Mourner's plea

January 9, 2010

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you as a last resort, in the hope of recovering precious and irreplaceable photographs that were on my camera, which was stolen on New Year's Eve from my home in Southampton. My mother had passed away two weeks earlier on our family holiday and my last photographs of her and us together were in the camera. The camera is a small, digital Olympus 790SW with a tangerine colour face. If any of your readers know of the whereabouts of this camera, perhaps they would be kind enough to return at least the memory card to you at The Royal Gazette or to mail it to P.O. Box HM 3245, Hamilton HM PX. I cannot tell you how grateful I and my family would be for any help in retrieving these memories. Thank you and let's hope it's a safe and healthy 2010 for us all.

MOURNER

City of Hamilton

I back the Government

January 8, 2010

Dear Sir,

Let me commend the Government of the day for recent attempts to quash the onslaught of gang violence which has presented itself to us. I and others have stood by for years and seen things going on in Bermuda and I dare say some of us have benefited from the actions of our brothers, children and neighbours through drug selling, territorial violence and other illegal activities. What disgusts me is the constant bantering of the public whenever our Government steps in to do anything positive. I watch the Colonel last night explaining to us about whether it was true or not about Mr. Bloomberg's commitment to help us. I could never do his job. We want his Ministries help and then call him a liar when he lets us know help is on the way. Shame on The Royal Gazette for even printing such nonsense. It could only serve to destabilise an already on edge country by trying to show lack of commitment by our Government to the task at hand.

I ask that The Royal Gazette be wary of the effect of stories like this on Bermuda and use a bit more responsibility as to what they print. Be a part of the solution, not the problem. To my Government, stay fast to your path and I believe with this new adopted attitude, spare the rod spoil the child mentality (which is long overdue), you will prevail in restoring Bermuda to the harmonious, fruitful place it once was. You have my support.

LVC

Sandys

Editor's Note: The author seems to suggest that a story in this newspaper quoting the New York Police Department as saying that no officers were being sent to Bermuda was "nonsense". We stand by the story.

Remembering Concorde

January 12, 2010

Dear Sir,

As part of my ongoing research into the history of aviation in Bermuda, I am currently writing up the story of the British Airways Concorde visit to Bermuda from Orlando in October 1983. The aircraft was chartered by travel agent Harriot Roberts of "Let's Travel to Orlando" for a "Supersonic Weekend" in Bermuda after she had flown in one from Washington to Orlando in 1982. This was the first ever Concorde charter by a travel agent and the first visit of the supersonic airliner to Kindley Field. This visit was the most witnessed aviation event in the history of Bermuda and I am told by Harriot that thousands of Bermudians lined the airport fence to see the arrival on October 14 and the departure on the 16th. I would like to obtain pictures of the Concorde during its time in Bermuda so I can use one in my future book "Wings over Bermuda – 100 years of aviation in the West Atlantic". If any readers have any stories to tell of the Concorde visit or especially have any pictures then please get in touch.

TOM SINGFIELD

Aviation Author

25 Chennells Way, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 5TW. UK

tomsingfield.freeserve.co.uk

Income tax's effects

January 16, 2010

Dear Sir,

In her Royal Gazette column today, Martha Myron writes: "Flat tax assessments predominate these revenue-raising programmes which means that those in lower income brackets absorb a disproportionately higher ratio of tax to earnings."

This is wrong, with all due respect. A flat tax is a tax with a constant tax rate. Therefore it is impartial to your income level and the ratio of tax is the same, hence the name 'flat'."

However, she does a good job of focusing on what the introduction of an income tax will mean for Bermuda. An income tax of any sort, will have drastic consequences for Bermuda and will destroy local and international business here on so many different levels.

It will exacerbate the wealth imbalance and drive asset values lower than liabilities. It is not a solution. I would suggest that the solution lies in making politicians accountable for not balancing the budget, to start. The Government need to focus on ways to generate wealth creation, not wealth destruction.

