Transparency needed

March 19, 2010

Dear Sir,

We all know, having been resident in Bermuda for ten years, that we are being governed by an "Alice in Wonderland" group.

With that said, we also know that this Government has a huge responsibility to make sure that the Southlands vs. Morgan's Point swap, is to the benefit of all generations to come, and that the proposed plans are of the highest quality to bring the desperately needed tourists to our shores.

What we don't know, which is the punishment we have to bear for having a Government which is not transparent and wheels and deals behind closed doors, is, what was in the fine print of this agreement?

Could it be that Dr. Brown insisted in the agreement that he wanted to see the plans before the deal could be consummated or is that just an assumption on their parts.? Another aspect to this agreement – was it established that the developer was to be of The Southlands Ltd. group's choice, and now that Dr. Brown suddenly produces a mysterious Mr. Patrick Ellis, when the Southlands group have already chosen their developer – was that too established in the agreement?

I think we have to be careful not to be too influenced by our inate mistrust of Government.

But the facts must be open and revealed to us so that we know that if this deal falls through, God forbid, and Southlands gets built upon to the plans we saw earlier, we will know why and how that happened. The bottom line for all sane thinking people is surely, that we, at practically all costs, preserve the precious Southlands property for the next generation and all to come forever.

My final point is, let the people know what was in the agreement – and why was there a muzzle on those details? Lastly, it has been suggested that there was an offer to clean up the pollution left by the US Government at the base by Southlands Ltd. If Southlands made an offer to clean the base up, would that not be the sweetest deal of all time? We'll wait and see, and hope the all negotiations are done in good faith.

DIANA WILIAMS

Pembroke

Please stop the violence!

April 15, 2010

Dear Sir,

I have lived in Bermuda for my whole life, feeling safe and free. There would sometimes be random outbursts of violence, but it was nothing compared to the incidents that occur nowadays. It started out with shooting at night, in the dark and out of sight. Now people are being shot in broad daylight, with people there to witness it all. For example, the event that happened on Good Friday this year when a man was shot in front of his own two children in the afternoon. I found it ludicrous and appalling. Also, certain people are now shooting "for fun" as if it was a game of scrabble or marbles. For example, the 17-year-old girl and the 38-year-old man who got shot at the Dandy Town club on St. John's Road. This was probably the most preposterous incident that has occurred so far. Due to the recent commotion I am not allowed to attend the annual tourist attraction as well as a family and friends 'hang out' venue called the Ag Show. My parents fear that I will be the victim of a mistake, being hit in cross fire or being shot for 'fun'. I'm glad that metal detectors and extra security have been put into place, but that doesn't ensure the public's safety. The recent gun violence has negatively affected me, my family, and the lives of many others. So I pray that the madness will soon end. It has gone out of control and will hopefully be resolved in the near future. I now thank the police service and those citizens that have helped the matter regress as much as possible. Please stop the violence!

FOURTEEN AND FRUSTRATED

Devonshire

Regiment not to blame

April 21, 2010

Dear Sir,

Thank you in advance for allowing me a few lines and an opportunity to respond to Saddened's letter "It's no surprise" (April 20, 2010).

Blaming the Bermuda Regiment and conscription for the Island's current gun violence is similar to blaming Project Ride for all of the Island's road fatalities; so blatantly lacking in merit so as to be ludicrous.

Yes, the Regiment does instruct soldiers, both men and women, on the safe and correct use of a rifle. The Regiment also teaches about integrity, discipline, courage, selfless commitment and respect for others. We teach men and women to be responsible and accountable for their actions. And we train minds in and about the fundamental concept of service through assisting the civil authorities, assisting Bermudian society and assisting the international community as a whole.

For 45 years, the Regiment has served to assist our community in times of need, both on and off the Island, and many would argue that our community's current needs have never been greater.

MAJ GEORGE N.H. JONES, PMSC

Battalion Second-in-Command &

Public Relations Officer

The Bermuda Regiment