Stick to the facts

January 8, 2004

Dear Sir,

I was aghast to read the letter written by Dr. Ware-Cieters in the Mid-Ocean News dated December 29, 2003. She lamented David Wingate for uttering 'wholesale nonsense presented as scientific fact' yet in her letter she did just the same.

As a prominent veterinarian, Dr. Ware-Cieters should uphold the very principles that she follows and not make statements, as in section four of her letter, that are based on her beliefs rather than the facts.

It is a scientific fact that pigeons are nesting in longtail burrows along the South Shore and in Harrington Sound. These facts are easily obtained for anyone's viewing from two Biodiversity project reports at the Bermuda Aquarium Library.

If Dr. Ware-Cieters had just taken the time to walk down to the shoreline at Spittal Pond she could have witnessed first hand this so-called 'phenomenon that would interest many eminent zoologists'.

The longtail is in desperate need of nesting burrows. Once a pigeon has nested and fouled a burrow, longtails refuse to use them; therefore the pigeon is reducing the number of longtail nesting sites, already depleted by Hurricane Fabian.

Critical actions need to be taken immediately if we want future generations of Bermudians to witness these beautiful birds.

Ps. As an environmentalist and conservationist, I believe Dr. Ware-Cieters' continued concerns for the protection of feral animals could seriously affect the biodiversity of animals in Bermuda.

Droppings are a hazard

January 7, 2004

Dear Sir,

A recent letter 'Point about pigeons' by Dr. A.M. Ware-Ceiters is spot on with some points, and outright dangerous on others. The first paragraph was one good point. "Good scientists must remain honest to their field of specialisation, and resist bias when making statements to the public. This applies even more stringently to those scientists who have achieved any sort of notoriety, since the general public will generally accept their word as reliable." The good doctor should reread it, and realise that a veterinarian is not an expert in public health. The only other good point was in regards to the actual letter itself ."This is getting too long, so I shall have to save up poultry facts for another time". Yes, I agree. The letter was indeed too long, but only because it was chock-a-bloc full of misleading ? if not false and health threatening ? information for humans.

For those readers ? and I would imagine most ? who can realise for themselves that pigeon droppings in their drinking water cannot be a good thing, I have a suggestion: Try www.internationaldovesociety.com for a list of 46, yes 46, diseases of pigeons, starlings and English sparrows, commonly referred to as "nuisance birds". Oh, and by the way, the list, and its accompanied information about the diseases, was compiled by a graduate veterinarian, author and Lecturer of Birds Clubs and Societies, and has her own small animal and avian practice. Alternatively, a search for "pigeon droppings" on the Internet will convince anyone in their right mind to the hazards of pigeon droppings in Mankind's ? and their pets ? environment.

The doctor is wrong

January 8, 2004

Dear Sir,

I had a good chuckle when I read the latest long-winded letter from Dr. Ware-Cieters. Reading her opening paragraph (RG letters, January 7 and also in Mid-Ocean News on January 2), she herself has achieved notoriety and once again her words are totally unreliable.

The Rock Dove is better known as the common park pigeon or feral pigeon. It has been domesticated and taken around the world, raised for food, trained for racing and even for carrying messages. In Bermuda it feeds on grain supplied as cattle fodder, seeds of many grasses and other plants. It will also feed on berries and occasionally earthworms or insects. At Albuoy's Point, the pigeons feast on bread, popcorn and other junk food. Pigeons are not exclusive grain eaters.

In cities such as Hamilton, pigeons nest on window ledges of tall buildings and in roof gutters. Their natural sites are on sheltered cliff ledges which are plentiful in Bermuda. Spittle Point Farm is typical of the dairy farms in Bermuda, supporting over 300 of the invasive, non-native pigeons. Many of these pigeons roost and nest in the rock ledges of the Smith's Parish coastline. This area once had a high density of longtails. Today, the returning longtails fight each other for the few unoccupied cliff nest sites. Even vacant sites are rendered useless having been fouled by pigeons. Clap your hands at the top of the cliffs just to the west of Spittal Pond and count the number of pigeons that flee the cliff face. Photo opportunities abound.

Pigeons have been proven to contaminate water. Where pigeons congregate on house roofs over a period of time, tank water has been tested to be unfit for drinking (see RG, January 5, 2004).

