October 5, 2006

Dear Sir,

The Botanical Gardens should never have been considered as a site for a new hospital. It is wrong to think of the Botanical Gardens as another park, another green space that can be built on. It is Bermuda's only Botanical Garden and its most important function is to accommodate the National Plant Collections. The only place on the island where different species of plants are planted in their genetic groups for the purpose of research, identification and information on cultivation.

Our horticultural experiences are unique due to our geographic location, oceanic environment, alkaline soil and climate. Therefore it is vital that we preserve our own reference to this information with the mature living species that exist in the gardens and continue to play our part in world plant study. It is ironic that the future of medicine relies on this study. The proposed area for the new hospital is the most important site in the gardens and the most important green space in Bermuda.

The excuses put forward for not building on the existing site are weak and unfounded. With regard to the dust and noise, the prevailing wind in the gardens comes from the south. All the dust and noise from the construction in the gardens would waft upwards towards the hospital. Building on the Springfield site, the wind would take the dust and noise away most of the time. As to the cost, if the huge cost of rebuilding a Botanical Garden on the existing site has not been included as it should be for the cost to be accurate, with all the logistics taken into account, one fails to see how this concept is cheaper than rebuilding on the existing site and we need suitable ground for plant collections, not grass growing over a rubbish tip.

If the land is not returned to the Botanical Gardens, the BHB will have an offensive total of 27 acres. i.e. 17 acres (14 acres mentioned is incorrect) plus the ten acres more. There is no justification for this. The BHB must lean how to rebuild on their 17 acres because one wonders where will hospital #4 go 40 years from now? With an expanding population and roads too narrow and congested for an ambulance to pass at any great speed, satellite facilities for emergencies, might be a better requirement. At the moment the people in the East End are vulnerable if the causeway is damaged in a hurricane and they cannot get top the hospital in Paget. Building a small hospital in St. David's as well as the Springfield site, would provide a place for patients while the existing hospital is being rebuilt, which can then be connected to the Springfield wing.

EVELYN YOUNG

Paget

October 10, 2006

Dear Sir,

After reading of yet another motorbike death on Bermuda's roads, I wonder if our Road Safety Council will intervene and promote road safety more aggressively. Although the safe driving announcements, broadcast on our radio stations, are with good intentions, Bermuda's youth are obviously not listening. Our Road Safety Council is lacking, as far as I am concerned, and it is time to get through to these young kids.

These teens are driving recklessly with no care and are putting everyone on the road in grave danger. It needs to stop. Perhaps the Road Safety Council can coordinate with the public and private school teachers to create workshops to be held during the school day. The focus would be to emphasise the consequences due to reckless driving and how it affects the community as well. An alternative solution would be a field trip to the morgue.

ALLISON FAIELLA

Southampton

September 19, 2006

Dear Sir,

To the persons who passed out pamphlets on Foreign workers last week, that's no good. You should ask your Minister of Immigration. No one can get into Bermuda without the permission of this Minister and staff.

SIMPLE

Devonshire

October 2, 2006

Dear Sir,

The glorious experience I had watching the 'Spirit of Bermuda' slowly come around the point at Gates Fort at the East End of St. George's Parish and approach Fort St. Catherine was awesome!

As I watched the ship, I thought of how the people of Bermuda from the early years of the sloops, schooners and brigs must have stood on the hills watching out for the return of their loved ones and when sighted - shouted they have returned!

Hundreds of ships "back in the day", a term used by my grandchildren, were wrecked and lives were lost during hurricanes and on the reefs surrounding Bermuda. Ironically the month of September was indeed the month for severe weather for shipping, not to mention the winter months. Fortunately today, we have navigational equipment along with skilled captains and pilots to bring them home safely.

