Whistleblowing hypocrisy

June 8, 2007

Dear Sir,

Wasn’t it this Government which promised to introduce legislation to protect whistle-blowers? The time is now.

BANANAPHOBIC

Delegates, replace The Doc

June 6, 2007

Dear Sir,

Dr. Brown has shamed the good name of the PLP, its members and constituents. Dr. Brown clearly enjoys the trappings of power demonstrated with his motorcades and extravagant travel (over a quarter of a million dollars in ten months!) for his chosen entourage, freely spending from the public purse that all have to support with their taxes. In response to the article in the Mid-Ocean News on Friday, June 1, 2007, he, as expected shoots the messenger and attempts to turn this into a political matter for the Governor instead of abiding by the PLP pamphlet titled “A New Bermuda” distributed prior to the 1998 election which stated the PLP would seek “accountability and transparency”. Dr. Brown evidently prefers the opposite to shelter him in the security of darkness.

He claims he wants dignity for the seniors as a reason for closing the clinic. If seniors have to obtain Government vouchers (a form of welfare in of itself) to pay their doctors, what does it mean for Dr. Brown’s practice? Dr. Brown responded he was exonerated. As charges were not brought, that is, to be polite, nonsense. Delegates, it’s time for you to save the PLP from this self serving glitz infatuated man who is taking the good people of the PLP and Bermuda for a ride and give him a taste of his own medicine. I’m sure Dame Jennifer Smith and Alex Scott would be pleased to administer a prescription to Dr. Brown for lying to you and the electorate “because he had to”. Delegates, it’s time for you to replace the Doc with a leader who has ethics and all Bermudians at heart.

LOOKING FOR ETHICS

City of Hamilton

Form over content

June 7, 2007

Dear Sir,

Sorry, I’m a little confused apropos the article in the Mid-Ocean News this past weekend concerning the BHC scandal! If I was accused, but innocent, of wrongdoing, my first response would be that I proclaim my innocence. Ewart Brown is an intelligent man, so ... why on earth is his ‘first’ defensive response to the accusations concerning the BHC scandal that of “how” the information was leaked — rather than the actual content of what was leaked.

WAKE UP BERMUDA

Southampton

Is something rotten?

June 1, 2007

Dear Sir,

The apparently not so honourable Premier’s response to the revelations in today’s edition of Mid Ocean News was oh so predictable: Shoot the messenger. If you have nothing to hide, why not provide full public access to all relevant documents involved and we the people can then decide whether this issue should have infact been swept under the carpet, as was the case. If there is the tiniest shred of evidence to support any of the allegations reported by the newspaper, any right thinking person would want an independent Commission of Enquiry into this whole mess.

It goes without saying that the members of this commission should all come from overseas jurisdictions with a stellar reputation on corruption. When the Premier claims that he and others were exonerated from any wrongdoings, he certainly stands to be corrected. Some very vague references were made to Bermuda’s outdated laws under which the behaviour could not be deemed unlawful, only unethical or something or other at worst. We are still waiting for these supposedly outdated laws to be updated if indeed necessary to catch a thief. We, the public are left wondering whether the previous rulings could have been biased by some “puppet” and/or politically compromised officials. Only an Independent Commission of Enquiry will tell!

OBJECTIVE OBSERVER

Southampton

Inappropriate & immature

June 8, 2007

Dear Sir,

I write to express my frustration and disappointment with the way the Premier has handled this latest BHC issue. Although I believe everyone is in agreement that the leaking of confidential police files to the newspaper was inappropriate, I think it does highlight that a full investigation still needs to happen to get to the truth. However, I believe that the Premier’s tactics of going on a national broadcast to “defend himself” and then threatening to cease relations with the Governor were equally inappropriate, immature, and selfish. In no way did this move take into consideration what was in the best interest of the people he is duty-bound to represent and protect. I can’t help feeling as though the timing of this whole thing has not somehow been contrived to generate support for independence.

