Expose the secrets

February 21, 2010

Dear Sir,

There is a saying in recovery that you are only as sick as your secrets.

In the case of the National Drug Commission (NDC), it appears Victoria holds one of their Secrets. As the lead organisation granted $20 million in public funding and responsibility to establish prevention and treatment services for our community members suffering the impact of alcohol and drug use and abuse, the NDC continues to demonstrate why they have yet to earn our trust.

How do we begin to thank the local accounting firm for their corporate donation of one of their partners, who acted as chair, or should I say captain, during the Titanic experience outlined in the recent Auditor General's report? In recovery, we are encouraged to embrace rigorous honesty, a message that doesn't seem to have been practiced by the NDC and those responsible for their governance.

Before a full and complete review is conducted and all offenders charged and prosecuted, how do we know which NDC staff members to trust?

What do we tell the drug dealers who we ask to stop dealing as a way of life when they can argue that their behaviour is no less criminal than the behavior of staff members of the NDC? When our children participate in NDC funded-education programmes, how do we explain the difference between what they teach and what they do?

To develop successful treatment and prevention programmes, the NDC has a choice: they can choose to expose their secrets and model the change we all desire or continue to be secretive. Transparency, accountability and a formal public apology would go a long way to building community trust.

In the spirit of anonymity,

RECOVERY ON THE ROCK

Paget

Causeway solution

February 17, 2010

Dear Sir,

My suggestion for the Causeway is to fill in the waterway and do away with a bridge altogether.

How much is the waterway used November, December, January, February, March, it's never, or hardly used at all?

You could start the "fill-in" of the present waterway by dismantling the old bridge, and use it as part of the fill, then do the same to the Causeway area as was done at the southern part of the airport roadway. For shore bring in those large boulders as you see there now, and place them all around both sides of the causeway. If you were to measure some 290 feet in width both sides of the causeway and make the boulders to say, 12 feet high, it would make for a much safer road use, and I'm sure it would cut down on the "sea-spray" that is causing some problems now, when the wind is in the west-northwest, or from the east-southeast.

If the Causeway roadway was to be made higher it would most probably counter the sea surge that comes with a category 4 or 5 major hurricane.

I am one of those "local knowledgeable experts."

PETER BROMBY SR.

Paget

Premier's overseas trips

February 12, 2010

Dear Sir,

It seems our Premier is having a grant time travelling with his entourage seeing the world at the taxpayer's expense. Does he honestly think he's going to attract a lot of tourists from India and China? Where's the next country he's going to visit on the pretence of encouraging tourism? Sounds like all expense paid vacations to me.

MLT

Smith's

Enough from the BFA

February 22, 2010

Dear Sir,

Enough is enough. This needs to be said. I have been observing football in Bermuda over the last year and I am wondering when "Bermuda" will say enough of the nonsense coming out of the BFA.

I would like for them to answer some questions.

1. Why do we have extremely qualified coaches such as Mark Wade, Troy Lewis, Dennis Brown, Coe Trott Jr., Ray Jones, Wendell Furbert and others not included in the National Academy? Why would we not pay a qualified Bermudian to be the Technical Director?

2. Can the BFA please release to the public, the coaching qualifications of the Tech Director and the Youth Director please and then list the same for the persons above. I think the public has a right to know.

3. The Clyde Best Tournament. Why did I leave home in terrible weather conditions to support Bermuda's finest 94s and find about six or seven 17-year-olds and an 18-year-old goalkeeper in the team? Surely we have enough 1994 players on the island to make up a team. Absolutely ridiculous. If I was a 1994 parent and my son was on the bench while these "over age" players had a turn to impress West Ham, I would remove my son from the National Academy and say don't call us, we will call you. Then you have to read the Youth Director's insane statement that this tournament was preparation for the World Cup this year in Trinidad. Really? Really Mr. Boyles? If you go on the CFU website it states that the only age group that can play is a child born on or after January 1, 1994, so why are eight over age players helping?

4. Where were the 1994s that we are always reading about? Tre Ming, Zeiko Lewis, etc. I read Derek Broadley's lame excuse of "weather". We know that the weather didn't last four days and the flights were coming in as I had house guests arriving on that Friday (should have arrived on Thursday), so don't you think if these promising young men could have even one opportunity to play one game it was worth having them here? People do actually come out to see them and like to watch them play.