ANDREW MARSH

Smith's

Lesson from Robben Island

January 18, 2010

Dear Sir,

Ten years ago, when my friend and I spent Christmas in Cape Town, we went on a day tour of Robben Island where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners had been incarcerated during the Apartheid era. During the tour we went to the stone quarry where prisoners worked most days. The tour guide, who had been one of Mandela's co-prisoners, showed us the low little cave that prisoners had dug out of the side of the quarry and where they surreptitiously went to study from textbooks smuggled in to them. This, the guide said, was the real "University of Cape Town" for Robben Island prisoners, many of whom (including Mandela) earned university degrees from the efforts of their self-education in the Robben Island rock quarry.

I'm reminded of this story whenever educators contrive to improve the quality of education for students by reorganising the curriculum, or rationalising facilities, or by some other logistical means of shuffling around the mechanical bits and pieces of the education system. I'm reminded of those prisoners in the Robben Island "University of Cape Town"; of their bare "classroom", a miserable dark cave cut into the side of an arid and usually roasting hot stone quarry; how they risked the wrath of the guards to educate themselves under the most severe and dangerous conditions; and how they did it by the sheer force of their motivation to become well educated human beings within an environment, inside and outside their prison, where they were not even actual citizens, much less of the second-class variety.

Mandela and many others at the "University of Cape Town" on Robben Island achieved impressive degrees of educational distinction despite the privations of their physical environment. Their commitment and self-discipline to educate themselves came from within themselves, from their strength of character and individuality. They had barely any tools to do the job, but the few tools they did have they used well, and exploited to great purpose and effect.

So, as Minister for Education James ponders ways to rearrange the jigsaw puzzle of the Bermuda schools system to get better results from students, I'd like to suggest that real education mostly, and most essentially, involves intangibles: the motivation of students to be better informed people, to be able to solve problems for themselves, and to be curious about the world around them; the dedication of educators to teach students how to think for themselves, to use their brain and their imagination and their talents to the best of their ability; and the commitment of everyone, and parents in particular, to encourage students' efforts in those directions.

This, in my opinion, is what education is all about. Everything else – jiggling around with the bits and pieces of the system – is just scratching a dog's head: the dog probably feels better for it, but it's still got fleas.

GRAHAM FAIELLA

London, UK

And now, 'the good news'

January 18, 2010

Dear Sir,

Today was a good day to read The Royal Gazette. I mean no disrespect to the journalists employed by The Royal Gazette who come from foreign shores, but, it was truly great to read a front page story by one of our own – Charles Webbe. He wrote about Reverend Musa Daba of St. Monica's Road Church. Not only was the story interesting – it was timely and, not least, well written. There was nothing tabloidesque in its style – the grammar was correct and the entire story had a feeling of authenticity.

Then, glory be, on the same front page, there was a story about the PLP making an effort to sort out its constitution regarding the selection process of the Premier. Dare one hope that this indicates a coming of age within the PLP? That the party has finally woken up to the awesome responsibility it has? Turning to page four, I was cheered further to read a letter by 'Back Seat Driver' (how I wish the Gazette would refuse letters not signed by the writers' names). The writer did an excellent job in explaining the facts of life to Mr. Kim Swan and the rest of the UBP. That, in essence, the UBP represents the good, the bad and the ugly – that we all say we are grateful for the good, but, we can't forget the bad and the ugly.

So, Mr. Editor, despite some of the other stories dealing with tragedy, recessions and criminal mayhem, I felt better about Bermuda than I have in a very long time. I hope we see that byline 'Charles Webbe' on a regular basis – that the PLP does indeed grow up and that the UBP finally gets the message.

KATH BELL

Paget

Destructive politics

January 19, 2010

Dear Sir,

Most Bermudians, despite my own personal convictions, are likely to take a very long time, if ever, before they see the superior wisdom of governing ourselves through changing political coalitions and changing, collective leadership, depending on the issues, rather than our current adversarial, divisive party politics and all of the negatives that goes with that. I would like for us to reflect on two recent news items, in the context of party politics.

The author of "Game Change" reported on the demeaning and clearly racist comments of Bill Clinton when urging Edward Kennedy not to support the candidacy of Barack Obama, yet on Saturday, January 10, President Obama called on him and former President Bush for assistance in a time of crises and, in doing so, complimented Bill Clinton for the positives in his former Presidency.

We are in a time of crisis. Incidentally, it is a reflection on the warped nature of the American media when it comes to race that they have made much of Reid's less than artful complimentary remarks on Obama and totally ignored the deliberately demeaning and racist comments of Bill Clinton!

