It all starts at home

October 23, 2009

Dear Sir,

Bermuda is slowly losing its youth. Over the last couple of years or so, we have seen a rise in criminal activity, and not all but most offences have been committed young persons, with the ages ranging anywhere from 25 to 18. I remember reading The Royal Gazette one day, and I recall a prison officer at the Westgate Correctional Facility saying: "The faces coming into Westgate are getting younger and younger." That's a very disturbing image. I feel that between the mid-1980s and the early 90s something went wrong. I strongly believe it has to do with the household and how the youth of today are being brought up. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that every child born from the 1980s on is brought up wrong, I just feel a vast majority has been misled, and by misled I mean coming up with no morals being set before them, or not having both parents at their side.

In fact there are a lot of parents who are single and have produced successful, respectful, young adults, so the single parents are not the main down fall, it does play a small part though. Being a person that has came up in the system, I feel that one of the main reasons is youth not have a father figure, mentor, or just someone to check for them on a regular basis to make sure the walk a straight path. Having no father figure in your life can lead to many things, not always negative, but the majority of the time can have a negative effect. It can lead to a few things like, looking for something or someone to fill that void, one of which is being a gang. To a young person with no self esteem, or just a sense of feeling alone, a gang can act as a family, making them feel loved, and appreciated. And they can also look up to or have a role model. Not all role models are positive.

With Bermuda being a very materialistic place, meaning every one is busy trying to keep up with the Joneses, and the people that tend to have the nice clothes, fancy cars, and seem to be well liked and popular, often are drug dealers. So young people sort of get attracted to and want to live a similar lifestyle, having all the fruits of the labour without having to work hard, I'm 21, so I know how young people think. Not saying I'm right, remember I'm just voicing my opinion. I can go on forever, but to make a long story short, you have to start in the homes, because it's a waste of time trying to straighten out the ones in the street, they are lost! It's time to focus on the future and make sure the young ones coming up have sturdy surroundings and positive people around them! And keeping them busy is good too, boredom is a contributor also.

MYSTIC

Bermuda

Most disrespectful

October 24, 2009

Dear Sir,

After watching the Military Tattoo on Friday, October 23, 2009, I felt that it was most disrespectful that they did not play "God Save The Queen". Instead they played "The Bermuda Triangle"? After all we are celebrating 400 years of heritage. What will they play next month when Her Majesty visits Bermuda?

LUCY WILLITTS

Warwick

A major increase

October 27, 2009

Dear Sir,

One of the criticisms of the UBP's administration was the number of work permits issued to foreign nationals. Under the PLP government, the number has increased.

UNBELIEVABLE

Warwick

A glaring omission

October 24, 2009

Dear Sir,

The Tattoo was excellent, well organised and inspiring. However, there was one glaring omission. They did not play the National Anthem, God Save the Queen.

E. RABEN

Paget

Pursue parking tickets

October 28, 2009

Dear Sir,

Some time ago, the Government announced that there was a shortfall in revenue for the early part of this year. It is little wonder that this has occurred when there is such inefficiency in collecting parking ticket revenue. For example, each month in the City of Hamilton, there are close to 3,500 parking tickets issued and approximately 1,000 of these at $50 each are paid.

This leaves a shortfall of 2,500 which go uncollected. If this number of tickets (or more) were pursued at $100 each it would bring in $250,000 a month or close to $3 million a year. This problem has been going on for more than six years and the Attorney General's office does not know how to fix it. My question is: "Why do any of us pay a parking ticket when the majority of offenders get off with no consequences?"

W.A. BLACK

Paget

Comments from a veteran

October 28, 2009

Dear Sir,

Please provide me an opportunity, for which I thank you, to pass on a few words to my colleagues in the UBP and my friends in the PLP. The UBP first: I want to urge you all to stop the public bickering among yourselves whether you are still in the main body of the UBP or in the group who left the UBP recently, and to concentrate on Bermuda, our country, and the needs of the people.

