Break them down

August 26, 2008

Dear Sir,

Something I find weird about this country is that we do not have boot camps. If those youths were treated in a harsh military-like, prison-like facility that goes hard-core, with youngsters who think they are gangsters they'll think twice, before they try anything crazy like that again. They will be subject to mess hall, push-ups, probably forced to clean officers' shoes etc. No matter how tough they think they are, the more they act tough, the worse the punishment.

Eventually, they'll either break down and say they won't get caught up any more or, they will end up locked up without no way for parole. Think that's a hard choice to make? Look at Maury whenever he has rude youths with their parents on that show and you'll see where, the military guy comes out and puts them into boot camp and the end results. If this was introduced, gangster wannabes would think twice. Hopefully this solution works providing you try it out first.

BOOT CAMP NEEDED

Devonshire

My party is in power

August 23, 2008

Dear Sir,

I would be the first person to admit that mathematics (or statistics, a branch of mathematics) is not my strongest suit. I am not ashamed to say that I spent several years at Bermuda College in pursuit of an Associates of Arts degree but was continuously thwarted to reach my goal because I could not master Mathematics, a necessity for this (and most all other) programmes at Bermuda College. However, I persevered, and almost eight years after beginning the programme I was awarded the degree in 1998. Therefore my first response after reading Phil Cracknell's letter to you today was to enlist the support of my dear friend (and sometimes mentor) Calvin Smith, Bermuda's first statistician who has a B.A In Economics, an MBA, a Master's Degree in computer Applications and Master's degree in Human Resource Management. Or I could have consulted the Hon. Terry Lister, C.A., JP, MP who presently serves as Minister of E-Commerce and Telecommunications to prove that Phil Cracknell is not unlike the Party that he supports – full of fluff.

Those who read Mr. Cracknell's letter to the Editor on Saturday, August 23, 2008, would have read that Mr. Cracknell, has challenged the Minister of Finance, the Hon. Paula Cox on data that she has released to the public regarding the inflation rate in Bermuda.

In her professional life, Minister Paula Cox is Corporate Counsel at ACE Limited. She previously worked as Vice President and Senior Legal Counsel of Global Funds Services at the Bank of Bermuda Limited. Ms. Cox earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from McGill University, a postgraduate Diploma in International Law from the University of Manchester, England.

In spite of the wealth of talent and expertise that floods the PLP ranks, Mr. Cracknell thinks he knows more than any of the esteemed members of the ruling party. Then he has the gall he uses "satire" by referring to me as "the editor of the LaVerne Furbert Bermuda Sentinel". However I note the Mr. Cracknell spends much of his time editorialising on the ills and incompetency of the PLP Government, so much so that I think Phil Cracknell is beginning to crack up because in spite of his many letters to the Editor criticising the PLP Government, my party remains in power, while his remains Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

I don't believe in coincidences, so when I read the following excerpt from Jamaica Kincaid's book "A Small Place", I immediately thought of Mr. Cracknell and others of his ilk like Christian Dunleavy, the other Phil from St. George's, Phillip Wells, Tony Brannon, etc. etc. Ms Kincaid writes of the British who took up residence in her homeland, Antigua: "… Perhaps you are remembering that you had always felt people like me cannot run things, people like me will never grasp the idea of Gross National Product, people like me will never be able to take command of the thing the most simple-minded among you can master, people like me will never understand the notion of rule by law, people like me cannot really think in abstractions, people like me cannot be objective, we make everything so personal. You will forget your part in the whole set-up, that bureaucracy is one of your inventions, that Gross National Product is one of your inventions, and all the laws that you know mysteriously favour you."

In Mr. Cracknell's mind, and others like him, people like me, Premier Brown, the Hon. Paula Cox, the Hon. Terry Lister, Calvin Smith, etc. etc. will never be able to run anything.

LAVERNE FURBERT

Hamilton Parish

P.s. I am still waiting for Pat Ferguson's evidence of the PLP Members of Parliament "putting change in their pockets".

