26 November 2003

Dear Sir,

Sign in a Hamilton shop window: For sale, CD player $45. Does not work.

Barnum said there's a sucker born every minute. Seems the proprietor of this store thinks he'll find one in Bermuda.

Did you know that some ? if not all ? of the supermarkets pay their grocery packers nothing? We thus have a situation where the owners wish not to reduce profits but expect the customers to pay for a service that the owner should provide ? gratis. Extraordinary, don't you think? I should like to add, "only in Bermuda" but it could be common elsewhere.

November 25, 2003

Dear Sir,

I would like to reply to the Paget East and Pembroke West letters that are appearing in your paper. Specifically to the recent remarks made by Pembroke West! You have made comments such as we were known for a "slow and relaxed pace, women had the choice whether to work or stay home, we had a strong family unit, Sunday was a church day and not a sports day, you are being overwhelmed by foreigners and splitting at the seams..." the list goes on.

Since when did the foreigners, as you call us, change the pace of the country? While I am not complaining, have you been to your local store or restaurant lately where you have been served before the cashier finishes her conversation with her Ace girl?

Have the foreigners told the women of Bermuda that they can no longer work? Are we banging down your doors causing divorces and unplanned pregnancies? And how in the world can the blame be put on foreigners for you not going to church? If the foreigners want to participate in sports, how can that possibly stop you from attending church?

Lets look at some statistics of 2000. Of the workforce of approximately 37,000 ? 23 percent of these people are the blasted expats . That would be approximately 8500 plus (spouses who are not working). Personally I have about six to ten visitors that come to Bermuda every year and contribute to the tourism community.

Of the people I know (expats ) they too have visitors who come to visit. Bikes are rented, taxies are called, dinner reservations are made, etc. Even if we were to take an average of five people for the 8500 workers (not including spouses families) that would be 42,500 visitors a year as a result of your expat community.

Take the 8500 expats out of your country and that would be 8500 vacant apartments/houses.... you are talking about having to work more than one job to make a living here, wait until your letters force out the expats and you don't have the contribution from your tenant to go towards your mortgage... if this happens you won't have to worry about working more than one job, there won't be any jobs to be had.

Lets stop the accusations between the Bermudians and the expats. I am returning to my home country after having been here for three years. I have made several Bermudian friends as well as expat friends. I hope to be able to come back to a Bermuda where there is no discrimination and respectful relationships between the Bermudian community and the expat community.

Let's face it, the blend of Bermudians and expats is what makes this country function and isn't something that is going to change anytime soon... get over it!

November 25, 2003

Dear Sir,

This letter is written in extreme exasperation, and disillusionment with, who else, Bermuda CableVision.

We are senior citizens, in our 70's, who are still waiting for a technician to be sent out to correct our appalling reception, ever since we had no service for a whole month during Hurricane Fabian.

We have gone through the normal channels including:

1) Initially complaining by telephone, that is, when you can manage to get through on their atrocious call-in service. One is lucky to be able to leave a message!

2) having our extremely busy son-in-law bring in, and exchange the boxes, all to no avail.

3) Again, waiting patiently for some service.

4) In desperation, our patience exhausted, faxing Mr. Jeremy Elmas himself ? only the fax would not go through, and it kept coming up "No response". Undaunted, we ourselves struggled in and hand delivered it, in a sealed, addressed envelope on November 17th, requesting that a technician be sent out in the required two days.

5) Two days later, no technician showed up, so we attempted to send a second fax, again with no response. Again, with considerable effort, we delivered it by hand in a sealed envelope, addressed to Mr. Elnas and marked URGENT.

It has now been yet another week, and we have not heard anything from them despite asking them to leave a message on our message machine.

Add to this the fact that they keep sending us full bills, with late fees. We have never paid late, and will be happy to pay an adjusted bill with no late fees, once this is sorted out. Our current bill stands at $237.64!

Mr. Elmas, perhaps this will get through to you, and you will do something for us. This is no way to treat senior citizens, or anyone else for that matter, and we would hate to have to write another letter to the busy editor over what should be a simply resolved problem.