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Letters to the Editor, July 8, 2009

Points with ObamaJune 19, 2009Dear Sir,

Points with Obama

June 19, 2009

Dear Sir,

Ewart Brown's decision to let four Guantanamo detainees settle on the Island was not because he was compassionate. I don't believe he really has any compassion in him.

It was simply a way to gain points with President Obama as this is the only way he could do it.

I may not be able to see any transparency in your government but I can certainly see through you and as for LaVerne Furbert's attempt at making this all a racial issue, all I can say is shame on you.

When you don't have a leg to stand on please don't play the race card.

FOR A REPLACEMENT

Pembroke

A bad bus driver

June 8, 2009

Dear Sir,

I need to write this letter about the accident I was involved in today June 8, 2009 at 6:05 p.m. I was on my mountain bike, travelling eastward coming from the Rockaway Ferry. I heard this bus coming from behind me. The bus driver started blowing his horn. I realised that he was blowing his horn at me. The bus driver came as close to my rear fender as he could. There was heavy traffic going in the opposite direction and the bus could not overtake me. Finally when I was near Green's Guesthouse there was a small break in the traffic coming from the east. The bus driver started to overtake me. The driver then on purpose drove me off the road. The bus hit my handle bar and I came off my bike, damaging my bike and causing me road rash. The driver looked in the mirror and saw what he had done and kept going.

With all the road fatalities on the road recently, the last thing Bermuda needs is this kind of bus driver on our roads. I would like to ask the passengers of this Hamilton-bound bus to call the Police and report what they witnessed.

This person puts all the great bus drivers that we have, who do such a good job in a bad light. This driver could so easily have killed me.

HARLEY HAYWARD

Southampton

A plan for teaching

June 7, 2009

Dear Sir,

"Literacy and Numeracy are the foundation of a good education".

The problem:

Too many children entering the educational process that are illiterate.

Causation:

The number of children raised in dysfunctional homes.

The number of single parent homes resulting from children born out of wedlock, two parent homes under stress, divorce, death of one parent, poverty.

Solution:

To ensure every child entering the educational system is literate.

Programmers to correct those students who are already in the system who have literacy problems.

Establish literacy programmes that begin in the home when a child is eighteen months to two years.

Train teachers to teach literacy and numeracy in school and in the field.

Establish a preschool nursery in every parish. More than one in Pembroke. One in Devonshire, Warwick, Somerset, St. George's perhaps, or wherever the need is great.

Allocate $100 million over the next ten years to programmes and facilities to improve the teaching of literacy and numeracy to every child.

The result is a very educated population in 10 years.

QUINTON L. EDNESS CBE

Warwick

Spiritual solution to gangs

June 3, 2009

Dear Sir,

I was interested to read the former gang member's letter in Tuesday's edition.

Whilst I agree with his practical proposal to legalise soft drugs, I would like to suggest a spiritual solution.

There is a slogan for tourists in Bermuda which says "feel the love". Love is the crucial element in our lives which can keep people on the straight and narrow.

Indeed one of Bermuda's black contemporary artists, Robert Bassett, who is currently exhibiting his work at the Masterworks Museum, states "... Love is the key. . ." I think that gang members may be missing this key and need to "feel the love" from people who know them and from those who don't.

I work in a beautiful place in England which attracts many tourists and this too has a serious drug problem. It doesn't matter how beautiful the environment is, the darkness can enter where there is an absence of light, and create the desire to disrespect yourself and others.

So may I respectfully suggest that the people of this beautiful island pray for the gang members to come out of their darkness, so that they too will be able to "feel the love".

A CHRISTIAN TOURIST WHO LOVES BERMUDA

England

P.s. This is a quote displayed alongside Robert Bassett's painting "Tangerine blues":

"Art transcends our cultural boundaries. As an artist he is hoping to contribute to the healing of a child, adult, nation and world; because love is the key, and the greatest artist is God Himself". (By permission of Masterworks Museum)

Orchid charity thanks

June 10, 2009

Dear Sir,

We the officers and members of the Orchid Charity Club take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the many merchants who made donations to our Annual Christmas Project. This project enabled us to make a contribution to the residents in the Senior Homes and other organisations throughout the island, for which they are very thankful and overjoyed.

