This was sent to the Minister of Tourism and copied to The Royal Gazette.

December 26, 2003

Dear Sir,

I have been following the pronouncements from the Minister of Tourism in Bermuda for the past 22 years. We have property on the Island and I and my family have been visiting Bermuda on average of at least once each year. My married children have also taken several cruise ship trips to Bermuda over the years.

On our first trip to Bermuda via Delta Airlines from Boston, we each paid less than $100 per ticket. On our last trip in November, 2003, we each paid over $445 per ticket.

Bermuda is a fantastic vacation site and has more to offer than many of the other islands in the Caribbean Basin. But airfares are becoming prohibitive. Several years back, the Trust Group packaged airfares with lodgings, thereby offering better value.

In the 1990s when I was operating a travel business, I had several conversations with then Minister Woolridge, relative to the cost of flying to Bermuda. But nothing has substantially changed. And yet tourism is the main thrust of all promotion but Bermuda continues to be the best value when you consider that a passage for $369 person from Boston gives you transportation, housing and meals. But as you are aware, cruise ship visitors do not have reason to support the hotel industry.

During my last visit last month, I had time to peruse ‘Bermuda in Full Colour' by Hans W. Hannau. He extols the beauty, climate and the friendly people of Bermuda. He states that the Island could become a great tourist location. But as we know, the number of visitors has been steadily decreasing each year. And this cannot all be attributed to 9/11.

I have completed many departure surveys while waiting for my plane in the airport and have been candid in my opinions. When will the Department of Tourism begin to address the needs of the visitor and relate yearly tourist visits to economic survival for Bermuda.

Or family loves Bermuda and will continue to visit. But we would prefer to fly on planes that are 85 percent capacity rather than 22 percent. The Island needs us.

LAWRENCE L. CARVILLE

Smith's Parish

Get rid of them all!

December 29, 2003

Dear Sir,

This is my open letter to Dr. Wingate:

Why stop at pigeons and chickens? We have starlings and sparrows congregating on our roof, we have noisy kiskadees, crows and the occasional seagull flying over our house. They could all be depositing “big ones” on our roof. There are also those pesky herons that keep pooping on my spanking new twin-engined speedboat. Please, Sir, get rid of them all!

Why not round up all the birds (except for the blue ones and the ones with pretty, long tails) and shoot the lot of them. You could co-ordinate it with the Department of Tourism, and turn the event into a new Island attraction. Sharpshooters from the USA would turn up in “flocks” to shoot everything that flies (except the blue and long-tailed creatures).

In the meanwhile, Sir, I wonder why you have not addressed the real threat to your longtails and bluebirds? Pollution.

Pollution from the Belco and incinerator stacks. Emissions from bikes, cars, buses and trucks. What about the noise pollution from the racetracks on Coney Island and very near Cooper's Island reserve and, yes, Nonsuch Island? Souped-up bikes, jet skis and racing speed craft. What about the jet skis now so common out at Castle Island and Charles Island?

THE LAST PIGEON

Pembroke

It's bad everywhere

January 3, 2003

Dear Sir,

I'm writing in response to the Letter To The Editor' entitled ‘Get me ‘outta here'.

I read it and in some parts you're right but, then I read the part in black. You need to rethink your words because where in the world will you find a drug-free, poverty-free, no homelessness, no failing tourism, less gangs, no killing, no segregation, no hatred land?

The world right now as it is under Satan's system and not you or anybody else can do a thing about it except God himself. So face the facts and be blessed with what you have. San Francisco is considered the homeless capital of the world, most gangs in Bermuda are nothing compared to the ‘Bloods', ‘Crips' or any Latino gangs. The people in Bermuda gangs are punks running around with baseball bats, crash helmets, anything they can pick up to beat somebody (or like the Ice Queen incident murder) with just for the sake of beating somebody. Pure stupidity.

Yes, Bermuda is a failing country when it comes to trying to attract tourists.

Racism happens everywhere and not just here (let's see a black man walk around in a place like Alabama in skinhead country and see how long they live). At least here, white people who live around Fairylands, won't pick up an AK-47 to blow you away. Hatred will remain within any wicked person whether it be a man, woman or child and and they can only change themselves, you,can't change them. If you have faith in God he'll see you through providing you follow his principles.

HAVE FAITH IN JEHOVAH

Pembroke

'Unjust appointment'

December 29, 2003

Dear Sir,

It was stated in The Royal Gazette by Mrs. Henry Wood that “justice and law are sometimes in opposition”. This is indeed the case with the unjust appointment of the Englishman Mr. Richard Ground to the position of Bermuda's Chief Justice. Mr. Editor, not only is their no justice or reasonable rationale for Mr. Jack Straw, a British labour politician, having the power to decide who should be our Chief Justice but he and the British Government in addition to this also have the audacity to expect us the Bermudian people to simply accept what they say and quietly pay for Mr. Ground's salary!

Mr. Editor, I am again outraged as should every Bermudian be, because the British Government is openly and actively discriminating against every Bermudian.

DR. AMENEMHET TAMERRY

Pembroke