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People are

talking

December 15, 2009

Dear Sir,

I totally agree with the letter writer "Fed Up" about Bermuda Cablevision. They really have to get their act together, the picture problem has progressively gotten worse over the years and this with the promise of digital cable meaning a crystal clear picture. I cannot recall one whole day in the year where every channel was working as it should, there are always pixel problems and it's on popular programming which totally takes the enjoyment of watching a particular show away.

The message on the information channel of welcome to Cablevision's full digital line up has to be a joke, if anyone watches ZFB and ZBM on cable knows full well that picture is far, far away from being full digital. There are numerous other channels as well which are far from digital clarity. I thought the former Bermuda Broadcasting CEO mentioned that they offered a digital line to Cablevision and they have never hooked it up, on seeing those channels on WoW Cable I believe that Cablevision never has. If anyone has been watching channel 141 MSG, why does there have to be a big blue box that covers half of the screen come up with a warning message "Pay now" which has been popping up for over a month now, is someone asleep at the switch on the quality of these channels?

Why does WoW Cable's NFL Network show NFL games on Thursday and now Saturday Night and on Cablevision we cannot view the same? Now I am a Cablevision customer but it always seems reasons to consider going elsewhere with the service. I too had to get my cable fixed many times over, only in a short span of time to get it fixed again just like the letter writer "Fed Up", Cablevision has no problem taking one's money every month but I think we as the consumer are entitled to a better service, you wouldn't go to the grocery store and buy a dozen eggs and half of them are spoiled every time would you?

That's what it feels like when you're having some down time and want to catch a programme only to have the nuisance of a bad picture ruin it. Bermuda Cablevision improve your product, your service, the cost is not meeting the standards of your customer, not everyone is writing in to tell you about it, but I can tell you, many people think it and talk about among each other.

ALSO FED UP

Pembroke

Hamilton's way forward

December 15, 2009

Dear Sir,

I read with interest today's Letter to the Editor from Adam concerning the Corporation of Hamilton and whether or not it is the most incompetent body in Bermuda.

A series of discussion points were given to the reader: Internal and petty power struggles. Sorry Adam, that's a prior group of members. Private and undisclosed meetings. Again sorry, the Corporation held the first Town Hall meeting in October and is now holding its member (board) meetings in public, the first of which was in November and in fact the 2010 Budget was held last week. All meeting notices are being advertised in the Gazette's classified section. A "Buy Bermuda" campaign that asks nothing of the shop keepers and everything of the consumer. Oh dear, now we really are off base, a similarly titled campaign with different criteria is annually run by The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce a different organisation, though I am proud to have run both.

Following these discussion points, Adam sets out the "Nail in the Coffin" with a comment on the terrible state of the roads. Having just repaved Union St., Angle and currently North Street (You can now see where the North East boundary of the Corporation clearly lies.), as well as having passed a budget for repaving King and Reid Streets next year; sorry Adam, I think you are once more a little off the mark.

Given all that has been stated before, we are lead to believe that there is a section of newly laid pavement that has been dug up. Adam, it seems, is not asking for repairs but for us "to stop messing up what is messed up enough". I would have thought if Adam was moving into a newly constructed home and a fault was found under the masonry he would expect that fault to be corrected. Not knowing where this segment of pavement is, I am assuming that it was not set out to the standard the City of Hamilton is expecting, nor to the standard of its citizens.

The City of Hamilton is going through a process of change, one that most identify as being positive. We have an extremely active programme set out for next year which we hope will receive additional coverage in the paper. This includes, and is not limited to, such items as finishing the underground placement of utilities on Court Street and moving the program on to Ewing Street, improving lighting in our public car parks and certain city streets, restarting the City Rangers Programme, traffic light upgrades, a study on Woman's Safety in the City and possible installation of Panic Buttons, plus what has already received coverage; CCTV cameras, X-Ray machines on the Docks and the Corporation's new Works Depot.

In all of this we may have a pot hole that we have failed to fix or a pavement slab that we have to re-do. I am aware that the City has more on its plate than that. Each one of you can also play a role in effecting positive change; if you see something within our city which you feel needs fixing, you are not sure if we are aware of, concerns, comments or opportunities, our doors are open. Drop us a note, "Let's Fix It", City Hall, 17 Church Street, Hamilton HM 11 or infocityhall.bm. Your letters and e-mail will receive a prompt response

CHARLES R. GOSLING

Mayor of Hamilton

Courtroom

solution

November 29, 2009

Dear Sir,

I recently had the privilege, the honour, to attend the weekly, over crowded, over dramatic Traffic Court gathering. During my almost two hour stay I had the opportunity to witness how the Government helps meet its annual budget, I also made a few other observations. Most of the people awaiting their fate were not considered dangerous or careless drivers, but people who had just stepped over the limit and were spotted by that bird in the tree or behind the wall or even down the bottom of the hill.

The majority of these people after waiting for sometimes hours in this overcrowded room to contribute in many cases, a days pay or more, will have pleaded guilty paid the fine before they even got to court and by doing so, would have saved themselves and the courts much wasted time. Well, after sitting, no I mean standing for hours awaiting my outcome I decided to write and put forward a couple of suggestions which should somehow be considered.

#1 All persons that are booked for speeding 60k. and under should be allowed to pay a fixed fine. If the fine is not paid within a set recommended time (30 days, 60 days) whatever then that person should be arrested and taken to court, the fine now becomes double and the points system can be added to the traffic record accordingly.

#2 When the speeding ticket is issued that person should they wish to plead guilty, they shall sign the ticket and insure the fine is paid. Should they decide to plead not guilty, then they should not sign the ticket, at which time the officer shall assign a court date.

I truly understand the traffic problem in Bermuda is of great concern, and we need to find ways to reduce the number of serious speeding offences on our roads, I will not claim to have all the real answers for the careless or dangerous driving, but I do believe filling the courts with these low speeding offences will only continue to overcrowd courts and burden the system more causing delays dealing with the more serious traffic cases. (Drunk driving, no licence, no insurance).

I know you are thinking, "He agrees with speeding as long as its under 60k." That's not what I am saying, what I am saying is, no matter what the fine, people are somehow going to find themselves in this situation and in many cases are not considered to be dangerous or careless drivers but trapped by that person behind the wall or in the trees, so to avoid this somehow never ending situation, of spending hours in the court rooms, slow down and watch for that man in the trees, or sign the ticket and pay the fine. Because I am sure we can spend these $100 and wasted time on better things.

RICHARD KNIGHT

Sandys