CableVision blank screen

January 4, 2010

Dear Sir,

I see Cablevision is off to a great start for 2010! Along with lots of others in the Warwick area we have been without cable for the whole of this wet and windy weekend.

No information offered on their website or telephone system and on Saturday if you had the patience to be on hold for an hour or so the agent you eventually spoke to could give no information either.

To their credit, the staff at CableVision are unfailingly pleasant, but management needs to work harder at giving us the service we pay for.

FRUSTRATED IN WARWICK

Cement silo shame

January 4, 2010

Dear Sir,

I often wondered why the business community in Bermuda was not incensed about the treatment that Jim Butterfield received over the forced sale of the Bermuda Cement Company. How can any of the Ministers or Mr. Dennis Correia, face decent people? I would hang my head in shame.

Now that the new owners are not being required to move the cement silos, I only wish that Mr. Butterfield would take the Government to court as he has such a strong case against them and, in my opinion, would be entitled to substantial damages.

CAMELOT

Smith's

Concerned about Island

January 4, 2010

Dear Sir,

I have just read the editorial from December 29, 2009. It was spot on! I have vacationed in your wonderful country for many years and have seen the slow decline of the overall environment and spirit of Bermuda.

There seems to be no concrete plans for handling the drug and gang problem. There appears to be a lot of rhetoric and chest thumping but no apparent action. It must be dealt with swiftly and firmly. If not, the results could be catastrophic. More of your precious youth will lose their lives to senseless violence. More families will be devastated. Your own laws must be enforced with the proper punishment given to all who break them. The time for talking is over. Please have the courage to do what is needed,as painful as it might be. Future generations of Bermudians have a right to a life without violence or fear.

Also, with regards to the trends in the tourism industry, I am perplexed. Bermuda is somewhat struggling with unemployment, yet one of your crown jewels, Elbow Beach, has shut down for "renovations". I believe that several hundred Bermudians may have lost their jobs. The way in which it shut down has caught many tourists unawares. They seem very concerned that Bermuda, formerly noted throughout the world as being an intimate, friendly and outgoing island, has caved in to becoming a carbon copy of the soulless, non-caring, money craving resorts of other countries. Was it so long ago that staff and guests were like family and knew each other by name, when we all greeted each other warmly?

Please, Bermudians, take back your precious island home. Time is slipping by.

TOM EGAN

Medway, Massachusetts

Don't lose democracy

January 1, 2010

Dear Sir,

I was a serving Police officer in the UK Police for over 30 years and am now a civilian employee working as a link between the CPS and the Police (Evidence Review Officer) I have seen numerous changes which have resulted in the Force (sorry Service) becoming a corporate service. When I joined we swore allegiance to the Crown and the Government of the day. Unfortunately now the politicians have too much say.

I had the pleasure of visiting Bermuda in 2007 and hope to return this coming year, my wife being born there. Please don't lose your identity and more importantly the democracy. Fortunately with a monarchy as opposed to a dictatorship democracy is a valuable gift that many take for granted.

DARROL STATEN MBE

Derbyshire, UK

Poor cable service

January 5, 2010

Dear Sir,

We have not had service since Saturday evening.

There is no website message nor is there any voice mail messages.

On Sunday and Monday it was almost impossible to get through to CableVision on the phone. If we did get through the wait time to speak with a representative was more than 60 minutes. It was not possible to leave a voice mail message because the mail box was full.

Tried to call Tuesday morning, was on hold, tried to leave a voice mail message, mail box is full. Went back to holding to speak with a representative, wait time 11 minutes, next message wait time five minutes about a minute later was disconnected.

One would think that in the year 2010 a company would be equipped to provide better services to their customers

FR

Warwick

Solutions to violence

January 5, 2010

Dear Sir,

My personal opinion to stop the violence and shooting and other aggravated assaults that are escalating in Bermuda.

1. Government should raise the voting and drinking age to 21 years old.

2. Government should also beef up the Police department and do what is necessary to bring in new and experienced police officers and increase the pay rate and benefits to bring in good quality experienced individuals who are not afraid to take charge and do what needs to be done.

3. Have a curfew for children under the age of 21 at 10 p.m. unless they are accompanied with a parent or legal adult or guardian. Parents should be fined if their children are caught breaking the curfew. Fines should be between $750 and $1,000 each time the curfew is broken and the child is caught. If the child is caught he should also be force to do community service and be sent to some type of school programme to learn a skill for a period of time and should also have jailed time after more than one offence.

4. Police all troubled areas at all times to disperse the groups of children especially in places where these gangs, thugs and groups hang out.

5. The public should get involved and report any crime or other disturbing incidents that may take place in the home, neighborhood and any other areas.

There should be a Crime Stoppers number posted in all community pay phones and public places and some where near your home phones and the general public should have it posted in there cell phones, in case of an emergency so that each person will have it available.

As responsible adults, parents and citizens we should all be involved in ending this madness. For either we are part of the problem or part of the solution. In closing: Any idiot or fool can destroy and kill and take a life or lives but how many can save lives and keep the peace?

R. MAGNUM

Southampton

Slow mail

November 16, 2009

Dear Sir,

It's a sad state of affairs when an invitation for my husband, a war veteran, to attend the Remembrance Day luncheon, arrives in our correctly placed mailbox on November 16.

The envelope was stamped November 2, so it took two weeks! I don't think Her Majesty would be very impressed with having her name on that kind of service.

There is no excuse, maybe we should get a woman in there to reorganise things!

LINDA SOUSA

Southampton