Investment in the people

November 9, 2010

Dear Sir,

During a visit to Bermuda Cancer and Health today I had a very good conversation with Rona on the value of good health and on the vital part that nutrition plays in the condition of our health. We talked about the outrageous cost and quality of the fresh and healthy food in Bermuda which partially accounts for many people making the choice to purchase and eat the fast food items … the food full of preservatives. In light of the obesity epidemic in Bermuda and as an investment in the people of our country, wouldn't it be great if the cost and quality of healthy food was made a priority on a National Agenda that would require that the profit margin on fresh and healthy food be limited, with the shortfall in profits being realised on sales of the less healthy, junk food. Please join us by talking to your friends and relatives and to your government representative to make fresh and healthy food items affordable for all!

KIM SMITH

Pembroke

Something we must fix

November 10, 2010

Dear Sir,

I think it quite likely that our young men who wield guns and fire them at people are missing a few things that others are not. Top of the list is probably respect, closely followed by a lack of the aspirations young people usually have. Hope is almost sure to be missing and it would be a good bet that there was not a consistently present caring adult involved in their lives, possibly a father who may have himself been in the same predicament in a time before guns. If it is perceived that there is no chance of a bright future, no hope, if the largest chunk of waking hours are not spent preparing for a distant future, studying, garnering useful experience, if there is no caring person to turn to for advice that can be relied upon and if you are low on the totem pole not receiving any positive reinforcement only negative feedback. Then there may be a tendency to live fast and dangerous, both in boys/men and girls/women. This may be a source for teen pregnancy, gun violence, disrespect for law and authority, unsociable behaviour etc.

These are deeply rooted social problems, not easily solved. Gun crime cannot be swiftly brought to an end with beefed up law enforcement. "Live by the sword and die by the sword", I've heard somewhere and I am no expert in that area, but I think those words mean putting sword to sword, meeting violence with violence results in death or at least bad injury. We probably have to look at the long term and tackle the roots of these problems.

While the Colonel is trying to keep a lid on the more violent aspects of the problem, and surely there are few more able, it really is gratifying to see that others are talking about working on the long term side. Perhaps early childhood development could get into the conversation as it actively involves and informs parents and could take a modest few hundred thousand to complete Island-wide coverage. More efforts at mentoring, not the rich and middle classes, but the not so rich and the poor, could be included. We went through a transition in my youth where it was no longer possible for the average household to live on one income. We've not fully replaced that lifestyle with one that works. Too much time is spent by adults outside the home with the result that much less is spent with the children and they suffer from this.

Children without paid- for nannies, or other care that their parents cannot afford, these are the ones likely to fall through the cracks. We may need to have a rethink about schools out at 3.30 while mom and dad are out at 5 p.m. After-school care for everybody, expensive yes, but cheaper than trying much later on to catch those who fell through the cracks. Somehow we must match up children with caring adults for society to function properly.

All these are but a sop however as our greatest challenge is the great divide, no, not black white but rich poor, which makes it OK for some but miserable for others. It is very pleasing to see that there are many areas where the government is planning to cover the bases on many of our woes and we can reasonably hope that with all the abundance of talent in and out of Cabinet and around Bermuda, adjustments will be made to cover all the right places.

DELAEY ROBINSON

St. George's

What a surprise

November 11, 2010

Dear Sir,

I just want to say thanks for the article on Beaver Island, Michigan yesterday. I had just returned from a month's visit seeing my daughter and her family who live there. What a surprise when I read your paper yesterday, I thought I was the only one in Bermuda who knew it existed! Needless to say I have sent a copy to my family.

ROSE SPERSHOTT

Smith's

Kudos to Berkeley Institute

October 26, 2010

Dear Sir,

Over the past couple of weeks, I have had the pleasure of volunteering at the Berkeley Institute. The first day I was there I was blown away by the polite and pleasant manner of the students and by the awesomeness of their buildings. As far as the buildings are concerned, I have had the thought that I am now less inclined to feel that loads of money was pocketed by the wrong individuals. The buildings are well built and well appointed. The construction is tremendous. The overall effect is that the place is elegant and classy. To boot, I have to commend the students for keeping their environment so tidy. As I walk by classrooms the students are engaged with their work with excellent decorum. Their teachers appear to be dedicated and happy in their work. All in all, it has been such a pleasure being here. I am writing this letter in the school library. It is really beautiful and would outshine libraries in big cities. To the students I have to commend the students, keep up the good that you are doing and really take advantage of the opportunity you are being given.