The question for us is can we escape our unfortunate history and design a more constructive and unifying way to govern ourselves than through the current very destructive, divisive, secretive and often very undemocratic party politics.

EVA N. HODGSON

Hamilton Parish

Embarrassing prospect

January 20, 2010

Dear Sir,

Has anyone else noticed that the people who are totally gung-ho about being "strip searched" by the new scanning machines have not included young women or women of pre-menopausal age? They are by far men, that gender whose bodies are not subject to the demands that Nature lays on the bodies of females; and who, in great physical shape or not, are all too willing to "let it all hang out".

Now, how can I put this politely? Picture a woman, menstruating on her date of travel. She is, of course, wearing sanitary protection internally or externally, and she's asked to undergo this scan. The humiliation! First that something so private is to be seen by a stranger. And further, the possibilities there are for an overzealous operator, requiring absolute proof that there are no explosives hidden on the body, to make the experience even worse. I cringe to think of this scenario. But human beings being totally fallible and heady when they find themselves with power over others can be cruel – official rules of procedure or no.

I may, of course be showing my age, and not realising that such modesty no longer exists: but somehow I think not.

Y. D. MILLINGTON

Longueuil, Quebec

Cannabis over alcohol

20 January 2010

Dear Sir,

I believe that marijuana should be decriminalised for personal use and that people should be allowed to grow their own with a limit of one or two trees. The consequences of alcohol abuse far outweigh the consequences of marijuana abuse. Alcoholism causes brain, liver, heart, dental and digestive diseases; it is responsible for domestic violence, homicide, road deaths and nutritional neglect. Yet alcohol is legal in Bermuda. The consequence of marijuana abuse is the possibility of developing respiratory problems. Some studies have found that a fraction of the marijuana population has developed lung cancer but these studies were conducted on people who mix tobacco with their marijuana. In Holland's marijuana cafés it is illegal to put tobacco in joints. Yet tobacco is legal in Bermuda.

To use the fraction of people that already suffer from predisposed psychological disorders as a reason for not decriminalising marijuana is hypocritical. If this is the main point of argument, then make alcohol illegal because it too aggravates predisposed psychological disorders. Traditionally, hard core drug sellers stayed away from pushing marijuana because they made a better profit from cocaine, crack and heroine. Due to our draconian laws, the price of marijuana has gone from $5 in the 1970s to $150 for the same amount in 2010. This means gangs are now involved with selling this passive drug. Youngsters will always smoke marijuana and therefore we are putting them at a far greater risk by keeping it illegal.

Police resources would be better utilised if they focused their efforts on eliminating crack and heroin. The majority of crime committed in our island and the majority of violent acts are related primarily to these two drugs. I find it incredible that society cannot see that keeping it illegal has far more detrimental consequences. The only MPs that have had enough guts to propose decriminalisation have been Wayne Perinchief and Ashfield DeVent. Would the politicians in this country, many pf whom enjoy a drink, please decriminalise marijuana up to a certain weight amount, make it age appropriate, but illegal to smoke in public.

CHERYL POOLEY

Smith's

A serious concern

Dear Sir,

Please allow me space in your valuable editorial to state my serious concern about the proposed plan to close down five primary schools. Prospect Primary, Gilbert, East End Southampton Glebe, and Heron Bay. Mr. Editor, for many years PTSA Associations have negotiated and lobbied Governments past and present to keep smaller class rooms, e.g. average 20 to 25 students. If this reconstructing plan goes through other primary schools could be subject to over crowding, thus putting an overload on our great teachers. This plan will also inconvenience many parents in transporting students to and from schools.

This plan will also cost many jobs, e.g. teachers, principals, custodians, after school care teachers, etc. This also will put an unnecessary cost to parents in changing and purchasing uniforms, etc. Mr. Editor, in today's classroom much time by teachers is put on discipline and social matters, etc. Can you imagine what teachers will have to coupe with in having larger classes? I'm urging all primary school parent teacher students associations to put the well being of our children first. After all parents are taxpayers of Bermuda and must be fairly negotiated with matters dealing with our children.

TERRENCE FLOOD

Public Relation Officer for Prospect Primary

Devonshire