Management disasters

May 8, 2004

Dear Sir,

I found today's blaring headlines “Management disaster” very disheartening. We have a correctional facility that's a management disaster; a hospital that's a management disaster; the building of the Berkeley Institute that's a management disaster; the BHC that was a management disaster (I don't know if it still is); the lack of financial controls against civil servants who commit fraud, a management disaster; and last, but not least, the Bermuda College hiring of a lecturer whose credentials are alleged to be bogus, a management disaster.

Just take a good look at this picture and what does it tell you? It tells you that we have a tremendous number of Government-run institutions, departments and projects that are grossly mismanaged by people who don't have a clue as to what they are doing.

This also tells you that the “people's” money - yours and mine - is being stolen, and/or wasted! This is what happens when you put some people in place who “look like me”, wherein, it should have been, people who are knowledgeable, with expertise and trustworthiness and could still “look like me”!

This is a sad day for Bermuda. We have some Government figures whose characters are presumed to be very dubious. ...

When we voted people into Parliament, we did not vote them in to fatten their personal bank accounts off the people's money. We have so many problems in this little Island at the moment that it makes your head spin. Everyday when I wake up, I wonder what is going to happen next!

What story will headline the morning paper? Are we going to hear of someone fleecing government or some company of thousands to millions of dollars; or some gang has attacked someone with a machete; or some poor woman with children being put out in the street; or some six year old boy or girl being molested by some pervert; or, someone's under-aged daughter being given some sexually transmitted disease?

Not to mention that some elderly woman has been mugged or raped; that crime is on the increase; and, that it is not safe to go out alone at night. We have problems and lots of them.

We have a housing crisis - we have a horrendous traffic problem - we have a lot of people with a bad attitude problem i.e. the young adults with their gang wars. We have a problem with our problems.

Government is now talking about Independence. All I hope is that Government makes sure this is what the majority of the people want before they act on independence.

The only fair and proper way to go independent is by having a referendum, but, before we even think about Independence, we need to clean up the majority of our problems that we now have, because, if we add these unsolved problems to the ones that will be created by independence (and there will be plenty because of management disasters), then, we can kiss Bermuda goodbye!

We are no more ready for Independence than I am ready to fly to Mars!

I could see us going independent if we were all holding hands and tiptoeing through the crabgrass, but that is not so.

As a people, we are more divided than we have ever been. At one time I thought that we were becoming united, but the tables have taken a drastic turn.

It used to be white against black; it's now black against white and black against black. This is regression, not progression.

We as a country had better wake up before it is too late. It is time that we do become our brother's keeper and start looking out for the next person.

To those Government members and civil servants, who are presumed to be living the good life right now off the people's money, if you are, just remember one thing - “nothing is forever”!

With all of the problems that are sitting in Government's lap at the moment, I would say, “the chickens have come home to roost”! And, if the DPP and the auditor general do their jobs as well as they have done in the past, there's going to be more cock-a-doodle-doodling than you have ever heard before.

PAT FERGUSON

Warwick

Fed up in Southampton

June 1, 2004

Dear Sir,

I am fed up. Fed up of reading uneducated Bermudians speak about getting free housing. Some of you can't even spell! I would like to know with a 24 percent graduation rate (in the public school system), how our youth feel they might be able to afford to live comfortably down the road?

The Minister of Education should feel shameful. Our public school system is failing us as a country. How can we bring in International Businesses to assist us in keeping our youth in school?

There must be some synergy and there must be a way to accomplish this. Government should be concentrating its efforts in creating low income housing for those who can work to better themselves.

In other words, the government should implement a comprehensive programme incorporating housing and assisting people in finishing their GED, or assisting financially in training for a trade (plumbing, carpentry, electrical).

There should be mandatory attendance to classes and extra voluntary work on the side to assist in implementing the same programme for others. There are plenty of programmes in the USA that can be mirrored. I have a feeling that a lot of those complaining about housing would not be willing to undertake such hard work. But it should be available for those who are willing!

FED UP

Southampton

Stop dumping trash

June 6, 2004

Dear Sir,

Why is it that so many on this beautiful Island have so little respect for their fellow citizens that they feel no shame about dumping their trash everywhere other than their own trash cans?

Or perhaps it's just a few people doing an awful lot of dumping.

In particular, twice in the last month someone has left a great pile of rotting fish heads and bones on the crest of Langton Hill in Pembroke.

Perhaps there is some fetishistic significance behind this of which I remain blissfully unaware, but it is a singularly unappealing mess to pass each day, and should the person concerned happen to be reading this I would appeal to their better nature and hope that they would have due consideration for others in future.

KEEP BERMUDA BEAUTIFUL

Hamilton