Knowing the way around

February 10, 2009

Dear Sir,

When one hears that the ambulance driver called to an emergency, as in the case of the Palmer fiasco "had no idea where Leafy Way was", it becomes obvious that all ambulance drivers should have a monthly update of roads, lanes and houses to eliminate the wasted time looking for the address and save lives.

London cabbies cannot get their licences until they have passed a vigorous test of the geographic location in which they serve.

To read what must have been a harrowing experience for the family and for the driver, is nothing short of heartbreaking, and one's thoughts and prayers go out to the grieving family.

So let us hope that Mr. Palmer has not died in vain, that he has shown us we can rectify the system, at far too high a cost of course, but that is often the way lessons are learned. That this can never happen again.

DIANA WILLIAMS

Pembroke

Disbelief at $100m

March 1, 2009

Dear Sir,

I write to you with disbelief and disappointment. How can our leaders see fit to spend $100 million on foreign consultants?

This money leaves Bermuda's economy and may not return. How can our leaders justify giving Mr. Hall a pay increase of $81,000 per annum? What does he do to earn this vast sum?

Why not allocate the lion's share of the above mentioned funds towards the following:

a) Improving the public educational system;

b) Increasing the number of affordable housing units;

c) Increasing pension funds for the elderly;

d) Increasing the budget for the Police service (it seems drugs are openly sold on every street corner);

e) Improving our hospital facility;

f) Improving our roads;

g) Improving our marketing strategy with regard to tourism; and

h) Anything else that will improve the well-being of every citizen of Bermuda.

I hope our duly elected leaders will see the wisdom of discontinuing the unaccountable wasteful spending of the people's money.

EX-PLP SUPPORTER

Warwick

Vetting immigration

March 4, 2009

Dear Sir,

On March 3, 2009, Sen. David Burch addressed Bermuda's Jamaican community at the BUI regarding the intention of his Department to more closely scrutinise visa applications arising from seemingly suspect marriages, predominantly between Bermudian women and young Jamaican men. He pointed to the fact that many Bermudian women visit Jamaica and after a short stay on the Island return home to Bermuda married to men they cannot reasonably presume to know well. Whether these are in fact marriages of convenience or fleeting affairs of the heart, the marriages often break down shortly after the partner arrives to reside in Bermuda, resulting in frequent complaints and requests for the Department of Immigration to intervene to force a resolution.

Sen. Burch alluded to the imprudence of anyone, let alone Government, intervening in the personal relationships between romantically involved man and wife who maybe off today and on tomorrow. However, in his capacity as Minister in charge of immigration he has the obligation to act in such manner to preserve the integrity of the Island's immigration system with a particular view of protecting the best interest of the Bermudian taxpayers. I personally would like to take this opportunity to again thank Sen. Burch for taking time out from his busy schedule to add clarity to an issue that before his address involved various wild speculations. I am sure most reasonable thinking individuals in attendance were generally satisfied with Sen. Burch's responses.

However I would have been even more so had Sen. Burch provided greater details outlining the specific criteria by which visa applications arising from these seemingly suspect marriages will be evaluated. This is assuming that there is to be some objective systematic measures to be used in differentiating bona-fide well-intended marriages from those undertaken to circumvent the integrity of Bermuda immigration laws.

Sen. Burch further underlined the basis of his call to action by providing statistics pointing to the disproportion of Jamaicans involved in criminal convictions, imprisonment and resultant deportation among foreign nationals and the high associated costs to the Bermudian tax payers.

While I believe closer pre-entry screening of visa applicants is a good initial step to weed out potential criminal elements before they can enter the Island, I am concerned that in the absence of clearly defined objective evaluation criteria and such system may be at risk of subjective administrative abuses. I further do not believe the measure of more closely screening per-entry visa applications, in of itself, is sufficiently far reaching in addressing the subversive elements already residing among us in Bermuda destroying the very fabric of the Bermuda we know and love.

It would have been equally refreshing had Sen. Burch addressed his plan for tracking down and removing the negative elements within our community that are involved in criminal activities and/or in contravention to immigration laws.

I do not pretend to speak for all Jamaicans but I am sure that decent, law abiding Jamaicans working hard and contributing positively to the economic and social fibre of Bermudian life would all agree with my support for Sen. Burch's efforts in addressing those among us that reflect the worst and undermines our ongoing contributions.

JAMAICAN

Hamilton Parish

It's like Cape Canaveral

March 2, 2009

Dear Sir,

When I enter the City of Hamilton from East Broadway I think that I'm back in Florida, and visiting Cape Canaveral witnessing a space launch. How could our planning authority give permission to have a building like John Swan's "rocket launcher" be placed in the entrance of our city limits? It's not the Bermudian architecture that we preach about, that makes Bermuda so unique, that I know. But like they say "Bermuda is another world", it sure is!

THE WISE OLD OWL

Paget

P.s. It will be interesting to see what a category four hurricane will do with it.

Board overlooks parents

March 9 2009

Dear Sir,

Re: the article on March 9, 2009 on the appointment of the new Board of Education refers. It is notable that government has chosen to appoint two persons who have demonstrated a lack of commitment to the public school system as chair and deputy chair of this board. Other significant membership reflects the interests of the professionals associated with the public school system: central office administrators, principals and teachers. There is mention of representatives of the schools, I assume they represent the schools as organisations. Where is the representation of the clients – namely the parents? Are their interests non-existent or unimportant? This sounds like a hospital that is concerned about the insurance companies, the doctors and the nurses but is not concerned about the patients.

DR. J.T. CHRISTOPHER

Warwick

Editor's Note: Dr. Christopher is a former Chief Education Officer.

Thanks to KEMH staff

March 1, 2009

Dear Sir,

On February 17, 2009 I had outpatient surgery at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and I would like to express my thanks to all personnel I encountered on that date. From check-in at the Emergency Department, to Surgery Outpatients check-in and pre/post surgery outpatients room, to travel to and from diagnostic imaging and time in diagnostic imagining, to pre- and post-operating room, to operating room nurse, anaesthetist and surgeon I encountered nothing but efficiency, professionalism and courtesy. I must not forget the person who rang me within 24 hours of my discharge to check that all was well. I am afraid I do not recall the names of all those who assisted me and offered words of encouragement during the hours of 7.30 a.m. to approximately 2 p.m. and therefore I will just say thank you to everyone rather than include just a few names. I am sure many appreciate the care they receive at KEMH but, at times, it seems that all we hear in the media are negative comments and I wished to express my appreciation to everyone for not only being efficient but also for being considerate.

MARION SEARSON

Pembroke

Commiserating

March 11, 2009

Dear Sir,

Butterfield Bank's stock has tanked and what have the directors done to make it attractive to purchasers and promote liquidity? They've cut the dividend! That cut the share price from a five plus year low by another 15 percent. This is beyond ridiculous. I've been on the boards of several public companies and our first priority was always to the shareholders. As a customer and a shareholder I commiserate with my fellow shareholders.

R WHITING

Paget