Let golf course heal

January 22, 2009

Dear Sir,

I read this morning in The Royal Gazette that the Premier is inviting a selected group to play an eight-hole tournament. It wold be very leader-like if the Premier would allow the course to fully heal then set up a ballot box for all interested players to place a ballot. On a selected date, make a drawing and the first 72 players drawn will be allowed to play an early shotgun. On completion of this round he can greet them and hear their comments by way of a ballot box again. This to my mind is leadership quality and the show of love for your supporters. Satisfying them then you can go out and enjoy your game with a peaceful heart knowing you served your people. But this of course, when the course has healed and ready for play.

I heard the Premier say the other night how he says his prayers before retiring for the night, well now he can show how his prayers are being answered by serving the people as did He who came and served? He told His disciples in Luke 22:27 "For who is greater? He who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves". You see, Mr. Premier, it will take nothing from you if you served and showed your love for the people whom you seek to serve the government you are leading.

You see, like you, I have that desire to play that course as I look over it every morning and there is this temptation. But it is only my obedience to the God I serve that keep me at the distance to just look and wait. Because the Bible teaches to be patient and wait and be anxious for nothing, but in everything give thanks and you can read more in Phillippians 4:6. So as the people have been very patient with you since it was your decision to close the course for this big revamp, all because of, in my opinion, your embarrassment with the Tiger statement. We have been very patient with you and your loose spending so now be patient as we are and wait. Another few months will not make a difference as we wait for the course to heal after open heart surgery. I do not think that you would send a patient back to work in as short a time after an open heart surgery

The greens look good on a few holes in the front nine, but the back nine is far from ready. The few holes that appear ready are far from it, because the fairways are really not ready and playing will do more harm than good. I do not think any right thinking superintendent will allow play, but then you are that person at this time, it appears. My prayer at this time is that those invited will not support your folly and give you another toy to play with until this one is ready. Your impatience has cost us a sum already, so please stop and think. It was said how you cried tears for the new President, now try to follow in his example. May the peace of God go with you and those in your Cabinet. Allow patience to be your goal for this new year and the time your serve. Remember nothing will change until you change your mindset. As a footnote, let the people know just how much debt the country is in and your plan for recovery.

A.E. WENDELL (SCOPSIE) HASSELL

Sandys

Editor's note: According to the 2008-9 Budget, Bermuda 's debt and guarantees at March 31, 2008 was $359 million and its net debt was $282.5 million. This was projected to rise to total borrowings of $465.4 million in the current financial and net borrowings of $387.3 million.

An example of leadership

February 5, 2009

Dear Sir,

I read with interest the Bermuda Sun article of February 4, 2009 in which the Minister of Labour and Immigration, Sen. David Burch, made the suggestion to "Ditch the Weed and get a Job" and couldn't agree more with his comments.

Having made the suggestion, I am curious as to whether he is now willing to step up to the plate and be the first of the Government's representatives to commence random drug testing as a way to set an example of true leadership? I await that headline with bated breath ...

ALLAN D. MARSHALL JP

Smiths

Subsidy

February 7, 2009

Dear Sir,

While it is pleasing to hear that an airline is willing to increase its service to the island, despite the current downturn, but I personally wish they would stop referring to JetBlue Airways as a "Low-Cost Carrier" … at least out of Bermuda.

Their fares are often much higher than the legacy carriers flying into the L.F. Wade Bermuda International Airport between here and the New York area, and I have on numerous occasions proven it online.

Most recently I searched out fares for a possible trip on the Good Friday holiday weekend departing on Thursday, April 9 and returning on Sunday, April 12 and I was shocked at the fares on offer. One would have thought JetBlue as the "Low-Cost" carrier to be the cheapest, but no!

The online booking results were:

JetBlue JFK $427.45

US Airways LGA $419.42 (via Philadelphia)

American Airlines JFK $370.50

Continental Airlines EWR at $232.50

Perhaps the real reason JetBlue wishes to increase its airlift into Bermuda, is to ensure the economic survival of the rest of its system by having Bermudians subsidise it.

ONEPASS FLYER

St. David's

Mark of the Devil

February 5, 2009

Dear Sir,

The front page story in yesterday's Royal Gazette (Gaming Task Force Set Up) said that church leaders continue to oppose the idea of allowing gaming in Bermuda on moral grounds. They may have another good reason to oppose the casinos:

If you add up every number on a standard Roulette wheel (36 + 35 + 34 + 33... etc) you will get a grand total of 666. As everyone knows, this is the number of the Devil himself!

SCOTT WEIR

Pembroke

Action is needed now

February 5, 2009

Dear Sir,

I note in your paper today (February 5) of two men that were fined for speeding at 73 and 74 kph respectively. I would like to make a few comments if I may. On returning from the airport early this morning via North Shore Road, not only were there dozens of cars with no headlights (bearing in mind it was still dark and poor weather) but we also followed a garbage truck from Flatts along North Shore back to depot. I estimated based on our speed that the truck was going approximately 50 kph through Flatts village and up to 80 kph on the home stretch!

I had friends staying for a few days so they hired a scooter for a day; I offered the usual advice about driving with caution and adhering to the speed limit. On their return they expressed how shocked they were at how many people overtook them on blind corners, hassled them with horns and were particularly surprised at being intimidated by buses driving extremely close. Any surprise then at why we have so many road accidents – 46 last week and a ridiculously high road mortality rate for an island of this size. Action is needed, not more words, so come on the Police – step it up!

CONCERNED CITIZEN

Pembroke

Nice to know

February 8, 2009

Dear Sir,

It is good to know that the Premier is pure as driven snow.

How nice.

W. S. ZUILL Sr.

Smith's

Hypocrisy and absurd

February 5, 2009

Dear Sir,

RDK (February 4) is smug, self-righteous, patronising and condescending as from her/his position of privilege and social advantage he or she instructs those in the black Community to "Move forward together", without a single proposal of how to address the enormous economic disparity between the black and white Communities. Without such a proposal, he/she is a hypocrite (or completely stupid) since the vast majority of blacks and whites do not even come in contact with each other except as employer and employee, so to pretend that there is any desire to see them moving "together" is sheer hypocrisy and absurd.

And I am "appalled" that she/he believes that the enslavement of Africans and its continuing consequences and segregation with its ongoing impact of economic disparity should be ignored because of the suffering of Jews and the Irish. No wonder she/he lacked the courage to sign her/his own name.

As for Obama: brilliant and attractive. But I admire and respect him because of his decision to work among the poor of South Chicago, his commitment to a black church which spoke to the poor and his marriage to a black woman – when he did not have to do any of that. However, I certainly do not see him as a role model for either myself or other black Bermudians who have not been loved, supported and sacrificed for by whites since birth as he was, and who have slavery and its consequences in their blood and in their experience while he has neither. Moreover, if Blacks are in search of a role model there is Christ who has done far more for them and of whom they have been aware long before Barack Obama emerged.

EVA N. HODGSON

Hamilton Parish