Illusions of grandeur

July 30, 2007

Dear Sir,

Your headline on page 2 of your paper on Monday, July 30, 2007 which reads "Shawn Crockwell comes clean" is as deceitful as Mr. Crockwell has shown himself to be.

I don't know why Mr. Crockwell has chosen to bring my dog into his fight but I can assure him that I buried my beloved dog in March of this year. However, because I know Shawn Crockwell is the mouthpiece for his leader, Michael Dunkley, I'm never surprised by what comes out of his mouth.

"I am tough enough to deal with it. Premier Ewart Brown needs to know - and his cronies need to know, the likes of Jamahl Simmons, LaVerne Furbert and Rolfe Commissiong - that I am not afraid of them or will be intimidated by them", said Mr. Crockwell to reporter Matthew Taylor.

It is obvious to me that Mr. Crockwell continues to have illusions of grandeur which led him to his "brush" with the law in the first place. I would be grateful if Mr. Crockwell would let the public know what he thinks I have done to "intimidate" him.

If the UBP Chairman believes that I or anyone else should ignore statements that he makes publicly that are false and misleading, as the saying goes, "he has another thought coming".

While being interviewed on the Thaao Dill morning show a couple of weeks ago, Mr. Crockwell said that the UBP spent thirty years "fighting the oligarchy".

I found it necessary to remind Mr. Crockwell in particular, and Bermudians in general that the UBP was the oligarchy and Sir Henry Tucker the chief oligarch.

Mr. Crockwell should know the meaning of the word oligarchy, since he boasts being the recipient of several degrees. According to my dictionary, oligarchy means "a system of government in which power is held by a small group". The UBP, under the leadership of Sir Henry Tucker was exactly that.

On more than one occasion Mr. Crockwell has accused Premier Brown as being dishonest, deceitful, corrupt, etc. etc. I found it necessary to remind Mr. Crockwell that he is the last person that should use those words to describe another man, or woman, for that matter.

Mr. Crockwell says that he has been rehabilitated, but I wonder if it is possible for one to be rehabilitated when their addiction is dishonesty. Those of us who understand addiction and recovery know that we cannot be rehabilitated until we admit the truth of ourselves to ourselves and at least one other person. It is obvious to me that Shawn Crockwell finds it impossible to be honest and continues to live a lie.

Mr. Crockwell states in the interview "This is the modus operandi of this leadership. They will take whatever they can and misconstrue it for their own benefit."

Is that not what he did when he was working as a clerk in the Supreme Court of Bermuda - take whatever he could for his own benefit? Certainly I cannot recall Mr. Crockwell giving the proceeds of his crime to benefit anyone else other than himself.

Mr. Crockwell further states that "Because people remember the 1980s, they remember a time when Bermuda was not as polarized as it is today. We weren't perfect but they remember a time when business was done at a high standard and everything wasn't based on the colour of someone's skin." Mr. Crockwell grew up in Seymour Farm estate in the 1980's.

Bermudians need to ask him to be honest and tell them if the colour of his family's skin made a difference back then, or if his family suffered abuse from the white families who were his neighbours. Because Mr. Crockwell has a problem being honest, he will tell us that the white families in his neighbourhood had no problem accepting his black family as neighbours.

Mr. Crockwell and his leader Mr. Dunkley take every opportunity to remind the people of the "BHC Scandal" and allegations made by several unknown people that Premier Brown and others in the PLP were involved in criminal activity.

The fact of the matter is that an investigation was carried out and no criminal charges were laid against any members of the PLP.

As Mr. Crockwell has a law degree (paid for in part by the people of Bermuda) he should know that these allegations hold no more weight than the allegations made by some in our community that Michael Dunkley was involved in the drug heist from Dunkley's Dairy containers.

However, in Mr. Crockwell's case, an investigation was carried out, he was charged with a crime, pleaded not guilty, but was found guilty by a jury and later sentenced to prison. If he wants Bermudians to forget that, I would suggest that he refrain from accusing others of being involved in criminal activity.

