Learn from others

September 22, 2006

Dear Sir,

A letter addressed to you published on September 16, from a Southampton Sceptic is so much to the point that it could be published again. I hope to add to its contents. Why the sudden rush to build, or worse still to destroy what we have that has been very recently.

Upgraded? The Alfred Barber wing compares with any I have seen in hospitals considered to be among the best in North America. The new day care rehab section, even with its staff restrictions is equal to those that I have personally seen and evaluated in New Jersey and Boston, Mass.

As Sceptic says why not start by tearing down the old wing, where the Department of Education was located, (before it falls down) I went in and around it recently on several occasions and observed it to be derelict and occupying a large wasted space. The large car park in front and to the side of it, could offer almost as much floor space as the existing new hospital, combined.

I have been in and around and through the famous Lahey Clinic, Beth Israel Medical Centre and am knowledgeable of Johns Hopkins. I could name other prestigious and medical centres. All have one thing in common (other than medical prominence), their buildings have been added to considerably but the Old part which was still sound was kept and modified as the new wings were developed, much as spokes on a wheel. The parking problem is only one of existing unimaginative land uses. The jam up used for parking between Berry Hill road and the new hospital could easily be three levels with entrance directly from the Berry Hill level rather than down the small entrance that should be for emergency and service vehicles only.

In conclusion I would suggest the designers and proponents of the present scheme visit some these great institutions and see how they have reused and preserved buildings almost three times as old as our so called new hospital which is about to be replaced.

Siting of new hospital

September 24, 2006

Dear Sir,

Having attended two of the meetings regarding the siting of the new hospital, most people were in favour of building on the present site and never on our "central park", as one gentleman called the Botanical Gardens.

I am a registered nurse, having worked in the operating theatres for most of the forty years I have lived in Bermuda. During additions to the present hospital, yes, it was noisy and inconvenient and times, but we coped with the situation.

The old hospital and the Q.E. residence are slated for demolition anyway, and so it is possible to rebuild on the same site without touching the present hospital. New utilities will need to be connected to K.E.M.H. as the exact location of the present power source is uncertain, (due to the absence of detailed plans).

As suggested by various members of the audience, the Extended Care Unit can be relocated to the Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute site and the old hospital demolished. A temporary car park can be built on the site of the old hospital, whilst excavating the present Berry Hill road parking terraces and obsolete water catchment area. A multi storey car park can then be erected with staff accommodation and possibly some administration offices above. Once the Q.E. residence is demolished, the new hospital can be built on the area between Berry Hill and Point Finger Roads, which now includes the Springfield property.

Some years ago, there was capital campaign for the extension to the K.E.M.H which now houses the operating rooms, laboratories and some of the diagnostic imaging department. Many staff, including myself, voluntarily donated apart of our monthly salary towards this project. I am sure many people who wish to see the new hospital built on the present site would be willing to contribute. However, if the B.H.B. erect the new hospital in the Botanical Gardens, these people will not give a cent!

The new hospital requires ten of the present 14 acres and so there is absolutely no need to store building materials etc. in the ring of the Botanical Gardens. With no obvious storage facilities, A.S. Coopers, situated between two main streets, have been able to demolish and rebuild on the same site, as have man of the new Hamilton Buildings.

S. OGDEN, R.N., S.C.M.

P.S. Were estimates obtained from more companies before telling them that $500 million was available? G.F. Ogden, V.M.M., F.I. Hort.

Wonderful care

September 26, 2006

Dear Sir,

During the month of August I had the unfortunate experience of cutting my finger badly, requiring the repair of two tendons and the nerve. I landed in the care of emergency and then the operating room of KEMH .

This letter is to express extreme gratitude for the excellent care received during that long evening. Dr. Babeckas diagnosed the sad state of my finger, and then Allison gave me calm, professional care in the ER while I waited to go to the OR. In the operating room I received the kind attention of Ria and Maria. In the PACU (recovery) Camilla was there to see me safely out the anaesthetic. A HUGE thank you to Dr. Chris Johnson and Dr. Alastair McCrirrick for a successful surgery. Each and every person who looked after me that eve was so competent and professional, but most of all, and even more important, so kind. Thank you so much.