5. Dandy Town coaches or should I say former Dandy Town coaches? I see they have added another to the NA coaching staff. How many is that now? Four or five? The sad thing is they don't have the experience either and are still not as qualified as the coaches I listed above in #1. Don Lewis more qualified to coach NA girls than Wendell Furbert? I think not.

6. Can the BFA explain again why the Youth league started in January? That was not thought out properly at all. To concentrate on school football? So what happens to the ones who don't make the school team? I will tell you what happens, the nonsense you read about in the paper. Fights in school and at parties. The boys had nothing to do. Nothing to go training for as there were no games anymore on Saturdays. Maybe this worked for Derek Broadley in the US, but in 'Bermuda no way. So hopefully it will be put back the way it was. PDL? Whose brilliant idea was it to have that played on Saturday afternoons? Player Development League right? That should be development on and off the field so these young men all have jobs on Saturdays and cannot play. Why couldn't they play either Saturday nights, Sunday mornings or evenings through the week?

7. I read that Derek Broadley was at Crystal Palace. Can someone tell me why no Bermuda youth players, since he has been here, has ever been sent to Crystal Palace? Makes you wonder. It's definitely one of those things that make you say hmmmmm.

8. West Ham. Now the BFA have some agreement with West Ham. So we have been reading about young Tre Ming and Fulham, so what does the signed agreement with West Ham mean for Fulham? Fulham out West Ham in? Tre Ming still going to Fulham or now going to West Ham? Or the BFA never had anything solid in place with Fulham to begin with. Another thing to make you say hmmmmm. I wonder if the agreement with West Ham is what the BFA say it is.

9. I haven't mentioned David Sabir who has been at the BFA for about 100 years now. Well nothing really to mention. What does he do again? No one knows.

It's time for a "football" change and for the better this time. Quickly! Before it's too late. Can't all of the clubs on the Island get together and call a special meeting and vote out the 2 DBs and the 2 RCs and put in place some respected coaches who are also professional businessmen who are more than capable of successfully running the BFA. What we have there now seems to be a disaster. In the beginning it was funny, but I am not laughing anymore. Money is being wasted. If folks don't have the proper skill sets to handle the job then it's time to put in the ones that do.

Dennis Brown, Mark Wade, Troy Lewis, Ray Jones, Coe Trott Jr., Drew Bascome, Wendell Furbert and I am sure I have missed a couple, these are the people that should be BFA Presidents/VPs/Asst.VPs/Treasurers/National Academy Coaches/Technical directors and Youth Directors.

Until then, parents, grab your football sons and daughters and run.

Maybe this letter will make people think.

DISGUSTED WITH FOOTBALL IN BERMUDA

Devonshire

Island responded so well

February 24, 2010

Dear Sir,

I would like to thank Jasmin Smith with the Bermuda Department of Tourism, so very much for her help during the recent death of my best friend and co-worker.

On February 12 to February 17, I lost a great friend and loved one due to a heart attack at the Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda. I would like to thank Jasmin Smith, she was very professional and went beyond all means to make our family comfortable during this time of sudden loss. She helped make arrangements to get us home and answered many questions we had. My wife stated that if Jasmin were to ever visit Georgia that she would always be welcomed in our home. She has left a mark on all of our hearts, that will never be forgotten. Below is a copy of his obituary. Bermuda should be very honored to have Jasmin working for the Bermuda tourism.

CHRIS ROESSLER

Glennville, Georgia

Mr. Roessler also copied this letter to Fairmont Hotels:

On a recent business trip to Bermuda February 12-February 17, I lost a great friend and love one due to a heart attack at the Point Royal Golf Course in Bermuda. We were guest staying at your Southampton location, in Bermuda. I would like to thank you and all for the wonderful staff including Andre Binns & Joi Trott, they were very professional and went beyond all means to make our family comfortable during this time of sudden loss.

