Pushed to the brink

March 1, 2010

Dear Sir,

Thank you Royal Gazette for finally pushing me to the brink. I have now arrived at the point where I can openly and unapologetically say that, in my opinion, this Government will be the ruination of this-once decent country! I have been feeling tortured by your constant reporting of the many, many instances of mismanagement of the public purse, and by the knowledge that there isn't a blasted thing I can do about it! The story of the relatively paltry amount (by this Government's standards) that it will cost this country to run the 'empty-until-about-a-week-ago' office in Washington DC was the straw that broke the camel's back.

In my opinion each and every member of this government, along with each and every supporter of this government (who are the only people able to expose the truth) are to be held up as co-conspirators in allowing the abuses of power to continue. Those closest to the problems are the only ones who can do something about it! Full stop! All I can say now is, God help this country!

KIM SMITH

Pembroke

Ban tinted shields

March 1, 2010

Dear Sir,

Congratulations are due to the House for passing the latest "defence", against "the hooligans" that seem to have many by the "short and curlies". May I also suggest that the "Hon. Members" also consider banning the tinted shields that are accessories attached to many crash helmets. It's impossible to make a positive I.D. on anyone who had been or is suspected of committing any crime/s if they'd worn a tinted crash helmet in the course of robbing someone etc.

RAYMOND RAY

St. George's

Nothing less than theft

Marsh 1, 2010

Dear Sir,

I am still trying to absorb this Budget and what it means for my business. I would like to relate something that has been bothering me for a while.

Recently I was in the Social Insurance Dept, sorting out an error on my billing. At the next window was a young man, on a work permit, working for a local company. He had come in to reclaim his Social insurance as his contract had finished and he was leaving. Apparently, his employer, although deducting the Social insurance amount from this man's pay cheque, hadn't even registered him, so there was nothing for this man to claim back.

The solution offered by the clerk? Go and ask his boss for it. Needless to say, the man didn't really see this as an option, and said: "Well, it doesn't matter, it's only a few hundred bucks."

I and the next person in line were both quite taken aback, and said "No, it's theft."

It is theft from the Social Insurance Department. It is theft from that man.

It is theft from me, because I am sure my annual rates go up to cover such shortfalls, not just the cost of living. Why would this not be pursued by the Department? The law states that we all have to pay it. Surely this is a criminal matter?

This man was one of several guest workers who worked for this company, so heaven only knows how much the employer is stealing, as I'm sure he/she is still doing it.

I am sure this is not an isolated case.

I do not understand why all Government departments involved in payroll and work permits cannot communicate. How hard would it be to track the following:

¦ Issue work permit

¦ Record their arrival at airport

¦ Notify Payroll tax and Social Insurance and maybe even HIP that these people are working, and for whom.

At least then they can check that the number of people paying payroll tax and Social insurance is the same for each company. I am sure someone can explain why this is not done...

DIZZY

St. George's

Hospital was excellent

This was copied to David Hill, chief executive officer of the Bermuda Hospitals Board.

March 2, 2010

Dear Sir,

Recently my husband and I had several procedures performed at the KEMH as surgical outpatients.

I appreciate this opportunity thorough your columns to publicly thank the surgeons and anaesthetists as well as the staff in the Pre- and Post-Operative Area, the Operating Room, and the Recovery Room. All who attended us in those areas were efficient and friendly, and carried out their duties with professionalism and attentiveness.

We are very fortunate to have a hospital in our community that continually strives for higher standards, and it is a pleasure to say thank you to those members of the team who are working hard to achieve those goals.

BARBARA D. COOPER

Pembroke

Cox not up to job

March 3, 2010

Dear Sir,

You have written two recent, very good editorials one dealing with the Budget Statement and the other to do with the fall of Butterfield's Bank.

You described the Finance Minister's budget as a 'bad Budget'. There have been those in the business community who clearly agree with you that it is indeed a "bad Budget" one more nail in our coffin. Aside from anything else, it was sprinkled far too freely with platitudes and hyperbole. The Minister's final paragraph read as though she was campaigning to lead the Girl Scouts.

Minister Cox's comments regarding the fall of Butterfield's indicated that she did not grasp just how serious it is — particularly, as you wrote in your editorial, for a financial jurisdiction. I'd like to share with you something I read in the New York Times, dated March 2, 2010. In an OpEd column by Harold Ford Jr. he wrote, "These are tough times, and the New Yorkers I have met are facing economic adversity with grace and dignity. They worry about their future, care about their neighbours and hope this (economic) storm will pass ..."

He went on to say, "We need leaders as good as the people they represent — leaders focused on creating jobs, keeping taxes low, helping small businesses and restoring faith in government".

