Make our prisoners work

May 19,2010

Dear Sir,

This letter is in response to Raymond Ray's letter in The Royal Gazette on May 19th and also in response to the lady caller on the Everest DeCosta show a few weeks ago.

As a taxpayer I am tired of people making suggestions about paying inmates at Westgate prison for doing work on our roadways.

In Key West, Florida low risk prisoners are made to wear neon pink jumpsuits whilst they mow grass, trim trees and clear trash on the public roadways. They are watched over by prison guards. They are not paid to to do this. They are paying back taxpayers for their stay in prison.

Our inmates have it too easy here in Bermuda. Make them do the same here in exchange for us forking out $80,000 per year per inmate. Guaranteed the recidivism rate would go down.

TIRED OF PAYING

Pembroke

True national heroes

May 17, 2010

Dear Sir,

There are several related issues that have been on the news that concern me and on which I would like to comment.

I have read several articles which contend that some PLP MP's voted against gambling only because of the stand taken by the Deputy Premier. Some of us can be both grateful and gratified for the clarity of the Deputy Premier's statement. (I only heard her remarks on TV). But voters should be appalled that individuals for whom we voted lacked the courage and integrity to vote their conscience and on behalf of their constituency because of their concern for their political careers, which they apparently felt would be threatened if they voted against the Premier. Yet we expect ordinary citizens to have the courage and integrity to be witnesses against gun killers. Clearly the Westminster System, as we practise it, is destructive to us at every level.

Someone has asked if only politicians should be our "national heroes". There is no one that impacts on the entire society as do politicians (except perhaps their teachers and educators who often help to form their character). Even our "Mother Theresas" impact only on the poor whom they help unless they change the nature of the society's basic values and that does not seem to happen. It is for this reason that who our politicians are, and what they do, is of fundamental importance.

The recurring discussion on "national heroes" is one example. Time seems to have proven correct those who declared that the choice of Dame Lois as the first national hero was purely political. Certainly coming so soon after her sudden and unexpected death when emotions were still raw was not irrelevant, neither was the fact that she had strong political allies that could be pacified. The general public has proven that there is no inherent interest on their part by their sporadic response and after four years there seems to be as little interest on the part of politicians themselves.

The discussion on criteria is clearly merely a "cop-out" for there is no reason that it should be the prerogative of the Culture Minister alone apart from the accursed Westminster System, which seems to make most MPs useless. But then, before we tied ourselves to the Westminster System, they were not even MPs who shook this country up in leading the movement to desegregation and Universal Franchise. Now, apparently, nothing can be done unless it is done by a Minister. In any event, to pretend that we need criteria to determine who has made the most impact on this society (or nation) is less than honest. We know that without Universal Franchise, despite her outstanding and remarkable personality, her many personal achievements and Firsts, her drama and oratorical skills, Dame Lois herself could not have had the political career which she did have.

The PLP itself would not exist without Universal Franchise and certainly many of the current MPs would not have been elected without Universal Franchise.

This entire country was positively impacted by Universal Franchise. Blacks may have done the work and benefitted most but , as with all movements towards greater justice, many others benefitted as well, including poor whites and Portuguese. We would not really need a panel on criteria if the politicians had been serious about the issue. It is more than evident that together W.L.Tucker and Roosevelt Brown should have been our first national heroes, certainly they should have been recognised before now. To politicise the issue as it has been has demeaned both the concept and the person who was politically exploited in the process. These two men have not been recognised because to do so carried no political advantage. Even Sir Henry Tucker who has been mentioned for his efforts to integrate the schools would not have needed to even try without Universal Franchise. Certainly the Front Street oligarchy which brought prosperity, time and again, can hardly be regarded as "national" heroes as someone has suggested, as they consistently ensured that blacks were economically excluded as much as possible so that even today the economic disparity continues to racially divide this society.

The current Westminster System seems to ensure that politicians seem to do little that will not help them to retain political power. Thus they do not need to acknowledge the two men who made their political careers possible. They can be ignored and bypassed with impunity.

EVA N. HODGSON

Hamilton Parish

Celebrate all heroes

May 15, 2010

Dear Sir,

I know that Lois was one of the greatest Bermudians to walk the earth and clearly she also walked on other surfaces including Hamilton Harbour but, as heroes go, she was just one of a few. National Heroes Day in other parts of the world usually is a day to commemorate all of that country's heroes...that is, all of them... so why don't we just pack up all those Lois signs and just celebrate ALL our heroes ?

