The great land giveaway

April 19, 2010

Dear Sir,

How should Bermuda go about deciding what to do with 1/50th of its land area? Should Bermuda trade 11 acres for 80 acres or 34 acres for 260 at no extra cost to the beneficiary? At 260 acres, Morgan's Point is 0.41 square miles or about 1/50th of Bermuda's land area. The City of Hamilton, in comparison, is two thirds the size of Morgan's Point. How we as a country go about determining the fate of 1/50th of our land area says a great deal about who we are as a country and what we value.

What makes it so easy for us to go along with the idea of swapping the 34-acre Southlands estate for 80 acres of Morgan's Point and leasing the remaining 180 acres of the former base for a hotel and championship golf course for decades to come is the fact that generations of Bermudians have never been to Morgan's Point. Morgan's Point falls outside of our collective consciousness. At this point the people of Bermuda should pause for a moment, put this proposal into perspective and determine whether this is a good deal for Bermuda in the long run.

The owners of Southlands purchased that property with full knowledge that it had limited development potential. Under the planning laws that apply to you and me only about one third of the Southlands property or about 11 acres was developable. This protected land was zoned as open space reserve, woodland reserve and arable land and was set aside due to its value to Bermuda's ecosystem. Our Government, in the context of an upcoming election, decided it was in Bermuda's best interest to grant a Special Development Order ("SDO") to allow an intensive development of almost the entire Southlands site. Ever since that decision was announced Bermuda's environmental community has been fighting to save Southlands.

The decision to grant the SDO at Southlands was not well considered. This SDO means that Southlands Ltd have as a bargaining chip not the 11 acres of developable land bisected by a main road but 34 acres of developable land with unhindered beachfront access (South Road would have been diverted through a tunnel under the site in the Southlands SDO proposal).

Using this new bargaining chip, Southlands Ltd. has been able to negotiate a land swap that will turn their 11 developable acres into 80 and their 34 total acreage into 260 in a plan that will continue to deny the Bermuda public access to Morgan's Point and negatively impact Bermuda's environment.

So why are we considering a land swap that in most contexts makes little sense? First, the developers are Bermudian. Second, Bermuda is desperate for tourism investment. Third, Southlands is of obvious value to our ecosystem and is worth protecting (as was recognised in the Bermuda Plan before the granting of the SDO).

It is clear to everyone that Bermuda needs to invest in its tourism product. However, since Bermuda's tourism heyday, the global tourism market has become increasingly competitive.

International business has driven our economy forward, Bermuda has grown wealthier and high costs have put Bermuda's tourism product at a significant competitive disadvantage. Nearly all new tourism development has been subsidised by sales of a significant residential component.

These new residential units have been at the upper end of the market and have not satisfied the housing needs of the average Bermudian directly. With Bermuda's property market flat and the global property market in decline this development-financing model may now be flawed. From an urban planning perspective, new development (housing) should ideally reinforce existing urban centres. Mogan's Point could easily become the next Tucker's Town.

From an environmental standpoint Morgan's Point is a massive green space. If you are in doubt, look it up at maps.google.com. It is a green space four to six times the size of Southlands and larger than almost all other protected spaces. Proponents of development will argue that the proposed golf course is a green space, but in reality golf courses are vast monocultures with little biodiversity and are laden with chemicals.

There is a definite need for environmental remediation at Morgan's Point. The government will have to pay for this work sooner or later. The government has spent the last 15 years slowly but surely cleaning up Southside and it could start the process at Morgan's Point. Not all of the work is urgent. Much of it could be delayed further. Dangerous buildings could easily be made safe and secure. The cost of remediation quoted by the government could be reduced if it is spread out over several years.

It may be useful to look this deal within the context of land inequality in Bermuda. Wealth in Bermuda has historically been amassed through the accumulation of property. As a general rule the best properties in Bermuda are white-owned. Whites did not have to compete with blacks to acquire property and as land has passed from one generation to the next, today's whites benefit from the inequities of the past. There is a case for land reform in Bermuda, but it is certainly a difficult topic to address fairly.