Back in Bermuda, we need to be the sorts of people who are good enough to demand good government. We are the ones to blame for our current economic crisis — the movers and shakers in the PLP are even more culpable. We are the ones who are allowing inept, unqualified and, in some cases, unscrupulous people to hold the reins of government and control our economy.

I do not, for one minute, intend to call our Finance Minister unqualified or unscrupulous. But, I do believe she is not up to the job politically. She has admitted that she has not been able to use her ministerial power within Cabinet. Clearly, she has not been able to curb fiscally irresponsible, government spending. Bermuda is in serious trouble — we must convince our government that it can't do it alone — that it must reach out to the business community and seek advice and help. We are a top, financial jurisdiction and we are subject to international scrutiny. Our reputation and economy depend on good government and fiscal responsibility — neither of which we have.

KATH BELL

Paget

More than a cog

March 3, 2010

Dear Sir,

I would like to raise a point with the Deputy Leader/Finance Minister of Bermuda through your newspaper. Why would you accept the positions of Deputy Leader and Minister of Finance of this country just to be a "cog in the wheel"? Surely the remit of these two positions requires the holder to have superior leadership abilities, assert prudent financial governance with the people's purse, a strong character and resolve to guide us through these troubled times, and finally, act and conduct yourself like you can and want to take over the Premiership. I'm sorry, you are failing in all categories. If you accept that the positions of Deputy Leader and the Finance Minister are just "cogs in a wheel", then please resign. We need aggressive and sound leaders in these positions, not "bumps on a log" along for the ride.

R. KEILL

Smith's

We need full disclosure

March 3, 2010

Dear Sir,

The Royal Gazette quotes Butterfield chief executive officer Bradford Kopp saying: "It would be wrong to detail what these (hospitality) loans had financed, but said they related to more than one project."

"Say, what?" Don't you think the shareholders deserve any transparency? What happened to full disclosure?

CONCERNED

Smith's

Where were the directors?

March 2, 2010

Dear Sir,

I am a shareholder of Butterfield Bank and must say, this pill is hard to swallow. I feel like I woke up and was hit by a financial tsunami but where were the warnings? I concur with the previous angry shareholder who stated that the Quarterly Statements look good, only to be slammed by the Annual Announcement/Report.

In reading the 2009 Butterfield Annual report, what were the Chief Risk Officer and Chief Auditor and all of the risk management Committees doing the entire time! Was the Board on extended leave? Where were the BSX and BMA from an oversight perspective? Is anyone going to investigate possible insider trading the week(s) prior to the announcement? Have Alan Thomson (ex-CEO) and Richard Ferret (ex-CFO) been escorted off the Island? What kind of packages did those two receive to "retire" from the Bank?

So many unanswered questions but apparently it was all in the best interests of the shareholders dilution and then an offer to buy more stock at a discounted Price so that the bank can write-off another $100+ Million in Q1/Q2 2010. I applaud the efforts to clean things up but is it going to be enough to create real value and where will it end so that we can start moving forward? Is the BMA and BSX going to make any changes in reporting and oversight so that this doesn't happen again? Please investigate!

UPSET OVERSEAS SHAREHOLDER

USA

Businesses wouldn't last

March 3, 2010

Dear Sir,

With reference to Kent Stewart's letter... "Why retailers fail". All I can really say is Wow. Ninety percent of those businesses would not last a month here in Arizona, or elsewhere in the "Real World"!

BRUCE MCCLARRON

Arizona

Making stuff up

March 4, 2010

Dear Sir,

I got a good chuckle regarding Senator Dill's defence of Future Care. He claims the Opposition is "making stuff up". What's wrong, the Government doesn't like competition?

KENT SMITH

St. George's

P.s. The last time the Opposition was accused of "making stuff up" was about two years ago and it was about the economy.

Now I'm angry

March 4, 2010

Dear Sir,

I am an investor with Butterfield. I had been watching the common share price drop and drop and drop. But it was only after seeing quite prosperous looking Mr. Mulderig, pictured in yesterday's story by Jonathan Kent, and reading the rather pompous remarks of Minister Cox that I finally became angry. Beyond my personal loss, which is quite considerable as a percentage of my local assets, I'm more than very concerned that overseas parties may potentially have so much influence on decision making relating to Bermuda. (When one combines this concern with changes in the marketplace as addressed in 'The Shift', there is reason for concern.) And if there is anything good to say about these revelations, it's that there was no financial collapse. However, many individual investors and families have just suffered painful losses, and were referred to so dismissively.

BURNED

Southampton

Budget is unfair

March 3, 2010

Dear Sir,

I must add my voice of outrage in respect of the Government's unfair so-called Budget. No private company would stay in business very long if they handled their finances in this manner. Not even your average household would budget so irresponsibly.

