Island responded so well

February 24, 2010

Dear Sir,

I would like to thank Jasmin Smith with the Bermuda Department of Tourism, so very much for her help during the recent death of my best friend and co-worker.

On February 12 to February 17, I lost a great friend and loved one due to a heart attack at the Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda. I would like to thank Jasmin Smith, she was very professional and went beyond all means to make our family comfortable during this time of sudden loss. She helped make arrangements to get us home and answered many questions we had. My wife stated that if Jasmin were to ever visit Georgia that she would always be welcomed in our home. She has left a mark on all of our hearts, that will never be forgotten. Below is a copy of his obituary. Bermuda should be very honored to have Jasmin working for the Bermuda tourism.

CHRIS ROESSLER

Glennville, Georgia

Mr. Roessler also copied this letter to Fairmont Hotels:

On a recent business trip to Bermuda February 12-February 17, I lost a great friend and love one due to a heart attack at the Point Royal Golf Course in Bermuda. We were guest staying at your Southampton location, in Bermuda. I would like to thank you and all for the wonderful staff including Andre Binns & Joi Trott, they were very professional and went beyond all means to make our family comfortable during this time of sudden loss.

They made arrangements to move our rooms close together and provide refreshments and snacks for the family. My wife stated that even the cleaning lady on our floor stopped and prayed with my wife and my wife's friend upon leaving the hotel. Your staff has left a mark on all of our hearts, that will never be forgotten. Below is a copy of his obituary:

Wayne Rogers, Vice President of International Sales for Rotary Corporation, died Saturday, February 13, at age 64. He was an active member of the Board of Directors of the Outdoor Power Equipment Aftermarket Association (OPEAA), and was attending its annual meeting in Bermuda. Wayne was also a member of the Savannah Export Council. Our industry will sorely miss his leadership and guidance.

Wayne began his career at Rotary on October 15, 1969, and during his 40-year contribution served in many capacities, including Purchasing, Advertising and International sales. Over the years, Wayne received numerous awards and recognition, including:

1988 "The President's E Certificate for Exports", presented by The Secretary of Commerce

1989 "The Governor's International Award", presented by The Honorable Joe Frank Harris, Governor of Georgia

1993 "The President's E Star Award for Exports", presented by The Secretary of Commerce.

Wayne is survived by his wife Faye, son Brian, daughter Kellie and son-in-law Brett. Funeral services were held on February 22 at First Baptist Church in Glennville.

Impressed by Bermuda

February 1, 2010.

Dear Sir,

My husband and I were in Bermuda, docked in front of the Tavern by the Sea at Somer's Wharf in St. George from November 10, 2009 where we were towed in because of damage steering on our sailboat coming from Newport, Rhode Island.

Due to delays in shipping parts in from the USA during the holiday season and newly developed problems, we spent a total of two months in Bermuda.

While we were waiting for parts and repairs to be accomplished we had the privilege of exploring and enjoying your lovely island. We were lucky enough to see the Queen when she came to celebrate your 400th anniversary, to meet many friendly and courteous residents of the area and to enjoy their hospitality and to take full advantage of your public transportation system which enabled us to enjoy many tourists attractions and restaurants as far away as Dockyard.

People were very helpful and friendly to us. The children we encountered on the buses were so polite and well-spoken.

While we were temporary residents we enjoyed reading your newspaper. We became aware of the problems Bermuda is having with gangs and violence and we sincerely hope that you can find a solution to this problem. I am enclosing an article that was published in the New York Times Magazine on January 10, 2010 because as I read it while we were sailing down here to Marigot Bay, St. Martin I thought it might offer a few suggestions for coping with and reversing this adverse trend.

We would also like to commend everyone at Bermuda Harbour Radio and Bermuda Yacht Services on Ordinance Island in St. George's for all the help they gave us to get us safely into port and to help us in finding the services we needed to affect our repairs.

We are looking forward to coming back to Bermuda in the future.

JACK & MARCIA FYFE OF S/Y RIGHTS OF MAN

Woes of St. George's

February 18, 2010

Dear Sir,

In addition to applying to teach the proposed new curriculum of computers, statistics, and quantitative sciences, I've actually visited the Islands (when I was taught geography, it was The Bermuda Islands, although that could be a longstanding Yankee error); on a cruise ship which fit into Hamilton and St. George's harbours.

Being from New England, where there are a few historic old towns and villages preserved for tourist pleasure, St. George's was the place that I most wanted to see before arriving. The ship docked there first, with the Town Crier greeting us. I was a bit surprised that there wasn't much there, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein. I suspect it wasn't the lack of historical sites, but a haphazard approach to presenting them.

I was raised in western Massachusetts, and over the years visited two very different old places on the other side of the state: Old Sturbridge Village and Boston. St. George's when I visited (and from the story, perhaps more so now) was more like the former than the latter, and that's not a good thing. Sturbridge makes no pretense of being a real place where people live and work, while Boston has embedded (or extracted, depending on how you view the process) the very old places with The Freedom Trail, mostly in the North End. I haven't been there since they tore down the elevated highway, but even before then, one could take in both the old and the contemporary in a managed way.

From memory, it's been a couple of years since I was there, St. George's is about the extent of Boston's North End, perhaps smaller. Certainly, managing, and even forecasting the amount of, a visiting population is different between the two cities; millions of people can drive into Boston any day, while Bermuda awaits cruise ships. But, if the Tourism Ministry hasn't recently, you could do worse than copy what Boston has done in the North End.

I wonder: is it the case that St. George's is assumed to be of no interest to air visitors; that only the budget diners of the cruise liners would set foot there? I suspect so. That would be a mistake, if it is true. Something to consider.

ROBERT YOUNG

Connecticut