A brave, new Bermuda

September 7, 2008

Dear Sir

This PLP/BIU vote getting scheme to lower the number of hours worked in a week is generating some serious discussion. Some of your letter writers have asked whether overtime pay would just kick in earlier and, whilst I realise that this is surely the intention, I am shocked that the word even comes up. I mean, not only shocked, I am awed, too. This idea, hand in hand with the soon to be developed SWAT team, is designed to promote family time instead of work time. Overtime? That defeats the purpose of the revised working week. If workers – that is, people who belong to the BIU – are going to be spending time reading Winnie the Pooh with the boys, and now girls, on Ord Road and elsewhere, how can we even be talking about overtime.

I suggest that, for the avoidance of doubt, we legislate that there will be no more overtime – none ever – and, like Bob Stewart suggested, we work towards a zero-hour work week and greater wages. That way families can spend all their time together and can get to know one another. They can learn all about the various decent, civilized activities available to all of us ... like watching all the family movies at the BIU's Liberty Theatre and the picnic atmosphere at cricket and football matches (hey, the 'bladed' articles are for making sandwiches...). I see a whole (Brave) new world, folks.

A. HUXLEY

Southampton

Don't go down this road

August 24, 2008

Dear Sir,

After reading the article entitled "Parental responsibility laws, life skills training being considered" written in last Saturday's Royal Gazette, I was compelled to comment. Many parents and grandparents are bringing up more than one child; some of those include single parents. It makes me cringe that our Government is considering making the guardians responsible for the illegal activity of any of our children. Have you considered everything?

When the parents are reprimanded or even jailed, who will suffer the most? The children will of course. Where will the children live? Who will take care of them? The Government? Who will make these important decisions? Who will determine the definition of an irresponsible parent? People who have no idea at all since they have not had the responsibility of parenthood or understand the struggles the general public has to endure on a daily basis? Let us also consider this. If one child of three children within a family unit has made bad choices, while the other two siblings are two positive achievers, how does that substantiate that we are not responsible or doing our jobs as parents?! On the other side, I have seen children that have excelled regardless of parental intervention on any level. So it is individuals who make bad choices and individuals that should be punished.

We cannot go down this road. All of these drastic measures (including the SWAT team) that are being considered by our Government will only engender more anger into our people who are struggling each day to make a life for our families. Government is not addressing the true issues that are plaguing our beautiful little island.

Inflation is causing parents to have multiple jobs which pay minimum wages, thus taking away from invaluable family time which is essential to monitor the upbringing of our children. It's a vicious circle! For those of us who do not have those financial privileges, we and our children are the ones who will always lose. Without good choices, our children barely have a chance!

The general public is not financially able to send our children to boarding schools or to pay for expensive psychologists/psychiatrists to help our emotionally distraught children. Our rich country does not provide adequate or proper follow-up to assist these poor children and their families in any sense of the word. The little medical assistance that is available to the poor is over worked since the cases are so numerous. Many of us are not able to have proper and full insurance coverage for the most basic needs for our families.

Our educational system drastically deteriorated when the high schools in each parish were abolished and all of our children were lumped together in two mega schools. When our parish schools were taken away, we were then given two sub standard, public schools as an alternative. For instance, Berkeley Institute, before it was amalgamated into a mega school, was for those public school children who may not have had the finances to pay for a private education.

Berkeley was for children who received a high stanine and maintained a high standard of education. Many of our children, who wanted to aspire to great heights and may not have come from a "privileged background", were at least given the opportunity to be in an educational environment that would allow them to excel and reach those heights.

The Bermuda system does not provide a technical school for our children who may not be academically inclined and may not be interested in the hospitality industry, i.e. chef, bartending etc. They may be interested instead in a career as a qualified carpenter or electrician or a motor mechanic. With regard to the Arts, our music schools are not affordable to our talented children who love the arts. Our public mega schools just skim the surface in this area. We do not have, as yet, an Arts Centre, that our children will be encouraged to aspire and display or perform their talents. Children need places in which to hone their negative energy that our society is now witnessing. They need to channel their negative energy to positive energy. More Government funding is desperately needed for the public school sector, in a wider range of activities and opportunities (not just relating to sports) that are presently enjoyed by the private school sector. Our children should be given more opportunities to travel abroad so they can experience life in another country and appreciate what our little island has to offer.