Promote positive things

August 25, 2008

Dear Sir,

After reading about, and having many discussions regarding, "youth violence", I would like to share my thoughts about the issue. I believe that we, as a community, have gone away from the old cliché that "it takes a village to raise a child." I hear and read of so many people who believe that Government, Police and parents should take responsibility and face certain consequences for this increase in violence. I wonder how many of us feel responsible for another child who has gone astray. Do we take out time to listen to a young person who maybe crying out for help. Are we so worried about making sure that our own child gets and has, that we don't even hear the cry of the kid next door? Of course there are some of us who do, but are we, as a country, doing it. There was a time when you could depend on your neighbour for a cup of sugar, now many of us are too consumed with Independence, that our cupboards will always have sugar?

Please, to those who need to hear this, put aside the predetermined ideas about our young people who have made "bad choices and mistakes", and listen to their story, you may save a life. I think we need to get to know each other's children, instead of knowing of them, through the media and gossip family. How many times do we talk about the "at risk" kid in the neighbourhood and his/her family. Why don't we help that "at risk" family, instead of waiting until that kid makes a mistake and than say "I knew he was gonna be trouble." We need to help each other, it's as simple as that.

Please, to the media, do a better job of promoting positive activities that youths are involved in. There are many youth organisations and programmes that are effective in keeping young people off the streets. Promote that a little more than the court briefs, which only magnify a young persons mistake. To the newspaper faithfuls, please turn to the community and youth section first, before the "latest bad news" page. Bermuda is literally a village, when compared to the size of most countries in the world, so it is our fault that we have angry young people, it's not Government's fault, or their parent's fault, it's my fault, and your fault. Now, do we keep pointing fingers, or do we go next door and offer that kid love?

DESMOND W. CROCKWELL Sr.

Programme Director

YouthVision Promotions

It takes all types...

August 21, 2008

Dear Sir,

Since we seem to have a generation gap wherein the young folks think that seniors don't understand them, I thought the following story (which I received today) made interesting reading. It is called: "A stunning senior moment!" Apparently, a self-important college freshman attending a recent football game took it upon himself to explain to a senior citizen sitting next to him why it was impossible for the older generation to understand his generation. "You grew up in a different world, actually an almost primitive one," the student said, loud enough for many of those nearby to hear. "The young people of today grew up with television, jet planes, space travel, man walking on the moon. Our space probes have visited Mars. We have nuclear energy, ships and electric and hydrogen cars, cell phones, computers with light-speed processing... and more."

After a brief silence, the senior citizen responded as follows:

"You're right, son. We didn't have those things when we were young ... so we invented them. Now, you arrogant little #[AT]*%, what are you doing for the next generation?"

The applause was amazing! You see, Mr. Editor, we have all types running around this world. We have the arrogant, the ignorant, the bullies, the murders, the rapists, the robbers, the good, the bad and the ugly and so on and so on and so on and on and on and on! What a holy mess!

PAT FERGUSON

Warwick

Make prison tougher

August 25, 2008

Dear Sir,

Since it seems Bermudians are finally interested in cracking down on the senseless behaviour which is terrorising our little paradise, I thought I would share an article I came across about Sheriff Joe Arpaio from Arizona who has instituted severe policies at Phoenix's Maricopa County Jail since taking office in 1993. According to his bio on http://www.mcso.org, he enjoys being known as "America's toughest sheriff" and it sounds like we should incorporate his ideas for reform in our own Bermuda prison. The following is a list of a few policies he has instituted:

? He banned smoking and took away their porno magazines

? He took away the gym and all weights

? The TVs only play the Disney Channel, the weather channel, and 'G" rated movies

? He cut off coffee since it has zero nutritional value

? He bought Newt Gingrich's lecture series on videotape that he pipes into the jails.

? The inmates wear government issued pink clothing

? They only eat bologna sandwiches – which he makes them work for. Nothing is free in his jail.

? The inmates participate in "chain gangs", where they contribute to free labour of community projects, such as cleaning streets, painting over graffiti. Inmates work eight hours a day, six days a week (Sundays off), mainly outside.

? He even prohibited the serving of salt and pepper, to save the taxpayers $20,000 per year.

? He also created rehabilitative programmes like "Hard Knocks High," the only accredited high school under a Sheriff in an American jail, and ALPHA, an anti-substance abuse programme that has greatly reduced recidivism.

When prisoners complained he was too hard on them his response was that his prison was not, "the Ritz/Carlton. If you don't like being here, don't come back!" It's no wonder this man keeps being re-elected over and over. Perhaps our own prison warden could learn some techniques from this guy? If not, perhaps we need to employ someone who is ready to take a stand.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Smith's