They made arrangements to move our rooms close together and provide refreshments and snacks for the family. My wife stated that even the cleaning lady on our floor stopped and prayed with my wife and my wife's friend upon leaving the hotel. Your staff has left a mark on all of our hearts, that will never be forgotten. Below is a copy of his obituary:

Wayne Rogers, Vice President of International Sales for Rotary Corporation, died Saturday, February 13, at age 64. He was an active member of the Board of Directors of the Outdoor Power Equipment Aftermarket Association (OPEAA), and was attending its annual meeting in Bermuda. Wayne was also a member of the Savannah Export Council. Our industry will sorely miss his leadership and guidance.

Wayne began his career at Rotary on October 15, 1969, and during his 40-year contribution served in many capacities, including Purchasing, Advertising and International sales. Over the years, Wayne received numerous awards and recognition, including:

1988 "The President's E Certificate for Exports", presented by The Secretary of Commerce

1989 "The Governor's International Award", presented by The Honorable Joe Frank Harris, Governor of Georgia

1993 "The President's E Star Award for Exports", presented by The Secretary of Commerce.

Wayne is survived by his wife Faye, son Brian, daughter Kellie and son-in-law Brett. Funeral services were held on February 22 at First Baptist Church in Glennville.

Impressed by Bermuda

February 1, 2010.

Dear Sir,

My husband and I were in Bermuda, docked in front of the Tavern by the Sea at Somer's Wharf in St. George from November 10, 2009 where we were towed in because of damage steering on our sailboat coming from Newport, Rhode Island.

Due to delays in shipping parts in from the USA during the holiday season and newly developed problems, we spent a total of two months in Bermuda.

While we were waiting for parts and repairs to be accomplished we had the privilege of exploring and enjoying your lovely island. We were lucky enough to see the Queen when she came to celebrate your 400th anniversary, to meet many friendly and courteous residents of the area and to enjoy their hospitality and to take full advantage of your public transportation system which enabled us to enjoy many tourists attractions and restaurants as far away as Dockyard.

People were very helpful and friendly to us. The children we encountered on the buses were so polite and well-spoken.

While we were temporary residents we enjoyed reading your newspaper. We became aware of the problems Bermuda is having with gangs and violence and we sincerely hope that you can find a solution to this problem. I am enclosing an article that was published in the New York Times Magazine on January 10, 2010 because as I read it while we were sailing down here to Marigot Bay, St. Martin I thought it might offer a few suggestions for coping with and reversing this adverse trend.

We would also like to commend everyone at Bermuda Harbour Radio and Bermuda Yacht Services on Ordinance Island in St. George's for all the help they gave us to get us safely into port and to help us in finding the services we needed to affect our repairs.

We are looking forward to coming back to Bermuda in the future.

JACK & MARCIA FYFE OF S/Y RIGHTS OF MAN

Woes of St. George's

February 18, 2010

Dear Sir,

In addition to applying to teach the proposed new curriculum of computers, statistics, and quantitative sciences, I've actually visited the Islands (when I was taught geography, it was The Bermuda Islands, although that could be a longstanding Yankee error); on a cruise ship which fit into Hamilton and St. George's harbours.

Being from New England, where there are a few historic old towns and villages preserved for tourist pleasure, St. George's was the place that I most wanted to see before arriving. The ship docked there first, with the Town Crier greeting us. I was a bit surprised that there wasn't much there, there, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein. I suspect it wasn't the lack of historical sites, but a haphazard approach to presenting them.

I was raised in western Massachusetts, and over the years visited two very different old places on the other side of the state: Old Sturbridge Village and Boston. St. George's when I visited (and from the story, perhaps more so now) was more like the former than the latter, and that's not a good thing. Sturbridge makes no pretense of being a real place where people live and work, while Boston has embedded (or extracted, depending on how you view the process) the very old places with The Freedom Trail, mostly in the North End. I haven't been there since they tore down the elevated highway, but even before then, one could take in both the old and the contemporary in a managed way.

From memory, it's been a couple of years since I was there, St. George's is about the extent of Boston's North End, perhaps smaller. Certainly, managing, and even forecasting the amount of, a visiting population is different between the two cities; millions of people can drive into Boston any day, while Bermuda awaits cruise ships. But, if the Tourism Ministry hasn't recently, you could do worse than copy what Boston has done in the North End.

I wonder: is it the case that St. George's is assumed to be of no interest to air visitors; that only the budget diners of the cruise liners would set foot there? I suspect so. That would be a mistake, if it is true. Something to consider.

ROBERT YOUNG

Connecticut