Lets discuss gambling

July 5, 2004

Dear Sir,

In today?s Royal Gazette, you printed a letter entitled ?Where is democracy?? It started out about gaming machines. The whole concept of gambling in Bermuda must be placed on the front burner and bold positive action taken. I would like to mention that I am in favour (with careful but quick deliberations and regulations). The banning of gaming machines is going to hurt a significant portion of our little population. Bar owners will experience a significant loss of income and will either go out of business or figure out a way to get more alcohol into the bellies of the patrons who are left.

You know what that means! Bermudian staff will have to be let go, and when the breadwinner is let go his whole family has been let go as well; his wife, her baby, that loving grandmother? Can you imagine how many people that might be? And what about all of the people who are playing these machines? There are, will be, and always have been people who have become addicted to gambling. We must be able to identify them and help them; this is where the deliberations and regulations come in. We cannot let this stop the process, it?s a ?fact of life? that we just have to live with, manage it, and move on. The majority of those people playing are addicted to the time they play: it?s their down time, their day off, and this is how they relax, regenerate, and enjoy themselves. What are they going to do now? Get drunk!

We are already way behind in this lucrative market and a cheap version on a boat somewhere off our coast is not the answer. We need one world class casino; something to rival the best in Monte Carlo, and leave the gaming machines for the entertainment and profit of the bar crowd. Then the letter became more political and angry. I understand the sentiments expressed perfectly but they are not new. They have been expressed as well throughout the UBP reign, although I am sure during that period of time, they were coming from a different segment of our population. Someone from that other party made a statement after the last election, something to the effect of there being no place in Bermuda for a third party. I heartily disagree.

If all those people who expressed these sentiments under the UBP and all those people who do so under the PLP could get together with a strong no-nonsense leader with his own clear vision, a third party could make a difference. What we don?t need is a party trying to push a watered down mixture of the two parties that we currently have. It would have to be new, intelligent, different, and dynamic. It?s a shame that the writer chooses to hide in the bushes. You can?t expect to win unless you come out and fight.

AL EASTMOND

Devonshire

July 2, 2004

Dear Sir,

In response to ?White Chick?, I feel that nowadays black movies will show things not many whites may like but then again, Denzel Washington didn?t win an Oscar for the most powerful black movie ever made, ?Malcolm X?. Spike Lee did not receive an Oscar for the same movie and I?m not complaining, so you shouldn?t complain about this movie ?White Chicks?. If you don?t wish to see it don?t watch it.

THINK ABOUT IT

Pembroke

July 6, 2004

Dear Sir,

Over the past few months I have read most of the half-cocked emanations on Independence coming from Calvin Smith. I have also read the articles on Independence written by Bob Richards. The difference between Bob Richards and Calvin Smith is that the former has looked at the issue from both sides, made a pretty intellectual analysis (and hasn?t let his emotions get the best of him) and has come to a conclusion based on a balance of intellectual and emotional considerations; the latter made up his mind years ago and has been trying to justify it ever since by sticking a square peg in a round hole. I?ve got no bias either way but I sure wish people like Calvin Smith would just take a few minutes and listen once in a while. You don?t have to agree, just listen to both sides.

LISTENER

Southampton

July 8, 2004

Dear Sir,

I am a ?White Chick? and I went to see the movie last Monday night. I thought the movie was funny. It was supposed to be a comedy about two brothers (cops) going undercover. Because we live in the real world, and not the movies, we know that not all white women act this way. Why are people getting so upset? It was just a movie, a bit of entertainment. If you can?t take a joke, then don?t go. Also, if they thought it was a discrimination against white women, then what did they think when the black ball player found out that the ?White Chick? was actually another black man. The ball player did not get upset about it turning out to be a man, but got upset to see that he was black. So he was acting as if a black woman or person was not good enough for him. And we definitely know that this is not true. Not all black men are this way.

What about at the end of the movie when the three white girls said how much fun they had with the brothers, while they were portraying the white girls, and even when they found out who they really were they still wanted to hang out together. Doesn?t this show that if we all took a little time to find out about one another instead of judging a book by its cover, that we could all get along. See the movie for what it was, entertainment for those persons wanting a laugh. On another note there is more important issues in Bermuda (and the world) than to worry about people who want to put other people in stereotypes. Think positively about each other people!

ELAINE PARRIS

Paget

July 8, 2004

Dear Sir,

I read with interest today?s article regarding the creation of another local radio station, HOTT 1075 FM. I think this is great. I encourage local business and creativity wherever possible and think more should be done to support such endeavours. I would note however the comment made by Mr. Pearman that there will be a ?young energy? but the music will kept ?balanced, so no one would be left out?.

Does this mean all genres of music would be programmed, or only those falling under the categories of R&B, Hip Hop, Reggae and Quiet Storm? Personally I think you should include my personal favourite, Heavy Metal, to your programming content. There are listeners on the island who would love to hear the dulcet tones of Slayer, Superjoint Ritual, Iced Earth, Judas Priest, Eye Hate God and Overkill being broadcast. There is no other form of music that conveys the sheer power and energy of Metal and Metal is definitely beyond ?Urban?. To not include Metal would make it grossly inaccurate to suggest no one would be left out from your programming. Up the Irons!

GREG BROWN

City of Hamilton

July 8, 2004

Dear Sir,

I?m suffering from an identity crisis because I thought I was living in the, relatively, calm backwater of Bermuda. But, if one is to believe one?s ears, then I?m living in New York or even downtown Baghdad! That supposition is based on the expansion of what can only be described as the ?I?m awake, so nobody sleeps? new breed of ambulance, fire brigade and police drivers who keep most of Bermuda awake at all hours of the night.

