SDO and hotel debtMarch 7, 2011Dear Sir,In last week’s Royal Gazette, there was an article which highlighted that Tucker’s Point was losing a million dollars a month. This was based on “limited” financial information supplied by Bermuda Properties Ltd. The Tucker’s Point complex was launched as a real estate development and hotel project. As the owners of BPL seem to be astute businessmen, they would know at the onset of the project that you cannot generate profits running a hotel in Bermuda, but you can make a fortune on real estate development. To maximise cash flow, the best structure would be to saddle the hotel with as much debt as possible, and extract most of the funds generated from real estate sales. This would have the additional benefit that the debt service cost would lead to losses, so BPL could plead with government for more real estate development to save the hotel.So now the people of Bermuda and future generations are being asked to forfeit precious open space in return for paying back the banks or generating more cash for BPL.I think my grandchildren and their children would prefer the green hillsides, don’t you?NOT NAÏVECity of HamiltonBe leaders, SenatorsThis letter has been sent to Bermuda’s Senators and was copied to The Royal Gazette.March 8, 2011Dear Senator,Please ask yourself and the community whether a SDO for Tucker’s Point makes sense.Please ask yourself who will be benefitting from this further depletion of land and resources.Please look at who is at the helm of this “necessary” development.Please think about focusing on improving hotel quality rather than quantity.Please ask whether Bermuda needs more concrete development or more social development do we need more “stuff” OR more substance?Please be a leader.Thank you and very best,ERIN MORAN-HINESFounder, GreenrockCurrently living in British ColumbiaOpposed to SDOMarch 8, 2011Dear Sir,I also want it to be known, that I (as a born Bermudian) do also oppose the suggested development of Tuckers Point Hotel Properties here in Tucker’s Town.(What, come on now, are “we’lot” to just roll over and accept it again? I too wish to be counted in, and not out …)RAYMOND RAYTuckers TownA cry for helpMarch 2, 2011Dear Sir,I came across some coursework that I wrote when I was still at school and found its message to be particularly poignant given the highly topical Tucker’s Point SDO. An abridged version is below and the former wooded area it talks about is now condos, with barely a square foot of un-concreted land left on the entire lot.In the 12 years since this was written, I have watched our beautiful island be paved over piece by piece. The proposed development at Tucker’s Point will only accelerate this process on a massive scale. What’s more, it is on pristine land that was given protected status for future generations to enjoy.An SDO in principle may have been granted by Parliament, but the fight is far from over yet. I would like to encourage everyone to sign the petition against this SDO, write to your MPs and do everything in your power to prevent the further destruction of our Island home if not for yourself then for your children and grandchildren. Doesn’t every future Bermudian child have the right to revel in the natural wonders of our beautiful island as we all once enjoyed?A Cry for HelpI remember when life was good. Trees and plants grew abundantly on me and birds nested in their branches. Sunlight filtered through the trees but my soil was shaded. The children picked my fresh loquats and climbed my trees; they explored me and discovered my intrigue. I was in a world of my own, but those times are now gone.I shall never forget when the bulldozers came; those mindless machines rumbled like thunder! With their sharp teeth and claws, they destroyed me. I remember the pain as I felt myself slowly being reduced to wasteland and my protective cover being stripped away. The birds fled and I cringed in agony as the metal wheels dug deep into my heart, and the roots of trees were ripped from me. What had taken me hundreds of years to produce was destroyed in a matter of days.When the monsters left I could hardly bear to look at myself. A mountain of wiry roots rose from the dust like a gloomy reminder of my previous lustre. I felt naked. I was ashamed to show my face to the cold, unappreciative world.Each day I wonder why; why they picked me, and why they ravaged my splendour. As hard as I try, I cannot comprehend the reason behind my destruction. I guess it is just one of the wicked ways of the world, but I cannot help but wonder if one day, maybe soon, there will be nothing left.ALAINA CUBBONPembrokeSenate and sensitivityMarch 2, 2011Dear Sir,I really thought (make that hoped despite my pre-conceived perceptions) that the TPC SDO would be turned down by the House … but now that it has been passed I’m not surprised. Are members of Government so short-sighted as to be ignorant of the long term impact of anything? It appears that all they are capable of seeing and acting upon is what’s stuck on the end of their noses!