Many responsible parents are struggling to redirect some of these angry children in a country that does not assist and address the real issues. The Government is now trying to put a band-aid over an open wound without recognising the cause of the infliction in the first instance. It is not only unpalatable and unthinkable, but it is an unjust solution to create parental responsibility laws without the Government first addressing our basic needs as a society as a whole… which will then enable us to be "responsible" parents. We need to get to the core of the matter and show we care for each other and for our future and our children.

VIABLE ENDURING SOLUTIONS

Pembroke

Yalies

September 7, 2008

Dear Sir,

Bruce McClaron of Tucson suggests by implication that Bill Clinton supports McCain, and adduces evidence that Bill C is brilliant – must be since he's a Yale graduate. Sorry Bruce, so's George W!

MALCOLM

Devonshire

Depends on where you live

September 8, 2008

Dear Sir,

Apropos the unkempt roadsides, etc., throughout Bermuda that have exploded over the last few years. How come? The answer, it seems, is quite simple: it all boils down to where you live — or more precisely, in whose constituency you live. I'll say no more on that! But as an example: a regular drive into town along Harbour Road, Warwick these days past the decaying sidewalks and curbs, with huge weeds everywhere and you immediately realise no crew of any sort has visited in months...

And then, by contrast, take a drive along Middle Road, Warwick, in the neighbourhood of the Esso Station and the Secondary School and you have to marvel at the pristine condition in which this area is regularly maintained — dare I say, on a daily basis — identified by the prominently displayed (partially filled) black trash bags every ten yards or so along the roadside ... you get the picture, I'm sure!

It's shameful that the scenic route of Harbour Road hasn't warranted closer attention from Works & Engineering (or whichever government outfit is responsible); surely the tax-paying residents of that area deserve to receive no less than the same consideration as the Middle Road residents. I remember way back, when you could phone the Minister of the Day with a concern about road upkeep anywhere in Bermuda, and within 24-hours (no if, ands or buts) a crew was on it. Ah, but I remember ...

SOUTHAMPTON RESIDENT

How to revive Bermuda

September 8, 2008

Dear Sir,

I am ecstatic to hear the topic of casinos and gambling being brought forward for serious debate. I have witnessed the booming tourism industry in the southern islands. I lived on Paradise Island for a month this past winter. I ran a private motor yacht for an owner who had a berth in the marina. I spent several days in Atlantis Marina and many evenings in the casino, night clubs and bars. Four years ago I lived on Aruba for nearly a month, once again on a boat outside a hotel/casino. I witnessed the traffic that passed through that hotel, and that casino was seeing action day and night. In both cases I witnessed something amazing: tourists being entertained. I also was thrilled to see that the locals were not allowed to partake.

We need to save our tourism product, not just with talk, but with real changes in policy. Money is what we need to revive Bermuda. Major capital investment is needed to develop better hotels, better entertainment venues, better attractions, etc. Give our hotels the option to open casinos and watch what happens. There is a fear associated with gambling. We have an island with beauty that far surpasses that of Aruba and Nassau. We have a people who can charm circles around the hospitality staff I met down south. We fear the introduction of organised crime and prostitution. Has anybody looked around? Are you suggesting that none of that exists now? Why would more money coming into the island instantly translate into greater social ills? I suggest that we could see the opposite if we handle it properly.

Here is how I would envision the introduction of legalised gambling. Allow existing hotels with suitable facilities to renovate and install gaming rooms duty free. During the development period, the monetary authority will install and train a team of revenue auditors and monitors. The operators of each casino will agree annually to pay 20 percent of net gambling revenues to the Bermuda Government. An additional 10% will be promised to be dedicated to maintenance, renovations and improvements to each resorts non-gaming facilities. The remaining income will be a gift to those hotels that have been struggling to operate for the past two decades. As for the funds the government collects: increased defence budget for police recruitment and training, further development of social and rehabilitation programs, reduced student/teacher ratios, government sponsored scholarships, free public transport, etc. If we legalise gambling we can do incredible things for our island. Atlantis is the second largest employer in the Bahamas, with the government being the first. Here's some food for thought, MGM Mirage Corp (owner of three Las Vegas casinos) saw an income of $872 Million in one quarter last year. Imagine if our people could collect 20 percent of that. Imagine the possibilities. You say we will face greater social ills? I say we can save ourselves from the ones we are facing now.

BEEZ EVANS

St. George's