Diabolical treatment

September 24, 2010

Dear Sir,

Re: "Teacher fights on after unlawful deportation order is quashed".

"The Ministry of Education was invited to comment on this story, but had not done so by press time." Why does that not surprise me? It looks like one act after another against this teacher – I hope she sues for a princely sum after such a diabolical and humiliating experience. Only in Bermuda ... truly another world at this point in time!!

BRUCE MCCLARRON

Tucson Arizona

Sort out the Causeway

September 27, 2010

Dear Sir,

With regard to the Causeway, I think it's time we took it completely down and rebuilt it so for any future hurricanes we know we have something sturdy and reliable. Having to worry about this every time we have a hurricane is ridiculous.

How about building a secondary route over from the old railway trestle at Whalebone Bay with a swing bridge?

TIRED OF WORRYING

Warwick

Great online coverage

September 22, 2010

Dear Sir,

I am from the United States, but ever since I was a child, (early 1960s), when my parents would bring me with them to Bermuda, back then we would stay at the Lantana, and through the years of my adulthood, your beautiful island and people kept calling me back!

As I got older I would stay at The Chance It, and on my honeymoon, The Princess. Over the past several years, I have not been able to go over, yet my love for Bermuda is always so close to my heart. Also my cousin's wife is a Bermudian, now living in the States. I live in Maine. So I have kept up by reading The Royal Gazette, and when this hurricane started to come, there was this live format, and I was so pleased! Not only for us around the world who either love your people and country, more importantly, for your fellow Bermudians, who are able to communicate with each other throughout this, from parts of the Island to another. And ... this could not have been done without the exhausting, hard and caring work of Ruth and Tim.

I know how important communication is, as we were cut off from everything during the great Ice Storm here in 1998! And these two people, away from their own family and homes, have given of themselves unbelievable time, hard work, and caring, of keeping the people informed of what is happening around them. I hope when this calms down, and they have had deserved rest, that they too ... will also get a well deserved raise ... for all they have done!

JAN SOBIE

Maine

Farewell Mr. Premier

September 24, 2010

Following the extravagant series of events celebrating the departure of our Premier, one struggles with the appropriateness of such lavish events, particularly right now.

The office of our Premier is one which should rightly be honoured and respected, regardless of our political affiliations or personal feelings. Whatever may be criticised of our current Premier and his personality, we must give credit where it is due and recognise that there are a few things that he accomplished. Few would dispute that some form of farewell event is appropriate. The fact that the PLP chose to combine a farewell event with a fundraiser is their choice.

However, reflection on the nature of the event still gives reason for pause.

Our Country is at one of its lowest economic and social points, and these recent lavish celebrations are without doubt an obscene contrast to the reality that thousands in Bermuda are suffering, literally every single day. Our levels of homelessness and unemployment are at an all-time high – there are a lot of our people HURTING. And yet the "People's Party" parties on in a big way.

Bermuda has the right to ask if the Premier's staff, who appeared to have been very busy during these events, were paid by our hard earned taxpayer's dollars? Were his staff involved in the considerable planning and execution of this political fundraiser or was an independent event planner hired?

The event was undoubtedly grand, extravagant, and unfortunately out of touch with the people. As with alarming frequency of this Government, we experience far too much of the wrong stuff and are left wanting, in fact, some of us starving, for what we NEED.

TONI DANIELS

City of Hamilton

It's time, again

September 24, 2010

Dear Sir,

Frustration is the breeding ground for civil disorder, and there's plenty of frustration to go around, driven in large part by a lack of attention and regard for the needs of those most deprived. As we watch and hope that our leaders find the strength, will and wisdom to do the right thing, time continues to weigh heavier and heavier on our sense of collective security.

Many people are relieved that Dr. Brown is leaving, and some wished it had been much sooner; and I'm talking about his friends – people like me, and paid up members of the PLP. We need strong, compassionate and understanding leadership, not just defiant and self-centred ones. No matter how we cut it, the current violent atmosphere has manifested on the PLP's watch; and yes, trends suggest we're not the only ones not getting it right. I hope that view makes some in the PLP Government feel better, but it doesn't do anything for me, and apparently a whole lot of other people also. I've been around a while, quietly but very deeply involved in the community in many different aspects of our social discourse, and I'm not impressed with the PLP's performance – especially under "Brown's" leadership.