HELENE STEPHENSON

Smith's

Not the cog, but the wheel

November 12, 2010

Dear Sir,

There are times when I say to myself, Pat, just forget about politics and Bermuda for awhile … give it a rest – but then in some quiet moment the brain starts ticking again and the next thing you know, I am back at the computer trying to sort out the problems facing us. I know that in my last letter I said I didn't want to carp on the past administration, but unfortunately, our new Premier is part of the past administration, and I feel that by her holding on to the finance portfolio we may end up being in the same boat that we were in before. After all, she was Finance Minister.

I am wondering if she has held onto this Ministry because she really doesn't want someone else to see the mess that is really there and will possibly try to clean it up before that happens. I frankly think that she would have been wise to have handed the Finance Ministry over to Minister Lister – that is his line of expertise, isn't it? Mr. Editor, I have in front of me a record of Government's total net public debt and it is staggering. Also, Mr. Editor, it is sad that many people do not understand finance, thus their lack of interest in the bottom line. As long as the money keeps coming, that's all that matters. In 1999 the total net public debt was almost $85 million. In 2006 to 2007 it had jumped to $1.7 billion, and from 2009 to 2010 it jumped to $6.1 billion dollars, all in the period of only 4 short years. Bank loans in 2004 to 2005 was $6 million – 2005 to 2006 $311 million and 2009 to 2010 $1.5 billion. Do the maths! Again that $1.5 billion was reached in just four short years.

Now who was running the show then? It was none other than former Premier Dr. Ewart Brown with Paula Cox as the Finance Minister, and this same person has now taken over as Premier and is still Finance Minister which I find this very scary. As a Finance Minister she is not just a cog in the wheel … she is the wheel. The wheel supports the cogs. I mean no disrespect to Premier Cox, in fact, I wish her well – but I question her ability as a Finance Minister. It was on her watch as Finance Minister that Bermuda is now in the biggest financial mess ever and she is partly to blame for not stopping the insane outflow of money which we, the Bermudian public, haven't a clue as to where it has all gone. Some of us have some ideas, but for various reasons, cannot publicly say. It is obvious this past administration's management of the public purse warrants a call for a forensic audit, or a Royal Commission of Inquiry (if they are one and the same, pardon my ignorance). So Mr. Editor, the bottom line is that Bermuda is not in debt to the tune of $1.2 billion – Bermuda is in debt to the tune of over $6.1 billion. Dr. Ewart Brown and his helpers have done this island and her people a grave disservice. He was a disaster waiting to happen and he happened. Too bad the PLP didn't listen when they were warned not to let him get a hold of the reins. And to those who continue to defend and justify wrong – wake up – 'fess up and stand up!

PAT FERGUSON

Warwick

Where is my money?

November 15, 2010

Dear Sir,

In early May of this year, the Department of Statistics put an ad out in the newspaper to gather as many people as they can to become Field Interviewers for the 2010 Census of Housing and Population. They especially advertised that it would be a perfect opportunity for College students. As a university student just returning from abroad and looking for some extra change, I applied. As part of the training for the job, it was mandatory to attend classes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm to 9pm. A clause in the contract was that in order to get the $350 training fee, one must complete 50 households. We only began the second phase of the Census in mid-July. As a college student returning to studies at the end of August, that gave me roughly five to six weeks to do a minimum of 50 households. Bear in mind that this is a part-time job, and I already had a 40-hour per week full time job.

During this time, I had gotten into a bike accident after leaving a residence in my Census district. The abrasion was quite severe and my foot had swollen. I couldn't go to work for two weeks because the doctor ordered me to stay off of it and keep it elevated to reduce the swelling. I went back to work for a week from August 16-20. That week of the 16th and the following week of the 23rd, I scrambled day and night to reach the minimum on the foot that I shouldn't have been on in the first place, but I was short on time since I was leaving for school on the 28th. I even worked long hours on weekends, trying to do six or seven houses, keeping in mind that each household, depending on the size can take about an hour to complete accurately. I had told my immediate supervisor for the Census and a Statistician at the department about my accident and my shortness of time left. I was only able to complete 49 households, not the 50 minimum in order to get the $350 training fee.

After waiting two and some months to receive the payment, I see that the training fee was not included. You mean to tell me that after slaving in the summer heat, long hours of sacrifice knocking at reluctant residents' doors, while bearing ridicule and still being able to my job, and you don't pay me the training fee because I did 49 houses and not 50? One might well ask why the Dept of Statistics kept getting extensions to Census deadline, begging for more workers to complete households, even offering higher commissions. It's hard work, especially when one is trying to juggle the demands of regular life activities with a strenuous part-time job, like a Field Interviewer. In my opinion, I feel that it's only right and just that the Department of Statistics gives me the training fee for my efforts despite the circumstances. In all honesty, Bermuda Government just lost one diligent, future employee and I'm sure each reader knows that the power of word-of-mouth in Bermuda works perfectly.

OUTRAGED AND DISGUSTED

USA