In favour of castration

Dear Sir;

Finally, the UBP has a view that could be considered worthwhile. I am referring to the article, " Jury system needs review" that was in The Royal Gazette, July 2, 2003. As a 19-year-old college senior who will be one of Bermuda's attorneys in the next several years I can clearly see that judicial activism is desperately needed in my country. I say this because of hearing the ridiculous arguments made by lawyers such as Larry Mussenden that tourists who posses drugs shouldn't be prosecuted and seeing prosecutors failing to enforce the laws - earlier this year a prosecutor advocated that a 60-year-old homosexual should get a suspended sentence after he viciously raped a 16-year-old boy - three times.

The Bermuda Judicial System is too lenient on criminals. This is why in a lot of cases criminals continue to commit crimes after they have been incarcerated. Sad to say, even though I am a PLP supporter I haven't seen the present government make an authentic reform to crime. Instead I have seen them practice the motto, "Spare the rod and spoil the child" by abolishing punishments such as the death penalty and corporate punishment in the school system that should have never been taken off the books. Maybe if a group of judges who are well-versed in the law handled matters of sentencing rather than a group of people on a jury who are less knowledgeable about the law, Bermuda would see a real break down of criminal activity.

With all due respect for the Attorney General, I don't see this matter as what she would call "retrogressive" but rather I see it as taking extreme measures for an extreme time that Bermuda is presently experiencing. I would ask Dame Lois to share any ideas that she contemplates are more appropriate and sophisticated since the present legal system isn't as effective as it should be. We always hear about the legal rights of the criminals in various tribunals but what about the rights upon the victims that they hurt. Does not the victim have a right to know that the individual who has inflicted harm upon him/her has been distributed a punishment that is equal to the crime that has been committed?

UBP, you have made your "mistakes" in the past while you were running this country but you have an opportunity to finally show everyone that you have "integrity". I ask two things of you. Firstly, that you would implement this policy immediately if you form the next government. Secondly, along with implementing this policy you would consider establishing a law that would allow sexual predators to be castrated if all else has failed to change the person's perverse habits. For clarity, I am not saying that leniency shouldn't be a factor in certain circumstances. What I am saying is a person must receive sufficient punishment for what he/she has done regardless if mercy is extended or not.

KENNETH MINORS

Huntsville, Alabama

Praise for Cambridge Beaches

July 3, 2003

Dear Sir,

A few weeks ago my wife and I had the privilege of staying at the Cambridge Beaches while celebrating a very special wedding anniversary. It was a wonderful experience. The accommodations and amenities were superior, the breakfast and dinners were first class and the management and staff made the Cambridge experience an extremely pleasurable one. Before leaving I took the opportunity to speak to the President, Mr. Michael Winfield. I expressed our sincere thanks and appreciation of the Cambridge Beaches management and staff who did a great job in catering to our needs. I can readily understand why the list of returning visitors to the Cambridge Beaches resort is as long as it is. We wish Cambridge Beaches all the success they deserve.

CHARLES H. JEFFERS

Let's pull together

July 2, 3003

Dear Sir,

The UBP is not perfect, we don't pretend to be God, but when something is wrong in our country, we fight it right out lout. We made mistakes while in power, but for our people and our Island, we also did a lot of good, as any ruling party should. Many Bermudians have cried a lot of tears, since putting the PLP in power, for the past four years. the PLP have put the Country into debt, and show no signs of any regret. More taxes are taken out of your pay, yet in our Country's affairs we have no say.

Property and import taxes are way up high, homes, many people cannot afford to buy. A second term for the PLP will make a lot of us cry even more, than we have at any time before. In Bermuda that white or black person on the street, although he may look a different colour than you, can in reality be your brother or sister. So let's pull together regardless of race. Let's vote UBP and make Bermuda a better place.

A BERMUDIAN WHO LOVES HER COUNTRY

St. Davids

Belco should offer discount

July 2, 2003

Dear Sir,

I write to you for an explanation of what would appear to be the unscrupulous billing practices of The Bermuda Telephone Company. Unfortunately attempts to speak with someone in authority at BTC always seems to find them busy in meetings. BTC statements are received by post on approximately the tenth day of each month. Nothing in the statement says when payment is due nor does it say a penalty of $3.00 will be applied if payment is not received prior to a certain date.

If statements are received around the tenth of the month and five days are allowed for the postal service to deliver a payment cheque to BTC then one has approximately 15 days to make the payment or have a $3.00 penalty imposed. If one is late in the 15 days to make the payment BTC also makes one feel guilty by adding in the next bill "Have you overlooked payments", and "to avoid disconnection pay immediately or $30 reconnection fee will be applied", etc.

It would be nice if BTC followed the lead of BELCO, whose statements arrive also around the tenth of the month but offer a discount if payment is received on or prior to the tenth of the following month. BELCO assumes, quite rightly, that the majority of people pay their bills a the end of the month. If BTC fails to change this policy I urge your readers not to pay the unscrupulous late payment fee if their cheques are posted to reach BTC within 30 days of receipt of statement.

DAYLIGHT ROBBERY

Southampton

Stay true to the 'true' PLP

June 18, 2003

Dear Sir

This is an open letter to PLP voters generally and to St. George's North PLP voters in particular about how they should approach the coming July 24, 2003 General Election. That's if they want Bermuda to move forward to deal with the homeless, senior citizens liveable pensions, black economic empowerment and Independence in the PLP's second consecutive term of office. Premier Jennifer Smith lacks vision, desire, energy and competence to deal with these pressing issues. By now you must have arrived at the conclusion that she is a monarchist, an Anglophile and champion of the local and international business classes in this country. She is neither progressive nor labour but likes to party. She does not represent the vision of the Founding Fathers of the PLP.

Accordingly, PLP voters in constituencies 2-36 must vote firmly and solidly PLP to put the PLP back in power. PLP voters in constituency 1, or wherever Jennifer Smith is running, must abstain from voting (as she encouraged them to do in the 1995 Independence Referendum) in order to put her out of the Houses of Parliament altogether. It is more progressive to have Kenny Bascome in the House sitting on the Opposition benches then to have Jennifer Smith in the House being obstructive to the goals and objectives of the 'true' PLP.

THE SHADOW KNOWS!

St. Davids

Thanks to End-to-End walkers

June 2, 2003

Dear Sir,

St. John Ambulance Brigade - Bermuda wishes to express its warmest thanks to the End-to-End Committee for its most generous donation of $36,000. Our grateful thanks, too, to their sponsors and especially the walkers, bikers, kayakers and swimmers who all helped to make such a donation possible. They did a great job and the community as a whole will benefit. St. John is particularly grateful, as these funds will help to replace the most aged ambulance in our fleet and provide some clerical assistance for our Executive Director. The Council and association of St. John in Bermuda would also like to thank our Brigade members for their services on May 3rd, the day of the End-To-End. This event, which we are asked to attend. The needs of the community were well met and we take or hats off to our volunteers for a job well done!

JACQUELINE BROWNE

Executive Directors

St. John Ambulance Brigade

Lets get real

July 4, 2003

Dear Sir,

While my heart goes out to little Angie Gomes, what makes her dad assume that because he has been here for nine years he has the right of residence! Too many expats believe they have the right to our jobs! Lets get real, here we have Bermudians unemployed.

BERMUDIAN AND NO WHERE ELSE TO GO!

Paget