A delightful breakFebruary 2, 2011Dear Sir,We were given a postcard by bus driver Mark Anderson while on our trip to Bermuda for the Marathon race weekend in January, 2011 and we wanted to send some feedback.As Canadians from a cold climate where the temperature can drop to -20 to -30 below Celsius and where it's all mitts and warm jackets all winter - Bermuda was a delightful break for my wife and I! My wife and I both ran the mile, 10k and half marathon on Bermuda's Marathon Race Weekend. We loved weaving along the coast of the island, past friendly locals and their pastel houses. Although a bit tired, we managed to also explore the island and had a hilarious and colorful commentary filled tour one morning with Mark Anderson on one of Bermuda's pink buses. Mark is an asset and truly was one of the highlights of our trip - we loved his greeting passengers as “General” or “Gorgeous” and he was friendly and using one of his terms, fabulous! We cannot say enough about your island our trip and hope to come back for a longer stay next time.NOEL AND KIM PAINEMontreal, CanadaThree strikes and outFebruary 1, 2011Dear Sir,In today's Royal Gazette, an individual (Ezra Ezzard Williams) had been sentence to one year in prison for stabbing Preston Mallory during an argument that had taken place in the Cedar Park area on February 24, 2010. That's correct: almost one year ago. In spite of the slow “justice” being handed out to this individual, Mr Williams had left an area to get not just one but several bladed weapons and returned for the sole purpose of stabbing Mr. Mallory. I ask the Courts: “If a person becomes agitated when they drink and have a tendency to be provoked or to provoke others and then reverts to arming himself, aren't his actions now premeditated”? (As far as I'm concerned, there are no “ifs, ands or buts”) So how in the world does this person only receive a sentence of one year for an offence he has, according to the courts, previously committed in the past on numerous occasions? This is why I believe our justice system must be changed! We must deter people from repeating these ludicrous criminal acts. There should be a three strikes and then you're out law! There need to be mandatory sentences handed out.RAYMOND RAYSt. George'sMarriage and harassmentFebruary 1, 2011Dear Sir,I am writing in response to B. Marshall's letter published on February 1, 2011. Mr. Marshall, what exactly do same sex marriages have to do with the incident that you described in your letter? Please, I would love for you to create a valid argument using your anecdote. I have an idea. Perhaps we should ban traditional marriages as well … I am sure that every Bermudian woman can recount occasions when she has had unwelcome advances from men she is not interested in many of which are relentless and involve inappropriate language and touching. Obviously the men who harass women in this way are merely looking for a wife. Is that what you are saying, or was your letter simply a homophobic rant? Maybe you are right; we should outlaw all marriages so that we may all be safe.AMY GREENSLADESouthamptonDon't blame guest workersFebruary 1, 2011Dear Sir,I read with great interest about the recent meeting the Department of Environmental Protection had with local fisherman. First, the presenter makes a very valid point; there is currently little or no information about what is considered legal or acceptable practice for fishing off the rocks, particularly when talking about what some Bermudians consider “trash” fish. If Breams, Chubs,, Squirrel Fish, Sgt Majors, slippery dicks, etc need to be protected based on size and amount caught, then these regulations need to be developed and communicated to all recreational fishermen (regardless of nationality).Second, it is unfair to point the finger at guest workers. This type of indiscriminate fishing has been going on for many years (including locals) and given the lack of fish around our shores it is probably time we put proper measures about size, type and quantity of fish caught in place. The presenter mentions “a difference in attitudes towards the use of natural resources” but without any regulations in place, we can't point fingers. I also think it is disingenuous for Government to discuss the fishing practices of guest workers when a few years ago there was discussion of opening Bermuda's waters to foreign long liners. Any discussion about protecting our fisheries should be consistent across the board; whether you are fishing off the rocks or 20 miles offshore.KENT SMITHSt. George'sSorry for nothingFebruary 1, 2011Dear Sir,To the driver of the shiny, black SUV driving up Kent Street, St. George's today at 4pm-ish.Dear Sir,My apologies for crossing the road in front of you this afternoon. Despite my being on a zebra crossing, I was ignorant of the fact that I should allow you to continue driving along the road. True, as I spied your lovely car 200 yards away down the hill, I did not realize that you were travelling at terminal velocity and would reach me in 2.5 seconds. Gosh it takes me about 60 seconds to run up that hill. I often drive up it too I never imagined you could cover that kind of distance so quickly! Silly me to think that I had enough time to cross. Or