The following was sent to Tourism Minister David Allen and was copied to The Royal Gazette and the Commanding Officer of the Bermuda Regiment.

March 8, 2002

Dear Mr. Allen,

I'm very glad the celebration of the finding of Bermuda has been put off from 2003 to a later date, but I realise that this means you lack a celebration for next year, on which you may have counted in developing your long-range tourism strategy.

I would like to suggest an alternative: A celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the visit of Her Majesty the Queen to Bermuda in 1953 soon after her coronation. I think this might be done by way of a military tattoo. We have not had one for many years, and a tattoo would, I am sure, help the morale of the Regiment as well as giving them an opportunity to show their stuff in front of other soldiers.

To my mind the soldiers and bands invited to participate should come mainly from places which have assisted our regiment with their training: I think particularly of the Jamaican Defence Force and the US Marines of Camp Lejeune – the Marines also have a fancy drill team who, among other things, toss around rifles with fixed bayonets in an exciting display. It could also celebrate the agreement reached between the United States and Britain over the Baselands here. I should think that elements of one of the many British regiments who have been stationed here in the past, would be a happy way of remembering our long and continuing association with the British Army ... or perhaps a contingent from the Royal Marines.

Another thought would be to invite the Fife and Drum Corps from Colonial Williamsburg. It would be good to improve our already good ties with Williamsburg, particularly in view of the major anniversaries of the founding of Virginia and Bermuda which are coming up in 2007 and 2009, which provide such important opportunities for spreading our name in the US news media. Historically there is the odd coincidence of the stealthy removal of gunpowder from the Williamsburg Armoury by Royal Marines, followed soon after by the removal of gunpowder from the gunpowder magazine here by Bermudians to help the revolutionary cause ... the two occurrences might become two separate acts in the tattoo.

Since Prospect Field has become the National Stadium and a fine grandstand has been erected we have a splendid place for a tattoo, and I am sure we Bermudians would enjoy such a spectacle and our visitors would too.

I hope you like the idea.

W. S. Zuill Sr.

Smith's Parish

Show blew me away

March 7, 2002

Dear Sir,

There were a whole lot of Vagina Friendly people in the room. Yes..., I said it. Vaginas! I'm writing this the morning after last night's performance of The Vagina Monologues.

I had been thinking about Dress Rehersal two night ago and I just have to share my thoughts with you.

Sigh...! Where to start? I've read the book.

I've read the script.

I've seen part of the HBO performance.

... and even after all of that, I still had chills and tears.

WOW! I felt as moved as when I first read the book early last year! What a fantastic gift the performers gave Bermuda through their words and actions.

I was very proud of their performances, their interpretations, their courage, and them all both individually and collectively. And that was just the Dress Rehersal! ...The actual performance was even better! I was thoroughly excited (no pun intended) after the Dress Rehersal. Last night, I was blown away. Fourteen local ladies giving of themselves in a most intimate way, which had little to do about sex. Well...., not really.

So, what are The Vagina Monologues? They are words, a book, and a play based on interviews of a diverse group of hundreds of women, from all over the world. Through these interviews and then through the monologues which represent them, women reveal to us their experiences and their feelings.

The most fantastic thing is that although The Vagina Monologues are merely a collection of words, it is very difficult to find the words to describe them. They are meant to be experienced, interpreted and hopefully understood.

The ladies on stage were all connected with the audience. The audience hung on their every word, and the ladies played right into it. Much better than the book. The audience was right there with them – right through "Hair", listening about Bob (my personal hero!), the Coochie Snorcher, Under The Burqa, and while understanding just where the Home Of The Moan lives (you really need to ask someone who went about that one!).

Tickets to the show were sold out within days of going on sale without being advertised. It was like Bermuda's best kept secret that a lot of people knew about. A great begining to future V-Day activities in Bermuda! My greatest satisfaction was being one of the 378 in the audience. My greatest disappointment was for the many, many people who never had chance to purchase a ticket, and even worse..., all those who are unaware of The Vagina Monologues and its ability to change lives.

