Bermuda has long had regulations designed to ensure that much of the transport of goods and materials is done by trucks, and not by tractor trailers.The rationale seems to have been twofold. One was to protect the small independent trucker. It was also designed to prevent the proliferation of large tractor trailer type trucks which would clog up and damage Bermuda’s small roads, most of which were laid out long before cars, let alone tractor trailers and container trucks, were dreamt of.In recent years, special permits have been granted to enable some companies to override the law through special permits, granted by the Minister of Transport.It can be argued with reason that this enables goods and building material to be moved more efficiently and productively and ends a protectionist habit, of which Bermuda has too many. But the arbitrary nature of the permit-granting process gives rise to accusations of bias and cronyism. Certainly there seem to be no rules as to who receives a permit and who does not.At the same time, great financial damage has been done to independent truckers who can argue, with justice, that the rules were changed without notice or consultation and that the playing field has been tilted heavily against them.This seems to have been the view of the Government-appointed Trucks Advisory Committee, who last year recommended to then-Transport Minister Terry Lister that the permits be immediately scrapped. Nothing much happened, possible because Mr Lister faced more pressing matters, but since Derrick Burgess took over, two things have.First, about half of the board that recommended the cessation of the permits were fired, including outspoken truckers’ representative Richard Foggo, and they were replaced by new members, at least some of whom would be expected to be more amenable to the permits policy.Secondly, Mr Burgess announced he was considering restricting the hours during which the tractor trailers can operate on the roads. Even if this came into effect, this would be a meaningless sop, which would give the impression of doing something while actually doing nothing, especially in the current construction bust.Mr Burgess should follow the advice of his former committee and cancel the discretionary permits, then spend some time developing a new policy which is fair and understood by all, while ridding the Government of a policy which has done much to reinforce its reputation for cronyism.Tragic fireThere are few worse images than that of animals dying in a fire panicked and powerless to escape.So the fire last week at Graceland Stables in Warwick will have evoked terrible feelings for many people, and not just those in the equestrian world.While the cause of the fire is not yet known, at least publicly, and there has been no determination of whether anyone was responsible, it should be ascertained now that all stables, public and private, are safe and secure for the helpless animals within; both from fire and from other threats to their wellbeing as well.It is heartening to see the tremendous response from so many people who have come forward to help the owners Noel (Chopper) Jones and Brenda Cordoza. But the best memorial to the three horses who have died would be to ensure that there is no repeat of this tragedy.