A note of thanks

December 29, 2008

Dear Sir,

Thank you so much for the wonderful article on Restorers of Hope in your December 24 edition. We are most grateful for the willingness of The Royal Gazette to give accurate, and compassionately written, updates on the work we are doing in Uganda to help orphans and widows displaced by civil war. If I may, however, I would like to bring to the notice of your readers the fact that the Home for orphans, which was being run and funded by Restorers of Hope in the city of Kampala, is no longer functioning under our care. The Home we are now planning to open in Gulu will be our primary base for assisting the widows and orphans of that region.

May I also add that if any of your readers should wish to contribute towards our work in Gulu, they can donate directly into any of Restorers of Hope's accounts at the three local banks, or online through our website at www.restorersofhope.org. At this time of year when our thoughts often turn to those less fortunate than ourselves, I would like to say "thank you and God bless" to the people of Bermuda for their kind support of Restorers of Hope, and the orphans and widows of Uganda.

CHRISTINE ATCHESON

Restorers of Hope

Make guests feel welcome

December 28, 2008

Dear Sir,

It's a well-known fact that each Christmas Day, hundreds and hundreds of our Island's visitors spend the day on Elbow Beach. Interestingly, while many are our guest workers, there are also tourists that hear about this great event as well as locals that just want to enjoy Bermuda's beauty.

Each year however, the police ticket parked cars and the Government protests by making the experience as difficult as they can for all that wish to go. This year those who went were met with Police cones along the closest two miles of access to the beach and once there, a dirty beach piled with seaweed and not enough trash cans for the occasion. Spirits were not dampened, however, and once again, a good time was had by all.

Wake up Bermuda, and start to make our guests feel more like they are welcome on our Island. Next year, perhaps instead of making the experience as difficult as possible, the Police can consider closing the road one way so that traffic can park on one side while allowing emergency vehicles etc to pass.

Another thought is using the Bermuda College or Coco Reef for parking? Perhaps Works and Engineering could consider raking the beach on Christmas Eve ahead of the occasion and if one really wanted to push the envelope, put some extra trash cans out? Why always make the guests feel unwelcome when it takes so little to do the opposite?

A CONCERNED BERMUDIAN

Devonshire

Not even the mafia

December 28, 2008

Dear Sir,

I have been following this story ever since it was first broke and the only thing I can conclude that the "victims" got what they deserved. People, think about it. I come to you and lay out a plan in which you invest $100,000 with me you will get a return of $30,000 (30 percent) per week and that at the end of 40 weeks, that initial $100,000 will have grown to $5 million. That is a return of some 5,000 percent in less than one year. Not even the Mafia makes this kind of money.

The point I am trying to make is that all these "victims" must have had a little larceny in their hearts, because one cannot cheat an honest man. Having said this, the fact the "victims" drank the kool-aid, does not absolve the person who was selling the kool-aid. But the judge may be inclined to be a bit lenient at his sentencing, should he be found guilty, because the "victims" handed the axe to their executioner. Ms Ida Brown, you live you learn!

PURPIE LE NOIR

Richmond Hill, Ontario