By the way, Mr. Crockwell should also know that just as his father, Mr. Howard Crockwell, should not take the responsibility for his criminal activity, neither should Dr. Brown be responsible for his son's criminal activity. Did Shawn Crockwell not learn anything from Charles Richardson's response to his name dropping?

Shawn Crockwell maybe the UBP's paid poster boy, but I can assure him that I, and many others, have little admiration for his continual attack on members of my Party on behalf of Michael Dunkley. That is not to say that I do not admire those among us who have truly rehabilitated themselves, however I don't believe that Shawn Crockwell fits into that category.

LAVERNE FURBERT

P.S. I have never heard Premier Brown ever refer to Shawn Crockwell's criminal past and I challenge Shawn to give us dates and times when the Premier has made reference to his criminal activities.

Before we vote again...

July 25, 2007

Dear Sir,

My dear brothers and sisters, before we vote this time, let's ask ourselves a very hard question: If the PLP were white with their track record, would we vote for them again?

Are we voting for them just because they look like us? Or do we think they have done a good job? Would you have expected them to have done something for labour causes instead of cause more industrial strikes than any preceding government? Would you have expected them to be progressive enough to have the courage to debate a human rights amendment that prevents discrimination (even if you would have wanted the ultimate vote to be "no")?

Many brothers and sisters will look at their abhorrent ethics and say "well, the UBP were the same way". I don't think there is good evidence for this but even if you believe it to be true, wouldn't you have expected our party to have had the moral fortitude to hold themselves to a higher standard? When the UBP were in power and we decried any hint of cronyism or corruption, we swore we would do better - that we WERE better. What does this say to our money-loving children who are ignorant of our original goal of equality? It says we are no better than the worst of the white world.

I hoped we were better. I'm going to vote UBP for the first time. My friends will call me a "house nigger" and a "sell out". I am voting against corruption. I am voting against this egomaniacal self-interest. I am voting for hope that we can stand together as one nation as equals even if it has to be under another party than the one I hoped would lead the charge toward that promise.

HOPE AT ALL COSTS Hamilton Parish

Speaking up for PLP

July 26, 2007

Dear Sir,

Due to recent articles that have appeared in your paper from the likes of Christian Dunleavy, Michael M. Fahy and others, I feel compelled as a young Bermudian to speak up and share my views on politics and what is going on in Bermuda. First as to the claims that the PLP have done little in the nine years they have been in power, I will say this, I don't know if it's because I am younger and have better eyes or if some people just chose to ignore what they have done and mislead the people of Bermuda but here are some of the many things I have seen the PLP do:

* Single seat constituencies to enable fair voting constituencies for the first time

* Fast ferries to ease traffic congestion

* Increased tourism arrivals numbers

* Decreased airfares allowing easier travel to Bermuda

* Removal of death tax/inheritance tax on primary homestead

* Implementation of smoking ban in public places

* Increased pensions benefits for seniors

* Increased doctor's visits for HIP clients

* Establishment of African Heritage Diaspora Trail

* Establishment of North Hamilton Economic Empowerment Zone

* Implementation of GPS software to aid the transportation industry

* Establishment of the Bermuda Race Relations Initiative to discuss race in Bermuda

* Construction of the Sylvia Richardson Care Facility, and the Rockaway Seniors Facility

* Increased an online TCD to aid in licensing and registration

* Implemented geared to income housing

* Introduced further education awards for mature students and couples, in addition to increasing further education awards across the board

* Pledged millions for cricket and football to aid in youth development

* Enacted bladed weapons legislation to combat violent crime

* Constructed the reverse osmosis plant to aid in water usage

* Opened the Bermuda Recycling Plan for tin, aluminium and glass

* Introduced the Environmental Awards Program

* Allowed competition in the telecommunications industry allowing long distance rates to decrease

* Gave black war vets an increase in benefits and for some benefits they never received

* Now give free education to Bermuda Regiment solders at Bermuda collage

* Offer free bus rides for Bermuda Regiment soldiers

* Introduced the hustle truck to offer work to Bermudians that have a hard time getting into the work force and to help them ease into more productive employment at their own speed

* Launched an education review in order to find the problems in education and fix them

* Introduced the Mirrors programme the help at risk youth turn their lives around

* Recognised the talent of a 25 year old young lady and introduced her as a Senator, which encourages more young people to get involved in politics in Bermuda.

