We need this SDOFebruary 15, 2011Dear Sir,The Bermuda Government has been pretty free and easy with the issuance of SDOs particularly for hotel developments. Like many Bermudians I have questioned the necessity of going the SDO route for many of these developments. However, for once, I have to agree with the Government's decision to issue an SDO to Tucker's Point.Bermuda's economy is really struggling. International Business has become the dominant income earner for the island but it is now contracting. Our tourism business is rapidly failing as evidenced by the placing of Belmont Hills in receivership. The only bright light on the tourism horizon is Tucker's Point. They have developed a beautiful hotel and residential development that will actually cater to Bermuda's potential tourist market, individuals with a high disposable income. It is a market that is not far from us, namely New York City. There is a reason why Mayor Bloomberg has his second home in Bermuda and visits the Island frequently as the New York press love to document.The facilities at Tucker's Point are beautiful but the management has been amateur hour. Somehow Tucker's Point has been able to attract Rosewood to manage the property. Without a doubt Rosewood is one of the premier luxury hotel management companies in the world. If you have ever had the good fortune to stay in one of their properties you will know that their standards are extremely high, arguably higher than Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton. With Rosewood, Tucker's Point has a real chance of being a success and leading the way for the further redevelopment of Bermuda's tourism business.If Tucker's Point fails, that will be the end of the rebuilding of tourism for the next ten, perhaps 20 years. With Belmont Hills and Tucker's Point in receivership, no-one will even contemplate a further hotel development on the Island. Tourism will be dead and buried. “Who cares?” I hear you say.It is never wise to “put your all your eggs in one basket”, but that is what Bermuda is doing with international business and we are now seeing the results. Having a healthy secondary business base is essential for Bermuda's economic wellbeing. It is late in the game but Bermuda desperately needs to rebuild tourism. Tucker's Point provides that opportunity.I share with many Bermudians the concern about the environment and the symbolism with respect to the history of Tucker's Town. But at this point in our history we need to be pragmatic. We need income and jobs so that people can work productively and feed their families. We need a success story in tourism. With Tucker's Point and Rosewood there is a real possibility of success. It would be foolish to throw away this opportunity.ALASTAIR MACDONALDCity of HamiltonThe people will decideFebruary 4, 2011Dear Sir,When does the people's right of assembly as an expression of free speech turn into mob rule which then becomes a revolution.Mr Editor, just because a country has a constitutional or parliamentary democracy does not assure that an elected government cannot be removed by a mob.The English considered the early American revolutionaries as a mob. The French revolution was a mob. The Egyptian mobs will become an Islamic revolution like Iran. A Bermuda revolution will most likely be started by a violent mob.In Bermuda we do not have a Bermudian Governor; our Governor is not elected. Some people in Bermuda believe a British Governor will save Bermuda from a revolution or revolutionary mob. Other people think a black PLP elected government will save us from a mob.Unemployment, injustice and disenfranchisement by a negligent government cause people to go into the streets.Mr Editor, when people are suffering, others who are not responsible and not committed to a responsible government will use a free press to bring incitement, religious fervor, bigotry, racism and cultural polarisation. That's what brings people into the street to be turned into a mob.We in Bermuda are not immune from those social ills that cause revolution and it will take a committed and ethical leadership who have the confidence of all the people on our Island to preserve our democratic rights.Mr. Editor, if history is any indication of the future, it will not be the political elite of the delegates of the PLP or the UBP that will determine the future of Bermuda but the people themselves.MICHAEL A MARKHAMSmith'sBelco's good jobFebruary 15, 2011Dear Sir,Well done. Friday (February 11) early evening, electric power to our home faltered. Strange it was raining and some wind. Strange I say, because we only had partial power or half leg as it is described. I called and reported it. Within an hour a Belco truck/technician was on the property. Upon investigating the problem, he said repair was more involved than a single technician could handle. He said repairs would be carried out tomorrow (Saturday, February 12).Saturday morning between 7am and 7.30am, two Belco trucks and technicians were in the area working on the power lines. At 8am, our electricity came on full power. We received a confirmation phone call from