I am a senior citizen and in order to augment my pension I have a part-time job, at which I work one day a week. As this amounts to over four hours a week, the law says I have to pay tax on this. Now I am being asked to pay even more. The fact that I even have to pay tax on this is ludicrous. I had really hoped that the obligation to pay the tax at all might be adjusted so that persons on low incomes might be exempted. Instead, it's increased and who gets a break? Among others, the "Prima Donna" taxi drivers, while a senior citizen who has put in their time (and years of money) on a part-time job has to pay it. Where's the justice in that?

Why not increase taxes on luxury items; the large private cars that are unnecessary and dangerous on Bermuda's 21 square miles of roads; alcohol; cigarettes; large pleasure boats; and most importantly, Government itself trimming its own spending? This is my wallet they have in their hands. My money. It is not their personal piggy bank. The average citizen is struggling to survive and its senior citizens even more so with the added worry of unaffordable health care. Further, let's not forget that thanks to this "budget" everything is going to cost more as a result of the increased FCPT. Hard to swallow? I'm choking. We should not be asked to bail out the Government due to their lack of fiduciary care. Wake up voters! This government is bringing Bermuda down. Stop them.

PROTESTING

Devonshire

In defence of Dill

March 6, 2010

Dear Sir,

The opinion column written by Duane S.Dill in The Royal Gazette of March 4 was read with great interest. He relates he experienced a verbal onslaught from Rolfe Commissiong and came out the victor!

Mr. Dill is certainly not a "house nigger". He joined the BDA. because it is the party which is inclusive and embraces diversity. Predictably, this same choice will be made in coming months by many equally perceptive women and men of Bermuda.

OWEN H. DARRELL

Pembroke

Not coming back

March 2, 2010

Dear Sir,

For the first time in ten years my wife and I will not be visiting our timeshare in St. George's. The reason is simple. A Bermuda Premier and Tourism Minister who doesn't get it, a Bermuda Premier and Tourism Director who doesn't understand his US customer base, a Bermuda Premier and Tourism Minister who is in the hip pocket of President Obama (the Uighur acceptance; I don't want them in my neighborhood, why should I vacation with them?) a Bermuda Premier and Tourism Minister with no plan for the future and a Bermuda Premier and Tourism Minister who is "out of touch" with the Bermuda people.

Put this together with high Bermuda prices and high airline tickets ... why should we travel to Bermuda? This year and maybe the next few years we'll travel to Mexico and Barbados until "His Highness" can get his act together! He does not seem to understand ... we have choices ... we are not a captive audience, unlike his "subjects"!

MHP

Montgomery, Alabama

Winter of our discontent

March 2, 2010

Dear Sir,

Winter of our Discontent

Much of our lush, green island

has become brown and burnt.

Burned by salt spray from gales,

browned by the incessant winds

from ever-changing directions,

bringing continued abuse

on our green and fertile land.

Nothing seems to escape the onslaught.

Hibiscus hedgerows,

blooming joyfully in

the sun of many colours,

remain tight-lipped, joy withdrawn,

browned.

Less hardy of imported species fare worse.

The glorious poinciana,

aptly called the Royal Poinciana,

which offers an extravagant,

red-bloomed umbrella sweeping to the ground,

has often been cruelly truncated,

its natural limbs grotesquely cut.

Now, in winter, lacking its summer plumage

shows so sadly its desecration.

Another import, the casuarina,

cannot stand the onslaught

of this brown and burning winter.

It sheds its brittle branches

which fly off in gales.

But the strong cedar,

endemic to these shores,

bends, withstands and will not snap

under the onslaught,

will not become browned.

As people always close to nature,

aware of winds, directions,

tides and seas,

Bermudians, like the cedars of their homeland

will bend but remain green

in this browned winter of our discontent.

JULI CAMPBELL

Pembroke

Not surprised

March 5, 2010

Dear Sir,

Why are some people shocked by Rolfe Commisiong's alleged comment?

I'm not. The man does nothing but spew forth racial hatred. His "Big Conversation" is a big flop! All he does is divide this country.

Honestly. Stop with the black and white talk. We are all Bermudian. We must work together now. What happened here in the past and all around the world to many many different cultures was an atrocity, but this is the year 2010, and this is tiny little Bermuda.

Blacks, whites, Portuguese, Asian and etc we all inter marry and the youth here, we all intermingle. It's you older people clinging on to these racial routes. We are the youth and we are this Island's future. Stop polluting our minds and hearts with racial hatred. We didn't grow up in that era. We are all friends. We intermingle, inter-date, and inter-marry.

