Embrace colonialism

September 14, 2009

Dear Sir,

I think Government and the Department of Tourism should embrace colonialism and use it to their advantage. It could draw a lot of tourists. Americans have long come to Bermuda because of our colonial heritage. Advertise to the world that we are one of the last and oldest British Colonies in the Western Hemisphere, everybody would want to come here, it's a great selling point to attract tourists. So instead of dismantling colonialism, embrace it and make it work for you. Get something out of it, use it as a plus and not a negative.

When was the last time you saw a Policeman in the Bird Cage? That was one of the most photographic places on the island. Use Colonialism as a tool, for attraction, have the Bird Cage with a Policeman in it directing traffic as the main logo …

ROBERT HENDERSON

Smith's

Not very helpful

September 15, 2009

Dear Sir,

The Government website – www.gov.bm – is a treasure trove of information.

Clicking on "Airline Flight Information" gives you immediate access to listings of arrival and departure times, as at 2.31 p.m. on May 20. Not much use if you're flying out today, or picking friends up from the airport, but a boon to anyone writing a treatise on the historical on-time record of the major carriers.

Confused about Customs Duty? A search and a click will have you speeding your way to the Frequently Asked Questions. Or, rather, Question, as the only one there is "How do I become a Customs Officer?" This is, no doubt, the exact question to which 90 percent of those visiting the site need an answer.

I, however, had a different question and I must thank Customs Officer W. Kevin Simpson for responding to my e-mail very quickly and for providing me with a comprehensive answer.

Yours with solutions looking for a problem,

ANDREW R. DOBLE

Hamilton Parish

Pay up on time

Dear Sir,

Please Government, pay the Seniors their pension on time. I for one am living off this little pension, which is not covering my living expenses.

"FutureCare", get your act together and repay the clients their money on a timely basis. We have to pay our insurance on time. There would not be a problem, if we could just pay our share to doctors, etc.

HOPE

Pembroke

We'll be left with nothing

September 10, 2009

Dear Sir,

I refer to John Ferguson's letter to the Editor posted in the September 10 edition of The Royal Gazette.

Mr. Ferguson is spot on with regard to the effect that continued spiralling crime will have on Bermuda's tourism industry. However, this is not the real threat that crime poses to Bermuda's future; tourism is a relatively minor component of the Bermuda economy as we have, sadly, done a very effective job of scuttling that industry over the past 30 years.

The core engine of the Bermuda economy is international business and the greatest concern for Bermudians has to be the effect of escalating crime on that industry. We already face mounting external competitive factors that are leading to a leakage of international business to other countries, and if this Government continues to ignore the seriously escalating crime and anti-social behaviour on this Island then we will quickly drive all of these companies elsewhere.

When the international companies go, so will the high paid ex-pats who spend their salaries on rents, cars, groceries, restaurants and other local goods and services that fuel Bermuda's economic engine and sustain jobs to the benefit of all Bermudians. After they go, so will many of the qualified and experienced Bermudians who are valued by these companies and who will surely be offered the opportunity to relocate with them.

As a consequence Bermuda will experience both a financial and intellectual "brain drain" and then what will we be left with? No tourists, no International business, no natural resources, no manufacturing – no nothing!

So, to our so called leaders – is it really that hard to police traffic on this tiny Island and stop the chaos that threatens lives on the streets every day? Is it really that hard to police Hamilton and prevent decent citizens from being harassed and attacked on our streets? Is it really that hard to clean out the vagrants that congregate in City Hall car park and Par-La-Ville park and drink and swear and fight right in front of our tourists and International Business visitors? Is it really that hard to figure out who the gang bangers are that are robbing and shooting people in broad daylight on the streets and in private residences? Why in the world is it that you as our leaders stand by and do nothing about these things?

Mark my words – it is almost too late to fix the problem. And in the final analysis it is only Bermudians who will suffer the consequences. And in case it is not self evident what those consequences are, think massive unemployment, widespread poverty, uncontrollable violent crime, chronic shortage of basic goods and services, and so on. Think it can't happen? Well just keep thinking....

