Work for our own

August 24, 2010

Dear Sir,

Reading the headline of The Royal Gazette today, ( August 24, 2010) in reference to the less skilled (local labourers) not able to secure employment; this in many cases, is contributed to by the influx of foreigners being granted work permits and are working for far less than the average Bermudian…It is such a vicious cycle. The employers complain of their overheads, so they seek inexpensive labour to cut back their overheads…it's business as usual.

But there's a sad side to this dilemma we're facing. Each foreign worker doesn't spend the majority of their dollars here as we locals will/do. Each sends out of the Island a large portion of their income, either in USA dollars or any other form of currency that is transacted through our banks or other means or carried out in the pockets of each person leaving this Island. In reality, this doesn't help Bermudians or our economy in any way, shape or form.

So, what can we do to decrease this happening? Simple, stop workers from coming here getting jobs in the lower rungs of the work ladder this is/will be a start.

What special skills are required to wash pots or scrub floors or any of the numerous non-skilled jobs that we see being done by foreign workers? But before I go any further I must let everyone know, and please don't get me wrong, for my wife is Asian and they are hard dedicated workers and anyone who appreciates them should reward them as we locals expect/demand to be rewarded and not treat them as some type of modern slave/s.

We must not complain or hold grudges against or towards them, they're only doing what any one of us will do given the chance to better our lives. They've taken advantage of the opportunities and locals should learn from them and not begrudge people who are so humble and hard working that have chosen to leave their families thousands of mile away in order to better life for them back in their homelands.

RAYMOND RAY

St. George's

UK passport benefits

August 25, 2010

Dear Sir,

As a Bermudian student in university in London, I would like to thank the Bermuda Government for providing me with the opportunity to obtain a UK passport. Apart from being able to live and work freely in London, I am able to travel throughout Europe, inexpensively and hassle-free. It is a privilege that I could only have dreamed of as a child.

I am concerned that, although the discussions on Independence are emotive and attractive, future generations of young people will be denied the privilege and opportunity that I now enjoy. Tuition fees would increase to an international rate that would not be affordable for average Bermuda families. In addition, as Bermudians now need a visa for most European countries, travel throughout Europe would be cumbersome.

I would hope that the voice of Bermuda's young people would be included in discussions on Independence so that our future generations also enjoy the very real benefits of being a British citizen.

COLE SIMMONS

Kingston University, London

(aged 21)

Achieving at football

August 24, 2010

Dear Sir,

There are numerous ways to judge success when dealing with youth football and results on the field is but one of many.

While I agree that the National Academy has not been a resounding success, the concept is not flawed. What I don't agree with is the belief by some that, what was in place prior to the establishment of the Academy was structured, holistic and forward thinking. In fact, quite the opposite. It was ad hoc, confusing, dated and completely short term.

There are those that believe that our under 17 team's result two years ago against T&T was fantastic and that those in charge of that team should have been retained by the current Technical Director. In fairness, any draw against T&T shouldn't be discounted, however we must also look at the body of work compiled by those that would be Kings. These self-appointed gurus have on numerous occasions flattered to deceive and their results or lack of same validate this statement. The term 'legends in their own minds' is so appropriate, so darn spot on.

Ask any and I mean any reasonable, unbiased coach if what was in place prior to 2008 was good and I would bet a million dollars to one that the overwhelming response would be that it wasn't. That in fact it was so broken and disfigured that it had to be dismantled and the architects put out to pasture. Ask the same coaches if what replaced is on the right track and the response would most likely be mixed, however I would bet my remaining pennies that those same coaches would never vote to return to those heady days of 2007.

LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE

Pembroke

Stop the gang nonsense

August 25, 2010

Dear Sir,

Nearly 60 years ago I was a member of The White Hill Gang in Sandy's. Our primary adversary was The West Side Gang in Somerset. I could not go into Somerset to the movies without getting into an argument with that gang, and they risked getting through our territory without some hassle. All over Bermuda there were such situations. One evening my buddy and I rode our mopeds all the way into St. David's to The Mount Area Club in open defiance of everybody. What were we thinking?

We parked our bikes and went in for a drink. Within a short while there was amassed a big squad of bikers, and we were given five minutes to get out of town. The lying swine only gave us about 20 seconds before they started after us and they chased us all the way to Bailey's Bay. They turned around there because they didn't want to tangle with those Bay Byes.