HOLLIE MCINTOSH

Hamilton Parish

Still proud of Berkeley

September 9, 2006

Dear Sir,

I am reading with great interest the articles in the September 9 newspaper, concerning Berkeley Institute; and I'm particularly impressed by the one of the recollections of former Berkeley students, now successful and productive adults.

My own Berkeley days began in September, 1949 (although the school year ran from January to December), for my sisters and I had only recently arrived from St. Kitts ... to join our parents, already settled in Bermuda. My mother was Mrs. Helen Somersall, then, and for many years afterwards, a teacher at Mr. V.F. Scott's Central School.

I have never forgotten the solid education I received at Berkeley, the pride with which I wore the school uniform, the teachers who helped form me. Mr. F.S. Furbert was Principal and Mr. Tatem his second-in-command in those days.

Who knows, maybe it was the influence of my teachers, combined of course with the fact that my mother was a teacher, that I myself eventually became a teacher (now retired)... after completing a B.Sc degree with a Mathematics major and working for the next five years in the insurance business, in San Francisco, New York and Montreal.

I congratulate the Berkeley community on the opening of their new building (which I saw under construction when I was there a few years ago)! I would impress upon parents the enormous importance of being involved with their children's school, their teachers, school activities, etc. I know from observation, during my 15-year tenure as the head of the mathematics department of a high school of more than 1,750 students, just how easy it is for a busy teacher's personal interest in such-and-such a student, to falter when that student seems to be an "orphan" as far as school is concerned ? the parents never show up ... for anything!

I left Bermuda before the desegregation of its society and all its institutions, so I had no direct knowledge of what happened to school populations in the aftermath.. The content of today's articles, then, were informative in this regard.

I shall follow the series of articles on education in this week's papers with great interest. I wish the School community a great School Year.

Tackle small problems

September 20, 2006

Dear Sir,

In most cases there is no such thing as a "Big Problem". Small problems allowed to accumulate cause the big problem and this has happened in Bermuda over the years. The only way to get rid of the big problem and to pick away at the small problems that caused it in the first place.

Domestic waste is one of our big problems. In an effort to redress this one step at a time, why not embrace the idea of using canvas bags like the MarketPlace sells for $6.00 each. They don't tear with handles, they are easy to carry. If we assume that each family uses four paper bags a week and we have 10,000 families shopping each week that is near to 3,000,000 bags a year. We save a tree, we reduce our trash and it would be a step to improve recycling.

Present hospital works

September 20, 2006

Dear Sir,

Returning to Bermuda after a trip overseas, one always expects a few nasty shocks, but nothing prepared me for the shocking news that Government is planning to destroy a third of our beautiful Botanical Gardens.

Our present hospital is in excellent shape, as solid as a rock, built in the good old days, before the days of Pro-Active. A Canadian technician, who works at the hospital every day, tells me that King Edward is far superior to many of the hospitals he has worked in Canada. There are hospitals in the UK over a hundred years old, still functioning well, and proud of it. Surely this study building could be kept as it is, with a complete overhaul of the interior, taken floor by floor. This would certainly save billions of dollars, and serve the same purpose, Imagine this government embarking on a billion dollar building project, and vandalising the Botanical Gardens into the bargain. The mind boggles at the thought of what the final cost would be. Remember Berkeley.

The obvious thing to do is to start work on the old part of the hospital, this needs to be replaced by a modern building, and there is room for expansion. Once it is finished, work could start on each floor of the existing hospital, with patients etc. moved to the new building while renovations take place in the old.

It is a relief to know that our Premier is willing to listen to the people on this issue, and I feel sure that common sense will prevail, and the gardens will be preserved for the good of all of us.

A ferry for Charlie

September 19, 2006

Dear Sir,

How about a ferry called Charles Christianson? The two Charlies, father and son, ran the ferry service from St. George's to St. David's for many years including those busy base building early second World War years. They ran it without Government help.