I wish every success of those trying to control the numbers of pigeons in Bermuda. They are costly to farmers, a health hazard to households and a serious threat to the breeding success of longtails. Dr. David Wingate's recently expressed similar views. He has devoted his life to bird conservation, so perhaps we need to sit up and listen if he is advocating the eradication of a bird species. He has also gained notoriety in his time but the public is certainly more inclined to accept his words as reliable than other self-professed experts.

Examine evidence first

January 8, 2004

Dear Sir,

Speculation and speculative reports are not themselves evidence, however frequently and authoritatively they may be published, broadcast or reported as the Royal Coroner Michael Burgess has said. Nor should the opinions and speculations about the Governor's role in appointing the Chief Justice be believed without evidence.

If the Governor had acted unconstitutionally, one may be sure that the present Government would have pursued the matter, but the Government has been unable to do so. This is because under the Constitution the appointment of the Chief Justice is the Governor's responsibility and not the Premier's. Moreover, there is nothing to prevent the Governor from consulting others, besides the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition.

We should be thankful that the separation of powers between the Government and the justice system now exists, no matter which political party is in office. Otherwise the justice system could be unduly influenced by whichever political party is in power.

Isn't it wonderful at present that under British law and the Constitution we have the rights of free speech, a free press and the rule of law?

Let us examine the evidence before allowing the spin doctors to mislead us. Let us be careful not to throw away that is every Bermudian's birthright as a British Subject, that is the rule of law administered without political interference.

'No' to the Regiment

December 27, 2003

Dear Sir,

Having pursued a higher education for the last eight years, and now entering my final term, I now face the potential problem of coming back to Bermuda and being forced to serve in the Regiment. Let me say at the outset that I have absolutely no desire to serve. My personal feelings about war aside, there are three main reasons why I do not want to serve.

Firstly, I fail to see what practical use it has for me. If I do come back to Bermuda, I will want to start my career and devote my complete attention to it. The last thing I will want is any distractions. As far as I am concerned the Regiment will be a distraction. (Incidentally, I do not understand why the Regiment has a conscription period lasting 14 years. I have wondered how much thought was given to this period. Is it based on some statistical analysis of birth rates of Bermudian males to ensure an adequate number are drawn from the available pool or is it just some arbitrary number? If the former is true, then it suggests that the number of Bermudian male births is quite small, so a long conscription period is necessary to get the necessary numbers: I find this hard to believe. If the latter is true, perhaps the period length should be revised to a number that actually has a basis in reality. I know I would be supremely irritated if, having reached the ripe old age of 31, I discover I have been drafted into the Regiment. Further, I doubt that at this point in my life, the Regiment has anything to offer me. There is no incentive for me to serve with the Regiment and before someone accuses me of being unpatriotic or unwilling to serve my community, who is to say that the Regiment is the institution where I will accomplish this? Could I not display my sense of patriotism or serve my community by, for example, volunteering for a charity?

Secondly, I do not see what the function of the Regiment is and I believe this is a problem for many people. What is the role of the Regiment? As far as I can tell, it seems largely ceremonial. Some may argue that they assist with riot control, provide assistance in the wake of natural disasters, and on occasion help out the Police. I see two problems with this reasoning. Firstly, how often do riots and natural disasters occur in Bermuda? I believe the last riots occurred in the early to mid-1970s; hardly a frequent occurrence. Natural disasters of the magnitude of Fabian are comparatively rare events and therefore do not justify the existence of a standing body of people to deal with such events. Further, given the altruistic nature of Bermudians, a standing body of individuals to help out during such times is unnecessary, as the recent example of Fabain has demonstrated. Secondly, if the powers that be deem that it is necessary to have a group of people trained to deal with riots, assist with natural disasters, and assist the police, why not create a special task force just for that purpose? How do these activities fall under the jurisdiction of the Regiment, given that its major function appears to be ceremonial?

Finally, I've heard reports that the number of individuals who avoid the Regiment once they have discovered that they have been drafted is on the rise. If the goal of the Regiment is to produce good quality soldiers, then the very fact that so many people do not want to serve undermines this goal. I believe this should send a very loud message to the Regiment about how many people feel about the practice of conscription. If Bermuda was actually at war with someone, then it is most likely that most people would understand the logic behind conscription: we're at war; we need soldiers; conscription gets us soldiers. However, we are not at war with anyone. People find it difficult to justify the need for conscription especially when the function of the Regiment seems to be largely ceremonial.