At this time we would also like to thank our faithful taggers, who donated their personal time, to tag for us on our Annual Tag Days of January 16th & 17th, 2009. Thanks to the merchants throughout Bermuda, who gave us permission to place our taggers in front of their establishments.

We are happy to report that this year's tag day was a resounding success; this could not have been realised without any of you.

Also to the many other merchants who supplied us with food provisions for our St. Patrick's Day Tea held on March 15, 2009, we would like to say thank you, as our Tea was once again a huge success. During the tea we were challenged by our guest speaker Mrs. Claudette Fleming of Age Concern Bermuda, and serenaded by the North Village Band, and Elton Richardson. We were also delighted with a liturgical dance by Courtney Coddington and a mime ministry presentation by Paul & Razelle Smith. To our speaker and guest artists we are eternally grateful and wish God's continued blessing on you and your families. To our brothers, the Leopards Club, our own sisters the Orchids, our faithful helpers, and let us not forget our loyal patrons, for without your dedication, our Tea would not be a reality, "Thank you".

May God continue to bless each and every one of you, as you go about carrying out His charitable deeds.

CONSTANCE RICHARDSON & LOIS WEEKS

Secretaries

The Orchid Charity Club

Stop Brown and Burch

June 16, 2009

Dear Sir,

Brown and Burch MUST GO! Enough arrogant lunacy. You byes have not only crossed the line (once again), but here in Bermuda, we have laws and a Constitution. Blatant disregard for established policies must have consequences. We've had Enough! Ewart's spin plays up "humanitarian reasons"... hogwash! We're not buying that one. Since when did this Premier become the grand humanitarian? Exactly how much is being paid by the US Government for this fiasco? No specific numbers seem to be forthcoming (no surprise). This action was taken covertly. Why do I suspect that greed and personal showmanship had a whole lot more to do with secretly relocating four detainees than any "humanitarian" motives? Brown and Burch . . . you are once again an embarrassment to Bermuda. Hopefully, for the last time. I thought this was a democracy, but I see that this government has now clearly evolved into a dictatorship. Brown and Burch must be stopped now. They have total disregard for the laws and people of Bermuda. We don't want to see what other devious underhanded tricks they have up their sleeves. Our Constitution states: "If the House of Assembly by the affirmative votes of a majority of all members thereof passes a resolution that it has no confidence in the Government, the Governor shall, by instrument under the Public Seal, revoke the Premier's appointment . . ." OK, ladies and gentlemen of our elected body, it's time to finally show some guts and take some action. How long do you expect Bermudians to put up with such nonsense? No more high jinks, please. Find someone to govern who can garner a little respect.

UNCLE W.

Southampton

Thin edge of the wedge

June 10, 2009

Dear Sir,

I cannot let the cruise ship gambling debate pass without comment: First, after years of analysing the issue of gambling locally and of carefully examining the realities in other places in the Caribbean and elsewhere, I am adamantly opposed to casino gambling in Bermuda. That said, I have no problem with gambling aboard ships. This may seem a contradiction, but it is not. The potential for individual excess, ruin and moral corruption is real no matter where the gambling happens.

The worst damage to our Island and to us all as a people will not come from the simple act of gambling but rather from the combined negative effects of having the casino industry living here with us on a long-term basis. Just as the most severe damage to our culture and well-being comes not from the individual drug user but from the culture of violence and crime and the huge criminal money flows which accompany the drug culture, so too with gambling. Nobody minds bingo, raffles, Crown and Anchor or the occasional swizzle or wine but we should not want a well-financed gambling culture as part of our everyday lives any more than a well-financed drug industry.

Secondly, I have had many discussions with people who have direct and reliable contacts with Holland America and while it is perfectly plausible that HA, or any other line, would make statements to the effect that Premier Brown's not fulfilling his promise to them would jeopardise their offer to bring smaller ships into St. George's and Hamilton it is only plausible that they would do so at his request and not because it is likely that they will not come.

