August 11, 2003

Dear Sir,

Bermuda is very sad and upset to know that a young, vibrant six-year-old girl died due to injuries sustained in accident that should have not happened.

Our hearts go out to her parents and relatives; however, out of this tragedy I hope that it can be a lesson learned, for all of us, to drive more defensively, so that lives and injuries can be spared.

The number of cars and motorbikes has risen dramatically over the years, and now we need to take even greater care on our roads. My brother, Warren Brown Jr., suggested that perhaps, where they are school crossings and the alike, that flashing lights be set up to give warning to motorists that there are people on the cross walks.

We need to prevent any more accidents like this, so to ensure our kids are safe on Bermuda's roads.

ELLEN B. BROWN

Smith's Parish

August 11, 2003

Dear Sir,

What happened to Tyaisha Cox is absolutely tragic, my heart goes out to her family. Three years ago my son, then aged eight, was involved in a similar accident when crossing the road in front of a bus under the instruction of the bus driver. This happened near Barnes Corner on his way to summer camp in Somerset.

People reading the article in the paper are very upset but think that there is nothing that can be done. One positive step that can and should be taken after this accident is that the common practice of buses allowing people to cross in front of the vehicle should be reassessed. We should revert to the English system whereby people wait for the vehicle to leave and then cross the road. It is safer for both pedestrians and drivers.

I understand that traffic is supposed to give way to buses but that doesn't cover the time that the bus is off-loading passengers and I feel that a change in bus policy would be an effective measure in preventing this tragedy from happening again.

SHARON CRANFIELD

Warwick

August 4, 2003

Dear Sir,

Each year those of us who live on the South Shore in Warwick are made to suffer the same fate when we use our favourite beach Long Bay in Warwick. The hundreds of tourists who come down there each summer are made to suffer a similar fate.

You see, the Government department responsible for cleaning the beaches does not clean Long Bay. It is not so much the seaweed that washes up, although the seaweed at Horseshoe Bay is raked and buried every week, it is also the filth that washes up like plastic boxes, needles, bottles, cans and a myriad of junk of all descriptions we have to contend with. It doesn't seem fair when other beaches are cleaned we have to suffer. We pay our taxes too.

Many people have complained over the years but nothing is ever done. The Government gives us an excuse it is difficult to get the machine that cleans onto Long Bay. We know that not to be true; it would be a simple matter to open a gap through the dunes to get the machine on the beach.

Further there is a dangerous gap from erosion at the foot of the car park that people use to get onto the beach. It is such that someone will get hurt trying to use it. We've asked for this to be fixed, to date there has been no response.

I believe the beaches come under the Ministry of the Environment and are administered by the Parks department. Perhaps when the new Minister settles in she will remember to help us out at Long Bay Warwick and in the summertime in particular, cause the beach to be kept clean for us by the locals and tourists. It is after all, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world when it is kept clean.

QUINTON L. EDNESS

Warwick

August 8, 2003

Dear Sir,

I was somewhat surprised to see the following in The Royal Gazette today: "Asked whether he thought such a bloodless coup d'etat would have been justified at the time, Mr. Commissiong said: 'It was justified at the time, there is no doubt in my mind. .. frustration among black men was palpable to the extent that that was the only way to begin to deconstruct the whole edifice of white racism.'"

Since we have mostly gotten rid of the edifice of white control without benefit of large-scale kidnapping, it's obvious that this was indeed not "the only way" to get rid of it.

One therefore wonders how Mr. Commissiong can say it was justified. Indeed, we are rather lucky it didn't happen, as it would have no doubt retarded progress, rather than accelerated it.

STARTLED

Pembroke

August 9, 2003

Dear Sir,

Minister of Youth, Sport and Community Affairs Dale Butler's proposal for a book to be published on Portuguese-Bermudian history and culture for use in our schools is commendable.

However, I believe it would be far better if a comprehensive, definitive textbook on the history of Bermuda as a whole were commissioned by Government for use in the classroom.

Such a work would encompass the history and contributions of the three main cultures that make up this country, i.e. British, West Indian, and Portuguese.

This I believe would encourage Bermudians to begin to think of themselves as one people and serve to unify us. I feel that focusing narrowly on separate communities, only serves to fractionalise a society that is already too divided.

While I recognise that such a work would represent a considerable undertaking I believe it is long overdue.

I would encourage Minister Butler to collaborate with the Minister of Education Paula Cox in this regard.

RECMAN

Devonshire