–An example is using jobs as an excuse to approve the SDO. Did it ever occur to any of these people that jobs will come back or be found in other areas but desecrating this woodland reserve by covering it in concrete will ruin this pristine area forever!All government has done is bail out HSBC from TP’s inability to service the existing loan (and a huge financial loss to HSBC).Is there a chance that the Senate will be more sensitive to the needs of our offspring and the future of the Island’s open space and stop this SDO from going through? I pray they are!HERE FOR THE COUNTRY –SandysWhere did profits go?March 2, 2011Dear Sir,Where are all the huge profits from the residential Developments at Tucker’s Point? Tucker’s Point’s Master Plan, with the help of an Special Development Order (SDO), built 27 private residential homes at Ship’s Hill, 11 luxury homes at Shell Point, 11 units at Harbour Court and two Residence clubs all on land zoned for Tourism. The profits from this real estate speculation was supposed to fund the construction of a new hotel. Where has all this money gone?HOW BIZARRESouthamptonVoters have rightsMarch 3, 2011Dear Sir,David Chapman ends his Opinion Piece (March 2, RG) with these words: “I encourage all Bermudians to view the development proposal for themselves continue to raise your standards according to the paradigm you desire, not one that is decided for you.” However, to those who have done just that, he says (writes): “ … despite what those who I feel disingenuously and for their own self serving purpose attempted to invoked the name of the former black residents would have one think.”I find it incredible that it does not occur to him that we believe that, on this occasion, what “serves our purpose” is, indeed, in the interest of both Bermuda generally today and future generations. Why on earth, does he dismiss as “disingenuous”, or insincere, those whose objections are based on the painful memories of those who recall the ruthless displacement of blacks in the interest of wealthy whites by a very racist Government? It is still very much a part of a painful living memory. I am very disappointed in that expression of arrogance and insensitivity.Mr Chapman writes: “This should be left to the contractual parties involved.” Is he actually ignoring the fact that it is a matter that was brought before the (black?) representatives of an essentially black Government put there by a largely black community for a decision? Does he really believe that I have no right to express my opinion to the person that I helped to put in the House of Assembly as my representative? If those I voted for have to make a decision on any issue, it is, indeed, my “legal, moral and rational” responsibility to express my opinion, even if it were only in my personal self interest. But clearly on this occasion too many others share my point of view for this to be a purely individual point of view.David Chapman is surely far too intelligent to genuinely believe that Bermuda voters have no right to express their point of view on any issue that has come before their representatives in the House of Assembly. I certainly hope that he does not push this point of view since far too many in the PLP hierarchy already show an indifference to those who voted to put them there and seem to believe that they have a right “to decide” for us.EVA N. HODGSONHamilton ParishEnough is enoughMarch 2, 2011Dear Sir,During Monday night’s SDO debate two things were clear; MPs viewed the SDO as the only way to save Tucker’s Point financially (essentially a bail-out) and preserve our tourism reputation (how potential developers/investors perceive Bermuda). However the 21 MPs that said “aye” need to accept reality; this SDO will not accomplish either.Bermuda’s tourism product is hanging by a thread. Potential developers/investors know what happened to Sonesta, Harmony Club, Horizons, Lantana, Banana Beach, Marriott, Club Med and others. They know that Pink Beach and Newstead were/are in receivership. They know Tucker’s Point is having financial difficulty. They know that air arrivals are flat-lining. They know we have a gang problem. They know Bermuda has become significantly more congested and therefore lost some of its natural beauty.Granting Tucker’s Point a third SDO so they can try and recoup some of the losses generated after the first two SDOs won’t change these facts. Do those 21 MPs really think that granting this SDO is going to convince all of the developers/investors sitting on the sidelines (e.g. the Morgan’s Point development, the old Club Med site, the old Sonesta site, the old Lantana site) that everything is OK in Bermuda? What happens if a third SDO isn’t enough to save Tucker’s Point? When are these 21 MPs going to say enough is enough?LIVING IN REALITYHamilton ParishCell phone mysteryMarch 4, 2011Dear Sir,The funny thing about the police’s routine traffic stops is they can go around stopping people for common things like not wearing a seatbelt etc ... yet they won’t stop a person who’s driving while on a cell phone. Figure that one out, considering cell phone driving is against the law.GO FIGUREDevonshire