I'M JUST SAYING

City of Hamilton

A reply to 'Bermudians'

September 17, 2009

Dear Sir,

Thank you for allowing me to respond to yesterday's (September 8, 2009) letter to the editor from the group Bermudians. It would be interesting to know if all 1,500 people who participated in the actions of "Bermudians" on June 16, 26 and 29, 2009 had input into the letter, or if the letter was penned by the "executive" who are speaking for the masses. I would also be interested in knowing whether there is now a list of members of "Bermudians". Certainly if the letter was written by the executive and not circulated to the membership, "Bermudians" should be the last group to criticise the PLP's Constitution, which states that the delegates make the final decision as to who leads our Party. Certainly with 1,500 members, "Bermudians" should be looking to be the third political party that everyone is crying out for. They don't even need to have an election for leader, deputy leader and public relations officer.

In the first paragraph of "Bermudians'" letter they speak of "fear that has ruled our Island for so many years". Certainly if fear had ruled our Island in the past ten years, we would never have seen 1,500 protesters on the dates mentioned above, nor 5,000 a year before that, or the many other groups of protesters that have marched on the Cabinet Building and/or the House of Assembly since November 9, 1998. Fear is what was felt by the Progressive Group in 1959, when a group of black Bermudians had to remain silent for almost 50 years because of the repercussions that they would feel if their actions were made known to the status quo in 1959 and for decades following that heroic action. Fear is what many other Bermudians felt, prior to 1998 – fear of having mortgages recalled, fear of losing jobs, fear of not getting a job, etc. etc. And of course, much earlier than 1998, was the fear felt by enslaved Africans who were brought to Bermuda – the fear of being lynched by mobs such as the ones I witnessed this past June.

Yes, I have gone on record and I make no apologies for describing the protesters as reminding me of photographs that I have seen of lynch mobs in the southern United States. More recently, commentators in the United States have described the attendees at the town hall meetings that were intended to discuss health care reform in the US as "lynch mobs". As I see it the mobs that assembled outside of the House of Assembly in June share much in common with the mobs that are attending the town hall meetings in the US, "Bermudians" should know, just as I know, that it was not unusual for the slave master to use one slave to whip another slave.

"Bermudians" write that none of the points of their speeches have been refuted since their protests. What they really meant to say was that those of us who have refuted their speeches, and there have been many, including Alvin Williams, Calvin Smith, Eugene Stovell, and myself, really have no worth in their minds. Certainly the members of the PLP Central Committee all to a man, refuted their speeches by overwhelmingly showing support to the Premier as the Leader of the Progressive Labour Party.

Bermudians list three examples of the Premier's "behaviour" which has further disturbed them since their mass protests in June, including his "failed attempt at the passing of the gaming bill", his absence from the 400th Anniversary Celebrations and Cup Match and the return of Elvin James to the Cabinet. How Elvin James' return to the Cabinet reflects negatively on the Premier boggles my mind, but then again, "Bermudians" and I agree on very little, if anything. Maybe "Bermudians" have forgotten that Bermuda's 400th Anniversary celebrations began in January 2009 and end in December 2009, but maybe they wanted the Premier to participate in the re-enactment of the shipwreck of the Sea Venture. I guess in their mind he could have been the dog on the ship because there certainly were no black people on that ship.

As I have not been granted as many column inches as "Bermudians", I cannot respond to all of the rhetoric printed in yesterday's paper. However, let me let "Bermudians" know that while they are dissatisfied with Premier Brown's leadership, in a democracy, the majority carries and it should now be obvious to them that the majority of Bermudians are satisfied with the leadership provided by Dr. Brown. No, he does not sing to your tune, nor dance to your music, nor march to your drum, but as of this date we can claim that there are many more of us who are thankful that Dr. Brown chose to serve Bermuda in the way that he has since he was first elected to Parliament in 1993, defeating "Jack Sharpe" and then as Leader and Premier since October 30, 2006.

LAVERNE FURBERT

Hamilton Parish

P.s. By the way, I think it was Dr. Brown who showed "Christian" values on June 26, not you Bermudians. He made every effort for one of your leaders to spew her venom without being interrupted. However you "Bermudians" did not show him the same respect. And you had a nerve to quote scriptures!!