I believe the benefit to the Bermuda community is this: For women – the ability to deal with issues from their past, &/or to have the courage to say "no" or "stop" to the issues in their life today. For men – to better understand, respect and support the women and girls in their lives, plus women and girls in general. I received an e-mail yesterday which reads in part: "Growing up the word "Vagina" was never said in the household and learning about one's self was guess it as you go.

It was hard to ask my grandmother questions, because I knew her generation did not talk about the female body or sex or anything along those lines. I knew asking her would make her feel 'funny', or make her mad in some way, so I just left it alone.

That's how it was, but now I have taken the time and made the effort to seek and find the answers to my questions. With having two girls I want them to be more aware of themselves and there community, so I encourage them to ask the questions I was always afraid to ask." Vagina Dialogues, a discussion, followed in which a man in the audience spoke of having "Vagina Envy" because only women are allowed to perform.

Well, I want to let that gentleman and everyone else know that men are allowed to help behind the scenes. ... And next year will be bigger and better and with more seats! So, we'll need all the help we can get. To support, assist, perform, or for information please contact us.

My deepest thanks to Carol Birch, director of the 2002 performance, and David Mitchell who shared Producer responsibilites with me. There are many others that should be mentioned, along with our sponsors John Barritts & Sons, Four Star Pizza, Sunshine Company, Rock Island Coffee and Fresh Creations. Thank You!

MARICO THOMAS

V-Day Bermuda, ChairPerson

Editorial surprised me

March 6, 2002

Dear Sir,

After reading your editorial march 5th 2002 (Taxi Protest) I was sure someone else was writing this article, this was not the same editor who wrote all the previous articles on the taxi industry.

While you do recall that the public has been ill-served for decades, I'm somewhat surprised to read your recommendation and if you had research any of your previous articles or the taxi regulations, had you done so, you would have found:

1. Over a ten-year period radios were mandatory, ending in 1996;

2. Under the regulations all taxis are required to be on the road sixteen hours; and

3.Under the taxi dispatching company regulations they will have to report if this was not so.

These steps were not successful and to reintroduce them,will only bring the same results.

It would be sensible now to move on, with today's technology and the way information can be gathered, we will be better able to solve these very old problems.

D.H.FOSTINE-DESILVA

Warwick

Share the numbers

February 14, 2002

Dear Sir,

In discussing the Statistics Act passed in the House, the Premier was extremely economical with the truth. She said meetings with stakeholders had taken place and three minor amendments had been made in response. What she did not tell the rest of those dumbbells was that the Act was actually introduced into the House of Assembly without consultation with any segment of the business community – e.g. Chamber of Commerce, Employers' Council, Monetary Authority, Ministry of Finance, etc.

This is a far cry from the days when statistics were gathered through the Ministry of Finance, and there was a considerable amount of discussion – and input – involving the business sector.

Statistics have now been moved over to the Premier's office, and one wonders why. We all know the level of communication we can expect from the Premier and David Burch, who both developed serious lockjaw in November, 1998. Her assurances that unauthorised use of these statistics would not happen, are quite frankly not believed by most businessmen.

The need to have an Island-wide census every five years, when they couldn't cope with one every ten years is another bad joke... and an expensive one at that.

Here we are arguing about constitutional changes, and the need to amend the size of the House of Assembly, and the Census figures are not even available to the public. Does any honest, fair person believe that the Premier and her close political colleagues have not had access to those figures for months? Do people believe that constitutional changes are fair when they cannot get information on the subject from the Premier, and her lackies?

The public have a right to much of the information that she and her party have gathered...at our expense. I certainly hope the Senate has enough common sense to give this Bill a hoist. It is an outrageous intrusion into the private affairs of individuals.

FRIGATE

Paget

Housel must pay penalty

March 6, 2002

Dear Sir,

In writing your editorial of March 1, the case of Tracy Housel, you use the argument of "Matters of Principle".

I ask the Editor or Editorial Board if Mr. Tracy Housel who has been convicted of rape and murder of a lady, and who has been sentenced by a Court of Law in the State of Georgia USA, to die by lethal injection for his crime, is Mr. Housel held to standards of "Principle" also?

I am sure, Sir, that you would agree that "Principle" involves respect, Integrity, Unrighteousness, a rule of conduct, etc. I do not believe Mr. Housel falls under the considerations of "Principled".

