October 22, 2012Dear Sir,This is only the second contribution to this forum in my 50 years and it is with some vigour I find myself writing to you at this time.The subject that has got me so enthused to put pen to paper is Minister Zane DeSilva comments in Saturday’s paper with regards to his business apparently falling victim to the oligarchy of old, according to him, apparently still alive and well today and within the Bermuda National Trust.Really, Mr DeSilva are you serious? Let me back up a bit. First of all I have known Minister DeSilva since we were at secondary school and Zane’s zeal for a deal were legendary then and among the construction industry today, there is no doubt he is shrewd.While I am not an active supporter of the BNT I have known the current director Jennifer Gray a long time and I can say with some confidence she is as non-political as any person can possibly be. She is utterly devoted to her family with the BNT running a very close second or perhaps a more accurate way to say that is she is passionate and devoted to all of God’s creations and will take the fight to protect the natural environment to anyone and anywhere. I have heard she is sometimes at odds with her own BNT board to defend the environment she feels she and the BNT have been entrusted to protect. In her various capacities Jennifer has quite literally travelled to the far corners of the globe advocating the protection of the environment and all creatures within it.The occupation of the BNT Vesey Street property by an oil leaching, diesel belching equipment and construction supply company I imagine is simply abhorrent to someone like her. The carbon footprint of Island Construction’s operation at Vesey Street must be staggering. From what I have read Island Construction have been there for decades, and the lease was up, the time had come.In my learned opinion Jennifer is largely ignorant of the financial and political wheels and deals that permeate our society, and I can see completely at odds with Mr DeSilva.I have come to respect Mr DeSilva for his hard work in Government in recent years, moreover his success as a businessman. I do applaud his veracity in his business, one he took from an ageing equipment services business turning it into a burgeoning construction empire. It has been an impressive climb.I have no doubt whatsoever that his business has plummeted since 2007 …. Guess what, so has mine and my brothers and my cousins and friends etc. We, in the business community, especially the construction industry have experienced downturns that yesteryear would have defied all possibility. Personally my company sales are down by 70 percent since 2007. I don’t blame anyone else for that except myself for not seeing it coming, for not taking the global financial commentators seriously, I take responsibility for my actions and that of my business, I do not look around for prey to blame. I do not look at this to gain political points, or elevate my standing with colleagues. We cannot continue to cry “I didn’t get it because I am black or because I am white”, enough already.For Mr DeSilva to take up the war drum of a battle long since over is belittling to his own and his colleagues’ accomplishments and frankly I am disappointed. Some of his Cabinet contemporaries don’t know how to do anything else. We are global community and it’s embarrassing to hear the diatribe of hate and insecurity spew from some of them. I hope they are playing to a dwindling audience that frankly I wish would pack up their seats and go home and let the more progressive younger more global thinking support base emerge.Mr DeSilva take a long hard look at your industry colleagues, especially those traditionally not affiliated with your PLP and you will see most are suffering through this depression, many will not survive. All colours and creeds have been negatively touched by the new economy.Pick on someone your own size. The BNT is a fragile and strained entity that deserves better than your unwarranted comments. Move on and make a difference in positive ways. I know you can do it, don’t waste your opportunity like some of your leaders before you.HOPEFULSouthampton