I don't need a history lesson on the PLP, I got the message a long, long time ago. What I do feel is needed is that the body of the PLP has to be told the truth about the very hard and vital work that's been and is being done by people that are not members, but have supported the "Party"; people that were far more than "just a little" instrumental to the success of the PLP, before, at, and after the '98 election polls! And I'm not talking about the people that are all up in your faces, pandering to you for favour and attending at the "Cocktail Parties". Twelve years and counting. Frustration is brewing in the pressure cooker, and how long do you think you can keep the lid on with "Punitive Legislative Measure?" Too many of the PLP's antics are reminiscent of the old UBP, and you do remember what happened to them.

I suggest you stop and reflect long and hard after you read this letter. Things are not the way they used to be. Even the so-called brightest people can and have suffered deep denial of truth and reality until it's too late; again, ask the UBP. Stop playing! How much time do you think you have on the political clock? No more promises! I haven't heard our leader come with any solutions that suggest he understands the youth of Bermuda as much as he would like us to think he does. They don't "Feel the Love!" Where's the love, Doc? Where is all the understanding you claim to have for the "Black Youths?" What, are you going to leave it to Paula to clean up your mess? That's very "brave" of you. Looks like Paula's about to become a political "single parent", and we wonder why we have so many delinquent fathers.

The "Honeymoon" is over, and we seriously need to renew our vows. Dame Lois Brown Evans once said "we get the leadership that we deserve", and we deserve much better! Lead by example! Too much talent is being wasted along with a whole lot of other resources. "Stop!" A whole lot of your people are disappointed in you, Doc – and you and I've had this conversation on more then one occasion. The PLP came to power representing freedom of speech, freedom of association, etc. Yah, I know, "I have a right to my opinion". Like others have said – like I've also heard you say – a day is a long time in politics. So the end of October is still a good distance away, should be more then enough time for you to do the right thing. Let's see.

GLADWYN S. SIMMONS

Unity in the Community

Fighting with peace, not for it

Sandys

P.s. The clock is running, and in '98 the PLP rode into power on a theme "It's time", well, it's that time again!

Memorial for soldier

September 22, 2010

Dear Sir,

On June 28, a letter appeared in The Royal Gazette written by Major PM Birch of Warwick Camp, Bermuda. He had received a letter from Lt. Col. Kevin Hodgson of the Royal Anglian Regiment in England asking for his help in locating the family of Private John F. Handford, who served with The Bermuda Rifles and then the 2nd East Anglian Regiment. John was at a training camp in Sennelager, Germany, when he was accidentally killed while on duty.

About nine o'clock on the morning the paper came out, I received a telephone call from my aunt Mrs Ellen Tindall, and she read the letter to me. I brought it up online and re-read it myself several times. After all these years, I was shocked to hear from anyone.

A Regimental Memorial was being dedicated at the Imperial war Museum in Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England, and John was one of the 78 soldiers being honoured that day.

Because Major Birch worked so hard at trying to find John's family, first on his own and then in writing a letter to the Editor, we were able to find out about this event. My husband and I have just returned from attending the dedication ceremony and also visiting John's gravesite in Hannover, Germany.

The dedication day was brilliant with sunshine, that in itself was a gift from Mother Nature as there was not a cloud in the sky. The event was attended by over 1,000 people. The families of the fallen soldiers all had their own individual hosts for the day, each host having known personally the soldier being honoured. It was a most perfect day from beginning to end with so much in between. We met four soldiers who knew John, that was a gift to us as we talked and shared things about him. (all the while I was thinking of our mother and wishing she could share this special day too.)

The day after the dedication, Dan and I flew to Hannover, Germany. We were met next morning at our hotel by a British Liaison Officer who then drove us to the cemetery where John is buried.

After 48 years ... we were there. It was very emotional, but after some time there came a peace in knowing exactly where he is and what his resting place looks like. It is incredibly beautiful and peaceful.

I would like to publicly thank Major Birch for making every effort to reach John's family. Had he not written this letter we would never have known about this wonderful event.

DAN AND HELENA (HANDFORD) BAUER

USA