I thought too of how my paternal great great grandfather Charles Roach Ratteray (1799-1872) along with his sons built ships like this and sailed them; carrying supplies to both the Americas and the West Indies (Read 'Heritage' by Dr. Kenneth Robinson). The Ratteray Clan of Bermuda proudly have in their possession Bills of Lading and other shipping documents bearing his signature as the owner, proof that he was a part of the early shipping industry of our island. I felt the joy my great great grandmother his first wife Rebecca (1800-1857) and his second wife Jane (1827-1884) must have had, when told that their Charles and his ship, either the Ring Dove or the Rose of Sharon had been sighted off Ely's Harbour or Wreck Hill in Sandys Parish.

I wish to thank and commend The Bermuda Sloop Association for taking the initiative to build a ship that is truly beautiful and a part of our past. They have not spared expense and every Bermudian should make a contribution no matter how small to the Association to help defray the final expenses. Your readers, especially those Bermudians of Colour, should be proud to know that their ancestors namely Benjamin Hill and Son of Crawl, Samuel Trott and James Athill of St. George's and Charles R. Ratteray of Somerset, I dare say there were others, were notable shipwrights.

Finally, I wish to pay my respects to a gentleman I met some years ago, now deceased, by the name of Mr. Guy Millett, who made the sails of those ships by hand, I was privileged to see the tools of his trade and I hope they are safely housed at the Maritime Museum. It has taken the Bermuda Sloop Association to bring the history of all Bermudians to life and have appropriately named the ship Spirit of Bermuda.

ODA A. MALLORY, JP (Ms)

Warwick Parish

October 5, 2006

Dear Sir,

So I received my new card today (HSBC). Geez, why not have my pin number on the back, all my other information is on it. Card number, account number and two pin numbers! They could not even put an original design on it, check your TBI calling card! Me thinks many people will be going "across the road".

PHISHED

Devonshire

October 3, 2006

Dear Sir,

The letter from ONION in London, Ontario in today's newspaper with regard to land and race was an interesting read. However it was a classic case of looking backward instead of forward. Yesterday should not be judged by today's standards. We can look back into history worldwide and find a multiple of "wrongs" that were considered acceptable at the time. But what we can and should do is look forward and ensure that in the future we all work together, "black, white and other", to ensure that decisions not only with regard to Bermuda's environment but all decisions affecting Bermuda and future Bermudians (that is our children and grandchildren) are made in the interests of us all.

Let us not turn this issue into a race issue which it isn't. We Bermudians have more in common than the colour of our skin and it is up to us all regardless of race or ethnic background to make sure than we preserve Bermuda as best we can for future generations. So I would urge all Bermudians to become active, get involved in the issues that are going to affect the future of our little island, whether the education of our children, the provision of homes for our lower income families, the environment or whatever.

ANNE PEARSON

Bailey's Bay

October 4, 2006

Dear Sir,

I read in today's newspaper that the Hon. Ms Paula Cox and the Hon. Dr. Ewart Brown are enjoying good ratings for their performances as government Ministers. Astonishing! The Minister of Finance (Ms Cox ) is missing almost $1,000,000,000.00 - one billion dollars - from her portfolio. (You could build two acute-care hospitals for that amount of money). Dr. Brown, in the Ministry of Tourism, no longer reports hotel occupancy but airport arrivals, and says tourist spending is up by $1,250,000.00 - just over a million. Yet, he doesn't say how much he's spent in theme parties, movie nights, cruise ship passenger enticements, etc., to reach this increased revenue. Since when has revenue not been compared against expense? (Forgive me for insulting the intelligence of most readers, but that is how you figure out whether you have made a profit or a loss). Is the Bermudian public really this gullible? If so, then we get the government we deserve.

INCREDULOUS

Smith's Parish

Editor's Note: The Ministry of Finance is not "missing" almost $1 billion. the Auditor's report stated that more than $800 million worth of expenditures are unaudited and were therefore unaccounted for. This is a fine but real distinction.

