Continued from Page 4

Too big a pill

November 16, 2008

Dear Sir,

Please allow me some space in your column, so as to address what I would call a very bad move on the sacking of the ex-Minister of Education in Mr. Randy Horton. One just has to see the light, in the way that the Hon. Premier Dr. Brown is operating, he the Premier is terrible or I would go as far as to say he has been doing quite a lot of stupid things as a leader of this Island of Bermuda. I say that to say this, just take a good look at who he lets go and when. One should never ask why Mr. Horton was sacked, for I can answer that. Mr. Horton was or is a threat to the leadership of the party and the reason given for letting Mr. Horton go was too big a pill to swallow. Anyone in that party that does not go along with what he says or does, it is only a matter of time before they are relieved of their position.

The Premier only wants those behind him who he can control, meaning do what I say or else. The PLP does not need a leader like that, and one can't tell me that all MPs in the PLP cannot see what is going on with this Premier. The Premier knows strongly that if Mr. Horton put his dime in the change box to run for the leader of this Island he would come out with flying colours, popular with the people, for the people, and the island on the whole, I for one feel he the ex-Minister could or would be a good leader. And I would put my head under the biggest truck wheels, that if he ran the leadership he would win over Dr. Brown. There are not too many that would not believe that. Mr. Horton said, and I repeat, that he was bitten by a lion. Well, I would go as far as to say to him, that he was bitten by a poisonous snake, and the venom is still there. Knowing Mr. Horton for quite a number of years by playing sports with him — against him, I can say he is not the type of person that capitulates too easy. A fighter and a team man. I have never known him to live in abnegation, and for sure that is one thing that the Premier can't say for sure. I say to all PLP M. P. s and supporters remember former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith in 2003, and the run up to the 2006 leadership election, because we tend to forget the very important issues. I feel a man's deeds are of greater importance than the facts of his birth.

STRONG SUPPORTER

ALWAYS

Sandys

P.s. It is easy enough to shout slogans, to sign manifestos, but it is quite a different matter to build, manage, command, spend days and nights seeking the solution to problems that are among us, because good leadership solves a very lot. Mr. Grant Gibbons, stick in there again.

We should know

December 1, 2008

Dear Sir,

This is an open letter to Julian Hall, my friend and erstwhile classmate. Julian, your appointment as consultant to Works and Engineering sets all kinds of alarm bells ringing. Why should W&E need a lawyer, and a fast-talking, spin-doctor kind of lawyer at that, for a consultant? It's the kind of thing that makes one go "Hmm". Apropos of that, your very rude comment reported in Friday's paper about "nosy reporters" really did not go down well. That reporter was asking questions about the backers of a construction company which is now three months behind schedule, and the possible connections to another construction company which over-cost Bermudian taxpayers tens of millions of dollars on the new Berkeley school construction, which was fired after being three years behind schedule and which still owes us millions of dollars.

Bermudians have a right to know where, how and with whom their money is being spent and to be able to lodge objections that are heeded, a fact that you and this so-called PLP government seem to have forgotten – so-called because you and your cronies now running the show appear to be completely divorced from the aims and ideals of the PLP my mother and her contemporaries worked so hard to build.

Further, let me remind you that if you have a concern about "rumours", as also stated in that article, the one sure way to circumvent the rumour mongers is to lay the facts out there for all to see. Transparency and full disclosure – remember them? Rumours can only flourish where there is secrecy and deception.

Lastly, please know that we are not fooled by this latest report of legislation being rushed through to allow bankrupt lawyers to practise here. We know that legislation is specifically designed for you. We are not stupid. We just haven't figured out where our teeth are. Beware the day we find them.

SYLVIA HAYWARD-HARRIS

Pembroke