Stop the spending

July 12, 2009

Dear Sir,

Much has been said and written about taxpayers' money. It seems to be spend, spend, spend!

"Government is like a baby — an alimentary canal with an insatiable appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other end". This quote was attributed to President Ronald Reagan.

How can we stop the financial rape of this beautiful Island that future generations will be stuck with the debt?

On the issue of Independence — we, as a nation must have morality and respect for each other before we can entertain the thought of Independence.

Living in hope for a better tomorrow.

STOP THE SPENDING

Warwick

On a third party

June 29, 2009

Dear Sir,

With all due respect to Khalid Wasi and virtually none for anything that Wayne Furbert has to say, I beg to differ with their extremely tick-the-box and old fashioned views on a third political organisation. And to Wayne Ball Jr., if he wants to be the one to lead the process, or to anyone who does, I remind them of the great words in a movie "If you build it, they will come ...".

There is no way under Heaven that Khalid Wasi is going to get anyone excited over a new Party. End of story. Next.

There is almost no way that any current backbencher on either side is going to be the backbone of anything new. If we are going to see a new political organisation it will need strength and a backbone. You tell me where that exists on the backbenches (OK, maybe Dale....). The PLP is a bunch of gutless wonders. Wayne and Darius go wherever the wind blows and are the political prostitutes of today. The UBP is either full of old guard, old ideas or old people.

And anyone who thinks a well thought out new political organisation will be the 'third' party or the Opposition for long is a dreamer. With the PLP and the UBP of today, if you are going to step up, be prepared to be the Government in pretty short order.

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

Southampton

Jackson not a 'great'

June 26, 2009

Dear Sir,

I work in an office where this morning, many of my co-workers were mourning the death of the "Great" Michael Jackson. Some of them even had tears in their eyes. Amidst all of this, I am thinking to myself that Michael was indeed a fantastic entertainer, arguably the best there ever was.

But the term "Great", in my opinion, should be reserved for but a few. In my opinion, if Michael Jackson were not an entertainer, and everything else remained the same, he would more than likely be in prison. And then there's the facial disfiguration – don't know quite what to make of that!

We seem to be living in a world where we have serious misconceptions of right and wrong and good and bad. Just look at the number of people who actually listen to Rush Limbaugh! How can this junkie (and apparent racist) get so much attention? How can the Republican Party accept this nutcase as their apparent spokesperson?

Call me old fashioned, but when I think of "Great" people (and there are not that many of them in man's history) I think of people who made significant contributions to mankind and particularly those people who endured personal suffering making such contributions. Mr. Jackson, in my opinion, does not fit those criteria.

MY TWO CENTS

Sandys

Time to reflect

July 8, 2009

Dear Sir,

Coming back into Bermuda after a short absence almost feels like walking into a war zone. I've read, I have listened and digested and from that comes a suggestion to all those who look like me, i.e. white.

It's time to stop falling into the traps of those who seek to goad and push whites. The multi-racial crowds protesting against the Premier, have recently been likened by some at the extreme in society, to a lynch mob. Indeed, they say, the only thing that was missing was a rope. The Police didn't interpret them that way – but heh – that's just a technicality no doubt.

It's quite clever really – simple, but clever nonetheless. The old Civil Rights Guard, the Black Beret Cadre stirring up the masses – or at least attempting to. Their musings can have no other purpose; after all the PLP is the Government and will be for some yet I suspect. So you need to consider the motives behind such remarks with some care.

Well white folk – my suggestion is that we must stop responding to these remarks. You might even want to think through the wisdom of Letters to the Editor. I am sure the RG can find something to fill that space. Words only hurt – if you let them.

Time to stop and look at the bigger picture. Time to stop and think about what is happening around us.

TIME TO REFLECT

Smith's

No more pen names

July 8, 2009

Dear Sir,

I urge you to consider no longer printing "Letters to the Editor" that are sent in under pen names. If an individual writes a piece and has strong convictions about that piece, they should show it by having the courage to sign their name. Today as I read the Letters to the Editor section of the paper I read nine letters five of which were signed with pen names. Many pen name signed letters are not even of a controversial nature, just everyday observations, why these persons don't sign their name is a mystery to me.

