Start paying off debt now

March 8, 2010

Dear Sir,

I am totally gobsmacked that everybody in the PLP Government believes the high level of debt they have created and plan to increase is just fine and dandy. Most of them will probably be dead before any start is made on paying off the principal, so why should they care. Just in case I'm wrong and some of them do actually care, privately and off the record of course, may I suggest that if the House (the PLP) approves gambling for Bermuda, that they commit to using every last dollar earned to pay back the debt they have generated. At the $130 million a year they are suggesting, the total debt including all the interest could be paid off within ten years. Then they could start spending again within our means.

RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT

Pembroke

Clean up the toilets

March 8, 2010

Dear Sir,

This past weekend, my wife was obliged to use the public rest room at the Botanical Gardens, the one located on the hill just above the Main Office. To her dismay, she encountered one of the most disgusting lavatories one can imagine, with toilets failing to flush, and an odour that was more like an "oh dear", taps not working etc. Just unbelievable. May I suggest to those at the Parks Dept./Ag.& Fish/ Public Works (or whoever) that somebody, please rectify these problems before the Ag. Show.

CONCERNED CITIZEN

St. George's

Help the East End

March 3, 2010

Dear Sir,

Having had my medical practice in the old town of St. Georges for over the past twenty-five years, I am naturally very concerned about the steadily deteriorating economic well being of the East End. A local business woman was recently quoted as refuting the label of a "ghost town". To me, that's astonishing. St. Georges, presently, is in fact a ghost town apart from "Alabama" strolling around! With no more cruise ships and ferries, it is like an unconscious patient being taken off a life support.

The prevalent mid-set is defective. There has been too much dependence on government for things to happen. Initiatives and ideas, locally, are painfully lacking. Various events akin to "Harbour Nights" need to be carefully thought out whereby the Gombeys, steel bands and limbo dancers are brought to the town square to perform say, weekly. They are part of Bermuda Heritage and cultural tourism.

The St. David's and St. George's islanders should be encouraged and urged to vend local dishes such as conch-fritters, fish cakes, etc. Bring Dale Butler, the fishcake king on board! I however believe the new Mayor is thinking along those lines and, I sincerely wish him the best of luck. Funds could be solicited from businesses island-wide as well as from the private sector. The idea of monthly raffle should be entertained.

There have to be some exciting things happening in the East End for both visitors and locals to travel all the way there if we are serious about economic rejuvenation. Most restaurants in St. George's as well as other businesses are currently closed and some, permanently. Greed has been a factor. A particular restaurant was charging $4.00 for a cup of non-special coffee and another $4.00 for a second cup! It's so ironic that certain items are more expensive in the East End than in Hamilton or Dockyard. Some restaurants here have overpriced themselves out of business.

When it comes to quality of food, presentation and service, I have to give an A+ to Café Gio both for lunch and dinner. Lastly, I implore the Government to seriously consider the feasibility of moving a number of Government offices from already congested Hamilton to the East End. While this would not be a panacea to all the East End economic woes, but this action would certainly help sustain some local businesses there, the restaurants in particular. St. George's of course needs at least one major hotel, cruise ships and ferries. Come unto the East End and help us!

DR. HENRY OLADEHINDE SUBAIR

St. George's

Counting heads

February 8, 2010

Dear Sir,

I happened to listen to the House of Assembly debate last Friday on legislation intended to give the Minister of Finance complete discretion to exempt cruise ships from paying passenger cabin tax — and retroactively at that! The Opposition United Bermuda Party objected to the lack of transparency and the 'blank cheque' in light of all the Government's overspending. John Barritt moved an amendment that would have required the Minister to come back to the House of Assembly for approval in each case and justify any exemption. After the Government refused, the Opposition called for a vote but the Government won 16 to nine and the amendment requiring tighter financial accountability was defeated.

I found the roll call very interesting. Only one of Bermuda's newest party, BDA, was there and he (Donte Hunt) voted with the PLP Government. Only one of the independents was there (Wayne Furbert) and he also voted with the PLP. What was most surprising is that I didn't hear any of them, independents or BDA members, speak during the debate at all. The nine members who voted for tighter financial scrutiny were all the members of the United Bermuda Party, so that also means there were only 14 members of the Progressive Labour Party Government there to vote. I think this says a lot!