Mr. Gary Proctor, former Bermuda lawyer & resident, pleads on behalf of Mr. Housel by saying among other things: "Surely we should all agree that his elderly mother doesn't deserve to watch her son killed in cold blood nor do his friends." Excuse me! How about the victim's family? The victim was brutally raped and then brutally murdered. The family's closure is the demise of Tracy Housel. I would also suggest to the Editor and Mr. Gary Proctor that Tracy Housel showed no Denizen of Humanity!

If the Governments of Bermuda & England wish for clemency, if individuals such as Dame Lois Browne Evans & Baroness Amos plead for clemency, then I suggest they pay for his upkeep in the Georgia Prison System for the rest of his natural or un-natural life. Why should the Georgia taxpayers pay for his existence!

Tracy Housel will pay for his crime, his principles on March 12, 2002! Unless, of course, politics win out, which I doubt.

MICHAEL E. PITTS

Inverness, Florida

Dr. Brown is clueless

February 20, 2002

Dear Sir,

The arrogant and dictatorial attitude that our Minister of Transport has portrayed over the past several weeks has prompted me to "add my two cents" or should I say sense. The taxi situation in Bermuda is already at a rapidly deteriorating rate because of the decline in tourism, which hits a totally different note and subject, and Dr. Brown is adding to it.

It is so clear that Dr. Brown has absolutely no clue as to how transport should be run. The various suggestions and implementations that he is trying to impose is doing nothing but setting us all back. To name a few: central dispatch, water taxis and the list goes on, unbelievably absurd. I can go on for pages with my disapproval of his Minister, but I'm sure there are not enough pages in the media to allow this.

In addition, how is it that he can try and impose a car pooling rule... When most Bermudians work two or three or even more jobs to make ends meet and to acquire the luxuries in life that we so deserve.

My husband and I have worked many nights in addition to our day jobs to acquire our home and to be able to purchase the auto of our choice and still be able to live comfortably. And Dr. Brown is going to try and tell us how and when we should drive our vehicles? How arrogant!

Unless, he wishes to play a part in the car payments to the bank, then he should have some sort of say on the use of our vehicles. Should we be restricted when to drive our vehicles, maybe strict rules need to be implied on the use of the GP luxury vehicles and stop them from being driven when it is not official business i.e. driving through Hamilton on Saturdays and parked outside of places of employment (after all we are paying for them). I wonder how many people will be in "GP" from AP Owen Road into The Lane.

The morning traffic congestion is only during the school year, if anyone were to pay attention to when school is out for holidays the traffic flow is smooth and easy...A suggestion that Dr. Brown may want to liase with his Minister of Education is to introduce a school bus pick up, i.e. neighbourhood to neighbourhood, 90 percent of the parents who take their children to school are mostly private school parents who feel safer taking their children themselves as opposed to letting them onto public transportation.

Private schools may want to help out with traffic congestion by purchasing buses for their students who live far West or far East to be picked up in their neighbourhoods as most of them live in the same or near neighbourhoods, this would ease the parents having to leave home, reducing the traffic congestion.

Allowing foreign workers to ride the bus free, sick.....What about our single mothers, trying to find $10 plus per day to transport herself and her child or children to and from work and school, why can't they ride free or at least her dependants ride free.

Come on Dr. Brown, each time I open the paper you are surprising me more and more. Up until the last election, I have voted for the PLP, but the next general election I am really going to have to put some thought as to where I will be marking my X.

The arrogance portrayed by some members of the PLP government is unbearable, and I do stress SOME. Those who are arrogant and dictatorial need to take examples from the likes of Mrs. Cox, Mr. Bascome and Miss Webb to name a few of the "sensible ones". It gives one no other choice but to look at it as "the head of the household is arrogant, so are the siblings."

It really makes one wish the Minister should have renounced his Bermudian citizenship and kept his US citizenship.

Government you need to be a Government who is for your people...Many of us put you in power for a change, what a wake up call you have given us all.Government, pay attention before the next election, and remember what you have you can also lose.

HESITANT SUPPORTER

Warwick