Focus on the children, and try to ensure that none are made to go hungry. Work to ensure they all get a proper education so that they may have a chance to compete and have a reasonable amount of success in their lives in this very competitive world. Focus on the poor, of which there are thousands in Bermuda in the midst of plenty, and try to improve their lives. Inquire of their needs and work to find ways to help them whether they are PLP or UBP. they need help with the cost of food, rent and raising their children.

Focus too, on the disabled and help them, go to them and befriend them. Most blind persons in Bermuda still live below the poverty line. there are mothers crying out for help for their sick children. If you would but focus on these things and the people you are elected to serve, trust me, you will not have time for personal bickering and aggrandisement.

To my friends in the PLP: You have an opportunity to bring about major social reform in Bermuda and to move our country forward as an example to the world. Focus on the improvement of literacy and numeracy of all of Bermuda's children from birth to college. A major effort needs to be applied to literacy training in the home and preschool. This is not to denigrate the efforts of the many dedicated people who are already working hard to try and achieve this, but they need help.

Focus on a major review of our taxation structure with a view to helping low income families and assisting small and mid-size businesses. They need help and we all know the present structure is unfair to them. Focus on improved support and encouragement for the arts; music, painting, writing, theatre.

Make it possible for every child in primary school to read a book a week. Focus on the better protection of our environment. Apply more progressive and open discussion to educate the people on sustained development.

Finally encourage discipline and uprightness in your own lives as well as the lives of all Bermudians. Be honest and open with the people. Preach tolerance and friendship, not separation and discord. Serve all Bermudians willingly and sincerely and not to just those who may be friends or of the same party affiliation. You have an opportunity to be recorded in history as a great government, one who unselfishly did help the people, but in order to do so you must serve all equally and in particular the least of these.

Mr. Editor I voice these things out of frustration, not just mine, but of all those Bermudians that I still have the privilege of coming in contact, at the drugstore, the supermarket, on the street and the many who still come to visit. It is my opinion they want to love and respect their government but have not been able so far to do so. This must change. Bermudians are generally a happy people not up tight and stressed. I believe the government with others in the community can once again cause Bermuda to be a more relaxed and happy community.

QUINTON L. EDNESS CBE

Warwick

You should have been there

October 27, 2009

Dear Sir,

Please allow me a little space in your column to express the overwhelming excitement that I feel. On Saturday, October 24, I had the wonderful opportunity and privilege to attend the Encore presentation of "Work in Progress #1 — Ammunition". This was a full production directed, produced and performed by our young people, and I quote "A riveting theatrical performance that address violence in our community through the eyes of the youth".

It was humbling to hear the views of what is really going on in Bermuda by our youth and I have to admit I cried through most of the performance. My heart was truly overwhelmed by the acting, dancing, singing and overall performance by them as they were not only acting, but very much a part of what they were doing. People of Bermuda, our young people have something to say and we need to listen. They know and feel what is happening and they are living it.

My only disappointment was that Ruth Seaton James Auditorium was not packed to capacity. We often say they are of no significance, WE NEED TO STOP THAT. Government Officials, Police, lawyers, Teachers, Preachers, so called Gang Leaders and the entire community — everyone needed to be there. I learnt something that I never knew, Bermuda is ranked 7th per capita for gang related violence/deaths. For such a small Island, that is ridiculous.

Young people, I am very proud of you for taking your views and not sugar coating them. Troika — Nishanthi, Seldon and Shoa, this needs to be put on again and again until all of Bermuda has seen it. May God bless you and all the performers for continued success. My Ammunition is fearless and my name is...

MIRIAM SIMMONS

Warwick

A view of the Tanzania trip

October 20, 2009

Dear Sir,

I see in the paper that Doctor Ewart Brown is leading a delegation to Tanzania. He says it is for him like a "homecoming". I strongly suggest a one-way ticket.

L.L.

Pembroke