This is Bermuda, not Iraq, we have laws and legal recourse should someone be harassed or threatened because of comments they've sent in to The Royal Gazette. We have civil liberties that many fought wars at home and abroad to obtain. What does this teach our younger Bermudians? It teaches them it's OK to make accusations, spread mischief or comment without facts because they can hide behind the secrecy of a pen name. I urge all letter writers to sign their name, be proud of what you've written. Show your conviction.

JAMES JACKSON

Devonshire

Editor's Note: The writer raises valid points about the use of pen names, a policy that remains under constant review. The balance that needs to be struck is between the need to protect the identity of people whose jobs and livelihoods might be jeopardised if they used their own names – and people have lost their jobs because they have written Letters to the Editor – against the obvious benefit of people being open and transparent about their identities. The writer is correct that people often use pen names unnecessarily, and this newspaper too urges people to sign their names for publication where there is no risk.

On Roban's e-mails

July 8, 2009

Dear Sir,

I read the recent correspondence between Ms Smith and Mr. Roban and then re-read their correspondence very carefully, this time to understand both parties point of view and suggest the following:

I start with Mrs Smith as she sent the e-mail and will stand corrected if my facts are incorrect.

Your e-mail was sent to a host of PLP and UBP members of Parliament including Mr Roban. The wording within your statement is one of someone offering their opinion and wishing your personal feelings be know to the recipients, and that is your right to do as a voter. I do not see mention of a reply being asked for by the recipients, if you had wished a reply back, I'm sure you would have made it clear in your e-mail.

There were no racist remarks within the correspondence.

Mr. Roban, I comment on you and please feel free to comment back.

Your correspondence back to Ms Smith was uncalled for and unnecessary and I recommend that you carefully review your goals as a politician here in Bermuda as it suggests in your response to Ms Smith that any views which differ from your own will not be tolerated.

You put you foot in it when you responded back to Ms Smith's statement and then you jumped in all the way and really set off the woman with your second response. What on earth were you thinking? Maybe you weren't, maybe you had had a bad day and this topped it off when you got home. I understand how it can be when all those e-mails come in, we all get enough of them with various opinions, advice, suggestions and statements.

The secret is first count to 10 before making a reply, if you don't, you run the risk of writing something that you may regret later. I don't think you really meant to write those comments and I don't think you are uninterested in what your community thinks ... are you?

PONTIUS PILATE

Smith's

Editorial went too far

June 27, 2009

Dear Sir,

While I understand this is a challenging time for the printed press in Bermuda, I take issue with your editorial of June 27.

It is your prerogative, indeed the expected role of an editor to give an opinion on current events. However, I believe you play into the very hands of those individuals in Government who seek to muzzle the free press, when you go beyond opinion, and proscribe the signing of a Petition to No. 10 Downing Street.

You state Bermudians have been "encouraged" … to sign a petition to British Prime Minister asking him to remove (the Premier), and that this is "an utterly foolish approach that threatens to set the Island back decades …"

Fair enough, this is your opinion, however you proceed (and with this I take issue).

"Those who have signed already should disavow their signatures while those considering signing should reject the notion."

I think we all know we are a self-governing British Overseas Territory with the demonstrable exception of the Premier who (suffering simultaneously under delusions of oppression and grandeur) is quite clearly prepared to put Bermuda's delicate balance and the "self-government" at risk….

But equally and quite unmistakably we no longer have it within our means to censure leaders who operate completely outside our constitutional law, unless of course we all sign up tomorrow as members of the PLP. This is not a palatable option to those (and there are many) who have suffered various forms of intimidation since 2002, via the cunning misuse of Government administrative tools.

So what is the point of having a constitution?

Bermudians of all complexions (although, the skin is definitely not responsible for cognitive brain function) feel deceived and abused by the reckless and secretive actions of this Premier. To me it is apparent – with the exception of perhaps Mr Dale Butler – MPs of all stripes are far more interested in preserving their self-images and life-styles, rather than actually serving their constituents and their country.

Constitution and status as a self-governing territory would have been better served had they marshalled the required integrity to stop the Premier in his tracks now, and correct the abuse of our tiny Bermuda, and all who regard her as home.