However, most Bermudians are not so easily fooled and we don’t appreciate it when politicians try to pull the wool over our eyes. It is insulting. For months now there’s been grumblings amongst Bermudians that there’s an air about Government that has the makings of a dictatorship, that they seem to think they are above reproach and have forgotten the reason they are in office- to give selfless service to the people of Bermuda. And yet we have had to contend with many issues including freedom of speech rights, and now this latest development. Where will it stop? Where’s the accountability? Where’s the checks and balances? When will Government “come back down to Earth” so to speak and stop trying to reign over us from their castles in the sky? As we are approaching a general election, I would urge all Bermudians to be extra vigilant and inquisitive about the events unfolding in our precious country. The power has been, and always will remain, with the people.

ISIS

Warwick

Something to hide

June 8, 2007

Dear Sir,

For a Government that says it has nothing to hide, they sure are using a lot of manpower, time, effort and our taxpayers money, to find out who leaked what instead of the real issue, which is who stole what. Until that question is truthfully answered, with (any) people found to be responsible brought to justice; we are still sitting on the brink. Such heavy handed tactics as gagging the free press, court injunctions, intimidation and threats are surely not needed when you have nothing to hide?

MAGGIE BENN

Warwick

Shifting truths

June 9, 2007

Dear Sir,

This Government has warned of a “looming” constitutional crisis following the emergence of several highly incriminating documents that point to corruption at the Bermuda Housing Corporation. The fact of the matter is that the crisis has already arrived, and has been here for a long time. What has happened is that there has been a shift between truth and reality with regards to the Bermuda Government. The truth of the government is that it is meant to work for the island of Bermuda, minimising scandal, and advancing Bermudian society confidently into the future. The reality of the Government, however, is that it has its own agenda and spends more time protecting itself and defending its poor decisions than making prudent ones that work for the benefit of Bermuda. The poor leadership of the Progressive Labour Party has been exhibited in numerous instances, including the scandal involving the Berkeley school, the disgrace brought upon the Bermuda educational system by the mould infestation at CedarBridge and the poor public school system in general, the imprudent decision to turn the Premier’s university visits into political campaigns, and now this constitutional crisis. If this Government is not careful, then it will succeed in undoing everything that has made Bermuda the prosperous nation that it is.

There is hope for this Government, however, because it has been masterful in creating a web of deception. The Premier has repeatedly pointed out that tourism numbers are on the rise and that the industry as a whole is healthy again. That may be true, but the Premier is simply attempting to draw attention away from the fact that the political system is extremely volatile at the moment and that this precariousness is affecting the international business arena. This is one of the fundamental concepts in finance, which the Premier might not be able to relate to since he insists on using medical analogies when speaking to students and the public. Volatility is essentially the amount of uncertainty relating to the degree of change in a security’s value. Increased volatility always results in increased risk, and any sophisticated investor will attempt to minimise the volatility of his or her portfolio to encourage the highest returns possible on his or her investment. The international companies here in Bermuda are the investors, and they have invested significant amounts of capital to set up headquarters or subsidiaries here. This Government is making the political and social environment here in Bermuda extremely volatile and will soon force these companies to migrate their operations to other jurisdictions, such as Dublin, London, or New York. The scandals here in Bermuda are already receiving international attention. Thus, while the Government has created minor improvements in one industry, it runs the risk of exterminating another entirely.

The PLP needs to make the theoretical truth of Government into reality. Governmental bureaucratic politics needs to cease and a concerted effort towards realising a prosperous future for Bermuda must be made. The Premier, when speaking to students on his university tour, continuously refused to be held accountable for several contentious issues, including the Southlands project and increased hotel development. The PLP, and especially the Premier, must finally commit themselves to doing what a Government is supposed to do: taking responsibility.

MARK FRANK TURNER

Smith’s

Editor’s Note: Mark Frank Turner is a pen name

Writer is a coward

June 14, 2007

Dear Sir,

This letter is addressed to “Son of the Soil”: In response to the letter you published in the bermudasucks.com forum, I brand you a thief. I make this allegation with the assumption you work for or are in some way associated with the police department. As such you have stolen a dossier that was reported to be “secret” and sold it or gave it to the media for publication. Whatever your intentions you are a common thief and should be prosecuted as such to the fullest extent of the law. Your accomplices in this crime, The Mid-Ocean News and ZBM, should also be held accountable and be prosecuted for receiving stolen property. If you are not a member of or associated with the police department and were “entrusted” with the assignment of disseminating the secret dossier by some other individual or organisation, I brand you a coward because you hide behind your moniker of “Son of the Soil” and will not face those who you are accusing and making known to the public. Either way you should still be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for being in receipt of stolen property.