the Belco administrator to confirm we had power within minutes. Thank you, Belco!EDNESSWarwickA bridge of cooperationFebruary 16, 2011Dear Sir,It's apparent to me that there is a failure of the Bermuda political party system, with its racist legacy, to provide the critical structural changes needed to take this country into the next decade. We need to make important basic structural changes to our society.I am urging support for the Foundation of Bermuda Studies to develop an independent study with recommendations for principles of a new Bermuda social organisation; not on socialism, capitalism or an oligarchy (like the 40 thieves) but upon a system based upon the belief that Bermuda can create a positive model of civilisation that will be a example to the world.For far too long both in the white and the black community we have divided society into a hierarchy of social classes. These classes saw justice dispensed differently for different classes. Mr Editor, Bermudians are still struggling with “the principle of equality under the rule of law”, because they don't see justice in today's Bermuda.The present arguments against white or black social and economic privilege in contemporary Bermuda are presented under the banner of equality. There should not be any social or economic classes with special social and legal advantage. That doesn't ring true in present day Bermuda. Some leaders still encourage their followers to engage in some sort of underground class warfare. That attitude must cease if we are to survive the tumult of the economic crisis over the next five to ten years.Bermudians need all their will to cooperate among themselves to work at establishing alliances between the different stakeholders on the Island; black, white, local or expat.The Foundation for Bermudian Studies can be one of those bridges of cooperation. There is a new global and cultural order emerging Mr Editor and we need to be on the right side of history.MICHAEL A MARKHAMFoundation for Bermuda StudiesWatch those remarksFebruary 16, 2011Dear Sir,I have checked for another way of contacting the 100 Day Challenge but to no avail, probably there, but just can't find it. Hopefully, you can help.I watched this evening with great excitement, for my sister is entered in the challenge.I/we are very proud of her, Mrs Deborah Flood-Outerbridge, for what she is trying to achieve.I watched the interviews and was smiling at times for what she said ... again very proud for what she is doing.Then the commentators came on ...For the gentlemen: For you to say that my sister is an alcoholic because she has a glass of wine in the evening and maybe a couple of beers on the weekend. How dare you! (I know many lawyers, doctors, etc that have a hell of alot more.) You know nothing about Debbie or our family and what she and the rest of the family are going through in helping to care for her father as well as their mother.For the lady: To insinuate that because my brother-in-law happens to be a bartender and also a manager at KFC, that what happens in their house is not healthy. Shame on you. My brother-in-law, Basil, is his name, happens to be a very good cook and they never have KFC (no disrespect to KFC) in their house. He is very happy with the way my sister is/looks and only supports her to the utmost.This is supposed to be a programme that helps and supports the individuals that participates. Your particular comments are out of line!Debbie has been doing this programme now for about a month and has been very dedicated, and for you to say such a thing is very sad and not very helpful to her progress. If she was an alcoholic she would be freaking out/having withdrawals in this time span and that has not been the case at all, not even close. She is very determined to do this not only for herself but also to show her father (who is in a wheelchair) never to give up..So please remember, kind sir, that your comments not only affect the actual participates, but their families as well.Her grandchildren go to school and as I'm sure you are aware, peer pressure, bullying is quite active in our school system. Please keep that in mind when you say that someones daughter, mother, grandmother is an alcoholic on live TV.This is not denial. I grew up with an alcoholic! And I know everyone is different!Congrats to all The 100 Day Challenge Folk! May you all find and achieve what you are looking for!JOANN WILKINSONCity of HamiltonFailing censusFebruary 11, 2011Dear Sir,I sincerely trust that you have been counted. I haven't. But this is not for trying. I've called the Statistics Department five times since September 2010, left my name and phone number.I did speak to a lady in early December and when she found out that my family is larger than four persons, she gave me a direct line to call to set up a home interview. At this time I offered to come into their offices, which they declined.Today I have received a mailing card with the threat of a $1,000 fine with a further $1,000 being added for every day that I do not comply. Well, I have complied, so should I be waiting for a cheque now to the value of $60,000s