Longing for change

February 4, 2010

Dear Sir,

What we perceive, whether rightly or wrongly, pretty much dictates the way we believe things to be; and the way we perceive things to be, are due to what we have observed and or heard going on around us. Perception is a powerful and convincing thing. What our senses perceive, or even think they perceive, causes us to believe or disbelieve. Due to what I, a PLP supporter, has seen and heard during the time the PLP has been the Government, particularly during the tenure of the current leader Dr. Brown, my perception of this present Government is not good.

I perceive that this PLP Government does not have my best interest at heart, that they are out for themselves, they are not interested in what I think and that they put party before people. My perception of this Government is that it is not working for the good of Bermuda as a whole under the current leadership. Therefore I cannot support it and I long for change. I am not so blind that I can't see past black and white, to what is simply wrong and not right. PLP Government, do not underestimate the power of perception. On behalf of the many PLP supporters I have spoken with, do not take our vote for granted. It is not a sure thing.

SANDYS PARISH

Concerned at shooting

February 5, 2010

Dear Sir,

I was horrified to read of the shooting that happened near St. Joseph's Church, in Somerset. My husband and I have been coming to Bermuda for nearly 20 years and have vacationed the past eight years at Cambridge Beaches. We enjoy the safety of Bermudian roads and paths and hope that this event was just an aberration and not something we need to be fearful of in the future while strolling through Somerset and its environs.

MICHELE M. PETRI

Neptune, NJ. USA

We don't need gambling

February 1, 2010

Dear Sir,

It was a great relief to read that there is finally indisputable proof that it is not our visitors who want to bring gambling to Bermuda (Tourists Give Casino Idea the Thumbs Down — The Royal Gazette January 28, 2010). We who work face to face with higher quality visitors on a daily basis have known this all along. The most valuable visitors are the repeat visitors who come by air as regular guests in the hotels and guesthouses. They do not hunt Expedia for specials, they do not come for a few extra days after business, they do not come with groups or on subsidised specials. They work hard, they make good money, they want a relaxing vacation. We who serve them and know them by face or even by name have always known that they come because they enjoy being in Bermuda as it is, with Bermudians. They are not here in spite of the fact that we have no 'hot' nightlife and no casinos, they are here because we are the kind of place which does not have those things. And, by the way, Michael Dunkley's surprise at this is sad proof of how out-of-touch he is with tourism.

If you want to know who really is pushing the issue of gambling, just follow the money: a few powerful people at the top — who are friends of the exact people we do not wish to have on the Island (The gambling 'partners' who will really run things); a few large hotels and developer types (including WEDCO as well as the soon to be created City-of-Hamilton Development Corp. who will own and operate the public-private partnership development on the new Hamilton Waterfront) and the St. George Development Corp. (which will have to be formed to 'rescue' the bankrupted Corporation of St. George and will oversee the Mega Pier and Waterfront project in the east end) who will clearly be lined up to run their own casinos and — oh yes — a shady lawyer or two. Take away those people and there would not be anyone worth worrying about left to support gambling.

Waving the Tourism flag over this campaign to try to give it some kind of legitimacy was always the most obvious kind of red herring. Now that it is debunked let's see what other lies will be offered up to make the Green Paper say what they want. Then lets see how our representatives vote.

NEW DECK

Hamilton