* The leader of the PLP Dr. Brown has meet with young people on many occasions to answer their questions and hear their concerns.

These are just some things the PLP have done and there are many things in the works.

Now as to the comments made about what was said at the PLP Main Event. I would just like to say that I was there and really enjoyed it. I did not find any of the comments in any way racial. It is sad that given the past history of what blacks went through and what we still go through today that if a black man or women warns other blacks to be careful of a party (UBP) that may very well be racist, they themselves are called racist by white people that clame to want to end racism.

What the UBP and their supporters must understand is the fact that the UBP in the past have been racist and deliberately held blacks back and benefited from it. So as they now call themselves the NEW UBP they must first prove that they have changed and are no longer controlled by racist that pull the strings from the back. Putting black faces up front is something they did when they were the government so as to put up a smoke screen to block who they really where. Black Bermudians cannot afford to just take their word for it because if they are the same then we are the ones that will suffer.

In my view knowing what I know about Dr.Brown's past, he is a very respectable man with a genuine desire to level the playing field and move all of Bermuda forward. But many young people don't get to see this because instead of embracing the leader of the country some people have chosen to shed a negative light on him since he became leader.

To those people I will say, you are doing an injustice to young men on this Island. Because there are too many young black men that are wasting time sitting on walls and have no plans on doing anything to benefit themselves or anyone else.

If they knew more of the positive things about Dr. Brown they would have someone to look up to and therefore may be encouraged to do something positive for themselves and the community. Dr.Brown connects with young black men and understands us. Please stop blocking us from understanding him and connecting with him.

At the same time I would like to say to young people - you need to wake up you are the future of this Island and you need to start acting like it. A lot of young people are caught up in the gangster mentality and feel politics does not fit into it, but no matter what you do politics fits because that is what runs the Island you live on.

You can't be the hardest man on the streets without a right to be there. And we need to get rid of the gangster mentality altogether because we live on this Island together. We need to work together instead of against each other because then life would be better for us all.

If you don't want to get involved because of the negative light shed on politicians then that is even more reason to get involved so you can help ensure that the right people get the job to represent us all. I'm not saying you have to be a politician I'm just saying get more involved, register to vote and vote.

Join one of the parties just to have a little more say in what is going on, encourage those that would like to one day sit in a seat of Parliament to go for it, share your ideas with your MP's. If they are good ideas they will use them. If not for yourself, do it for your children and your friends' children. There is no point in blaming today for tomorrow's problems when we live in today and have a chance to help make a better tomorrow!

Mr. Editor I know this is a long letter but I hope you print it as I feel it is important for people to read it especially young people because maybe some people will get a better understanding of things from my view and it will benefit Bermuda as a whole.

I see the PLP as a party that does make some mistakes but does do the job they were elected to do. As a young member of the party I will do all I can to ensure the PLP wins the next election because I truly believe they are the party to truly move Bermuda forward. They get my vote. And I will also do all I can to help insure the PLP remains "Solid As A Rock!!!"

In closing I would like to inform the public of what Dr. Brown meant when he said let's do it for the Dame. He was not using Dame Lois' death to gain votes through sympathy. What he was saying is let's make Dame Lois Brown Evans' dreams a reality. Though she is gone her dreams can still come true through us.

So I will close with those words also "Lets do it for the Dame!!!"

MAKAI DICKERSON

Sandys

Utter contempt

July 25, 2007

Dear Sir,

By issuing an S.D.O. for Southlands the Government has treated the people of Bermuda with utter contempt.

It has denied the community the benefit of the only safeguards that are in place for the protection of the people and their children, and grandchildren i.e. environmental impact assessment, sewage disposal assessment, impact on workforce assessment, traffic impact assessment etc.

It shows absolutely zero consideration for the people of Bermuda and future generations. I suggest that Bermudians treat the Government with the same level of contempt at their one chance to register their feelings i.e. at the polls.

OBSERVER

Warwick