23 September, 2014

Dear Sir,

It was sad but understandable news last week, when the Lowe family announced they would be converting Salt Kettle Guest House into a residential rental operation in the coming year. The change will end a nearly 45-year run for one of Bermuda’s most charming and pleasant properties, no doubt owing to the wonderful, welcoming character of Mrs Hazel Lowe.

What prompts this letter was the statement by Mr Zane DeSilva, the Opposition spokesman on tourism, who used the announcement to attack the government. It was, he said, “bad news for the owners, bad news for Bermuda and bad news for Bermudians…”, before tacking on a laundry list of stale complaints against the government.

Please give it a rest, Zane, and do a better job of picking your spots going forward. The fact that you said this was “bad news for the owners” indicates your first concern is not the truth of the matter but anything-goes point-scoring.

This was a private family decision involving a private family business based on the family needs of the family going forward. It was the right decision taken by the family for the family. It had nothing to do with the state of tourism today. It was a decision that does not deserve to be pulled down into the gutter of Opposition politics.

Jake

Paget