I was not forced or even encouraged to sign the petition to Downing Street. Neither am I foolish. Nor do I believe anyone else of the 1,024 who have signed is 'fullish'. Someone drew it to my attention as an option, and when I reflected on the idea, it seemed appropriate. As most of us know, and are rather relieved to know, matters involving internal security and foreign policy come under British control, so let us go straight to the highest constitutional instance, and stop p***ing around like the Government MPs, who clearly are not mature enough to restore our confidence in Government, by leading us out of their man's mess.

This Government pays absolutely no heed to, indeed is contemptuous of petitions, which do not support their agenda, so we might as well go straight to the top, and not embarrass the Governor, who is clearly in rather a sticky mess.

THIRD TURTLE INN

St. David's

Tired of deception

July 4, 2009

Dear Sir,

I am a middle-aged black Bermudian male who has always supported and voted for the PLP. I now find myself like one of the many PLP supporters that I know as friends, colleagues or those I meet on the street – complaining and expressing dissatisfaction with the way the PLP government is presently operating under the leadership of Premier Brown. We are talking amongst ourselves, but for whatever reason, we fear expressing the way we feel publicly.

I have never written a letter to the editor before or even called in to one of the radio talk shows, but with all that has taken place since Dr. Brown has been Premier to raise, cynicism and mistrust, particularly this latest incident, I feel compelled to express my feelings, at least through this medium and I encourage others to take the time and do the same for the sake of our island home Bermuda, as we know it.

First off let me say that I do understand that those who we the people elected to lead and represent us have to make "executive" decisions at times. This is to say that they can't bring every decision they must make before the people. If that were so, we all know that nothing would get done. Therefore, we the people must trust in our elected representatives to do what is right and best for Bermuda as a whole.

Now, on the other side of that coin, there are clearly matters that must be brought before the people they represent and who's best interest they should have at heart, before a decision is made – like independence for example. Clearly and what should have been obvious, this decision to bring the four Uighurs here from the notorious Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp is one of them. Now, it would have been bad enough if the Government as a whole had made this decision without bringing it to the people, but what really makes one go "HMMM" is that one man, the Premier Dr. Brown made this decision, not only without consulting the people of Bermuda, who's best interest he is supposed to have at heart, but he didn't even consult his Cabinet or inform the Governor. Somebody, please explain the rationale of this decision to me. Is this another matter where he thought he had to deceive the people to accomplish his goal, his agenda? Well Premier Brown, please take note, we the people are tired of being deceived.

I have heard it said by Premier Brown and Mr. Burch that it was the moral thing to do, the humanitarian thing to do and the right thing to do. While I do want my representatives to be of good moral character and compassionate, they must go about it in ways that do not raise suspicion and mistrust. If this incident with the four Uighurs was a one-off incident maybe we could understand it better. But, it seems as though this government lead by Premier Brown has an unhealthy interest in controversies that result in strife, suspicion and mistrust and therein lies my dilemma, the issue of trust.

Although the question of whether the law was broken or the Constitution was ignored is of concern to me, of more concern is something more personal to me – my trust in my elected representatives. One of the platforms on which the PLP ran its campaign prior to being elected as the government was the promise of transparency, which sounded good and was what the electorate wanted to hear.

Well, this PLP Government, particularly under the leadership of Premier Brown, has been anything but transparent and my trust, particularly after this latest incident with the four Uighurs, has been compromised. If Premier Brown can get away with doing this sort of thing without being held accountable by the people he is supposed to be representing, it leaves me wondering, what's next? Am I going to wake up one morning and find that my island home Bermuda has become an independent country without my having been consulted?

Premier Brown and Col. Burch, you say that you believe that what you did was the right thing to do. Well, what is not right is that we the people who you are supposed to be representing and who's best interest you are supposed to have at heart, now have to live our lives wondering, what's next? We now have to live our lives not knowing what to expect from the government, who have created an atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust – so much for transparency.

To the Cabinet and MPs of the PLP, do not get so caught up in your present position of power and authority, that you forget that there will come another time when you will need us again, when you will come calling again for our vote. As it stands now, I say to you, don't bother knocking on my door. I cannot support or vote for representatives that don't seem to care what I think and in whom I have no trust.

Ex-PLP SUPPORTER

Sandys