Obfuscation or deception?

October 1 2009

Dear Sir,

Re: Bermuda Employers' Council – No Discrimination

Your article of September 30, 2009 concerning the position of the Bermuda Employers' Council with respect to discrimination in employment of blacks reminds me of a historical precedent with respect to this topic.

As recorded on Page 111 of the book, "Man of Stature, Sir Henry James Tucker", by Randolf Williams, during the lead-up to the 1953 election Henry Tucker stated, in response to a question about discriminatory practices in employment, that Government did not discriminate and private firms could do as they wished.

Although at that time there were no blacks employed by Government except in the education field or in very menial occupations, I assume he also rationalised his position in terms of relevant qualifications and experience. I doubt that his position was accepted by blacks in 1953, and by 1955 Government started to open up employment to blacks.

Are both of these statements examples of obfuscation or is it deception?

J.T. CHRISTOPHER

Warwick

Pity for your dolphins

September 29, 2009

Dear Sir,

I understand your publication has many activities that you promote for travellers to enjoy during their vacations. However, Dolphin Quest Bermuda is one activity I believe you should not support and promote. Those dolphins are kept in extremely small pools. I went there because my friend really wanted to do it and the experience itself was interesting and fun. However, I have been overwhelmed with guilt and worry for those poor dolphins ever since.

When we arrived I was totally shocked at how small the three pools were, I have seen bigger swimming pools than these. Then I learned there were seven of them in one of the pools. People kept commenting on how scratched up the dolphins were, but the trainers assured us that was normal and that they were "happy". Well, that may be normal in the wild, but it may also be due to those cramped quarters and sharp edge stone walls (from a centuries-old fort) are making those scratches much worse. And as to dolphins kept in such a cramped space being "happy", surviving might be true, but thriving I doubt.

It was so sad to hear the babies were a couple of years old and those pools were the only home they have known and may ever know. This practice of keeping them in such small pools under the guise of "Research and Education" is cruel and misrepresenting of what is obviously their main purpose of entertainment and making money (it was very expensive). I looked up a place in Bahamas that is 14 acres .. at least something like that would be better for them to live out their lives with a decent amount of room to turn around and swim.

I have learned from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) that in July 2005, Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced that it discontinued its support of "dolphin encounters" programmes. A spokesperson said that the programmes had been "extremely popular," but cited concern for the dolphins' well-being in captivity and the contradiction posed by the cruise line's environmental education programmes as reasons for the decision.

The cruise line business seems to be one of the main sources of patrons that keep places like Dolphin Quest in business. Maybe your concern for these pitifully small pens that the dolphins are forced to live in for their entire lives could help to encourage Dolphin Quest to at least move to a larger facility that would allow these wonderful creatures more room to swim further than a few feet in manic circles.

I know it would have a significant impact if you were to choose to not endorse or support this cruel practice of animal entertainment or at the very least recommend they provide decent sized facilities before you go back to supporting them.

DONNA JONES

Mountain View, California

P.s. Since they are located in a historic fort I doubt they are allowed to expand or change the configuration there. Therefore, they should move to a more suitable space to allow them a decent amount of room to swim or join up with a bigger facility.

Thanks for lions' support

September 26, 2009

Dear Sir,

On behalf of Yorkshire Wildlife Park, I would like to send out an extremely grateful thank you to all of the Bermudians who have donated to the Save the Lions fund.

Through the donations of people around the world, YWP has now raised £100,000 out of the £150,000 needed to rescue the lions from the Romania Zoo Oradea.

Every little pence helps, but we would particularly like to give a shout out to a Bermudian individual who donated £1,200 to our Save the Lions campaign. Unfortunately I am unable to contact each individual to thank them personally, but I want every one who donated to know how grateful we are.

For more information on this campaign, please see Yorkshire Wildlife Park's website at www.yorkshirewildlifepark.co.uk

JESSICA RIEDERER

Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Long live the BDA

September 30, 2009

Dear Sir,

Some fiddle while Rome burns. Assuredly, this is not a characteristic of the breakaway leaders nor of those leaders remaining in the UBP. They will quickly come to realise the way forward is to combine in a new party. The new party of change will achieve equal opportunity, social justice and the way forward for Bermuda.

Will the new party be called the Bermuda Democratic Alliance? Long live the BDA!

OWEN H. DARRELL

Pembroke