Horrified by headlines

June 20, 2007

Dear Sir,

As a Bermudian working overseas, I was truly horrified at today's headlines.

The present course of the Government is seriously and potentially irrevocably damaging the reputation of Bermuda in the offshore markets. Let's face it, Bermuda might be "another" world, but there are a great many other places vying for the business, such as Dublin, Cayman Islands etc. I can't over-emphasise that the ramifications for Bermuda are very serious if the confidence of the international business is eroded or undermined.

Does Dr. Ewart Brown think that the international business will just sit there and watch while he pushes his political agenda and, what many perceive as a slow erosion of our freedoms and liberties, on the country? Well, the answer is no! They will move to another jurisdiction. There is already anecdotal evidence to suggest this is already occurring.

What happens then? How will Dr. Ewart Brown fund all the expensive ministerial perks if there is no income coming in from international business? Who will find work for all of the Bermudians who have been laid off? Will Dr. Ewart Brown dip his hand into his own pocket to help those who can no longer afford their mortgage? We all know the answer to that question, don't we?

Let's not be delusional either: Tourism, while probably always a decent earner for Bermuda, will never, EVER replace the income that the international businesses are generating, no matter how many SDO's are signed!

Bermuda has reached a watershed point - a time to decide its own destiny. If we get this wrong then the stakes are high, very high!

S. JOHNSON

Dublin, Ireland

Wanted: Good governance

June 20, 2007

Dear Sir,

There are only 60,000 of us, Bermudians, black, white, purple, who cares? All we want is good government to run this tiny village, not greedy, not egotistical, not confusing, not selfish, not dictatorial, is this too much to ask?

Is there not someone out there who would be as selfless as our beloved Lois Browne-Evans was and run this our beautiful island home with the passion she had for her people.

HOPE

Pembroke

Beware media spin

June 14, 2007

Dear Sir,

Freedom of the Press must always be protected. However, responsibility of the press is also paramount and the counter weight. We all know that there is no love lost between the PLP and The Royal Gazette and their cohorts.

Vigorous pursuit and exposure of corruption, fraud and bad behaviour in public office is a must. But, it must be done right. Premature release of the information is mainly done when the media have hidden agendas. If the DPP has determined that there is not enough evidence to indict Dr. Brown and other PLPers who were mentioned in the report, then the only thing that indictment would accomplish is to destroy the reputations of those charged. That would be wrong especially when one knows that the evidence would not hold up in court and could not achieve a conviction!

For those people who believe everything they hear or read in the media I can simply note that just because you hear on the radio, see it on TV or read it in the press does not make it so. The messengers can and do, when it pleases them, spin all reports to suit their points of view. Remember that.

KAISO

Toronto, Canada

All we want is truth

June 21, 2007

Dear Sir,

The Premier needs to be reminded that the "leak" was a result of two members of his own party; members who are understandably concerned about what the Premier's actions are doing to the party, the Government and Bermuda as a whole.

It is time the Premier stops pointing his finger at everyone else and trying to divide Bermudians by party, race, etc.

We as Bermudians, only want one thing: the truth, and that's regardless of our political views, the colour of our skin, or the balance of our bank accounts.

K. SMITH

St. George's

So why the bodyguard?

June 22, 2007

Dear Sir,

If the Premier is as popular as he claimed to be in his interview yesterday on HOTT 107.5, why does he need a bodyguard to protect him from physical harm, and a press secretary to bolster his image?

K. SMITH

St. George's

What a soap opera

June 20, 2007

Dear Sir,

The last few weeks in Bermuda's political life have been an embarrassing soap opera. They have shown that our democratic institutions are not as well developed as many of us had assumed. The campaign of harassment and intimidation by the authorities and police directed towards the media and the government's independent watchdogs is not the Bermuda that Bermudians want.

In particular, I am stunned that the Police would stop reporters on a public road and insist that they turn back from their assignment. We do not live in a Police state! I hope The Royal Gazette and all Bermudians will complain loudly to the Police Complaints Authority about this abuse of power.