The driving force behind HA's return here is that they pay very close attention to their very loyal customers and it is these customers who want a Bermuda itinerary from New York and are willing to pay a premium for it – with or without the casinos being open in port. Yes, the casinos' revenue will be icing on the cake but it is not "make-or-break" for the project. Thirdly, the lost revenue to the Corporations of St. George and Hamilton due to the lack of ships was at best a disastrous oversight and at worst a callous bully tactic to forge their compliance in other matters. This is especially the case in St. George's which is absolutely dependent on tourism. Taking the situation at face value, I believe the Premier needs support from the community before he can realistically ask his own members to support this move. Without that support it is the members who will bear the brunt of their constituents' anger on the doorsteps come election time. To get that support the bill should be modified in two simple ways:

l It should incorporate provisions which make clear that casino gambling will be allowed only on bona fide cruise ships operating regularly between St. George's or Hamilton and foreign ports and make it absolute that no casino will ever operate onshore and, secondly;

l It should incorporate provisions which share the revenue tithed off by Government with the Corporations of St. George and Hamilton in ways agreed by them.

The fact that the Premier is tackling this problem by threatening, bribing and cajoling his reluctant members rather than putting such amendments on the table is the clearest and loudest suggestion that he has in fact got a hidden agenda here. I think it proves that this is really about getting the thin edge of the wedge in place to later make the argument that casino gambling should be allowed on other ships (cruises to nowhere) and, eventually, ashore as well.

My hat is off to the people of Bermuda for continuing to reject local casino gambling and to those MPs who are not capitulating to the pressure being put on them. The challenge is there for the Premier to accept: if you really have no hidden agenda, then modify the bill.

TOURISM WATCHER

St. George's

It had to be kept secret

June 26, 2009

Dear Sir,

I have recently been hearing much talk about the law by many who have not given thought to what is law and who laws are for. Laws are not for everybody, there are some that need the law to keep them on a straight path. They are the ones that live in the law. Then there are those who do not need the law because they are inclined to walk a straight path without the law. They are living above the law. And there are those who live below the law. They are not going to comply to any laws so you have to lock them up.

You have laws of man and you have laws of God. Laws of man should be inspired by God's law. If they are not, then you have to choose. If you do things for the sake of man, then you look to man for your reward. If you do things for the sake of God then you look to God for your reward.

Since primary school days I have heard about Bermuda being shaped like a fish hook and I have always taken it a step further and said in my mind, this fish hook in the middle of the Atlantic must symbolise hooking the world on something, it is now that I believe this fish hook called Bermuda was destined to hook the rest of the world and pull it back from sure destruction. Little Bermuda. I believe and it is difficult to deny that US President Barack Obama is a divinely guided man given to America, the greatest nation on earth, which was heading for destruction. This man asked little Bermuda to play a part in remaking the world. How can we be handicapped by man's law so that we cannot rise up to God's law? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That is the law we should be following.

I thank God for the leadership of Dr. Ewart Brown who had the courage to say yes to President Obama when asked to help him with this divine mission to bring peace to the world. Because of the emotions of many, what was asked of the Premier had to be done in a certain way in order for it to succeed. It had to be done in secret. Many are upset because they were not privy to the plan, and it is obvious if they did know, it would not have worked. Some time ago the Premier made mention of something about having to deceive and I knew immediately he chose the wrong words to describe his actions. What I believe he meant was he had to use a strategy, it is a difference.

SAYEED RAMADAN

Smith's

Ease up on marijuana

July 1, 2009

Dear Sir,

Could you please explain to our politicians and the US Consulate that if Bermuda did not have such draconian laws for marijuana possession we would not have so many people on the US stop list. Thousands of Bermudians have been convicted of simple marijuana possession and therefore are on the US stop-list. The main aim of the any government should be to reduce the harm that drugs cause on society. Marijuana is less life threatening than alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs. The person caught speeding at 80 kph is far more dangerous to society than the young man busted for possessing a small amount of marijuana, yet the convicted speeder receives a simple monetary fine and the marijuana user gets a criminal record and is put on the US stop list.

Bermuda must have an unwritten policy, if not a law, that Police do not arrest people for minor marijuana possession.

TALKING SENSI

Southampton