You allowed it Consumer

January 17, 2009

Dear Sir,

To Consumer in Warwick, local milk has a sell by date at the top of carton, you said you purchased a gallon of milk from a gas station and it was off, you threw the gallon of milk away, then you say "it is also a waste of money"!

The money was wasted when you threw the milk out and did not return the milk to the gas station where it was purchased. Salads that are purchased on the due date, should be eaten that day, or don't buy if you think you want to keep it longer.

You ask is this allowed? Answer: You allowed it when you threw the milk out and did not return it and make a complaint to the store.

BEVERLEY JONES-SMITH

Southampton

Make the sacrifice

January 17, 2009

Dear Sir,

I read the letter to the editor signed by "Consumer", who questioned why there aren't sell-by dates on milk in Bermuda and would simply suggest buying milk produced in Bermuda. All cartons of Bermuda milk have a date stamped on the top of the container. I do not buy gallons of reconstituted milk but make the sacrifice of paying a lot of money for real milk, made right here in Bermuda-with a date printed on it. Quite simple really.

GARGAMEL

Paget

Be honest and fair

January 17, 2009

Dear Sir,

I read with interest the story by your reporter Amanda Dale regarding businessman Belcario Thomas defending his planned beach bar at Warwick Long Bay on Page 4 of today's Royal Gazette. I believe Mr. Thomas has done an excellent job in defending his reasons for moving ahead with this project. He has answered all of his critics' concerns eloquently and factually. Individuals and groups like B.E.S.T. etc., should chill out and let the man help bring some life to a rather dead beach. I don't recall any protest from any of the environmental groups when the Horseshoe Bay concession stand was allowed! Therefore we need to be honest, as well as fair when passing judgment in this matter.

BEACH ENTHUSIAST

City of Hamilton

Hoping for a new party

January 15, 2009

Dear Sir,

Hello fellow citizens and a Happy New Year! It has been said many times that the brain-dead lack an opinion. Well here is mine:

Our beautiful island home is in dire need of open, honest direction. This can only be accomplished with people who share these qualities.

It is my opinion that a new party should be formed – The Honest Integrated Party – yes, get H.I.P.! The party must encompass our ethnic and cultural diversity.

The following persons would ensure our Island is number one in the world: Mrs. Louise Jackson, Ms Patricia Gordon Pamplin, Mr. Kim Swan, Mr. Mark Pettingill, Mr. Bob Richards, Mr. Trevor Moniz, Mr. John Barritt, Mr. Maxwell Burgess, the brothers Phil and Wayne Perinchief, Mr. Stuart Hayward, Dr. Grant Gibbons, Sen. Michael Dunkley, Mr. Raymond Davis, Mr. David Dodwell, Mr. Charles Swan and Sen. David Burch.

There are already people trembling at the mere thought that this party could emerge. Hoping for change,

CAPT. WILLARD (JOE) KELLY

St. George's

Get a grip

January 19, 2009

Dear Sir,

With reference to Sandra Burrows' letter "Give Obama respect", January 16: It is sheer, mind-boggling lunacy to charge that your paper's reference to Barack Obama as simply "Barack" could in any way imply "disrespect borne of insidious and perpetual racial practices". Instead, what Ms Burrows' allegation does clearly point out is an inability to get past her own racial bias as she looks for any imagined opportunity to keep that worn-out old vitriol percolating.

Barack Obama is this decade's long-awaited champion (I'd say he's our "White Knight", but goodness only knows what hateful racism I'd be accused of then). By his genuine, intelligent, down-to-earth discourse he has, even before taking office, endeared himself to the masses like no president since JFK. He is already respected and loved by people the world over, regardless of colour, creed or nationality.

The warm familiarity he exudes and which ultimately defines this man's unprecedented broad appeal is reason enough to refer to him simply as Barack in any language, in any publication, and I'm willing to bet Barack would agree (though not before lamenting the wasted energy of even raising such an absurd issue). Get a grip, Ms Burrows. Your accusation would be laughable if it weren't so clear you actually believe what you've written.

TIRED OF THE VITRIOL

Paget

Time to get involved

January 19, 2009

Dear Sir,

Its been a long time since I have had any sustained interaction with the social community other than acquiring infrastructure in terms of equipment and technology for social development. I made a commitment ten years ago, November 10, 1998 immediately after the PLP won the general election for the first time. I'd like to give a reason for that and I'll do it by first giving a preview to the momentous November 9, PLP election victory.

I was a member of the famed Dread & Baha Animal Production Company. The Animal Production was at that time without a doubt one of the premier entertainment entities of the time. We enjoyed huge popularity and a following rated comparatively in that time. We were dabbling in IT technology, sales and marketing, artist development, spirituality, political science etc. Our truly special interest was to give extra special attention to the most neglected area of our social paradigm and that is the hard core black youths in particular; that social element that people across the political, religious spectrum and otherwise tend to be overwhelmingly challenged with. That's where we put most of our energy.

Around 1996, on the eve of that time when election fever starts to set in, Dread and Baha decided that they will start a registration drive. We figured that because of the popularity that we had we would deliberately, for the purpose of positive social development and everyone's concern about the apathetic tendencies of the wall sitters, do our community responsible thing and motivate these youths into becoming more socially and politically conscious about their reality; positively.

We didn't know exactly when the election would be, but we did know it was coming soon and with that we proceeded to mobilise. By the time the election was called in 1998, Dread and Baha had already built up a momentum in the people's psyche because of the shows that we kept and how we promoted, plus the fact we had a registration drive the following year, also in 1997.

As a result it was noted that we were registering voters ten or 15 to one more than any other entity. We focused primarily within the environment in which we functioned which was the youth. The rest is history. At that point, where I started my story, I made a commitment to back out of the activism dynamic in my life because true to form, people and people particularly close to the PLP, would no doubt and have proven to be in an understandable position of "we need time for them to get their programmes in gear". And I have done that.

Ten years later no doubt anyone would argue that we find ourselves still in extraordinary circumstances and times, so I would like to congratulate Barack Obama for sealing that. It has been proven what the human spirit can do. Obama knows well that he is not the first to prove that, he himself would be the first to admit that he is standing on many a great shoulders. What Barack represents to me is a time where we have arrived at; where we can now be assured that no matter what the next level of struggle that we go through, it will be different from how it was.

I'd like to give thanks of appreciation to White America for recognising and paying tribute to Martin Luther King's dream by judging a man by content and character. I'd like to end this letter to the Editor by saying I really can't wait to get involved again. As Lee Harvey would say "... I'm back".

GLADWYN S. SIMMONS

Sandys

What will it take?

January 17, 2009

Dear Sir,

Mr. Mike Winfield needs to be congratulated for his candid speech he delivered at an 'Imagine Bermuda' meeting held recently as was reported in The Royal Gazette today. For a white Bermudian and former UBP supporter, I found his message of change here locally both surprising, and welcoming. Mr. Winfield, like so many others here in Bermuda, and around the world have embraced the inspiring message of hope and change that President Barack Obama has be speaking about for several months. My question now is, 'When will others in this little island of Bermuda, accept this same message'?

What will it take to soften the hearts, and change the mind set of individuals who are stuck in the past? A new day is dawning in American, and around the world, and if we in Bermuda refuse to accept the message of unity in the community, then we will be left behind, and playing catch up. Mr. Winfield, I salute you today for having the courage of your convictions ... keep pressing forward.

READY FOR CHANGE

City of Hamilton