CITIZEN

Warwick

My sadness for Bermuda

June 19, 2007

Dear Sir,

After reading this morning's news and seeing the photographs of our Auditor General's arrest by the Bermuda Police, I feel a profound sadness for our Bermuda.

Although I do not know the Auditor personally, I admire his courage over the past years, to discharge his professional duties to the residents of this Island in the face of personal attacks, intimidation and harassment from politicians, who presumably take offence at his integrity, and committed responsibility to the country.

Unable to corrupt him, they moved swiftly to their typical modus vivendi; involving repeated attempts to discredit him, trumped up bogus charges against him, and tawdry excuses for their urgent 'need' to replace him with one of their (political) appointees.

My open message to this Government, including all those who blindly support it, or those entrusted with safeguarding the principles of our constitution, who should speak out but stay silent, is as follows:

If you cannot be completely transparent, and need secrecy to protect your system of Government, then something is very, very, very wrong indeed—. Rotten you might say—.

Caring Bermudians should be deeply disturbed with the way this Government has turned upon its own citizens during a prolonged exercise, which is simply one of putting themselves beyond the reach of the law. We must speak out, or lose the freedom to do so.

I hope Mr. Dennis and his family appreciate how many of us support them, especially now.

Dr. A. M. WARE-CIETERS

St. David's

Checks those beams

June 20, 2007

Dear Sir,

Why don't the Police go over to Doc's place and see if those cedar beams are there?

SAM CLEMENS

Southampton

Hall and the Premier

July 24, 2007

Dear Sir,

Premier Brown is showing a remarkable resemblance to Julian Hall. They are articulate, intelligent and glib. They never do anything wrong — it's always the other guy(s) who did it to them.

Premier Brown and Julian Hall believe themselves to be so important that sinister, shadowy conspirators spend every waking moment, plotting nefarious, convoluted schemes — with just one goal in mind — to stop Premier Brown and Julian Hall as they selflessly seek their rewards in Heaven.

The person who looks back at them in the mirror is the one they should question.

CYNIC

Paget

A prevalent mindset

June 16, 2007

Dear Sir,

I enjoyed reading Mr. Julian Hall's article, especially as it reflects a mindset that I have found to be most prevalent in Bermuda since my childhood.

On returning home in 1974 on a permanent basis at the Department of Education, I was struck by the persistent use of the admonishment by teachers of, "Don't let me catch you..." or by parents, "Don't let me catch you doing that again".

I concluded, therefore, that we were raising generations of children who understand that it is OK to do what they were doing, but that they were not to "get caught" by those in authority.

I would suggest to Mr. Hall that although the law must assume innocence prior to being found guilty of an offence through due process, he (and others of like mindset) should understand that neither a good teacher nor an observant parent can be distracted by claims of innocence, knowing the accused party's predisposition to deny accusations - unless caught.

"Me thinks that Mr. Hall protests too loudly".

VICTOR GARCIA

Smith's

Stuff race card, Mr. Hall

June 16, 2007

Dear Sir,

On a second attempt, I actually managed to get through Julian Hall's opinion piece on June 14. How far off the mark is he with his global white supremacy argument? Hogwash and balderdash, that's how far. Human rights are human rights - it is as simple as that, and Dame Lois knew it. That is why she fought for all human rights - whether for blacks, women regardless of race, or the Portuguese workers in Bermuda.

Against Mr. Hall's twisted logic, when Muslim Sunnis and Shiites blow each other up, is that white supremacy? When Hamas shoot other Palestinians, is that white supremacy?

When Hutus and Tutsis chop each other up, is that white supremacy? When Muslims in north Sudan practise ethnic cleansing against the Christians in the south, is that white supremacy? When Irish Catholics and Protestants knee cap and kill one another, is that white supremacy?

No, it is all about power, Mr. Editor. Raw, unadulterated power. Power in the hands of men, regardless of colour, creed, or geographical location. Power to control people and resources. Power to fill their boots and their pockets at the expense of others. Just watch your television on any night, on any station, and you will see men brawling for power - night after night after night.