When is it anyway?

I VOTE FOR GEORGIE SOMERS

Southampton

Counter pens, please!

May 19, 2010

Dear Sir,

I didn't really mind the $45 BAS charged me to move my light package from the aircraft to the airport freight shed.

I didn't really mind the three credit/debit cards that it took for the BAS card reader to actually work.

I didn't really mind that I had to go to the Customs shed to ask them to pick off the invoice that was attached to the outside of the package.

I didn't mind the 15 pages of instructions to be read in order to complete a BCD.

I didn't mind the lack of a Tariff code book available to the public at Customs.

I didn't mind the two trips between the Customs shed and the Customs Long Room.

I didn't even mind the 12 "nines" that I had to mindlessly enter on to the BCD form.

I didn't really mind the certain embarrassment of the lady in front of me who was ordered "to go get a professional to fill out the BCD forms for you"

I didn't really mind the surprise that, after paying my duty, I have to wait a further 24 hours before I can pick up my package, I like driving back and forth to the airport.

I don't mind the inevitable phone call I will make tomorrow (before I go to pick it up) to make sure it is ready to be picked up and I won't mind the inevitable ten minutes the call will take.

But what I do mind is the lack of a simple counter PEN at Customs. The counter pen that is currently there is, well, not actually a counter pen. It is a regular pen attached to a ROPE and the receptionist takes it away from you if you actually try to use it. She said she didn't want me to use it because they are "always going missing".

Instead she gave me an old pen from behind the counter that immediately leaked all over me and my shirt. When I commented that the pen had leaked all over me and my shirt she said that she could see that. She was kind enough to dispose of the pen after it had vomited over me.

I didn't really mind coming home to change shirts before my next meeting and I didn't mind having to immediately spot treat and wash the shirt. I like being late.

I do mind that the ink is permanent and still on the shirt and the shirt has now been discarded.

Could we get a few proper counter pens at the Customs Long Room please?

OXI CLEAN

Hamilton Parish

Backdoor censorship

May 17, 2010

Dear Sir,

Today I had the opportunity to read the unfortunately worded proposed Media Council Act. I was left with a deep fear for the liberties that I enjoyed growing up in Bermuda, and moreover a fear for Bermuda's reputation in a world where in many ways we have been an example of positive, forward-thinking policies, particularly in relation to international business.

We have had the benefit, through various media outlets, of comments from proponents of free speech throughout the world in relation to this act. These commentators have voiced opinions ranging from shock to disbelief, and rightfully so. However their sound-bites do little more than scratch the surface of what this act really means to us as Bermudians.

One need only have a cursory glance at important instruments of International Law, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, African Charter on Human and People's Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights, to see how jealously guarded the right of freedom of expression truly is. In contrast to this backward step by our politicians, a few days ago President Obama signed into law the Daniel Pearl Freedom of The Press Act. This act recognises the importance of the safety and independence of journalists and cites as one of its intentions to 'draw attention to the conditions in countries in which journalists are killed, imprisoned, kidnapped, threatened, or censored'. This US Act celebrates the freedom of press enjoyed by our neighbours and specifically recognises the significance of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which calls for freedom of expression universally.

We, as Bermudians must not accept being deprived of a liberty that was recognised by politicians dating back as far as the French Revolution and the drafting of the US Constitution. We must continue to enjoy the basic rights of seeking, receiving and imparting information without the interference proposed by the present government.

This act, by virtue of the composition of the proposed media council, is nothing more than backdoor censorship. It is being marketed as a means to regulate media to ensure responsible reporting, but is worded in such an ambiguous manner that the opportunity for abuse for political gains exists in abundance. On reading the act, one is left wondering if this is by design.

This proposed act must not be passed! I urge the members of Bermuda's Parliament to represent the interests of those who elected them, not the party that they belong to or the leader they fear. I implore them to vote against this abomination and preserve Bermuda's freedom. An assault on freedom of expression, if not defended, will surely result in the demise of more of our liberties. "Let it be impressed upon your minds, let it be instilled into your children, that the liberty of the press is the palladium of all the civil, political, and religious rights."

JUNIUS

Kent, UK