did you speed up? No, of course not… Thanks so much for your warning words as you sped by. I almost missed them, but I worked them out several seconds later. You must have been at your destination by then. Incidentally, don't worry about my five-year-old son. You didn't hit him with your chromed engine grill phew! And he didn't work out what you yelled double phew!PEDESTRIANSt George'sInside the other BermudaJanuary 20, 2011Dear sir,There is no mistake in the title, Sir. I'm not saying that Bermuda is another World, but addressing the matter of Bermuda's other world. There is irony in the December 17 Royal Gazette between the article by DJ LT and the action in the courts where a woman is let off without punishment or reprimand for parking her car on a man's property without permission. She clearly infuriates the man by her brazen and invasive act but the man is punished. In this case the magistrate is encouraging bullying and “gangsterish” conduct of this woman and others like her which is intensifying in Bermuda. The woman in question forced herself upon the unfortunate man (who apparently suffers from hypertension) and the court says it's okay punish the victim! The woman victimised this man, and should have been used to send the “other world of Bermuda” the message “do not park your car on other people's property without permission,” and “especially if you expect to lock the car with a key.”I heard one woman give a man a good “cussing” when he spoke with her about parking her car on his property. The case should have been judged a waste of court time because the man who was hurt offered to pay for the damage to the car. In this way the court would have sent the woman a message, and in paying for the damages, $3,300, the man would have been punished for using excessive force. But the judge, disregarded and abusing his authority, used the courts to justify the “gansterish” conduct of the bullish woman from Bermuda's other world. The judge has thereby declared the property of every law abiding citizen a public parking lot for any other-world bully who so chooses.One thing is certain: The decision of the judge has made this man into an enemy of Bermuda justice system; which is what the boys with the drugs on the bus displayed. What is more ironic is that the woman is most likely a mother (and could be a grandmother) while DJ LT is appealing in his article “A flagrant disregard for authority” for parents to help curb disregard for authority. The judge is encouraging the parent to disregard the authority (of ownership). What DJ LT has to realise is that in Bermuda's “other world” the parents are drowning along with their children.Can a mother drowning in the ocean save her children from drowning? No! So it is in the society of Bermuda's “other world”. Parents are drowning socially in poverty due to a lack of education and government neglect, and they are not able to save their children from drowning socially. We have “gangs” that may be able to give the children what the parents cannot give! So do not appeal to the parents, DJ LT.Now let's take a so-called “gang” and a political party; What is the difference? Except for the name there is no difference. A “gang” is a group of people who are seeking love, security, and empowerment - together trying to gain control of the “turf” where they live. A political party is a gang of people seeking love, security and empowerment together trying to take over control of the whole country.People like to say that Bermuda's black men are in trouble. They fail to see that for every man there is a woman searching for sugar-daddies, begging, stealing and in the body-parts business. The male pimps and drug dealers sitting on the walls are just the symptom of Bermuda's rotting “other world” right under the nose of Laverne. That the UBP would empower as a candidate like one recently, speaks misery for Bermuda; let alone its “other world”. The by-election shows that there are a lot of people are hoping in the UBP but, the UBP replies to this hope with their ridiculous section. A sign that now is the time for a change in their leadership.The only way Bermuda will escape from the social decline it is experiencing at present is to rebuild the temple of Culture (cf 2 Chronicles 34) which has been torn down (especially by the PLP, but the unions played a part). Just look at what is presented on Court Street as “Bermuda Culture”. Nothing more than feeding grounds for “gangs culture”. The Department of Education does not address this disgrace. The Department of Education has 100 percent failed Bermuda's “Another world”. Statements by Laverne Furbert indicate a total disconnect from our “Other world,” and the Government Education people seem to be not immune to the contagion. It is time for the PLP to close down the Department of Education (instead of schools, as they plan to do) if the department does not within two months come up with a plan to “educate Bermuda's other world”.Two committees or boards made up of schools heads and principals, public and private, will do a better job than what is being done now by the top-heavy Ministry of Education. To save more money, as only little space would be required, the offices for said committees could be in one