No, I am by no means saying forget the past. Never should that happen. When you forget the past it is doomed to be repeated. Study the past. Learn from the past. Prevent past mistakes; however, Do not dwell in the past. People like Mr. Commissiong disgust me. But I am not surprised. Under Dr. Brown's rule racial tension is worse than it has been since the 70's.

Stop and think people. Sen. Burch black opponents of Indepenence "house niggers". Could you imagine Obama calling black Republicans that? He'd be sacked!

Sack Rolfe. He gets paid $170,000 over 20 months to stand up and complain and stir racial tensions. He has failed to do his job at the taxpayer's expense. Wake up. Dr. Brown and his followers are not about uniting people here, look at how they act, they are about dividing us!

ROBERT DAVIES

Devonshire

Save the Corporations

March 5, 2010

Dear Sir,

The first thing Hitler did when he had came to power – legally, albeit with more than arm-twisting – was to abolish the separate governments of the states and municipalities. This in effect made Germany a one-party totalitarian nation, and paved the way to domination and disaster.

Democracy is not of a single block. All functioning democracies are nested within each other – local, regional, national. In large countries such as the UK or USA this means that self-governing cities and counties report to self-governing states which, in turn, report to a federal government.

As a small island-state, Bermuda has precious little democratic diversity, which makes it easy prey to dictatorship.

Let's not lose what little democracy we have.

Say no to the take-over of the Corporations of Hamilton and St. George's.

BEEN THERE

St. George's

Too late for gambling

March 18, 2010

Dear Sir,

Regarding the "debate" on developing a revenue stream with gambling, that particular source is pretty well tapped out. The innovators have already cashed in their chips and moved on and you guys are just now going to "debate".

I would like to add my two cents to your debate; instead of spreading gambling all over the Island, what if all of the stakeholders (hotels/restaurants/Government etc) get together and toss their money into a giant pot and build one big "World Class" casino that can out-compete any other one anywhere in the world; in other words, take on Monte Carlo and Vegas. Of course it may be too late for that, after all you're just getting in at the end when only scraps are left.

I particularly like these quotes:

"Even if the appropriate initiatives are implemented, there are likely to be some additional social and related costs to Bermuda if gaming were enacted.

"However, based upon our analysis and examination of the issues, The Innovation Group concludes that the additional identified social costs both in terms of services (law enforcement, fire protection and health/social costs) are more than mitigated by the tax revenues, job creation and capital investment that is likely to occur with the advent of casino gaming."

"The people of Bermuda have to be particularly aggressive in demanding transparency over who the beneficiaries of a casino will be."

"I am broadly in support of gaming legislation that has the potential to improve our tourism offering in Bermuda. It would however need to be done in such a way that augments our existing hospitality offerings. I look forward to examining the Green Paper, and digesting its contents before I comment further."

"Do we not need to look outside the box and find other solutions? If it's something that's going to contribute to us as a Country in the long run, then we need to be serious about it. We need to not be hypocritical. "

"Let's be realistic here and not stick our heads in the sand like the famous Bermuda ostrich. These are the types of things we need to consider." (Ha Ha)

Now if you can put legalising marijuana in place of gambling you would be getting in at the early stages of great revenue generation instead of running almost dead last. By the way, have you noticed that the US (the country that made it illegal and pushed their agenda all around the world) has now basically made it legal there.

Anyway, this is only my two cents.

AL EASTMOND

Belize

Life in the Regiment

March 5, 2010

Dear Sir,

Reflections on Recruit Camp, 2010:

Hurry the f*** up and wait! SHUT UP! Don't talk. Stop moving, stop fidgeting, No you can't blow your nose. Right, put on your drill boots, hurry up, what's taking so long? Actually hold on, wait you're supposed to have your combats on, take off your drill boots. NOW HURRY, come on quickly let's go! Shovel your food, you're late, eat now, taste later! HURRY the F*** UP! Quick MARCH, lef, ight, lef, ight. Bend and Drive! Halt!

You talk one more time and I'll give you extras. No I don't care SHUT the F*** up. Do that one more time and I'll have you locked up, TRY ME, I swear you move one more time and I'll have you standing at attention for hours after lights out. NO I don't care if you're feeling sick, grow up, you're supposed to be a man. You're not injured, you're a liar. If you go to the medic, our platoon will lose points and I don't lose. Do as I say, we're a team but we're competing against each other. Life isn't always gonna be easy, if you can't accept that then maybe you should hang yourself. Six hours of sleep is plenty for a 16-hour day, what are you a p***y or a f****t? You talk one more time and I'll give you extras. NO I don't care what you think, you're just a private, grow some balls and suck it up. Life isn't fair! Write a letter to the editor why don't you? HURRY up and WAIT! Bombs Away...

LANCE CORPORAL SERGEANT

Warwick Camp