Many times I have bought The Royal Gazette to read, based on the alarms which woke me during the night, about the two Jumbo jets which had collided over Warwick, but to no avail. The sight of an ambulance proceeding at a delicate 20 mph with lights flashing and bells and alarms ringing left, right and centre, or a fire truck equally showing off, on its way back to the Fire Station, has really started to annoy me.

And I start to wonder, just who these people who, with all due respect to the wonderful job they do, appear to be, at times, living in the twilight zone! Are these the same people who, ten years or so ago, would pass out on blind corners, or drove at 50 mph on the streets of Bermuda and who have now, finally, found their true calling? As far as I am concerned, the increase in noise created by these people far exceeds any increase in accidents, fires or domestic disturbances which could, in any way justify, the annoying cacophony of night sounds they create. These people need to cool it because they are starting to annoy the hell out of me and most of the population of Bermuda.

SLEEPLESS IN BERMUDA

Devonshire

July 7, 2004

Dear Sir,

One point that White Chick fails to realise is that for every media image of the golf-playing, nasal-voiced Caucasian, there are hundreds of ?Erin Brokovich?s?, ?Good Will Huntings?, ?Spidermans?, etc. Unfortunately, Hollywood and the media have not been so kind to African Americans. So the comparison is not fair. I certainly will not be calling upon the people of my race to get off the golf courses and break free from the shackles of oppression. To date, the film has earned $27 million. That money will not be going into the pockets of the Wayans, but back to the studio, which is owned by white people. Perhaps that is the real racism.

I do agree that the movie is of poor quality and lacks imagination. ?White Chicks? certainly won?t help to develop relations between races. It is disappointing that the Wayan brothers would continue to produce this type of film after another brother, Damon, appeared in Spike Lee?s tremendous ?Bamboozled? ? a film about images of African Americans in the media (and in which white people do put on blackface). All people, black and white, would benefit from watching movies of this nature, rather than the low-brow antics of the Wayans.

ANDY SMITH

Warwick

July 2, 2004

Dear Sir,

It continues to blow my mind how recycling and conservation are given so little priority on this Island. Where trees are being cut unmercifully, none are being planted. Open spaces of land, once protected, now are being filled with condos. What is happening? Our Minister of Environment must be on a permanent vacation, because all we see is more destruction of trees all around this Island, never mind any campaigns to encourage us and teach our children the importance of recycling. One nearly cries when driving on South Shore in Devonshire and see all those palm trees which were chopped down ruthlessly.

Look at the new condos allowed to be built on the old Sky Top Guest house ? my gracious! Who gave planning permission to build such ugly things? When I first arrived on this Island, some 20-odd years ago, the laws were so strict as to boundaries and building, it was not funny ? however, it was all in the interest of protecting this tiny little Island. In a recent trip to Costa Rica, I was so impressed when driving through one of their beaches in the Dominical area, there it is?. a recycling station! Something, this country with all its wealth, is not able to accomplish! Costa Rica, this little nation, considered Third World, has managed to put a recycling station in one of their tiniest beaches! What are they doing right that we are doing so wrong? What ever happened to the Bottle bill? Did we just give up on it?

Well enough complaining about it all, here are my suggestions: Pass the bottle bill. This will cut down on the thousands of bottles being thrown away every day. One person?s trash is someone else?s treasure. You can collect bottles and take them in to ?proper? recycling stations and get money in return. All supermarkets should have these available for the public to bring in the cans and bottles and get money back. Education, Education, Education. How many years does it take for a disposable diaper to biodegrade ? anyone know? Over 450 years! Let?s teach everyone the importance of recycling.

Planned tree cutting. If you cut down one tree, you must plant three others. Provide each household with a proper blue recycling bin, large enough and sturdy enough so that it lasts. For those of us who are not interested in the money we get back from bottles and cans, we toss our recyclables in an adequate recycling bin, which is collected once a week. Electric cars. Where are they? The US has them all over the place and Americans drive at 55 mph!

LEAD, FOLLOW OR GET OUT OF THE WAY

City of Hamilton

July 5, 2004

Dear Sir,

A letter today talks about the use of marijuana. His/her observations are that young boys are getting together at a ?community club? and smoking marijuana, and something needs to be done about the inappropriate, disrespectful, and illegal behaviour. I couldn?t agree more. Many community clubs are having a terrible time attracting young people, and here it is this club has them right there, and don?t know what to do with them. I say shame on you. I?ll bet that these young boys have a completely different set of observations, like maybe the dues-paying members and president, that they are supposedly disrespecting, staggering out of the bar heavily under the influence of their drug, booze. These young boys probably have the same impressions of you as you have of them. If you really want to make a positive difference you might open a dialogue with these young people and find out why it is that they are rejecting your recreational drug in favour of theirs.

If you are going to revise the rules of your club to exclude young people (particularly boys), then what good is your club? If you weave these young people into the fabric of your club they could become quite community minded and you would have a wealth of volunteers to keep your pitch in top shape 100 percent of the time which will truly benefit the club and the fans, many of whom use marijuana themselves: they just hide it better. I hope that the letter writer does not sit in his hiding place and come to the conclusion that this is an attack on him/her. It is not. Much nonsense about marijuana being destructively harmful to society has been brainwashed into a significant number of people, who just spout off with it without giving the subject an objective look or analysis. You are just one of those people. If you did not care, you wouldn?t have taken the time to write your letter. I would urge you to include these young people into your caring.

AL EASTMOND

Devonshire