This sort of nonsense went on for awhile before we all grew tired of the fact that we had made small Bermuda so much smaller. It was a dumb and dopey idea then, and it is even more so in today's Bermuda. It's also deadly. At least in my time you could count on getting a bloody nose and your bike being trashed, but today lives are on the line. How much longer before the penny drops and the guys come to realise that they are not as indestructible as they might think.

We are seeing a self-culling of gangsters. I think the saying is "where only the strong will survive" but this is not about arm wrestling, this is simply about pointing and shooting. I hear the driving force is about a shrinking market for drugs matched by a flood of sellers. I suppose the last man standing will think he's the winner.

My fervent hope is that this is a phase that Bermuda is going through. Murder and mayhem of this type is not a Bermuda characteristic. What's more, the players are for the most part Bermudian, so they are known as our brothers, our sons, our school pals, our nephews and cousins. They are also fathers and Bermuda's leaders of tomorrow. If you are close to them you need to talk some sense into them.

Every time we bury one of them we bury Bermuda's future. Us older crowd are getting too fat and lazy to carry on indefinitely. Bermuda's future belongs to today's youth, many of whom are killing one another as though there were some sort of re-set button.

There is no re-set button. This is real life, and death.

SILENCE THE GUNS

Smith's

Socialising health care

August 23, 2010

Dear Sir,

Whether or not it is the Government's intention to "socialise" health care by way of implementing the BHeC's recommendation to 'cross-subsidise' health insurance in plain language, 'the less well off pay less and the better off pay more for the exact same services' it stands out as the best policy. The Government needs to find every way possible of addressing the huge income gap in Bermuda. Let's not be frightened by words like "socialised" as it applies to wealth redistribution. Countries which have successfully redistributed wealth, where the income gap is smallest, also have less crime, less teen pregnancy, smaller prison populations, young men have aspirations and lead less risky lives (vis-a-vis guns and knives), and the whole population is healthier, rich and poor, with longer life expectancies. So yes, in every way possible Government: pump as much funding and resources into the bottom third of the population as you are able to, spending as wisely as possible. Lift the lower third and watch crime fall, health improve and most social indicators move in a positive direction, for us all to be better off, and if we are lucky we might even wind up trusting each other more.

DELAEY ROBINSON JP

Crime and punishment

August 24, 2010

Dear Sir,

To all my fellow Bermudians. You may, or, you may not recall the time when a person who'd been incarcerated, (locked-up for whatever reason) did carry a certain amount of guilt/shame. To be put into jail was an embarrassment, not only to the individual, but to their family as well.

Today, the school of hard-knocks seems to be a thing of the past. We have individuals who are entering and exiting Westgate over and over for (in most cases) the same things, with the same old story. This is a "red flag". There is undoubtedly, something wrong with the administration of our prison/courts systems. The prisons are no longer a deterrent. (When a bie' is asked, "Bie' where you been…I ain't seen you for days? and the individual looks you in the eyes, (smiling) and says, "bie' u'm bin locked-up". Something is wrong.)

The worse part of this dilemma is they are just a number, no more and no less when in they're jail. We hear of various programmes that exist in the jail, yet, very few inmates take advantage of the opportunities and merely lay about talking B.S… For one to receive "good time" or a reduced sentence that individual must take part in a programme that will open their eyes and lead them on the path of self-rehabilitation (only they can change themselves…) As the 'ole saying goes: "You can lead a horse to the water, but you can't make him drink."

I personally believe, (and have said it on numerous occasions) that the vast amount of people who are locked up for failing to pay fines shouldn't be in put in prison, but instead, be out here cleaning the beaches/bushes or any other public area to pay off their fines. This work can be done from "The Hustle Truck" and I would further suggest the courts automatically deduct from the individual's wages a percentage, to go towards paying off their fines.

Undoubtedly this alternative method of sentencing will also cut the Prison's budget tremendously. It will cost us (the public) less to pay a man for his eight hours of labour than to house him for ' X ' amount of month/years.

I further believe, that our politicians need to "take the cotton out of their ears and shove it into their mouths and hear what we the people are saying!!!"

RAYMOND RAY

St. George's