What's the big rush?

October 26, 2008

Dear Sir,

It is Sunday, 26 October at 10.25 a.m. I have just driven by the very controversial parking area for the US Consulate on the Clifton property on Middle Road in Devonshire. There were at least eight (Works and Engineering?) men working with a roller putting down a tarmac base for the proposed car park. Who on earth authorised this presumable overtime work for all of these men, when supposedly we are meant to be tightening our belts in this serious financial climate. It is not as if they were using the Middle Road for this work, they were in the proposed car park so would not be inconveniencing the motoring public on a weekday. What is the big rush? Surely this work could have been done in a regular workweek for these men – they were all laughing all the way to the bank with this overtime pay they will surely receive. Or maybe the US Government was paying for these men to work on a Sunday morning.

STOP WASTING OUR TAXES

Smiths

PLP creates its own reality

October 22, 2008

Dear Sir,

Mr. Burt's comments concerning Trevor Moniz as quoted in The Royal Gazette demonstrates how the PLP creates their own reality, for whoever will sign on. Mr. Moniz began his political career by standing up against his own party when they tried to promote a Speaker of the House against House tradition. He followed that up by standing against his party when they tried to ram Independence down our throats. He then personally fought against allowing the Government to grant certain persons a consolation prize of a fast food franchise. And let's not forget Mr. Moniz's 'Register of Members Interests' requiring MPs to register their financial interests, which not surprisingly found little support in our Parliament. Mr. Moniz's reward was to be thrown out of the UBP in 2002 for three years.

In Mr. Burt's 'through the looking glass view', Mr. Moniz's political history makes him part of the 'same old power brokers'. You are so wrong, Mr. Burt. Sadly, I cannot imagine the PLP mustering up anyone half as courageous enough to stand up against the UBP.

Here's a bit of our reality. We are not in the tourist business and have not been for years. International business began quietly leaving Bermuda long before the world economy changed. The PLP however will blame any demise of international business on the world economy. However, the reason people (it is always 'people' who make the decisions) are leaving Bermuda is this Government's xenophobic treatment of expatriates.

Term limits lead the top of the list, along with a litany of other examples of how we encourage some of the best and brightest to leave Bermuda (doctors, dentists, teachers, business professionals among others). It played well in the election, but now that Pandora has opened the box, we will have to pay the price. The sad thing will be if the economy crashes, it will be the middle class and those struggling upward who will be impacted the most. Our present political leaders will be off in the BVI, Grenada or wherever it is that they hang out. The economy 'train' is heading toward a cliff and you know it, because you have been informed by the community.

When Pandora closed her box, they say hope was left inside. Well, personally I hope you can figure out how to stop the train wreck. I have no desire to see the children of Bermuda disadvantaged in the real world due to the actions of today's crop of politicians. The PLP can try to tell people they are better than the UBP, but they have achieved and demonstrated nothing tangible to prove that. Standing at the controls of a moving train does not mean you know how to build a train, or even run one. So far this Government seems only intent on spending money for friends, trips and cars. Thank God for Mr. Moniz and others like him, who may emerge to take on the powers that be! We need a few dozen more like him.

ALONG FOR THE RIDE

City of Hamilton

Preserve this history

October 29, 2008

Dear Sir,

I write as a former Commanding Officer of HMS Malabar (1986-1990) and responsible for the southern end of the Dockyard where HM ships and submarines (also other Navies) berthed, to read in The Royal Gazette (via the Internet) on October 24 that 175 crests were repainted recently.

May I through your paper congratulate and thank very much the KPMG employees and Bermuda High School Students, and also Joanne MacPhee and the two local artists (Margaret Potts and Maggie Godet). I know what a challenge it must have been for everyone. I hope that with imagination and planning the walls on which these crests are painted could be carefully demolished and transferred to another area in the Dockyard/Maritime Museum so that an important part of Bermuda history could be preserved for generations.

In February 2004, you published a letter from me and in the third paragraph I wrote: "I would like to give an unusual challenge to Bermudians especially those with an artistic skill – in the Dockyard are a large number of ship and submarine crests of many nations painted on walls and sides of buildings – many are now very shabby and urgently need a coat of paint. It would be a pity if these fade away into oblivion as to my knowledge only Bermuda and Simonstown Dockyard in South Africa ever had these colourful crests. By giving them a new lease of life, they would remind the younger generation of the Island's history and also the Tourists who ride past these crests on the dockyard bus or on bikes, that Bermuda cares about its heritage."

It always takes time, but Bravo Zulu Bermudians, which in Naval language is WELL DONE!

COMMANDER J.A. STARTIN RN

Emsworth, U.K.

