Grateful for support

April 2, 2007

Dear Sir,

The Bermuda Diabetes Association would like to recognise the Lindos Group of Companies for their support of the Bermuda Diabetes Association over the past few years.

The Bermuda Diabetes Association were invited to be recipient charity by The Lindo’s Group of Companies and organisers Mid-Atlantic Athletic Club, in the recent Annual Lindo’s to Lindo’s 10K Run and four-mile walk. We would like to acknowledge and thank the following for helping make the event a resounding success: Lindo’s principals and staff, MAAC race director Peter Dunne and MAAC volunteers, Myra Brayham, Steve Burgess, Tony Bean and their Lindo’s Walking Team, wholesale distributors Butterfield and Vallis, AC Brewer and BGA for supplies and donations, Barritts for supplying drinks, The Bermuda Police for traffic control, Bermuda Parks Department for race sign up, St. John Ambulance, Warwick Academy for parking, all race volunteers, including Hamilton and Pembroke Rotarians, Bermuda Diabetes Association Office Manager Sarah Burrows, Bermuda Diabetes Association volunteers, numerous school students fulfilling their community service hours and all participants, especially those raising money through pledges.

A special thanks to Giorgio Zanol, who has personally raised money through his marathons to support Juvenile Diabetes and the Bermuda Diabetes Association. Giorgio and Lindos are committed to our community and to raising the awareness of diabetes and the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle to help prevent diabetes.

Thank you Giorgio (and good luck in your 100K run in Italy on May 26!)

TREVOR MADEIROS

Chairman

Bermuda Diabetes Association

Embarrassed by leaders

March 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

First, I would like to thank you for printing these letters of opinion in your paper.

Apparently, you are taking your own life into your hands as you do because of the lack of freedom of speech in this country. I am referring to Mr. Derrick Burgess’ statement in your paper today that, “People can say what they want, but freedom of speech does have consequences.”

I’m sorry, but I was under the impression that I lived in a free country not a dictatorship! People with truly democratic views do not think that there should be any repercussions to sharing their opinion. I was shocked to think that he was once the leader of the BIU! I thought this was a “Labour” party government. Isn’t the Labour party supposed to be for the “labourers” and not the management? I always thought that the BIU was the brain child of the PLP. Maybe I was wrong.

In any case I am sorry to say this about my own countrymen, but I think that with regards to the views presented by this Government Hitler and Mugabe would be proud. This government was supposed to be “transparent”, yet anyone who speaks out with a differing opinion from theirs is shot down with childish remarks and threats, some of which have been carried out as of late. I am embarrassed to think of what the rest of the world thinks of us based on the leaders we have chosen.

Is this the best we have to offer to the world? I am not even necessarily blaming Mr. Burgess for his distorted views because nobody else in the party has spoken against him, so we must assume they all agree with him. I would like to remind the people of this country and this government especially that if it were not for other people, “sticking their noses in the politics” of other countries we would all be speaking German right now and apartheid would still be the order of the day in South Africa.

I think that as a Bermudian I am grateful for the opinions of people from other countries because they are a small window into the minds of their nations. We must remember that we are not just members of this country, but also of this planet. We can not be closed minded and introverted about our politics, because if we are it will breed deception. What I am seeing from the government is a lot of confusion.

On one hand they want to support the international business because they are the bread and butter of this island, but on the other hand they want to vilify foreign workers. On one hand they want the image of being pro labour, and on the other hand they want to keep the management happy by shutting the mouths of the little people. Well, you can not serve two masters; for you will either hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and despise the other. That’s from the Bible by the way. The question is who are they loyal to?

WATCHMAN ON THE WALL

Southampton

Wonderful hospital staff

March 26, 2007

Dear Sir,

On a recent trip to visit my daughter in your beautiful country, unfortunately I was taken ill and subsequently was admitted to the King Edward Memorial Hospital where I received the utmost care and attention under the supervision of Dr. Doray and his medical team on Perry Ward.

Doctors and nurses get so few accolades I thought it was appropriate to give special thanks to all concerned especially, Judy Richardson, who kept us informed at all times.

My daughter’s friends and clients have all shown such kindness with so many offers of help! It is very daunting to find yourself miles away from home and in the hands of such wonderful people.

MRS. DOREEN EDWARDS

East Yorkshire, England

Leave well alone

March 14, 2007

Dear Sir,

It look as if the subject of independence has raised its ugly head again, and we must keep our wits about us. It is hard to understand how any thinking person can wish to impose independence on this tiny speck on the map, when at the moment we are enjoying the best of both worlds.

Why would anyone want to deprive us of the freedom to travel throughout Europe without special visas, and what is worse, deprive our young people of the possibility of higher education and work in Europe that their present passports entitle them to? We are members of the European Common Market, with all the advantages and privileges that this entails, and to even think of giving all this up is lunacy. And for what?

Bermuda is self-governing in the real sense of the word. No matter what mistakes government makes, Britain does not interfere. However, we have been told in no uncertain terms, that if we cut ties with our European roots, we are on our own, and all the privileges we now enjoy will be taken away. There are countries in Europe desperate to be admitted into the EU, and we already have that privilege, how lucky can we get?

If we choose to cut ties with Europe there is every possibility that the US will withdraw its pre-customs clearance arrangements at the airport, and demand that we carry US visas, not easy to come by. It might not happen, but why take the risk?

The chances of our currency being devalued cannot be overlooked. As long as the Queen’s face is our currency it is worth something, and at the moment we are lucky that our currency is tied to the US dollar. We already know that Bermudian currency is worthless outside Bermuda. It might not happen, but why take the risk?

The cost of independence would be horrific. To go into this matter would take pages, but we can rest assured that the cost would be a great deal more than Government estimates.

Finally, we are happy the way things are, apart from the usual political wrangling, and we should all be down on our knees thanking God that we are able to live in the earthly paradise, which is almost too good to be true. Let’s leave well alone.

With a government that does not listen to the people (remember the closing of the clinic) we must be especially vigilant, and make sure that if the matter of independence comes to a head, it must be decided by the people, through a referendum. And regardless of what Government thinks, we Bermudians do know what is best for us, the people.

E. RABEN

Paget

Family deserves justice

March 27, 2007

Dear Sir,

Imagine how excited 16-year-old Rebecca Middleton would have been at the thought of coming to Bermuda for a holiday to visit with her friend.

Imagine how ambivalent her parents probably felt at letting her go away without them.

Imagine them answering the phone call telling them she had been brutally assaulted and murdered.

Imagine having to deal with all the horrific details of how she suffered as she lay battered and dying on a dark and lonely road in St. George’s.

Imagine knowing that her daughter’s murder has been described as “the worst, most brutal, most animal sexually-depraved, most violent and inhuman racial murder of any woman anywhere in the world” (bermuda-online,org/legal).

Imagine a community so apathetic that they act as if it never happened, with some in high positions callously asking what more Bermuda owes the family.

Imagine this was not Rebecca Middleton we are talking about.

Imagine it was your daughter.

A judicial review will be held in April in the hope of bringing this case back to court. I am asking you to go to the website http://www.bermuda-online.oprg/legal.htm and scroll down to Rebecca Middleton and read for yourself the facts and details of what is undoubtedly the most violent murder in the history of Bermuda.

We owe the Middleton family one thing and that is to bring Rebecca’s killer/s to justice.

As a civilised society we must cease harbouring fugitives and instead have them pay for their crime. They will be better off, and so will Bermuda having removed this blot on our collective conscience.

KIM SMITH

Pembroke