October 6, 2006

Dear Sir,

If everything goes to form, the new hospital will be built where they want it, by Pro Active, headed up by Alex (until it starts to go pear shaped), run somewhere around 100 percent over budget and take somewhere around two and a half times the contract period to complete as promised. And Mr. Editor, if you, or anyone else, doesn't like it, get over it. The only good news is that they are going to use up all the green space in Paget as I am the ...

WARWICK LIZARD

October 6, 2006

Dear Sir,

The phrase "Music has charms to soothe the savage breast" takes on new meaning at the Bermuda Music Festival in Dockyard on Thursday night, October 5. Having been subjected to the "will call" from hell, hundreds of people, mostly visitors to our Island, very much needed a "Midnight Train to Georgia", because anywhere else would have been preferable to being in Bermuda at that time. Apparently, "will call" Bermuda style means milling around with hundreds of people in the hope that eventually some poor mobbed woman "will call" your name out - in random order. No lines, no alphabetical order, no stations, just absolute bedlam. A more fitting slogan for our Discover Bermuda campaign is "Bermuda: Feel the Rage". Kudos to Steve Harvey for making me laugh, to The Manhattans for making me dance, and for Gladys Knight for the memory of other days when the "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" was having a ticket in my hand ahead of time, and not relying on will call.

WON'T CALL AGAIN

Paget

October 5, 2006

Dear Sir,

When I was in the army back in the day (1976) we were all put in a bunker on South Shore and subjected to tear gas. We all know what it does and feels like now. So Mr. Police Commissioner, what's the problem? How can you arm your force with pepper spray if officers don't know first hand what it does and feels like? The men and women of the Bermuda Police force are not a bunch of "Lilies". Sir, I'm sure they can handle it. So all Police who carry pepper spray should be sprayed. And It would be a good opportunity for Mr. George Jackson "Police Commissioner" to stand up and take one for the team and get sprayed first.

WAC

Smith's Parish

P.s. The suspension is ridiculous as is the Commissioner's handling of it!

October 5, 2006

Dear Sir,

I'm wondering when Belco will be lowering their high fuel adjustment costs now that oil and gas prices have lowered dramatically. Crude oil costs is at its lowest since December, 2005 and gas prices are also decreasing. I would therefore assume that only Belco's bottom line is increasing as it continues to charge exorbitant fuel adjustment rates as noted on my last bill. I'm paying over $200 a month for a one-bedroom apartment but my water heater is plugged in only a few times a week; all electrical equipment except the fridge, stove, TV and an alarm clock are unplugged daily; I've purchased energy-saving bulbs too, but I'm still paying $200 a month. Belco, I can do little else to reduce my costs, please lower your fuel adjustments in line with current gas and oil costs.

POWERLESS

Sandys Parish

Editor's Note: Belco does not profit from the fuel adjustment clause because it is tied directly to the cost of fuel when it is purchased. Belco states that the fuel adjustment clause will fall by 4.4 percent this month and will further decline in November and December.

October 6, 2006

Dear Sir,

I am beginning to question whether or not there is collusion between Belco and the island's Post Office. On September 4, I received my Belco bill dated August 23 for an amount of $558.92. The discount date was September 11 and the discount was $27.95. I settled this bill by mail on September 6. I have now just received my latest bill dated September 29 indicating a gross charge of $ 475.30 (based on estimate). Included in this charge is an amount of $27.95 which suggests that I have lost my discount because of late payment. I have already spoken with a lady at Belco who informed me that there was nothing she could do other than to advise me to drop off my next cheque at Belco's main office on Serpentine Road in future. Is that really the only solution?

The cash flow at Belco must be so good! Yet I still can't understand why they are not able to place all the island's overhead wiring underground and I do not believe the estimated costing which is released and increased every time this subject is raised. I suggest that if this particular project had been started 20 years ago and Belco had completed a mile per year, the job would be finished and we would not be experiencing the inconveniences and disruption every time there is a visit from a hurricane. After all, we are constantly being reminded by our "leaders" that we are blessed because we live on a very sophisticated island.

SENIOR CITIZEN

(Govt. Pension $1,000 per month)

Paget