January 10, 2014

Dear Sir,

I’m not one to engage in flattery, or spin words on things I don’t believe whole heartedly. I may not always be 100% right, and I don’t mind being corrected.

I have enjoyed making contributions through this media of The Royal Gazette, particularly since I have had to spend lots of time travelling, and have not been in proper location even while here to get on talk radio.

I am happy that Tim Hodgson is the new editor, because I think he is a brilliant mind, and incredible writer. I don’t think people can imagine the task that he previously held with The Mid Ocean sitting in the same building with The Royal Gazette, and produce news that was qualitatively, and substantively different.

I pour no slight on the late David White, or for that matter Bill Zuill, I just want to say that Tim is different.

It used to be the case that whenever there was something of a thought that was not an old traditional east meets west line, it needed The Mid-Ocean and Tim to grasp, and publish it.

The media has an important role, and if you want to keep a society down, don’t provide it real meat, keep feeding the same old dog food.

Hopefully Tim is a sign of the times, and I don’t know the relationship between editor and board, I’m sure it will be a rocky road. But its rocky times, and broadness with a brevity and openness to embrace a new frontier like facing a mighty ocean, you set sail and move forward.

I have a hidden beef with the Bermudian Magazine which I think has been a great contributor over the years for documenting the life and movements about Bermuda.

I was a little annoyed because I don’t think of it as being a nice archive for memorabilia, but rather something as an organism which charts and defines our movements, and movers, that make history happen. I can’t take to task someone who has past particularly when they die before a mission they started is concluded. But I would believe that the magazine should follow whatever aims it sets whether or not fate removes an editor.

I speak to what I thought was a provocative and meaningful attempt back around 1985 to have a glimpse of the future based on the positions of persons known in the community as having respected opinions.

They asked what the future should look like and where to examine the opinions 25 years later. They asked 10 people, two have since deceased, they being Sir Henry Tucker, and Harry Vera but the others are still alive including myself. 25 years have come and gone with no cross examination by the Bermudian Magazine of those opinions expressed.

Frankly I enjoyed all the perspectives, but would have loved the opportunity to expand on some of the thoughts expressed, because it would be useful now as bases from which to speak.

We, the Bermudian people, including our guests, need a roll call. We are diverse, and the input of each of us will vary, but like a symphony we can all rise together, and be what we are innately capable of being.

I want to remind us of a once sojourner Captain John Smith, who said: “Bermuda is an excellent bit with which to rule a great horse.” Which is great evidence that at one time Bermuda was seen as a powerful position from which to steer and guide the larger world, but now in contrast we look for the world to steer us.

The ghost of Captain John Smith is wondering what the heck we are doing … like the old musical piece “What have they done to my song”. Words are important and I would take this opportunity to beg the press to stimulate our dialogue, and help provide the forum so that the decedents of Captain Smith’s era can come back to the table, and take the axiomatic position from which they fell.

KHALID WASI