are also trained EMTs. There are now full time fireman at both ends of the island as well as those stationed in Hamilton. To show the expertise developed by the Fire Service, a friend of mine called 911 from Somerset when his wife was having a stroke or something similar and the Port Royal crew were at his house within five minutes. Having stabilised the patient, they met the ambulance coming from KEMH and the matter ended satisfactorily.

Not only will these satellite clinics have to have a full-time doctor, a full time nurse, a full- time lab technician, not to mention an administrator and cleaning staff. None of those people will be working 24 hours a day so I guess we are looking at three doctors, three nurses, three lab technicians and thankfully, only one administrator. So costs are going up because that will be doubled by the time another clinic is opened up at the West end. What will be the cost aside from the building and equipment costs? Does anyone have any common sense on this Island? We are 22 miles long and at the outside, it only takes half an hour from one end to KEMH.

Having just returned from the UK, I had reports that the Emergency Departments are likely to be closed between Brighton, Worthing and Chichester, which means that any accident victims or other emergencies will have to travel a considerably greater distance than 20 to 30 miles.

Why are both parties spending money just because it is there? We have a hospital which services a 65,000 population, far superior to any similar community in the Americas or Europe. KEMH has its failings, as does any other hospital and we have to realise that it is not a teaching hospital and therefore will not have the expertise which exists in much larger communities.

However, we do have the facility of an air ambulance which can get a patient to such expertise in about two hours. I would like to see another air ambulance, which may cost a few million dollars but it would be at a considerably lower cost than some of the fantasy dreams of our politicians.

One political hopeful stated that Bermudians expect the best and want the best, which is all very good but one has to cut one's suit according to the cloth. Let us get some sanity back into the decisions being made and away from all of the political rhetoric which we are being bombarded with from both parties.

As one politician said, "We had to mislead you": Come clean you political wannabes and only promise what you can deliver!

ANTONY SIESE

City of Hamilton

Teach economics

November 25, 2007

Dear Sir,

I refer to the letter published on November 24 and written by "A Concerned Teen", who apparently attends Saltus Grammar School.

May I suggest he go to the school's Administration office and ask the Headmaster to what extent International Business has supported his school in particular, so that he has had the opportunity to get a reasonable education. I think he will be enlightened.

Thank the UBP for promoting International Business to help support Tourism, the other leg of our economy. It was a smart move, and has provided more opportunities for Bermudians than you can count.

Finally, can I suggest Saltus implement an economics course as soon as possible for such students.

WARWICK VOTER

Mysterious letter

November 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

Had the recent e-mail purported to be sent by Dr. Brown to the PLP membership been received with praise instead of criticism, do you still think they would be saying that he didn't write it?

Just wondering,

RAISSA DAVIDSON

Southampton