Flaunt or flout

August 4, 2010

Dear Sir,

In today's (Aug 4) paper, Opposition Senate Leader Sen Michael Dunkley complained of Cup Match-goers openly smoking cannabis. He said: "The law is the law and it was being flaunted in the public atmosphere."

Flaunt is commonly misused for flout. Flaunt means showing off. Flout means to show contempt for. The best way to remember? When one speaks of defying the law the word is always flout.

PAMELA H WILLCOCKS

Smith's parish

Inequity not addressed

July 25, 2010

Dear Sir,

They were both passionate and eloquent! Their emotional and articulate discourse condemning unearned privilege, misplaced authority, historical inequities, patronage and entitlement had to be persuasive. Minister Michael Scott and the Minister of Tourism, Premier Dr. Ewart Brown, made it abundantly clear that they were addressing a centuries-old indignity inflicted on blacks. The Premier commended the courage of Minister Zane DeSilva. But one could not help wondering about all of the long serving black MPs that had been elected. It was incongruous particularly when Minister De Silva took us back to the 1700s when the Portuguese were not even here and the unfortunate Blacks were still enslaved. Were the black MPs lacking in courage?

The issues, we were told, were authority, franchise and money. Few blacks have any authority and what they do have is centralised in, and confined to, the Cabinet. Most have the franchise and all are interested in the money. Even those who did not have the franchise are as concerned about, or more concerned about, the money.

The "historical inequity" that concerns most Blacks today is the disparity of the economy and the lack of money in the black community. We cannot "move forward together" as long as so little of the millions of dollars spent by this Government is not directed towards the black Bermudian Community. The Premier recently visited South Africa. Both South Africa and North America at least the USA have unabashed affirmative action policies and legislation. Some blacks would have liked that to have been his final battle.

Where was the passion and eloquence when the PLP, through Ashfield DeVent, sacked Proactive and hired a white-owned firm which cost just as much? Where was the passion and eloquence about historical inequities when the Equity Bill quietly disappeared? Where was the passion and eloquence when they refused to assist in the formation of a black bank when a new white bank has prospered and flourished?

Blacks will never "move forward" together, even with municipal reform, as long as most blacks continue to be excluded from the "wealth creation" of this Government and as long as this Government continues to direct almost all of its millions in its most profitable contracts, its highest consultants fees and its property rentals towards whites, Portuguese and black Americans. That does not put this Government "on the right side of History". Taxi drivers and truck drivers whose livelihoods have been undermined and local construction workers, who are earning less than foreign construction workers, are as concerned about their finances as they are about their franchise, perhaps more so.

Blacks are easily, quickly and emotionally responsive to reminders of "historical (and current) inequities". But that is not enough. For after they have given intense, emotional (almost bordering on vindictiveness) support to the punishing of the "Jim Butterfields" for their "unearned privileges", the spoils go to the "Correias" of Bermuda and blacks do not benefit financially after those battles any more than they do after most others.

It is meaningless to continually preach "democracy" and boast about one man one vote, one vote of equal value, when there is such a marked difference in the "value" of the MPs for whom we vote, since some are paid so much more than others and have so much more power than others. Many blacks voted for the PLP in order to avoid "going back to the plantation" but many of them are feeling that while some have indeed prospered they, as blacks, are still very much on a financial "plantation" and for all of the skills acquired by some in the hierarchy of the PLP none of those skills are being used to address their financial situation or the economic disparity between the black and white communities, which is perhaps our oldest and most intractable "historical inequity".

EVA N. HODGSON

Hamilton Parish

Round Tablers sought

August 3, 2010

Dear Sir,

I am looking for information and to get in contact with any active or past member of Round Table Bermuda or 41 Club. The details I have, are from approximately ten years ago when Members Andrew Wilkinson and Gary Wilson were active Tablers. My own Table is Airdrie & District Round Table, just outside Glasgow, Scotland. Airdrie RT was founded just over 50 years ago by Falkirk RT, since then, Airdrie founded Hamilton (Lanarkshire) RT which in turn founded both RT Gibraltar & RT Bermuda.

Secure links have been established with Airdrie & Gibraltar Tables and I would like to explore the possibility of renewing and expanding the links between Bermuda's Round Table or 41 Club if possible due to Hamilton RT Lanarkshire having closed a few years ago. Within the next 12 months, there is the possibility of chartering a new 41 Club within the district and it would be exciting if a twinning opportunity could be part of the Charter.

