Diana was no saint

August 30, 2004

Dear Sir,

Here is my response to Ras I-Man of Warwick and his letter “Follow Diana's example”. She sacrificed her life to show us the way and we should follow her lead?

Wisdom says that some thoughts are best left unsaid, publicly, because they may spawn unmanageable monsters.

Diana, about whom you've written, was also fragile, neurotic, terribly insecure and an adulteress at the time of her death. Quite honestly and sadly she departed the world's stage in disgrace. Had she remained faithful to her husband, an adulterer too, she would still be in the land of the living. There are consequences to every act. Two wrongs don't make a right!

Ras I-Man, Bermuda could well do without the type of injection you've administered. Lord knows we've got the Blue-devils. Far too many of our matrimonial beds are stained with the DNA of infidelity. This Island must now rank number one on the global chart of divorces. Indeed, not a good example to follow.

I encourage you to dismount that roller coaster of emotions, pursue sanity, if you can, and then offer us a better example than Diana who lived out her dash in a tunnel in Paris, beside a man with whom she was having an ongoing adulterous relationship. What a way to go. People who value and esteem life a sacred experience would agree it unwise to follow her lead. In future, be very careful whom you recommend as an example to follow. A zero for follow Diana's example.

PHENOMENAL

St. David's

Feeling cheated

August 23, 2004

Dear Sir,

I wonder if there is any answer to this problem. I am going to explain. I heard all about the wonderful increase in the ‘contributed pension' for the seniors. They deserve it, they made Bermuda what it is today. I wonder if I deserve mine, let me explain. I worked for a firm and paid into my pension from the first day until I was 65. I went for my pension at 65 and they told me the widow's pension was a bit more, naturally I took the widows, but soon after the contributed pension went straight up and I asked the Pension office if I could switch to my contributed pension and the answer was no. So you know how I feel now and I also worked ten years more at the same place to help myself and a little help from my family, so you see how I feel now a little cheated. Widows' pension goes up a little but I manage it, there's always a surprise for us with health costs, food utilities, but I was fortunate to get a little apartment from Mr. Ferguson from BHT that helped a lot, but I often wondered where and what happened to all my contributed money. I know nothing can change now.

22 YEARS TOO LATE

Lessons learned

August 31, 2004

Dear Sir,

According to yesterday's picture in the newspaper there are actually something for people to learn by this. 1. When I drive do I want to drive in a manner so that I'll end up in an accident like this one or worse dead? 2. If you love speeding past people you're bound to end up like that car did (course you can't do what happened to that car with a bike but you do get the point). 3. The driver of that car is lucky he wasn't travelling along Nascar Rd. (formally Cox's Hill Rd.) when this accident occurred because the ending would've been worse and that wouldn't be right despite his foolishness to speed in the first place. 4. The girlfriend who usually drives in this manner should understand now, HOPEFULLY, that she could've been the one driving when this accident happened and she could be dead (course yesterday's paper said THEY lost control of the vehicle instead of saying it was just him - how is she?). Hopefully Kirk isn't too banged up though. 5. Seeing the car upside down like that is somewhat funny because if Kirk hadn't been racing past people that accident would've been avoided. It really is something to think about whenever you look at that picture. It's your life and how you choose to live it is up to you.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

A few questions

August 30, 2004

Dear Sir,

I was hoping to answer “JUST CURIOUS” with a few questions of my own.

1. Whites using the “N” word? Why is it that a husband spends the night on the couch after only agreeing with his wife when she says “I think I am getting fat”?

2. Who should apologise? Why is it that we cannot find anyone with any ancestors who did anything wrong even though whole economies were run on slavery for generations?

3. Blacks selling blacks? Did blacks who sold other blacks into slave apologise when they met them after being made slaves themselves?

4. Blacks killing blacks? Why do the whites see nothing wrong with what other whites did to their own kind in places like US Civil War, the First and Second World Wars and Bosnia, etc.?

5. Blacks in prison? Why is it that when whites fall into trouble their families rally behind them and spare no expense to secure a favourable outcome?

