Praising the Government

March 12, 2009

Dear Sir

I know you are going to tell me that it was a mistake. But I would like to know why you printed my complete name and address with my last letter? I have been reading your paper for close to 50 years and that is the first time I recall seeing that. It does not bother me though. Because unlike so many of your letter writers I am no coward who hides behind a pen name. I need no apologies. I expect that type of behaviour from your paper. I actually received a letter from a Bermudian living in Ireland who agreed with what I said in that letter: "Where were the white people." A lot of people responded to the question but never really answered it. What I really am writing about today though is this: The PLP Government seems to be condemned when it seems to be doing nothing and when it does actually does something. Miss Hallett's comments in last Friday's Bermuda Sun about the new reverse osmosis plant next to the Incinerator on the North Shore sound quite ludicrous. She talks about the plant having to put the salt back into water which then damages the environment. I was glad to see Mr. Thain's response in today's Sun. I won't repeat what he said but I will make some of my own comments.

Is Miss Hallett aware of the Bermuda Waterworks R/O plant no more than a quarter of a mile down the road which produces several hundred thousand gallons of fresh water from salt water everyday and dumps the salt back in to the Atlantic Ocean. They have been doing this for 21 years going back to 1988. There was no concern for the environment then. Oops, I forgot those environmentally-minded UBP guys were in power then. Also the Bermuda Sun probably uses some of that water to operate their bi-weekly paper. So it's OK to have a R/O plant to keep Hamilton and the hotels up and running. But one for the general public is a bad idea.

A few year ago when the Government brought in the tanker full of water and put in the leaky tanks at the Dockyard, some people were outraged. They should be outraged at the old UBP government that formed the West End Development Corporation nearly 30 years ago who never thought to keep up not only those tanks but the West End in general. How many buildings in the Dockyard area have had to be knocked down over the last 30 years through neglect? When the government built that staging area over near the new cruise terminal they should have buried the West End Development Company under the rubble.

Also if the Government did not build that new plant, and the next tanker ended up on one of our reefs, talk about an environmental disaster. I would like to congratulate the PLP government for having the fortitude to finally do something about Bermuda's perennial water problem. Job well done. I would also like to congratulate them on providing over 400 hundred homes for Bermudian families over the last 10 years. More than double what the UBP provided in their last decade.

The East End Emergency centre is almost complete and the west end centre will soon follow. All Government schools including the Whitney Institute have been extensively renovated. They are also painted on a regular basis, unlike under the UBP. Then again most of their children went to private schools. Talk about corruption. What that old government did to its people should be reported to the UN as crimes against humanity. I could go on and on about this Government's accomplishments over the last decade.

I don't agree with everything that my Government does nor did I agree with everything that those other byes did. This is my government and it is also yours whether you like it or not. If you are that fed up if and can't take anymore apply for your British passport and move over there. And see how many people there would break their necks to take your places here.

LESLIE JAMES SMITH

Sandys

Editor's Note: Although Mr. Smith says he does not need an apology, he has one. His street address should not have been published.

Let AG do his job

March 11, 2009

Dear Sir,

It was with incredulity that I listened this evening to the petulant comments made by the Premier when interviewed for the evening TV newscast this evening. He was responding to the contents of the Auditors General's report on the new Police/Court building. Judging by the size of the paper work shown to us, his report was extensive. The Premier stated toward the end of his recorded response that "we can't wait for him to leave". These comments are unjust. Mr. Larry Dennis is doing his mandated job and not 'victimising two selected people in cabinet'. My husband used to say, "figures don't lie and liars can't figure" and "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen". Dr. Brown should stop trying to kill the messenger and accept the contents of Mr. Dennis' report for what it is and make the recommended corrections to improve his credibility to the people of Bermuda.

It takes a big man to admit his errors, but when he does, people tend to think more of him for doing so. We all have to balance a budget and prove payments by showing receipts, the Government coffers are no different. Let Mr. Dennis do his job without hindrance or political intimidation. My cheque book balances, how about yours?

