What better gang?

January 11, 2009

Dear Sir,

May I, as a Bermudian who served in the British Army in the UK, Germany (NATO), Malaya and Borneo, make a few points about the argument FOR service in the Bermuda Regiment.

1. Although Great Britain stopped National Service some years ago, it is finding it increasingly difficult to carry out its obligations around the world. Without its Territorial Army, also now severely cut in numbers, life for the British Army would be even more difficult. No British politician would have the courage to call for the reintroduction of National Service now. It is too late.

2. However, there are many in Britain who would welcome the return of some form of national service, particularly as indiscipline in the schools rises and gang warfare breaks out on the streets.

3. What are the advantages of this form of service to one's country?

a. For Bermuda:

1. It provides a reliable disciplined force to help out in time of emergency, either in Bermuda or in other countries.

2. It gives a minimal defence force to the Island. (In the Second World War, my father was a sergeant in the Home Guard at Warwick. I don't suppose it would have occurred to him to have said: "I'm not going to play.") Are the young now so wet and useless that the idea of service means nothing? I doubt that this is the case.

b. For the individual:

1. It trains young men to have pride and confidence in themselves and in their appearance.

2. It teaches them respect for others and, most importantly, respect for themselves.

3. It gives a chance for all manner of young men to get to know each other through comradeship – something most civilians don't understand. This allows men who would not ordinarily meet up, to understand others and gain respect for them. Surely this is vital for all Bermudians.

4. To any future employer this type of duty done, and being done, is a bonus.

5. Many of the young like to be in a "gang". What better gang to be in than the Bermuda Regiment with its very proud history?

4. Mr Larry Marshall seems to be a great one for complaining about this and that. He is against it all. What is he for I wonder? The late President Kennedy had a few words to say: "Ask not what your country can do for you but rather what you can do for your country."

5. On the subject of women in the Regiment. Why not? But it will cost a bit more. Women are certainly as courageous as men.

ARTHUR BURLAND

Lectoure, France

A lifting of one's spirit

January 10, 2009

Dear Sir,

I would like to thank the lady with the dark hair long pearls and angel face. Just before Christmas, I was having a real bad day so I walked into Rustico and sat beside a window and had lunch. As I was about to leave, this lady came up to me and said something to me that really lifted my spirits. I hope I will see her again because many people never notice anything. All I can say is that my motto has always been "Think kind always".

ROSE

Hamilton Parish

Make speed limit 35 mph

January 9, 2009

Dear Sir,

Ha ha. It appears as if the powers that be are gearing up to hit the highways and begin harassing the general driving public again, 99 percent of whom do not get into accidents and need little policing. Same thing they did the last time, and the time before, and the time before that, and, the result will be no doubt the same as all of those other times.

The majority of safe drivers will be stopped for all kinds of minor infractions, have to pay fines, and the coffers of the courts will swell; and the idiots will continue killing themselves along with the occasional innocent bystander. Every time one of these fools kill themselves a big thing is made of it but the idiot is never called an idiot that killed himself because of his own idiotic behaviour. With all due respect and empathy to the families of the vast majority of those fatal accident victims, those victims were idiots who killed themselves because of their idiotic behaviour, and could have killed other innocent road users as well.

I agree with an increased Police presence on the roads but for the purpose of watching out for and arresting the idiots, not to harass the general driving public as they go about their already stressful daily business. After a hard, and profitable, day of harassing the general driving public the Police go home to bed; and that's when the idiots come out.

The 20 mph speed limit is a joke and nobody drives at this speed. Bermuda's roads are well able to safely accommodate a 35 mph speed limit on the main thoroughfares; and don't tell me about the increased speed encouraging more speeding. If the speed limit was 1 mph, the idiots will still go as fast and reckless as ever, and still kill themselves and others. Idiots do not care what the speed limit is. How about this; make the speed limit a sensible 35 mph and outlaw passing (except in exceptional circumstances). Passing another vehicle will be illegal unless the vehicle in front of you has stopped for some reason other than because the other vehicles in front of it has also stopped. Anybody caught illegally passing looses their license for five years. This should take care of the third lane.

It has been said that continually doing the same thing and expecting to get a different result is a sign of madness. I say it's a sign of stupidity. By the way it must be time for the group in charge of managing the drug situation to have another repeat of their initiatives, after all the problem has gotten worse. Who knows, maybe this time they will get a different result; although I doubt it.

AL EASTMOND

Devonshire

A way to save lives

January 9, 2009

Dear Sir,

Each time I read about another motorcycle death on Bermuda's roads, I wonder why we don't have airbag jackets as part of our safety equipment. These jackets have been on sale for a number of years. While I don't know how effective they are, but surely they are worth investigating.

I found them on Google at http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/airbag- jacket/motorcycle-airbag-jacket.htm but I first heard of them out of Japan at least five or six years ago. I would urge the road safety company to find out more about them.

JOY K. WILLIAMS

City of Hamilton

For their own safety

January 12, 2009

Dear Sir,

I found "Been There, Done That's letter of January 6 entitled "Govern Speeds" very heartening. In addition, I would like to point out something else that I had noticed on Bermuda's roads. On my way home from Somerset this weekend, I witnessed something that disturbed me immensely. A motorised wheelchair driver was travelling on the Middle Road in Somerset, probably out for his Sunday afternoon ride. The problem is that this gentleman had no headgear protection – he was not wearing a helmet.

I have seen other motorised wheelchair drivers with helmets on and a visible flag attached to the vehicle. God forbid, should an accident occur, severe head injuries could be the result if the driver was not wearing a helmet. This would be unfortunate. I think all motorised wheelchair drivers must wear proper safety gear. Perhaps the Police can remind and encourage all motorised wheelchair drivers to put on a helmet for their own safety when on public roads.

KBS — Keep Bermuda Safe!

Smith's

Wrong time, wrong place

January 9, 2009

Dear Sir,

I am an ex-police officer who spent some of my service on Police motorcycles. I cannot ever recall two of my fellow officers and myself parked together at the side of the road leading into Hamilton during rush hour. This is what I saw one morning this week outside the BUEI as traffic crawled into Hamilton. There were three police motor cyclists in the entrance to the BUEI. Why aren't these officers on Middle Road, South Road, North Shore Road or any other road where there is no traffic blockage but there are speeding motorcycles? The officer in charge of the Traffic Section needs to direct his motorcycle officers to go where the speeding is likely to be. One of the places is definitely not East Broadway during rush hour!

EX-POLICE TRAFFIC OFFICER

Warwick

We need answers

January 12, 2009

Dear Sir,

Here we go again! It's the new court building this time. Legitimate questions are asked about the spending of taxpayer's money and who is benefiting. Dr. Brown seems not to like these questions and labels them as "plantation questions". Shouldn't he be happy to give an honest answer? I am amazed that every thinking person in Bermuda is not extremely concerned about how wisely and honestly the tax dollar is being spent (especially after the scandals of Berkeley, The Housing Corporation and the Faith Based Tourism). Perhaps after the recession has begun to bite and the less wealthy are suffering, ordinary people will demand these answers. Obviously it would be better if we got the answers now.

EX-PLP VOTER

Smith's