Bermuda, Seal on BET

Seal's performance at the 2004 Bermuda Music Festival will be shown on BET Jazz during its Black History Month programming.

The pop star's show is scheduled to appear on Sunday at 8 a.m. and again on February 10 and 17 at 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. respectively.

"Set against the lush backdrop of Bermuda where the water is blue and the stage sits in the ocean, pop sensation Seal gives a strong performance as he sings hits ranging from 'Kiss From a Rose' to 'Don't Cry', BET's Web site said yesterday.

CableVision viewers can catch Seal's performance on channel 37, Gemstar customers on channel 40 and World on Wireless customers on channel 212.

Little optimism over tourism

Just 18 percent of respondents to a Royal Gazette online poll think tourism will perform better this year than it did in 2004.

And 45.4 percent of the 875 people who responded to the unscientific poll think the Island will have a worse tourism year.

A further 28.8 percent think 2005 will be about the same as last year while 7.7 percent said they did not know.

The poll, which ended on Monday, was posted on www.theroyalgazette.com in the wake of Tourism Minister Ewart Brown's announcement of plans for the 2005 tourism year.

Regiment mulls UK offer

Fresh from its success in Germany, the Bermuda Regiment is mulling over an offer to perform in a military tattoo in Birmingham, England next year.

Captain Wayne Smith welcomed the offer but said Government assistance would be needed.

The Bermuda Regiment Band and Corps of Drums, the Bermuda Islands Pipe Band, the Bermuda National Gombey Troupe and steel pan player Robert Symonds performed at the international music show in Breman.

On Sunday night they enjoyed a party at the home of Bermudian Wendi Fiedler just 20 minutes from Breman.

Mrs. Fiedler is married to German Reimer Fiedler. The couple own filming company Panatel and they helped organise the German visit.

The Regiment also attended a wreath laying ceremony for war dead. Capt. Smith said: "They played the Last Post, it was very moving."

Capt. Smith said the Bermuda contingent had also been featured in a complimentary piece in the local paper in a venture which has helped showcase the Island.

Workshop for counsellors

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Bermuda Counsellors Association (BCA), a professional workshop will be held at the Salvation Army Citadel on February 8.

BCA chairperson Gwendolyn Creary said guest speaker, Dr. Sharon Katz, will be discussing the topic of 'Grief and Loss: New Considerations' during the workshop which will start at 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. The workshop is being held in partnership with the Ministry of Education.

A public meeting, co-sponsored by PALS, will take place on February 9 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute and will coincide with PALS' 25 years of service in Bermuda.