Dame Lois had the courage to take on human rights in a patriarchal system, and to her lasting credit she scored some victories. Please, Mr. Hall, don't discredit her memory and legacy with your racist and politically expedient claptrap. It isn't about race, Mr. Hall, it is about power and the abuse of human rights. And absolute power corrupts absolutely, regardless of political party. That is why we need a strong opposition, whether it is PLP, UBP, ABC, or XYZ.

So stuff the race card that you are playing, Mr. Hall. Face up to the corruption in your beloved PLP, stop playing the 'smoke and mirrors' game, and let's get on with the future of this country - as a democracy that protects the human rights of all. Nothing less will honour the memory of The Dame.

WOW (Wise Old Woman)

Smith's

A plea to white Bermuda

June 19, 2007

Dear Sir,

Every now and again an event acts as a societal mirror, and as a community we are forced to reflect. The funeral and celebrations honouring the life of the Dame Lois Browne Evans did just this.

On the day of the funeral, a country that many claim has made great strides toward genuine integration was fundamentally divided along racial lines. Why were so few white people visibly part of the celebrations? What does this mean about the history and future of our country?

I have spent the last week trying to process all of this; I have gone through a range of emotions including anger, embarrassment, despair, confusion, frustration, deep concern and hope.

But where do I go from here? How do we, as a country, start to make sense of it all? How do we prevent ourselves from getting bitter and closing down? I know that isn't what Lois Browne Evans would have wanted.

As a white Bermudian woman, the stories and life of Lois Brown Evans have had a tremendous impact on my life. I have come to know Dame Lois through books and pictures, through weeks of archival research, through listening as she reflected on events in her life, and though listening to the stories others tell. Her strength, humility, persistent sense of humour and commitment to social justice continue to inspire me every day.

In celebrating her life, I experienced Bermuda at its finest. When I got home last Tuesday night, after her memorial, I had no words. All I could say to my family was that I wish I had the ability to capture all the feelings and energy of this special day in a bottle so I could share it with everyone who wasn't there.

I want to share the warm evening light on Court Street, the beautiful sea of people waiting together to view Dame Lois' body, the strength of the procession, the reflections of those she has impacted and remembering to take the lessons she has taught us forward into the world, the delicious mac and cheese at Devonshire Rec, the comfort of dancing into the night, the relief of acknowledging history together and the joy of celebrating the life of a great woman who has built a better country for all of us.

Idealistically, I think that if I could capture all of this in a bottle and open it, then people could feel it, free of judgment, free of fear, free of identity - and maybe then we could start to move forward. But this is not a possible.

However, while the bottle idea is unrealistic, I do still feel hope. Work is required but the rewards are indescribable. Bermuda, especially white Bermuda, please, stop, ask questions, listen, let go, seek out Bermuda's complex, powerful history and participate.

If you do this, you will have the opportunity to embrace the beauty of this island in its entirety; you will have the ability to be truly at home in your home country. If you do not, not only is it your personal loss — but it is also a loss for the country.

The choice is each of ours for the taking.

LEILA WADSON

Warwick

Message of two girls

June 15, 2007

Dear Sir,

Walking yesterday in the funeral procession, there were two white girls.

I know, they did not have to be there.

They were at the viewing of Dame Lois the night before, they were at the public party that followed the funeral ... they were partying and being a part of history in the making as everyone black came together in the community to celebrate the Dame.

They possess social conscience. I know, they did not have to be there ... they could have spent the day doing what a lot of white people do on this Island on a 'holiday'....

These people CHOSE to be there...they made their representation be known on how they felt about the immeasurable good Dame Lois did for the deep division racially on this island and why by showing up, it was a visual honour they made, not lip service on reasons why they could not, would not of been there.

Please take a moment and think, if everyone came together just to think about how they could have helped bridge the racial divide on this special day, it takes one thought, one piece of action ... to help make changes.

The Hon Michael Dunkley by his "absence" sent a clear and loud message, ... what more need be said?

WATCHING

Pembroke