CONCERNED CITIZEN

Warwick

Thank you CableVision

March 1, 2010

Dear Sir,

Now the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games are over, I would like to publicly express sincere thanks to Bermuda Cablevision for providing us with the best ever local coverage of any Olympic Games. We are always quick to criticise when things go wrong, but on this occasion Cablevision went the extra mile in their coverage of the Games, from the magnificent Opening Ceremony to that incredible Men's Hockey Final a crowning performance for Canada.

I seem to recall that in past Olympics whichever company bought local rights would refuse to allow any other station to air any of the Games. On this occasion, not only could we enjoy NBC's coverage, but we could also watch the live direct feed on channel 99. NBC did a great job, but there is always a preference to show the accomplishments of US athletes, which is only natural. Canadian stations would have done much the same for their athletes.

The live feed provided a healthy balance because it covered just about all of the events with excellent commentary throughout (Robin Cousins expert figure skating commentary was outstanding), and channel 99 also showed highlights of each day throughout the Games just in case we missed the live action. I understand that CableVision generously allowed WOW to broadcast this same coverage so that everyone in Bermuda could enjoy the benefits of the rights they were able to secure. Congratulations Bermuda CableVision on a job well done, and congratulations to Canada for hosting a superb Winter Olympics and for stealing the limelight with the largest tally of gold medal ever won by a host nation. I look forward to the same sort of coverage together with similar results from the host nation when London hosts the 2012 Summer Olympics!

ROGER J. SHERRATT

Flatts

Looking for a saviour

March 8, 2010

Dear Sir,

When the wicked and the unrighteous are in authority, the people mourn for a saviour, righteous leaders, judges and virtuous warriors. That is when justice and righteousness shall prevail and the people will rejoice with favour and have true honour.

RON MAGNUM

City of Hamilton

It is time to speak up

March 1, 2010

Dear Sir,

Like many others, I have always stood by and given the Premier the benefit of the doubt, hoping he would do the right thing for the people of our beloved Bermuda. That has not happened. So I believe it is time to speak up and not take what has been happening any more.

Having just read the account of the spending by the Premier and some other Cabinet Ministers, I am now convinced the Premier does not give a hoot for the people of this country and is only interested in misusing the tax payers' money to live in as grandiose style as he possibly can. He has gone too far with his unbridled spending and should be removed immediately. If the people of Bermuda do not now demand the Premier's immediate removal we will be laughed at by the rest of the world for being fools prepared to accept any abuse from our elected officials.

It is absolutely ridiculous the Premier would spend $115,000 on one trip with ground transport of $12,699.0 and a hotel room costing $4,000 per night. All of this while so many people are hurting in Bermuda. Where is their conscience? Where is their caring? Many people are unable to feed their families properly, there are persons being laid off from work who cannot get government help. Wage freezes are being imposed on workers and more and more persons are unable to find a job while our Premier and some of his colleagues spend more than $250,000 in nine months.

The Minister of Finance has to be looked at seriously as well. She is supposed to be the protector of the public purse, but instead has done a shocking job, permitting this wild, unnecessary spending to continue. She should also step down from her post as Minister of Finance. This spending does not include the amount spent by the Premier on this unnecessary trip he has taken to India.

There is another concern of which all Bermudians should be made aware. Our economy is based on one and only one economic pillar at the moment. The International Business sector is our only earner, tourism is flat. It is because of that sector that we can put food on our tables and clothes on our backs and send our children to school. Yet Bermuda's international business is being allowed to incrementally disappear. Little by little, companies are leaving Bermuda or are preparing to leave for a number of reasons. One is the dreaded term limit imposed upon them by the government, which is not only causing companies to leave but preventing companies and skilled labour from coming to Bermuda. The other reason is Government's laissez-faire, don't give a dam attitude toward our exempted company businesses.

Other countries are doing everything they can to welcome companies and skilled labour to their shores. Our Government needs to get off its backside and put together schemes, updated policies, and programmes to attract international businesses to our shores and to encourage those that are here to stay, to make them feel welcome and to encourage top skilled persons to come to Bermuda. If we do not pay attention, we will not be able to compete and we will lose. If we lose the international business sector or if it is seriously diminished, it will set Bermuda back some 60-odd years when we had a high rate of unemployment and many people just could not get work. Fortunately, then we had agriculture which has all but disappeared today.