6. Why did you not sign your name?

NOT SO CURIOUS

Disillusioned

August 31, 2004

Dear Sir,

Let me remind the Reactive, I mean ProActive Group, who had the misfortune of showing up to work only to learn that their services were no longer required, that it is your own fleas that bite the hardest.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB! After all, this is the “NEW BERMUDA” the Progressive group spoke of back in 1998. They said they are here to represent the people - what they failed to say is that they were referring to themselves. Remember, they have a reputation for dishonesty and deceit if I must say, so add your names to the growing list of disillusioned voters. Until there's a positive change, I will remain, truly disgusted.

STILL SCRATCHING

Be truthful and honest

August 31, 2004

Dear Sir,

I read your column everyday and the things I read in the newspapers as a Bermudian living abroad for the past six years brings me a lot of mixed feelings about my country. All I read about is bad politics, people's private lives, unjust decision within the Magistrates' Court system. Since when do they make cursing at a Police officer the right thing to do?

I think we are losing a lot of respect for one another especially those who are Government officials. Since when does a Policeman have the right to cause abuse to another person and get away with it? Also losing contracts that are causing Bermudians their jobs, politicians resigning etc. (in reference to Ms Renee Webb) who I think has done a wonderful job within the Bermuda Government.

The scandal with the Bermuda Housing Corporation, which I don't think was investigated to the fullest extent of the law, we all know that it's not what you are in Bermuda, it is who you are in Bermuda that puts you above the law.

I think we should all evaluate what this Island mean to us, we have a lot of Bermudians living, working and are at school in the United States, and other countries that are scared or don't want to return back home, because of what we read and see in the newspapers, This is a very sad feeling, to know that there are a lot of us abroad who can fill many positions within the Island, so we can make it a far better place to live and work in, but because of its everyday demeanours our positions get filled with non-Bermuda residents or contract workers because many times the qualified Bermudians are overseas. I am a 36-year-old born Bermudian, I left Bermuda six years ago and I have worked for the City of Paterson in the City Council's office, whereas I became assistant director of The Urban Enterprise Zone, a Department within the Community Development for the past five years, I have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience overseas. The challenges that I faced with urban issues within the City of Paterson, regarding homelessness, drugs, gangs, HIV, employment and relocating over 35 fire victims on a daily basis, was challenging but became a normal part of my job description. For Bermudians like me that want to return home but get discouraged, because of what we hear and read, let this be a message to the media whether it's broadcast or print, tell us what's really going on! We want the truth, honest, Bermuda news!

K. SMITH

New Jersey

Prescription for change

August 31, 2004

Dear Sir,

As I was driving through what known as the “Back of Town” the other day I went past Alaska Hall and thought about their slogan “The Peoples' Party”, a short while late I had the pleasure to be in the business known as the People's Pharmacy and the contrast between the two struck me like a lightening bolt. If only the Peoples' Party could run this country like the management of the People's Pharmacy runs their business. The pharmacy slogan is “Your health is our concern” they are open seven days a week to help you with your problems. The management and staff are always friendly and courteous and I always leave there feeling that they care. The Peoples' Party, however, “Don't care what you think” and most of the time have no comment. They are only available when they want to be and seem to be off the Island most of the time. They only seem interested in helping themselves and their friends and getting as many perks as possible. I say vote the people who run the pharmacy in and see if they can do as good a job round the corner at Alaska Hall, they can't do any worse. Of course that just my opinion I may be wrong.

REDBEARD

St. George's

Wonderful service

August 27, 2004

Dear Sir,

I was delighted to see the picture and commentary concerning the older ferries, Corona and Georgia, which are still in use on the Paget and Warwick sevices.

Your picture provides an opportunity for me as a Canadian from Toronto and presently living in St. George's, as artist in residence with the Masterworks Foundation, to laud the transportation system of Bermuda and the wonderful personnel who run it. While here, I have been inspired to do a series of oil paintings depicting various ferry stations around the Hamilton harbour. In painting them, I have appreciated the tremendous support I have received from the crews of the ferries. They have greatly enhanced my experience of Bermuda.

MICHAEL STEINHAUSER

St. George's