FISCALLY PRUDENT

Somerset

Impressive amount of rebar

March 11, 2009

Dear Sir,

Those readers of yours who drive on Middle Road in Warwick will have seen the Works and Engineering crew developing what could be the foundations for a six-storey house opposite Keith Hall Road. It is not for a house, however, but a footpath I discovered when questioning one of the workmen. The W&E crew of about ten men is in the process of laying the most impressive amount of rebar you have ever seen. The cost of the project, which I guess is to widen the road at that point, must be in the many scores of thousands of dollars, if not way over $100,000. When I asked one of the workmen what they were building, his response was amazing. He said: "It's a footpath, but we all feel it is complete overkill."

I would be interested to obtain from the W&E planning section exactly why so much rebar is needed. I would also be interested to know why the many thousands of dollars being spent on this project could not have been diverted to filling up the hundreds of potholes which are appearing with increasing rapidity on Bermuda's roads.

JOHN BARNETT

Warwick

Put sniffer dog down

Dear Sir,

I was disturbed with the headline of this unfortunate incident with one of the airport sniffer dogs biting a child (dogs don't make nips pack racers do). I've raised American pit-bull terriers for over 10 years and never had to correct them for biting one of my children or some one else's child. After one purchases a dog the main goal after house training the new family member is to introduce him or her to everyone in the house hold. The most important introduction is that of a child and with a stern ice cold voice you have to let the dog know that under no circumstance are you to bite Joe, Sally, etc. Children often tend to stick their milk bottles in the dog's eyes, throw toys at them, kick them, pull their tails, jump on them…

This list can go on an on, because I've seen it for myself. Even when a child is poking them with sticks while they're in the canal I haven't seen them react towards them aggressively, but instead will grab a hold of the stick and pull it out of the child's hand. So now it becomes a game with the child and they both enjoy each others company. Now! Getting to this dog that bit this child it needs to be killed (or as the old-timers would say put to sleep). This is the outcome of an animal hooked on drugs… Fix your faces don't look to surprised, because it's only logical. Or are you gullible enough to believe that the mad scientist created scented sprays for each drug the strung out dog searches for while spreading fleas at the airport.

DESAI MARDEL JONES

Sandys

Other use for Red Sox cash

March 17, 2009

Dear Sir,

How ridiculous to throw $650,000 as a promotion deal with US baseball giants Boston Red Sox. And I guess the Premier will have the honour of throwing the first ball. Whoop dee do. Why not put that $650,000 toward the Junior Sailing Programme or the XL Tennis Tournament – so that some of our Bermudian children can get some good sporting experiences and keep them off the streets in the future? Whatever happened to all of the Chinese tourists we were going to see after the Premier visited China, and was it Argentina as well? Get real, Dr. Brown. Think of Bermudians who can hardly put a good meal on the table for their children as they have not much money and maybe no job in the future. Stop being so selfish.

BRENDA SPEARING

Smith's

Happy day for T&C

March 17, 2009

Dear Sir,

This morning you quote the Premier as saying that yesterday was not a happy day for the Turks & Caicos Islands. It may indeed have been a most unhappy day for his friends down there who, allegedly, have been caught with their hands in the till up to their elbows. On the other hand, it is a very happy day for the citizens of T&C who just might, thanks to the UK government, be able to reclaim their democratic rights. At the rate we are going, can Bermuda be far behind?

ST GEORGE'S

Something to contemplate

March 12, 2009

Dear Sir,

Please consider,

a) Exempted companies like a stable political environment

b) Precious land possibly sold at below market value to developers (Coco Reef and Holiday Inn sites)

c) Retail sector under strain because of cruise ship policies (few cruise ships scheduled in Hamilton during peak season)

d) Was there a tangible benefit to the expensive music festival?

e) Has the Transport Ministry's policies helped or hindered the taxi and trucking industries?

f) Has tourism's enormous travel budget been warranted?

These are just a few comments and questions we should contemplate.

IS BERMUDA AT RISK?

Smith's

A flagrant abuse

March 18, 2009

Dear Sir,

My wife and I were wondering why tourism is in the dumps? Then we found out that $1.8 million was paid in advance for purposes which apparently were never carried out. In other words, the advertising company got paid for doing nothing. What a flagrant abuse. What is the Tourism Minister's spin on this?

MARKETING IS A JOKE

Warwick