Progress

October 29, 2008

Dear Sir,

Re: Bermudian Visa-Free Travel in the EU. I notice with interest Dr Brown's comments in support of Bermudian Passports to be accepted in Europe the same way as British Passports. I think this is an excellent idea, and look forward to the reciprocal end of Term Limits on Employment for Britons living in Bermuda, the ability of all nationalities to buy property in Bermuda and one immigration line for all of us at LF Wade Airport. How nice it is to see progress being made.

JAMES RICHARDSON

Pembroke

A card of thanks

October 29, 2008

Dear Sir,

On behalf of all the young women of Bermuda involved in either Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers and the Young Leadership program I would like to publicly thank the people of Bermuda who so generously supported our FUN'd Fair and Raffle on Saturday October 25.

To the merchants, hotels, restaurants, individuals, media, radio and businesses who willingly gave their support and generous prizes we sincerely thank you. The dedication of the Leaders, Council, Committee, Friends of Guiding, Parents, Scouts, and girls who gave so willingly of their time and expertise to sew, price, bake and sell raffles-names and hours to numerous to mention, has allowed us to continue to reach our goal.

As we approach the Guiding Centenary in 2010, living in times where we question the youth, their positive roles in our community and expectations for the future, I know that Guiding is alive and well, raising positive women in a modern relaxed safe environment.

It is said that of 100 girls involved in Guiding eight will take up a career chosen from a skill learnt through a badge they have undertaken. Ninety-eight will graduate, of which one will become a minister, at least twelve will have their own businesses or become leaders in their chosen field. One will save a life through skills they have learnt, one will also safe their own life and it is expected that only one may get in trouble.

As women we must be positive role models and give back, our future is in their hands. These are the mothers, wives, business women and leaders of the next generation. With such women as this I know Bermuda's future will be assured.

DENISE 'WOODY' WOODHOUSE

Island Commissioner Girl Guiding Bermuda

Ps To my staff, peace and quiet will now return – thanks for your support and suffering over the last months. I could not do it without you!

Budget cutting measures

October 22, 2008

Dear Sir,

The work on the new US Consul parking lot is really steaming ahead. A large Works and Engineering crew worked all weekend and continued to work Monday and Tuesday until at least 6.30 p.m. It will be complete in the next day or two. I wonder at what cost? The overtime bill must be huge. Time and a half, double time and Lord knows do they get triple time if they work late on the weekend? It's obvious that all this overtime activity wasn't because of traffic concern. Other roadside projects such as the sidewalk repairs at Ocean Avenue and Brighton Hill have been going on for weeks without overtime.

Certainly capital projects will have to be cut but government should look very hard at day-to-day expenses. How about getting rid of the Premier's bodyguards, cook and political advisers. That alone should save the taxpayer a cool million. Thinking about money, how much has the Bermuda Government lost in its overseas accounts as a result of the global meltdown? The Finance Minister, BMA, IMF and local bank heads are telling us that locally everything is good but no one has addressed government investments. Please let's get some full disclosure so we as a country know where we stand.

ALBERT SODERGREN

Devonshire

We must help Tonya

October 31, 2008

Dear Sir,

After reading the article three times in The Royal Gazette about Ms Tonya Symonds 23 years old who has a rare disease which has affected her limbs and has left her wheelchair bound for the past eight years is now asking for assistance due to the fact that she needs a heated swimming pool to continue her therapy.

How many times is she gonna have to reach out before someone shows interest? It has to be devastating for her not to have received an answer as of yet. We never know when a crisis will hit our family.

So as a concerned, caring individual I'm asking Government, churches, hotels and all owners who would like to see Miss Tonya Symonds continue in improvement her health condition please find the time to answer her article which she took time to place in The Royal Gazette with a determined mind to one day walk again. Thank you for your support.

MS ANDERSON

Devonshire

Grammar check

October 31, 2008

Dear Sir,

Premier Ewart Brown's recent, statement describing his meeting with Gilliam Merron, MP, quoted in the front page of yesterday's Royal Gazette, read: "Ms. Merron was fulsome in her praise of Bermuda's financial regulatory regime . . ." was curious. The last time I looked, "fulsome" means "overdone" or even "disgustingly excessive". Perhaps something was lost in the translation.

PICAYUNE IN PAGET

Say no to spam

November 1, 2008

Dear Sir,

We are in Budapest, Hungary on a canal cruise. We thought about Director of Tourism Billy Griffiths this morning when he said the emphasis of the Bermuda Department of Tourism New York office will be directed more toward Internet solicitation as opposed to knocking on travel agents' doors.

When we woke up this morning we had six e-mails on our Blackberry from places like Alaska, Hawaii, a cruise company, under water wedding suggestions and two news letters. This is not unusual and we hit the delete button.

Can you imagine how many travel agents plus the general population worldwide, get each day? Their delete buttons must be wearing out. In their marketing wisdom, they kicked out the Bermudians and hired e-mail pros. Geeeesh! Makes our blood boil.

TOPPY AND SAUNDRA COWEN

Southampton