If you are a Tabler, 41 Club member or have any information on the clubs, it would be great to hear from you.

NORBERT GRANT

Vice Chairman, Airdrie & District Round Table

E-mail address supplied to the Editor of The Royal Gazette

Questions for Minister

July 25, 2010

Dear Sir,

I recently read Minister DeSilva's comments to the media about the events surrounding the Municipalities Bill debate. I am left with questions and concerns. Has he forgotten that the Portuguese were the first large European country to have black slaves? Has he forgotten that Portugal took until February 25, 1869 to finally abolish all aspects of slavery, i.e. some 34 years post Emancipation?

He talks of closing the wealth gap between whites and blacks. As a no doubt wealthy white man starting from a point of privilege as he did, one wonders what he has done to address the economic imbalance. Minister DeSilva talks of abuse that he, his family and The Premier and his family have suffered of late. Does he think about the abuse that we ordinary citizens suffer at the hands of the Government of which he is a member? Of Colonel Burch writing to local employers, to quiz the political opinions expressed by their Bermudian employees?

Minister DeSilva talks of his wife restraining his son, otherwise there might have been a bloodbath. One presumes he must referring to his son's potential actions, as I saw no indication of "people baying for blood". Theatricals don't suit you, Mr. DeSilva. Mr DeSilva, if you really want to "take society forward", then you need to look long and hard at the Government of which you are a member. A Government that needs to clean up its own act before they lecture us on what is right. Sadly, I won't hold my breath for that to happen. One final point. Mr DeSilva... look at the photos of the march. Count the numbers of Black people who were there. Ask yourself the question — why so many? When you can sensibly answer that question, you might begin to understand.

NOT IMPRESSED

Smiths

Be the change

July 26, 2010

Dear Sir,

I write to you as a young Bermudian, one of those young Bermudians who are often said to be the future of this Island. Too often we hear, "It will be up to you", the convenient phrase used to pass responsibility from one generation to the next, in this case from an older generation to mine. However, this is not good enough. I fear such words are said in frustration, frustration that previous efforts and enthusiasm have seemed to fall on deaf ears and that the ideals of youth are but folly, without substance and unsuited to 'the real world'. Whilst I cannot blame you for feeling this way, I can encourage you to remember that which you once felt, that which is still perhaps somewhere inside you.

Though they may have been unsuited to a previous time, believe that these ideals are still held, valid and can be realised in this time. So let us be one with our ideals, and with the young people of this Island, and together, as Ghandi said, "be the change we wish to see".

"A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes." Like Ghandi, I know that for the sake of my individual future, and our futures, I have to think, and thus believe, that Bermuda will survive this tumultuous time. In order for us to be great we must stand strong by our ideals for this country. In order for us to achieve happiness and prosperity, we must believe in the possibility of harmony and unity. I envision a place where people are proud to call themselves Bermudian, where politicians from all sides are respectable people who seek to work for the community rather than to enact individual gain, where talent is developed, where education is unrivalled and where we have a community built on solidarity.

I do not see this as a list of all the things we are not, indeed Bermuda may be said to have achieved many of these ideals both now and in the past, however they have never been universal and our successes were, and continue to be, achieved without fairness to all without universality. I want to see these ideals pursued without reference to race, religion, gender or income. We are all Bermudians, and all deserve to live on an island where each of us has the opportunity to achieve.

Politicians from all sides should hear this as the voice of a real Bermudian, someone who truly cares for the country and its people, someone who seeks not only to serve themselves but those around them, someone they are meant to represent, and ultimately someone they should have the respect to listen to.

My message to young people: educate yourselves. Make the most of your days in school by reading the books in the library, talking to people around you whom you respect and finding individuals who set an excellent example. Learn to question, work hard, and keep your faith that this country will offer you a place in which to lead an honest life. More so, realise the true potential within yourself regardless of the cards life dealt you. My message to the rest: please be someone that we, the young people, can look up to and remember and stand firmly by those ideals you once had because we need you.

A YOUNG BERMUDIAN LOOKING FOR POSITIVE CHANGE FOR ALL

Devonshire