of the schools Government is thinking of closing. Students would be required to pass two of the GED, GCE and CXC exams; and teachers should be required to make sure that they pass. Regarding the uselessness of the Ministry of Education, one needs only to recall that in pre-UBP times the Department of Education controlled only the blacks. There were white schools in those days, and they determined their own ways without interference b y the Department. They were well ahead of the Department. the Ministry of Education should be reduced to the department of Education, and given two desks in either the Ministry of Health or Home Affairs. If DJ LT should appeal for this action he would be more on the mark than appealing to socially, economically, and culturally drowning parents.READERCity of HamiltonIt's red light timeFebruary 1, 2011Dear Sir,I find one of the pictures on the front page of the February 1 edition of the Royal Gazette to be very amusing. I am talking about Paula Cox's front page cover of the Budget Report. It has a stop light with the green light illuminated. Go? No, Premier, we need to stop. Big red light! We must stop first and look at how awful our Island's finances have become under your tenure. Then we must plan together with the Opposition and business community. Then we can shine the yellow light and be cautious before we turn on that green light to go. The PLP have ignored the red light for too long; speeding through projects with total fiscal incompetence. Yes, Bermudians, we need to take the time to stop and think of our actions. The PLP have made the budget debate late again. I hope that perhaps that they use the time wisely and it isn't just a sign that they procrastinated as they have done in so many other areas.ROBERT DAVIESSmith'sWhy protests failFebruary 3, 2011Dear Sir,I am always interested in the Opinion of Mr. Walton Brown. I was particularly interested in his Opinion today. He discussed an issue that is my current obsession, that is, drawing a distinction between the People's Movements for Justice for all and the political parties' interest in power for the political elite.One necessity for a successful, sustained People's Movement is an issue which concerns “all” or a large majority of the people. In 1977 and 1981, although they were worker's issues, “workers” and the black community were so closely identified that, in fact, they received the support of almost the entire black community, as did the 1959 Movement for Desegregation and the CUAS Movement for the vote.The 2009 movement, although many blacks were equally angry with Dr Ewart Brown, for many reasons, was seen as primarily motivated by the white Opposition to Dr Brown, so it could never have become a popular movement for all, or the majority, of the black community. In my view, the environmentalists have not gathered more momentum because most black people, living in crowded areas, with so many other battles to fight, have never seen the issue as of immediate concern; hence the importance of their educational programme. I have been criticised for holding this point of view but I believe it is valid.There have been no successful People's Movement since 1998, no matter how much anger or dissatisfaction may exist because (1) the black community has been divided by Party Politics and (2) Blacks believed that a black party would represent the interest of all black people. They failed to recognise that a Political Party is concerned primarily with attaining power for the political elite who clearly contribute towards their attaining power, and not necessarily justice for all. Premier Cox recognised this reality when she appealed to the PLP delegates and not to the general public as did Mr. Terry Lister.The one issue that is relevant today to all black people is the economic disparity that has existed since 1834 when landless black slaves were freed and policies were introduced to keep them in an inferior position. But they have not moved on this as they did on the segregation and lack of votes because (a) the black Community is divided by party politics and (b) black loyalty to the PLP as a black party which most blacks do not want to challenge because that would be seen as support for the UBP or for the white community.Despite Mr Brown ‘s dismissive attitude towards the issue of race, and the rhetoric of those who say there Is only one race, the human race, a considerable percentage of both blacks and whites are very much influenced by race which determines many of their perceptions and actions. Whites, in particular, do not really understand the long lasting impact, psychologically as well as economically, that decades and centuries of racism has had on black people, even on those blacks who would never mention race and in spite of all those blacks who can itemize all of the malfunctions of blacks but who would never acknowledge that the past experiences of blacks may be relevant. That is one reason that some whites claim not to understand why the PLP still has so much support in the black Community in spite of the debt. Overt racism and its philosophy was very effective when it was Government-supported, so effective that its impact is still very much with us.EVA N. HODGSONHamilton Parish