Mr. Editor, I reiterate: The Premier and some of his ministers who are spendthrifts and careless with the public's money should resign or be removed. They are doing a very poor job for Bermuda that will destroy this country. Worse still, they don't seem to care. I urge all Bermudians who care about their country, who care about their children to rise up and remove those who depict a callous, uncaring attitude for the tax- payer and for Bermuda's families and Bermuda's children. Rise up and replace them with others who will hopefully do a better job. I do not care which political party they belong to as long as they do a better job.

This budget the Government has introduced is so terrible it is laughable. The Government actually thinks it can pull the wool over Bermudians' eyes. The Budget is the beginning of piling the Government's spendthrift, mismanagement and uncaring attitude on the backs of the taxpayer. It will pile more cost on the international business sector and encourage more of them to leave Bermuda because of cost.

"All it takes for evil and corruption to prevail is for good men and women to stand by and do nothing. All it takes to destroy a country's economy is to have uncaring spendthrifts at the head. They must be removed."

QUINTON L. EDNESS CBE

Warwick

Noise but no responsibility

March 5, 2010

Dear Sir,

Re: Corporations Hijackings

I submit the following gobbets for comments and digestion.

1) If it ain't broken don't fix it.

I suggest that the Corporations generally do an excellent job.

2) They have kept the tax rates reasonable and are solvent as not has been the case with other bodies.

3) Spending $800,000 of taxpayers money without any reference to them. What portion of this ransom has been paid locally and the balance abroad?

4) It appears that Government reaps parking fees on property owned and maintained by the Corporations. Apparently they are not doing a very good job on this.

5) I understand that they wish to put fees for Queen's Bottom in their coffers to the detriment of the Corporations' improvement plans. Is this equitable?

These items bring to mind the view that Government is acting like a newborn baby: That is a lot of noise at one end and a lack of responsibility at the other.

SEAEGG

Pembroke

Time to step up to the plate

March 2, 2010.

Dear Sir,

It is alarming that the Progressive Labour Party has run up such an enormous debt in our country during the period that they have been in power. I believe that the best way forward for Bermuda and all of its people is for the Progressive Labour Party to accompany Dr. Brown to his residence, pack his bags and send him back to Los Angeles where he came from. If the majority of members of the ruling party, namely the Progressive Labour Party, do not step up to the plate and do their civic duty, there will be continued serious consequences for all of us. Never has a leader of this country inflicted so much damage and ill will than the existing Premier. There is the very real danger that hunger, homelessness and joblessness will be more prevalent than it already is.

A. BLACK

Paget

Give us balanced budgets

March 3, 2010

Dear Sir,

Can anyone remember the days of Sir David Gibbons and Doctor David Saul when we had balanced budgets year after year, national debt paid off and a surplus? As they say: "Those were the days".

L.L.

Pembroke

Poor effort

February 18, 2010

Dear Sir,

I really would like to find out why there is a trend towards issuing dull and dismal postage stamps? I wonder if those responsible for selecting the designs lead dull lives? Today another issue came out commemorating 100 years of the Girl Guides. Surely this is a joyful subject and one that should portray brightness and colour. Far from it, the stamps are once again the dull dismal colours.

In Bermuda we are surrounded by colour, blue skies, blue ocean, pink beaches and wonderful pastel colours on our homes. To those responsible for designing our stamps, please stop the dismal depressing appearance of our stamps and bring back the better brighter designs. To illustrate how dull the stamps are, I enclose herewith a photograph showing the First-day cover issued today. There is also a picture of the First-day cover issued earlier this month by England also commemorating 100 years of the Girl Guides. Their stamps and cover far outdo our poor effort.

BRIGHT & BETTER

Devonshire

Cheapening society

February 24, 2010

Dear Sir,

Mr. Dale Butler is to be applauded at expressing his concerns over local businesses selling of the distastefully wrapped chewing gum. Too much rubbish is thrown at our youth as it is, which sadly cheapens our society. Mr. Butler knows the value of wholesome teachings and example for our young people

SMALL THINGS AMUSE SMALL MINDS

Smith's