as the department of statistics has failed in their legal duty.WAITING TO BE COUNTEDSandysPower of censorshipFebruary 10, 2011Dear Sir,Our rights to a free press and freedom of expression are fundamental to a democratic Bermuda.What will the Press Council and the PLP Government do if the images and rhetoric of what's being presented in your newspaper or on TV and radio are offensive to all the people on our island?Mr Editor, I find pictures of black people being lynched offensive and repugnant. I also find pictures of African children starving difficult to watch. What about pictures of aborted babies? Who is going to regulate and censor what we see and hear in Bermuda?Will your newspaper and the TV and radio talk shows allow images and statements which incite and anger or will you censor what's printed or broadcasted on the airwaves? Is your newspaper's policy going to be the same as the new Press Council? Who exactly will be our new news and internet censor?Are we going to allow certain images to be only seen in the library in private and not allowed in a public political campaign? I remember the public outrage in 1998 when there was an image of a PLP candidate with dreadlocks superimposed under a target.In Egypt the TV news coverage and the Internet, with its video and text social networks, have directly resulted in thousands of people assembling, protesting and forcing the departure of their government. The Egyptian government for a short time shut down the Internet, stopped reporters' news feed and cancelled journalists' credentials.Could that happen in Bermuda? I believe the Bermuda law allows for a restriction of information. It may not be as extreme as in Egypt, but I believe it's possible and a form of censorship is already happening on an ad hoc basis.Censorship and secrecy are opposite of a transparent democratic government and open society, and add to corruption and civil rights abuse. If it's censored, hidden and secret kept in the dark, where you can't see it that allows and promotes denial.If the Bermudian people themselves do not exercise self control on how they express themselves, the government will exercise that control.MICHAEL A. MARKHAMSmith'sAffirmative action neededFebruary 14, 2011Dear Sir,General social welfare programmes and charity are mere band aids and no substitute for a specific affirmative action policy that deliberately creates economic opportunity for those in the black community who were deliberately exploited, excluded from and denied economic opportunity over decades and centuries.The current and continuing racial and economic disparity which has resulted is not being addressed nor likely to be narrowed by a few welfare programmes and charity.The current recession merely illustrates the extent to which the black community is made to suffer.EVA N. HODGSONHamilton ParishIt'll take all of usFebruary 11, 2011Dear Sir,We all know things need to change and quick, and here is how. The international business sector must be supported 100 percent and given whatever tools they need to operate. Roll out the red carpet! They are the backbone of the economy and they need to, not feel good about being here, but great!Yes, we need to get Bermudians working in this sector too and this can happen over time. On the other hand, we need other sectors such as construction, tourism, and all other local sectors to be 95 percent Bermudian. I know it sounds crazy, but it worked before and times were darned good back then for all of us! Yes, Bermudians have been shut out for some time when it comes to jobs. Remember when Bermudians managed all these sectors? I do!On the other hand we can keep going on the same course and this is where it will end. Around 20,000 unemployable and homeless Bermudians that someone will have to be taken care of when the Government is broke! Yes, it will be you and I and any others that are working, so it is time to balance the economy. It will help with crime, the way Bermudians act and how they feel about Bermuda and all that live here. So please, no more crazy talk about lazy Bermudians and all that! Really, it's not helping! Yes, we all need to change how we think, act and work, all of us.It will take us all to fix this mess, so please take some time and think about this!PRAYING FOR YOUTitusville, FloridaShooting affects communityFebruary 10, 2011Dear Sir,I am writing this letter with regards to last week broad daylight shooting in the quaint little village of Mangrove Bay. Innocent resident of the area have been affected by this terrible crime.It is very disappointing and upsetting to be told that our police team did not reach the crime scene for 30 minutes later even after two maybe three phone calls were made to the emergency number reporting the incident. (We have a police station 30 seconds away.)The area was left unattended for a long time with no protection for the building or people in the area.Police officers should have been dispatched to the area immediately whether by car or foot being it was within walking distance to keep people away and calm until the armed team arrived.CONCERNED RESIDENTSandys