The crime intensifies

October 18, 2010

Dear Sir,

Now is the appropriate time for me to revisit a letter entitled "You're right, Miss Cox, I am mad as hell … at people like you!", which was published in The Mid-Ocean News on Friday, September 14, 2007. The penultimate paragraph of that letter read as follows: "As long as we condone the unethical conduct, whether it is of politicians, Ministers, Police, lawyers, customs officers, or heads of departments, we will have little or no success in combating the rising crime involving firearms and other weapons, which will unfortunately result in many more unsolved crimes including murders."

Three years later … murders have increased and, as seen on the front page of today's Royal Gazette: "Tourist stabbed, robbed in his hotel room" and "Police probe gun incident", the crime intensifies. At least the Police appear to be making some progress with their investigations, and we have seen a few convictions for some of the gun crimes. To all those hard working individuals, I say … keep up the good work! I am pleased to learn that the Hon. Minister Paula Cox, who represents my constituency, has acknowledged that politicians and policymakers are accountable public servants who have a social contract with the community and have to be particularly sensitive to those who have felt screened out and who are vulnerable. She has also stated that: "We have to dare to do things differently than they have been done …" She claims to represent stability, commitment, experience, knowledge, integrity, consistency and honesty, which is a good thing. Since Minister Cox represents stability and integrity, she shouldn't suffer from the psychological problem of lying (misleading). Should she be successful in her leadership bid, as long as she keeps a level head and doesn't let power corrupt and always demonstrates what she represents, than she will, no doubt, be a better example to follow.

JENNIFER CAINES

Devonshire

Totally unacceptable

October 18, 2010

Dear Sir,

How many times does it take for me to ring the alarm about violence against our guests! Today we again see two more instances at an hotel property where foreign guests are stabbed and robbed. With the decline of the economy caused by PLP mismanagement, we need what's left of tourism to be saved at any cost! We cannot blame the Governor or the UK for this problem we must face up to this situation ourselves. If we see or hear about a tourist being assaulted or harassed we must act immediately or ultimately our own jobs are at risk. Bermudians must show those who perpetrate assaults on tourists that it is unacceptable behaviour.

CHARLES SPANSWICK

City of Hamilton

Arrant nonsense

October 15, 2010

Dear Sir,

I would like to endorse Dr. Michelmore's comments disagreeing with Delaey Robinson's suggestion that milk formula should be taxed in order to improve rates of breast-feeding in Bermuda. When my wife had our first child, she was unable to breast-feed despite desperately wanting to do so. She encountered the same problem when we had our second baby. It had nothing whatever to do with preferring formula or having to return to work. In fact, she was a stay-at-home mom for the first two years of their lives. Our children grew up to be healthy, bright, intelligent adults. Our daughter had her own baby two years ago and encountered similar problems to her mother. Her own baby received formula, is growing in leaps and bounds, is healthy and happy, and well adjusted.

I suspect that we are being subjected to a "moral panic"! If you don't support breast-feeding then you are viewed as a bad mother and you are causing permanent harm to your baby. This is arrant nonsense. To suggest a tax on baby formula is an outrage. By all means encourage breast-feeding. Who can object to something that is totally natural and has been going on for hundreds of thousands of years? But women who choose not to breast feed or cannot breast feed for whatever reason cannot be subjected to punishment through taxation. As so eloquently stated by Dr. Michelmore: "This would effectively be a punitive tax affecting working and single mothers hardest, and is not appropriate."

PROUD FATHER AND GRANDFATHER

Smith's

We need a judicial review

October 19, 2010

Dear Sir,

More tourists beaten and a nursery school robbed in daylight. I said this would happen. It's the gradual incline of crime and it will continue to escalate. Watch and see. It won't be long or shocking when armed bank robberies and such occur right on Front Street. The buck needs to stop now. Again, I am hoping for a revamp of our slow archaic justice system ... I use the term justice lightly there as I rarely if ever see it served here any more. I have said this before and I will say it again – we need to try Restorative Justice Programs. They work in small communities abroad. Try them here. Let the prisoners choose to do it or not, but if they do not, then they face a stricter penal system.

These guys needs to give back and either they directly give back to the victims through restorative justice programmes or they face manual labour and the likes to give back to the law-abiding community at large. These guys sit up there on their behinds doing not much useful at Westgate and that's only if our inept system gets them there and they don't walk free anyway! We need a judicial review into things. Things have got to improve. Our island is going to hell in a handbasket. Can't people realise also from a business perspective this crime is killing us. You think tourists like headlines of other tourists being attacked? No! Tourism brings fresh money to the island. Wake up.

ROBERT DAVIES

Smith's

A clarification

October 18, 2010

Dear Sir,

A letter writer recently misstated my position on a new hospital, and so I am writing to set the record straight. I did not say Bermuda does not need or want a new hospital. I fully understand the need for improved facilities. I raised the issue of whether Bermuda can afford what is proposed. I said that I was aware there is a lingering concern over the cost of the project and that people need to be reassured it is something Bermuda can afford at this time. I think it is a fair question to raise and one to keep in mind as we review and evaluate this $260 million construction project each step of the way. Thank you for allowing me the space for this clarification.

JOHN BARRITT MP

Devonshire South

Support for CedarBridge

October 19, 2010

Dear Sir,

As a former President of CedarBridge Academy Parent-Teacher-Student Association. I must begin by stating my full support behind Principal Kalmar Richards in doing an excellent job of educating our children. I must also throw my support behind the newly elected PTSA, Mr. Editor. In the past few weeks we have had many concerns and issues at the school. The alleged sending home of students for matters dealing with the dress code and or ID issues, only to have Mrs. Richards clear up the unfounded claims by a few parents.

Then we had the concerns put to parents about a few alleged students being involved with gangs. Mrs. Richards is 100 percent right to raise the concerns of gang connections. The Principal has a duty to assure all parents that their children are safe, and that they come to CBA to learn and be educated. A no-nonsense approach must be enforced by the principal and teachers and staff and the PTSA must stand by their principals. The PTSA must also, when issues arise concerning the school, make public statements and not let the principal make her public press release all alone. And finally the latest CBA board of governors SAGA should have never gone the way it has. It is totally unacceptable and someone needs to be held accountable and a new board needs to be installed immediately to get on with the running of the school.

TERRENCE FLOOD

Former President CedarBridge PTSA

P.s. Parents a few of course stop living in denial and support our children and schools!