DAVID

St. George’s

Govt. was read the riot act

June 11, 2007

Dear Sir,

There is no way....NO WAY the Premier and the Governor resolved their ‘constitutional’ differences on their own. That only occurred because they were read the ‘riot act’ by persons in the International Company sector who said if they did not ‘kissy-make-up’ then “Dublin, here we come”! And in the “good ol’ days” I would have bet you a ‘canary’ on that one!

WONDERING & WANDERING IN SOUTHAMPTON

Keep Police independent

June 17, 2007

Dear Sir,

I am curious as to why our (ever so ethical) politicians suddenly wish to have full control of the Bermuda Police Service. I stand to be corrected, but it is my understanding that few, if any, well run democracies utilise a model where the Police fall directly under the authority of local politicians. These forces are overseen by legislated police authorities to prevent local political interference and/or corruption. Therefore, if the Bermuda Police no longer reports to the Governor, they surely would be expected to come under the oversight of a legislated police authority thereby giving the local politicians no more control than they have now. So, how does removing control of the police from the Governor increase local government control? (Unless our esteemed politicians plan to appoint cronies or puppets to these authorities that will do their bidding). Gag orders and a police state ... Welcome to Bermuda — the newest member of the Third World!

HMMMMM...

Somerset

Leaked or stolen?

June 19, 2007

Dear Sir,

Mr. Glenn Jones, new press secretary to the Premier in today’s news criticised his former colleagues in the media for reporting “stolen” documents as leaked. 1. What proof does Mr. Jones have that these documents were in fact stolen? 2. Mr. Jones in a recent interview has stated that while he might privately disagree with the Premier, it is his duty as his press agent to agree with him publicly and to be loyal to him. So, is this Glenn Jones the “professional journalist” espousing journalism ethics, or Glenn Jones the “spin doctor” protecting the Premier’s interest?

HMMM...

Somerset

We’ve seen these tactics

June 1, 2007

Dear Sir,

I watched with interest Premier Ewart Brown’s telecast on Friday evening as he tried to deflect attention away from himself and other PLP members whose names and business interests were attached with various BHC activities. To quote Shakespeare: “The ... man doth protest too much, me thinks”. Throughout the Premier’s entire broadcast I witnessed a man doing his utmost to steer attention away from the story and paper trail recorded in the Mid-Ocean News and when he changed tack and threatened the Governor I realised once and for all that he is trying to hide something. Haven’t we seen similar tactics used before by other politicians around the world? Tony Blair and George Bush reacting to media reports that stated there was no evidence at all of WMDs in Iraq. And let’s not forget the antics of Bill Clinton when he proclaimed that he never had sexual relations with that woman — Monica Lewinsky. The fact that the Premier wants to investigate those who actually investigated the BHC scandals is laughable.

I had to ask myself what is so secret and confidential re the national interests of the Island that required those investigative reports be kept under lock and key in the first place? Was it because prominent members of the PLP were implicated in allegedly unethical dealings with the BHC and hence didn’t want their names exposed? I take the view it is in the interests of all right thinking Bermudians to know what went on at the BHC from the names of those involved to the amount of taxpayers’ funds that may have been abused in the process. Then and only then will the public have closure in the both their minds and hearts as to the performance of those individuals. One can only guess that the electorate would react to such at the next election and that, Mr. Editor, is the reason for the Premier’s performance on TV Friday night. The public will not be fooled, for the cat is out of the bag thanks to the Mid Ocean News, the same paper that released the original BHC story and I’m sure we all remember the bleating back then from the same Government members. It’s time, Mr. Editor, to vote them out, for Bermuda deserves better.

ALLAN D. MARSHALL JP

Smith’s Parish