New names for Lister

May 15, 2004

Dear Sir,

We Bermudians are probably the best people in the world when it comes to giving nicknames. For starters, in order to give someone a suitable nickname, it should in some way reflect the person?s personality and character. This is why I have come up with the following for Mr. Terry Lister (MP):

Baseball Lister ? Under his ministries there is always a strike.

Bail Me Out Lister ? Jennifer Smith did it with the Prison Staff and Alex Scott will do it with the teachers, just watch.

Fiasco Lister ? Just look at the situation at the St. George?s Prep School.

I do have pity on the present Government as they will, once again, be catching hell but I think it is not entirely their fault, as Lister represents one of the best they have to offer.

Trimmingham off the mark

May 14, 2004

Dear Sir,

I am writing in response to Andrew Trimingham?s recent reviews of art exhibitions in . I am the Gallery Director for the Bermuda Society of Arts, and am also an artist who has been accepted, and rejected from the Bacardi Biennial. I am very involved in all aspects of the local visual arts community and actively work to support art and artists of all genres.

This includes everything from paintings of Bermuda landscapes to video installations, from amateur artists to the seasoned professionals. With that said I don?t claim to like all the works, or in some cases even understand them, but I try to be open enough to see where people are coming from, to appreciate their ideas, and the way in which they express them.

The reason I felt compelled to write a letter was that Mr. Trimingham is giving opinions about the local arts with apparently little regard for what is actually taking place. He refers to the lack of artists of any note in the Biennial, that they have been scared off by the National Gallery?s exclusion of all that isn?t ?contemporary?. He also comments on artists being bullied into tailoring their work to fit the BNG?s idea of what is contemporary art. These are his opinions on what has taken place and are simply put, uninformed.

There are many reasons why people haven?t entered the Biennial and for most of his examples there are reasons other than that they felt excluded. Also to imply that local artists are being bullied into trying to fit a mould created by the BNG is ridiculous and beyond discussion.

The Islands arts organisations including the National Gallery have worked very hard to create an environment where people feel comfortable to explore the visual arts regardless of style, theme or idea. This can be seen by the wide variety of shows and artwork that can be viewed any day of the week island wide.

To conclude if someone is going to comment on an exhibition I think that is a good thing, it is part of the process like the jurying and rejection of artwork is. However if the comments are going to be uninformed personal opinions, designed as a vehicle to attack an organisation, then they are best left unsaid. The Island?s visual arts are thriving and full of great work, hopefully people will come out and make up their own minds about what they like.

A plea to Dr. Brown, PTB

May 18, 2004

Dear Sir,

I am one of the unfortunate individuals who took the advice of the Minister of Transport and put my car aside to make my way into Hamilton (Monday-Friday) by public transportation (bus). I decided that it was the sensible thing to do ? help to reduce congestion on Bermuda?s busy streets and, at the same time, save the $4 daily parking fee and (big bonus) save some money on gas!!

As a Paget resident, I catch the bus on the Middle Road near to the Warwick Academy School anywhere between 6.50 a.m. and 7.20 a.m. For those who do not know, all the buses passing through Paget/Warwick around that time are totally full ? standing room only and it has been that way for many months ? for all the 18 months that I have been catching the bus. Please also note that there are times that the buses are so full that they just pass by without stopping, leaving an exasperated few hoping that another bus will come by soon. I write to beg the ?powers that be? to put more buses on that route early in the morning.

I recently had shoulder surgery, so imagine my plight, getting on the bus and trying to hang onto the straps with my one good arm as children fall on me with their school bags, adults climb over me, treading and stamping on toes as they get on and off the bus. There are a few gentlemen left, who get up and offer their seats to ladies, but just a few. Most sit comfortably and ignore the standing ladies. And who knows, these gentlemen may have health issues that are not evident!

Often the bus is so full that four or five individuals have to get off briefly just to allow others who are ending their journeys to disembark ? no fun first thing in the morning, especially if it is raining. Catching an overloaded bus to get to work early mornings or, spending half an hour standing at the bus stop, wishing and hoping that one actually stops, picks you up and gets you to work on time, is a depressing start to the day. Can someone please have a look at things as they presently stand and do something to alleviate the problems ? we need more buses early in the morning!