Lightning strikes too often

September 27, 2004

Dear Sir,

I am getting just a bit fed up of all those lightning strikes that have been called lately. Just because the BIU feels it has a particular grievance with some other organisation or company, why should the general public be inconvenienced every time something happens that the BIU hierarchy feels that its general membership needs to know about?

Isn't that why there are union representatives, so that they can attend such meetings and then report back to the members? I seriously have to wonder why the entire membership has to stop work at the slightest excuse, thereby achieving absolutely nothing positive except the anger of the general public, and I honestly don't think there's any need for it.

Can you imagine the chaos that would be caused if organisations like the Police, or the Fire Service, or the KEMH nurses, decided to stop work just so that everybody could attend a particular meeting? The very idea is ridiculous. C'mon, BIU, stop thinking about yourselves and start thinking about all the people to whom you're causing unnecessary inconvenience.

Let's try car pools

September 27, 2004

Dear Sir,

I am writing with regard to the traffic problems facing Bermuda, and how they may be resolved. This was particularly evident today, due to an accident on Harbour Road. The traffic on South Shore Road was backed up to Warwick Long Bay, and I can only imagine how frustrating it must have been for people trying to get to work.

Driving in the opposite direction, it struck me, as it often does, that nearly 90 percent of the vehicles did not have any passengers. I think that after today, people might be more willing to participate in a car share scheme. Even if each car carried only one passenger, the traffic queues would be reduced by 50 percent, and therefore the time taken to get to work, school etc. would also be reduced. I'm sure that the majority of people would prefer to spend less time in traffic.

Car share schemes have worked well in other countries for several years. A car-share scheme would reduce the traffic volume considerably, especially when you consider the number of cars travelling into and out of Hamilton with only one person.

If an effective scheme were put in place, with a database of people interested, their locations etc, this scheme could become a very efficient method of travel on the Island. It is also a good method of meeting people, especially for those new to the Island. It is an extremely flexible method of travelling to work, and would save not only time, but money, since passengers would contribute to the cost of gas. I have been communicating with the person in charge of the UK's largest car share scheme, and am prepared to establish a similar scheme here, if anyone is willing to help.

Introduction of a toll for vehicles entering the City of Hamilton would also discourage excess use of cars. Cars containing at least one passenger could be exempt from the toll, which would encourage the use of the car share scheme, and reduce congestion within the city, and roads leading into it. Although initially this would be unpopular, the volume of traffic in Hamilton is too high for the size of the city, and something must be done to reduce this. It is even becoming difficult to park a bike in the city now.

Reduction in traffic volume would also encourage more people to walk or cycle to work, which would also further reduce congestion.

One additional way to reduce traffic would be to reintroduce a regular ferry service to and from St George's at peak times. I know many people who would use this service. This was evident after Hurricane Fabian, when a large number of people wrote in asking for the ferry services at peak times to become permanent. Despite the introduction of new fast ferries, Dockyard and the West End seem to be the only ones benefiting from this expense.

If anyone is willing to help me in establishing a car share scheme, please contact me at the following email address: principessalogicyahoo.com.

Imagine the future

September 26, 2004

Dear Sir,

We wish to use your columns to express the thanks of our Steering Committee for those who assisted in the successful launch of Imagine Bermuda 2009. The first in a series of parish meetings was held in St. George's on September 23rd at the Penno's Wharf Reception Centre and was attended by about 30 persons; residents and stakeholders of St. George Parish, location of the oldest settlement on our island.

From our view, the numbers in attendance represent only a part of the success of this first meeting. The fact that it was a very diverse group that attended this meeting is of great importance . Perhaps the most important measure was the high level of involvement of the attendees.

It was clear to everyone that the facilitation process engendered a considerable level of enthusiasm amongst the people who attended. This was reflected in the energy evident in the discussion of the smaller groupings and the challenge of moving those assembled from one phase of the process to the other. Another piece of evidence was when Mayor Jones had to insist that people should go home so the building could be locked after the formal ending; many were staying around enthusing about what had happened.

Perhaps two contributions from participants in the concluding segment of the process summed it up. One came from a gentleman who described himself as a "Shinbone Alleycat"; he noted that the evening had encouraged him in that the group had been made up of strangers, but in a brief time they were involved with each other on key matters, as apparent friends. Another contribution was from an educator who pointed out that while the group was diverse, the session showed how much all sectors of Bermuda shared the same hopes and dreams.

We have spent some time reflecting on this first meeting and will be processing the lessons drawn.

In closing, we would especially like to thank the Somers Grocery and Miles Grocery for furnishing the refreshments for the evening, these added to the very real energy brought by those in attendance.

Help carriage horses

September 28, 2004

Dear Sir,

Carriage horses in Bermuda should not be allowed to haul anyone or anything in the height of summer. Ms Dee Williams states in her letter to the Editor, "...it is not just tourists that hire horse and carriages but Bermudians that love the old traditional slow pace way of life that hire us..." Hellooo! There is nothing old, traditional, or slow paced at 1 p.m. on Front Street in the middle of the summer!

Airlines maintain a strict policy of not transporting animals during the summer ? it's too hot, even for five minutes on the tarmac, so it only makes sense that it's too hot for horses to be working long hours in the summer afternoon heat on the stifling Bermuda streets.

I'm not against carriage horse owners making a decent living, but not at the expense of the health of the horses. If carriage horses are to work during the summer, it would be far more humane to have their work beginning at dusk ... less traffic, a tad cooler, and in my opinion, it would lend a bit of Bermuda romance.

Where's the justice?

September 28, 2004

Dear Sir,

Once again the legal system, in my humble opinion, has made a gross error. I read with interest the case of Stanford G. Archibald who has been accused of killing Aaron Easton. I noted too how thoroughly the reporter covered this trial back in June, 2003.

If one was to go by what the reporter noted, one would conclude that there was no way that Mr. Archibald was guilty or that he would be convicted. Even most of those who attended the trial were convinced that he was not guilty. According to this newspaper, even the victim's mother was not sure they had go the right man.

Well lo and behold he was convicted. Recently, on appeal, the judges upheld the conviction, saying that "no substantial miscarriage of justice actually occurred" to quash the conviction. Apparently, according to reporter Stephen Breen, they felt that the whole fiasco about the blood and block had been dealt with in cross-examination and that Judge Norma Wade-Miller's directions to the jury were proper.

Can you tell me what does that mean? Could it mean that there was miscarriage of justice, but not enough? If so, that means that there was some miscarriage of justice there. So my question would be, how come they could not use that "some miscarriage of justice" to look into the case again, substantial or not?