Instead of land reform, one of the easiest ways for Bermuda's government to redress the inequities of the past is to simply increase access to public land. The public have little access to the waters of Hamilton Harbour and the Great Sound. Excluding docks and government-owned islands, there are only two parks on the Hamilton Harbour waterfront from Pembroke to Somerset Bridge – Spanish Point Park and Albouy's Point Park. Both of these are small. The land on the water in between is overwhelmingly white-owned. Granting the public access to Morgan's Point would be one way of addressing the land imbalance in Bermuda. Turning the Pembroke Dump, Pembroke Marsh, Bernard's Park and Tennis Stadium lands into an integrated park would be another.

So what should our Government do?

1. First, we should slow down. Our Premier has publicly stated that he would like to announce two firm hotel developments before he leaves office later this year. While we can understand his motive, his timeline for departing should not determine Bermuda's gifting 1/50th of its land area to a development company.

2. Second, we should immediately start the cleanup of Morgan's Point. Bermuda has suffered a huge opportunity cost by neglecting this task for the past 15 years. This could be a short-term stimulus to the economy.

3. Third, the government should: a) Start a public consultation process to determine what Bermuda wants to do with Morgan's Point b) Grant limited access to the public so that they can decide for themselves c) Involve Bermudians in the process in an honest and transparent way without predetermining the outcome.

I am not against a reasonable land swap if Southlands can be secured for the people of Bermuda and Morgan's Point could become a hotel resort of 80 acres with the remainder becoming a public park. I do not, however, think that tying up 1/50th of Bermuda's land in the hands of developers for generations is in the best interest of my future children and grandchildren. Further, I am uncomfortable with the process which the government has followed thus far in making this deal.

The government can do better. Bermuda deserves better.

DUNCAN E. R. SIMONS

Warwick

Premier at CARICOM

April 1, 2010

Dear Sir,

A constituent sent me a link to the CARICOM communiqué for the 21st Inter-sessional meeting for CARICOM heads of government attended by the Premier last month.

You may recall that my colleagues thought it best he remain in Bermuda for the Budget debate on his Tourism Ministry.

This was after we'd accommodated requests from the government to adjust the schedule, including one from the Premier. When we decided to hold the line on the tourism debate, the Premier was angered and hit back by freezing out Opposition speakers in succeeding debates – most notably giving us 30 seconds in the two hour Cabinet Office debate and no time at all on Environment.

Of course all that could have been avoided if the Government had not postponed the Budget by a week, embedding the long-scheduled CARICOM meeting in the middle of the Budget debate.

So it was with some interest that I read the communiqué from the CARICOM meeting, which I assumed the Premier considered very important.

Try as I did, however, I could not detect anything in the conference report that indicated issues of importance for Bermuda, certainly no clear reason for the Premier to drop everything to attend.

I noticed too that the Premier's only mention in the communiqué was that of his attendance – and then as the only associate member to attend. As an associate member, Bermuda has no CARICOM vote and is thus, by definition, just a spectator.

So, what did the conference talk about that was more important than the Budget debate on Bermuda's failing tourism industry?

Well, there was post-earthquake relief in Haiti, the need for democratic action in the Turks and Caicos, economic issues facing CARICOM countries, a capital infusion for the Caribbean Development Bank, climate change and an appraisal of the CARICOM single market and economy. Border issues between Caribbean countries were touched on as well as water shortages, health and food safety.

Nowhere in the communiqué is it recorded that our Premier contributed to any of the discussions. This does not mean he did not discuss matters with others during bathroom and coffee breaks, but it just makes me wonder why he felt it so important to attend.

Please explain, Mr. Premier; inquiring minds want to know.

Sincerely,

Charlie Swan, JP, MP

What silence says

Dear Sir,

There are 60,000 inhabitants on this entire planet with a unique accent and language. There are 60,000 persons with a concept of life and experience all their own. There are 60,000 owners of an inheritance which is being stripped from them right before their eyes. There are 60,000 citizens who are being displaced in their own country, by themselves, with their blessing of silence, all for a dollar.

Bermudians! Simple observation and intelligence is evidence enough to prove the above facts.

If there are Portuguese who own a house; guaranteed it is fully occupied with Portuguese! If there is a house owned by a Jamaican; guaranteed it is fully occupied by Jamaicans! BUT if there is a house owned by a Bermudian; guaranteed it is occupied by nationals from every point on the globe BUT Bermuda! At times their own families are evicted to assure them a secured monthly deposit.

Then these same persons would join the chorus and complain of the indignity of this foreign invasion.

All that we are enduring is 80 percent self-inflicted and 20 percent allowed. If any of us were born in the same predicament of the foreigners that we often complain about and the opportunity arose for a better alternative would we not take up the offer to better ourselves? The question now becomes one of policy and what we are allowing the governing body of the day to do with the PRIVILEGE of living and working here. In my opinion it is not even a matter of party, because what has been done with the governance of one has been continued with the other. All for a buck!

It is good for a nation to have pride but our pride has turned into haughtiness which is proving to be self-destructive. Family; no longer exists. It has been replaced with self serving habits designed to give one the illusion of success. Nationhood no longer exists. It has been replaced with individual perimeters of growth. Our children have found a new family. One that is divisive, shallow and material. They now stand as the ultimate evidence of the success of slavery! Because their rusty chains have been replaced with golden ones they consider themselves to be free!

No longer are they called by derogatory names like nigger and whore by an enslaving race. Now they take on that duty themselves. With pride! No longer are they segmented into caste systems by force. They take on that duty themselves. With so called gangs. No longer are they murdered by an invading force for trivialities such as women, money and drugs. Yes! They take on that duty themselves, with pride and with our blessing of silence.

With most criticisms comes the demand for at least an attempt by the critiquing party to at least attempt to draw some reference to a solution even if it is merely their opinion. I have a few ideas I would share in this vein.

First and foremost stop calling these irresponsible left hemisphere negatone nuffinarians gangs. If we continue to lauder praise of sorts in their minds that they are a structured organised elite mafia then don't you think that only enhances the delirium of ignorance already entrenched in what is left of their brains? Imagine reports on the line of "Juvenile delinquent faces gun charges" with a storyline completely absent of any reference to where they hang out or what name they call themselves. Only mention that they got involved with a bunch of other adolescents who are stirring them in the wrong direction. Never mention again any of the titles or language they use to describe any news report of their continued self destruction.

Secondly, the Police must realise they have become a joke and appear to be either incapable of stamping out these children's antics, or they are as most Bermudians feel, on the payroll. Didn't they just boast of the new found powers they have to kick in doors with the mere suspicion of law evasion? Then why, after every shooting, they feel that if they park that big empty bus all over the place it will accomplish anything? Everybody knows half the time there is no one in there. Do we have to wait for one of these fools to drop a business executive before they show you what they really can do?

They say they have ideas of who is responsible but no one will come forward. If you have a hint, go to their house and kick in their door and leave no stone unturned. Then go to their mother's house, their father's house the girlfriend's house the brother's house the ace boy's house. Believe me they will get tired of this and may even file harassment charges at police. However, I would rather see one thousand harassment cases and peace on the Island than to continue with this spiral to the gates of hell.

Thirdly and finally (for now), could we make it illegal to have your underwear visible in public? I thought it would be already possible under the indecent exposure law but obviously not. This may seem trivial to some and I really don't care what entity these children are copying but if a law against hoodies can be created why in heaven's name was there not a similar act taken to let them know. You can wear that around your yard and at parties etc., however when you are in a public place your will have to conform to the set agenda. They will get tired of paying $200 to $300 for a fashionless statement.

My heart is full and my tongue is heavy with our condition. I have multitudes to say and you will hear it and read it and feel it. Yes, all with the hope of a brighter tomorrow. But for now; due to the limits imposed I will end.

I have said this!

MARRYMAL

Devonshire